Читать книгу King Henry the Eighth - Уильям Шекспир, William Szekspir, the Simon Studio - Страница 3

  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.

  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 his

train

  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.

  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