Exeunt.
FINIS. The Tragedy of Richard the Third: with the Landing of Earle Richmond, and the Battell at Bosworth Field.
The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight
THE PROLOGVE.
I Come no more to make you laugh, Things now, That beare a Weighty, and a Serious Brow, Sad, high, and working, full of State and Woe: Such n.o.ble Scoenes, as draw the Eye to flow We now present. Those that can Pitty, heere May (if they thinke it well) let fall a Teare, The Subiect will deserue it. Such as giue Their Money out of hope they may beleeue, May heere finde Truth too. Those that come to see Onely a show or two, and so agree, The Play may pa.s.se: If they be still, and willing, Ile vndertake may see away their shilling Richly in two short houres. Onely they That come to heare a Merry, Bawdy Play, A noyse of Targets: Or to see a Fellow In a long Motley Coate, garded with Yellow, Will be deceyu"d. For gentle Hearers, know To ranke our chosen Truth with such a show As Foole, and Fight is, beside forfeyting Our owne Braines, and the Opinion that we bring To make that onely true, we now intend, Will leaue vs neuer an vnderstanding Friend.
Therefore, for Goodnesse sake, and as you are knowne The First and Happiest Hearers of the Towne, Be sad, as we would make ye. Thinke ye see The very Persons of our n.o.ble Story, As they were Liuing: Thinke you see them Great, And follow"d with the generall throng, and sweat Of thousand Friends: Then, in a moment, see How soone this Mightinesse, meets Misery: And if you can be merry then, Ile say, A Man may weepe vpon his Wedding day.
Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.
Enter the Duke of Norfolke at one doore. At the other, the Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord Aburgauenny.
Buckingham. Good morrow, and well met. How haue ye done Since last we saw in France?
Norf. I thanke your Grace: Healthfull, and euer since a fresh Admirer Of what I saw there
Buck. An vntimely Ague Staid me a Prisoner in my Chamber, when Those Sunnes of Glory, those two Lights of Men Met in the vale of Andren
Nor. "Twixt Guynes and Arde, I was then present, saw them salute on Horsebacke, Beheld them when they lighted, how they clung In their Embracement, as they grew together, Which had they, What foure Thron"d ones could haue weigh"d Such a compounded one?
Buck. All the whole time I was my Chambers Prisoner
Nor. Then you lost The view of earthly glory: Men might say Till this time Pompe was single, but now married To one aboue it selfe. Each following day Became the next dayes master, till the last Made former Wonders, it"s. To day the French, All Clinquant all in Gold, like Heathen G.o.ds Shone downe the English; and to morrow, they Made Britaine, India: Euery man that stood, Shew"d like a Mine. Their Dwarfish Pages were As Cherubins, all gilt: the Madams too, Not vs"d to toyle, did almost sweat to beare The Pride vpon them, that their very labour Was to them, as a Painting. Now this Maske Was cry"de incompareable; and th" ensuing night Made it a Foole, and Begger. The two Kings Equall in l.u.s.tre, were now best, now worst As presence did present them: Him in eye, Still him in praise, and being present both, "Twas said they saw but one, and no Discerner Durst wagge his Tongue in censure, when these Sunnes (For so they phrase "em) by their Heralds challeng"d The n.o.ble Spirits to Armes, they did performe Beyond thoughts Compa.s.se, that former fabulous Storie Being now seene, possible enough, got credit That Beuis was beleeu"d
Buc. Oh you go farre
Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect In Honor, Honesty, the tract of eu"ry thing, Would by a good Discourser loose some life, Which Actions selfe, was tongue too
Buc. All was Royall, To the disposing of it nought rebell"d, Order gaue each thing view. The Office did Distinctly his full Function: who did guide, I meane who set the Body, and the Limbes Of this great Sport together?
Nor. As you guesse: One certes, that promises no Element In such a businesse
Buc. I pray you who, my Lord?
Nor. All this was ordred by the good Discretion Of the right Reuerend Cardinall of Yorke
Buc. The diuell speed him: No mans Pye is freed From his Ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce Vanities? I wonder, That such a Keech can with his very bulke Take vp the Rayes o"th" beneficiall Sun, And keepe it from the Earth
Nor. Surely Sir, There"s in him stuffe, that put"s him to these ends: For being not propt by Auncestry, whose grace Chalkes Successors their way; nor call"d vpon For high feats done to"th" Crowne; neither Allied To eminent a.s.sistants; but Spider-like Out of his Selfe-drawing Web. O giues vs note, The force of his owne merit makes his way A guift that heauen giues for him, which buyes A place next to the King
Abur. I cannot tell What Heauen hath giuen him: let some Grauer eye Pierce into that, but I can see his Pride Peepe through each part of him: whence ha"s he that, If not from h.e.l.l? The Diuell is a n.i.g.g.ard, Or ha"s giuen all before, and he begins A new h.e.l.l in himselfe
Buc. Why the Diuell, Vpon this French going out, tooke he vpon him (Without the priuity o"th" King) t" appoint Who should attend on him? He makes vp the File Of all the Gentry; for the most part such To whom as great a Charge, as little Honor He meant to lay vpon: and his owne Letter The Honourable Boord of Councell, out Must fetch him in, he Papers
Abur. I do know Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that haue By this, so sicken"d their Estates, that neuer They shall abound as formerly
Buc. O many Haue broke their backes with laying Mannors on "em For this great Iourney. What did this vanity But minister communication of A most poore issue
Nor. Greeuingly I thinke, The Peace betweene the French and vs, not valewes The Cost that did conclude it
Buc. Euery man, After the hideous storme that follow"d, was A thing Inspir"d, and not consulting, broke Into a generall Prophesie; That this Tempest Dashing the Garment of this Peace, aboaded The sodaine breach on"t
Nor. Which is budded out, For France hath flaw"d the League, and hath attach"d Our Merchants goods at Burdeux
Abur. Is it therefore Th" Amba.s.sador is silenc"d?
Nor. Marry is"t
Abur. A proper t.i.tle of a Peace, and purchas"d At a superfluous rate
Buc. Why all this Businesse Our Reuerend Cardinall carried
Nor. Like it your Grace, The State takes notice of the priuate difference Betwixt you, and the Cardinall. I aduise you (And take it from a heart, that wishes towards you Honor, and plenteous safety) that you reade The Cardinals Malice, and his Potency Together; To consider further, that What his high Hatred would effect, wants not A Minister in his Power. You know his Nature, That he"s Reuengefull; and I know, his Sword Hath a sharpe edge: It"s long, and"t may be saide It reaches farre, and where "twill not extend, Thither he darts it. Bosome vp my counsell, You"l finde it wholesome. Loe, where comes that Rock That I aduice your shunning.
Enter Cardinall Wolsey, the Purse borne before him, certaine of the Guard, and two Secretaries with Papers: The Cardinall in his pa.s.sage, fixeth his eye on Buckingham, and Buckingham on him, both full of disdaine.
Car. The Duke of Buckinghams Surueyor? Ha?
Where"s his Examination?
Secr. Heere so please you
Car. Is he in person, ready?
Secr. I, please your Grace
Car. Well, we shall then know more, & Buckingham Shall lessen this bigge looke.
Exeunt. Cardinall, and his Traine.
Buc. This Butchers Curre is venom"d-mouth"d, and I Haue not the power to muzzle him, therefore best Not wake him in his slumber. A Beggers booke, Out-worths a n.o.bles blood
Nor. What are you chaff"d?
Aske G.o.d for Temp"rance, that"s th" appliance onely Which your disease requires
Buc. I read in"s looks Matter against me, and his eye reuil"d Me as his abiect obiect, at this instant He bores me with some tricke; He"s gone to"th" King: Ile follow, and out-stare him
Nor. Stay my Lord, And let your Reason with your Choller question What "tis you go about: to climbe steepe hilles Requires slow pace at first. Anger is like A full hot Horse, who being allow"d his way Selfe-mettle tyres him: Not a man in England Can aduise me like you: Be to your selfe, As you would to your Friend
Buc. Ile to the King, And from a mouth of Honor, quite cry downe This Ipswich fellowes insolence; or proclaime, There"s difference in no persons
Norf. Be aduis"d; Heat not a Furnace for your foe so hot That it do sindge your selfe. We may out-runne By violent swiftnesse that which we run at; And lose by ouer-running: know you not, The fire that mounts the liquor til"t run ore, In seeming to augment it, wasts it: be aduis"d; I say againe there is no English Soule More stronger to direct you then your selfe; If with the sap of reason you would quench, Or but allay the fire of pa.s.sion
Buck. Sir, I am thankfull to you, and Ile goe along By your prescription: but this top-proud fellow, Whom from the flow of gall I name not, but From sincere motions, by Intelligence, And proofes as cleere as Founts in Iuly, when Wee see each graine of grauell; I doe know To be corrupt and treasonous
Norf. Say not treasonous
Buck. To th" King Ile say"t, & make my vouch as strong As sh.o.r.e of Rocke: attend. This holy Foxe, Or Wolfe, or both (for he is equall rau"nous As he is subtile, and as p.r.o.ne to mischiefe, As able to perform"t) his minde, and place Infecting one another, yea reciprocally, Only to shew his pompe, as well in France, As here at home, suggests the King our Master To this last costly Treaty: Th" enteruiew, That swallowed so much treasure, and like a gla.s.se Did breake ith" wrenching
Norf. Faith, and so it did
Buck. Pray giue me fauour Sir: This cunning Cardinall The Articles o"th" Combination drew As himselfe pleas"d; and they were ratified As he cride thus let be, to as much end, As giue a Crutch to th" dead. But our Count-Cardinall Has done this, and tis well: for worthy Wolsey (Who cannot erre) he did it. Now this followes, (Which as I take it, is a kinde of Puppie To th" old dam Treason) Charles the Emperour, Vnder pretence to see the Queene his Aunt, (For twas indeed his colour, but he came To whisper Wolsey) here makes visitation, His feares were that the Interview betwixt England and France, might through their amity Breed him some preiudice; for from this League, Peep"d harmes that menac"d him. Priuily Deales with our Cardinal, and as I troa Which I doe well; for I am sure the Emperour Paid ere he promis"d, whereby his Suit was granted Ere it was ask"d. But when the way was made And pau"d with gold: the Emperor thus desir"d, That he would please to alter the Kings course, And breake the foresaid peace. Let the King know (As soone he shall by me) that thus the Cardinall Does buy and sell his Honour as he pleases, And for his owne aduantage
Norf. I am sorry To heare this of him; and could wish he were Somthing mistaken in"t