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O, 'tis true;

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Cham.

[Kisses her. Well said, my lord.So, now you are fairly seated:-Gentlemen, The penance lies on you, if these fair ladies For my little cure,

This night he makes a supper, and a great one,
To many lords and ladies; there will be
The beauty of this kingdom, I'll assure you.
Lov. That churchman bears a bounteous mind in- Pass away frowning.

deed,

A hand as fruitful as the land that feeds us;
His dews fall every where.

Cham.
No doubt, he's noble ;
He had a black mouth, that said other of him.
Sands. He may, my lord, he has wherewithal;
in him,
Sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine :
Men of his way should be most liberal,
They are set here for examples.
Cham.
True, they are so:
But few now give so great ones. My barge stays;'
Your lordship shall along:-Come, good Sir Tho-

mas,

We shall be late else: which I would not be,
For I was spoke to, with Sir Henry Guildford,
This night to be comptrollers.
Sands.

I am your lordship's.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV.
The Presence Chamber in York
Place. Hautboys. A small table under a state
for the Cardinal, a longer table for the guests.
Enter at one door ANNE BULLEN, and divers
Lords, Ladies, and Gentlewomen, as guests; at
another door, enter SIR HENRY GUILDFORD.
Guild. Ladies, a general welcome from his grace
Salutes ye all: This night he dedicates
To fair content, and you: none here, he hopes,
In all this noble bevy, has brought with her
One care abroad: he would have all as merry
As first-good company, good wine, good welcome,
Can make good people.- -O, my lord, you are
tardy;

Enter Lord Chamberlain, LORD SANDS, and SIR

THOMAS LOVELL.

The very thought of this fair company
Clapp'd wings to me.

Cham. You are young, Sir Harry Guildford.
Sands. Sir Thomas Lovell, had the cardinal
But half my lay-thoughts in him, some of these
Should find a running banquet ere they rested,
I think, would better please them: By my life,
They are a sweet society of fair ones.

Lov. O, that your lordship were but now confessor

To one or two of these!
Sands.
I would, I were ;
They should find easy penance.
Lov.
'Faith, how easy?
Sands. As easy as a down bed would afford it.
Cham. Sweet ladies, will it please you sit? Sir
Harry,

Place you that side, I'll take the charge of this:
His grace is ent'ring.-Nay, you must not freeze;
Two women plac'd together makes cold weather:-
My Lord Sands, you are one will keep them waking;
Pray, sit between these ladies.

By my faith,

Sands.
And thank your lordship.-By your leave, sweet |
ladies :

[Seats himself between ANNE BULLEN and
another Lady.

1 The speaker is now in the king's palace at Bride
well, from whence he is proceeding by water to York
Place (Cardinal Wolsey's house), now Whitehall.
2 A bevy is a company.

3 i. e. if I may choose my game.

4 Chambers are short pieces of ordnance, standing almost erect upon their breechings, chiefly ised upon festive occasions, being so contrived as to carry great

Sands. Let me alone.

Hautboys, Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, attended ; and takes his state.

Wol. You are welcome, my fair guests; that noble lady,

Or gentleman, that is not freely merry,
Is not my friend: This, to confirm my welcome;
And to you all good health.
[Drinks.
Sands.
Your grace is noble ;-
Let me have such a bowl may hold my thanks,
And save me so much talking.
Wol.

My Lord Sands,
I am beholden to you: cheer your neighbours.-
Ladies, you are not merry ;-Gentlemen,
Whose fault is this?
Sands.

The red wine first must rise

In their fair cheeks, my lord; then we shall have Talk us to silence.

them

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tongue;

And, pray, receive them nobly, and conduct them
Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty
Shall shine at full upon them :--Some attend him.→
[Exit Chamberlain, attended. All arise,
and Tables removed.
You have now a broken banquet; but we'll mend it.
A good digestion to you all: and, once more,
I shower a welcome on you ;-Welcome all."
Hautboys. Enter the King, and twelve others, as
Maskers, habited like Shepherds, with sixteen
Torchbearers: ushered by the Lord Chamberlain.
They pass directly before the Cardinal, and grace
fully salute him.

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To tell your grace ;-That, having heard by fame
Of this so noble and so fair assembly

This night to meet here, they could do no less,
Out of the great respect 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 them.
Wol.

Say, lord chamberlain,

To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure
To lead them once again; and then let's dream
Who's best in favour.-Let the music knock it.
[Exeunt, with trumpets.

ACT II.

They have done my poor house grace; for which SCENE I. A Street. Enter two Gentlemen, I pay them

A thousand thanks, and pray them take their plea

sures.

[Ladies chosen for the dance. The King chooses ANNE BULLEN.

K. Hen. The fairest hand I ever touch'd! beauty,

Till now I never knew thee.

Wol. My lord,-
Cham.

Wol.

O,

meeting.

1 Gent. Whither away so fast?
2 Gent.

0,-God save you!
Even to the hall to hear what shall become
Of the great duke of Buckingham.

1 Gent.

I'll save you That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony [Music. Dance. Of bringing back the prisoner. 2 Gent. 1 Gent. Yes, indeed, was I. 2 Gent.

Your grace?
Pray, tell them thus much from me :
There should be one amongst them, by his person,
More worthy this place than myself; to whom,
If I but knew him, with my love and duty
I would surrender it.

Cham.

I will, my lord.

[Cham. goes to the company, and returns.
Wol. What say they?
Cham.

Such a one, they all confess,
There is, indeed; which they would have your grace
Find out, and he will take it.
Wol.

Let me see, then.--
[Comes from his state.
By all your good leaves, gentlemen ;--Here I'll
My roval choice.
K. Hen.

make

You have found him, cardinal:
[Unmasking.

You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord:
You are a churchman, or, I'll tell you, cardinal,
I should judge now unhappily.
Wol.

I am glad,
Your grace is grown so pleasant.
K. Hen.
My lord chamberlain,
Pr'ythee, come hither: What fair lady's that?
Cham. An't please your grace, Sir Thomas Bul-
len's daughter,

The Viscount Rochford, one of her highness' wo

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There's fresher air, my lord,

In the next chamber.
K. Hen. Lead in your ladies, every one.-Sweet
partner,

I must not yet forsake you.-Let's be merry ;-
Good my lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths

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1 Gent. Yes, truly he is, and condemn'd upon it.
2 Gent. I am sorry for't.
1 Gent.

So are a number more.
2 Gent. But, pray, how pass'd it?
1 Gent. I'll tell you in a little. The great duke
Came to the bar; where, to his accusations,
He pleaded still, not guilty, and alleg'd
Many sharp reasons to defeat the law.
The king's attorney, on the contrary,
Urg'd on the examinations, proofs, confessions
Of divers witnesses; which the duke desir'd
To have brought, viva voce, to his face:
At which appear'd against him, his surveyor;
Sir Gilbert Peck his chancellor; and John Court,
Confessor to him; with that devil-monk,
Hopkins, that made this mischief.
2 Gent.

That fed him with his prophecies?
1 Gent.

That was he,

The same. All these accus'd him strongly; which he fain Would have flung from him, but, indeed, he could

not:

And so his peers, upon this evidence,
Have found him guilty of high treason. Much
He spoke, and learnedly, for life: but all
Was either pitied in him, or forgotten.

2 Gent. After all this, how did he bear himself?
1 Gent. When he was brought again to the bar,-
to hear

His knell rung out, his judgment,—he was stirr'd
With such an agony, he sweat extremely,
And something spoke in choler, ill, and hasty :
But he fell to himself again, and, sweetly,
In all the rest show'd a most noble patience.
2 Gent. I do not think, he fears death.
1 Gent.

Sure, he does not,
He never was so womanish; the cause
He may a little grieve at.
2 Gent.

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1 Cavendish, from whom Stowe and Holinshed copied was made and prepared for him, and there new appaSir relled him with rich and princely garments. And in the their account, says that the cardinal pitched upon Edward Neville, a comely knight of a goodly personage, time of the king's absence the dishes of the banquet were that much more resembled the king's person in that cleane taken up, and the tables spread with new and mask than any other,' upon which the king plucked sweet perfumed cloths.-Then the king took his seat down his visor and Master Neville's also, and dashed under the cloth of estate, commanding no man to reout with such a pleasant cheer and countenance, that all move, but set still as they did before. Then in came a noble estates there assembled, seeing the king to be new banquet before the king's majesty, and to all the rest through the tables, wherein, I suppose, were served there amongst them, rejoiced very much.' two hundred dishes or above. Thus passed they forth the whole night with banquetting,' &c.

2 i. e. waggishly, mischievously.

3 A kiss was anciently the established fee of a lady's partner. The custom is still prevalent among country people in many parts of the kingdom.

4 According to Cavendish, the king, on discovering himself, being desired by Wolsey to take his place under the state or seat of honour, said that he would go first and shift his apparel, and so departed, and went straight into my lord's bedchamber, where a great fire

5 Thus in Antonio and Mellida:

Fla. Faith, the song will seem to come off hardly. Catz. Troth, not a whit, if you seem to come oft quickly.

Fla. Pert Catzo, knock it, then.'

6 Either produced no effect, or produced only ineffectual pity.

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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 Gent.

All the commons

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.

l'aux.

Prepare there,
The duke is coming: see, the barge be ready;
And fit it with such furniture, as suits

Hate him perniciously, and, o' my conscience,
Wish him ten fathom deep: this duke as much
They love and dote on; call him, bounteous Buck-The greatness of his person.
ingham,

The mirror of all courtesy ;1

1 Gent. 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; halberts on each side: with him SIR THOMAS LOVELL, SIR NICHOLAS VAUX, SIR WILLIAM SANDS, and common People.

2 Gent, 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 chris

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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 Lovell, 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 Shall make my grave.-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,

envy

1 The report in the Old Year Book, referred to above, thus describes him.-Car il fut tres noble prince et prudent, et mirror de tout courtesie.

2 The old copy reads Sir Walter. The correction is justified by Holinshed. Sir William Sands was at this time (May, 1521) only a knight, not being created Lord Sands till April 27, 1527. Shakspeare probably did not know that he was the same person whom he has al ready introduced with that title. The error arose by placing the king's visit to Wolsey (at which time Sir William was Lord Sands) and Buckingham's condemnation in the same year; whereas the visit was made some years afterwards.

3 Evils are forcia.

4 Thus in Lord Sterline's Darius :

Scarce was the lasting last divorcement made Betwixt the bodie and the soule.'

5 Johnson observes, with great truth, that these lines

are remarkably tender and pathetic.

6 Shakspeare, by this expression, probably meant to make the duke say, No action expressive of malice shall

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 Bo-
hun:"

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 head against usurping Richard,
Flying for succour to his servant Banister,
Being distress'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 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.
Farewell:

And when you would say something that is sad,10
Speak how I fell.-I have done; and God forgive
me!
[Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train.
1 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. 1 Gent. Good angels keep it from us! Where may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir?

close my life. Eury is elsewhere used by Shakspeare for malice or hatred. Unless with Warburton we read 'mark my grave; a very plausible emendation of an error easily made; and which has indeed happened in an instance in King Henry V. Act ii. Sc. 2, where the old copy erroneously reads:

To make the full fraught man and best endued With some supicion.'

7 The name of the duke of Buckingham most gener. ally known was Stafford; it is said that he affected the surname of Bohun, because he was lord high constable of England by inheritance of tenure from the Bohuns Shakspeare follows Holinshed.

8 I now seal my truth, my loyalty, with blood, which blood shall one day make them groan.

9 This expression occurs again in Othello :-
"There are a kind of meu so loose of soul,
That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs.'

10 Thus also in King Richard II. :

Tell thou the lamentable tale of me,
And send the hearers weeping to their beds.'

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2 Gent. This secret is so weighty, 'twill require | And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the A strong faith' to conceal it.

1 Gent.

I do not talk much.

2 Gent.

Let me have it;

I am confident:

You shall, sir: Did you not of late days hear
A buzzing, of a separation
Between the king and Katharine?

1 Gent.
Yes, but it held2 not:
For when the king once heard i', out of anger
He sent command to the lord mayor, straight
To stop the rumour, and allay hose tongues
That dorst disperse it.
2 Gent.
But that slander, sir,
I 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
Thai wil undo her: To confirm this too,
Cardinal Campeius is arriv'd, and lately;
As ad think, for this business.

I Gent.
"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.

2 Gent. I think, you have hit the mark: But is't
not cruel,

'Tis woful.

[Exeunt.

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
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 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: all men's honours
Lie in one lump before him, to be fashion'd
Into what pitch he please.

Suf

That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal Will have his will, and she must fall. 1 Gent. We are too open here to argue this; Let's think in private more. For me, my lords, I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed; SCENE II. An Antechamber in the Palace. En-As I am made without him, so I'll stand, ter 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 pou er, took 'em from me; with this reason,-His master would be served before u su'ject, if not before the king: which stop-My lord, you'll bear us company? ped 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.
Suf. How is the king employ'd?
Cham.

Full of sad thoughts and troubles.
Nor.

I left him private,

What is the cause? Cham. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife

Has erept too near his conscience.

Suf.

Has crept too near another lady.
Nor.

No, his conscience

"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!

1 Great fidelity.

2 Steevens erroneously explains this passage, saving to hold is to believe it held not here rather means it did not sustain itself, the rumour did not prove true. So in King Richard III. Actii. Sc. 2:

'Doth the news hold of good King Edward's death? 3 See The Winter's Tale, Act i. Sc. 2. note 8. 4 It was the main end or of ject of Wolsey to bring about a marriage between Henry and the French king's sister, the duchess of Alençon.

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for the state of the theatre in Shakspeare's time. When a person was to be discovered in a different apartment from that in which the rizinal speakers in the scene are exhibited, the artless mode of that time was, to place such person in the back part of the stage, behind the curtains which were occasionally suspended across it. These the person who was to be discovered (as Henry in the present case,) drew back just at the proper time. Norfolk has just said 'Let's in; and therefore should himself do some act in order to visit the king. This, indeed, in the simple state of the old stage, was The stage direction in the old copy is singular-not attended to; the knig very civilly discovering him. 'Exit Lord Chamberlain, and the king draws the cur- self. See Malone's account of the Old Theatres, in Mr. tain, and sits reading pensively. This was calculated Boswell's edition, vol. ii,

5 The meaning is, that the cardinal can, as he pleases, make high or low.

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I would not be so sick
place:

But this cannot continue,
Nor.

I'll venture one have at him.3
Suf.

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Cam. Was he not held a learned man?
Wol.

Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread
then

Even of yourself, lord cardinal, Aside.

I another. [Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFOLK. Wol. Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom

Above all princes, in committing freely
Your scruple to the voice of Christendom:
Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?
The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the clerks,

I mean, the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms, Have their free voices; Rome, the nurse of judgment,

Invited by your noble self, hath sent

One general tongue unto us, this good man,
This just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius;
Whom, once more, I present unto your highness.
K. Hen. And, once more, in mine arms I bid
him welcome,

And thank the holy conclave for their loves;
They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd
for.

Cam. Your grace must needs deserve all stran-
gers' loves,

You are so noble: To your highness' hand
I tender my commission; by whose virtue,
(The court of Rome commanding,)--you, my lord
Cardinal of York, are join'd with me, their servant,
In the unpartial judging of this business.

K. Hen. Two equal men. The queen shall be acquainted

Forthwith, for what you come :-Where's Gardiner?

Wol. I know, your majesty has always lov'd her

So dear in heart, not to deny her that
A woman of less place might ask by law,
Scholars, allow'd freely to argue for her.

K. Hen. Ay, and the best, she shall have; and my favour

To him that does best; God forbid else. Cardinal, Pr'ythee, call Gardiner to me, my new secretary; I find him a fit fellow. [Exit WOLSEY. 1 The meaning appears to be, Let care be taken that my promise be performed, that my professions of welcome be not found empty talk."

2 i. e. so sick as he is proud.

3 Steevens reads 'one heave at him;' but surely without necessity. To have at any thing or person meant to attack it, in ancient phraseology. Surrey afterwards says:-

have at you,

First that without the king,' &c. The phrase is derived (like many other old popular phrases) from gaming: to have at all,' was to throw for all that was staked on the board, adventuring on the cast an equal stake.

4 i. e. kept him out of the king's presence, employed in foreign embassies.

5 'Aboute this time the king received into favour Doctor Stephen Gardiner, whose service he used in matters of great secrecie and weight, admitting him in the room of Dr Pace, the which being continually abroad in am

Wol.

How! of me?

Cam. They will not stick to say, you envied him; And, fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous, Kept him a foreign man still; which so griev'd him, That he ran mad, and died."

Wol. Heaven's peace be with him! That's Christian care enough for living murmurers, There's places of rebuke. He was a fool; For he would needs be virtuous: That good fellow, If I command him, follows my appointment; I will have none so near else. Learn this, brother, We live not to be grip'd by meaner persons.

K. Hen. Deliver this with modesty to the queen. [Exit GARDINER. The most convenient place that I can think of, For such receipt of learning, is Black-Friars; There ye shall meet about this weighty business :My Wolsey, see it furnish'd.-O, my lord, Would it not grieve an able man, to leave So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, conscience,

O, 'tis a tender place, and I must leave her.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. An Antechamber in the Queen's Apartments. Enter ANNE BULLEN, and an old Lady.

Anne. Not for that neither;-Here's the pang that pinches :

His highness having lived so long with her; and she
So good a lady, that no tongue could ever
Pronounce dishonour of her,-by my life,
She never knew harm-doing;-O now, after
So many courses of the sun enthron'd,
Still growing in a majesty and pomp,-the which
To leave is a thousand-fold more bitter, than
'Tis sweet at first to acquire,-after this process,
To give her the avaunt it is a pity
Would move a monster.

Old L.

Melt and lament for her. Anne.

Hearts of most hard temper

O, God's will! much better She ne'er had known pomp: though it be tempora Yet, if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce? It from the bearer, 'tis a sufferance, panging As soul and body's severing."

bassades, and the same oftentymes not much necessarie by the Cardinalles appointment, at length he toke such greefe therwith, that he fell out of his right wittes.'Holinshed.

6 To send her away contemptuously; to pronounce against her a sentence of ejection.

7 I think with Steevens that we should read:'Yet if that quarrel, fortune to divorce

It from the bearer,' &c.

i. e. if any quarrel happen or chance to divorce it from the bearer. To fortune is a verb, used by Shakspeare in The Two Gentlemen of Verona :-

I'll tell you as we pass along
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.'

8 Thus in Antony and Cleopatra :

The soul and body rive not more at parting
Than greatness going off.'

To pang is used as a verb active by Skelton, in his book of Philip Sparrow, 1568, sig. R v. :

What heaviness did me pange.'

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