King Henry VIII | Page 8

and it stretches Beyond you, to your friends.
QUEEN KATHERINE. 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 repli'd, Men fear 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' the
commonalty. The Duke Shall govern England."'
QUEEN KATHERINE. If I know you well, You were the Duke's
surveyor, and lost your office On the complaint o' the 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 the 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 The 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 KATHERINE. 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 sheathe 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.]

SCENE III. An ante-chamber in the palace.
[Enter the Lord Chamberlain and Lord Sandys.]
CHAMBERLAIN. Is't possible the spells of France should juggle Men
into such strange mysteries?
SANDYS. New customs, Though they be never so ridiculous, Nay, let
'em be unmanly, yet are follow'd.
CHAMBERLAIN. As far as I see, all the good our English Have got by
the late voyage is but merely A fit or two o' the face; but they are
shrewd ones; For when they hold 'em, you would swear directly Their
very noses had been counsellors To Pepin or Clotharius, they keep state
so.
SANDYS. They have all new legs, and lame ones. One would take it,
That never saw 'em pace before, the spavin Or springhalt reign'd among
'em.

CHAMBERLAIN. Death! my lord, Their clothes are after such a pagan
cut too, That, sure, they've worn out Christendom.
[Enter Sir Thomas Lovell.]
How now! What news, Sir Thomas Lovell?
LOVELL. Faith, my lord, I hear of none, but the new proclamation
That's clapp'd upon the court-gate.