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And to what end is this? nay, ladies, fear not;
By all the laws of war y'are privileged.

Enter a Servant.

Cham. How now, what is't?

Ser. A noble troop of strangers,

For fo they feem, have left their barge, and landed, And hither make, as great ambassadors

From foreign Princes

Wol. Good Lord Chamberlain,

Go, give 'em welcome; you can fpeak the French

tongue,

And pray receive 'em nobly, and conduct 'em
Into our prefence, where this heav'n of beauty
Shall fhine at full upon them. Some attend him.'
All arife, and tables removed.
You've now a broken banquet, but we'll mend it,
A good digestion to you all; and once more
I fhowre a welcome on ye: welcome all.

Hautboys. Enter King and others as maskers, habited like Shepherds, ufher'd by the Lord Chamberlain. They pafs directly before the Cardinal, and gracefully falute him..

A noble company! what are their pleasures?

Cham. Because they speak no English, thus they pray'd
To tell your Grace, that having heard by fame
Of this fo noble and fo fair affembly,

This night to meet here, they could do no lefs,
Out of the great refpect they bear to beauty,
But leave their flocks, and under your fair conduct
Crave leave to view these ladies, and entreat
An hour of revels with 'em.

Wol. Say, Lord Chamberlain,

They've done my poor house grace: for which I pay

'em

A thoufand thanks, and pray 'em take their pleasures. [Chufe ladies, King and Anne Bullen. King. The faireft hand I ever touch'd! O beauty, Till now I never knew thee.

[Mufick. Dance.

Wol.

Wol. My lord.

Cham. Your Grace?

Wol. Pray tell 'em thus much from me:

There should be one amongst 'em by his perfon
More worthy this place than my felf, to whom,
If I but knew him, with my love and duty
I would furrender it.

Cham. I will, my lord.

Wol. What fay they?

Cham. Such a one, they all confefs,,

[Whisper

There is indeed, which they would have your Grace Find out, and he will take it.

Wol. Let me fee then:

By all your good leaves, gentlemen, here I'll make My royal choice.

King. You've found him, Cardinal :

You hold a fair affembly: you do well, lord.
You are a church-man, or I'll tell you, Cardinal,
I fhould judge you unhappily,

Wol. I am glad

Your Grace is grown fo pleasant.

King. My lord Chamberlain,

Pry'thee come hither, what fair lady's that?

Cham. An't please your Grace, Sir Thomas Bullen's daughter,

(The Viscount Rochford,) one of her Highnefs' women.
King. By heaven fhe's a dainty one: fweet heart,
I were unmannerly to take you out, [To Anne Bullen.
And not to kifs you. A health, gentlemen,

Let it go round.

Wol. Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready I' th' privy chamber?

Lov. Yes, my lord.

Wol. Your Grace,

I fear, with dancing is a little heated.

King. I fear too much.

Wol. There's frefher air, my lord,

In the next chamber.

King. Lead in your ladies every one: sweet partner, I must not yet forfake you, let's be merry,

B

Good

Good my lord Cardinal: I have a dozen healths
To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure
To lead them once again, and then let's dream,
Who's beft in favour. Let the musick knock it.
[Exeunt with Trumpets.

ACT II. SCENE L

W

Enter two Gentlemen at several Doors.

I GENTLEMAN.

HITHER away so faft?

2 Gen. O Sir, God fave ye:

Ev'n to the hall, to hear what shall be

come

Of the great Duke of Buckingham.
1 Gen. I'll fave you

That labour, Sir. All's now done, but
the ceremony

Of bringing back the pris'ner.

2 Gen. Were you there?

1. Gen. Yes indeed was. I.

2 Gen. Pray fpeak what has happen'd?,
1 Gen. You may guefs quickly what,
2 Gen. Is he found guilty?

1 Gen. Yes, truly is he, and condemn'd upon't.
2 Gen. I'm forry for't.

1 Gen. So are a number more.

2 Gen. But pray how paft it?

1 Gen. I'll tell you in a little. The great Duke
Came to the Bar; where, to his Accufations
He pleaded ftill not guilty, and alledg'd.
Many fharp reasons to defeat the law.
The King's Attorney, on the contrary,
Urg'd on examinations, proofs, confeffions

of

Of divers witneffes, which the Duke defir'
To have brought viva voice to his Face;
At which appear'd against him, his furveyor,
Sir Gilbert Pecke his chancellor, and John Ca
Confeffor to him, with that devil monk
Hopkins, that made this mischief.

2 Gen. That was he

That fed him with his prophecies.

r Gen. The fame.

All these accus'd him ftrongly, which he fain
Would have flung from him; but indeed he could not:
And fo his peers upon this evidence

Have found him guilty of high treafon. Much

He fpoke, and learnedly for life; but all

Was either pitied in him, or forgotten.

1

2 Gen. After all this, how did he bear himself!
1 Gen. When he was brought again to th' bar, to
hear

His knell rung out, his judgment, he was stirr'd
With fuch an agony, he fweat extremely,
And fomething poke in choler, ill and hafty;
But he fell to himself again, and fweetly
In all the reft fhew'd a moft noble patience.
2 Gen. I do not think he fears death.
1 Gen. Sure he does not,

He never was fo womanish; the caufe
He may a little grieve at. ·

2 Gen. Certainly,

The Cardinal is the end of this.

1 Gen. 'Tis likely,

By all conjectures: firft Kildare's attainder,
Then deputy of Ireland; who remov'd,

Earl Surrey was fent thither, and in hafte too
Left he fhould help his father.

2 Gen. That trick of ftate

Was a deep envious one.

1 Gen. At his return,

No doubt he will requite it; this is noted,
And gen'rally, who-ever the King favours,
The Cardinal inftantly will find employment for,

B 2.

And

And far enough from court too.

2 Gen. All the commons

Hate him perniciously, and o' my conscience
With him ten fathom deep: this Duke as much
They love and doat on, call him bounteous Buckingham,
The Mirror of all courte fie

SCENE II.

Enter Buckingham from his Arraignment. Tipftaves beHalfore him, the Axe with the edge towards him. berds on each fide, accompanied with Sir Thomas Lovel, Sir Nicholas Vaux, Walter Sands, and common People, &c.

1. Gen. Stay there, Sir,

And fee the noble ruin'd Man you speak of.

2 Gen. Let's ftand close and behold him.
Buck. All good People,

You that thus far have come to pity me,

Hear what I fay, and then go home and lofe me:
I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment,

And by that name muft die; yet heav'n bear witness,
And if I have a confcience let it fink me
Even as the axe falls, if I be not faithful.
To th' law I bear no malice for my death,
'T has done, upon the Premifes, but Juftice:
But those that fought it, I could with more chriftians;
Be what they will, I heartily forgive 'em;
Yet let 'em look they glory not in mischief,
Nor build their evils on the graves of great men;
For then, my guiltless blood muft cry against 'em.
For further life in this world I ne'er hope,
Nor will I fue, although the King have mercies
More than I dare make faults. You few that lov'd me,
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 fweet facrifice,

And

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