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Henry VIII

Act I, Scene 1

An ante-chamber in the palace.
 
[Enter NORFOLK at one door; at the other, BUCKINGHAM and ABERGAVENNY]
 
BUCKINGHAM
            ,               ,   ,     ,              ,
      Good mor|row, and / well met.| How have | ye done
              ,        ,          ,
      Since last | we saw | in France?
 
NORFOLK
                                           ,            ,
                                       I thank | your grace:
        ,             ,       ,         ,        ,     2->
      Healthful,| and ev|er since | a fresh | admi||rer
           ,       ,      ,
      Of what | I saw | there.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                 2     T  . T T
                               An un|timely^ague  ??
         ,           ,    2    ,        ,         ,
      Stayed me | a pris|oner in | my chamb|er, when
              ,        ,              ,     ,         ,
      Those suns | of glo|ry, those^/two lights | of men
       ,    2        ,        ,
      Met in the | vale of | Andren.
 
NORFOLK
                                       T      T    .    T
                                    'Twixt Guynes and^Arde,  ??
       2      ,      ,        ,      2     T   .   T    T
      I was then | present,| saw them sa|lute on horseback,  ??
          ,            ,           ,        ,           ,
      Beheld | them, when | they light|ed, how | they clung
       ,      2     ,          ,          ,      ,
      In their em|bracement,| as they | grew to|gether,
             ,
      Which^had | they,
                                 ,     ,        ,                  ,
                        What / four throned | ones could | have weighed
        ,           ,       ,
      Such a | compound|ed one?
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                T   .    T     T
                               All the whole time
      ,            ,         ,    2
      I was | my chamb|er's pris|oner.
 
NORFOLK
                                        ,          ,
                                      Then | you lost
            ,         ,       ,       ,           ,
      The view | of earth|ly glo|ry: men | might^say
                     ,    ,            x         ,     ,
      Till* this / time pomp | was single,| but now | married
          ,       ,        ,          ,    2     ,
      To one | above | itself.| Each^fol|lowing day
          ,          ,      ,     ,                   ,
      Became | the next | day's mast/er, till | the last
            ,       ,         ,       ,           ,
      Made^form|er wond|ers, its.| Today | the French,
             ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      All* clin|quant^all | in gold,| like heath|en gods
        T     T   .   T         ,       ,         ,
      Shone down the^Eng|lish; and | tomor|row, they
            ,         ,  2    ,      ,           ,
      Made^Brit|ain, Ind|ia: eve|ry man | that stood,
         T     T  .   T            ,        ,       ,
      Showed like a mine.| Their dwarf|ish pag|es were
          ,      ,     T    T    .   T       ,
      As cher|ubins,| all gilt: the mad|ams too,
            ,         ,         ,        ,          ,
      Not^used | to toil,| did al|most sweat | to bear
            ,       ,            ,           ,     ,     ->
      The pride | upon | them, that | their ve|ry lab||or
       ,         ,      2    ,         ,            ,
      Was | to them,| as a pain|ting. Now | this masque
            ,        ,    2  ,       3   3   ,       ,
      Was cried | incomp|arable;| and the ensu|ing night
        ,           ,         ,              ,    ,
      Made it | a fool,| and beg|gar. The / two kings
       ,   2      ,             ,      T    T    T
      Equal in | luster,| were now | best, now worst
          ,         ,         ,           ,        ,
      As pres|ence did | present | them: him | in eye,
        T    T   .    T          ,      ,         ,
      Still him in praise,| and be|ing pres|ent both,
              ,          ,         ,         ,       ,      ->
      'Twas said | they saw | but one,| and no | discern||er
        ,      ,           ,         ,            2        ,
      Durst | wag his | tongue in | censure,| when these^suns
            ,           ,          ,          ,         ,         2->
      (For so | they phrase |'em) by | their her|alds chal||lenged
           ,        x           ,          ,         ,
      The nob|le spirits | to arms,| they did | perform
          ,      ,       ,            ,      ,        ,
      Beyond thought's compass, that former fabulous story   ????
        2    ,      ,    ,       2    T     T    Tx
      Being now | seen, pos/sible e|nough, got credit
            ,      ,         ,
      That Bev|is was | believed.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                     ,         ,
                                 Oh you | go* far.
 
NORFOLK
         ,       ,        ,         ,        ,
      As I | belong | to worsh|ip, and | affect
          ,       ,    ,          ,         ,     2    ->
      In hon|or, hon|esty,| the tract | of ev||erything
        ,       2    ,         ,        ,           ,
      Would | by a good | discours|er lose | some life,
             ,          ,           ,
      Which ac|tion's self,| was tongue | to.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                               ,          x
                                              All | was royal,
       ,           ,       ,         ,          ,
      To the | dispos|ing of | it nought | rebelled,
       ,   2        T    T     T         ,       ,
      Order gave^|each thing view.| The of|fice did   ??
           ,              ,    ,         ,          ,
      Distinct|ly his / full func|tion: Who | did guide,
          ,         ,         ,      ,          ,
      I mean | who set | the bo|dy, and | the limbs
                  ,     ,         ,
      Of this / great sport | togeth|er?
 
NORFOLK
                                          ,         ,
                                         As | you guess:
       ,   ,               ,         ,    , 2
      One cert/es, that | promi|ses no | element*
           ,       ,       2
      In such | a bus|iness.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                 ,         ,         ,
                             I pray | you who,| my lord?
 
NORFOLK
       ,      2       ,         ,         ,       ,
      All this was | ordered | by the | good di|scretion
                 ,     ,         ,     ,        ,
      Of the / right reve|rend card|inal | of York.
 
BUCKINGHAM
            x       ,          T   T    T         ,
      The devil | speed him:| no man's pie | is freed
            ,       ,        ,         ,         ,
      From his | ambi|tious fing|er. What | had he
          ,     2         ,      ,     ,        ,
      To do | in these fierce | vani|ties? I | wonder,
             ,        ,      ,              ,      ,
      That such | a keech | can with | his ve|ry bulk
            ,         ,      2     ,    ,       ,
      Take^up | the rays | of the ben|efi|cial sun,
            ,         ,          ,
      And keep | it from | the earth.
 
NORFOLK
                                       ,      ___
                                     Surely | sir,
               ,         ,            ,         ,           ,
      There's^in | him stuff,| that puts | him to | these^ends:
            x            ,          ,     ,            ,
      For being | not propped | by an|cestry,| whose^grace
         ,         ,              ,           ,       ,
      Chalks suc|cessors | their way;| nor called | upon
       .    T    T     T      2      ,      ,         ,
      For high feats done | to the crown;| neither | allied
           ,    ,        ,         ,     ,       __
      For em|inent | assist|ants; but | spider-|like
       ,             ,     ,        ,         ,         __
      Out of | his self-|drawing | web. O | gives us | note,  (hex with prev)
            ,               ,   ,       ,          ,
      The force | of his / own mer|it makes | his way
          ,           ,       ,          ,            ,
      A gift | that heav|en gives | for him,| which buys
          ,       ,             ,
      A place | next to | the king.
 
ABERGAVENNY
                                      ,        ,
                                   I can|not tell
              x            x           ,           ,      ,
      What heaven | hath given | him: let | some grav|er eye
         ,           ,        ,        ,          ,
      Pierce in|to that,| but I | can see | his pride
        ,                  ,                ,    ,         ,
      Peep through^|each part | of him:/ whence has | he that,  ??
          ,           ,          x      ,      ,
      If not | from hell?| The devil | is a | niggard,
        2     ,      ,        ,         ,       ,
      Or has giv|en all | before,| and he | begins
         ,      ,             ,
      A new | hell | in him/self.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                   ,          x
                                  Why | the devil,
        ,            ,       2    ,      ,    2   ,
      Upon | this French | going^out,| took he u|pon him  ??
            ,         ,     ,     2      ,      2    ,
      (Without | the priv|ity | of the king)| to appoint
       ,               ,        ,         ,       2      ,
      Who should | attend | on him?| He makes | up the file
          ,          ,       ,     .    T    T    T
      Of all | the gent|ry; for | the most part such
           ,         ,          ,         ,        x
      To whom | as great | a charge,| as lit|tle honor
           ,         ,      ,       2     ,     ,
      He meant | to lay | upon:| and his own | letter
           ,    ,       ,          ,        ,
      The hon|ora|ble board | of coun|cil, out
             ,          ,        ,
      Must fetch | him in,| the pap|ers.
 
ABERGAVENNY
                                         ,        ,
                                         I | do know
       ,             ,      ,              ,            ,
      Kinsmen | of mine,| three at | the least,| that have
           ,         ,         ,         ,            x
      By this,| so sick|ened their | estates,| that never
        ,       2    ,         ,      ,
      They shall a|bound as | former|ly.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                               ,
                                          O | many
             ,             ,           ,       ,        x     
      Have broke | their backs | with lay|ing man|ors on 'em
                   ,     ,         ,       2      ,    ,
      For this / great journ|ey. What | did this van|ity
           ,     ,        ,    ,       ,
      But min|ister | commun|ica|tion of
      .   T    T   T
      A most poor is|sue?
 
NORFOLK
                            ,       ,       ,
                          Griev|ingly | I think,
            ,         ,            ,          ,        ,      2->
      The peace | between | the French | and us,| not val||ues
            ,          ,         ,
      The cost | that did | conclude | it.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                            ,      ,
                                           Eve|ry man,
       ,           ,   2     ,           ,          ,
      After | the hid|eous storm | that fol|lowed, was
          ,          ,          ,        ,          ,
      A thing | inspired,| and not | consult|ing, broke
       ,  2     ,  2      ,      ,      2        ,
      Into a | general | prophe|cy; That this | tempest
        ,            ,        ,          ,       ,     2->
      Dashing | the gar|ment of | this peace,| abod||ed
           ,         ,       2
      The sud|den breach | on it.
 
NORFOLK
                                    ,         ,       ,
                                  Which | is bud|ded out,
             ,             ,            ,           ,         ,
      For France | hath flawed | the league,| and hath | attached
           ,            ,       2      ,
      Our merch|ants' goods | at Bourdeaux.
 
ABERGAVENNY
                                            ,        ,
                                           Is it | therefore,
         2   ,     ,        ,
      The ambas|sador | is sil|enced?
 
NORFOLK
                                       ,       x
                                      Mar|ry is it.
 
ABERGAVENNY
         ,        x      ,       ,           ,
      A prop|er title | of a | peace, and | purchased
       ,  2    ,    2       ,
      At a su|perfluous | rate.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                       ,          ,
                                Why | all this | business
            ,         ,   2    ,
      Our reve|rend card|inal car|ried.
 
NORFOLK
                                            x            ,
                                        Like it | your grace,
            ,       ,    ,        2       ,         ,   2
      The state | takes not/ice of the | private | difference
          ,      ,      2       ,   2     ,      ,
      Betwixt | you, and the | cardinal.| I ad|vise you
             ,         ,        ,            ,        ,          ->
      (And take | it from | a heart,| that wish|es towards || you
        x           ,    2     ,        ,          ,
      Honor | and plent|eous safe|ty) that | you read
           ,    2      ,        ,         ,     ,
      The card|inal's mal|ice, and | his pot|ency
         ,        ,       ,      ,          ,
      Togeth|er; to | consid|er furth|er, that
            ,      ,   ,                  ,           ,
      What his | high hat/red would | effect,| wants^not
         ,         ,         x           ,         ,      ->
      A min|ister in | his power.| You know | his na||ture,
        ,        2    ,         ,        ,          ,
      That | he's revenge|ful; and | I know,| his sword
                 ,     ,           ,       2    ,         ,
      Hath a / sharp edge:| it's long,| and it may | be said,
           ,       ,          ,            ,        ,
      It reach|es far,| and where |'twill not | extend,
       ,     2       ,         ,       ,        ,
      Thither he | darts it.| Bosom | up my | counsel,
               ,         ,          ,           ,            ,
      You'll find | it whole|some. Lo,| where comes | that rock
           ,       ,           ,
      That I | advise | your shun|ning.  \\
 
[Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, the purse borne before him, certain of the Guard, and two Secretaries with papers. CARDINAL WOLSEY in his passage fixeth his eye on BUCKINGHAM, and BUCKINGHAM on him, both full of disdain]
 
CARDINAL WOLSEY
            ,         ,       ,         ,       ,
      The Duke | of Buck|ingham's | survey|or? Ha?
         ,       2   ,    ,
      Where's his ex|ami|nation?
 
FIRST SECRETARY
                                   ,          ,
                                 Here so | please you.
 
CARDINAL WOLSEY
       ,   2      ,        ,
      Is he in | person,| ready?
 
FIRST SECRETARY
                                  T      T     .    T
                                 Aye, please your grace.
 
CARDINAL WOLSEY
        ,                ,            ,          ,      ,
      Well, we | shall then | know* more,| and Buck|ingham
             ,              ,    ,
      Shall les|sen this / big look.  \\
 
[Exeunt CARDINAL WOLSEY and his Train]
 
BUCKINGHAM
             ,         ,        ,        ,          ,
      This butch|er's cur | is ven|om-mouthed,| and I
            ,          x           x             ,         ,
      Have not | the power | to muzzle | him, there|fore best
            ,     ,    2        ,          ,          ,
      Not wake | him in his | slumber.| A beg|gar's book,
            ,        ,         ,
      Outworths | a nob|le's blood.
 
NORFOLK
                                      ,               ,
                                    What are | you chafed?
           ,         ,    2         ,        2   ,        ,    2->
      Ask God | for temp|erance, that's | the appli|ance on||ly
              ,        ,          ,
      Which your | disease | requires.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                          ,      2      ,
                                      I read | in his looks
       ,           ,          ,         ,        ,
      Matter | against | me, and | his eye | reviled
          ,        ,       ,        ,          ,      2->
      Me as | his ab|ject ob|ject, at | this inst||ant
           ,                 ,    ,            ,      2      ,
      He bores | me with / some trick;| he's gone | to the king:
            ,              ,   ,
      I'll fol|low, and / outstare | him.
 
NORFOLK
                                            ,         ,
                                          Stay | my lord,
           ,           ,       ,           ,       ,       2->
      And let | your reas|on with | your chol|er ques||tion
             ,         ,      ,     .   T     T     T
      What 'tis | you go | about:| to climb steep hills
           ,       T    T   .   T      ,           ,
      Requires | slow pace at first:| anger | is like
      .   T   T    T      ,    2         ,          ,
      A full-hot horse,| who being | allowed | his way
        T    Tx     T           ,       ,        ,       ->
      Self-mettle tires | him: Not | a man | in Engl||and
         2     ,   ,          ,    ,            ,
      Can ad/vise me | like^you:| be to | yourself,
       ,         ,                ,
      As you | would to | your friend.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                         ,             ,
                                       I'll to | the king,
       ,      2      ,         ,        T    T    T
      And from a | mouth of | honor,| quite cry down
            ,        ,         ,     ,       2     ,
      This Ip|swich fel|low's ins|olence;| or proclaim,
               ,    2           ,  ,
      There's^dif|ference in / no pers|ons.
 
NORFOLK
                                             ,       ,
                                            Be | advised;
        ,     2     ,         ,          T   T  T
      Heat not a | furnace | for your | foe so hot
            ,        ,           ,        ,        ,
      That it | do singe | yourself.| We may | outrun
          ,   2     ,          ,      ,         ,
      By vi|olent swift|ness that | which we | run at;
            ,       ,      ,          ,         ,
      And lose | by ov|er-run|ning: Know | you not,
            ,            ,          ,         x          ,
      The fire | that mounts | the li|quor til it | run^ore,
          ,        ,          x           x             ,
      In seem|ing to | augment it,| wastes it: Be | advised;  ??
         ,       ,           ,       ,         ,
      I say | again | there^is | no Eng|lish soul
             ,        ,       ,          ,          ,
      More strong|er to | direct | you than | yourself;
       ,             ,        ,       ,             ,
      If with | the sap | of reas|on you | would quench,
          ,       ,          ,        ,
      Or but | allay | the fire | of pas|sion.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                                 ,
                                                Sir,
       2     ,        ,         ,          ,      ,
      I am thank|ful to | you, and | I'll go | along
           ,         ,                      ,    ,     x
      By your | prescrip|tion: but this // top-proud fellow,
        ,      2        ,         ,        T   T    T
      Whom from the | flow of | gall I | name not, but
                 ,   ,         ,      ,      ,
      From sin/cere mo|tions, by | intel|ligence,
             ,          ,           ,            ,    ,
      And proofs | as clear | as founts | in Ju/ly, when
          ,           ,         ,       ,        ,
      We see | each grain | of grav|el; I | do know
          ,        ,          ,      ,
      To be | corrupt | and treas|onous.
 
NORFOLK
       T   T    T      ,    oo
      Say not treas|onous.|     (tetra with prev)
 
BUCKINGHAM
        2      ,            x           ,         ,           ,
      To the king | I'll say it,| and make | my vouch | as strong
           ,          ,        ,          ,     ,
      As shore | of rock:| attend.| This ho|ly fox,
           ,         ,     ,    2     ,        ,  2
      Or wolf,| or both |(for he is | equal | ravenous
          ,          x     ,         ,         ,
      As he | is subtle,| and as | prone to | mischief,
           x     ,       ,             ,          ,
      As able | to per|form it)| his mind,| and place
          ,      ,     ,      ,     ,     x
      Infecting one another, yea reciprocally,    ????
       ,  2       ,          ,          ,          ,
      Only to | show his | pomp, as | well in | France,
             x       ,         ,           ,         ,
      As here at | home, sug|gests the | king our | master
        2       ,      ,        ,           ,      ,
      To this last | costly | treaty:| the int|erview,
             ,       2     ,      ,              ,        ,
      That swal|lowed so much | treasure,| and like | a glass
            ,       2      ,
      Did break | in the rins|ing.
 
NORFOLK
                                     ,          ,       ,
                                   Faith,| and so | it did.
 
BUCKINGHAM
        ,      2      ,       ,           ,         ,   2
      Pray give^me | favor | sir: This | cunning | cardinal
           ,     ,      2     ,     ,        ,
      The art|icles | of the com|bina|tion drew
               ,     ,            ,          ,     ,
      As him/self pleased;| and they | were rat|ified
                ,     ,         ,             ,   ,
      As he / cried thus | let^be,| to as / much end,
           ,         ,       2      ,       2      ,     ,   2
      As give | a crutch | to the dead.| but our count-|cardinal
            ,           ,          ,         ,       ,      ->
      Has done | this, and |'tis well:| for worth|y Wol||sey
            ,       ,          x            ,     ,
      (Who can|not err)| he did it:| Now* this | follows,
              ,         x      ,       ,        ,
      (Which^as | I take it,| is a | kind of | puppy
                ,   ,     ,           ,           ,  2
      To the / old dam | treason)| Charles the | emperor,
       ,       T   T    .  T          ,           ,
      Under | pretense to see | the queen | his aunt,
              ,        ,         ,       ,         ,
      (For 'twas | indeed | his col|or, but | he came
           ,       ,         ,           ,    ,       ->
      To whisp|er Wol|sey) here | makes vis|ita||tion,
       ,      ,              2     ,      ,        ,
      His | fears were*| that the in|terview | betwixt
       ,     2         T      T      T            ,    ,
      England and | France, might through | their am|ity,
        ,               ,      ,          ,            ,
      Breed him | some pre|judice;| for from | this league,
         T     T     .   T        ,         ,    ,
      Peeped harms that men|aced him.| He priv|ily
        ,               ,    2     ,      2    ,
      Deals with | our card|inal, and | as I trow
      <-      ,         ,        ,        ,         ,    ,
        Which^I || do well;| for I | am sure | the emp|eror
        ,     2      ,               ,         ,          ,      ->
      Paid ere he | promised,| whereby | his suit | was grant||ed
       ,      2      ,           ,         ,          ,
      Ere | it was asked.| But when | the way | was made
            ,            ,         ,   2     ,        ,
      And paved | with gold:| the emp|eror thus | desired,
            ,            ,         ,              ,      ,
      That he | would please | to alt|er the / king's course,
            ,           ,          ,                  ,    ,
      And break | the fore|said* peace.| Let* the / king know,
            ,         ,         ,          ,         ,     3  3->
      (As soon | he shall | by me)| that thus | the card||inal
            ,          ,          x      ,        ,
      Does buy | and sell | his honor | as he | pleases,
       ,     2       ,       ,
      And for his | own ad|vantage.
 
NORFOLK
                                     ,       ,
                                     I am | sorry
           ,               ,    ,            ,         ,
      To hear | this of / him; and | could wish | he were
        ,            ,        x
      Something | mistak|en in it.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                    ,     2     ,   2
                                   No, not^a | syllable:
         ,        ,           ,         ,      ,
      I do | pronounce | him in | that ve|ry shape
       ,             ,         ,
      He shall | appear | in proof.  \\
 
[Enter BRANDON, a Sergeant-at-arms before him, and two or three of the Guard]
 
BRANDON
            ,       ,          ,    ,
      Your of|fice ser|geant: ex|ecute it.
 
SERGEANT
                                            ,
                                           Sir,
           ,          ,         ,      ,          ,
      My lord | the Duke | of Buck|ingham,| and Earl
           ,          ,                ,   ,       ,
      Of Here|ford, Staf|ford, and / Northamp|ton, I
          ,                ,    ,        ,         ,
      Arrest | thee of / high treas|on, in | the name
                 ,    ,          ,
      Of our / most sove|reign king.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                     ,            ,
                                    Lo you | my lord,
           ,          x        ,        ,            x
      The net | has fallen | upon | me, I | shall perish
       ,   2     ,           ,
      Under de|vice, and | practice.
 
BRANDON
                                        ,    ,
                                     I am | sorry,
          ,          ,          ,     ,          x
      To see | you tane | from lib|erty,| to look on
           ,         ,          ,          ,          ,       2->
      The bus|iness pres|ent. 'tis | his high|ness' plea||sure
            ,       2      x
      You shall | to the Tower.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                ,          ,        ,
                               It will | help me | nothing
           ,           ,     ,        2        x      ,
      To plead | mine in|nocence;| for that dye is | on me  ??
              ,          ,          T     T     .    T          x
      Which makes | my whit|est | part, black. The will | of heaven
           ,         ,         ,       ,          ,
      Be done | in this | and all | things: I | obey.
               ,  ,    2  ,        ,          ,
      O my / Lord Ab|ergaven|ny: fare | you well.
 
BRANDON
       ,               ,         ,     ,         ,
      Nay, he | must bear | you comp|any.| The king
            ,            ,                x      ,          ,
      Is pleased | you shall | to the / Tower, till | you know
       ,    2    ,          ,
      How he de|termines | further.
 
ABERGAVENNY
                                               ,    ,
                                    As the / duke said,
            ,          x          ,       2       ,       ,
      The will | of heaven | be done,| and the king's | pleasure
          ,      ,
      By me | obeyed.
 
BRANDON
                       ,          ,         ,
                     Here is | a war|rant from
            ,      2    ,      T   T  .  T       2     ,      ->
      The king,| to attach | Lord Montacute,| and the bod||ies
       ,         ,          ,         ,      2    ,
      Of | the duke's | confes|sor, John | de la Car,
           ,         ,          ,
      One^Gil|bert Peck,| his chan|cellor,/
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                             ,   ,
                                            So, so;
        ,               ,       2      ,         ,        ,
      These are | the limbs | of the plot:| no more | I hope.
 
BRANDON
          ,      2      ,    ,
      A monk | of the Char|treux.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                                       ,         ,
                                  O | Michael | Hopkins?
 
BRANDON
       ,
      He.
 
BUCKINGHAM
                  ,    2     ,          T    T    T     ,
         My | survey|or is false:| the ore-great card|inal
              ,           ,         ,          ,         ,     o
      Hath showed | him gold;| my life | is spanned | alrea|dy:  (hex with prev)
         ,        ,             ,    ,      ,
      I am | the shad|ow of / poor Buck|ingham,
             ,       x           ,         ,           ,
      Whose fig|ure even | this inst|ant cloud | puts^on,
          ,     2          ,    ,         ,           ,
      By dark|ening my / clear sun.| My lords | farewell.
 
[Exeunt]

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