Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

Lov. O, that your lordship were but now confeffor To one or two of thefe !

Sands. I would I were; They fhould find eafy penance. Lov. 'Faith, how eafy?

Sands. As eafy as a down-bed would afford it. Cham. Sweet ladies, will it please you fit ?-Sir Harry, Place you that fide, I'll take the charge of this: His grace is ent'ring.-Nay, you must not freeze; Two women, plac'd together, make cold weather :My lord Sands, you are one will keep 'em waking; Pray, fit between thefe ladies.

Sands. By my faith,

And thank your lordship.-By your leave, sweet ladies;

If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me ;
I had it from my father.

Anne. Was he mad, Sir?

[Sits.

Sands. O, very mad, exceeding mad, in love too : But he would bite none; juft as I do now, He'd kifs you twenty with a breath.

Cham. Well faid, my lord.

[Kiffes her.

So, now you are fairly feated :-Gentlemen,

The penance lies on you, if these fair ladies
Pafs away frowning.

Sands. For my little cure,

Let me alone.

Hautboys. Enter Cardinal WOLSEY, and takes his flate.

Wol. You are welcome, my fair guefts: That noble

lady,

Or gentleman, that is not freely merry,

Is not my friend: This, to confirm my welcome ; And to you all, good health.

Sands. Your grace is noble :

[Drinks.

Let me have fuch a bowl may hold my thanks,
And fave me fo much talking.

Wol. My lord Sands,

I am beholden to you: cheer your neighbours.
-Ladies, you are not merry ;-Gentlemen,
Whofe fault is this?

Sands. The red wine first must rife

In their fair cheeks, my lord; then we shall have 'em Talk us to filence.

Anne. You are a merry gamefter, My lord Sands.

Sands. Yes, if I make my play.

Here's to your ladyship, and pledge it, madam,
For 'tis to fuch a thing,-

Anne. You cannot fhew me.

Sands. I told your grace, they would talk anon. [Drum and Trumpets, Chambers discharg'd.(1) Wol. What's that?

Cham. Look out there, fome of you. [Exit Servant.
Wol. What warlike voice?

And to what end is this?—Nay, ladies, fear not;
By all the laws of war you are privileg'd.

Re-enter Servant.

Cham. How now? what is't?

Serv. A noble troop of strangers;

For fo they seem: they have left their barge, and landed ; And hither make, as great ambaffadors

From foreign princes.

Wol. Good lord chamberlain,

Go, give 'em welcome, you can speak the French tongue;
And, pray, receive 'em nobly, and conduct 'em
Into our prefence, where this heaven of beauty
Shall fhine at full upon them :-Some attend him.-
[All arife, and Tables removed.
-You have now a broken banquet; but we'll mend it.
A good digestion to you all: and, once more,
I fhower a welcome on you ;-Welcome all.

Hautboys. Enter King, and others, as Mafkers, habited like Shepherds, ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. They pass directly before the Cardinal, and gracefully falute bim.

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 fo noble and fo fair affembly

This night to meet here, they could do no lefs,

(1) Chambers are very fmall guns, ufed only on occafions of rejoicing. They are fo contrived as to carry great charges, and thereby to make a noifé more than proportioned to their fize. Some of them are still fired in the Park, and at the places oppofite to the parliament-houfe, when the king goes thither. Camden enumerates them among other guns, as fol lows,cannons, demi-cannons, chambers, arquebufe, mufquet,' STEEV, VOL. VI. с

Out of the great refpect they bear to beauty,

But leave their flocks; and under your fair conduct, Crave leave to view thefe ladies, and entreat

An hour of revels with them.

Wol. Say, lord chamberlain,

They have done my poor houfe grace, for which I pay 'em A thousand thanks, and pray 'em take their pleasures. [Choofe Ladies. King and ANNE BULLEN. King. The faireft hand I ever touch'd! O, beauty! Till now I never knew thee. [Mufic. Dance.

Wol. My lord,

Cham. Your grace?

Wol. [To Cham. afide.] Pray, tell 'em thus much from

me:

There fhould be one amongst 'em, by his perfon,
More worthy this place than myfelf; to whom,
If I but knew him, with my love and duty
I would furrender it.

Cham. I will, my lord.

[Chamberlain goes to the Company, and returns.

Wol. What fay they?

Cham. Such a one, they all confefs,

There is, indeed; which they would have your grace Find out, and he will take it.(2)

Wol. Let me fee then.

By all your good leaves, gentlemen :-Here I'll make
My royal choice.

King. You have found him, cardinal:

You hold a fair affembly; you do well, lord:
You are a churchman, or, I'll tell you, cardinal,
I fhould judge now unhappily.(3)

Wol. I am glad,

Your grace is grown fo pleasant.

King. 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. King. By heaven, fhe's a dainty one.-Sweet heart, I were unmannerly to take you out, [To ANNE BULLEN. And not to kifs you.-A health, gentlemen ;

Let it go round.

(2) That is, take the chief place.
(3) That is, unluckily, mischievously.

JOHNS.
ib.

Wol. Sir Thomas Lovel, is the banquet ready

I' the privy chamber?
Lov. Yes, my lord.

Wol. Your grace,

I fear, with dancing is a little heated.
King. I fear, too much.

Wol. There's fresher air, my lord,

In the next chamber.

King. Lead in your ladies, every one.-Sweet partner, I must not yet forfake you :-Let's be merry ;— Good my lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure To lead them once again; and then, let's dream Who's beft in favour.-Let the mufic knock it. [Exeunt, with Trumpets.

[ocr errors]

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Street. Enter two Gentlemen at several Doors.

I Gentleman.

WHITHER away fo faft?

2 Gen. O, God fave you !

Even to the hall, to hear what fhall become

Of the great duke of Buckingham.

1 Gen. I'll fave you

That labour, fir. All's now done, but the ceremony

Of bringing back the prifoner.

2 Gen. Were you there?

I Gen. Yes, indeed, was I.

2 Gen. Pray, fpeak, what has happen'd?

I Gen. You may guefs quickly what.

2 Gen. Is he found guilty?

1 Gen. Yes, truly, is he, and condemn'd upon it.

2 Gen. I am forry for't.

I Gen. So are a number more.

2 Gen. But, pray, how pafs'd it?

1 Gen. I'll tell you in a little. The great duke
Came to the bar; where, to his accufations,
He pleaded ftill, not guilty, and alleg'd
Many fharp reasons to defeat the law.
The king's attorney, on the contrary,

Urg'd on the examinations, proofs, confeffions
Of divers witneffes; which the duke defir'd
To have brought, viva voce, to his face:
At which appear'd against him, his furveyor;
Sir Gilbert Peck, his chancellor; and John Court,
Confeffor to him; with that devil-monk,

Hopkins, that made this mischief.

2 Gen. That was he

That fed him with his prophecies ?

I Gen. The fame.

All these accus'd him ftrongly; which he fain
Would have flung from him; but, indeed, he could not:
And fo his peers, upon this evidence,

Have found him guilty of high treafon. Much
He fpoke, and learnedly for life; but all
Was either pitied in him, or forgotten.

2 Gen. After all this, how did he bear himself?
I Gen. When he was brought again to the bar,-to hear
His knell rung out, his judgment, he was ftirr'd
With fuch an agony, he fweat extremely,(4)
And fomething spoke in choler, ill and hafty;
But he fell to himself again, and fweetly,
In all the reft fhew'd a moft noble patience.
2 Gen. I do not think he fears death.

1 Gen. Sure, he does not;

He never was fo womanish; the caufe
He may a little grieve at.

2 Gen. Certainly,

The cardinal is the end of this.

1 Gen. 'Tis likely,

By all conjectures: Firft, Kildare's attainder,
Then deputy of Ireland; who remov❜d,

Earl Surrey was fent thither, and in hafte too,

Left he fhould help his father.

2 Gen. That trick of ftate

Was a deep envious one.

1.Gen. At his return,

No doubt, he will requite it. This is noted,
And, generally; whoever the king favours,
The cardinal instantly will find employment,
And far enough from court too.

(4) This circumftance is taken from Holinfhed." After he was found guilty, the duke was brought to the bar, fore chafing, and fweat marvelloufly," STEEV.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »