King Henry the Eighth

William Shakespeare

King Henry the Eighth

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

KING HENRY THE EIGHTH

CARDINAL WOLSEY CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

CAPUCIUS, Ambassador from the Emperor Charles V

CRANMER, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

DUKE OF NORFOLK DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

DUKE OF SUFFOLK EARL OF SURREY

LORD CHAMBERLAIN LORD CHANCELLOR

GARDINER, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER

BISHOP OF LINCOLN LORD ABERGAVENNY

LORD SANDYS SIR HENRY GUILDFORD

SIR THOMAS LOVELL SIR ANTHONY DENNY

SIR NICHOLAS VAUX SECRETARIES to Wolsey

CROMWELL, servant to Wolsey

GRIFFITH, gentleman-usher to Queen Katharine

THREE GENTLEMEN

DOCTOR BUTTS, physician to the King

GARTER KING-AT-ARMS

SURVEYOR to the Duke of Buckingham

BRANDON, and a SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

DOORKEEPER Of the Council chamber

PORTER, and his MAN PAGE to Gardiner

A CRIER

QUEEN KATHARINE, wife to King Henry, afterwards divorced

ANNE BULLEN, her Maid of Honour, afterwards Queen

AN OLD LADY, friend to Anne Bullen

PATIENCE, woman to Queen Katharine

Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Lords and Ladies in the Dumb Shows; Women attending upon the Queen; Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attendants; Spirits

SCENE:

London; Westminster; Kimbolton

THE PROLOGUE

    I come no more to make you laugh; things now    That bear a weighty and a serious brow,    Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe,    Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow,    We now present. Those that can pity here    May, if they think it well, let fall a tear:    The subject will deserve it. Such as give    Their money out of hope they may believe    May here find truth too. Those that come to see    Only a show or two, and so agree    The play may pass, if they be still and willing,    I'll undertake may see away their shilling    Richly in two short hours. Only they    That come to hear a merry bawdy play,    A noise of targets, or to see a fellow    In a long motley coat guarded with yellow,    Will be deceiv'd; for, gentle hearers, know,    To rank our chosen truth with such a show    As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting    Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring    To make that only true we now intend,    Will leave us never an understanding friend.    Therefore, for goodness sake, and as you are known    The first and happiest hearers of the town,    Be sad, as we would make ye. Think ye see    The very persons of our noble story    As they were living; think you see them great,    And follow'd with the general throng and sweat    Of thousand friends; then, in a moment, see    How soon this mightiness meets misery.    And if you can be merry then, I'll say    A man may weep upon his wedding-day.

ACT I. SCENE 1

London. The palace

Enter the DUKE OF NORFOLK at one door; at the other, the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and the LORD ABERGAVENNY

  BUCKINGHAM. Good morrow, and well met. How have ye done    Since last we saw in France?  NORFOLK. I thank your Grace,    Healthful; and ever since a fresh admirer    Of what I saw there.  BUCKINGHAM. An untimely ague    Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber when    Those suns of glory, those two lights of men,    Met in the vale of Andren.  NORFOLK. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde-    I was then present, saw them salute on horseback;    Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung    In their embracement, as they grew together;    Which had they, what four thron'd ones could have weigh'd    Such a compounded one?  BUCKINGHAM. All the whole time    I was my chamber's prisoner.  NORFOLK. Then you lost    The view of earthly glory; men might say,    Till this time pomp was single, but now married    To one above itself. Each following day    Became the next day's master, till the last    Made former wonders its. To-day the French,    All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,    Shone down the English; and to-morrow they    Made Britain India: every man that stood    Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were    As cherubins, an gilt; the madams too,    Not us'd to toil, did almost sweat to bear    The pride upon them, that their very labour    Was to them as a painting. Now this masque    Was cried incomparable; and th' ensuing night    Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,    Equal in lustre, 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 wag his tongue in censure. When these suns-    For so they phrase 'em-by their heralds challeng'd    The noble spirits to arms, they did perform    Beyond thought's compass, that former fabulous story,    Being now seen possible enough, got credit,    That Bevis was believ'd.  BUCKINGHAM. O, you go far!  NORFOLK. As I belong to worship, and affect    In honour honesty, the tract of ev'rything    Would by a good discourser lose some life    Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal:    To the disposing of it nought rebell'd;    Order gave each thing view. The office did    Distinctly his full function.  BUCKINGHAM. Who did guide-    I mean, who set the body and the limbs    Of this great sport together, as you guess?  NORFOLK. One, certes, that promises no element    In such a business.  BUCKINGHAM. I pray you, who, my lord?  NORFOLK. All this was ord'red by the good discretion    Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.  BUCKINGHAM. The devil speed him! No man's pie 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 bulk    Take up the rays o' th' beneficial sun,    And keep it from the earth.  NORFOLK. Surely, sir,    There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;    For, being not propp'd by ancestry, whose grace    Chalks successors their way, nor call'd upon    For high feats done to th' crown, neither allied    To eminent assistants, but spider-like,    Out of his self-drawing web, 'a gives us note    The force of his own merit makes his way-    A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys    A place next to the King.  ABERGAVENNY. I cannot tell    What heaven hath given him-let some graver eye    Pierce into that; but I can see his pride    Peep through each part of him. Whence has he that?    If not from hell, the devil is a niggard    Or has given all before, and he begins    A new hell in himself.  BUCKINGHAM. Why the devil,    Upon this French going out, took he upon him-    Without the privity o' th' King-t' appoint    Who should attend on him? He makes up the file    Of all the gentry; for the most part such    To whom as great a charge as little honour    He meant to lay upon; and his own letter,    The honourable board of council out,    Must fetch him in he papers.  ABERGAVENNY. I do know    Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have    By this so sicken'd their estates that never    They shall abound as formerly.  BUCKINGHAM. O, many    Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em    For this great journey. What did this vanity    But minister communication of    A most poor issue?  NORFOLK. Grievingly I think    The peace between the French and us not values    The cost that did conclude it.  BUCKINGHAM. Every man,    After the hideous storm that follow'd, was    A thing inspir'd, and, not consulting, broke    Into a general prophecy-that this tempest,    Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded    The sudden breach on't.  NORFOLK. Which is budded out;    For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd    Our merchants' goods at Bordeaux.  ABERGAVENNY. Is it therefore    Th' ambassador is silenc'd?  NORFOLK. Marry, is't.  ABERGAVENNY. A proper tide of a peace, and purchas'd    At a superfluous rate!  BUCKINGHAM. Why, all this business    Our reverend Cardinal carried.  NORFOLK. Like it your Grace,    The state takes notice of the private difference    Betwixt you and the Cardinal. I advise you-    And take it from a heart that wishes towards you    Honour and plenteous safety-that you read    The Cardinal's 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 revengeful; and I know his sword    Hath a sharp edge-it's long and't may be said    It reaches far, and where 'twill not extend,    Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel    You'll find it wholesome. Lo, where comes that rock    That I advise your shunning.

Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, the purse borne before him, certain of the guard, and two SECRETARIES with papers. The CARDINAL in his passage fixeth his eye on BUCKINGHAM, and BUCKINGHAM on him, both full of disdain

  WOLSEY. The Duke of Buckingham's surveyor? Ha!    Where's his examination?  SECRETARY. Here, so please you.  WOLSEY. Is he in person ready?  SECRETARY. Ay, please your Grace.  WOLSEY. Well, we shall then know more, and Buckingham    shall lessen this big look.                                          Exeunt WOLSEY and histrain  BUCKINGHAM. This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd, and I    Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore best    Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's book    Outworths a noble's blood.  NORFOLK. What, are you chaf'd?    Ask God for temp'rance; that's th' appliance only    Which your disease requires.  BUCKINGHAM. I read in's looks    Matter against me, and his eye revil'd    Me as his abject object. At this instant    He bores me with some trick. He's gone to th' King;    I'll follow, and outstare him.  NORFOLK. Stay, my lord,    And let your reason with your choler question    What 'tis you go about. To climb steep hills    Requires slow pace at first. Anger is like    A full hot horse, who being allow'd his way,    Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England    Can advise me like you; be to yourself    As you would to your friend.  BUCKINGHAM. I'll to the King,    And from a mouth of honour quite cry down    This Ipswich fellow's insolence; or proclaim    There's difference in no persons.  NORFOLK. Be advis'd:    Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot    That it do singe yourself. We may outrun    By violent swiftness that which we run at,    And lose by over-running. Know you not    The fire that mounts the liquor till't run o'er    In seeming to augment it wastes it? Be advis'd.    I say again there is no English soul    More stronger to direct you than yourself,    If with the sap of reason you would quench    Or but allay the fire of passion.  BUCKINGHAM. Sir,    I am thankful to you, and I'll go along    By your prescription; but this top-proud fellow-    Whom from the flow of gan I name not, but    From sincere motions, by intelligence,    And proofs as clear as founts in July when    We see each grain of gravel-I do know    To be corrupt and treasonous.  NORFOLK. Say not treasonous.  BUCKINGHAM. To th' King I'll say't, and make my vouch as strong    As shore of rock. Attend: this holy fox,    Or wolf, or both-for he is equal rav'nous    As he is subtle, and as prone to mischief    As able to perform't, his mind and place    Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally-    Only to show his pomp as well in France    As here at home, suggests the King our master    To this last costly treaty, th' interview    That swallowed so much treasure and like a glass    Did break i' th' wrenching.  NORFOLK. Faith, and so it did.  BUCKINGHAM. Pray, give me favour, sir; this cunning cardinal    The articles o' th' combination drew    As himself pleas'd; and they were ratified    As he cried 'Thus let be' to as much end    As give a crutch to th' dead. But our Count-Cardinal    Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,    Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows,    Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy    To th' old dam treason: Charles the Emperor,    Under pretence to see the Queen his aunt-    For 'twas indeed his colour, but he came    To whisper Wolsey-here makes visitation-    His fears were that the interview betwixt    England and France might through their amity    Breed him some prejudice; for from this league    Peep'd harms that menac'd him-privily    Deals with our Cardinal; and, as I trow-    Which I do well, for I am sure the Emperor    Paid ere he promis'd; whereby his suit was granted    Ere it was ask'd-but when the way was made,    And pav'd with gold, the Emperor thus desir'd,    That he would please to alter the King's course,    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.  NORFOLK. I am sorry    To hear this of him, and could wish he were    Something mistaken in't.  BUCKINGHAM. No, not a syllable:    I do pronounce him in that very shape    He shall appear in proof.Enter BRANDON, a SERGEANT-AT-ARMS before him, and two or three of the guard  BRANDON. Your office, sergeant: execute it.  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.  BUCKINGHAM. Lo you, my lord,    The net has fall'n upon me! I shall perish    Under device and practice.  BRANDON. I am sorry    To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on    The business present; 'tis his Highness' pleasure    You shall to th' Tower.  BUCKINGHAM. It will help nothing    To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me    Which makes my whit'st part black. The will of heav'n    Be done in this and all things! I obey.    O my Lord Aberga'ny, fare you well!  BRANDON. Nay, he must bear you company.    [To ABERGAVENNY] The King    Is pleas'd you shall to th' Tower, till you know    How he determines further.  ABERGAVENNY. As the Duke said,    The will of heaven be done, and the King's pleasure    By me obey'd.  BRANDON. Here is warrant from    The King t' attach Lord Montacute and the bodies    Of the Duke's confessor, John de la Car,    One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor-  BUCKINGHAM. So, so!    These are the limbs o' th' plot; no more, I hope.  BRANDON. A monk o' th' Chartreux.  BUCKINGHAM. O, Nicholas Hopkins?  BRANDON. He.  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 dark'ning my clear sun. My lord, farewell.    Exeunt

ACT I. SCENE 2

London. The Council Chamber

Cornets. Enter KING HENRY, leaning on the CARDINAL'S shoulder, the NOBLES, and SIR THOMAS LOVELL, with others. The CARDINAL places himself under the KING'S feet on his right side

  KING. My life itself, and the best heart of it,    Thanks you for this great care; I stood i' th' level    Of a full-charg'd confederacy, and give thanks    To you that chok'd it. Let be call'd before us    That gentleman of Buckingham's. In person    I'll hear his confessions justify;    And point by point the treasons of his master    He shall again relate.

A noise within, crying 'Room for the Queen!' Enter the QUEEN, usher'd by the DUKES OF NORFOLK and SUFFOLK; she kneels. The KING riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him

  QUEEN KATHARINE. Nay, we must longer kneel: I am suitor.  KING. 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.  QUEEN KATHARINE. Thank your Majesty.    That you would love yourself, and in that love    Not unconsidered leave your honour nor    The dignity of your office, is the point    Of my petition.  KING. Lady mine, proceed.  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.  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 of    The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who    Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger    And lack of other means, in desperate manner    Daring th' event to th' teeth, are all in uproar,    And danger serves 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?  WOLSEY. Please you, sir,    I know but of a single part in aught    Pertains to th' state, and front but in that file    Where others tell steps with me.  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 th' hearing; and to bear 'em    The back is sacrifice to th' load. They say    They are devis'd by you, or else you suffer    Too hard an exclamation.  KING. Still exaction!    The nature of it? In what kind, let's know,    Is this exaction?  QUEEN KATHARINE. I am much too venturous    In tempting of your patience, but am bold'ned    Under your promis'd pardon. The subjects' grief    Comes through commissions, which compels from each    The sixth part of his substance, to be levied    Without delay; and the pretence for this    Is nam'd 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.  KING. By my life,    This is against our pleasure.  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    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 virtue must go through. We must not stint    Our necessary actions in the fear    To cope malicious censurers, which ever    As rav'nous 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.  KING. 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' th' 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 tot;    I put it to your care.  WOLSEY. [Aside to the SECRETARY] A word with you.    Let there be letters writ to every shire    Of the King's grace and pardon. The grieved commons    Hardly conceive of me-let it be nois'd    That through our intercession this revokement    And pardon comes. I shall anon advise you    Further in the proceeding. ExitSECRETARY

Enter SURVEYOR

  QUEEN KATHARINE. I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham    Is run in your displeasure.  KING. It grieves many.    The gentleman is learn'd and a most rare speaker;    To nature none more bound; his training such    That he may furnish and instruct great teachers    And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see,    When these so noble benefits shall prove    Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,    They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly    Than ever they were fair. This man so complete,    Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,    Almost with ravish'd list'ning, could not find    His hour of speech a minute-he, my lady,    Hath into monstrous habits put the graces    That once were his, and is become as black    As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear-    This was his gentleman in trust-of him    Things to strike honour sad. Bid him recount    The fore-recited practices, whereof    We cannot feel too little, hear too much.  WOLSEY. Stand forth, and with bold spirit relate what you,    Most like a careful subject, have collected    Out of the Duke of Buckingham.  KING. Speak freely.  SURVEYOR. First, it was usual with him-every day    It would infect his speech-that if the King    Should without issue die, he'll carry it so    To make the sceptre his. These very words    I've heard him utter to his son-in-law,    Lord Aberga'ny, to whom by oath he menac'd    Revenge upon the Cardinal.  WOLSEY. Please your Highness, note    This dangerous conception in this point:    Not friended by his wish, to your high person    His will is most malignant, and it stretches    Beyond you to your friends.  QUEEN KATHARINE. 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 hast thou heard him    At any time speak aught?  SURVEYOR. He was brought to this    By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Henton.  KING. What was that Henton?  SURVEYOR. Sir, a Chartreux friar,    His confessor, who fed him every minute    With words of sovereignty.  KING. How know'st thou this?  SURVEYOR. Not long before your Highness sped to France,    The Duke being at the Rose, within the parish    Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand    What was the speech among the Londoners    Concerning the French journey. I replied    Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious,    To the King's danger. Presently the Duke    Said 'twas the fear indeed and that he doubted    'Twould prove the verity of certain words    Spoke by a holy monk 'that oft' says he    'Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit    John de la Car, my chaplain, a choice hour    To hear from him a matter of some moment;    Whom after under the confession's seal    He solemnly had sworn that what he spoke    My chaplain to no creature living but    To me should utter, with demure confidence    This pausingly ensu'd: "Neither the King nor's heirs,    Tell you the Duke, shall prosper; bid him strive    To gain the love o' th' commonalty; the Duke    Shall govern England."'  QUEEN KATHARINE. If I know you well,    You were the Duke's surveyor, and lost your office    On the complaint o' th' tenants. Take good heed    You charge not in your spleen a noble person    And spoil your nobler soul. I say, take heed;    Yes, heartily beseech you.  KING. Let him on.    Go forward.  SURVEYOR. On my soul, I'll speak but truth.    I told my lord the Duke, by th' devil's illusions    The monk might be deceiv'd, and that 'twas dangerous      for him    To ruminate on this so far, until    It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd,    It was much like to do. He answer'd 'Tush,    It can do me no damage'; adding further    That, had the King in his last sickness fail'd,    The Cardinal's and Sir Thomas Lovell's heads    Should have gone off.  KING. Ha! what, so rank? Ah ha!    There's mischief in this man. Canst thou say further?  SURVEYOR. I can, my liege.  KING. Proceed.  SURVEYOR. Being at Greenwich,    After your Highness had reprov'd the Duke    About Sir William Bulmer-  KING. I remember    Of such a time: being my sworn servant,    The Duke retain'd him his. But on: what hence?  SURVEYOR. 'If' quoth he 'I for this had been committed-    As to the Tower I thought-I would have play'd    The part my father meant to act upon    Th' usurper Richard; who, being at Salisbury,    Made suit to come in's presence, which if granted,    As he made semblance of his duty, would    Have put his knife into him.'  KING. A giant traitor!  WOLSEY. Now, madam, may his Highness live in freedom,    And this man out of prison?  QUEEN KATHARINE. God mend all!  KING. There's something more would out of thee: what say'st?  SURVEYOR. 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 tenour    Was, were he evil us'd, he would outgo    His father by as much as a performance    Does an irresolute purpose.  KING. There's his period,    To sheath his knife in us. He is attach'd;    Call him to present trial. If he may    Find mercy in the law, 'tis his; if none,    Let him not seek't of us. By day and night!    He's traitor to th' height.

Exeunt