Obrazy na stronie
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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 alleg'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 Surveyor,
Sir Gilbert Peck his chancellor, and John Court
Confeffor to him, with that devil-Monk
Hopkins, that made this mifchief.

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? 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 fpoke in choler, ill and hafty;
But he fell to himself again, and sweetly
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 so womanish; the cause
He may a little grieve at.

2 Gen. Certainly,

The Cardinal is the end of this.

1 Gen. 'Tis likely,

By all conjectures. First, Kildare's attainder,

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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.

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,
And far enough from court too.

2 Gen. All the commons

Hate him perniciously, and, o'my confcience,
With him ten fathom deep; this Duke as much
They love and doat on, call him bounteous Buckingham,
The Mirror of all courtesy.

SCENE II.

Enter Buckingham from his Arraignment, (Tipflaves before bim, the Axe with the edge toward him. Halberds on each fide) accompanied with Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Nicholas Vaux, Sir William 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,

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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 thofe that fought it, I could with more Chriftians;
Be what they will, I heartily forgive 'em;

Yet

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 'gainst '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. 9 Ye 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 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

I

'Gainst me, I can't take peace with: no black envy

9 Ye few, that loved me, &c.] These lines are remarkably tender and pathetick

no black envy Shall MAKE my grave.1 The sense of this is, that envy fhould not procure or advance his death. But this is not what he would fay; he believed the Cardinal's envy did procure his death. He is fpeaking not of another's envy, but his own. And his thought is, that he would not be remembered for an implacable unforgiving temper. We should read therefore,

—no black envy

Shall MARK my grave. alluding to the old cuftom of marking good or ill, by a white

Shall

or black ftone. WARBURTON.

Dr. Warburton has with good judgment obferved the errour, but has not, I think, very happily corrected it. I do not fee how the envy of thofe that are buried can mark the grave. reading the lines I cannot but fufpect that two words, as it may naturally happen, have changed places.

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In

There cannot be thofe numberless offences

'Gainft me, I can't take peace with: no black envy

Shall make my grave.

I would read thus:

There cannot be thofe numberless

offences Dd4

'Gainft

Shall make my grave.-Commend me to his Grace
And, if he fpeak of Buckingham, pray tell him,
You met him half in heav'n; my vows and pray'rs
Yet are the King's; and, 'till my foul forfake me,
Shall cry for bleings 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 muft 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. See, the barge be ready,
And fit it with fuch furniture as fuits

The greatness of his Perion.

Buck. Nay, Sir Nicholas,

Let it alone; my ftate now but will mock me.
When I canie 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 grean for't.

My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,

Who firft rais'd head againft ufurping Richard,
Flying for fuccour to his fervant Banister,
Being diftrefs'd, was by that wretch betray'd,
And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!
Henry the Seventh fucceeding, truly pitying
My father's lofs, like a moft royal Prince

'Gainft me, I can't make peace So in Hamlet,

awith, no black envy Shall take my grave. To take in this place is to blaft, to frike with malignant influence. So in Lear,

Strike her young limbs Ye taking airs with lameness.

No fpirit dares walk e. broad, No planet takes.

* I now feal it, &c.] I now feal my truth, my loyalty, with blood, which blood fhall one day make them groan.

Re

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 ftroke has taken
For ever from the world. I had my trial,
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 thofe men we lov'd moft.
A most unnatural and faithlefs 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; those you make friends,
And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The leaft rub in your fortunes, fall away

Like water from ye, never found again,
But where they mean to fink ye. All good people,
Pray for me muft 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.

1 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 enfuing 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.

I Gen. Let me have it;

I do not talk much.

2 Gen. I am confident;

Strong faith is great fidelity.

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