Alarums, as of a Battle join* d. Excurjtons. Enter Norfolk,
and Forces, fighting ; to him, C A T E s B Y .
Or. Refcue, my lord of Norfolk, refcue, refcue!
The king enafts more wonders than a man,
Daring, and opposite to every danger;
His horfe is flain, and all on foot he fights,
Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death :
Refcue, fair lord, or elfe the day is loft !
Enter RICHARD.
Ric. A horfe! a horfe! my kingdom for a horfe!
CAT. Withdraw, my lord, I'll help you to a horfe.
Ric. Slave, I have fet my life upon a caft,
And I will ftand the hazard of the dye :
I think, there be fix Richmonds in the field ;
Five have I flain to-day, inftead of him : _
A horfe ! a horfe ! my kingdom for a horfe !
[Exeunt, fgbting.
Other long Alarums : afterwards, a Retreat.
Richard III.
125
Stouts', and Enter Richmond vifiorictts,
bis Sword bloody, STANLEY, luitb Richard'* Crvwn tit
his Hand; other Lords, and Forces.
HEN. God,andyourarms,beprais'd,vi6toriousfrieudsj
The day is ours, the bloody dog is dead.
SfA. Courageous.&'oJwctfrf', well halt thouacquitthee!
Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty
From the dead temples of this bloody wretch
Have I pluck'd off, to grace thy brows withal;
Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.
[fets it upon his Head. Shouts.
HEN. Great God of heaven, fay amen to all ! __
But, tell me, is your fon George Stanley living ?
Srj. He is, my lord, and fafe in Leicejier town ;
Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us.
HEN. What men of name are flain on either fide?
STA. John duke of Norfolk, Walter lord Ferrers,
iir Robert Brakenbury, and fir William Brandon.
[reading out of a Note.
HEN. Interr their bodies as becomes their births.
Proclaim a pardon to the foldiers fled,
That in fubmiffion will return to us ;
And then, as we have ta'en the facrament,
We will unite the white rose and the red : _
Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction,
That long hath frown'd upon their enmity !_
What traitor hears me, and fays not amen ?
England 'hath long been mad, and fcarr'd herfelf;
The brother blindly fhed the brother's blood,
The father madly flaughter'd his own fon,
The fon compell'd been butcher to the fire :
Ail this divided York and Lancajler
7 royalties ' 3 young Grcrg* become
VOL. VII. 1
1 2 6 Richard III.
Divided, in their dire division
O, now, let Richmond and Elizabeth,
The true fucceeders of each royal houfe,
By God's fair ordinance conjoin together !
And let their heirs (God, if thy will be fo)
Enrich the time to come with fmooth-fac'd peace.
With fmiling plenty, and fair profperous days !
,Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord,
That would reduce these bloody days again,
And make poor England weep in ftreams of blood \
Let them not live to tafte this land's encreafe,
That would with treason wound this fair land's peace !
Now civil wounds are ftop'd, peace lives again ;
That me may long live here, God fay Amen !
Flcurijh. Exeunt.
HENRY VIII.
PROLOGUE.
T come no more to make you laugh ; things now,
That bear a weighty and a ferious brow,
Sad, high, and working, full or" Itate and woe,
Such noble fcenes as draw the eye to flow
We now present. Those, that can pity, here
May, if they think it well, let fall a tear;
The fubjedt will deserve it : Such, as give
Their money out of hope they may believe,
May here find truth too : Those, that come to fee
Only a (how or two, and fo agree,
The play may pafs; if they be (till, and willing,
I'll undertake, may fee away their milling
Richly in two fhort hours : Only they,
That come to hear a merry, bawdy play,
A noise of targets ; or to fee a fellow
In a long motley coat, garded with yellow,
Will be deceiv'd : for, gentle hearers, know,
To rank our chosen truth with fuch a fhow
As fool and fight is, (befide forfeiting
Our own brains ; and the opinion, that we bring,
To make that only true we now intend)
Will leave us never an underftanding friend.
Therefore, for goodnefs' fake, and as you are known
The firft and happieft hearers of the town,
Be fad, as we would make ye : Think, ye fee
The very perfons of our hiltory,
As they were living ; think, you fee them great,
And follow'd with the general throng, and fweat
Of thousand friends; then, in a moment, fee
How foon this mightinefs meets misery :
And, if you can be merry then, I'll fay,
A man may weep upon his wedding day.
26 ear N'.Uc Story
Perfons represented.
King Henry the eighth.
Cardinal Wolfey. Cardinal Campeius.
Capucius, EmbaJ/ador from the Emperor.
Cranmer, Archbijbop c/"Canterbury.
tor d Chancellor. Lord Chamberlain. Duke of Suffolk.
Duke of Norfolk. Duke of Buckingham. Earl of Surrey.
Lord Abergavenny. Lord Sands. Bi/bop ^Lincoln.
Sir Thomas Lovel. Sir Henry Guilford.
Sir Nicholas Vaux. Sir Antony Denny. [chefter.
Gardiner, King's Secretary ; afterwards, Bijhop of Win-
Cromwel, Servant to Wolfey ; afterwards, King's Secre-
Brandon, and a Serjeant at Arms. Dofior Butts, [tary, &c.
Griffith, gentleman-Ujber to Queen Catharine.
Secretary to Wolfey : Attendant upon the fame.
Gentleman of the King's. Gentleman of the Queen's.
three other Gentlemen. Garter, King at Arms.
Duke of Buckingham'/ Surveyor.
it Scribe, a, Cryer. Page to Gardiner.
Porter, and his Man. Keeper of the Council-Chamber.
Catharine, Wife to Henry ; afterwards, divorced :
Anne Bullen, her Maid of Honour ; afterwards, Qyeen,
an old Lady, Friend to Anne Bullen.
Patience, Woman to Queen Catharine.
Several Lords, Ladies, &c. in tht dumb Shews.
Women attending Catharine; Spirits appearing to her*
Guards, and other Attendants.
Scene, London ; once, at Kimbolton.
HENRY VIII.
ACT I.
SCENE I. London. Anti-room in the Palace.
Enter the Duke of N o R F o L K , at o ne Door ; at the other t
the Duke ^BUCKINGHAM, and the Lord
ABERGAVENNY.
[done,
Sue. Good morrow, and well met. How have you
Since laft we faw in France?
NOR. I thank your grace :
Healthful; and, ever fmce, a frefh admirer
Of what I faw there.
uc. An untimely ague
Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber, when
Those fons of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Arde.
NOR . 'Twixt Guynes and Arde :
I was then present, faw them falute on horfe-back;
Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung
In their embracement, as they grew together;
Which had they.what four thron'd ones could have weigh'd
Such a compounded one ?
Sue. All the whole time
4 Henry VIII.
I was my chamber's prisoner.
NOR. Then you loft
The view of earthly glory: Men might fay,
*Till this time, pomp was fingle ; but now marry'd.
To one above itfelf. Each following day
Became the laft day's matter, 'till the next
Made former wonders it's : To-day, the French,
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,
Shone down the Englijh ; and, to-morrow, they
Made Britain India: every man, that flood,
Shew'd like a mine; their dwarfifli pages were
As cherubins, all gilt : the madams too,
Not us'd to toil, did almoft fweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour
Was to them as a painting : now this mafic
Was cry'd incomparable ; and the enfuing night
Made it a fool, and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in luftre, were now beft, now worft,
As presence did present them ; him in eye,
Still him in praise : and, being present both,
'Twas faid, they faw but one ; and no discerner
Durft wag his tongue in cenfure : When these funs
(For fo they phrase 'em) by their heralds challeng'd
The noble fpirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compafs ; that former fabulous (lory,
Being now feen poflible enough, got credit,
That evis was believ'd.
Buc. O, you go far.
NOR. As I belong to worfhip, and affect
In honour honefty, the traft of every thing
Would by a good difcourfer lose fome life,
Which a&ion's felf was tongue to. All was royal ;
6 & 3* v. Ntttt.
Henry VIII.
To the difposing of it nought rebell'd,
Order gave each thing view ; the office did
Diftin&ly his full function.
Sue. Who did guide,
I mean, who fet the body and the limbs
Of this great fport together, as you guefs?
NOR. One, certes, that promises no element
In fuch a businefs.
Sue. I pray you, who, my lord ?
NOR. All this was order'd by the good difcretion
Of the right reverend cardinal of York.
Buc. The devil fpeed him ! no man's pye is free'd
From his ambitious finger. What had he
To do in these fierce vanities ? 1 wonder,
That fuch a ketch can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o'the beneficial fun,
And keep it from the earth.
NOR. get, furely, fir,
There's in him fluff that puts him to these ends :
For, being not propt by anceftry, (whose grace
Chalks fucceflbrs their way) nor call'd upon
For high feats done to the crown, neither ally'd
To eminent affillants, but, fpider-like,
Out of his felf-drawn web, he gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way ;
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.
ABE. I cannot tell
What heaven hath given him, let fome graver eye
Pierce into that; but I can fee his pride
Peep through each part of him: Whence has he that?
ff no; from hell, the devil is a niggard ;
14 Web. O gives
6 Henry VIII.
Or has given all before, and he begins
A new hell in himfelf.
Buc. 9ntl why the devil,
Upon this French going-out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o'the king, to appoint
Who mould attend on him ? He makes up the file
Of all the gentry ; for the moft part fuch
Too, whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon : and his own letter,
The honourable board of council out,
Muft fetch him in he papers.
j4sK. i do know
Kinsmen of mine, three at the lead, that have
By this fo ficken'd their eftates, that never
They (hall abound as formerly.
Buc. O, many
Have broke their backs with laying manors on them
For this great journey. What did this vanity,
But minilter communication of
A molt poor iflue ?
NOR. Grievingly I think,
The peace between the French and us not values
The coft that did conclude it.
Buc. Every man,
After the hideous ftorm that follow'd, was
A thing infpir'd ; and, not confulting, broke
Jnto a general prophecy, That this temped,
P-ilhing the garment of this peace, aboaded
The fudden breach on't.
NOR. Which is budded out ;
For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd
Our merchants' goods at Bourdeanx.
8 To whom
Henry VIII. 7
jfnE. Ts it therefore
The ambaflador is filenc'd ?
NOR. Marry, is't.
ABZ. A proper title of a peace and purckaf 'd
At a fuperfluous rate!
Buc. Why, all this businefs
Our reverend cardinal carry'd.
NOR . Like it your grace,
The ftate takes notice of the private difference
Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you,
(And take it from a heart that wifhes towards you
Honour and plenteous fafety) that you read
The cardinal's malice and his potency
Together: to confider further, that
What his high hatred would effeft wants not
A minifter in his power: You know his nature,
That he's revengeful; and I know, his fword
Hath a fliarp edge : it's long, and.'t may be faid,
It reaches far ; and where 'twill not extend,
Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counfel,
You'll find it vvholefome. Lo, where comes that rock,
That I advise your manning.
Enter Cardinal Wo L s E v ,
(the Purje born before him) certain of the
Guard, and two Secretaries with Papers.
The Cardinal in bit PaJJage fixetb his Eye on
Buckingham, and Buckingham on him,
both full of Difdain.
WOL. The duke of Buckingham's furveyor? h?.. J
Where's his examination ?
\.S. Here, fo please you.
WOL. Is he in, perfon ready ?
* Henry VIII.
I . S. Ay, please your grace. [hant
Wot. Well, we fhall then know more; and Butking-
Shall leflen this big look. [Exeunt WOLSE Y, and Train.
Buc. This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd, and I
Have not the power to muzzle him ; therefore, beft
Not wake him in his (lumber. A beggar's book
Out-worths a noble's blood.
NOR. What, are you chaf'd ?
Afk God for temperance ; that's the appliance only,
Which your disease requires.
Buc. I read in his looks
Matter againft me ; and his eye revil'd
Me, as his abjed objeft : at this inftant
He bores me with fome trick : He's gone to the king;
I'll follow, and out-ftare him.
NOR. Stay, my lord,
And let your reason with your choler queftion
What 'tis you go about: To climb fteep hills,
Requires flow pace at firit : Anger is like
A full- hot horfe ; who being allow'd his way,
Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England
Can advise me like you : be to yourfelf,
As you would to your friend.
Buc. I'll to the king ;
And from a mouth of honour quite cry down
This Ipf<wicb fellow's infoknce ; or proclaim,
There's difference in no perfons.
NOR. Be advis'd ;
Heat not a furnace for your foe fo hot
That it do findge yourfelf : We may out-run*
By violent fwiftnefs, that which we run at,
And lose by over-running. Know you not,
4 venpm'd-mouth'd
Henry VIII. 9
The fire, that mounts the liquor till't ron o'er,
In Teeming to augment it, wafts it? Be advis'd :
1 fay again, there is no Englijh foul
More ftronger to direft you than yourfelf ;
If with the fap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of paffion.
Sue. Sir,
I am thankful to you ; and I'll go along
By your prefcription : but this top-proud fellow,
(Whom from the flow of gall I name not, but
From fmcere motions ; by intelligence,
And proofs as clear as founts in ^Wy, when
We fee each grain of gravel) I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.
NOR. Say not, treasonous. fftrong
Buc, To the king I'll fay't; and make my vouch as
As (hore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both, (for he is equal ravenous,
As he is fubtle ; and as prone to mifchief,
As able to perform't : his mind and place
Infefting one another, yea, reciprocally)
Only to fnew his pomp as well in France
As here at home, fuggefts the king our matter
To this laft coltly treaty, the interview,
That fwallow'd fo much treasure, and like a glafs
Did break i'the rinfing.
NOR. 'Faith, and fo it did.
Buc. Pray, give me favour, fir. This cunning cardinal
The articles o'the combination drew,
As himfelf pleas'd ; and they were ratify'd,
As he cry'd, Thus let be : to as much end,
As give a crutch to the dead : But our count cardinal
io Henry VI1L
Has done this, and 'tis well for worthy Wolfey,
Who cannot err, he did it Now this follows,
(Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
To the old dam, treason) Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to fee the queen his aunt,
(For 'twas, indeed, his colour ; but he came
To whifper Wolfey} here makes visitation :
His fears were, that the interview, betwixt
England and France, might, through their amity*
Breed him fome prejudice; for from this league
Peep'd harms that menac'd him : He tfjmfoje privily
Deals with our cardinal ; and, as I trow,~
(Which I do well ; for, I am fure, the emperor
Pay'd, ere he promis'd; whereby his fuit was granted*
Ere it was afk'd) but, when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd ;
That he would please to alter the king's courfe,
And break the forefaid peace. Let the king know,
(As foon he (hall by me) that thus the cardinal
Does buy and fell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.
NOR. I am forry,
To hear this of him ; and could wifh, he were
Something millaken in't.
Buc. No, not a fyllable j
I do pronounce him in that very fhape,
He (hall appear in proof.
Enter BRANDON;/Z Serjeant at Arms before him,
andtnvo or three of the Guard.
ERA. Your office, ferjeant; execute it.
Sfr. Sir,
My lord the duke of Buckingham^ and earl
Henr/Vril. n
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, \
Arreft thee of high treason, in the name
Of our moft fovereign king.
Buc. Lo you, my lord, [/oNor.
The net has fall'n upon me ; I fhall perifh
Under devife and practice.
BRA. I am forry,
To fee you ta'en from liberty, to look on
The husinefs present : 'Tis his highnefs' pleasure,
You fhall to the tower.
Buc. It will help me nothing,
To plead mine innocence ; for that dye is on me,
Which makes my whit'ft part black. The will of heaven
Be done in this and all things ! _ I obey. _
O my lord Abergany, fare you well.
BRA. Nay, he muft bear you company : _The king
Is pleas'd, you fhall to the tower, 'till you know
How he determines further.
Asa.. As the duke faid,
The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure
By me obey'd.
BRA. Here is a warrant from
The king, to attach lord Montacute; and the bodies
Of the duke's confeflbr, John de-la-Car,
One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor,
Buc. So, fo,
These are the limbs o'the plot: No more, I hope.
BRA. A monk o'the Chartreux-
Buc. O , Nicholai Hopkim ?
BRA. He.
Buc. My furveyor is falfe ; the o'er great cardinal
Hath fhew'd him gold : my life is fpan'd already :
*5 Counfcllor *9 O Midael Hopkins.
12 Henry VIII.
I am the fhadow of poor Buckingham ;
Whose figure even this inflant cloud puts on,
By dark'ning my clear fun. _My lord, fare w el. [Exeunt.
SCENEll. The Council-Chamber.
Enter King HENRY, WOLSEY, Lords,
and others of the Council, (Sir Thomas Lovel, one}
Officers and Attendants. King enters leaning
on the Cardinal's Shoulder.
Kin. My life itfelf, and the bell heart of it,
Thanks you for this great care : I flood i'the level
Of a full-charg'd confed'racy ; and give thanks
To you that chok'd it. _ Let be call'd before us
That gentleman of Bucking ham's : in perfon
I'll hear him his confefiions juftify ;
And point by point the treasons of his mafter
He fhall again relate.
King lakes bis Seat under a Stale ;
the Council theirs; the Cardinal placelh himfelf
under the King's Feet, or. his right Side.
Noise ^within of crying, Room for the Queen.
Enter the Queen, ujher'd by the Dukes of
NORFOLK and Suffolk. She kneels : King
riseth from his State, and advances
towards her.
fue. Nay, we muft longer kneel ; I am a fuitor.
in. Arise, and take place by us : Half your iuit
Never name to us ; you have half our power :
The other moiety, ere you afk, is given ;
Repeat your will, and take it.
Que. Thank your majefty.
That you would love yourfelf ; and, in that love,
3 Lords
Henry Vlir. 1 13
Not unconfider'd leave your honour, nor
The dignity of your office, is the point
Of my petition.
Kin. Lady mine, proceed.
Que. I am follicited, not by a few,
And those of true condition, that your fubjec"ls
Are in great grievance : There have been commiffions
Sent down among them, which hath flaw'd the heart
Of all their loyalties :_ wherein, although,
My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches
Mod bitterly on you, as putter-On
Of these exactions, yet the king our mafter [not
(Whose honour heaven fhield from foil !) even he efcapes
Language unmannerly, yea, fuch which breaks
The fides of loyalty, and almoft appears
In loud rebellion.
NOR . Not almoft appears,
It doth appear : for, upon these taxations,
The clothiers all, not able to maintain
The many to them 'longing, have put off
The fpinfters, carders, fullers, weavers, who,
Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger
And lack of other means, in defperate manner
Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar,
And danger ferves among them.
Kin. Taxation !
Wherein ? and what taxation ? My lord cardinal}
You that are blam'd for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation ?
WQL. Please you, fir,
I know but of a fingle part, in ought
Pertains to the itate ; and front but in that file
VOL. VII. K
H Henry VIII.
Where others tell fteps with me.
>ue. No, my lord,
You know no more than others : but you frame
Things, that are known alike ; which are not wholefome
To those which would not know them, and yet muft
Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my fovereign would have note, they are
Moft peftilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,
The back is facrifice to the load : They fay,
They are devis'd by you ; or elfe you fuffer
Too hard an exclamation.
Kin. Still exaftion !
The nature of it ? in what kind, let's know,
Is this exaftion ?
$>ue. I am much too venturous,
In tempting of your patience ; but am bolden'd
Under your promis'd pardon. The fubjed's grief
Comes through commifiions, which compel from each
The fixth part of his fubftance, to be levy'd
Without delay ; and the pretence for this
Is nam'd, your wars in France: This makes bold mouths :
Tongues fpit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze
Allegiance in them ; nap, their curfes now
Live where their prayers did ; and it's come to pafs,
This traceable obedience is a flave
To each incenfed will. I would, your highnefs
Would give it quick confideration ; for
There is no primer businefs.
Kin. By my life,
This is againft our pleasure.
Wo i. And for me,
I have no further gone in this, than by
*8 compels *8 bafencfle
Henry VII I. I
A Jingle voice; and that not part me, but
By learned approbation. If I am
Traduc'd by ignorant tongues, which neither know
My faculties, nor perfon, yet will be
The chronicles of my doing, let me fay,
'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake
That virtue mull go through. We muft not Hint
Our neceflary actions, in the fear
To cope malicious cenfurers; which ever,
As ravenous fifties, do a veflel follow
That is new trim'd ; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do beft,
By fick interpreters (once weak ones) is
Not ours, or not allow'd ; what worft, as oft,
Hitting a grofler quality, is cry'd up
For our belt aftion, If we mail ftand ftill,
Jn fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We fliould take root here where we fit, or fit
State ftatues only.
Kin. Things tf>at are done well,
And with a care, exempt themfelves from fear;
Things done without example, in their iffue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commiflion ? I believe not any.
We muft not rend our fubje&s from our laws,
And Hick them in our will. Sixth part of each ?
A trembling contribution ! Why, we take,
From every tree, lop, bark, and part o'the timber ;
And, though we leave it with a root, thus hackt,
The air will drink the fap. To every county,
Where this is queftion'd, fend our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has deny'd
* approbation of the Judges : If
1.6 Henry VIII.
The force of this commiffion: Pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.
WOL. " A word with you." [to an Att.
" Let there be letters writ to every (hire,"
" Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd commons"
" Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd,"
' That, through our intercefiion, this revokement"
" And pardon comes : I (hall anon advise you"
" Further in the proceeding." [Exit Alt.
^Enter an Officer of the Council, 'with the
Duke of Buckingham's Surveyor.
$>ue. I am forry, that the duke of Buckingham
Is run in your difpleasure.
Kin. It grieves many :
The gentleman is learn'd, a moft rare fpeaker,
To nature none more bound ; his training fuch,
That he may furnim and inftruft great teachers,
And never feek for aid out of himfelf.
Yet fee,
When these fo noble benefits (hall prove
Not well difpos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Then ever they were fair : This man, fo compleat,
Who was enroll'd 'mongft wonders, and when we,
Almoft with lift'ning ravifh'd, could not find
His hour of fpeech a minute; he, my lady,
Hath into monllrous habits put the graces
That once were his, and is become as black
As if befmear'd in hell. Sit by us ; you (hall hear
(This was his gentleman in truft) of him
Things to ftrike honour fad Bid him recount ,
The fore-recited practices ; whereof
iJ Learn'd, and a 5 ravifli'd liftning
Henry VIII. 1 7
We cannot feel too little, hear too much.
WOL . Stand forth ; and with bold fpirit relate what you,
Moft like a careful fubjeft, have collected
Out of the duke of Buckingham.
Kin. Speak freely.
Sur. Firft, it was usual with him, every day
It would infect his fpeech, That, if the king
Should without iflue dye, he'd carry it fo
To make the fcepter his : These very words
I've heard him utter to his fon-in-law,
Lord Abergany ; to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.
Wot . Please your highnefs, note
His dangerous conception in this point :
Not friended by his wiih, to your high perfon
His will is moft malignant ; and it ftretches
Beyond you, to your friends.
Que. My learn'd lord cardinal,
Deliver all with charity.
Kin. Speak on :
How grounded he his title to the crown,
Upon our fail ? to this point haft thou heard him
At any time fpeak ought ?