sympathy; and that although there are some beautiful lines in the dialogue,* the beauty is not sufficient to overcome the disgust excited by a recollection of the guilt of the parties. I agree, however, with Mrs. Jameson, in ascribing this scene to Shakspeare.

The lovers are interrupted by Vaux, who thus announces the approaching death of Cardinal Beaufort:

"The Cardinal Beaufort is at point of death;

For suddenly a grievous sickness took him,
That makes him gasp and stare, and catch the air,
Blaspheming God, and cursing men on earth.
Sometime he talks as if Duke Humphrey's ghost
Were by his side; sometime he calls the King,
And whispers to his pillow, as to him,
The secrets of his over-charged soul."

*She cites from the Queen

"Go, speak not to me; even now begone.

O, go not yet!—Even thus two friends, condemn'd,
Embrace, and kiss, and take ten thousand leaves,
Loather a hundred times to part than die.

Yet, now farewell; and farewell life with thee!"
And Suffolk's-

""Tis not the land I care for, wert thou hence;
A wilderness is populous enough,

So Suffolk had thy heavenly company:
For where thou art, there is the world itself,
With every several pleasure in the world;

And where thou art not, desolation!"-Charact. ii, 252

And we are thus introduced to the most celebrated scene in the play, in which may still more confidently be recognised the hand of Shakspeare.

"K. Henry. How fares my lord? Speak, Beaufort, to thy sovereign.

Card. If thou be'st death, I'll give thee England's

treasure,

Enough to purchase such another island,

So thou wilt let me live, and feel no pain.

K. Henry. Ah! what a sign it is of evil life, When death's approach is seen so terrible!

Warw. Beaufort, it is thy sovereign speaks to thee. Card. Bring me unto my trial when you will. Died he not in his bed? Where should he die? Can I make men live, whe'r they will or no? O torture me no more, I will confess.Alive again? Then show me where he is; I'll give a thousand pound to look upon him.He hath no eyes, the dust hath blinded them. Comb down his hair; look! look! it stands upright, Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul! Give me some drink; and bid the apothecary Bring the strong poison that I bought of him.

K. Henry. O thou eternal Mover of the heavens, Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch!

O, beat away the busy meddling fiend,

That lays strong siege unto this wretch's soul,
And from his bosom purge this black despair!

Warw. See how the pangs of death do make him grin!

Salisb. Disturb him not, let him pass peaceably.

K. Henry. Peace to his soul, if God's good pleasure

be!

Lord Cardinal, if thou thinkʼst on heaven's bliss,
Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope.-
He dies, and makes no sign; O God, forgive him!
Warw. So bad a death argues a monstrous life.
K. Henry. Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.
Close up his eyes, and draw the curtain close,
And let us all to meditation."*

This scene has stamped the name of Beaufort with the character of profligate and murderer: and as if the poet's art were not sufficient, the sister art has been called in aid; Reynolds has done nearly as much as Shakspeare to immortalise the dying agonies of the Cardinal.+ But, when they

"This is one of the scenes which have been applauded by the critics, and which will continue to be admired when prejudices shall cease, and bigotry give way to impartial examination. These are beauties that rise out of nature and of truth; the superficial reader cannot miss them, the profound can imagine nothing beyond them."-Johnson's note, in Bosw., 279.

+ This picture was in the possession of the late Earl of Egremont. It is a powerful, but necessarily unpleasing piece; objections have justly been made to the introduction of the Evil Spirit in person. I suspect that was suggested by a line in Henry's speech.

pourtray historical subjects, the poet and the painter must submit to historical criticism. Holin

shed says

"During these doings (1448) Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, and called the rich Cardinal, departed out of this world, and was buried at Westminster. He was son to John Duke of Lancaster, descended of an honourable lineage, but born in haste; more noble in blood than notable in learning; haughty in stomach, and high in countenance; rich above measure, but not very liberal; disdainful to his kin, and dreadful to his lovers; preferring money before friendship; many things beginning and few performing, saving in malice and mischief; his insatiable covetousness and hope of long life made him both to forget God, his prince, and himself. Of the getting of his goods, both by power legantine and spiritual bribery, I will not speak; but the keeping of them, which he chiefly gathered for ambitious purpose, was both loss to his natural prince and native country: for his hidden riches might have well holpen the King, and his secret treasure might have relieved the commonalty when money was scant and charges great. Of this Catholic clerk such were the deeds, that with King and each estate else (saith Polidor) the lighter was the loss, because, as for his hat, he was a prelate proud enough, so for a bishop was there a better soon set in his room.' ""*

* Hol., 212.

Hall, whom Holinshed has not in this instance copied so servilely as usual, goes further towards justifying one remarkable passage in the play—

"John Baker, his privy counsellor and his chaplain, wrote, that he, lying on his death-bed, said these words : Why should I die having so much riches? if the whole realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it, or by riches to buy it. Fie! will not death be hired, nor will money do nothing? When my nephew of Bedford died, I thought myself half up the whole, but when I saw my other nephew of Gloucester deceased, then I thought myself able to be equal with kings, and so thought to increase my treasure in hope to have worn a triple crown.””*

I know not where John Baker's account is to. be found. This passage was probably the origin of the passage in Shakspeare, or rather in "the Contention," in which Beaufort raves about purchasing life. But if the authority of John Baker, who does not spare his master, is good for anything, it is good for negativing the delirious confession of Gloucester's murder-for which confession, indeed, or even for the imputation of murder, I find no authority anywhere; nor has Whethamstede, Hardyng, or even Fabyan, a word about the deathbed, or any character of the Cardinal. The monk

* Hall, 210. Lingard (p. 124) reasonably questions the probability of this project in a man of eighty. Had it been entertained, we should probably have heard of it elsewhere.