Henry VIII – the case for Francis Bacon - 6 - Wolsey virtue

Shakespeare:

Act 1, Sc2   (continued)

KING:                                       By my life,

This is against our pleasure.

WOLSEY:                                 And for me,

I have no further gone in this than by

A single voice, and that not passed me but

By learned approbation of the judges. If I am

Traduced by ignorant 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-trimmed, but benefit no further

Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,

By sick interpreters, or weak ones, is

Not ours or not allowed; what worst, as oft,

Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up

For our best act.

[Wolsey continues:]

“                                If we shall stand still

In fear our motion will be mocked or carped at

We should take root here where we sit,

Or sit state-statues only.

Bacon:

“All these great misdemeanors are committed in and under your Majesty’s name.” (Life, iii, p. 186)

“We hope your Majesty will hold them twice guilty that commit these offences, once for the oppressing of the people …” (p. 160)

“. . .he complained to my Lord Chancellor of the troublesomeness of his PLACE;”

Works 7.p.170  (Spedding et al.)

“The condition of men eminent for virtue is, as this parable well observes, exceeding hard and miserable, because their errors, though ever so small, are not overlooked.” (De Aug., viii. ii., parabola xi, 1623)

‘as ravenous’ = envious

The Arden edition paraphrases this ‘as ravenous fishes etc.’ as: “Just as our best efforts are often rejected or maligned by the envious and disbelieving, so our least impressive performance, catching on at a much more mundane level (or with coarser people), is made out to be our greatest achievement.”  - Now read Bacon: “ Envy is a disease in a state like to infection, . . . for infection spreadeth upon that which is sound and tainteth it, so when envy (discontentment) is gotten once into a state it traduceth even the best actions thereof.” (Essay 9– Of Envy, 1625—too late for Shaksper as Shakespeare to  have read it).

Also “The lowest virtues gain the praise of the common people, middle ones astonish them, but of the highest they have no sense.” (De Aug., vi. Iii., Exempla Antithetorum.)

Bacon continues: “Which hurteth so much the more, as it is likewise usual in infections, which, if you fear them, you call them upon you.” (Essay 9 – Of Envy, 1625)

Henry VIII – the case for Francis Bacon - 5 - exactions wholesome laws

Shakespeare:

Act 1, Sc2 17-~96 (continued) [this segment from the play is the most important for the many parallels/echoes to Bacon’s writings in one continuous scene]

 [next are lines begging at about line 30]

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:                              Taxation?

Wherein, and what taxation? My lord Cardinal,

Know you of this taxation?

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

Bacon:

Bacon’s warning of “Danger and discontentment” to Elizabeth from excessive taxation of “the general commonalty.”

(Life,  i. p. 223)

And Bacon warns Parliament of discontentment caused by the oppression of the poor people and the consequent danger to the queen.

These earlier warnings would be followed later by similar ones in the time of King James:

“They tax your people ad redimendam vexationem imposing upon them and extorting from them divers sums of money.”

(Life, iii. p.  184)

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Shakespeare:

Act 1, Sc2 17-~96   (continued)

KATHERNE:                      No, my lord,

You know no more than others, but you frame

Things that are known alike, which are not wholesome

To those which would not know them and yet must

Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions

Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are

Most pestilent to th’ hearing, and to bear ‘em

The back is sacrifice to th’ load. They say

They are devised by you, or else you suffer

Too hard an exclamation.

KING:                                 Still ‘exaction’!

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

Is this exaction?

KATHERINE:             I am much too venturous

In tempting of your patience, but am boldened

Under your promised pardon. The subjects’ grief

Comes through commissions which compels from

   each

The sixth part of his substance, to be levied

Without delay; and the pretence for this

Is named 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

This tractable obedience is a slave

To each incensed will. I would your highness

Would give it quick consideration, for

There is no primer baseness.

Bacon:

“Look into the state of your laws and justice of your land; purge out multiplicity of laws, clear the incertainty of them, repeal those that are snaring, and press the execution of those that are wholesome and necessary.” (Life, i. p. 339)

“Again they use a strange and most unjust exaction.” (Life, iii, p. 184)

“….that there is no pound profit which redoundeth to your Majesty in this course, but induceth and begetteth three pound damage upon your subjects, besides the discontentment.” (Life, iii. P. 185)

“War was made but a pretence to poll and pill the people.” (Bacon’s History of Henry VII)