The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 178
And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know,
As soon he shall by me, that thus the cardinal
Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.
Please listen to me, sir: this cunning cardinal
drew up the terms of the treaty
just as he wished; and they were agreed
on his say-so, and they are as useful
as a crutch for the dead. But our royal cardinal
has done this, and it's good; for worthy Wolsey,
who can do no wrong, has done it. Now what's happening
(which I assume is the offspring of treason) is that the
Emperor Charles, under pretence of coming to see his aunt the Queen
(that's what he said, but he really came
to confer with Wolsey) is visiting here;
he was worried that the meeting between
England and France might, through their friendship,
do him some harm, for he saw a threat to him
in their agreement: he secretly
deals with our cardinal, and I believe
(which I have good cause for, for I'm sure the Emperor
paid before he asked, so his wishes were granted
at once) that once the path had been
laid down with money the Emperor asked
him to change the King's course
and break the previously agreed peace. The King must know
(and I shall soon tell him) that this is how the cardinal
buys and sells his honour as he pleases,
for his own advantage.
NORFOLK
I am sorry
To hear this of him; and could wish he were
Something mistaken in't.
I'm sorry
to hear this from you; and I hope
you are somewhat mistaken.
BUCKINGHAM
No, not a syllable:
I do pronounce him in that very shape
He shall appear in proof.
No, every word is true:
I have described exactly what
my proof shall show.
Enter BRANDON, a Sergeant-at-arms before him, and two or three of the Guard
BRANDON
Your office, sergeant; execute it.
Do your duty, sergeant.
Sergeant
Sir,
My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most sovereign king.
Sir,
my lord the Duke of Buckingham, Earl
of Hereford, Stafford and Northampton, I
arrest you for high treason, in the name
of our Majestic King.
BUCKINGHAM
Lo, you, my lord,
The net has fall'n upon me! I shall perish
Under device and practise.
You see my lord,
the net has fallen over me! I shall die
through tricks and intrigue.
BRANDON
I am sorry
To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on
The business present: 'tis his highness' pleasure
You shall to the Tower.
I am sorry
to see you lose your freedom, to be witness to
this business: his Highness desires that you
be sent to the Tower.
BUCKINGHAM
It will help me nothing
To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me
Which makes my whitest part black. The will of heaven
Be done in this and all things! I obey.
O my Lord Abergavenny, fare you well!
There won't be any use
in pleading my innocence; the stain has been cast on me
which makes my most innocent parts seem guilty. May the will of heaven
be done in this and in everything! I shall obey.
Oh my Lord Abergavenny, farewell!
BRANDON
Nay, he must bear you company. The king
To ABERGAVENNY
Is pleased you shall to the Tower, till you know
How he determines further.
No, he's coming with you. The King
wants you to go to the Tower, to await
his further orders.
ABERGAVENNY
As the duke said,
The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure
By me obey'd!
As the Duke said,
May the will of heaven be done, and may I obey
the king's orders!
BRANDON
Here is a warrant from
The king to attach Lord Montacute; and the bodies
Of the duke's confessor, John de la Car,
One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor--
Here is a warrant from
the King to arrest Lord Montacute; also
the Duke’s confessor, John de la Car,
his Chancellor, Gilbert Peck–
BUCKINGHAM
So, so;
These are the limbs o' the plot: no more, I hope.
Alright, alright;
the plot is obvious: no more, I hope.
BRANDON
A monk o' the Chartreux.
A Carthusian monk.
BUCKINGHAM
O, Nicholas Hopkins?
Oh, Nicholas Hopkins?
BRANDON
He.
Him.
BUCKINGHAM
My surveyor is false; the o'er-great cardinal
Hath show'd him gold; my life is spann'd already:
I am the shadow of poor Buckingham,
Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on,
By darkening my clear sun. My lord, farewell.
My surveyor is a traitor; the too powerful cardinal
has bribed him; my life is already lost:
I am the ghost of poor Buckingham,
who now walks in the shadows,
his sun is darkened. My lord, farewell.
Exeunt
Cornets. Enter KING HENRY VIII, leaning on CARDINAL WOLSEY's shoulder, the Nobles, and LOVELL; CARDINAL WOLSEY places himself under KING HENRY VIII's feet on his right side
KING HENRY VIII
My life itself, and the best heart of it,
Thanks you for this great care: I stood i' the level
Of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks
To you that choked it. Let be call'd before us
That gentleman of Buckingham's; in person
I'll hear him his confessions justify;
And point by point the treasons of his master
He shall again relate.
My life itself, and the very best part of it,
thanks you for your excellent work: I was threatened
by a full-blown conspiracy, and I thank
you who cut it off. Someone bring before us
that gentleman of Buckingham's; I'll hear him
explain his evidence in person;
he shall retell the treason of his master
point by point.
A noise within, crying 'Room for the Queen!' Enter QUEEN KATHARINE, ushered by NORFOLK, and SUFFOLK: she kneels. KING HENRY VIII riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him
QUEEN KATHARINE
Nay, we must longer kneel: I am a suitor.
No, I must remain on my knees: I have come to beg.
KING HENRY VIII
Arise, and take place by us: half your suit
Never name to us; you have half our power:
The other moiety, ere you ask, is given;
Repeat your will and take it.
Get up, and take your place by me: don't mention
half of what you want; you have half my power:
the other share is given before you ask;
say what you want and you sh
all have it.
QUEEN KATHARINE
Thank your majesty.
That you would love yourself, and in that love
Not unconsider'd leave your honour, nor
The dignity of your office, is the point
Of my petition.
I thank your Majesty.
What I want is that you should
love yourself, and in your love
you should not forget your honour,
nor the dignity of your office.
KING HENRY VIII
Lady mine, proceed.
My lady, go on.
QUEEN KATHARINE
I am solicited, not by a few,
And those of true condition, that your subjects
Are in great grievance: there have been commissions
Sent down among 'em, which hath flaw'd the heart
Of all their loyalties: wherein, although,
My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches
Most bitterly on you, as putter on
Of these exactions, yet the king our master--
Whose honour heaven shield from soil!--even he
escapes not
Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks
The sides of loyalty, and almost appears
In loud rebellion.
I have been advised by many,
of noble position, that your subjects
are very unhappy: orders have been
distributed which have almost killed
their loyalty: although they have
saved their most bitter reproaches
for you, my good lord cardinal, as the
creator of these burdens, but the King our master–
may heaven prevent his honour being stained!–
even he does not escape from
rude language, which escapes from loyal people
and seems to be almost a rebellion.
NORFOLK
Not almost appears,
It doth appear; for, upon these taxations,
The clothiers all, not able to maintain
The many to them longing, have put off
The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who,
Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger
And lack of other means, in desperate manner
Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar,
And danger serves among them.
Not just almost,
it actually is; for, due to these taxes,
the tailors, unable to support
those who rely on them, have laid off
the spinners, carders, dyers and weavers who,
unable to find other work, driven by hunger
and lack of income, have been challenging
the matter with open defiance, they are in uproar,
and the situation is very dangerous.
KING HENRY VIII
Taxation!
Wherein? and what taxation? My lord cardinal,
You that are blamed for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation?
Taxation!
How? And what taxation? My lord cardinal,
who is blamed for it alongside me,
do you know about this taxation?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Please you, sir,
I know but of a single part, in aught
Pertains to the state; and front but in that file
Where others tell steps with me.
If you please, sir,
I only know my own business
in matters of state, and I'm just the most prominent
of all those who are doing the same.
QUEEN KATHARINE
No, my lord,
You know no more than others; but you frame
Things that are known alike; which are not wholesome
To those which would not know them, and yet must
Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are
Most pestilent to the bearing; and, to bear 'em,
The back is sacrifice to the load. They say
They are devised by you; or else you suffer
Too hard an exclamation.
No, my lord,
you know no more than others; but you
make the plans that everyone knows;
they are not agreeable to those they do not benefit,
but everyone has to agree to them. These taxes,
which my sovereign wants to hear of, are
a terrible burden, and to carry them
breaks the back of those who suffer them. They say
you invented them; otherwise you are
unfairly cursed.
KING HENRY VIII
Still exaction!
The nature of it? in what kind, let's know,
Is this exaction?
Still talking about taxes!
What taxes? I want to know
what type of taxes these are.
QUEEN KATHARINE
I am much too venturous
In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd
Under your promised pardon. The subjects' grief
Comes through commissions, which compel from each
The sixth part of his substance, to be levied
Without delay; and the pretence for this
Is named, your wars in France: this makes bold mouths:
Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze
Allegiance in them; their curses now
Live where their prayers did: and it's come to pass,
This tractable obedience is a slave
To each incensed will. I would your highness
Would give it quick consideration, for
There is no primer business.
I am far too forward
in testing your patience; but your promised forgiveness
emboldens me. The subjects' grievance
is with the writs, which demand from everyone
a sixth of his fortune, to be paid
at once; the excuse for this is given
as paying for your wars in France; this makes men speak boldly:
tongues reject their duties, and cold hearts
shun their loyalty; where once they prayed for you
they now curse you; and their obedience
has been replaced by their anger. I hope your highness
will give this urgent consideration; for
there's nothing needs dealing with more urgently.
KING HENRY VIII
By my life,
This is against our pleasure.
I swear,
I didn't want this.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
And for me,
I have no further gone in this than by
A single voice; and that not pass'd me but
By learned approbation of the judges. If I am
Traduced by ignorant tongues, which neither know
My faculties nor person, yet will be
The chronicles of my doing, let me say
'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake
That virtue must go through. We must not stint
Our necessary actions, in the fear
To cope malicious censurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow
That is new-trimm'd, but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up
For our best act. If we shall stand still,
In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We should take root here where we sit, or sit
State-statues only.
As for me,
I have done no more in this than was ordered
by a unanimous vote; and that was not passed by me but
; by the learned deliberations of the judges: if I am
defamed by ignorant men, who do not know
my abilities or my character, but want to
judge my actions, let me say
that is just the burden of office, and the rough road
that virtue must travel: we must not allow
our necessary actions to be prescribed
to please malicious critics, who are like sharks
who follow a sound seaworthy ship, who get nothing
beyond their vain desires. What we do best
is often not acknowledged or attributed to
others by envious or faithless interpreters;
our worst, finding favour with low people,
is praised as our best. If we stand still,
fearing that if we move we will be mocked or criticised,
we would take root here, where we sit;
we would just be figureheads.
KING HENRY VIII
Things done well,
And with a care, exempt themselves from fear;
Things done without example, in their issue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commission? I believe, not any.
We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
And stick 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 hack'd,
The air will drink the sap. To every county
Where this is question'd send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has denied
The force of this commission: pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.
Things which are done well
and carefully are not to be worried about;
we have to be concerned about things done
without precedent. Do you have a precedent
for these writs? I don't believe you have.
We must not treat our subjects according to our will,
instead of by the law. A sixth of everyone's fortune?