The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady? A woman lost among ye, laugh'd at, scorn'd? I will not wish ye half my miseries,
I have more charity: But say, I warn'd ye; Take heed, for Heaven's sake take heed, lest at once The burden of my sorrows fall upon ye.
Wol. Madam, this is a mere distraction; You turn the good we offer into envy.
Q. Kath. Ye turn me into nothing: Wo upon ye, And all such false professors! Would ye have me you have any justice, any pity;
(If If ye be any thing but churchmen's habits,) Put my sick cause into his hands that hates me? Alas! he has banish'd me his bed already; His love, too long ago: I am old, my lords, And all the fellowship I hold now with him Is only my obedience. What can happen To me, above this wretchedness? all your studies Make me a curse like this.
Cam. Your fears are worse. Q. Kath. Have I liv'd thus long-(let me speak myself,
Since virtue finds no friends,)—a wife, a true one? A woman (I dare say, without vain-glory,) 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?1 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 pleasure; And to that woman, when she has done most, Yet will I add an honour,-a great patience. Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we
Q. Kath. My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty,
To give up willingly that noble title
Your master wed me to: nothing but death Shall e'er divorce my dignities. 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 way of our profession, is against it; We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow them. For goodness' sake, consider what you do ; How you may hurt yourself, ay, utterly Grow from the king's acquaintance, by this carriage. The hearts of princes kiss obedience, So much they love it; but to stubborn spirits, They swell, and grow as terrible as storms. I know, you have a gentle, noble temper, A soul as even as a calm: Pray, think us
With these weak women's fears. A noble spirit, As yours was put into you, ever casts Such doubts, as false coin, from it. The king loves you;
Beware, you lose it not: For us, if you please To trust us in your business, we are ready To use our utmost studies in your service.
Q. Kath. Do what ye will, my lords: And, pray, forgive me,
If I have us'd2 myself unmannerly: You know, I am a woman, lacking wit To make a seemly answer to such persons. Pray, do my service to his majesty:
He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers, While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers, Bestow your counsels on me: she now begs, That little thought, when she set footing here, She should have bought her dignities so dear.
SCENE II-Ante-chamber to the King's apartEnter the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain.
Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints, And forces them with a constancy, the cardinal Cannot stand under them: If you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise, But that you shall sustain more new disgraces, With these you bear already.
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. Suff. Which of the peers Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least Strangely neglected? when did he regard The stamp of nobleness in any person, Out of himself?
Cham. My lords, you speak your pleasures. What he deserves of you and me, I know; What we can do to him (though now the time Gives way to us,) I much fear. If you cannot Bar his access to the king, never attempt Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft Over the king in his tongue.
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. Sir,
I should be glad to hear such news as this Once every hour. Nor. Believe it, this is true. In the divorce, his contrary proceedings Are all unfolded; wherein he appears, As I could wish mine enemy. Sur.
His practices to light? Suff Sur.
O, how, how? Suff. The cardinal's letter to the pope miscarried, And came to the eye o'the king: wherein was read, How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness To stay the judgment o'the divorce: For if It did take place, I do, quoth he, perceive My king is tangled in affection to
Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and ser- A creature of the queen's, lady Anne Bullen.
Does whet his anger to him. Sur.
Lord, for thy justice!
Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's daughter,
To be her mistress' mistress! the queen's queen!-This candle burns not clear: 'tis I must snuff it; Then, out it goes.-What though I know her virtuous,
And well-deserving? yet I know her for
A spleeny Lutheran; and not wholesome to Our cause, that she should lie i'the bosom of Our hard-rul'd king. Again, there is sprung up A heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king, And is his oracle.
He is vex'd at something. Suff. I would, 'twere something that would fret the string,
The master-cord of his heart!
Enter the King, reading a Schedule 4 and Lovell. Suff The king, the king. K. Hen. What piles of wealth hath he accumu lated
To his own portion! and what expense by the hour 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 Stood here observing him: Some strange commotion Is 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; There is a mutiny in his mind. This morning, Papers of state he sent me to peruse, As I requir'd; And, wot you, what I found There; on my conscience, put unwittingly? Forsooth, an inventory, thus importing,The several parcels of his plate, his treasure, Rich stuffs, and ornaments of household; which I find at such proud rate, that it out-speaks Possession of a subject. It's Heaven's will; Some spirit put this paper in the packet, To bless your eye withal.
If he did think His contemplation were above the earth, And fix'd on spiritual object, he should still Dwell in his musings: but, I am afraid, His thinkings are below the moon, not worth His serious considering.
[He takes his seat, and whispers Lovell, whe goes to Wolsey. Heaven forgive me
Ever God bless your highness!
Good my lord, You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inven
You were now running o'er; you have scarce time || What appetite you have.
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.
For holy offices I have a time; a time To think upon the part of business, which I bear i'the state; and nature does require Her times of preservation, which, perforce, I her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal, Must give my tendance to.
K. Hen. You have said well. Wol. And ever may your highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well saying!
K. Hen. 'Tis well said again; And 'tis a kind of good deed, to say well: And yet words are no deeds. My father lov'd you: He said, he did; and with his deed did crown His word upon you. Since I had my office, I have kept you next my heart; have not alone Employ'd you where high profits might come 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. Have I not made you The prime man of the state? I pray you, tell me, 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, Shower'd on me daily, have been more, than could 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.
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 honour,
than any; so your hand, and heart, Your brain, and every function of your power, Should, notwithstanding that your bond of duty, As 'twere in love's particular, be more
To me, your friend, than any. Wol. I do profess, That for your highness' good I ever labour'd More than mine own; that am, have, and will be. Though all the world should crack their duty to you, And throw it from their soul: though perils did Abound, as thick as thought could make them, and Appear in forms more horrid; yet my duty, As doth the rock against the chiding flood, Should the approach of this wild river break, And stand unshaken yours. K. Hen. 'Tis nobly spoken: Take notice, lords, he has a loyal breast, For you have seen hi.. open't-Read o'er this; [Giving him papers. And, after, this: and then to breakfast, with
[Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wol- sey: the Nobles throng after him, smiling, and whispering.
Wol. What should this mean? What sudden anger's this? how have I reap'd it? He parted frowning from me, as if ruin Leap'd from his eyes: So looks the chafed lion Upon the daring huntsman that has gall'd him; Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper; I fear, the story of his anger.-'Tis so; This paper has undone me :-'Tis the account Of all that world of wealth I have drawn together For mine own ends; indeed, to gain the popedom, And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence, Fit for a fool to fall by! What cross devil Made me put this main secret in the packet, I sent the king? Is there no way to cure this? No new device to beat this from his brains? I know, 'twill stir him strongly; Yet I know A way, if it take right, in spite of fortune, Will bring me off again. What's this--To the Pope? The letter, as I live, with all the business I writ to his holiness. Nay then, farewell! I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness; And, from that full meridian of my glory, I haste now to my setting: I shall fall Like a bright exhalation in the evening, And no man see me more.
Re-enter the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain. Nor. Hear the king's pleasure, cardinal: who commands you
To render up the great seal presently Into our hands; and to confine yourself To Asher-house, my lord of Winchester's, Till you hear further from his highness.
Where's your commission, lords? words cannot carry Authority so weighty. Suff Who dare cross them? Bearing the king's will from his mouth expressly? Wol. Till I find more than will, or words, to do it (I mean, your malice,) know, officious lords, I dare, and must deny it. Now I feel
Of what coarse metal ye are moulded,―envy. How eagerly ye follow my disgraces,
As if it fed ye! and how sleek and wanton Ye appear in every thing may bring my ruin! Follow your envious courses, men of malice; You have Christian warrant for them, and, no doubt, In time will find their fit rewards. That seal, You ask with such a violence, the king (Mine, and your master,) with his own hand gave
Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours, During my life; and, to confirm his goodness, Tied it by letters patents: Now, who'll take it? Sur. The king, that gave it.
It must be himself then. Sur. Thou art a proud traitor, priest. Wol. Proud Jord, thou liest; Within these forty hours Surrey durst better Have burnt that tongue, than said so. Sur. Thy ambition, Thou scarlet sin, robb'd this bewailing land Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law: The heads of all thy brother cardinals, |(With thee, and all thy best parts bound together,) Weigh'd not a hair of his. Plague of your policy! You sent me deputy for Ireland;
Far from his succour, from the king, from all That might have mercy on the fault thou gav'st him; Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity, Absolv'd him with an axe.
Wol. This, and all else This talking lord can lay upon my credit, I answer, is most false. The duke by law Found his deserts; how innocent I was From any private malice in his end, His noble jury and foul cause can witness. If I lov'd many words, lord, I should tell you, You have as little honesty as honour; That I, in the way of loyalty and truth Toward the king, my ever royal master, Dare matel a sounder man than Surrey can be, And all that love his follies.
Sur. Your long coat, priest, protects you; thou should'st feel
My sword i'the life-blood of thee else.-My lords, Can ye endure to hear this arrogance? And from this fellow? If we live thus tamely, To be thus jaded2 by a piece of scarlet, Farewell nobility; let his grace go forward, And dare us with his cap, like larks.3
Is poison to thy stomach. Sur.
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 good-
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 Of our despis'd nobility, our issues, Who, if he live, will scarce be gentlemen,- Produce the grand sum of his sins, the articles Collected from his life :-I'll startle you Worse than the sacring bell, when the brown wench Lay kissing in your arms, lord cardinal. Wol. How much, methinks, I could despise this
Either of king or council, when you went Ambassador to the emperor, you made bold To carry into Flanders the great seal.
Sur. Item, you sent a large commission To Gregory de Cassalis, to conclude, Without the king's will, or the state's allowance, A league between his highness and Ferrara.
Suff. That, out of mere ambition, you have caus'd Your holy hat to be stamp'd on the king's coin. Sur. Then, that you have sent innumerable sub-
(By what means got, I leave to your own con science,)
To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways You have for dignities; to the mere1 undoing 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, Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue: His faults lie open to the laws; let them, Not you, correct him. My heart weeps to see him So little of his great self.
Sur. I forgive him. Suff. Lord cardinal, the king's further pleasure is, Because all those things, you have done of late By your power legatines within this kingdom, Fall into the compass of a pramunire,6——— That therefore such a writ be sued against you; To forfeit all your goods, lands, tenements, Chattels, and whatsoever, and to be Out of the king's protection :-This is my charge.
Nor. And so we'll leave you to your meditations How to live better. For your stubborn answer, About the giving back the great seal to us, The king shall know it, and, no doubt, shall thank you.
So fare you well, my little good lord cardinal. [Exeunt all but Wolsey.
Wol. So farewell to the little good you bear me Farewell, a long farewell, to all my greatness! This is the state of man; To-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hope, to-morrow blossoms, And bears his blushing honours thick upon him: The third day, comes a frost, a killing frost; And, when he thinks, good easy man, full surely His greatness is a ripening,-nips his root, And then he falls, as I do. I have ventur'd, Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders, So much fairer, This many summers in a sea of glory;
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. And spotless, shall mine innocence arise, When the king knows my truth. Sur.
This cannot save you: I thank my memory, I yet remember Some of these articles; and out they shall. Now, if you can, blush, and cry guilty, cardinal, You'll show a little honesty.
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, You wrought to be a legate; by which power You maim'd the jurisdiction of all bishops.
Nor. Then, that, in all you writ to Rome, or else To foreign princes, Ego et Rex meus
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride At length broke under me; and now has left me, Weary, and old with service, to the mercy Of a rude stream, that must for ever hide me. Vain pomp, and glory of this world, I hate ye; I feel my heart new open'd: O, how wretched Is that poor man, that hangs on princes' favours! There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to, 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, Never to hope again.-
Enter Cromwell, amazedly.
Why, how now, Cromwell: Crom. I have no power to speak, sir. Wol. What, amaz'd
Was still inscrib'd; in which you brought the king|| At my misfortunes? can thy spirit wonder, To be your servant.
great man should decline? Nay, an you weep, I am fallen indeed. Crom.
Wol. Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell. I know myself now; and I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities,
A still and quiet conscience. The king has cur'd me, Ihumbly thank his grace; and from these shoulders, These ruin'd pillars, out of pity, taken
A load would sink a navy, too much honour : O, 'tis a burden, Cromwell, 'tis a burden, Too heavy for a man that hopes for heaven. Crom. I am glad, your grace has made that right
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. 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 orphans' tears! wept on 'em! What more?
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition; By that sin fell the angels, how can man then, The image of his Maker, hope to win by't? Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate thee;
Corruption wins not more than honesty. Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,
To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not: Let all the ends, thou aim'st at, be thy country's, Thy God's, and truth's; then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell,
Thou fall'st a blessed martyr. Serve the king; || And,-pr'ythee, lead me in:
There take an inventory of all I have, To the last penny: 'tis the king's: my robe, And my integrity to heaven, is all
I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell Had I but serv'd my God with half the zeal I serv'd my king, he would not in mine age Have left me naked to mine enemies. Crom. Good sir, have patience. Wol.
So I have. Farewell The hopes of court! my hopes in heaven do dwell. [Exeunt
Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with welcome, SCENE I-A street in Westminster. Enter Install'd lord archbishop of Canterbury.
Wol. That's news, indeed. Crom. Last, that the lady Anne, Whom the king hath in secrecy long married, This day was view'd in open, as his queen, Going to chapel; and the voice is now Only about her coronation.
Wol. There was the weight that pull'd me down.
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, Neglect him not; make use2 now, and provide For thine own future safety. Crom. O my lord, Must I then leave you? Must I needs forego So good, so noble, and so true a master? Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron, With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord.- The king shall have my service; but my prayers For ever, and for ever, shall be yours.
two Gentlemen, meeting.
1 Gent. You are well met once again. 2 Gent.
1 Gent. You come to take your stand here, and behold
The lady Anne pass from her coronation?
2 Gent. 'Tis all my business. At our last en- counter,
The duke of Buckingham came from his trial. 1 Gent. 'Tis very true: but that time offered
I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds; As, let them have their rights, they are ever forward In celebration of this day with shows, Pageants, and sights of honour. 1 Gent.
Never greater, Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir. 2 Gent. May I be bold to ask what that contains, That paper in your hand?
1 Gent. Yes; 'tis the list Of those, that claim their offices this day, By custom of the coronation.
The duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims To be high steward; next, the duke of Norfolk, He to be earl-marshal; you may read the rest.
2 Gent. I thank you, sir; had I not known those customs,
Wol. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear In all my miseries; but thou hast forc'd me Out of thy honest truth to play the woman. Let's dry our eyes: and thus far hear me, Cromwell; And,-when I am forgotten, as I shall be; And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention Of me more must be heard of,-say, I taught thee. Say, Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory, And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour,-She oft was cited by them, but appear'd not:
I should have been beholden to your paper. But, I beseech you, what's become of Katharine, The princess dowager? how goes her business?
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in; A sure and safe one, though thy master miss'd it. Mark but my fall, and that that ruin'd me.
(1) The chancellor is the guardian of orphans.
1 Gent. That I can tell you too. The archbishop Of Canterbury, accompanied with other Learned and reverend fathers of his order, Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off From Ampthill, where the princess lay; to which
And, to be short, for not appearance, and The king's late scruple, by the main assent Of all these learned men she was divorc'd, (2) Interest.
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