He solemnly had sworn, that what he spoke
My chaplain to no creature living, but

To me, should utter, with demure confidence
This pausingly ensued: Neither the king nor's
heirs,

Tell you the duke, shall prosper: bid him strive
To gain the love o' the commonalty: the duke 170
Shall govern England.'

Q. Kath.

If I know you well,

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.

King.

Go forward.

Surv.

Let him on.

On my soul, I'll speak but truth.

I told my lord the duke, by the devil's illusions The monk might be deceived; and that 'twas dangerous for him

To ruminate on this so far, until

It forged him some design, which, being believed,
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 Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.

King.

Ha! what, so rank? Ah ha! There's mischief in this man: canst thou say

further?

Surv. I can, my liege.

180

King.

Surv.

Proceed.

Being at Greenwich,

170. To gain the love. So F. The first three Ff have 'to the

love.'

After your highness had reproved the duke
About Sir William Bulmer,-

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's presence; which if granted,

As he made semblance of his duty, would

Have put his knife into him.'

King.

A giant traitor!

Wol. Now, madam, may his highness live in

freedom,

And this man out of prison?

Q. Kath.

God mend all!

King. There's something more would out of thee; what say'st?

Surv. After the duke his father,' with the 'knife,'

He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger,

Another spread on 's breast, mounting his eyes,
He did discharge a horrible oath; whose tenour
Was,-were he evil used, he would outgo
His father by as much as a performance
Does an irresolute purpose.

190. Sir William Bulmer. FfBlumer.' Holinshed 'Bulmer.' He had offended the king by quitting his service for the duke's.

197. Made suit to come, etc.

190

200

Cf. Rich. III. v. 1. 1, where, however, no allusion is made to the elder Buckingham's alleged design. Holinshed mentions it in both the corresponding passages of his Chronicle (iii. 744 and 864).

King.
There's his period,
To sheathe 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.

[Exeunt.

210

SCENE III. An antechamber in the palace.

Enter the LORD CHAMBERLAIN and LORD SANDS.

Cham. Is't possible the spells of France should

juggle

Men into such strange mysteries?

Sands.

Though they be never so ridiculous,

New customs,

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 when they hold 'em, you would swear directly

Their very noses had been counsellors

To Pepin or Clotharius, they keep state so.

Sands. They have all new legs, and lame. ones: one would take it,

That never saw 'em pace before, the spavin

Sc. 3. By FLETCHER (Sp.). 2. mysteries, fantastic fashions. 7. A fit or two o the face, a grimace or two.

7. shrewd, knowing. IO. Pepin or Clotharius, ancient French kings (of the

10

Carlovingian and Merovingian dynasties respectively).

10. keep state so, affect such inordinate pomposity.

12. spavin or springhalt, two diseases in the legs of horses causing lameness.

Or springhalt reign'd among 'em.

Cham.

Death! my lord,

Their clothes are after such a pagan cut too,
That, sure, they've worn out Christendom.

Enter SIR THOMAS LOVELL.

How now!

What news, Sir Thomas Lovell ?

Faith, my lord,

Lov.

I hear of none, but the new proclamation
That's clapp'd upon the court-gate.

Cham.

What is 't for?

Lov. The reformation of our travell'd gallants, That fill the court with quarrels, talk, and tailors. Cham. I'm glad 'tis there: now I would pray our monsieurs

To think an English courtier may be wise,
And never see the Louvre.

Lov.

They must either,

For so run the conditions, leave those remnants
Of fool and feather that they got in France,
With all their honourable points of ignorance
Pertaining thereunto, as fights and fireworks,
Abusing better men than they can be,
Out of a foreign wisdom, renouncing clean
The faith they have in tennis, and tall stockings,
Short blister'd breeches, and those types of travel,
And understand again like honest men ;

Or pack to their old playfellows: there, I take it,
They may, 'cum privilegio,' wear away

The lag end of their lewdness and be laugh'd at.

15. worn out, outlasted.

25. fool and feather. A cap with showy plumes was a mark of French fashion; it was also part of the characteristic garb of the Jester.

20

30

30. The faith they have in tennis; the game was peculiarly in vogue among the French.

31. blister'd, slashed (puff of silk or satin lining emerging at the slashes).

Sands. 'Tis time to give 'em physic, their diseases

There will be woe indeed, lords: the sly whore

sons

Have got a speeding trick to lay down ladies;
A French song and a fiddle has no fellow.

Sands. The devil fiddle 'em! I am glad they
are going,

For, sure, there's no converting of 'em : now
An honest country lord, as I am, beaten

A long time out of play, may bring his plain-song
And have an hour of hearing; and, by'r lady,
Held current music too.

Cham.

Your colt's tooth is not cast yet.

Sands.

Nor shall not, while I have a stump.

Cham.

Whither were you a-going?

Lov.

40

Well said, Lord Sands;

No, my lord;

O, 'tis true:

Your lordship is a guest too.
Cham.

This night he makes a supper, and a great one,
To many lords and ladies; there will be

The beauty of this kingdom, I'll assure you.

Lov. That churchman bears a bounteous mind
indeed,

A hand as fruitful as the land that feeds us;
His dews fall every where.

Cham.

No doubt he's noble;

He had a black mouth that said other of him.

45. plain-song, simple melody, without variations.
55. churchman, ecclesiastic.