| ACT II SCENE I | Westminster. A street. |
| [Enter two Gentlemen, meeting] |
| First Gentleman | Whither away so fast? |
| Second Gentleman | O, God save ye! |
| Even to the hall, to hear what shall become |
| Of the great Duke of Buckingham. |
| First Gentleman | I'll save you | 5 |
| That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony |
| Of bringing back the prisoner. |
| Second Gentleman | Were you there? |
| First Gentleman | Yes, indeed, was I. |
| Second Gentleman | Pray, speak what has happen'd. | 10 |
| First Gentleman | You may guess quickly what. |
| Second Gentleman | Is he found guilty? |
| First Gentleman | Yes, truly is he, and condemn'd upon't. |
| Second Gentleman | I am sorry for't. |
| First Gentleman | So are a number more. | 15 |
| Second Gentleman | But, pray, how pass'd it? |
| First Gentleman | I'll tell you in a little. The great duke |
| Came to the bar; where to his accusations |
| He pleaded still not guilty and alleged |
| Many sharp reasons to defeat the law. | 20 |
| The king's attorney on the contrary |
| Urged on the examinations, proofs, confessions |
| Of divers witnesses; which the duke desired |
| To have brought viva voce to his face: |
| At which appear'd against him his surveyor; | 25 |
| Sir Gilbert Peck his chancellor; and John Car, |
| Confessor to him; with that devil-monk, |
| Hopkins, that made this mischief. |
| Second Gentleman | That was he |
| That fed him with his prophecies? | 30 |
| First Gentleman | The same. |
| All these accused 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 | 35 |
| He spoke, and learnedly, for life; but all |
| Was either pitied in him or forgotten. |
| Second Gentleman | After all this, how did he bear himself? |
| First Gentleman | When he was brought again to the bar, to hear |
| His knell rung out, his judgment, he was stirr'd | 40 |
| 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. |
| Second Gentleman | I do not think he fears death. | 45 |
| First Gentleman | Sure, he does not: |
| He never was so womanish; the cause |
| He may a little grieve at. |
| Second Gentleman | Certainly |
| The cardinal is the end of this. | 50 |
| First Gentleman | 'Tis likely, |
| By all conjectures: first, Kildare's attainder, |
| Then deputy of Ireland; who removed, |
| Earl Surrey was sent thither, and in haste too, |
| Lest he should help his father. | 55 |
| Second Gentleman | That trick of state |
| Was a deep envious one. |
| First Gentleman | At his return |
| No doubt he will requite it. This is noted, |
| And generally, whoever the king favours, | 60 |
| The cardinal instantly will find employment,
|
| And far enough from court too. |
| Second Gentleman | All the commons |
| Hate him perniciously, and, o' my conscience, |
| Wish him ten fathom deep: this duke as much | 65 |
| They love and dote on; call him bounteous Buckingham, |
| The mirror of all courtesy;-- |
| First Gentleman | Stay there, sir, |
| And see the noble ruin'd man you speak of. |
| [
Enter BUCKINGHAM from his arraignment; tip-staves
before him; the axe with the edge towards him;
halberds on each side: accompanied with LOVELL,
VAUX, SANDS, and common people
] |
| Second Gentleman | Let's stand close, and behold him. | 70 |
| BUCKINGHAM | 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 received a traitor's judgment, |
| And by that name must die: yet, heaven bear witness, | 75 |
| 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; |
| 'T has done, upon the premises, but justice: |
| But those that sought it I could wish more Christians: | 80 |
| 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, | 85 |
| Nor will I sue, although the king have mercies |
| More than I dare make faults. You few that loved me, |
| And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham, |
| His noble friends and fellows, whom to leave |
| Is only bitter to him, only dying, | 90 |
| Go with me, like good angels, to my end; |
| And, as the long divorce of steel falls on me, |
| Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice, |
| And lift my soul to heaven. Lead on, o' God's name. |
| LOVELL | I do beseech your grace, for charity, | 95 |
| If ever any malice in your heart |
| Were hid against me, now to forgive me frankly. |
| BUCKINGHAM | Sir Thomas Lovell, I as free forgive you |
| As I would be forgiven: I forgive all; |
| There cannot be those numberless offences | 100 |
| 'Gainst me, that I cannot take peace with: |
| no black envy |
| Shall mark 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 | 105 |
| Yet are the king's; and, till my soul forsake, |
| Shall cry for blessings on him: may he live |
| Longer than I have time to tell his years! |
| Ever beloved and loving may his rule be! |
| And when old time shall lead him to his end, | 110 |
| Goodness and he fill up one monument! |
| LOVELL | To the water side I must conduct your grace; |
| Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux, |
| Who undertakes you to your end. |
| VAUX | Prepare there, | 115 |
| The duke is coming: see the barge be ready; |
| And fit it with such furniture as suits |
| The greatness of his person. |
| BUCKINGHAM | Nay, Sir Nicholas, |
| Let it alone; my state now will but mock me. | 120 |
| 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. | 125 |
| My noble father, Henry of Buckingham, |
| Who first raised head against usurping Richard, |
| Flying for succor to his servant Banister, |
| Being distress'd, was by that wretch betray'd, |
| And without trial fell; God's peace be with him! | 130 |
| 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 | 135 |
| 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 | 140 |
| 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 | 145 |
| 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, | 150 |
| 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] |
| First Gentleman | O, this is full of pity! Sir, it calls, | 155 |
| I fear, too many curses on their beads |
| 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, | 160 |
| 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. | 165 |
| 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 a separation | 170 |
| Between the king and Katharine? |
| 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 rumor, and allay those tongues | 175 |
| 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, | 180 |
| Or some about him near, have, out of malice |
| To the good queen, possess'd him with a scruple |
| That will undo her: to confirm this too, |
| Cardinal Campeius is arrived, and lately; |
| As all think, for this business. | 185 |
| 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 | 190 |
| That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal |
| Will have his will, and she must fall. |
| First Gentleman | 'Tis woful. |
| We are too open here to argue this; |
| Let's think in private more. | 195 |
| [Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)