VAUX [to attendants] Prepare there:
The Duke is coming. See the barge be ready,
And fit it with such furniture as suits
The greatness of his person.
BUCKINGHAM Nay, Sir Nicholas,
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Let it alone. My state now will but mock me.
When I came hither, I was Lord High Constable
And Duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun.
Yet I am richer than my base accusers,
That never knew what truth meant. I now seal it,
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And with that blood will make ’em one day groan for’t.
My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,
Who first raised head against usurping Richard,
Flying for succour to his servant Banister,
Being distressed, was by that wretch betrayed,
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And, without trial, fell. God’s peace be with him.
Henry the Seventh succeeding, truly pitying
My father’s loss, like a most royal prince,
Restored me to my honours and out of ruins
Made my name once more noble. Now his son,
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Henry the Eighth, life, honour, name, and all
That made me happy at one stroke has taken
For ever from the world. I had my trial,
And must needs say a noble one, which makes me
A little happier than my wretched father.
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Yet thus far we are one in fortunes: both
Fell by our servants, by those men we loved most –
A most unnatural and faithless service.
Heaven has an end in all. Yet, you that hear me,
This from a dying man receive as certain:
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Where you are liberal of your loves and counsels,
Be sure you be not loose; for those you make friends
And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The least rub in your fortunes, fall away
Like water from ye, never found again
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But where they mean to sink ye. All good people,
Pray for me. I must now forsake ye. The last hour
Of my long weary life is come upon me.
Farewell, and when you would say something that is sad,
Speak how I fell. I have done, and God forgive me.
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Exeunt Duke and train.
1 GENTLEMAN O, this is full of pity. Sir, it calls,
I fear, too many curses on their heads
That were the authors.
2 GENTLEMAN If the Duke be guiltless,
’Tis full of woe. Yet I can give you inkling
Of an ensuing evil, if it fall,
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Greater than this.
1 GENTLEMAN Good angels keep it from us.
What may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir?
2 GENTLEMAN
This secret is so weighty ’twill require
A strong faith to conceal it.
1 GENTLEMAN Let me have it;
I do not talk much.
2 GENTLEMAN I am confident;
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You shall, sir. Did you not of late days hear
A buzzing of a separation
Between the King and Katherine?
1 GENTLEMAN Yes, but it held not,
For when the King once heard it, out of anger
He sent command to the Lord Mayor straight
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To stop the rumour and allay those tongues
That durst disperse it.
2 GENTLEMAN But that slander, sir,
Is found a truth now, for it grows again
Fresher then e’er it was, and held for certain
The King will venture at it. Either the Cardinal
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Or some about him near have, out of malice
To the good Queen, possessed him with a scruple
That will undo her. To confirm this, too,
Cardinal Campeius is arrived, and lately,
As all think, for this business.
1 GENTLEMAN ’Tis the Cardinal;
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And merely to revenge him on the Emperor
For not bestowing on him at his asking
The archbishopric of Toledo this is purposed.
2 GENTLEMAN
I think you have hit the mark. But is’t not cruel
That she should feel the smart of this? The Cardinal
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Will have his will, and she must fall.
1 GENTLEMAN ’Tis woeful.
We are too open here to argue this.
Let’s think in private more. Exeunt.
2.2 Enter Lord CHAMBERLAIN, reading this letter.
CHAMBERLAIN My lord, the horses your lordship sent
for, with all the care I had I saw well chosen, ridden and
furnished. They were young and handsome and of the best
breed in the north. When they were ready to set out for
London, a man of my lord Cardinal’s, by commission and
5
main power, took ’em from me with this reason: his master
would be served before a subject, if not before the King,
which stopped our mouths, sir.
I fear he will indeed. Well, let him have them;
He will have all, I think.
10
Enter to the Lord Chamberlain the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.
NORFOLK Well met, my lord Chamberlain.
CHAMBERLAIN Good day to both your graces.
SUFFOLK How is the King employed?
CHAMBERLAIN I left him private,
Full of sad thoughts and troubles.
NORFOLK What’s the cause?
CHAMBERLAIN
It seems the marriage with his brother’s wife
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Has crept too near his conscience.
SUFFOLK No, his conscience
Has crept too near another lady.
NORFOLK ’Tis so;
This is the Cardinal’s doing. The King–Cardinal,
That blind priest, like the eldest son of Fortune,
Turns what he list. The King will know him one day.
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SUFFOLK
Pray God he do. He’ll never know himself else.
NORFOLK How holily he works in all his business,
And with what zeal! For now he has cracked the league
Between us and the Emperor, the Queen’s great nephew,
He dives into the King’s soul and there scatters
25
Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,
Fears and despairs – and all these for his marriage.
And out of all these, to restore the King,
He counsels a divorce, a loss of her
That like a jewel has hung twenty years
30
About his neck yet never lost her lustre;
Of her that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her
That, when the greatest stroke of Fortune falls,
Will bless the King – and is not this course pious?
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CHAMBERLAIN
Heaven keep me from such counsel! ’Tis most true:
These news are everywhere – every tongue speaks ’em,
And every true heart weeps for’t. All that dare
Look into these affairs see this main end:
The French king’s sister. Heaven will one day open
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The King’s eyes, that so long have slept upon
This bold bad man.
SUFFOLK And free us from his slavery.
NORFOLK We had need pray,
And heartily, for our deliverance,
Or this imperious man will work us all
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From princes into pages. All men’s honours
Lie like one lump before him, to be fashioned
Into what pitch he please.
SUFFOLK For me, my lords,
I love him not nor fear him: there’s my creed.
As I am made without him, so I’ll stand,
50
If the King please. His curses and his blessings
Touch me alike: they’re breath I not believe in.
I knew him and I know him; so I leave him
To him that made him proud, the Pope.
NORFOLK Let’s in,
And with some other business put the King
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From these sad thoughts that work too much upon him.
My lord, you’ll bear us company?
CHAMBERLAIN Excuse me;
The King has sent me otherwhere. Besides,
You’ll find a most unfit time to disturb him.
Health to your lordships.
NORFOLK Thanks, my good lord Chamberlain.
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Exit Lord Chamberlain, and the King draws the
curtain and sits reading pensively.
SUFFOLK How sad he looks. Sure he is much afflicted.
KING Who’s there? Ha?
NORFOLK Pray God he be not angry.
KING
Who’s there, I say? How dare you thrust yourselves
Into my private meditations?
Who am I? Ha?
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NORFOLK A gracious king that pardons all offences
Malice ne’er meant. Our breach of duty this way
Is business of estate, in which we come
To know your royal pleasure.
KING Ye are too bold.
Go to. I’ll make ye know your times of business.
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Is this an hour for temporal affairs? Ha?
Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS with a commission.
Who’s there? My good lord Cardinal? O my Wolsey,
The quiet of my wounded conscience,
Thou art a cure fit for a king. [to Campeius] You’re welcome,
Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom;
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Use us and it. [to Wolsey] My good lord, have great care
I be not found a talker.
WOLSEY Sir, you cannot.
I would your grace would give us but an hour
Of private conference.
KING [to Norfolk and Suffolk] We are busy. Go.
NORFOLK [aside to Suffolk]
This priest has no pride in him!
SUFFOLK [aside to Norfolk] Not to speak of.
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I would not be so sick, though, for his place.
But this cannot continue.
NORFOLK [aside to Suffolk] If it do,
I’ll venture one have-at-him.
SUFFOLK [aside to Norfolk] I another.
Exeunt Norfolk and Suffolk.
WOLSEY Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom
Above all princes in committing freely
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Your scruple to the voice of Christendom.
Who can be angry now? What envy reach you?
The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the clerks –
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I mean the learned ones in Christian kingdoms –
Have their free voices. Rome, the nurse of judgement,
Invited by your noble self, hath sent
One general tongue unto us: this good man,
This just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius,
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Whom once more I present unto your highness.
KING
And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,
And thank the holy conclave for their loves:
They have sent me such a man I would have wished for.
CAMPEIUS
Your grace must needs deserve all strangers’ loves,
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You are so noble. To your highness’ hand
I tender my commission, by whose virtue,
The court of Rome commanding, you, my lord
Cardinal of York, are joined with me their servant
In the unpartial judging of this business.
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KING Two equal men. The Queen shall be acquainted
Forthwith for what you come. Where’s Gardiner?
WOLSEY I know your majesty has always loved her
So dear in heart not to deny her that
A woman of less place might ask by law –
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Scholars allowed freely to argue for her.
KING Ay, and the best she shall have – and my favour
To him that does best: God forbid else. Cardinal,
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 250