reason, his master would be serv'd before a subject, if not before the King; which stopp'd our mouths, sir." I fear he will, indeed. Well, let him have them : He will have all, I think.

Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.

Nor. Well met, my Lord Chamberlain.
Cham. Good day to both your Graces.
Suffolk. How is the King employ'd?
Cham.

Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

Nor.

I left him private,

What's the cause?

This is the Cardinal's doing, the King-Cardinal :
That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,
Turns what he list. The King will know him one

day.

Suf. Pray God he do: he'll never know himself else. Nor. How holily he works in all his business, And with what zeal! for, now he has crack'd the league Between us and the Emperor, the Queen's great nephew,

He dives into the King's soul, and there scatters

12 [Enter... SUFFOLK.] This Duke of Suffolk is Charles Brandon, son of Sir William Brandon, who was Henry VII.'s standard bearer at Bosworth Field, where he fell. The Duke married Henry VIII.'s younger sister, the

10

20

Queen Dowager of France, whose favoured lover he had been before her sale to the French King Louis XII. (w)

21 blind. Fortune is reputed blind, and so the epithet is applied to Wolsey. (R)

Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,

Fears and despairs, and all these for his marriage :

And, out of all these, to restore the King,
He counsels a divorce: a loss of her,
That like a jewel has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never lost her lustre ;
Of her that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her
That when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
Will bless the King. And is not this course pious?
Cham. Heaven keep me from such counsel! "Tis

most true,

These news are every where; every tongue speaks 'em,
And every true heart weeps for 't. All that dare
Look into these affairs, see this main end, -
The French King's sister. Heaven will one day open
The King's eyes, that so long have slept upon
This bold bad man.

Suf.

-And free us from his slavery.

Nor. We had need pray,

And heartily, for our deliverance,

Or this imperious man will work us all
From princes into pages. All men's honours
Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd
Into what pitch he please.

Suf.

For me, my lords,

I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed.

82 like a jewel. Cf. 1. 143 below, So sweet a bedfellow. The poet is very sympathetic in his portrayal of the Queen. She was eight years older than the King, and had been contracted to his older brother. Upon the death of the latter Henry, with

30

40

50

some reluctance, was married to her.

42 The French King's sister. The celebrated Margaret of Navarre. Cf. below, III. ii. 86. (R)

50 pitch, height. Theobald suggested batch. Cf. lump, 1. 49. (R)

As I am made without him, so I'll stand,

If the King please: his curses and his blessings
Touch me alike; they're breath I not believe in.
I knew him and I know him; so I leave him

To him that made him proud, the Pope.

Nor.

And with some other business put the King

Let's in,

From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon

him.

My Lord, you'll bear us company?

Cham.

Excuse me;

60

The King hath sent me other-where: besides,
You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him.

Health to your lordships.

Nor.

Thanks, my good Lord Chamberlain. [Exit Lord Chamberlain.

NORFOLK opens a folding-door. The King is discovered

sitting, and reading pensively.

How sad he looks: sure, he is much afflicted.

Suf.
K. Hen.

Nor.

Who is there, ha ?

Pray God he be not angry.

K. Hen. Who's there, I say? How dare you thrust

yourselves

Into my private meditations?

Who am I? ha!

Nor. A gracious king, that pardons all offences
Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty this way
Is business of estate; in which we come
To know your royal pleasure.

62 [The King is discovered sitting, &c.] The stage-direction of the folio, conforming to the simple arrangements of our early stage,

is

70

The King drawes the curtaine and sits reading pensiuely. (w)

64 ha, a favourite exclamation with Henry. Cf. III. ii. 61. (R)

K. Hen.

Ye are too bold.

Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business :

Is this an hour for temporal affairs, ha?

Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS.

Who's there? my good Lord Cardinal? — O, my Wolsey,

The quiet of my wounded conscience;

Thou art a cure fit for a king. - You 're welcome,

[TO CAMPEIUS.

Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom:

Use us and it. [To WOLSEY.] My good lord, have

great care

I be not found a talker.

Wol.

Sir, you cannot.

I would your Grace would give us but an hour

Of private conference.

K. Hen. [To NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.]

busy: go.

Nor. This priest has no pride in him.

Suf.

We are

Not to speak of;

Aside,

as they

retire

I would not be so sick though for his place:
But this cannot continue.

If it do,

I another.

I'll venture one have-at-him.

Nor.

Suf.

[Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFolk.

Wol. Your Grace has given a precedent of wisdom

Above all princes, in committing freely

Your scruple to the voice of Christendom.

88 so sick though. Johnson, cited by Rolfe, explains, "so sick as he is proud." (R)

85 one have-at-him, i. e. assault. The first folio, one; have at him;

80

the later folios, one heave at him. A frequent expression in this play. Cf. III. ii. 309; V. iii. 113, have at you. (R)

Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?
The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the clerks,

I mean the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms
Have their free voices. Rome, the nurse of judgment,
Invited by your noble self, hath sent

One general tongue unto us, this good man,

This just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius;
Whom once more I present unto your Highness.

K. Hen. And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,
And thank the holy conclave for their loves :
They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd for.
Campeius. Your Grace must needs deserve all

strangers' loves,

You are so noble. To your Highness' hand

I tender my commission; by whose virtue
(The Court of Rome commanding) you, my Lord
Cardinal of York, are join'd with me, their servant,
In the unpartial judging of this business.

K. Hen. Two equal men.

acquainted

Forthwith for what you come.

89 envy, malice. (R)

90 The Spaniard, i. e. the Spanish King and Court. (R)

92 clerks, clergy. (R)

94 Have. White read Gave, supporting it by the following: "The folio, by an easy misprint, Have, which has been retained in all editions hitherto. But we know that nearly all the learned clerks in Christian kingdoms Gave their free voices for Henry's divorce (the decisions of eight

The Queen shall be

Where's Gardiner ?

100

continental faculties of law and divinity to that effect, are given in Hall's Chronicle); and therefore Wolsey may well say, Who can be angry now?" It seems, however, that Wolsey is thinking rather of the trial that is to come than of the opinions already rendered. (R)

100 holy conclave, i. e. College of Cardinals. (R)

108 equal, impartial. (R)