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2 Gen. But, pray, how pafs'd it?

1 Gen. I'll tell you in a little. The great Duke
Came to the Bar; where, to his Accufations
He pleaded still 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 divers witneffes, which the Duke defir'd
To have brought viva voce to his Face;
At which appear'd against him, his furveyor,
Sir Gilbert Pecke his chancellor, and John Car
Confeffor to him, with that devil-Monk,
Hopkins, that made this mischief.

2 Gen. That was he,

That fed him with his prophecies.

I 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.

2 Gen. After all this, how did he bear himself?
I 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 spoke in choler, ill and hasty;
But he fell to himfelf again, and fweetly
In all the reft fhew'd a moft noble patience.
2 Gen. I do not think, he fears death.
I Gen. Sure, he does not,

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

2 Gen. Certainly,

The Cardinal is the end of this.

I Gen. 'Tis likely,

By all conjectures: first Kildare's attainder,
Then Deputy of Ireland; who remov❜d,
Earl Surrey was fent thither, and in hafte too,
Left he should help his father.

2 Gen. That trick of state

Was a deep, envious, one.

I Gen. At his return,

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

Enter Buckingham from his Arraignment, (Tiptaves before him, the Axe with the edge towards him. Halberds on each fide) accompanied with Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Nicholas. Vaux, Sir William Sands, and common People, &c.

I Gen. Stay there, Sir,

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

2 Gen. Let's ftand clofe 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 lose 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 thofe that fought it, I could wish more Christians ;
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 must 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

Go with me, like good Angels, to my end:
And as the long divorce of fteel falls on me,
Make of your prayers one sweet facrifice,
And lift my foul to heav'n. Lead on, o' 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 those numberlefs offences

'Gainft 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 heaven: 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 must conduct your Grace,
Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux,
Who undertakes you to your end.

Vaux. Prepare there,

The Duke is coming: fee, the barge be ready;
And fit it with fuch furniture as fuits

The greatnefs 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 Bobun.

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 for❜t.
My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,

Who first rais'd head against 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

Henry the Sev'nth fucceeding, truly pitying
My father's lofs, like a most royal Prince
Reftor'd to me my honours; and from ruins,
Made my name once more noble. Now his fon,
Henry the Eighth, life, honour, name, and all
That made me happy, at one ftroak has taken
For ever from the world. I had my tryal,
And muft 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 those men we lov❜d.
A most unnatural and faithless 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 fortunes, fall away

your

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.

I 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 ensuing evil, if it fall,

Greater than this.

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 strong faith to conceal it.

1 Gen. Let me have it;

I do not talk much.

2 Gen. I am confident;

You

You fhall, Sir; did you not of late days hear
A buzzing of a feparation
Between the King and Cath'rine?

I Gen. Yes, but it held not;

For when the King once heard it, out of anger
He fent command to the Lord Mayor ftrait
To stop the rumour; and allay thofe tongues,
That durft difperfe 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 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 bufinefs.

1 Gen. 'Tis the Cardinal;

And meerly to revenge him on the Emperor,
For not bestowing on him, at his asking,

The Arch-bishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd.

2 Gen. I think, you've hit the mark; but is't not cruel, That fhe fhould feel the fmart of this? the Cardinal

Will have his will, and she must fall.

I Gen. 'Tis woful.

We are too open here to argue this:

Let's think in private more.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, an Antechamber in the Palace.

M

Enter Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter.

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Y lord, the borfes your lordship fent for, with all the care I bad, I 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 fet 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 fubject, if not before the King, which stopp'd our mouths, Sir.

I

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