London. An Antichamber in the Palace. Enter the Duke
of NORFOLK, at one Door; at the other, the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, and the Lord ABERGAVENNY.
Buckingham. GOUD
morrow, and well met. How have you
done
Since last we saw in France ?
Nor. I thank your grace :
Healthful; and ever since a fresh admirer
Of what I saw there.
Buck. An untimely ague
Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber, when
Those sons of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Arde.
Nor. 'Twixt Guines and Arde :
10 I was then present, saw them salute on horse-back ; Bij
Beheld
Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung
In their embracement, as they grew together ;
Which had they, what four thron’d ones could have
weigh'd
Such a compounded one?
Buck. All the whole time
I was my chamber's prisoner.
Nor. Then you
lost
The view of earthly glory: Men might say,
'Till this time, pomp was single; but now marry'd
To one above itself. Each following day
Became the next day's master, 'till the last
Made former wonders it's : To-day, the French,
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,
Shone down the English ; and, to-morrow, they
Made Britain, India: every man, that stood,
Shew'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubims, all gilt: the madams too,
Not us'd to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour
Was to them as a painting : now this mask
Was cry'd incomparable; and the ensuing night
Made it a fool, and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst,
As presence
did
present Still him in praise : and, being present both, 'Twas said, they saw but one ; and no discerner Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns (For so they phrase 'em) by their heralds challeng'd The noble spirits to arms, they did perform 40
Beyond
Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous
story, Being now seen possible enough, got credit, That Bevis was believ'd..
Buck. Oh, you go far.
Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect
In honour honesty, the tract of every thing
Would by a good discourser lose some life,
Which action's self was, tongue to. All was royal;
To the disposing of it nought rebellid,
Order gave each thing view; the office did 50
Distinctly his full function.
Buck. Who did guide,
I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess ?
Nor. One, certes, that promises no element
In such a business.
Buck. I pray you, who, my lord ?
Nor. All this was order'd by the good discretion Of the right reverend cardinal of York.
Buck. The devil speed him! no, man's pye is free'd
From his ambitious, finger, What had he 61
To do in these fierce vanities ? I wonder,
That such a keech can with his very, bulk
Take up the rays o'the beneficial şun,
And keep it from the earth.
Nor. Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends :
For, being not propt by ancestry (whose grace
Chalks successors their way), nor çall'd upon
Biij
For
For high feats done to the crown; neither ally'd
To eminent assistants, but, spider-like,
71
Out of his self-drawing web, he gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way;
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.
Aber. I cannot tell What heaven hath given him, let some graver eye Pierce into that; but I can see his pride Peep through each part of him : Whence has he
that? If not from hell, the devil is a niggard ;
80 Or has given all before, and he begins A new hell in himself.
Buck. Why the devil,
Upon this French going-out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o’the king, to appoint
Who should attend on him? He makes up the file
Of all the gentry; for the most part such
Too, whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon: and his own letter,
The honourable board of council out,
90 Must fetch in him he papers.
Aber. I do know
Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sicken'd their estates, that never
They shall abound as formerly.
Buck. O, many
Have broke their backs with laying manors on them
For this great journey. What did this vanity,
But
But minister communication of
A most poor issue ?
Nor. Grievingly I think,
The peace between the French and us not values
The cost that did conclude it.
Buck. Every man,
After the hideous storm that follow'd, was
A thing inspir'd; and, not consulting, broke
Into a general prophecy—That this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboaded
The sudden breach on't.
Nor. Which is budded out;
For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd
Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.
Aber. Is it therefore
The ambassador is silenc'd ?
Nor. Marry, is't.
Aber. A proper title of a peace; and purchas'd At a superfluous rate !
Buck. Why, all this business Our reverend cardinal carry'd. Nor. Like it your grace,
120 The state takes notice of the private difference Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you (And take it from a heart that wishes towards you Honour and plenteous safety), that you read The cardinal's malice and his potency Together : to consider further, that What his high hatred would effect, wants not A minister in his power : You know his nature,
That
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