Henry VIII - William Shakespeare (big ebook reader txt) 📗

epub:type="z3998:persona">Sands

Your grace is noble:
Let me have such a bowl may hold my thanks,
And save me so much talking.

Wolsey

My Lord Sands,
I am beholding to you: cheer your neighbours.
Ladies, you are not merry: gentlemen,
Whose fault is this?

Sands

The red wine first must rise
In their fair cheeks, my lord; then we shall have ’em
Talk us to silence.

Anne

You are a merry gamester,
My Lord Sands.

Sands

Yes, if I make my play.
Here’s to your ladyship: and pledge it, madam,
For ’tis to such a thing⁠—

Anne You cannot show me. Sands I told your grace they would talk anon. Drum and trumpet, chambers discharged. Wolsey What’s that? Chamberlain Look out there, some of ye. Exit Servant. Wolsey

What warlike voice,
And to what end is this? Nay, ladies, fear not;
By all the laws of war you’re privileged.

Re-enter Servant. Chamberlain How now! what is’t? Servant

A noble troop of strangers;
For so they seem: they’ve left their barge and landed;
And hither make, as great ambassadors
From foreign princes.

Wolsey

Good lord chamberlain,
Go, give ’em welcome; you can speak the French tongue;
And, pray, receive ’em nobly, and conduct ’em
Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty
Shall shine at full upon them. Some attend him. Exit Chamberlain, attended. All rise, and tables removed.
You have now a broken banquet; but we’ll mend it.
A good digestion to you all: and once more
I shower a welcome on ye; welcome all.

Hautboys. Enter the King and others, as masquers, habited like shepherds, ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. They pass directly before the Cardinal, and gracefully salute him. A noble company! what are their pleasures? Chamberlain

Because they speak no English, thus they pray’d
To tell your grace, that, having heard by fame
Of this so noble and so fair assembly
This night to meet here, they could do no less
Out of the great respect they bear to beauty,
But leave their flocks; and, under your fair conduct,
Crave leave to view these ladies and entreat
An hour of revels with ’em.

Wolsey

Say, lord chamberlain,
They have done my poor house grace; for which I pay ’em
A thousand thanks, and pray ’em take their pleasures. They choose Ladies for the dance. The King chooses Anne Bullen.

King

The fairest hand I ever touch’d! O beauty,
Till now I never knew thee! Music. Dance.

Wolsey My lord! Chamberlain Your grace? Wolsey

Pray, tell ’em thus much from me:
There should be one amongst ’em, by his person,
More worthy this place than myself; to whom,
If I but knew him, with my love and duty
I would surrender it.

Chamberlain I will, my lord. Whispers the Masquers. Wolsey What say they? Chamberlain

Such a one, they all confess,
There is indeed; which they would have your grace
Find out, and he will take it.

Wolsey

Let me see, then.
By all your good leaves, gentlemen; here I’ll make
My royal choice.

King

Ye have found him, cardinal: Unmasking.
You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord:
You are a churchman, or, I’ll tell you, cardinal,
I should judge now unhappily.

Wolsey

I am glad
Your grace is grown so pleasant.

King

My lord chamberlain,
Prithee, come hither: what fair lady’s that?

Chamberlain

An’t please your grace, Sir Thomas Bullen’s daughter⁠—
The Viscount Rochford⁠—one of her highness’ women.

King

By heaven, she is a dainty one. Sweetheart,
I were unmannerly, to take you out,
And not to kiss you. A health, gentlemen!
Let it go round.

Wolsey

Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready
I’ the privy chamber?

Lovell Yes, my lord. Wolsey

Your grace,
I fear, with dancing is a little heated.

King I fear, too much. Wolsey

There’s fresher air, my lord,
In the next chamber.

King

Lead in your ladies, every one: sweet partner,
I must not yet forsake you: let’s be merry:
Good my lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths
To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure
To lead ’em once again; and then let’s dream
Who’s best in favour. Let the music knock it. Exeunt with trumpets.

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
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. 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. 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.
The king’s attorney on the contrary
Urged on the examinations, proofs, confessions
Of divers witnesses; which the duke desired
To have brought vivâ voce to his face:
At which appear’d against him his surveyor;
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?

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
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
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. 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.

First Gentleman

’Tis likely,
By all conjectures: first, Kildare’s attainder,
Then deputy of Ireland; who removed,
Earl Surrey was