Hate him perniciously, and, o'my conscience, 1 Gen. Stay there, fir, And fee the noble ruin'd man you speak of. Enter BUCKINGHAM from his Arraignment, (Tipftaves before him, the Axe with the Edge toward him. Halberds on each Side) accompanied with Sir THOMAS LOVEL, Sir NICHOLAS VAUX, Sir WILLIAM SANDS, and common People, &c. 2 Gen. Let's ftand clofe, and behold him, Buck. All good people, You that thus far have come to pity me, Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me. And by that name, muft die. Yet heaven bear witness, Go with me, like good angels, to my end; And lift my foul to heaven.-Lead on, o'God's name. If ever any malice in your heart Where hid against me, now to forgive me frankly. Buck. Sir Thomas Lovel, I as free forgive you, As I would be forgiven I forgive all. (7) These lines are remarkably tender and pathetic, JOHNS, There cannot be those numberlefs offences Lov. To the water-fide 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: fee the barge be ready; The greatnefs of his perfon. Buck. Nay, Sir Nicholas, Let it alone; my ftate now but will mock me. And duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun : That never knew what truth meant : I now feal it ;(9) Who firft rais'd head againft ufurping Richard, · (8) I believe Shakespeare, by this expreffion, meant to make the duke fay, No action expreffive of malice fhall conclude my life.' Envy by our author is used for malice in other places, and, perhaps, in this. STEEV. (9) I now feal my truth, my loyalty, with blood, which blood shall one day make them groan. JOHNS. Fell by our fervants, by those men we lov'd most ; A most unnatural and faithlefs fervice! 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 counfels, Like water from ye, never found again But where they mean to fink ye. All good people, Pray for me! I must now forfake you; the last hour Of my long weary life is come upon me. Farewel : And when you would fay fomething that is fad, Speak how I fell.-I have done; and God forgive me! [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM, and Train. 1 Gen. O, this is full of pity!-Sir, it calls, I fear, too many curfes on their heads, That were the authors. 2 Gen. 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 Gen. Good angels keep it from us! What may it be? You do not doubt my faith, fir 2 Gen. This fecret is fo weighty, 'twill require A ftrong faith to conceal it.[1] 1 Gen. Let me have it; I do not talk much. 2 Gen. I am confident; You fhall, fir Did you not of late days hear Between the king and Catherine ? 1 Gen. Yes; but it held not : For when the king once heard it, out of anger 2 Gen. But that flander, fir, Is found a truth now: for it grows again Fresher than e'er it was and held for certain, [1] Strong faith, is great fidelity. JOHNS. To the good queen, poffefs'd him with a fcruple I Gen. 'Tis the cardinal; And merely to revenge him on the emperor, The archbishopric of Toledo, this is purpos'd. 2 Gen. I think you've hit the mark: But is't not cruel, That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal I Gen. 'Tis woeful. We are too open here to argue this; [Exeunt. SCENE II. An Anti-Chamber in the Palace. Enter Lord Cham berlain, reading a Letter. My lord, The horses your lordship fent for, with all the care I had, I faw well chofen, ridden, and furnished. They were young and handfome; and of the best breed in the North. When they were ready to fet out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by commission and main poswer, took 'em from me; with this reafon : His mafter would be ferv'd before a subject, if not before the king which Stopp'd our mouths, fir. I fear, he will, indeed: Well, let him have them: Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK Nor. Well met, my lord chamberlain. Cham. Good day to both your graces. Suf. How is the king employ'd? Cham. I left him private, Full of fad thoughts and troubles. Nor. What's the caufe? Cham. It feems, the marriage with his brother's wife Has crept too near his conscience. Suf. No; his confcience Has crept too near another lady. This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal! true, These news are ev'ry where; every tongue speaks 'em, The French king's fifter. Heaven will one day open Suf. And free us from his flavery. Nor. We had need pray, And heartily, for our deliverance, Or this imperious man will work us all From princes into pages [2] all men's honours Suf. For me, my lords, I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed: If the king please: his curfes and his bleffings Nor. Let's in ; And, with fome other bufinefs, put the king [2] This may allude to the retinue of the cardinal, who had feveral of the nobility among his menial fervants. JOHNS. |