Said, 'T was the fear, indeed; and that he doubted,
'T would 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 Car, 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 ensued-Neither the king, nor his heirs,
(Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him strive
To gain the love of the commonalty; the duke
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.

K. Hen. Go forward.

Suro.

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 deceiv'd; and that 't was dangerous for him

To ruminate on this so far, until

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

K. Hen.

Ha! what so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man: Canst thou say further? Surv. I can, my liege.

K. Hen.

Proceed.

Surv.

Being at Greenwich,

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

K. Hen.

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."

K. Hen.

A giant traitor! Wol. Now, madam, may his highness live in freedom, And this man out of prison?

Q. Kath.

God mend all!

K. Hen. 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 his breast, mounting his eyes,
He did discharge a horrible oath; whose tenour
Was,-were he evil us'd, he would outgo

His father, by as much as a performance
Does an irresolute purpose.

K. Hen.

To sheath his knife in us.

There's his period,
He is attach'd:

Call him to present trial: if he may

Find mercy in the law, 't is his; if none,

Let him not seek 't of us: by day and night,
He's traitor to the height.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-A Room 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 ?a

Sands.

New customs,

Though they be never so ridiculous,

Nay, let them 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 them, 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 them pace before, the spavin,

A springhalt reign'd among them.

Cham.

Death! my lord,

Their clothes are after such a pagan cut too,

That, sure, they have worn out christendom. How now? What news, sir Thomas Lovell?

Lov.

Enter SIR THOMAS LOVELL.

'Faith, my lord,

What is 't for?

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

Cham.

Lov. The reformation of our travell'd gallants, That fill the court with quarrels, talk, and tailors. Cham. I am glad 't is there; now I would pray our

monsieurs

To think an English courtier may be wise,

And never see the Louvre.

VOL. VII.

a Mysteries-artificial fashions.

D

They must either

Lov.
(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 play fellows: there, I take it,
They may, cum privilegio, wear away

The lag end of their lewdness, and be laugh'd at. Sands. T is time to give them physic, their diseases Are grown so catching.

Cham.

What a loss our ladies

Will have of these trim vanities!

Lov.

Ay, marry,

There will be woe indeed, lords; the sly whoresons
Have got a speeding trick to lay down ladies;
A French song, and a fiddle, has no fellow.

Sands. The devil fiddle them! I am glad they 're going;

(For, sure, there's no converting of them ;) now,
An honest country lord, as I am, beaten

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

Nor shall not, while I have a stump.

Cham.

Well said, lord Sands;

No, my lord;

Sir Thomas,

To the cardinal's;

O, 't is true:

Whither were you a going?

Lov.

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 everywhere.

Cham.

No doubt he 's noble;

He had a black mouth that said other of him.

Sands. He may, my lord; he has wherewithal; in him,

Sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine :
Men of his way should be most liberal,

They are set here for examples.

True, they are so;

Cham. But few now give so great ones. My barge stays; Your lordship shall along :-Come, good sir Thomas, We shall be late else; which I would not be, For I was spoke to, with sir Henry Guildford, This night to be comptrollers.

Sands.

I am your lordship's. [Ex.

SCENE IV.-The Presence-Chamber in York-Place. Hautboys. A small table under a state for the CARDINAL, a longer table for the guests. Enter at one door ANNE BULLEN, and divers Lords, Ladies, and Gentlewomen, as guests; at another door, enter SIR HENRY GUILDFORD.

Guild. Ladies, a general welcome from his grace Salutes ye all: This night he dedicates To fair content, and you: none here, he hopes, In all this noble bevy, has brought with her One care abroad: he would have all as merry As first-good company, good wine, good welcome, Can make good people. O, my lord, you are tardy;