Or gentleman, that is not freely merry,

Is not my friend. This, to confirm my welcome;
And to you all good health.

Sands.

[Drinks.

Your grace is noble :

Let me have such a bowl may hold my thanks,

And save me so much talking.

Wol.

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.

My lord Sands.

Sands.

You are a merry gamester,

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 Trumpets within;

Wol.

Chambers discharged.

What's that?

Cham. Look out there, some of

you.

[Exit a Servant.

What warlike voice,

Wol.

And to what end is this?-Nay, ladies, fear not;

By all the laws of war y'are privileg❜d.

Re-enter Servant.

Cham. How now! what is't?

Serv.

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.

6

Wol.

Good lord chamberlain,

CHAMBERS discharged.] "Chambers" were small pieces of ordnance, used on joyous occasions. See Vol. iv. p. 381. 501.

Go, give them welcome; you can speak the French

tongue :

And, pray, receive them nobly, and conduct them
Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty
Shall shine at full upon them.-Some attend him.-
[Exit Chamberlain attended. All arise, 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 Maskers, 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?

Cham. 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 them.

Wol.

Say, lord chamberlain,

They have done my poor house grace; for which I pay

them

A thousand thanks, and pray them take their pleasures. [Ladies chosen for the Dance. The King takes ANNE BULLEN.

K. Hen. The fairest hand I ever touch'd. O, beauty! Till now I never knew thee.

Wol. My lord,

7 and gracefully salute him.]

[Music. Dance.

These are the words of the old stage

direction. Modern editors say "twelve maskers," and "sixteen torch-bearers,"

but there is nothing of the kind in the old copies.

Cham. Your grace?

Wol. Pray tell them thus much from me. There should be one amongst them, 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.

Cham.

I will, my lord.

[Cham. goes to the Maskers, and returns.

Wol. What say they?

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

Wol.

Let me see then.

[Comes from his State.

By all your good leaves, gentlemen; here I'll make

My royal choice.
K. Hen.

You 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.

Wol.

Your grace is grown so pleasant.

K. Hen.

I am glad,

My lord chamberlain,

Pr'ythee, come hither. What fair lady's that?

Cham. An't please your grace, sir Thomas Bullen's daughter,

The viscount Rochford,-one of her highness' women. K. Hen. 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.

Wol. Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready

I' the privy chamber?

Lov.

Wol.

Yes, my lord.

Your grace,

I fear, with dancing is a little heated.

K. Hen. I fear, too much.

Wol.

In the next chamber.

There's fresher air, my lord,

K. Hen. 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 them once again; and then let's dream
Who's best in favour.-Let the music knock it.
[Exeunt with Trumpets.

E'en to the hall, to hear what shall become

Of the great duke of Buckingham.

1 Gent.

I'll save you

That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony

Of bringing back the prisoner.

2 Gent.

1 Gent. Yes, indeed, was I.

2 Gent.

Were you there?

Pray, speak what has happen'd.

Is he found guilty?

1 Gent. You may guess quickly what. 2 Gent.

1 Gent. Yes, truly is he, and condemn'd upon it.

8 Let the music KNOCK IT.] i. e. Let the music play: "knock it" seems to have been derived from beating time, or perhaps from beating the drum.

2 Gent. I am sorry for't.

1 Gent.

So are a number more.

2 Gent. But, pray, how pass'd it?

1 Gent. I'll tell you in a little. The great duke
Came to the bar; where, to his accusations
He pleaded still not guilty, and alleg'd
Many sharp reasons to defeat the law.

The king's attorney, on the contrary,
Urg'd on the examinations, proofs, confessions
Of divers witnesses, which the duke desir'd
To have brought, vivá voce, to his face:
At which appeared against him, his surveyor;
Sir Gilbert Peck his chancellor; and John Car,
Confessor to him; with that devil-monk,

Hopkins, that made this mischief.

Much

Would have flung from him, but, indeed, he could not:
And so his peers, upon this evidence,
Have found him guilty of high treason.
He spoke, and learnedly, for life; but all
Was either pitied in him, or forgotten.

2 Gent. After all this, how did he bear himself?
1 Gent. 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.
2 Gent. I do not think, he fears death.
1 Gent.

Sure, he does not;

He was never so womanish: the cause

9 TO HAVE brought,] The folios, 1623, 1632, and 1664, read, "To him brought." The error was not corrected until the folio, 1685, was printed.