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King.
There's his period,
To sheathe his knife in us. He is attach'd;

Call him to present trial: if he may
Find mercy in the law, 'tis his; if none,

Let him not seek 't of us: by day and night!
He's traitor to the height.

SCENE III. An antechamber in the palace.

Enter the LORD CHAMBERLAIN and Lord Sands. Cham. Is 't possible the spells of France should juggle

Men into such strange mysteries?

Sands.

Though they be never so ridiculous,

Nay, let 'em be unmanly, yet are follow'd.

Cham. As far as I see, all the good our English

Have got by the late voyage is but merely

A fit or two o' the face; but they are shrewd

ones;

For when they hold 'em, you would swear directly

Their very noses had been counsellors

To Pepin or Clotharius, they keep state so. Sands. They have all new legs, and lame ones: one would take it,

That never saw 'em pace before, the spavin

Sc. 3. By FLETCHER (Sp.). 2. mysteries, fantastic fashions. 7. A fit or two o' the face, a grimace or two.

7. shrewd, knowing. 10. Pepin or Clotharius, ancient French kings (of the

Carlovingian and Merovingian dynasties respectively).

10. keep state so, affect such inordinate pomposity.

12. spavin or springhalt, two diseases in the legs of horses causing lameness.

Or springhalt reign'd among 'em.

Cham.

Death! my lord,

Their clothes are after such a pagan cut too,
That, sure, they've worn out Christendom.

Enter SIR THOMAS LOVELL.

What news, Sir Thomas Lovell ?

Lov.

How now!

Faith, my lord,

I hear of none, but the new proclamation
That's clapp'd upon the court-gate.

Cham.

What is 't for?

Lov. The reformation of our travell'd gallants, That fill the court with quarrels, talk, and tailors. Cham. I'm glad 'tis there: now I would pray

our monsieurs

To think an English courtier may be wise,
And never see the Louvre.

Lov.

They must either,

For so run the conditions, leave those remnants
Of fool and feather that they got in France,
With all their honourable points of ignorance
Pertaining thereunto, as fights and fireworks,
Abusing better men than they can be,

Out of a foreign wisdom, renouncing clean
The faith they have in tennis, and tall stockings,
Short blister'd breeches, and those types of travel,
And understand again like honest men ;

Or pack to their old playfellows: there, I take it,
They may, 'cum privilegio,' wear away

The lag end of their lewdness and be laugh'd at.

15. worn out, outlasted.

25. fool and feather. A cap with showy plumes was a mark of French fashion; it was also part of the characteristic garb of the Jester.

20

30

30. The faith they have in tennis; the game was peculiarly in vogue among the French.

31. blister'd, slashed (puff of silk or satin lining emerging at the slashes).

Sands. 'Tis time to give 'em physic, their diseases

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There will be woe indeed, lords: the sly whore

sons

Have got a speeding trick to lay down ladies;
A French song and a fiddle has no fellow.

Sands. The devil fiddle 'em! I am glad they
are going,

For, sure, there's no converting of 'em now
An honest country lord, as I am, beaten

A long time out of play, may bring his plain-song
And have an hour of hearing; and, by'r lady,
Held current music too.

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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.

45. plain-song, simple melody, without variations.
55. churchman, ecclesiastic.

Sands. He may, my lord; 'has wherewithal:

in him

Sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine : бо Men of his way should be most liberal;

They are set here for examples.

Cham.

But few now give so great ones.

True, they are so;

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.

Sands.

I am your lordship's. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. A Hall in York Place.

Hautboys. A small table under a state for the CARDINAL, a longer table for the guests. Then enter ANNE BULLEN and divers other Ladies and Gentlemen as guests, at one door; at another door, enter SIR HENRY GUILDFORD.

Guild. Ladies, a general welcome from his grace

Salutes ye all;

this night he dedicates
To fair content and you: none here, he hopes,
In all this noble bevy, has brought with her
One care abroad; he would have all as merry

59. 'has, he has. Ff 'ha's.' 63. My barge stays. They are in the king's palace at Bridewell, and proceed thence down the river to York Place (Whitehall).

67. comptrollers, i.e. of the entertainment.

Sc. 4. By FLETCHER (Sp.). The account of Wolsey's banquet was ultimately derived from Cavendish's Life of Wolsey. The historical date was January 3, 1527.

under a siate, a canopied chair.

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As, first, good company, good wine, good wel

come,

Can make good people. O, my lord, you 're tardy:

Enter LORD CHAMBERLAIN, LORD SANDS, and
SIR THOMAS LOVELL.

The very thought of this fair company
Clapp'd wings to me.

Cham. You are young, Sir Harry Guildford.
Sands. Sir Thomas Lovell, 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 'em: 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 entering. Nay, you must not freeze;
Two women placed together makes cold weather:
My Lord Sands, you are one will keep 'em waking;
Pray, sit between these ladies.

Sands.

By my faith,

And thank your lordship. By your leave, sweet

ladies;

6. As, first, good company, etc., i.e. apart from the special matter of the mirth for which company, wine, and welcome

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provide the favouring conditions.

12. a running banquet, a hasty refreshment or dessert at the conclusion of a feast.

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