1 Gen. I'll tell you in a little. The great Duke 2 Gen. That was he, That fed him with his prophecies. I Gen. The fame. All these accus'd him ftrongly, which he fain not: And fo his Peers upon this evidence Have found him guilty of high treafon. Much Was either pitied in him, or forgotten. 2 Gen. After all this, how did he bear himself? 1 Gen. When he was brought again to th' bar, to hear His knell rung out, his Judgment, he was stirr'd He never was so womanish; the cause 2 Gen. Certainly, The Cardinal is the end of this. 1 Gen. 'Tis likely, By all conjectures. First, Kildare's attainder, Then Deputy of Ireland; who remov'd, 2 Gen. That trick of state Was a deep, envious one. 1 Gen. At his return, No doubt, he will requite it; this is noted, 2 Gen. All the commons Hate him perniciously, and, o'my confcience, SCENE II. Enter Buckingham from his Arraignment, (Tipflaves before bim, the Axe with the edge toward him. Halberds on each fide) accompanied with Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Nicholas Vaux, Sir William Sands, and common People, &c. 1 Gen. Stay there, Sir, And fee the noble ruin'd Man you speak of. 2 Gen. Let's ftand close and behold him. You that thus far have come to pity me, Hear what I fay, and then go home and lofe me: I have this day receiv'd a traitor's judgment, And by that name muft die; yet, heav'n bear witness, But thofe that fought it, I could with more Chriftians; Yet Yet let 'em look, they glory not in mischief; 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 lift my foul to heav'n-Lead on, o'God's name. If ever any malice in your heart Were hid against me, now forgive me frankly. There cannot be those numberlefs offences I 'Gainst me, I can't take peace with: no black envy 9 Ye few, that loved me, &c.] These lines are remarkably tender and pathetick no black envy Shall MAKE my grave.1 The sense of this is, that envy fhould not procure or advance his death. But this is not what he would fay; he believed the Cardinal's envy did procure his death. He is fpeaking not of another's envy, but his own. And his thought is, that he would not be remembered for an implacable unforgiving temper. We should read therefore, —no black envy Shall MARK my grave. alluding to the old cuftom of marking good or ill, by a white Shall or black ftone. WARBURTON. Dr. Warburton has with good judgment obferved the errour, but has not, I think, very happily corrected it. I do not fee how the envy of thofe that are buried can mark the grave. reading the lines I cannot but fufpect that two words, as it may naturally happen, have changed places. In There cannot be thofe numberless offences 'Gainft me, I can't take peace with: no black envy Shall make my grave. I would read thus: There cannot be thofe numberless offences Dd4 'Gainft Shall make my grave.-Commend me to his Grace Lov. To th'water-fide I muft conduct your Grace, Vaux. Prepare there, The Duke is coming. See, the barge be ready, The greatness of his Perion. Buck. Nay, Sir Nicholas, Let it alone; my ftate now but will mock me. That never knew what truth meant; * I now feal it; And with that blood, will make 'em one day grean for't. My noble father, Henry of Buckingham, Who firft rais'd head againft ufurping Richard, 'Gainft me, I can't make peace So in Hamlet, awith, no black envy Shall take my grave. To take in this place is to blaft, to frike with malignant influence. So in Lear, Strike her young limbs Ye taking airs with lameness. No fpirit dares walk e. broad, No planet takes. * I now feal it, &c.] I now feal my truth, my loyalty, with blood, which blood fhall one day make them groan. Re Reftor'd to me my honours; and, from ruins, Heav'n has an end in all yet, you that hear me, Like water from ye, never found again, 1 Gen. O, this is full of pity; Sir, it calls, 2 Gen. If the Duke be guiltless, ?Tis full of woe; yet I can give you inkling Of an enfuing evil, if it fall, Greater than this. 1 Gen. Good angels keep it from us! What may it be? you do not doubt my faith, Sir? 2 Gen. This fecret is fo weighty, 'twill require * A strong faith to conceal it. I Gen. Let me have it; I do not talk much. 2 Gen. I am confident; Strong faith is great fidelity. |