Farewell nobility; let his grace go forward, Wol. Is poison to thy stomach. Sur. All goodness Yes, that goodness Of gleaning all the land's wealth into one, Into your own hands, cardinal, by extortion; The goodness of your intercepted packets, You writ to the pope, against the king: your goodness, Since you provoke me, shall be most notorious. My lord of Norfolk, as you are truly noble, As you respect the common good, the state Worse than the sacring bell', when the brown wench Lay kissing in your arms, lord cardinal. Wol. How much, methinks, I could despise this man, But that I am bound in charity against it! Nor. Those articles, my lord, are in the king's hand: But, thus much, they are foul ones. Wol. So much fairer, And spotless, shall mine innocence arise, When the king knows my truth. Sur. This cannot save you: I thank my memory, I yet remember • And dare us with his cap, like larks.] It is well known that the hat of a cardinal is scarlet; and that one of the methods of daring larks was by small mirrors fastened on scarlet cloth, which engaged the attention of these birds while the fowler drew his net over them. 7 Worse than the sacring bell,] The little bell which is rung to give notice of the Host approaching when it is carried in procession, as also in other offices of the Romish church, is called the sacring or consecration bell; from the French word, sacrer. Now, if you can blush, and cry guilty, cardinal, Wol. Speak on, sir; I dare your worst objections: if I blush, It is, to see a nobleman want manners. Sur. I'd rather want those, than my head. Have at you. First, that, without the king's assent, or knowledge, Nor. Then, that, in all you writ to Rome, or else Was still inscrib'd; in which you brought the king Suf. Sur. Item, you sent a large commission Suf. That, out of mere ambition, you have caus'd Sur. Then, that you have sent innumerable substance, (By what means got, I leave to your own conscience,) To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways You have for dignities; to the mere undoing9 Of all the kingdom. Many more there are; Which, since they are of you, and odious, I will not taint my mouth with. Cham. O my lord, s Your holy hat to be stamp'd on the king's coin.] This was certainly one of the articles exhibited against Wolsey, but rather with a view to swell the catalogue, than from any serious cause of accusation; inasmuch as the archbishops Cranmer, Bainbrigge, and Warham, were indulged with the same privilege. to the mere undoing-] Mere is absolute. Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: So little of his great self. Sur. My heart weeps to see him I forgive him. Suf. Lord cardinal, the king's further pleasure is, Out of the king's protection: - This is my charge. The king shall know it, and, no doubt, shall thank you. [Exeunt all but WOLSEY. Wol. So farewell to the little good you bear me. And then he falls, as I do. I have ventur'd, 1 of a præmunire,] It is almost unnecessary to observe that præmunire is a barbarous word used instead of præmonere. I feel my heart new open'd: O, how wretched Never to hope again. Enter CROMWELL, amazedly. Why, how now, Cromwell? What, amaz'd Crom. I have no power to speak, sir. Wol. At my misfortunes? can thy spirit wonder, Crom. Wol. How does your grace? Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell. A peace above all earthly dignities, Why, well; A still and quiet conscience. The king has cur'd me, A load would sink a navy, too much honour: Too heavy for a man that hopes for heaven. Crom. I am glad, your grace has made that right use of it. Wol. I hope, I have: I am able now, methinks, (Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,) 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. 2 and their ruin,] Their ruin is their displeasure, producing the downfall and ruin of him on whom it lights. Wol. God bless him! Crom. The next is, that sir Thomas More is chosen Lord chancellor in your place. 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, May have a tomb of orphan's tears wept on 'em! What more? Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with welcome, Wol. That's news indeed. Last, that the lady Anne, Whom the king hath in secrecy long married, Only about her coronation. 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; 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 him What, and how true thou art: he will advance thee; Some little memory of me will stir him, (I know his noble nature,) not to let Thy hopeful service perish too: Good Cromwell, 3 4 Crom. O my lord, in open,] i. e. in a place exposed on all sides to view'. |