2 Gent. A royal train, believe me.-These I know; Who's that, that bears the scepter? 1 Gent. Marquis Dorset: And that the earl of Surrey, with the rod. 2 Gent. A bold brave gentleman: And that should be The duke of Suffolk. 1 Gent. 'Tis the same; high-steward. 2 Gent. And that my lord of Norfolk? 1 Gent. 2 Gent. Yes. Heaven bless thee! Looking on the Queen. Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on. Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel; Our king has all the Indies in his arms, And more, and richer, when he strains that lady: I cannot blame his conscience. 1 Gent. They, that bear The cloth of honour over her, are four barons Of the Cinque-ports. 2 Gent. Those men are happy; and so are all, are near her. I take it, she that carries up the train, Is that old noble lady, duchess of Norfolk. 1 Gent. It is; and all the rest are countesses. 2 Gent. Their coronets say so. These are stars, indeed; And, sometimes, falling ones. 1 Gent. No more of that. [Exit Procession, with a great flourish of Trumpets. Enter a third Gentleman. God save you, sir! Where have you been broiling? 3 Gent. Among the croud i'the abbey; where a finger VOL. VII. S Could not be wedg'd in more; and I am stifled Good sir, speak it to us. 3 Gent. As well as I am able. The rich stream As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest, 2 Gent. 8 press, But, 'pray, what follow'd? 3 Gent. At length her grace rose, and with mo dest paces Came to the altar; where she kneel'd, and, saint-like, Cast her fair eyes to heaven, and pray'd devoutly. Then rose again, and bow'd her to the people: When by the archbishop of Canterbury 8 like rams] That is, like battering rams. She had all the royal makings of a queen; The rod, and bird of peace, and all such emblems Sir, you 1 Gent. Must no more call it York-place, that is past: For, since the cardinal fell, that title's lost; 'Tis now the king's, and call'd-Whitehall. 3 Gent. I know it; But 'tis so lately alter'd, that the old name Is fresh about me. 2 Gent. What two reverend bishops Were those that went on each side of the queen? 3 Gent. Stokesly and Gardiner; the one, of Winchester, (Newly preferr'd from the king's secretary,) The other, London. 2 Gent. He of Winchester Is held no great good lover of the archbishop's, 3 Gent. All the land knows that: However, yet there's no great breach; when it comes, Cranmer will find a friend will not shrink from him. 2 Gent. Who may that be, I pray you? 3 Gent. Thomas Cromwell; A man in much esteem with the king, and truly A worthy friend.-The king Has made him master o'the jewel-house, And one, already, of the privy-council. 2 Gent. He will deserve more. 3 Gent. Yes, without all doubt. Come, gentlemen, ye shall go my way, which Is to the court, and there ye shall be my guests; Both. You may command us, sir. [Exeunt. SCENE II.9 Kimbolton. Enter KATHARINE, Dowager, sick; led between GRIFFITH and PATIENCE. Grif. How does your grace? Kath. O, Griffith, sick to death: My legs, like loaden branches, bow to the earth, Willing to leave their burden: Reach a chair;— So, now, methinks, I feel a little ease. Didst thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou led'st me, That the great child of honour, cardinal Wolsey, Was dead? Grif. Yes, madam; but, I think, your grace, Out of the pain you suffer'd, gave no ear to't. Kath. Pr'ythee, good Griffith, tell me how he died: If well, he stepp'd before me, happily,' For my example. Grif. Well, the voice goes, madam: For after the stout earl Northumberland Arrested him at York, and brought him forward 9 Scene II.] This scene is above any other part of Shakspeare's tragedies, and perhaps above any scene of any other poet, tender and pathetick, without gods, or furies, or poisons, or precipices, without the help of romantick circumstances, without improbable sallies of poetical lamentation, and without any throes of tumultuous misery. JOHNSON. 1 he stepp'd before me, happily, For my example.] Happily means on this occasion-fortunately. (As a man sorely tainted,) to his answer, He fell sick suddenly, and grew so ill, He could not sit his mule. Kath. Alas, poor man! Grif. At last, with easy roads, he came to Lodg'd in the abbey; where the reverend abbot, So went to bed: where eagerly his sickness 3 Of an unbounded stomach, ever ranking 2 with easy roads,] i. e. by short stages. Of an unbounded stomach,] i. e. of unbounded pride, haughtiness. one, that by suggestion Ty'd all the kingdom:] i. e. he was a man of an unbounded stomach, or pride, ranking himself with princes, and by suggestion to the King and the Pope, he ty'd, i. e. limited, circumscribed, and set bounds to the liberties and properties of all persons in the kingdom. |