Surrey, bearing the rod of filver with the dove, crown'd with an Earl's coronet. Collars of SS. 7. Duke of Suffolk in his robe of state, his coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as High Steward. With him the Duke of Norfolk, with the rod of MarShalfhip, a coronet on his head. Collars of SS. 8. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports, under it the Queen in her robe; in her hair richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each fide her the Bifbops of London and Winchefter.

9. The old Duchefs of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen's train. 10. Certain Ladies or Counteffes, with plain circlets of gold without flowers.

They pafs over the fiage in order and ftate, and then exeunt, with a great flourish of trumpets

2 Gen. A royal train, believe me; thefe I know. Who's that who bears the fceptre ?

1 Gen. Marquis Dorfet.

And that the Earl of Surrey with the rod.

2 Gen. A bold brave gentleman. The next fhould be The Duke of Suffolk.

1 Gen. 'Tis the fame: High Steward.

2 Gen. And that my Lord of Norfolk. 1 Gen. Yes.

2 Gen. Heav'n bless thee!

Thou haft the fweetest face I ever look'd on.

Sir, as I have a foul, fhe is an angel;

Our King has all the Indies in his arms,

And more and richer, when he ftrains that lady.
I cannot blame his confcience.

1 Gen. They that bear

The cloth of itate above her, are four Barons

Of the Cinque-ports.

2 Gen. Those men are happy; fo are all are near her.

I take it, he that carries up the train,

Is that old Noble Lady the Duchefs of Norfolk. " 1 Gen. It is, and all the reft are counteffes.

2 Gen. Their coronets fay fo. These are fars indeed; And fometimes falling ones.

1 Gen. No more of that.

Enter

Enter a third Gentleman.

God fave you, Sir! Say, where have you been broiling?
3 Gen. Among the croud i' th'abbey, where a finger
Could not be wedg'd in more; and I am stifled
With the mere rankness of their joy.

2 Gen. You faw the ceremony?

3 Gen. I did.

1 Gen. How was it?

3 Gen. Well worth the feeing.

2 Gen. Good Sir, fpeak it to us.

3

Gen. As well as I am able.

The rich stream

Of Lords and Ladies, having brought the Queen
To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell off

A diftance from her; while her Grace fat down
To reft a while, fome half an hour, or fo,
In a rich chair of ftate, oppofing freely
The beauty of her perfon to the people;
(Believe me, Sir, the is the goodlieft woman
That ever lay by man); which when the people
Had the full view of, fuch a noife arofe

As the throuds make at fea in a stiff tempeft;
As loud, and to as many tunes. Hats, cloaks,

Doublets, I think, flew up; and had their faces
Been loofe, this day they had been left. Such joy
I never faw before. Great-belly'd women,
That had not half a week to go, like rans
In the old time of war, would shake the prefs,
And make it reel before 'em. No man living
Could fay, This is my wife there, all were woven
So ftrangely in one piece.

2 Gen. But pray what follow'd?

3 Gen. At length her Grace rofe, and with modeft

paces

2

Came to the altar, where the kneel'd; and, faint-like,
Caft her fair eyes to heav'n, and pray'd devoutly:
Then rofe again, and bow'd her to the people:
When by the Archbishop of Canterbury;
Sh' had all the royal makings of a Queen:
As holy oil, Edward Confeilor's crown,
The rod, and bird of peace, and all fuch emblems
Laid nobly on her: which perform'd, the choir,

With

With all the choiceft mufic of the kingdom,
Together fung Te Deum. So fhe parted,
And with the fame full state pace'd back again DIG
To York-place, where the feait is held.

1 Gen. You must no more call it York-place, that's For fince the Cardinal fell, that title's loft ; [past. 'Tis now the King's, and call'd Whitehall.

3 Gen. I know it:

But 'tis fo lately alter'd, that the old name
Is fresh about me.

2 Gen. What two reverend bishops

Were thofe that went on each fide of the Queen?

3 Gen. Stokely and Gardiner; the one of Winchester, Newly preferr'd from the King's Secretary; The other, London.

2 Gen. He of Winchester

Is held no great good lover of th' Archbishop,
The virtuous Cranmer.

3 Gen. All the land knows that:

However, yet there's no great breach; when't comes, Cranmer will find a friend will not fhrink from him. 2 Gen. Who may that be, I pray you?

3 Gen. Thomas Cromwell,

A man in much esteem with th' King, and truly
A worthy friend. The King has made him
Mafter o' th' jewel-house,

And one, already, of the privy-council.

2 Gen. He will deferve more.

3 Gen. Yes, without all doubt.

Come, Gentlemen, you fhall both go my way, Which is to the court, and there fhall be my guests: Something I can command; as I walk thither,

I'll tell you more.

Both. You may command us, Sir.

SCENE II Changes to Kimbolton.

Enter Catharine dowager, fick, led between Griffith her Gentleman-Ufer, and Patience her woman.

Grif. How does your Grace Po 2
Cath. O Griffith, fick to death:

My legs, like loaded branches, bow to th' earth,

Willing

Willing to leave their burden. Reach a chair-
So now methinks I feel a little eafe. [Sitting down.
Did thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou led'st me,
That the great child of honour, Cardinal Wolfey,
Was dead?

Grif. Yes, Madam; but I think your Grace,
Out of the pain you fuffer'd, gave no ear to't.
Cath. Pr'ythee, good Griffith, tell me how he dy'd,
If well, he ftept before me happily,

For my example.

Grif. Well, the voice goes, Madam.

For after the ftout Earl of Northumberland

Arrested him at York, and brought him forward (As a man forely tainted) to his antwer,

He fell fick fuddenly, and grew fo ill

He could not fit his mule.

Cath. Alas, poor man!

Grif. At laft, with easy roads he came to Leicester;
Lodg'd in the abbey, where the Rev'rend Abbot,
With all his convent, honourably receiv'd him ;
To whom he gave these words, O Father Abbot,
An old man, broken with the ftorms of state,
• Is come to lay his weary bones among ye;
Give him a little earth for charity!'

So went to bed; where eagerly his fickness
Purfu'd him still, and three nights after this,
About the hour of eight, (which he himself
Foretold should be his laft), full of repentance,
Continual meditations, tears, and forrows,

He

gave his honours to the world again,

His blefled part to heav'n, and flept in peace.

Cath," So may he reft, his faults lie gently on him! "Yet thus far, Griffith, give me leave to speak him; "And yet with charity. He was a man

"Of an unbounded stomach; ever ranking

"Himself with princes: one that, by fuggeftion,

*

Ty'd all the kingdom: fimony was fair play: "His own opinion was his law. I' th' prefence

He would fay untruths, and be ever double "Both in his words and meaning. He was never,

* i. e. inflaved.

"But

"But where he meant to ruin, pitiful.

"His promifes were, as he then was, mighty;
"But his performance, as he now is, nothing.
"Of his own body he was ill *,
*. and gave

"The clergy ill example."

Grif. Noble Madam,

Men's evil manners live in brafs, their virtues
We write in water. May it pleafe your Highness.
To hear me fpeak his good now?

Cath. Yes, good Griffith,

'I were malicious elfe.

Grif. This Cardinal,

Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly
Was fashion'd to much honour from his cradle.
He was a fcholar, and a ripe and good one;
Exceeding wife, fair fpoken, and perfuading;
Lofty and four to them that lov'd him not;
But to thofe men that fought him, fweet as fummer.
And though he were unfatisfy'd in getting,
(Which was a fin); yet in beftowing, Madam,
He was mot princely. Ever witnefs for him.
Thofe twins of learning that he rais'd in you,
Ipfwich and Oxford! one of which fell with him,
Unwilling to outlive the good he did it:
The other, though unfinith'd, yet fo famous,
So excellent in art, and fill fo rising,
That Christendom fhall ever fpeak his virtue.
His overthrow heap'd happiness upon him
For then, and not till then, he felt himself,
And found the bleffedness of being little:
And to add greater honours to his age

Than man could give him, he dy'd fearing God.
Gath. After my death I with no other herald,
No other fpeaker of my living actions,
To keep mine honour from corruption,
But fuch an honeft chronicler as Griffith.

Whom I most hated living, thou haft made me,
With thy religious truth and modelty,

Now in his afhes honour. Peace be with him!
Patience, be near me ftill, and fet me lower.
I have not long to trouble thee. Good Griffith, j

* i. e. he abufed his body by intemperance and luxury. +

2

Caufe