Chapter: Cornets. Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinals shoulder, the
Nobles,
    and Sir Thomas Louell: the Cardinall places himselfe vnder the
    Kings feete
    on his right side.

    King. My life it selfe, and the best heart of it,
    Thankes you for this great care: I stood i'th' leuell
    Of a full-charg'd confederacie, and giue thankes
    To you that choak'd it. Let be cald before vs
    That Gentleman of Buckinghams, in person,
    Ile heare him his confessions iustifie,
    And point by point the Treasons of his Maister,
    He shall againe relate.

    A noyse within crying roome for the Queene, vsher'd by the Duke
    of
    Norfolke. Enter the Queene, Norfolke and Suffolke: she kneels.
    King riseth
    from his State, takes her vp, kisses and placeth her by him.

    Queen. Nay, we must longer kneele; I am a Suitor

    King. Arise, and take place by vs; halfe your Suit
    Neuer name to vs; you haue halfe our power:
    The other moity ere you aske is giuen,
    Repeat your will, and take it

    Queen. Thanke your Maiesty
    That you would loue your selfe, and in that loue
    Not vnconsidered leaue your Honour, nor
    The dignity of your Office; is the poynt
    Of my Petition

    Kin. Lady mine proceed

    Queen. I am solicited not by a few,
    And those of true condition; That your Subiects
    Are in great grieuance: There haue beene Commissions
    Sent downe among 'em, which hath flaw'd the heart
    Of all their Loyalties; wherein, although
    My good Lord Cardinall, they vent reproches
    Most bitterly on you, as putter on
    Of these exactions: yet the King, our Maister
    Whose Honor Heauen shield from soile; euen he escapes not
    Language vnmannerly; yea, such which breakes
    The sides of loyalty, and almost appeares
    In lowd Rebellion

    Norf. Not almost appeares,
    It doth appeare; for, vpon these Taxations,
    The Clothiers all not able to maintaine
    The many to them longing, haue put off
    The Spinsters, Carders, Fullers, Weauers, who
    Vnfit for other life, compeld by hunger
    And lack of other meanes, in desperate manner
    Daring th' euent too th' teeth, are all in vprore,
    And danger serues among them

    Kin. Taxation?
    Wherein? and what Taxation? My Lord Cardinall,
    You that are blam'd for it alike with vs,
    Know you of this Taxation?
    Card. Please you Sir,
    I know but of a single part in ought
    Pertaines to th' State; and front but in that File
    Where others tell steps with me

    Queen. No, my Lord?
    You know no more then others? But you frame
    Things that are knowne alike, which are not wholsome
    To those which would not know them, and yet must
    Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions
    (Whereof my Soueraigne would haue note) they are
    Most pestilent to th' hearing, and to beare 'em,
    The Backe is Sacrifice to th' load; They say
    They are deuis'd by you, or else you suffer
    Too hard an exclamation

    Kin. Still Exaction:
    The nature of it, in what kinde let's know,
    Is this Exaction?
    Queen. I am much too venturous
    In tempting of your patience, but am boldned
    Vnder your promis'd pardon. The Subiects griefe
    Comes through Commissions, which compels from each
    The sixt part of his Substance, to be leuied
    Without delay; and the pretence for this
    Is nam'd, your warres in France: this makes bold mouths,
    Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze
    Allegeance in them; their curses now
    Liue where their prayers did: and it's come to passe,
    This tractable obedience is a Slaue
    To each incensed Will: I would your Highnesse
    Would giue it quicke consideration; for
    There is no primer basenesse

    Kin. By my life,
    This is against our pleasure

    Card. And for me,
    I haue no further gone in this, then by
    A single voice, and that not past me, but
    By learned approbation of the Iudges: If I am
    Traduc'd 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 Vertue must goe through: we must not stint
    Our necessary actions, in the feare
    To cope malicious Censurers, which euer,
    As rau'nous Fishes doe a Vessell follow
    That is new trim'd; but benefit no further
    Then vainly longing. What we oft doe best,
    By sicke Interpreters (once weake ones) is
    Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft
    Hitting a grosser quality, is cride vp
    For our best Act: if we shall stand still,
    In feare our motion will be mock'd, or carp'd at,
    We should take roote here, where we sit;
Or sit State-Statues onely

Kin. Things done well,
    And with a care, exempt themselues from feare:
    Things done without example, in their issue
    Are to be fear'd. Haue you a President
    Of this Commission? I beleeue, not any.
    We must not rend our Subiects from our Lawes,
    And sticke them in our Will. Sixt part of each?
    A trembling Contribution; why we take
    From euery Tree, lop, barke, and part o'th' Timber:
    And though we leaue it with a roote thus hackt,
    The Ayre will drinke the Sap. To euery County
    Where this is question'd, send our Letters, with
    Free pardon to each man that has deny'de
    The force of this Commission: pray looke too't;
    I put it to your care

    Card. A word with you.
    Let there be Letters writ to euery Shire,
    Of the Kings grace and pardon: the greeued Commons
    Hardly conceiue of me. Let it be nois'd,
    That through our Intercession, this Reuokement
    And pardon comes: I shall anon aduise you
    Further in the proceeding.

    Exit Secret[ary].

    Enter Surueyor.

    Queen. I am sorry, that the Duke of Buckingham
    Is run in your displeasure

    Kin. It grieues many:
    The Gentleman is Learn'd, and a most rare Speaker,
    To Nature none more bound; his trayning such,
    That he may furnish and instruct great Teachers,
    And neuer seeke for ayd out of himselfe: yet see,
    When these so Noble benefits shall proue
    Not well dispos'd, the minde growing once corrupt,
    They turne to vicious formes, ten times more vgly
    Then euer they were faire. This man so compleat,
    Who was enrold 'mongst wonders; and when we
    Almost with rauish'd listning, could not finde
    His houre of speech, a minute: He, (my Lady)
    Hath into monstrous habits put the Graces
    That once were his, and is become as blacke,
    As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by Vs, you shall heare
    (This was his Gentleman in trust) of him
    Things to strike Honour sad. Bid him recount
    The fore-recited practises, whereof
    We cannot feele too little, heare too much

    Card. Stand forth, & with bold spirit relate what you
    Most like a carefull Subiect haue collected
    Out of the Duke of Buckingham

    Kin. Speake freely

    Sur. First, it was vsuall with him; euery day
    It would infect his Speech: That if the King
    Should without issue dye; hee'l carry it so
    To make the Scepter his. These very words
    I'ue heard him vtter to his Sonne in Law,
    Lord Aburgany, to whom by oth he menac'd
    Reuenge vpon the Cardinall

    Card. Please your Highnesse note
    This dangerous conception in this point,
    Not frended by his wish to your High person;
His will is most malignant, and it stretches
Beyond you to your friends

Queen. My learn'd Lord Cardinall,
    Deliuer all with Charity

    Kin. Speake on;
    How grounded hee his Title to the Crowne
    Vpon our faile; to this poynt hast thou heard him,
    At any time speake ought?
    Sur. He was brought to this,
    By a vaine Prophesie of Nicholas Henton

    Kin. What was that Henton?
    Sur. Sir, a Chartreux Fryer,
    His Confessor, who fed him euery minute
    With words of Soueraignty

    Kin. How know'st thou this?
    Sur. Not long before your Highnesse sped to France,
    The Duke being at the Rose, within the Parish
    Saint Laurence Poultney, did of me demand
    What was the speech among the Londoners,
    Concerning the French Iourney. I replide,
    Men feare the French would proue perfidious
    To the Kings danger: presently, the Duke
    Said, 'twas the feare indeed, and that he doubted
    'Twould proue the verity of certaine words
    Spoke by a holy Monke, that oft, sayes he,
    Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit
    Iohn de la Car, my Chaplaine, a choyce howre
    To heare from him a matter of some moment:
    Whom after vnder the Commissions Seale,
    He sollemnly had sworne, that what he spoke
    My Chaplaine to no Creature liuing, but
    To me, should vtter, with demure Confidence,
    This pausingly ensu'de; neither the King, nor's Heyres
    (Tell you the Duke) shall prosper, bid him striue
    To the loue o'th' Commonalty, the Duke
    Shall gouerne England

    Queen. If I know you well,
    You were the Dukes Surueyor, and lost your Office
    On the complaint o'th' Tenants; take good heed
    You charge not in your spleene a Noble person,
    And spoyle your nobler Soule; I say, take heed;
Yes, heartily beseech you

Kin. Let him on: Goe forward

Sur. On my Soule, Ile speake but truth.
I told my Lord the Duke, by th' Diuels illusions
The Monke might be deceiu'd, and that 'twas dangerous
For this to ruminate on this so farre, vntill
It forg'd him some designe, which being beleeu'd
It was much like to doe: He answer'd, Tush,
   It can do me no damage; adding further,
   That had the King in his last Sicknesse faild,
   The Cardinals and Sir Thomas Louels heads
   Should haue gone off

   Kin. Ha? What, so rancke? Ah, ha,
   There's mischiefe in this man; canst thou say further?
   Sur. I can my Liedge

   Kin. Proceed

   Sur. Being at Greenwich,
   After your Highnesse had reprou'd the Duke
   About Sir William Blumer

   Kin. I remember of such a time, being my sworn seruant,
   The Duke retein'd him his. But on: what hence?
   Sur. If (quoth he) I for this had beene committed,
   As to the Tower, I thought; I would haue plaid
   The Part my Father meant to act vpon
   Th' Vsurper Richard, who being at Salsbury,
   Made suit to come in's presence; which if granted,
   (As he made semblance of his duty) would
   Haue put his knife into him

   Kin. A Gyant Traytor

   Card. Now Madam, may his Highnes liue in freedome,
   And this man out of Prison

   Queen. God mend all

   Kin. Ther's somthing more would out of thee; what say'st?
   Sur. After the Duke his Father, with the knife
   He stretch'd him, and with one hand on his dagger,
   Another spread on's breast, mounting his eyes,
   He did discharge a horrible Oath, whose tenor
   Was, were he euill vs'd, he would outgoe
   His Father, by as much as a performance
   Do's an irresolute purpose

   Kin. There's his period,
   To sheath his knife in vs: he is attach'd,
   Call him to present tryall: if he may
   Finde mercy in the Law, 'tis his; if none,
   Let him not seek't of vs: By day and night
   Hee's Traytor to th' height.

   Exeunt.

 The king, leaning on Wolsey's shoulder, thanks him for foiling Buckingham's treasonous plot. He asks for Buckingham's Surveyor, who had testified against his master, to be brought before him so that he can hear his evidence. Queen Katherine enters, with the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and kneels before the king. The king greets her and bids her rise, but she insists on remaining on her knees, since she is going to make a request of him. She explains that she has been asked to intercede with the king by his subjects, who are upset at the levying of new taxes. The people especially blame Wolsey, who originated the taxes, but their anger is also directed at the king, who is ultimately responsible. She fears that rebellion will break out. Norfolk backs up her argument, saying that employers have had to lay off their employees in order to pay the taxes, creating a desperate class of unemployed and starving people. The king says he is unaware of the new tax. Katherine explains that each subject is being asked to pay one sixth of his worth to pay for the king's wars in France, and that this is turning formerly loyal subjects hostile. The king says he is unhappy about the tax. Wolsey protests that the tax was levied unanimously by the entire king's Council and approved by the judges; his was only "a single voice" in the decision. He says that we should not refrain from doing necessary actions out of fear of malicious critics. He adds that our best actions are often the most criticised, and our worst, the most praised. The king replies that things that are carefully thought out do not create fear in the people. Believing that the tax is far too harsh, he tells Wolsey to revoke it and send letters to each county issuing a free pardon for any man who has refused to pay. Wolsey passes this order on to his secretary, but tells him to start a rumor that it is at Wolsey's request that the king revoked the tax. Buckingham's former Surveyor comes in. Katherine tells the king that she regrets that he is displeased with Buckingham. The king praises Buckingham's noble qualities, but says that he has become corrupted. He asks the Surveyor to repeat his evidence so that Katherine can hear it. The Surveyor says that Buckingham told his son-in-law, Lord Abergavenny, that if the king died without a male heir, he himself would claim the throne. A friar, Nicholas Henton, had encouraged Buckingham to believe that he could be king. Katherine points out that Buckingham had fired the Surveyor when his tenants complained about him. She warns that the Surveyor could be giving false evidence to gain revenge on his former master. But the king asks the Surveyor to continue. The Surveyor vows that he is telling the truth. He goes on to say that Buckingham had said that if the king died, he  would have Wolsey and Sir Thomas Lovell executed in order to clear his path to the throne. The Surveyor also claims that Buckingham had told a story about his father, who had planned to kill Richard III to prevent him from usurping the throne, but had been foiled when he could not gain admittance to Richard. Buckingham, the Surveyor says, had vowed to outdo his father and kill King Henry VIII. The king is convinced that Buckingham is a traitor and orders that he be brought to trial immediately.

