With that, methought, a legion of foul fiends
Environ'd me, and howlèd in mine ears
Such hideous cries, that with the very noise
I trembling wak'd, and for a season after
Could not believe but that I was in hell,
Such terrible impression made the dream.
Brak. No marvel, my lord, though it affrighted you;
I promise you, I am afraid to hear you tell it.
Clar. O Brakenbury, I have done those things,

Which now bear evidence against my soul,
For Edward's sake; and see how he requites me!
O God! if my deep prayers cannot appease Thee,
But Thou wilt be aveng'd on my misdeeds,
Yet execute Thy wrath in me alone,

O, spare my guiltless wife, and my poor children!

I pray thee, gentle keeper, stay by me;
My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep.

Brak. I will, my lord; God give your grace good rest!

[CLARENCE sleeps.

Sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours,
Makes the night morning, and the noon-tide night.
Princes have but their titles for their glories,

An outward honour for an inward toil;

And, for unfelt imagination,

They often feel a world of restless cares;
So that, betwixt their titles and low name,
There's nothing differs but the outward fame.

employed by the gods in punishing the guilty.

60

65

70

75

80

They held a

burning torch in one hand, and a whip of scorpions in the other; their heads were wreathed with serpents instead of hair. See § III. note 39, for Mythology.

59. Environ'd me.-Surrounded me.

64. Though it affrighted you.-Though is here used in a sense it once bore; it stands here for if or that.

55. I promise you.-I assure you; I declare to you.

68. How he requites me.-What he gives me in return.

80. For unfelt imagination.—This line and the next may be taken to mean, “Instead of pleasant thoughts, which to them are unfelt, they have cares which are only too strongly felt.”

XXII.

KING HENRY VIII.

ACT ii. SCENE 1.-FALL OF BUCKINGHAM.

[The Duke of Buckingham, whose condemnation forms the subject of the following scene, had been tried for high treason, found guilty, and sentenced to death. The particular charge brought against him was that he was plotting to obtain the crown. He was a descendant of King Edward III., as were the houses of York and Lancaster, whose wars we have been considering in several preceding scenes; but he derived his descent through a younger son of that king than either John of Gaunt or Lionel of Clarence. It is generally considered that this unfortunate nobleman owed his fall to the jealousy of Cardinal Wolsey, the most powerful statesman in England during a great part of the reign of Henry VIII. The scene opens by introducing two gentlemen in conversation in a street in Westminster; while they are talking of the trial, which was just over, Buckingham himself appears on the scene, guarded by soldiers, with the executioner bearing the axe; the other persons who speak in this scene being Sir Thomas Lovell, and Sir Nicholas Vaux, who were conducting the duke to his execution.]

SCENE: A street in Westminster.

First Gent.

Stay there, sir,

And see the noble ruin'd man you speak of. Sec. Gent. Let's stand close and behold him.

Enter BUCKINGHAM, guarded by soldiers, accompanied by Sir THOMAS LOVELL, Sir NICHOLAS VAUX, and a number of common people.

Buck.

All good people,

You that thus far have come to pity me,

Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me.

I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment,

And by that name must die; yet, heav'n bear witness,
And if I have a conscience, let it sink me,

Even as the axe falls, if I be not faithful!

The law I bear no malice for my death;

'T has done, upon the premises, but justice;

6. Lose me.-Forget me.

10

10. As the axe falls.-The death appointed for Buckingham was beheading; his head was to be cut from his body by an axe.

12. Upon the premises. —According to the evidence of the witnesses.

Lov.

But those that sought it I could wish more Christians;
Be what they will, I heartily forgive 'em ;

15

Yet let them look they glory not in mischief,
Nor build their evils on the graves of great men;
For then my guiltless blood must cry against 'em.
For further life in this world I ne'er hope,
Nor will I sue, although the king have mercies
More than I dare make faults. You few that lov'd me,

And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham,

His noble friends and fellows, whom to leave
Is only bitter to him, only dying,

Go with me, like good angels, to my end;

And, as the long divorce of steel falls on me,
Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice,

[20

25

25

And lift my soul to heaven. Lead on, o' God's name.
I do beseech your grace, for charity,

If ever any malice in your heart

Were hid against me, now to forgive me frankly. 30 Buck. Sir Thomas Lovell, I as free forgive you

As I would be forgiven; I forgive all;

There cannot be those numberless offences

'Gainst me, that I cannot take peace with; no black envy
Shall mark my grave.
Commend me to his grace; 35

And, if he speak of Buckingham, pray tell him

You met him half in heaven; my vows and prayers

Yet are the king's; and, till my soul forsake,

Shall cry for blessings on him; may he live

15. Look they glory not.-Understand the conjunction that after look. See § VIII. note 1.

22. Whom to leave is only dying.—Buckingham means that the only bitterness in dying is leaving his friends.

25. The long divorce of steel.-Divorce means separation; this expression, therefore, refers to the manner of his death, which was the severing his head from his body.

28. Your grace.-The form in which a duke is addressed.

31. I as free forgive you.-Free (adjective) used for freely (adverb). This was allowable in Shakespeare's time.

35. His grace.-A title generally given to a duke, but sometimes applied, as here, to a king.

Lov.

Vaux.

Buck.

Longer than I have time to tell his years!
Ever beloved and loving may his rule be!
And when old time shall lead him to his end,
Goodness and he fill up one monument!
To the waterside I must conduct your grace;
Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux,
Who undertakes you to your end.

Prepare there,

The duke is coming; see the barge be ready;
And fit it with such furniture as suits

The greatness of his person.

Nay, Sir Nicholas,

40

45

50

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;
Yet I am richer than my base accusers,

55

That never knew what truth meant; I now seal it;
And with that blood will make 'em one day groan for't.
My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,

Who first rais'd head against usurping Richard,

Flying for succour to his servant Banister,
Being distress'd was by that wretch betray'd,

60

And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!
Henry the Seventh succeeding, truly pitying
My father's loss, like a most royal prince,
Restor❜d me to my honours, and, out of ruins,
Made my name once more noble. Now, his son,

40. To tell.-To count.

48. The barge.-The boat.

65

53. Lord high constable.-A high office of state, of which this Buckingham was the last holder. He inherited the office from the Bohuns, Earls of Hereford.

54. Edward Bohun.-The family name of this nobleman; his conviction had deprived him of his title.

59. Usurping Richard.-Richard III. who usurped, or wrongfully seized, the throne of Edward V.

60. His servant Banister.-It was in Banister's house that the elder Buckingham was arrested; Shakespeare says here that Banister betrayed him.

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 say, a noble one; which makes me 70
A little happier than my wretched father;
Yet thus far we are one in fortunes; both

Fell by our servants, by those men we lov'd most,
A most unnatural and faithless service!

75

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 counsels
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:

80

85

And when you would say something that is sad,"
Speak how I fell. I have done; and God forgive me!
[Exeunt DUKE and train.

XXIII.

KING HENRY VIII.

ACT iii. SCENE 2.-WOLSEY AND CROMWELL.

[In the introduction to § XXII. mention was made of Cardinal Wolsey, who for a time enjoyed almost unlimited power in Henry VIII.'s reign. Thomas Wolsey was a native of Ipswich, being, according to some accounts, the son of a butcher, and according to others the son of a gentleman of small means. He very early gave signs of great cleverness, and at an early age distinguished

73. By our servants. -Shakespeare's narrative makes it appear that this Duke of Buckingham was also betrayed by his servant, who bore witness against him on his trial.

75. Heaven has an end.--That is, has a motive, a purpose.
80. The least rub.-The least difficulty, or change for the worse.