Crave leave to view these ladies, and entreat
An hour of revels with 'em.

Wol.

Say, Lord Chamberlain,

They have done my poor house grace; for which

I pay 'em

A thousand thanks, and pray 'em take their pleasures.

[Ladies chosen.

The KING takes ANNE BULLEN.

K. Hen. The fairest hand I ever touched:

Beauty,

Till now I never knew thee!

[Music. Dance.

Wol. My lord!

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 1 would surrender it.

Cham.

I will, my lord.

[Goes to the Masquers, 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 so

By all your good leaves, gentlemen; here I'll make My royal choice.

K. Hen. [Unmasking.] Ye have found him,

Cardinal.

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!

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 'em 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.

Were you there?

1 Gent. Yes, indeed, was I.

2 Gent.

Pray, speak what has happened.

1 Gent. You may guess quickly what.

2 Gent.

Is he found guilty?

1 Gent. Yes, truly is he, and condemned upon 't. 2 Gent. I am sorry for 't.

1 Gent.

So are a number more.

2 Gent. But, pray, how passed 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 alleged

Many sharp reasons to defeat the law.
The king's attorney, on the contrary,
Urged on the examinations, proofs, confessions
Of divers witnesses, which the duke desired
To have brought, vivâ 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.

2 Gent.

That fed him with his prophecies ?

1 Gent.

That was he

The same.

All these accused him strongly; which he fain 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.

Much

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 stirred
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 showed a most noble patience.
2 Gent. I do not think he fears death.
1 Gent.

Sure, he does not;

He never was so womanish: the cause

"T is likely,

By all conjectures: first, Kildare's attainder,
Then Deputy of Ireland; who removed,

Earl Surrey was sent thither, and in haste too

Lest he should help his father.

2 Gent.

That trick of state

At his return.