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Enter Surveyor.

Queen. I am sorry, that the duke of Buckingham Is run in your displeasure. King. It grieves many :

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The gentleman is learn'd, a most rare speaker,
To nature none more bound; his training such,
That he may furnish and instruct great teachers,
And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see,
When these so noble benefits shall prove
Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man, so complete,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravish'd list'ning, could not find
His hour of speech a minute; he, my lady,
Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
That once were his, and is become as black

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As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear (This was his gentleman in trust) of him

Things to strike honour sad.-Bid him recount

The fore-recited practices; whereof

We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate what

you,

Most like a careful subject, have collected

Out of the duke of Buckingham.

King. Speak freely.

Surv. First, It was usual with him, every day

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It would infect his speech, That, if the king
Should without issue die, he'd carry it so
To make the sceptre his: These very words
I have heard him utter to his son-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.

Wol. Please your highness, note

This dangerous conception in this point.

Not friended by his wish, to your high person
His will is most malignant; and it stretches
Beyond you, to your friends.

Queen. My learn'd lord cardinal,

Deliver all with charity.

King. Speak on:

How grounded he his title to the crown,

Upon our fail to this point hast thou heard him

At any time speak aught ?

Surv. He was brought to this

By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.

King, What was that Hopkins?

Surv, Sir, a Chartreux friar,

His confessor; who fed him every minute

With words of sovereignty.

King. How know'st thou this?

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Surv. Not long before your highness sped to

France,

The duke being at the Rose, within the parish
Saint Lawrence Pountney, did of me demand
What was the speech among the Londoners
Concerning the French journey: I reply'd,

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Men

Men fear'd, the French would prove perfidious,
To the king's danger. Presently the duke

Said, 'Twas the fear, indeed; and that he doubted,
'Twould prove the verity of certain words
Spoke by a holy monk; that oft, says he,
Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit
John de la Court, my chaplain, a choice hour
To hear from him a matter of some moment :
Whom after under the confession's seal
He solemnly had sworn, that, what he spoke,
My chaplain to no creature living, but

To me, should utter, with demure confidence
This pausingly ensu'd-Neither the king nor his heirs
(Tell you the duke), shall prosper: bid him strive
For the love of the commonalty; the duke

Shall govern England.

Queen. If I know you well,

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4:59

You were the duke's surveyor, and lost your office
On the complaint o' the tenants: Take good heed,
You charge not in your spleen a noble person,
And spoil your nobler soul; I say, take heed ;
Yes, heartily beseech you.

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Surv. On my soul, I'll speak but truth.

I told my lord the duke, By the devil's illusions
The monk might be deceiv'd; and that 'twas dan-

'g'rous for him

To ruminate on this so far, until

It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd,

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It was much like to do: He answer'd, Tush!
It can do me no damage: adding further,
That, had the king in his last sickness fail'd,
The cardinal's and Sir Thomas Lovel's heads
Should have gone off.

King. Ha! what, so rank? Ah, hal

There's mischief in this man :-Canst thou say fur

ther?

Surv. I can my liege.

King. Proceed.

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Surv. Being at Greenwich,

After your highness had reprov'd the duke
About Sir William Blomer-

King. I remember

Of such a time :-Being my sworn servant,

The duke retain'd him his.-But on; What hence? Surv. If, quoth he, I for this had been committed, As to the Tower, I thought, I would have play'd

The part my father meant to act upon

The usurper Richard: who, being at Salisbury,
Made suit to come in his presence; which if granted,
As he made semblance of his duty, would

Have put his knife into him.

King. A giant traitor!

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Wol. Now, madam, may his highness live in freedom,

And this man out of prison?

Queen. God mend all!

King. There's something more would out of thee;

What say'st?

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He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger,
Another spread on his breast, mounting his eyés,
He did discharge a horrible oath; whose tenor
Was-Were he evil us'd, he would out-go
His father, by as much as a performance
Does an irresolute purpose.

King. There's his period,

To sheath his knife in us. He is attach'd;
Call him to present trial: if he may
Find mercy in the law, 'tis his; if none,
Let him not seek't of us: By day and night,
He's traitor to the height.

510 [Exeunt.

SCENE 1.

An Apartment in the Palace. Enter the Lord Chamberlain, and Lord SANDS.

Cham. Is it possible, the spells of France should juggle

Men into such strange mysteries?

Sands. New customs,

Though they be never so ridiculous,

Nay, let 'em be unmanly, yet are follow'd.

Cham. As far as I see, all the good, our English Have got by the late voyage, is but merely

A fit or two o' the face; but they are shrewd ones;

For,

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