BUCKINGHAM
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,
And with that blood will make ’em one day groan for’t.
My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,
Who first raised head against usurping Richard,
Flying for succour to his servant Banister,
Being distressed, was by that wretch betrayed,
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,
Restored 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 loved 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,
Speak how I fell. I have done, and God forgive me.
Exeunt Buckingham and train
The two Gentlemen come forward
FIRST GENTLEMAN
O, this is full of pity, sir; it calls,
I fear, too many curses on their heads
That were the authors.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
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.
FIRST GENTLEMAN Good angels keep it from us.
What may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir?
SECOND GENTLEMAN
This secret is so weighty, ’twill require
A strong faith to conceal it.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Let me have it—
I do not talk much.
SECOND GENTLEMAN I am confident;
You shall, sir. Did you not of late days hear
A buzzing of separation
Between the King and Katherine?
FIRST GENTLEMAN
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 durst disperse it.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
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, possessed him with a scruple
That will undo her. To confirm this, too,
Cardinal Campeius is arrived, and lately,
As all think, for this business.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
’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 purposed.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
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.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
’Tis woeful.
We are too open here to argue this.
Let’s think in private more.
Exeunt
2.2 Enter the Lord Chamberlain with a letter
LORD CHAMBERLAIN (reads) ‘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. 10
He will have all, I think.
Enter to the Lord Chamberlain the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk
NORFOLK Well met, my Lord Chamberlain.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN Good day to both your graces.
SUFFOLK
How is the King employed?
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
I left him private,
Full of sad thoughts and troubles.
NORFOLK
What’s the cause?
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
It seems the marriage with his brother’s wife
Has crept too near his conscience.
SUFFOLK
No, his conscience
Has crept too near another lady.
NORFOLK
’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.
SUFFOLK
Pray God he do. He’ll never know himself else.
NORFOLK
How holily he works in all his business,
And with what zeal! For now he has cracked the
league
Between us and the Emperor, the Queen’s greatnephew,
25
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.