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Repeat your will, and take it.

Q. Kath.

That

you

Thank your majesty.

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.

K. Hen.

Lady mine, proceed.

Q. Kath. I am solicited, not by a few, And those of true condition, that your subjects Are in great grievance: there have been com

missions

Sent down among them, 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.

Not almost appears,

Nor. 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.

K. Hen.

Taxation!

Wherein? and what taxation?-My lord cardinal, You that are blam'd for it alike with us,

Know you of this taxation?

Wol.

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.

No, my lord,

Q. Kath. You know no more than others; but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not whole

some

To those which would not know them, and yet must
Perforce by their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are
Most pestilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,
The back is sacrifice to the load.

They are devis'd by you; or else
Too hard an exclamation.

K. Hen.

They say,

you suffer

Still exaction!

The nature of it? In what kind, let's know,

Is this exaction?

Q. Kath.

I am much too venturous

In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd
Under your promis'd pardon. The subject's grief
Comes through commissions, which compel from
each

The sixth part of his substance, to be levy'd
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,

That tractable obedience is a slave

To each incensed will. I would, your highness Would give it quick consideration, for

There is no primer business.

K. Hen.

This is against our pleasure.

Wol.

By my life,

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 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 cry'd 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.

K. Hen.

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 deny'd
The force of this commission: Pray, look to't;
it to your care.

I put

Wol.

A word with you.

[To the Secretary.

Let there be letters writ to every shire,

Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd com

mons

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.

[Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor.

Q. Kath. I am sorry, that the duke of Bucking

ham

Is run in your displeasure.

K. Hen.

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.

с

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 cómplete,
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.

Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate

what you,

Most like a careful subject, have collected

Out of the duke of Buckingham.

K. Hen.

Speak freely.

Suro. First, it was usual with him, every day
It would infect his speech, That if the king
Should without issue die, he'd carry it so

To make the scepter his: These very words.
I have heard him utter to his son-in-law,

Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by 'oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.

Wol.

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.

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