K. Hen. Fairly answer'd; A loyal and obedient subject is more 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 '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 a rock against the chiding flood, Should the approach of this wild river break, And stand unshaken yours. K. Hen. For you have seen him open't. Read o'er this; [Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal WOL- 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 The letter, as I live, with all the business I haste now to my setting: I shall fall Re-enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK, the Earl of SURREY, and the Lord Chamberlain. Nor. Hear the king's pleasure, cardinal: who To render up the great seal presently Wol. carry Authority so weighty. 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, 1 Esher in Surrey. envy. (I mean, your malice,) know, officious lords, (Mine, and your master,) with his own hand gave me: Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours, 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 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 Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity, Wol. His noble jury and foul cause can witness. That I, in the way of loyalty and truth Toward the king, my ever royal master, 2 Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can bé, Sur. By my soul, Your long coat, priest, protects you; thou should'st feel My sword i' the life-blood of thee else. My lords, Wol. 3 Is poison to thy stomach. Sur. All goodness Yes, that goodness Into your own hands, cardinal, by extortion; You writ to the pope, against the king: your goodness, Since you provoke me, shall be most notorious. Who, if he live, will scarce be gentlemen, Wol. How much, methinks, I could despise this man, But that I am bound in charity against it! 2 Equal. 3 Ridden down. A cardinal's hat is scarlet, and the method of daring larks is by small mirrors on scarlet cloth. Nor. Those articles, my lord, are in the king's hand: But, thus much, they are foul ones. So much fairer, Wol. 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. 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 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 substance, (By what means got, I leave to your own conscience,) To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways |