2 Gen. Certainly,
The cardinal is the end of this.
1 Gen. 'Tis likely,
By all conjectures: First, Kildare's attainder,
Then deputy of Ireland; who remov'd,
Earl Surrey was sent thither, and in haste too,
Lest he should help his father.
2 Gen. That trick of state
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.
2 Gen. All the commons
Hate him perniciously, and, o' my conscience,
Wish him ten fathom deep: this duke as much
They love and dote on; call him, bounteous Buckingham,
The mirror of all courtesy:
1 Gen. Stay there, sir,
And see the noble ruin'd man you speak of.
Enter BUCKINGHAM from his arraignment; Tipstaves before him; the axe with the edge towards him; Halberds on each side: with him, Sir THOMAS LOVEL, Sir NICHOLAS VAUX, Sir WILLIAM SANDS, and common People.
2 Gen. Let's stand close, 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.
I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment,
And by that name must die; Yet, heaven bear witness,
And if I have a conscience, let it sink me,
Even as the axe falls, if I be not faithful!
The law I bear no malice for my death,
It has done, upon the premises, but justice :
But those, that sought it, I could wish more christians:
Be what they will, I heartily forgive them :
Yet let them look they glory not in mischief,
Nor build their evils on the graves of great men ;
For then my guiltless blood must cry against them,
For further life in this world I ne'er hope,
Nor will I sue, although the king have mercies
More than I dare make faults. You few that lov'd me,
[3] These lines are remarkably tender and pathetic.
And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham,
His noble friends, and fellows, whom to leave
Is only bitter to him, only dying,
Go with me, like good angels, to my end;
And, as the long divorce of steel falls on me,
Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice,
And lift my soul to heaven.-Lead on, o'God's name
Lov. I do beseech your grace, for charity,
If ever any malice in your heart
Were 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;
There cannot be those numberless offences
'Gainst me, I can't take peace with: no black envy
Shall make my grave. 4-Commend me to his grace;
And, if he speak of Buckingham, pray, tell him,
You met him half in heaven: my vows and prayers
Yet are the king's; and, till my soul forsake me,
Shall cry for blessings 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 shall lead him to his end,
Goodness and he fill up one monument!
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.
The duke is coming: see, the barge be ready;
And fit it with such furniture, as suits
The greatness of his person.
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 ; 5
And with that blood will make them one day groan for't.
My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,
Who first rais'd head against wsurping Richard,
Flying for succour to his servant Banister,
Being distress'd, was by that wretch betray'd,
[4] Shakspeare, by this expression, meant no more than to make the duke say, No action expressive of malice shall conclude my life. Enty by our au thor, is used for malice and hatred, in other places, and, perhaps, in this.
[5] I now seal my truth, my loyalty, with blood, which blood shall one day make them groan. JOHNS.
And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!
Henry the seventh succeeding, truly pitying
My father's loss, like a most royal prince,
Restor'd me to my honours, and, out of ruins,
Made my name once more noble. Now his son,
Henry the eighth, life, honour, name, and all
That made me happy, at one stroke has taken
For ever from the world. I had my trial,
And, must needs say, a noble one; which makes me
A little happier than my wretched father:
Yet thus far we are one in fortunes,-Both
Fell by our servants, by those men we lov'd most;
A most unnatural and faithless service!
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 counsels,
Be sure, you be not loose; for those you make friends,
And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The least rub in your fortunes, fall away
Like water from ye, never found again,
But where they mean to sink ye. All good people,
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 Gen. O, this is full of pity!-Sir, it calls,
I fear, too many curses 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,
1 Gen. Good angels keep it from us !
Where may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir? 2 Gen. This secret is so weighty, 'twill require
A strong faith to conceal it.
1 Gen. Let me have it;
I do not talk much.
2 Gen. I am confident;
You shall, sir Did you not of late days hear
A buzzing, of a separation
Between the king and Katharine ?
1 Gen. Yes, but it held not;
[6] Strong faith, is great fidelity. JOHNS.
For when the king once heard it, out of anger
He sent command to the lord mayor, straight
To stop the rumour, and allay those tongues
That durst disperse it.
2 Gen. But that slander, 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 some about him near, have, out of malice
To the good queen, possess'd him with a scruple
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 merely to revenge him on the emperor,
For not bestowing on him, at his asking,
The archbishopric of Toledo, this is purpos'd.
2Gen. 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.
1 Gen. 'Tis woful.
We are too open here to argue this;
Let's think in private more.
An Ante-chamber in the Palace. 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.
Suff. How is the king employ'd?
Cham. I left him private,
Full of sad thoughts and troubles.
Cham. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife
Has crept too near his conscience.
Suff. No, 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 fortune,
Turns what he lists. The king will know him one day.
Suf. Pray God, he do! he'll never know himself else.
Nor. How holily he works in all his business !
And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the league
Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,
He dives into the king's soul; and there scatters
Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,
Fears, and despairs, and all these for his marriage:
And, out of all these to restore the king,
He counsels a divorce: a loss of her,
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never lost her lustre ;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her
That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
Will bless the king: And is not this course pious?
Cham. Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis
These news are every where; every tongue speaks them,
And every true heart weeps for't: All, that dare
Look into these affairs, see this main end,-
The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open
The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon
This bold bad man.
Suf. And free us from his slavery.
Nor. We had need pray,
And heartily, for our deliverance;
Or this imperious man will work us all
From princes into pages:7 all men's honours
Lie in one lump before him, to be fashion'd
Into what pitch he please. 8
Suf. For me, my lords,
[7] This may allude to the retinue of the cardinal, who had several of the nobility among his menial servants. JOHNS.
[8] The allusion seems to be to the 21st verse of the 9th chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans: "Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour
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