Sands. Sir Thomas Lovell, had the cardinal But half my lay-thoughts in him, some of these Should find a running banquet, ere they rested, I think would better please them: By my life, They are a sweet society of fair ones. Lov. Oh! that your lordship were but now confessor To one or two of these! Sands. I would I were; They should find easy penance. Lov. 'Faith, how easy? Sands. As easy as a down-bed would afford it. Cham, Sweet ladies, will it please you sit ? Sir 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: [Sea's himself between ANNE BULLEN and If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me; Anne. Was he mad, Sir? Sands. Oh! very mad, exceeding mad, in love For so they seem and landed; they have left their barge, And hither make, as great ambassadors Wol. Good lord chamberlain, Go, give them welcome, you can speak the French 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 bim. [Exit CHAMBERLAIN, attended. All arise, and Tables removed. mend it. You have now a broken banquet; but we'll 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 puss di. rectly 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 Of this so noble and so fair assembly This night to meet here, they could do no less, Out of the great respect they bear to beauty, Enter two GENTLEMEN, meeting. 1 Gent. Whither away so fast? 2 Gent. C God save you! Even to the hall to bear what shall become Of the great duke of Buckingham. 1 Gent. I'll save you He never was so womanish; the cause He may a little grieve at. 2 Gent. Certainly, The cardinal is the end of this. 1 Gent. 'Tis likely, By all conjectures: First, Kildare's attainder Earl Surrey was sent thither, and in haste too 2 Gent. That trick of state Was a deep envious one. 1 Gent. At his return, No doubt he will requite it. This is noted, 2 Gent. All the commons 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 are with the edge towards him; halberts on each side: with him, Sir THOMAS LOVELL, Sir NICHOLAS VAUX, Sir WILLIAM SANDS, und common people. 2 Gent. Let's stand close, and behold him. Buck. All good people, You that thus far have come to pity me, That labour, Sir. All's now done, but the ce- Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me. remony Of bringing back the prisoner. 2 Gent. Were you there? 1 Gent. Yes, indeed, was I. 2 Gent. Pray, speak, what has happen'd? 1 Gent. You may guess quickly what. 2 Gent. 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, Urg'd on the examinations, proofs, confessions, I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment, And by that name must die: Yet, heaven bear And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham, Lov. To the water side I must conduct your 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; 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, Is found a truth now: for it grows again Or some about him near, have, out of malice 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. [Exeunt. And without trial fell: God's peace be with SCENE II-An Ante-chamber in the Pa him! Pray for me! I must now forsake ye; the last hour Of my long weary life is come upon me. 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. Oh! 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. Let me have it; I do not taik much. 2 Gent. 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: For when the king once heard it, out of anger He sent command to the lord mayor, straight To stop the rumour, aud allay those tongues That durst disperse it. 2 Gent. But that slander, Sir, • Great fidelity. lace. 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. Full of sad thoughts and troubles. Cham. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife Has crept too near his conscience. Has crept too near another lady. This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal: That blind priest, like the eldest son of for tune, Turns what he lists. The king will know him one day. Suf. Pray God, he do! he'll never know him self else. These news are every where; speaks them, every tongue The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon Suf. And free us from his slavery. And heartily, for our deliverance; Or this imperious man will work us all Suj. For me, my lords, I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed : I knew him, and I kuow him; so I leave him 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? Cham. Excuse me; : The king hath sent me other-where besides, Nor. Thanks, my good lord chamberlain. NORFOLK opens a folding door. The KING is K. Hen. Who is there? ha? Nor. 'Pray God he be not angry. Above all princes, in rommitting freely I mean, the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms, Invited by your noble self, hath sent One general tongue unto us, this good man, Whom, once more, I present unto your high So dear in heart, not to deny her that To him that does best; God forbid else. Car- K. Hen. Who's there, I say? How dare you Pr'ythee, call Gardiner to me, my new secretary; thrust yourselves Into my private meditations? Who am I? ha? Nor. A gracious king, that pardons all offences Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty, this I find him a fit fellow. [Exit WOLSEY. Re-enter WOLSEY, with GARDINER. Wol. Give me your hand; much joy and favour to you; You are the king's now. Gard. But to be commanded For ever by your grace, whose hand has rais'd [Aside. me. K. Hen. Come hither, Gardiner. [They converse apart. Cam. My lord of York, was not one doctor Pace In this man's place before him? Wol. Yes, he was. Cam. Was he not held a learned man? Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread Even of yourself, lord cardinal. Cam. They will not stick to say, you envied And, fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous, Kept him a foreign man still; which so griev'd him, That he ran mad, and died. Wol. Heaven's peace be with him! There's places of rebuke. He was a fool; If I command him, follows my appointment; We live not to be grip'd by meaner persons. Out of the king's presence, There ye shall meet about this weighty busi ness: My Wolsey, see it furnish'd.-O my lord, So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, con- Oh! 'tis a tender place, and I must leave her. SCENE 111.-An Ante-chamber in the Enter ANNE BULLEN, and an old LADY. Anne. Not for that neither ;-Here's the pang that pinches : His highness having liv'd so long with her: So good a lady, that no tongue could ever To leave is a thousand-fold more bitter, than To give her the avaunt! it is a pity Old L. Hearts of most hard temper Melt and lament for her. Anne. O God's will! much better, What kind of my obedience I should tender; She ne'er had known pomp: though it be tem- Are not words duly hallow'd, nor my wishes poral, Yet, if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce It from the bearer, 'tis a sufferance, panging Old L. Alas, poor lady! She's a stranger now again. t Anne. So much the more Must pity drop upon her. Verily, I swear, 'tis better to be lowly born, And range with humble livers in content, Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief, And wear a golden sorrow. Old L. Our content Is our best having. § Anne. By my troth, and maidenhead, I would not be a queen. Old L. Beshrew me, I would, And venture maidenhead for't; and so would be a queen? More worth than empty vanities; yet prayers, and wishes, yet, But from this lady may proceed a gem, [Exit Lord CHAMBERLAIN Old L. Why, this it is; see, see! I have been begging sixteen years in court, This compell'd fortune !) have your mouth fill'd Before you open it. Anne. This is strange to me. Old. L. How tastes it? is it bitter? fortypence, no. There was a lady once, ('tis an old story,) Anne. No, not for all the riches under hea-That ven. Old L. 'Tis strange; a three-pence bow'd ** would hire me, Old as I am, to queen it; But, I pray you, Anne. No, in truth. would not be a queen, that would she not, [it T For all the mud in Egypt :-Have you heard Anne. Come, you are pleasant. Old. L. With your theme, I could O'ermount the lark. The marchioness of Pem. broke ! A thousand pounds a year! for pure respect; Old L. Then you are weakly made: Pluck off No other obligation: By my life, That promises more thousands: Honour's train I know your back will bear a duchess ;-Say, Are you not stronger than you were? Anne. Good lady, Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy, |