When I came hither, I was lord high constable, And duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun: 4

Yet I am richer than my base accufers,

That never knew what truth meant: I now feal it; ' And with that blood will make them one day groan for't.

My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,
Who first rais'd head against ufurping Richard,
Flying for fuccour to his fervant Banister,
Being diftrefs'd, was by that wretch betray'd,
And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!
Henry the seventh fucceeding, truly pitying
My father's lofs, like a most royal prince,
Reftor'd me to my honours, and, out of ruins,

would run more fmoothly, by making the monofyllables change places:

Let it alone, my state will now but mock me. WHALLEY. poor Edward Bohun :] The duke of Buckingham's name was Stafford. Shakspeare was led into the mistake by Holinfhed. STEEVENS.

This is not an expreffion thrown out at random, or by mistake, but one ftrongly marked with hiftorical propriety. The name of the duke of Buckingham moft generally known, was Stafford; but the Hiftory of Remarkable Trials, 8vo. 1715, p. 170, fays: "it feems he affected that furname [of Bobun] before that of Stafford, he being defcended from the Bohuns, earls of Hereford." His reafon for this might be, because he was lord high conftable of England by inheritance of tenure from the Bohuns; and as the poet has taken particular notice of his great office, does it not feem probable that he had fully confidered of the duke's foundation for affuming the name of Bohun? In truth, the duke's name was BAGOT; for a gentleman of that very ancient family married the heirefs of the barony of Stafford, and their fon relinquishing his paternal furname, affumed that of his mother, which continued in his pofterity. TOLLET.

Of all this probably Shakspeare knew nothing. MALONE.

I now feal it ; &c.] I now feal my truth, my loyalty, with blood, which blood fhall one day make them groan.

Made my name once more noble.

Now his fon,

Henry the eighth, life, honour, name, and all
That made me happy, at one stroke has taken
For ever from the world. I had my trial,
And, must needs fay, a noble one; which makes me
A little happier than my wretched father:
Yet thus far we are one in fortunes,-Both
Fell by our fervants, by thofe men we lov'd most;
A most unnatural and faithlefs fervice!

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 counfels,
Be fure, you be not loofe; 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 fink ye. All good people,
Pray for me! I must now forfake ye; the last hour
Of my long weary life is come upon me.
Farewell:

And when you would fay fomething that is fad,"
Speak how I fell.-I have done; and God forgive
me! [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train.
I. GENT. O, this is full of pity !-Sir, it calls,
I fear, too many curfes on their heads,

That were the authors.

2. GENT.

If the duke be guiltless,

be not loofe;] This expreffion occurs again in Othello: "There are a kind of men fo loose of foul, "That in their fleeps will mutter their affairs."

STEEVENS.

And when you would fay fomething that is fad, &c.] So, in King Richard II:

"Tell thou the lamentable tale of me,

"And fend the hearers weeping to their beds."

STEEVENS.

'Tis full of woe: yet I can give you inkling Of an enfuing evil, if it fall,

Greater than this.

1. GENT.

Good angels keep it from us! What may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir? 2. GENT. This fecret is fo weighty, 'twill require A ftrong faith' to conceal it.

1. GENT.

I do not talk much.

2. GENT.

Let me have it;

I am confident;

You fhall, fir: Did you not of late days hear
A buzzing, of a feparation

Between the king and Katharine?

1. GENT.

Yes, but it held not: For when the king once heard it, out of anger He fent command to the lord mayor, ftraight To stop the rumour, and allay those tongues That durft difperfe it.

2. GENT. But that flander, fir, 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, Or fome about him near, have, out of malice To the good queen, poffefs'd him with a scruple That will undo her: To confirm this too, Cardinal Campeius is arriv'd, and lately; As all think, for this business.

'Tis the cardinal;

1. GENT. And merely to revenge him on the emperor, For not beftowing on him, at his afking,

The archbishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd. 2. GENT. I think, you have hitt he mark: But is't not cruel,

* Strong faith-] is great fidelity. JOHNSON.

That the fhould feel the fmart of this? The cardinal Will have his will, and fhe must fall.

1. GEN.

We are too open here to argue this;
Let's think in private more.

'Tis woful.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

An Antechamber in the Palace.

Enter the Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter.

CHAM. My lord,-The borfes your lordship fent for, with all the care I had, I faw well chofen, ridden, and furnished. They were young, and handsome; and of the best breed in the north. When they were ready to fet out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by commiffion, and main power, took 'em from me; with this reafon, His mafter would be ferved before a fubject, if not before the king: which stopp'd our mouths, fir.

I fear, he will, indeed: Well, let him have them; He will have all, I think.

Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.

NOR.

Lord chamberlain.

CHAM.

Well met, my good'

Good day to both your graces.

I left him private,

SUF. How is the king employ'd?
CHAM.

Full of fad thoughts and troubles.

Well met, my good-] The epithet-good, was inferted by Sir Thomas Hanmer, for the fake of meafure. STEEVENS.

NOR.

What's the caufe?

CHAM. It feems, the marriage with his brother's

wife

Has crept too near his confcience.

SUF.

Has crept too near another lady.

No, his confcience

NOR. 'Tis fo; This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal: That blind pricft, like the eldeft fon of fortune, Turns what he lift. The king will know him one day.

SUF. Pray God, he do! he'll never know himself

elfe.

NOR. How holily he works in all his business! And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the

league

Between us and the emperor, the queen's great

nephew,

8

He dives into the king's foul; and there scatters
Dangers, doubts, wringing of the confcience,
Fears, and defpairs, and all these for his marriage:
And, out of all these to restore the king,
He counfels a divorce: a lofs of her,
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never loft her luftre;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her,
That, when the greateft ftroke of fortune falls,
Will bless the king: And is not this course pious?
CHAM. Heaven keep me from fuch counsel! 'Tis
most true,

These news are every where; every tongue speaks them,

• That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years &c.] See Vol. VII. P. 34, n. 8. MALONE.