Between the king and you; and to deliver, Like free and honest men, our just opinions, And comforts to your cause. Cam. Most honour'd madam, My lord of York,-out of his noble nature, Zeal and obedience he still bore your grace; Forgetting, like a good man, your late censure Both of his truth and him, (which was too Offers, as I do, in a sign of peace, [far,) His service and his counsel. Q. Kath. To betray me. [Aside. My lords, I thank you for both your good wills, Ye speak like honest men, (pray God, ye prove so!) But how to make you suddenly an answer, In such a point of weight, so near mine honour, (More near my life, I fear,, with my weak wit, Either for such men, or such business. Wol. Madam, you wrong the king's love with these fears; Your hopes and friends are infinite. But little for my profit: Can you think, lords, [est,) (Though he be grown so desperate to be honAnd live a subject? Nay, forsooth, my friends, They that must weigh out my afflictions, They that my trust must grow to, live not here; They are, as all my other comforts, far hence, In mine own country, lords. Cum. I would, your grace Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel. Q. Kath. How, Sir? Cam. Put your main cause into the king's protection; [much He's loving, and most gracious; 'twill be Both for your honour better, and your cause; For, if the trial of the law o'ertake you, You'll part away disgrac'd. Wol. He tells you rightly. Q. Kath. Ye tell me what, ye wish for both, my ruin; Is this your Christian counsel? out upon ye! Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge, That no king can corrupt. Cum. Your rage mistakes us. Q. Kath. The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye, Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues: The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady? I have more charity: But say, I warn'd ye; Alas! he has banish'd me his bed already; Cam. Your fears are worse. Q. Kath. Have I liv'd thus long-(let me speak myself, [one! Since virtue finds no friends,)-—a wife, a true A woman (I dare say, without vainglory,) Never yet branded with suspicion? Have I with all my full affections Still met the king? lov'd him next heaven? obey'd him? Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him? Almost forgot my prayers to content him? And am I thus rewarded? 'tis not well, lords. Bring me a constant woman to her husband, One that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his plea Wol. 'Pray, hear me. Q. Kath. 'Would I had never trod this English earth, Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it! Ye have angels' faces, but heaven knows your hearts. What will become of me now, wretched lady? I am the most unhappy woman living.Alas! poor wenches, where are now your fortunes? [To her Women. Shipwreck'd upon a kingdom, where no pity, No friends, no hope; no kindred weep for me, Almost no grave allow'd me:-Like the lily, That once was mistress of the field, and flourish'd, I'll hang my head, and perish. Wol. If your grace Could but be brought to know, our ends are honest, You'd feel more comfort: why should we, good lady, Upon what cause, wrong you? alas! our places, The hearts of princes kiss obedience, servants. Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your virtues [spirit, With these weak women's fears. A noble Served him with superstitious attention Sur. I am joyful To meet the least occasion, that may give me Remembrance of my father-in-law, the duke, To be reveng'd on him. Suf. Which of the peers Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least Cham. My lords, you speak your pleasures: Nor. O, fear him not; His spell in that is out: the king hath found Matter against him, that for ever mars The honey of his language. No, he's settled, Not to come off, in his displeasure. Sur. Sir, Sur. 'Would he had! [lord! Suf. May you be happy in your wish, my For, I profess, you have it. Sur. Now all my joy Trace the conjunction! Suf. My amen to't! Nor. All men's. Suf. There's order given for her coronation: Sur. But, will the king Nor. Marry, amen! There be more wasps that buz about his nose, Is stolen away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave; Cham. Now, God incense him, When returns Cranmer? Suf. He is return'd, in his opinions; which Have satisfied the king for his divorce, Together with all famous colleges Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe, His second marriage shall be publish'd, and Her coronation. Katharine no more Shall be call'd, queen; but princess dowager, And widow to prince Arthur. Nor. This same Cranmer's A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain Suf. He has; and we shall see him Nor. So I hear. Suf. 'Tis so. The cardinal + Enforce. * Follow. + Made memor.dc. Nor. He's discontented. Suf. May be, he hears the king Does whet his anger to him. Sur. Sharp enough, Lord, for thy justice! of Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's daughter, To be her mistress mistress! the queen's And well-deserving? yet I know her for Nor. He is vex'd at something. Of your best graces in your mind; the which You were now running o'er; you have scares time To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span, To keep your earthly audit: sure, in that I deem you an ill husband; and am glad To have you therein my companion. Wol. Sir, For holy offices I have a time; a time K. Hen. You have said well. Wol. And ever may your highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well K. Hen. "Tis well said again; you: He said, he did; and with his deed did crown Suf. I would, 'twere something that would Employ'd you where high profits might come fret the string, The master-cord of his heart! Enter the KING, reading a Schedule;* and Suf. The king, the king. 1 K. Hen. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated [hour To his own portion! and what expense by the Seems to flow from him! How, i' the name of thrift, Does he rake this together!-Now, my lords; Saw you the cardinal? Nor. My lord, we have [motion Stood here observing him: Some strange comIs in his brain: he bites his lip, and starts; Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground, Then, lays his finger on his temple; straight, Springs out into fast gait; then, stops again, Strikes his breast hard; and anon, he casts His eye against the moon: in most strange postures We have seen him set himself. K. Hen. It may well be; Nor. It's heaven's will; K. Hen. If we did think His contemplation were above the earth, [He takes his seat, and whispers LOVELL, Wol. Heaven forgive me! Ever God bless your highness! home, But par'd my present havings, to bestow My bounties upon you. Wol. What should this mean? Sur. The Lord increase this business! [Aside. [me. K. Hen. Have I not made you The prime man of the state? I pray you, tell If what I now pronounce, you have found true: And, if you may confess it, say withal, If you are bound to us, or no. What say you? Wol. My sovereign, I confess, your royal graces, [could Shower'd on me daily, have been more, than My studied purposes requite; which went Beyond all man's endeavours:-my endeavours Have ever come too short of my desires, Yet, fil'd with my abilities: Mine own ends Have been mine so, that evermore they pointed To the good of your most sacred person, and The profit of the state. For your great graces Heap'd upon me, poor undeserver, I Can nothing render but allegiant thanks; My prayers to heaven for you; my loyalty, Which ever has, and ever shall be growing, Till death, that winter, kill it. K. Hen. Fairly answer'd; A loyal and obedient subject is Therein illustrated; The honour of it Does pay the act of it; as, i' the contrary, The foulness is the punishment. I presume, That, as my hand has open'd bounty to you, My heart dropp'd love, my power rain'd hon our, more On you, than any; so your hand, and heart, Your brain, and every function of your power, Should, notwithstanding that your bond of As 'twere in love's particular, be more [duty, To me, your friend, than any. Wol. I do profess. That for yourhighness' good I ever labour'd More than mine own; that am, have, and will be. [to you, Though all the world should crack their duty And throw it from their soul: though perils did Abound, as thick as thought could make them, and You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the Appear in forms more horrid; yet my duty, As doth a rock against the chiding flood, Should the approach of this wild river break, And stand unshaken yours. K. Hen. "Tis nobly spoken: [Exit KING, frowning upon Cardinal lion Upon the daring huntsman that has gall'd him; Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper; Sur. Thou art a proud traitor, priest. Sur. Thy ambition, Thou scarlet sin, robb'd this bewailing land Weigh'd not a hair of his. Plague of your po- Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity, Wol. This, and all else This talking lord can lay upon my credit, I fear, the story of his anger.-'Tis so; The letter, as I live, with all the business And, from that full meridian of my glory, Re-enter the Dukes of NORFOLK, and SUFFOLk, LAIN. Nor. Hear the king's pleasure, cardinal: To render up the great seal presently Where's your commission, lords? words can- Suf. Who dare cross them? [pressly? (I mean, your malice,) know, officious lords, In time will find their fit rewards. That seal, Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours, * Esher in Surrey Sur. By my soul, Your long coat, priest, protects you; thou My sword i'the life-blood of thee else.-My Is poison to thy stomach. Sur. Yes, that goodness Of gleaning all the land's wealth into one, goodness, Since you provoke me, shall be most noto- Lay kissing in your arms, lord cardinal. this man, But that I am bound in charity against it! But, thus much, they are foul ones. And spotless, shall mine innocence arise, Sur. This cannot save you: I thank my memory, I yet remember Wol. Speak on, Sir: I dare your worst objections: if I blush, Sur. I forgive him. [him Suf. Lord cardinal, the king's further pleasure is, Because all those things, you have done of late How to live better. For your stubborn answer, That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin, More pangs and fears than wars or women have; And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, Enter CROMWELL, amazedly. At my misfortunes? can thy spirit wonder, Crom. How does your grace? Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell. These ruin'd pillars, out of pity, taken Wol. I hope, I have: I am able now, me (Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,) [thinks, To endure more miseries, and greater far, Than my weak-hearted enemies dare offer. What news abroad? Crom. The heaviest, and the worst, Is your displeasure with the king. Wol. God bless him! Crom. The next is, that Sir Thomas More is Lord chancellor in your place. [chosen Wol. That's somewhat sudden : But he's a learned man. May he continue Long in his highness' favour, and do justice For truth's sake, and his conscience; that his bones, When he has run his course, and sleeps in blessings, Cem May have a tomb of orphan's tears* wept on What more? Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with wel come, Install'd lord archbishop of Canterbury. Crom. Last, that the lady Anne, Wol. There was the weight that pull'd me down. O Cromwell, The king has gone beyond me, all my glories In that one woman I have lost for ever: No sun shall ever usher forth mine honours, Or gild again the noble troops that waited Upon my smiles. Go, get thee from me, Cromwell; him I am a poor fallen man, unworthy now To be thy lord and master: Seek the king; That sun, I pray, may never set! I have told [thee; What, and how true thou art: he will advance Some little memory of me will stir him, (I know his noble nature,) not to let Thy hopeful service perish too: Good Cromwell, Neglect him not; make uset now, and provide For thine own future safety. * The chancellor is the guardian of orphans. + Interest. |