And lift my foul to heav'n. Lead on a God's name. Lov. I do befeech your Grace for charity, If ever any malice in your heart
Were hid against me, now forgive me frankly. Buck. Sir Thomas Lovell, I as free forgive you As I would be forgiven: I forgive all.
There cannot be thofe numberlefs offences 'Gainst me, I can't take peace with no black envy Shall make my grave- Commend me to his Grace : And if he fpeak of Buckingham, pray tell him, You met him half in heav'n: my vows and pray'rs Yet are the King's; and 'till my foul forfake me, Shall cry for bleffings on him. May he live Longer than I have time to tell his years; Ever belov'd and loving may his rule be; And when old time fhall lead him to his end, Goodness and he fill up one monument.
Lov. To th' water-fide I muft conduct your Grace, Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux, Who undertakes you to your end.
The Duke is coming: fee the barge be ready, And fit it with fuch furniture as fuits
The greatness of his perfon.
Buck. Nay, Sir Nicholas,
Let it alone; my ftate now will but mock me. When I came hither, I was Lord, high conftable,
And Duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun Yet I am richer than my bafe accufers,
That never knew what truth meant; I now feal it; And with that blood will make 'em one day groan før❜t, My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,
Who firft rais'd head againft ufurping Richard, Flying for fuccour to his fervant Banister, Being diftrefs'd, was by that wretch betray'd,
And without tryal fell; God's peace be with him! Henry the Sev'nth fucceeding, truly pitying My father's lofs, like a moft royal Prince Reftor'd to me my honours; and from ruins, Made my name once more noble. Now his fon,
Henry the Eight, a name, honour, life, and alf That make me happy, at one ftroak has taken For ever from the world. I had my tryal, And must needs fay, a noble one; which makes me A little happier than my wretched father: Yet thus far we are one in fortune, both Fell by our fervants, by thofe men we lov'd.' A moft unnatural and faithlefs fervice!
Heav'n has an end in all: yet, you that hear me This from a dying man receive as certain;
Where you are lib'ral of your loves and counfels, Be fure you be not loofe; thofe you make friends, And give your hearts to, when they once perceive The leaft rub in your fortunes, fall away
Like water from ye, never found again, But where they mean to fink ye. All good people Pray for me! I must leave ye; the last hour Of my long weary life is come upon me: Farewel; and when you would fay fomething fad, Speak how I fell-I've 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 enfuing evil, if it fall,
1 Gen. Good angels keep it from us:
What may it be; you do not doubt my faith, Sir?
2 Gen. This fecret is fo weighty, 'twill require
A ftrong faith to conceal it.
1 Gen. Let me have it;
I do not talk much,
2 Gen. I am confident;
You fhall, Sir; did you not of late days hear A buzzing of a separation
Between the King and Kath'rine?
1 Gen. Yes, but it held not;
• life, honour, name, and all,
For when the King once heard it, out of a He fent command to the Lord Mayor ftrait To stop the rumour, and allay those tongues That durft difperfe it.
2 Gen. But that flander, 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 fome about him near, have (out of malice To the good Queen) poffefs'd him with a fcruple That will undo her: to confirm this too, Cardinal Campeius is arriv'd, and lately, As all think for this business.
1 Gen. 'Tis the Cardinal;
And meerly to revenge him on the Emperor, For not beftowing on him, at his asking,
The Arch-bishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd.
2 Gen. I think you have hit the mark; but is't not cruel, That the fhould feel the fmart of this? the Cardinal I Will have his will, and fhe muft fall.
We are too open here to argue this : Let's think in private more.
Enter Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter.
Mr lord, the borfes your lordship fent for, with all the care I had 1 faw well chofen, ridden, and furnish'd. 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 commiffion and main power took 'em from me, with this reafon; his master would be ferv'd before a subject, if not before the King, which stopp'd our mouths, Sir.
I fear he will indeed; well, let him have them; he will have all, I think.
Enter to the Lord Chamberlain 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 cause?
Cham. It seems the marriage with his brother's wife Has crept too near his confcience. Suf. No, his confcience
Has crept too near another lady. Nor. 'Tis fo;
This is the Cardinal's doing; the King-Cardinal: That blind prieft, like the eldeft fon of fortune Turns what he lift. The King will know him one day. Suf. Pray God he do; he'll never know hiinfelf elle. Nor. How holily he works in all his business, And with what zeal for now he has crackt the league 'Tween us and th' Emperor, the Queen's great nephew: He dives into the King's foul, and there fcatters Doubts, dangers, wringing of the confcience, Fears, and defpair, and all these for his marriage; And out of all thefe to restore the King, He counfels a divorce, a lofs of her That like a jewel has hung twenty years About his neck, yet never loft her luftre; Of her that loves him with that excellence, That angels love good men with; even of her, That, when the greatest ftroke of fortune falls, Will blefs the King; and is not this courfe pious? Cham. Heav'n keep me from fuch counsel! 'tis most
These news are ev'ry where, ev'ry tongue fpeaks 'em, And ev'ry true heart weeps for't. All that dare Look into these affairs, fee his main end,
The French King's fifter. Heaven will one day open The King's Eyes, that fo long have slept upon This bold, bad man.
Suf. And free us from his slavery.
Nor. We had need pray, and heartily, for deliv'rance). Or this imperious man will work us all
From Princes into pages; all mens honours Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd Into what pitch he please.
Suf. For me, my lords,
I love him not, nor fear him, there's my creed & As I am made without him, fo I'll ftand,
If the King please: his curfes and his bleffings Touch me alike; they're breath I not believe in. I knew him, and I know him; fo I leave him To him, that made him proud, the Pope. Nor. Let's in;
And with fome other bufinefs, put the King From these fad thoughts that work too much upon him My lord, you'll bear us company?
The King hath fent me other-where: befides You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him: Health to your lordships.
[Exit Lord Chamberlain
Nor. Thanks, my good Lord Chamberlain.
The Scene draws, and difcovers the King fitting and reading penfively.
Suf. How fad he looks! fure he is much afflicted. King. Who's there? ha?
Nor. Pray God he be not angry.
King. Who's there, I fay how dare you thruft your felves
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 way, I's business of estate; in which we come
To know your royal pleasure.
King. Ye are too bold:
Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business := Is this an hour for temporal affairs? ha?
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