Yet are the king's; and, till my soul forsake me, 3 Lov. To the water side I must conduct your grace; Then give my charge up to sir Nicholas Vaux, Who undertakes you to your end. VAUX. Prepare there, The duke is coming: see, the barge be ready; And fit it with such furniture, as suits The greatness of his person. BUCK. Nay, sir Nicholas, Let it alone; my state now will but mock me.* When I came hither, I was lord high constable, And duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun: -forsake me,] The latter word was added by Mr. Rowe. MAlone. 1.4 Nay, sir Nicholas, Let it alone; my state now will but mock me.] The last verse would run more smoothly, by making the monosyllables change places: 5 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 Holinshed. STEEVENS. This is not an expression thrown out at random, or by mistake, but one strongly marked with historical propriety. The name of the Duke of Buckingham, most generally known, was Stafford; but the History of Remarkable Trials, 8vo. 1715, p. 170, says: "it seems he affected that surname [of Bohun] before that of Stafford, he being descended from the Bohuns, earls of Hereford." His reason for this might be, because he was lord high. Yet I am richer than my base accusers, That never knew what truth meant: I now seal it;" And with that blood will make them one day groan for't. My noble father, Henry of Buckingham, Heaven has an end in all: Yet, you that hear me, constable of England by inheritance of tenure from the Bohuns; and as the poet has taken particular notice of his great office, does it not seem probable that he had fully considered of the Duke's foundation for assuming the name of Bohun? In truth, the Duke's name was BAGOT; for a gentleman of that very ancient family married the heiress of the barony of Stafford, and their son relinquishing his paternal surname, assumed that of his mother, which continued in his posterity. TOLLET. Of all this probably Shakspeare knew nothing. MALONE. I now seal it; &c.] I now seal my truth, my loyalty. with blood, which blood shall one day make them groan. 6 مصنعية JOHNSON. Be sure, you be not loose; 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 sink ye. All good people, Pray for me! I must now forsake ye; the last hour Of my long weary life is come upon me. Farewell: And when you would say something that is sad, Speak how I fell.-I have done; and God forgive me! [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train. 1 GENT. O, this is full of pity!-Sir, it calls, I fear, too many curses on their heads, That were the authors. 2 GENT. If the duke be guiltless, 'Tis full of woe: yet I can give you inkling Of an ensuing evil, if it fall, Greater than this. 1 GENT. Good angels keep it from us! Where may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir? 2 GENT. This secret is so weighty, 'twill require A strong faith to conceal it. 1 GENT. I do not talk much. Let me have it ; 7-be not loose:] This expression occurs again in Othello: “There are a kind of men so loose of soul, "That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs." STEEVENS, And when you would say something that is sad, &c.] So, in King Richard II: 9 "Tell thou the lamentable tale of me, STEEVENS. -strong faith-] Is great fidelity. JOHNSON. 2 GENT. I am confident; You shall, sir: Did you not of late days hear Between the king and Katharine? 1 GENT. Yes, but it held not: For when the king once heard it, out of anger He sent command to the lord mayor, straight To stop the rumour, and allay those tongues That durst disperse it. 2 GENT. But that slander, sir, Is found a truth now: for it grows again Fresher than e'er it was; and held for certain1 The king will venture at it. Either the cardinal, Or some about him near, have, out of malice To the good queen, possess'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. 1 GENT. 'Tis the cardinal; And merely to revenge him on the emperor, For not bestowing on him, at his asking, The archbishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd. 2 GENT. I think, you have hit the mark: But is't not cruel, That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal Will have his will, and she must fall. 1 GENT. We are too open here to argue this; 'Tis woful. [Exeunt. and held for certain,] To hold, is to believe. So, in Lord Surrey's translation of the fourth Eneid: STEEVENS. SCENE II. An Ante-chamber in the Palace. Enter the Lord Chamberlain, reading a Letter. CHAM. My lord,-The horses your lordship sent for, with all the care I had, I saw well chosen, ridden, and furnished. They were young, and handsome; and of the best breed in the north. When they were ready to set out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by commission, and main power, took 'em from me; with this reason,-His master would be served before a subject, if not before the king: which stopped our mouths, sir. I fear, he will, indeed: Well, let him have them: He will have all, I think. Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK. NOR. CHAM. Well met, my good2 Lord chamberlain. Good day to both your graces. I left him private, What's the cause? SUF. How is the king employ'd? Full of sad thoughts and troubles. NOR. CHAM. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife Has crept too near his conscience. Well met, my good-] The epithet-good, was inserted by Sir Thomas Hanmer, for the sake of measure. STEEVENS. |