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My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,

Who first rais'd head against usurping Richard,
Flying for succour to his servant Banister,
Being distress'd, was by that wretch betray'd,
And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!
Henry the seventh succeeding, truly pitying
My father's loss, like a most royal prince,
Restor'd me to my honours, and, out of ruins,
Made my name once more noble. Now his son,
Henry the eighth, life, honour, name, and all
That made me happy, at one stroke has taken
For ever from the world. I had my trial,

And, must needs say, a noble one; which makes me
A little happier than my wretched father:
Yet thus far we are one in fortunes,-Both

Fell by our servants, by those men we lov'd most;
A most unnatural and faithless service!

Heaven has an end in all: Yet, you that hear me,
This from a dying man receive as certain:
Where you are liberal of your loves, and counsels,
Be sure, you be not loose; for those you make
friends,

And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The least rub in your fortunes, fall away

Like water from ye, never found again

But where they mean to sink ye. All good people, Pray for me! I must now forsake ye; the last hour Of my long weary life is come upon me.

Farewell:

And when you would say something that is sad, Speak how I fell.-I have done; and God forgive me! [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train.

1 Gent. O, this is full of pity!-Sir, it calls, I fear, too many curses on their heads,

That were the authors.

2 Gent.

If the duke be guiltless,

"Tis full of woe: yet I can give you inkling Of an ensuing evil, if it fall,

Greater than this.

1 Gent.

Good angels keep it from us!

Where may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir? 2 Gent. This secret is so weighty, 'twill require A strong faith to conceal it.

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 ?

Yes, but it held not :

1 Gent.
For when the king once heard it, out of anger
He sent command to the lord mayor, straight
To stop the rumour, and allay those tongues
That durst disperse it.

2 Gent.

But that slander, sir,
Is found a truth now: for it grows again
Fresher than e'er it was; and held for certain,
The king will venture at it. Either the cardinal,
Or some about him near, have, out of malice
To the good queen, possess'd him with a scruple
That will undo her: To confirm this too,
Cardinal Campeius is arriv'd, and lately;
As all think, for this business.

6 Great fidelity.

1 Gent.

'Tis the cardinal;

And merely to revenge him on the emperor,
For not bestowing on him, at his asking,
The archbishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd.

2 Gent. I think, you have hit the mark: But is't not cruel,

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.

SCENE II.

'Tis woful.

An Ante-chamber in the Palace.

[Exeunt.

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, ridden, and furnished. They were young, and handsome; 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: He will have all, I think.

Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.

Nor.

Well met, my good

Lord chamberlain.

Cham.

Good day to both your graces

Suf. How is the king employ'd?
Cham.

Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

Nor.

I left him private,

What's the cause ?

Cham. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife Has crept too near his conscience.

Suf.

Has crept too near another lady.

No, his conscience

"Tis so;

Nor. This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal : That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune, Turns what he lists. The king will know him one day. Suf. Pray God, he do! he'll never know himself else. 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 ne

phew,

He dives into the king's soul; and there scatters
Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,
Fears, and despairs, and all these for his marriage:
And, out of all these to restore the king,
He counsels a divorce: a loss of her,
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never lost her lustre ;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her
That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
Will bless the king: And is not this course pious?

Cham. Heaven keep me from such counsel! "Tis

most true,

These news are every where; every tongue speaks

them,

And every true heart weeps for't: All, that dare
Look into these affairs, see this main end,-

The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open
The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon

This bold bad man.

Suf.

Nor. We had need

And free us from his slavery.

pray,

And heartily, for our deliverance;

Or this imperious man will work us all
From princes into pages: all men's honours
Lie in one lump before him, to be fashion'd
Into what pitch7 he please.

Suf.
For me, my lords,
I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed:
As I am made without him, so I'll stand,

If the king please; his curses and his blessings.
Touch me alike, they are breath I not believe in.
I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him
To him, that made him proud, the pope.

Nor.

Let's in;

And, with some other business, put the king
From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon

him :

My lord, you'll bear us company?

Excuse me;

Cham.
The king hath sent me other-where besides,
You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:

7 High or low.

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