Yet I am richer than my base accusers,
That never knew what truth meant: I now seal it;
And with that blood will make them one day groan for’t.
My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,
Who first rais'd bead against usurping Richard,
Flying for succour to his fervant Banister,
Being diftress'd, was by that wretch betray'd,
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 fay, 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 fink ye. All good people,
Pray for me! I must now forsake ye; the last hour
Of my long weary life is come upon me.
Farewell :
And when you would say fomething that is fad,
Speak how I fell.--I have done ; and God forgive me !
[Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train.
i Gent.
i Gent. O, this is full of pity!--Sir, it calls,
I fear, too many curses on their heads,
That were the authors.
2 Gent.
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.
I Gent. Good angels keep it from us !
What
may it be? You do not doubt my faith, ir? 2 Gent. This secret is so weighty, 'twill require A strong faith to conceal it. I Gent.
Let me have it ;
I do not talk much.
2 Gent,
I am confident;
You shall, fir: Did you not of late days hear
A buzzing, of a separation
Between the king and Katharine ?
i Gent.
Yes, but it held not :
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 durft disperse it.
But that Nander, 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.
i Gent.
'Tis the cardinal; And merely to revenge him on the emperor,
For not befowing on him, at his asking,
The archbishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos d.
2 Gent. 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 the must fall.
I Gent.
'Tis woful.
We are too open here to argue this;
Let's think in private more.
[Exeunt.
An Antechamber in the Palace.
Enter the Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter, Cham. My lord, -The borfes your lordship fent for, with all the care I bad, I saw well chofen, 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 subjeët, if not before the king: which stoppd our mouths, for.
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.
Suf. How is the king employd ?
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 conscience.
Suf.
No, his conscience
Has crept too near another lady,
Nor.
'Tis so;
This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal :
That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,
Turns what he list. 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;
í 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 most
true, 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 flept upon This bold bad man.
D
Suf
Suf.
And free us from his Navery.
Nor. We had need pray,
And heartily, for our deliverance;
Or this imperious man will work us all
From princes into pages : all men's honours
Lie in 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 l'll stand,
If the king please; his curses and his blessings
Touch me alike, they are breath I not believe in.
I knew him, and I know him ; so I leave him
To hin, that made him proud, the pope.
Nor.
Let's in ;
And, with fome other business, put the king
From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon him in
My lord, you'll bear us company?
Cham.
The king hath sent me otherwhere : besides,
You'll find a niolt unfit time to disturb him :
Health to your lordships.
Nor.
Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.
[Exit Lord Chamberlain.
NORFOLK opens a folding-door. The King is discovered
fitting, and reading penfively.
Suf. How fad he looks ! sure, he is much afflicted.
K. Hen, Who is there? ha ?
Nor.
'Pray God, he be not angry. K. Hen. Who's there, I fay? How dare you thrust yourfelves
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