CHAM. HOW now? what is 't? SERV. Re-enter Servant. A noble troop of strangers; For so they seem; they have left their barge, and landed; Go, give them welcome, you can speak the French tongue; All arise, and tables removed. You have now a broken banquet; but we 'll mend it. I shower a welcome on you;-Welcome all. Hautboys. Enter the KING, and twelve others, as maskers, habited like shepherds, with sixteen torchbearers; ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. 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 This night to meet here, they could do no less, Out of the great respect they bear to beauty, But leave their flocks; and, under your fair conduct, An hour of revels with them. WOL. Say, lord chamberlain, They have done my poor house grace; for which I pay them K. HEN. The fairest hand I ever touch'd! Till now I never knew thee. WOL. My lord. CHAM. WOL. They pass The KING chooses ANNE BULLEN. O, beauty, [Music. Dance. Your grace? Pray, tell them thus much from me: There should be one amongst them, by his person, If I but knew him, with my love and duty CHAM. I will, my lord. [Chamberlain 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. WOL. By all your good leaves, gentlemen;-Here I 'll make K. HEN. Let me see then. [Comes from his state. [Unmasking. You have found him, cardinal : You are a churchman, or I 'll tell you, cardinal, WOL. I am glad Your grace is grown so pleasant. K. HEN. My lord chamberlain, Prithee, come hither: What fair lady 's that? CHAM. An 't please your grace, sir Thomas Bullen's daughter, K. HEN. By Heaven, she is a dainty one.- Sweetheart, And not to kiss you.-A health, gentlemen, WOL. Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready K. HEN. Lead in your ladies, every one.-Sweet partner, [Exeunt with trumpets. All these accus'd him strongly; which he fain Would have flung from him, but, indeed, he could not: Have found him guilty of high treason. Much Was either pitied in him, or forgotten. 2 GENT. After all this, how did he bear himself? 1 GENT. When he was brought again to the bar, to hear 2 GENT. I do not think he fears death. 1 GENT. Sure, he does not. He never was so womanish; the cause 2 GENT. Certainly The cardinal is the end of this. a This is usually pointed thus:-" Pray, speak, what has happened?" In the original, " to him brought." 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. Enter BUCKINGHAM from his arraignment; Tipstaves before him; the axe with the edge towards him; halberds on each side; accompanied with SIR THOMAS LOVELL, SIR NICHOLAS VAUX, SIR WILLIAM SANDS, and common people. 1 GENT. Stay there, sir, And see the noble ruin'd man you speak of. 2 GENT. Let's stand close, and behold him. BUCK. You that thus far have come to pity me, All good people, Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me. I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment, And by that name must die: Yet, Heaven bear witness, And if I have a conscience let it sink me, Even as the axe falls, if I be not faithful! The law I bear no malice for my death, It has done, upon the premises, but justice: But those that sought it I could wish more christians : Be what they will, I heartily forgive them: Yet let them look they glory not in mischief, Nor build their evils on the graves of great men; For then my guiltless blood must cry against them. For further life in this world I ne'er hope, Nor will I sue, although the king have mercies More than I dare make faults. You few that lov'd me, a There are many similar instances in Shakspere of this construction;-for being here understood;-as in 'The Merchant of Venice:' "How good a gentleman you sent relief” (to). |