We come not by the way of accusation,

To taint that honour every good tongue blesses;
Nor to betray you any way to sorrow;
You have too much, good lady but to know
How you stand minded in the weighty difference
Between the king and you; and to deliver,
Like free and honest men, our just opinions,
And comforts to your cause.

Cam.

Most honoured 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 far,)Offers, as I do, in a sign of peace, His service and his counsel.

Q. Kath.
To betray me. [Aside.
My lords, I thank you both for your good wills;
Ye speak like honest men; pray God, ye prove so!
But how to make ye suddenly an answer,

In such a point of weight, so near mine honour,
(More near my life, I fear,) with my weak wit,
And to such men of gravity and learning,
In truth, I know not. I was set at work
Among my maids; full little, God knows, looking
Either for such men, or such business.
For her sake that I have been, (for I feel
The last fit of my greatness,) good your graces,
Let me have time, and counsel, for my cause;
Alas! I am a woman, friendless, hopeless.
Wol. Madam, you wrong the king's love with
Your hopes and friends are infinite. [these fears;
Q. Kath.
In England

But little for my profit: Can you think, lords,
That any Englishman dare give me counsel?
Or be a known friend, 'gainst his highness' pleasure,
(Though he be grown so desperate to be honest,)
And 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.
I would your grace

Cam. Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel. 2. Kath. How, sir? Cam. Put your main cause into the king's protection;

He's loving, and most gracious; 't will be much
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 Is this your christian counsel ? out upon ye! [ruin : Heaven is above all yet; there sits a Judge That no king can corrupt.

Cam.

Your rage mistakes us. Q. Kath. The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye,

Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues ;
But cardinal sins, and hollow hearts, I fear ye:
Mend them, for shame, my lords. Is this your com-
The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady? [fort?
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 a mere distraction;
You turn the good we offer into envy.

Q. Kath. Ye turn me into nothing: Woe upon ye, And all such false professors! Would ye have me (If you have any justice, any pity;

If ye be anything 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.

That little thought, when she set footing here, She should have bought her dignities so dear.

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

[him?

Still met the king? lov'd him next heaven? obey'd
Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him?
Almost forgot my prayers to content him?
And am I thus rewarded? 't is 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. [at.
Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we aim
Q. Kath. My lord, I dare not make myself so
To give up willingly that noble title [guilty,
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 Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it! [earth, 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. Shipwrack'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 't: 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
Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and ser-
[virtues

vants.

[you;

Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your 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 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'd 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,

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Antechamber to the King's Apartment.
Enter 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 force them with a constancy, the cardinal
Cannot stand under them: If you omit
The offer of this time, I cannot promise
But that you should 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. Suf. 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
Anything 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. Sur. 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 would wish mine enemy. Sur. How came
His practices to light? Suf. Most strangely.
Sur.
O, how, how?
Suf. 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

A creature of the queen's, lady Anne Bullen.'
Sur. Has the king this? Suf. Believe it.

Sur.

Cham. The king in this

coasts,

Will this work? perceives him, how he

And hedges, his own way. But in this point All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic After his patient's death; the king already Hath married the fair lady.

Sur.

'Would he had!

Suf. May you be happy in your wish, my lord! For, I profess, you have it. Trace the conjunction !

Sur. Now, all my joy Suf. My amen to't! Nor. All men's! Suf. There's order given for her coronation : Marry, this is yet but young, and may be left To some ears unrecounted.-But, my lords, She is a gallant creature, and complete In mind and feature: I persuade me, from her Will fall some blessing to this land, which shall In it be memoriz❜d. Sur. But, will the king Digest this letter of the cardinal's? The lord forbid ! Nor. Marry, amen!

Suf.

No, no; There be more wasps than buz about his nose,

It shall be to the duchess of Alençon,
The French king's sister: he shall marry her.-
Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him:
There is more in it than fair visage.-Bullen!
No, we'll no Bullens.-Speedily I wish

To hear from Rome.-The marchioness of Pem-
Nor. He's discontented.
[broke!
Suf.
May be, he hears the king
Does whet his anger to him. Sur. Sharp enough,
Lord, for thy justice!
[daughter,

Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's
To be her mistress' mistress! the queen's queen!-
This candle burns not clear; 't is I must snuff it;
Then, out it goes.-What though I know her vir-
And well deserving? yet I know her for [tuous,
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
An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one
Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king,
And is his oracle.

Nor. He is vex'd at something. Suf. I would 't were something that would fret The master-cord of his heart! [the string, Enter the King, reading a schedule; and Lovell. Suf. The king, the king. K. Hen. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated 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 [tion Stood here observing him : Some strange commo

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. Nor. It's heaven's will;
Some spirit put this paper in the packet
To bless your eye withal.

K. Hen.

If we did think His contemplation were above the earth, And fix'd on spiritual object, he should still Dwell in his musings: but, am afraid, His thinkings are below the moon, not worth His serious considering.

Wol.

[He takes his seat, and whispers Lovell, who goes to Wolsey.

Heaven forgive me!

Ever God bless your highness!

K. Hen. Good my lord, [tory You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the invenOf your best graces in your mind; the which You were now running o'er; you have scarce 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. 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.

Wol. Sir,

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. 'T is well said again;
And 't is 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

K. Hen. 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.

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, [more My heart dropp'd love, my power rain'd honour, On you, than any; so your hand, and heart, Your brain, and every function of your power, Should, notwithstanding that your bond of duty, As 't were 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 re. 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 a rock against the chiding flood, Should the approach of this wild river break, And stand unshaken yours.

K. Hen. 'T is nobly spoken: Take notice, lords, he has a loyal breast, For you have seen him open 't.-Read o'er this; [Giving him papers. And, after, this: and then to breakfast, with What appetite you have. [Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wolsey,

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.-'T is so :
This paper has undone me: 'T is 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 't will 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
The letter, as I live, with all the business [Pope!'
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.
Wol.
Where's your commission, lords? words cannot
Authority so weighty.

Stay,

[carry

Suf.
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 everything 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, [me:
(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.
Wol.
It must be himself then..
Sur. Thou art a proud traitor, priest.
Wol.
Proud lord, 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
Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity, [him ;
Absolv'd him with an axe.

This, and all else

Wol.
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 in the way of loyalty and truth
Toward the king, my ever royal master,
Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be
And all that love his follies.

[ness,

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.

[at you.

Suf. I'd rather want those than my head. Have 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 Was still inscrib'd; in which you brought the king To be your servant.

Suf.
Then, that, without the knowledge
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.

Suf. 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-
stance,

(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 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; 't is 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.

I forgive him.

Sur.
Suf. Lord cardinal, the king's further pleasure is,-
Because all those things, you have done of late
By your power legatine within this kingdom,
Fall into the compass of a pramunire,—
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
So fare you well, my little good lord cardinal. [you.
[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 hopes, 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,
This many summers in a sea of glory;