Of all their loyalties; wherein although [To Wolfey.
(My good Lord Cardinal) they vent reproaches
Moft bitterly on you, as putter on

Of these exactions; yet the King our matter
(Whofe honour heav'n fhield from foil) ev'n heefcapés not
Language unmannerly; yea fuch, which breaks
The fides of loyalty, and almost appears

In loud rebellion.

Nor. Not almost appears,

It doth appear; for upon thefe 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 defp'rate manner
Daring th' event to th' teeth, are all in uproar,
And danger ferves among them.

King Taxation ?

Wherein and, what taxation? my Lord Cardinal,

You that are blam'd for it alike with us,

Know you of this taxation ?

Wol. Please you, Sir,

I know but of a fingle part in ought

Pertains to th' ftate, and front but in that file

Where others tell steps with me.

Queen No, my Lord,

You know no more than others: but you frame
Things that are known alike, which are not whole fome
To those which would not know them, and yet must,
Perforce be their acquaintance. Thefe exactions
(Whereof my Sov'reign would have note) they are
Moft peftilent to th' hearing; and, to bear 'em,
The back is facrifice to th' load; they fay,
They are devis'd by you, or elfe you fuffer
Too hard an exclamation.

King. Still, exaction!

The nature of it, in what kind let's know
Is this exaction ?

Queen. I am much too vent'rous

In tempting of your patience, but am bolden'd

Under

Under your promis'd pardon. The fubje&s grief Comes through commiffions, which compel from each The fixth part of his fubftance, to be levy'd

Without delay; and the pretence for this Lorol

Is nam'd, your wars in France. This makes bold mouths; Tongues fpit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze Allegiance in them; all their curfes now

Live where their pray'rs did; and it's come to pass,
That tractable obedience is a flave'

To each incenfed will. I would, your Highness
Would give it quick confideration; for
There is no primer bafenefs.

King. By my life,

This is against our pleasure.
Wol. And for me,

I have no further gone in this, than by
A fingle voice; and that not paft me, but
By learned approbation of the judges.

If I'm traduc'd by 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 must go through: we must not fint
Our neceflary actions, in the fear

To cope malicious cenfurers; which ever,
As rav'nous fishes do a veffel follow

That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do beft,
By fick interpreters, or weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'd: what worst, as oft
Hitting a groffer quality, is cry'd up
For our best act: if we ftand ftill, in fear
Our motion will be mock'd or carped at,
We fhould take root here where we fit:
Or fit ftate-statues only.

King. Things 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 commiffion? I believe, not any.

We must not end our fubjects from our laws,
And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each!
A trembling contribution !-why, we take
From ev'ry tree, lop, bark, and part o' th' timber:
And though we leave it with a root, thus hackt,
The air will drink the fap. To ev'ry county,
Where this is queftion'd, fend our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has deny'd
The force of this commiffion: pray, look to't;
put it to your care.

I

Wol. A word with you.

Let there be letters writ to ev'ry fhire,

[To the Secretary.

Of the King's grace and parden: The griey'd commons Hardly conceive of me, let it be nois'd,

That, through our interceffion, this revokement

And pardon comes; I fhall anon advise you

Further in the proceeding.

Enter Surveyor.

[Exit Secretary.

Queen. I'm forry that the Duke of Buckingham Is run in your difpleafare:

King. It grieves many;

The gentleman is learn'd, a moft rare fpeaker,
To nature none more bound; his training fuch,
That he may furnish and inftruct great teachers,
And never feek for aid out of himself.

Yet fee, when noble benefits fhall prove

Not well difpos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man fo compleat,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almoft with lift'ning ravifh'd, could not find
His hour of fpeech, a minute; he, my Lady,
Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
That once were his; and is become as black,
As if befmear'd in hell. Sit, you shall hear
This was his gentleman in truft) of him
Things
ftrike honour fad. Bid him recount
The fore-recited practices, whereof
We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

Wol.

Wol. Stand forth, and with bold fpirit relate, what you, Moft like a careful fubject, have collected

Out of the Duke of Buckingham.

King. Speak freely.

Surv. First, it was ufual with him, ev'ry day
It would infect his fpeech, that if the King
Should without iffue die, he'd carry't fo
To make the fcepter his. Thefe very words
I've heard him utter to his fon-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny, to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the Cardinal.

Wol. Please your Highnefs, note

His dangerous conception in this point:
Not friended by his wish to your high perfon,
His will is most malignant, and it stretches
Beyond you to your friends.

Queen. My learn'd Lord Cardinal,
Deliver all with charity.

King. Speak on;

How grounded he his title to the crown,
Upon our fail to this point haft thou heard him
At any time fpeak aught?

Surv. He was brought to this,

By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins. (7)
King. What was that Hopkins?

Surv. Sir, a Chartreux friar,

His confeffor, who fed him ev'ry minute
With words of fov'reignty.

King. How know'st thou this?

Surv. Not long before your Highness sped to France,

(7) By a vain prophecy of Nicholas HENTON] We heard before, from Brandon, of one Nicholas Hopkins, and now his name is chang'd into Henton; fo that Brandon and the furveyor feem to be in two stories. There is, however, but one and the fame person meant, Hopkins; as I have reftor'd it in the text: nor will it be any difficulty to account for the other name, when we come to confider, that he was a monk of the convent, call'd Henton, near Briftol. So both Hall and Holing fhead acquaint us. And he might, according to the custom of thofe times, be call'd as well Nicholas of Hentan, from the place; as Hopkins, from his family. I formerly fet the text right; and Mr. Pepe has fince acceded to my alteration: The

0 3

L

The Duke being at the Rofe, within the parish
St. Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand"
What was the fpeech among the Londoners
Concerning the French journey? I reply'd, or mile
Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious, 10.
To the King's danger prefently the Duke
um 25
Said, 'twas the fear, indeed; and that he doubted,
"Twould prove the verity of certain words
Spoke by a holy monk; that oft, fays he, b
Hath fent to me, wishing me to permit sun bizon
John de la Car, my chaplain, a choice hour
To hear from him a matter of fome moment198 I
Whom after under the confeffion's feal (8) 1.5w?
He folemnly had fworn, that, what he spoke,
My chaplain to no creature living, but I en
To me, fhould utter; with demure confidence,
This paufingly enfu'd;-Neither the King, nor's heirs
(Tell you the Duke) fhall profper; bid him ftrive
To gain the love o' th' commonalty; the Duke
Shall govern England.

Queen. If I

were know you well,

T

1

191

You were the Duke's furveyor, and loft your office
On the complaint o' th' tenants; take good heed,
You charge not in your fpleen a noble perfon,
And fpoil your nobler foul: I fay, take heed; (9)
Yes, heartily I beseech you.

King. Let him on.

Go forward.

(8) under the commiffion's feal

He folemnly bad forn,] So all the editions down from the sofy beginning. But, what commiffion's feat? That is a question, I dare fay, none of our diligent editors ever afk'd themselves. The text must be reford, as I have corrected it, and honeft Holing head, from whom our author took the fubftance of this paffage, may be call'd in as a testimony." The Duke in talk told the Monk, that he had done very well to bind his chaplain, John de la Court, under the feal of confeffion, to keep fecret fuch matter." Vid.. Life of Henry VIII. P. 863.

(9) And Spoil your noble foul:] Mr. Rowe's edition, I think, first Sophisticated this paffage: The oldest copies read, nobler. And it feems very proper for a pious Queen to fay, the foul of any perfor. was of a nobler regard than the life of the moß noble perfon.