Paid ere he promised, whereby his suit was granted

Ere it was asked—but when the way was made,

And paved with gold, the Emperor thus desired

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 serjeant-at-arms before him, and two or three of the guard

BRANDON

Your office, serjeant, execute it.

SERJEANT

Sir.

(To Buckingham) 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 to Norfolk

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 me 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 Abergavenny, fare you well.

BRANDON

Nay, he must bear you company.

(To Abergavenny)

The King

Is pleased 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 obeyed.

BRANDON

Here is a warrant from

The King t’attach Lord Montague and the bodies

Of the duke’s confessor, John de la Car,

One Gilbert Perk, 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 showed him gold. My life is spanned already.

I am the shadow of poor Buckingham,

Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on

By dark’ning my clear sun. (To Norfolk) My lord,

farewell.

Exeunt ⌈Norfolk at one door, Buckingham and Abergavenny under guard at another⌉

1.2 Cornetts. Enter King Henry leaning on Cardinal Wolsey’s shoulder. Enter with them Wolsey’s two secretaries, the nobles, and Sir Thomas Lovell. The King ascends to his seat under the cloth of state; Wolsey places himself under the King’s feet on his right side

KING HENRY to Wolsey

My life itself and the best heart of it

Thanks you for this great care. I stood i’th’ level

Of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks

To you that choked it. Let be called 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.

⌈CRIER⌉ (within)

Room for the Queen, ushered by the Duke of Norfolk.

Enter Queen Katherine, the Duke of Norfolk, and the Duke of Suffolk. She kneels. King Henry riseth from his state, takes her up, and kisses her

QUEEN KATHERINE

Nay, we must longer kneel. I am a suitor.

KING HENRY

Arise, and take place by us.

He placeth her by him

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 KATHERINE

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 HENRY

Lady mine, proceed.

QUEEN KATHERINE

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 flawed 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 off

The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who,

Unfit for other life, compelled 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 HENRY

Taxation?

Wherein, and what taxation? My lord Cardinal,

You that are blamed for it alike with us,

Know you of this taxation?

CARDINAL 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 KATHERINE

No, my lord?

You know no more than others? But you frame