Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we, || Go forward. As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate Most like a careful subject, have collected Surv. Surv. On my soul, I'll speak but truth. To ruminate on this so far, until It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd, K. Hen. Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man :-Canst thou say further? As to the Tower, I thought,—I would have play'd The usurper Richard: who, being at Salisbury, As he made semblance of his duty, would K. Hen. A giant traitor! his highness live in He was brought to this By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins. K. Hen. What was that Hopkins? Surv. Sir, a Chartreux friar, And this man out of prison? His confessor; who fed him every minute Q. Kath. God mend all! With words of sovereignty. K. Hen. There's something more would out of thee; What say'st? K. Hen. How know'st thou this? Surv. Not long before your highness sped to France, The duke being at the Rose,2 within the parish (Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him strive office If I know you Surv. After the duke his father,—with the He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger, K. Hen. [Exeunt. SCENE III-A room in the palace. Enter the Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Sands. juggle New customs, Men into such strange mysteries? Lov. Enter Sir Thomas Lovell. 'Faith, my lord, To think an English courtier may be wise, Lov. They are set here for examples. I am your lordship's. Or pack to their old play fellows: there, I take it, Nor shall not, while I have a stump. Cham. Sir Thomas, To the cardinal's; Whither were you a going? Your lordship is a guest too. A hand as fruitful as the land that feeds us; Sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine: (1) A disease incident to horses. (2) A palace at Paris. (3) With authority. The very thought of this fair company Cham. You are young, sir Harry Guildford. Sands. I would I were; Lov. Harry, Place you that side, I'll take the charge of this: His grace is ent'ring.-Nay, you must not freeze; Two women plac'd together makes cold weather:My lord Sands, you are one will keep them waking; Pray, sit between these ladies. Sands. By my faith, And thank your lordship.-By your leave, sweet ladies : [Seats himself between Anne Bullen and If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me; Was he mad, sir? Anne. Sands. O, very mad, exceeding mad; in love too: But he would bite none; just as I do now, He would kiss you twenty with a breath. [Kisses her. Cham. Well said, my lord.So, now you are fairly seated:-Gentlemen, The penance lies on you, if these fair ladies Pass away frowning. For my little cure, Sands. Let me alone. Hautboys. Enter Cardinal Wolsey, attended, and takes his state.6 Wol. You are welcome, my fair guests; that noble lady, (4) The speaker is at Bridewell, and the cardinal's house was at Whitehall. tongue; And, pray, receive them nobly, and conduct them Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty Shall shine at full upon them:-Some attend him. [Exit Chamberlain, attended. All arise, and tables removed. You have now a broken banquet; but we'll mend it. A good digestion to you all: and, once more, I shower a welcome on you;-Welcome all. Hautboys. Enter the King, and twelve others, as maskers, habited like Shepherds, with sixteen Torch-bearers; ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. They pass directly before the Cardinal, and gracefully salute him. A noble company! what are their pleasures? Cham. Because they speak no English, thus they pray'd To tell your grace;-That, having heard by fame This night to meet here, they could do no less, Crave leave to view these ladies, and entreat A thousand thanks, and pray them take their plea I will, my lord. [Cham. goes to the company, and returns. Wol. What say they? Cham. Such a one, they all confess, There is, indeed; which they would have your grace Find out, and he will take it.3 Wol. Let me see then.[Comes from his state. By all your good leaves, gentlemen ;-Here I'll make My royal choice. K. Hen. You have found him, cardinal: [Unmasking. You hold a fair assembly; you do well, my lord: You are a churchman, or, I'll tell you, cardinal, I should judge now unhappily.4 Wol. Your grace is grown so pleasant. I am glad, K. Hen. My lord chamberlain, Pr'ythee, come hither: What fair lady's that? Cham. An't please your grace, sir Thomas Bullen's daughter, The viscount Rochford, one of her highness' women. K. Hen. By heaven, she is a dainty one.-Sweetheart, I were unmannerly, to take you out, Wol. Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready I'the privy chamber? Lov. Wol. Yes, my lord. I fear, with dancing is a little heated. In the next chamber. Your grace, There's fresher air, my lord, K. Hen. Lead in your ladies, every one.-Sweet partner, I must not yet forsake you :-Let's be merry;Good my To drink to these fair ladies, and a measures lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths To lead them once again; and then let's dream Who's best in favour.-Let the music knock it. [Exeunt, with trumpets. ACT II. SCENE I-A street. Enter two Gentlemen, meeting. 1 Gent. Whither away so fast? 2 Gent. O,-God save you! Even to the hall, to hear what shall become Of the great duke of Buckingham. 1 Gent. I'll save you That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony Of bringing back the prisoner. 2 Gent. Gent. Yes, indeed, was I. (3) The chief place. (5) Dance. Were you there? (4) Mischievously. 2 Gent. Pray, speak, what has happen'd? || Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me. 1 Gent. You may guess quickly what. I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment, 2 Gent. And by that name must die; Yet, heaven bear wit Is he found guilty? 1 Gent. Yes, truly is he, and condemn'd upon it. 2 Gent. I am sorry for't. 1 Gent. So are a number more. 2 Gent. But, pray, how pass'd it? 1 Gent. I'll tell you in a little. The great duke Came to the bar; where, to his accusations, He pleaded still, not guilty, and alleg'd Many sharp reasons to defeat the law. The king's attorney, on the contrary, Urg'd on the examinations, proofs, confessions Of divers witnesses; which the duke desir'd To him brought, vivâ voce, to his face : At which appear'd against him, his surveyor; Sir Gilbert Peck his chancellor; and John Court, Confessor to him; with that devil-monk, Hopkins, that made this mischief. That was he, The same. All these accus'd him strongly; which he fain Would have flung from him, but, indeed, he could not: And so his peers, upon this evidence, 2 Gent. After all this, how did he bear himself? 1 Gent. When he was brought again to the bar,to hear His knell rung out, his judgment,-he was stirr'd With such an agony, he sweat extremely, And something spoke in choler, ill, and hasty: But he fell to himself again, and, sweetly, In all the rest show'd a most noble patience. 2 Gent. I do not think, he fears death. 1 Gent. Sure, he does not. He never was so womanish: the cause He may a little grieve at. 2 Gent. Certainly, 'Tis likely, The cardinal is the end of this. 1 Gent. By all conjectures: First, Kildare's attainder, Was a deep envious one. 1 Gent. That trick of state, At his return, 2 Gent. All the commons Hate him perniciously, and o'my conscience, Wish him ten fathom deep: this duke as much They love and dote on; call him, bounteous Buckingham, The mirror of all courtesy ;1 Gent. Stay there, sir, And see the noble ruin'd man you speak of. Enter Buckingham from his arraignment; Tip staves before him, the axe with the edge towards him; halberds on each side; with him, Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Nicholas Vaux, Sir William Sands, and common people. 2 Gent. Let's stand close, and behold him. Buck. All good people, You that thus far have come to pity ine, (1) Close. ness, And, if I have a conscience, let it sink me, Be what they will, I heartily forgive them: me, And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham, Go with me, like good angels, to my end; Buck. Sir Thomas Lovell, I as free forgive you, As I would be forgiven: I forgive all; There cannot be those numberless offences grace; Then give my charge up to sir Nicholas Vaux, Who undertakes you to your end. Vaux. Prepare there, The duke is coming: see, the barge be ready; And fit it with such furniture, as suits The greatness of his person. Buck. Nay, sir Nicholas, Let it alone; my state now will but mock me. When I came hither, I was lord high constable, And duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun: Yet I am richer than my base accusers, That never knew what truth meant: I now seal it. And with that blood will make them one day groan for't. My noble father, Henry of Buckingham, That made me happy, at one stroke has taken A most unnatural and faithless service! And give your hearts to, when they once perceive me! And when you would say something that is sad, 2 Gent. Greater than this. 1 Gent. I do not talk much. 2 Gent. Let me have it; I am confident; You shall, sir: Did you not of late days hear A buzzing, of a separation Between the king and Katharine? 1 Gent. Yes, but it held not; 2 Gent. 1 Gent. Nor. How holily he works in all his business! And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the league Between us and the emperor, the queen's great He dives into the king's soul; and there scatters And, out of all these to restore the king, most true, These news are every where; every tongue speaks And every true heart weeps for't: All, that dare Suff And free us from his slavery. 2 Gent. I think, you have hit the mark: But is'tOr this imperious man will work us all not cruel, 'Tis woful. From princes into pages: all men's honours Let's in: That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal Will have his will, and she must fall. 1 Gent. We are too open here to argue this; Let's think in private more. [Exeunt. SCENE II-An ante-chamber in the palace. Enter the Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter. Cham. My lord,-The horses your lordship sent for, with all the care I had, I saw well chosen, rid-And, with some other business, put the king den, and furnished. They were young, and hand-From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon some; and of the best breed in the north. When they were ready to set out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by commission, and main power, took 'em from me; with this reason,-His master would be served before a subject, if not before the king: which stopped our mouths, sir. I fear, he will, indeed: Well, let him have them (1) Great fidelity. him : My lord, you'll bear us company? Nor. Thanks, my good lord chamberlain. (Exit Lord Chamberlain (2) High or low. |