There will be woe indeed, lords; the sly whoresons 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 plain-song, Cham, Well said, lord Sands; Your colt's tooth is not cast yet. Nor shall not, while I have a stump. Lov. To the cardinal's; Your lordship is a guest too. Cham. O, 'tis true : 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 every where. 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. Cham. True, they are so ; 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. SCENE IV. [Exeunt. The Presence Chamber in York-Palace. Hautboys. A small table under a state for the Cardinal, a longer table for the Guests. Enter at one door Lords, ANNE BULLEN, and divers Ladies, and Gentlewomen, as Guests; at another door, enter Sir HENRY GUILDFORD. Quil. Ladies, a general welcome from his grace Salutes you all: This night he dedicates To fair content, and you: none here, he hopes, Clapp'd wings to me. Cham. You are young, Sir Harry Guildford. Sands. Sir Thomas Lovel, had the cardinal But half my lay-thoughts in him, some of these Should find a running banquet ere they rested, I think, would better please them: By my life, They are a sweet society of fair ones. Lov. O, that your lordship were but now confessor To one or two of these! Sands. I would, I were ; They should find easy penance. Lov. 'Faith, how easy ? Sands. As easy as a down-bed would afford it. Cham. Sweet ladies, will it please you sit?-sir Harry, Place you that side, I'll take the charge of this : His grace is ent'ring.-Nay, you must not freeze; Two women plac'd together makes cold weather :My lord Sands, you are one will keep them waking; Pray, sit between these ladies. Sands. By my faith, and And thank your lordship.-By your leave, sweet ladies : [Seats himself between ANNE BULLEN, another Lady. If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me; I had it from my father. Anne. Was he mad, sir? Sands. O, very mad, exceeding mad, in love too : But he would bite none; just as I do now, He would kiss you twenty with a breath. So, now you are fairly seated :-Gentlemen, Sands. For my little cure, Let me alone. [6] Milton has copied this word; "A bevy of fair dames." [Kisses her. JOHNS Hautboys. Enter Cardinal WOLSEY, attended; and takes his state Is not my friend: This, to confirm my welcome ; Sands. Your grace is noble :— Let me have such a bowl may hold my thanks, Wol. My lord Sands, [Drinks. I am beholden to you: cheer your neighbours.- Sands. The red wine first must rise In their fair cheeks, my lord; then we shall have them Talk us to silence. Anne. You are a merry gamester, My lord Sands. Sands. Yes, if I make my play. Here's to your ladyship: and pledge it, madam, Anne. You cannot show me. Sands. I told your grace, they would talk anon. [Drum and trumpets within; Chambers discharg’d.” Wol. What's that? Cham. Look out there, some of you. [Exit a Servant. And to what end is this?-Nay, ladies, fear not; Re-enter Servant. Cham. How now? what is't? Serv. A noble troop of strangers; For so they seem: they have left their barge, and landed; And hither make, as great ambassadors From foreign princes. Wol. Good lord chamberlain, Go, give them welcome, you can speak the French tongue; [7] A chamber is a gun which stands erect on its breech. Such are used only on occasions of rejoicing, and are so contrived as to carry great charges, and thereby to make a noise more than proportioned to their bulk. They are called chambers because they are mere chambers to lodge powder; a chamber being the technical term for that cavity in a piece of ordnance which contains the combustibles. Some of them are still fired in the Park, and at the places opposite to the parliament-house when the king goes thither. Camden enumerates them among other guns, as follows: -cannons, demi-cannóns, chambers, arquebuse, musquet." STEEV. Shall shine at full upon them :-Some attend him.— [Exit Cham. attended. All arise, and tables removed You have now a broken banquet; but we'll mend it. A good digestion to you all: and, once more, I shower a welcome on you :-Welcome all. Hautboys. Enter the King, and twelve others, as Maskers, habited like Shepherds, with sixteen Torch-bearers; ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. They pass directly before the Cardinal, and gracefully salute him. A noble company! What are their pleasures? Cham. Because they speak no English, thus they pray'd This night to meet here, they could do no less, But leave their flocks; and, under your fair conduct, An hour of revels with them. Wol. Say, lord chamberlain, They have done my poor house grace; for which I pay them A thousand thanks, and pray them take their pleasures, [Ladies chosen for the Dance. The King chooses ANNE BULLEN. K.Hen. The fairest hand I ever touch'd! O, beauty, Till now I never knew thee. Wol. My lord, [Music. Dance. Cham. Your grace? Wol. Pray, tell them thus much from me: There should be one amongst them, by his person, If I but knew him, with my love and duty I would surrender it. Cham. I will, my lord. [Chamberlain goes to the company 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.8 Wol. Let me see then. [Comes from his state. By all your good leaves, gentlemen ;-Here I'll make My royal choice. K.Hen. You have found him, cardinal: [Unmasking, 18] That is, take the chief place. JOHNS. You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord : Wol. I am glad, Your grace is grown so pleasant. K.Hen. 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. I were unmannerly, to take you out, -Sweetheart, And not to kiss you.'-A health, gentlemen, Wol. Sir Thomas Lovel, is the banquet ready Lov. Yes, my lord. Wol. Your grace, I fear, with dancing is a little heated. Wol. There's fresher air, my lord, In the next chamber. 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 them once again; and then let's dream Who's best in favour.-Let the music knock it. [Exeunt, with trumpets. ACT II. SCENE I-A Street. Enter two Gentlemen, meeting. 1 Gent. WHITHER away so fast? 2 Gen. 0,-God save you! Even to the hall, to hear what shall become Of the great duke of Buckingham. 1 Gen. I'll save you That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony [9] That is, unluckily, mischievously. JOHNS. 11 A kiss was anciently the established fee of a lady's partner. STEEV. This custom is still prevalent, among the country people, in many, per. haps all parts of the kingdom. When the fiddler thinks his young couple have had music enough, he makes his instrument squeak out two notes which all understand to say-kiss her! RITSON. |