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.
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;
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 Heaven forgive me! [Exit BUCKINGHAM, guarded, into Barge, which slowly moves off, L. H. The crowd pass off. R. H., as the scene changes.

*The office of Constable, which this nobleman inherited from the Bohuns, Earls of Hereford, was forfeited in his person, and was never after revived in England.

+ The name of the Duke of Buckingham most generally known, was Stafford ; but the "History of Remarkable Trials' says, "it seems he affected that surname (of Bohun) before that of Stafford, he being descended from the Bohuns.'

SCENE II.-AN ANTE-CHAMBER IN THE

PALACE.

Enter the LORD CHAMBERLAIN, centre.

Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK,* L. H. 2 E.

Cham. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife Has crept 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 lists. The king will know him one day.
Suf. Pray Heaven, he do! he'll never know himself else.
Nor.

And, with some other business, put the king

Let's in;

From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon him :My lord, you'll bear us company?

Cham.

Excuse me;

The king hath sent me other-where: besides,
You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:

Health to your lordships.

Nor.

Thanks, my good Lord Chamberlain. [Exit LORD CHAMBERLAIN, L. 2 E.

NORFOLK opens a folding-door.

Suf. How sad he looks; sure, he is much afflicted.
K. Hen. Who is there? ha!

Nor.

[Without, L.H.C.

Pray Heaven, he be not angry.

K. Hen. Who's there, I say? How dare you thrust

yourselves

* Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who married Mary, Queen-Dowager of France, widow of Louis XII. and sister to Henry the Eighth.

Into my private meditations?

Who am I? ha!

Nor. A gracious king, that pardons all offences Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty, this way,

Is business of estate; in which, we come

To know your royal pleasure.

K. Hen.

You are too bold;

Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business:
Is this an hour for temporal affairs? ha?—

Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS, (2) L. H. 2 E.

Who's there? my good lord cardinal? -O my Wolsey, The quiet of my wounded conscience,

Thou art a cure fit for a king.-You're welcome,

[TO CAMPEIUS.

Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom;
Use us, and it :-My good lord, have great care
I be not found a talker.

Wol.

[To WOLSEY.

Sir, you cannot.

I would, your grace would give us but an hour
Of private conference.

K. Hen.

Nor. This priest has no pride in him?

Suf.

We are busy go.

[To NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.

[Aside.

Not to speak of;

Aside.

I would not be so sick, though, for his place:
But this cannot continue.

[Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFOLK, L. 2 E.

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 wished for. Cam. Your grace must needs deserve all strangers' 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 favor

To him that does best; Heaven forbid else.

Cardinal,

Prythee, call Gardiner to me, my new secretary;
I find him a fit fellow.

WOLSEY beckons on GARDINER,* L. 2 E. Wol. Give me your hand: much joy and favour to you. You are the king's now.

Gard.

But to be commanded

For ever by your grace, whose hand has rais'd me.

[Aside. K. Hen. Come hither, Gardiner. [They converse apart. Cam. My Lord of York, was not one Doctor Pace

In this man's place before him?

Wol.

Yes, he was.

Yes, surely.

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

Doctor Stephen Gardiner, afterwards Bishop of Winchester, at this time in great estimation with Wolsey.

Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread, then, Even of yourself, lord cardinal.

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. L. 2 E.
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, R.H.

SCENE III.-AN ANTE-CHAMBER IN THE QUEEN'S APARTMENTS.

Enter ANNE BOLEYN, and an OLD LADY, L.H. Anne. Not for that neither;-Here's the pang that

pinches :

His highness having liv'd so long with her: and she
So good a lady, that no tongue could ever

Pronounce dishonour of her.

I swear, 'tis better to be lowly born,

And range with humble livers in content,

Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief,
And wear a golden sorrow.

I would not be a queen.

Kept him out of the King's presence, employed in foreign

embassies.