and

There be more wafps that buzz about his nose,
Will make this fting the fooner. Cardinal Campeius
Is ftoln away to Rome, has ta'en no leave,
Hath left the cause o' th' King unhandled;
Is posted, as the agent of our Cardinal,
To fecond all his plot. I do afsure you
The King cry'd Ha! at this.

Cham. Now God incenfe him
And let him cry Ha, louder !
Nor. But, my Lord,
When returns Cranmer?

Suf. He is return'd with his opinions, which
Have fatisfy'd the king for his divorce,
Gather'd from all the famous colleges
Almoft in Chriftendom. Shortly, I believe,.
His fecond marriage fhall be publish'd, and
Her coronation. Catharine no more
Shall be call'd Queen, but Princefs-dowager,
As widow to Prince Arthur..

Nor. This fame Cranmer's

A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain
In the King's business.

Suf. He has, and we fhall fee him
For it an Archbishop.

Nor. So I hear.

Suf. 'Tis fo.

Enter Wolfey and Cromwell.

The Cardinal

Nor. Obferve, obferve, he's moody.
Wot. The packet, Cromwell,

Gave it you the King?

Grom. To his own hand in's bed-chamber.
Wab. Look'd he o' th' infide of the paper?
Crom. Presently

He did unfeal them, and the firft he view'd,
He did it with a ferious mind; a heed
Was in his countenance. And you he bade
Attend him here this morning.

Wol. Is he ready to come abroad?

Crom. I think by this he is..

Wol, Leave me a while.

[Exit Cromwell

It fhall be to the Duchefs of Alanfon,

[Afide.

The French King's fifter; he fhall marry her.
Anne Bullen! no, I'll no Anne Bullens for him,
There's more in it than a fair vifage- Bullen!
No, we'll no Bullens! -speedily, I wish

To hear from Rome-the Marchioness of Pembroke !-
Nor. He's difcontented

Suf. May be he hears the King
Does whet his anger to him.
Sur. Sharp enough,

Lord, for thy juftice!

Wol. Afide. The late Queen's gentlewoman! a
Knight's Daughter!

To be her mistress' miftrefs! the Queen's Queen!
This candle burns not clear: 'tis 1 muft fnuff it.
Then out it goes-What though I know her virtuous,
And well deferving? yet i know her for

A fpleeny Lutheran; and not wholfome to
Our cause, that fhe fhould lie i'th' bofom of

Our hard-rul'd King. Again, there is fprung up
An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one

Hath crawl'd into the favour of the King,

And is his oracle.

Nor. He's vex'd at fomething.

SCENE

III.

Enter King, reading a fchedule; and Lovell.

Sur. I would 'twere fomething that would fret the The mafter-cord of's heart!

Suf. The King, the King.

[ltring,

King. What piles of wealth hath be accumulated To his own portion! what expence by th' hour Seems to flow from him! how, i' th' name of thrift, Does he rake this together! Now, my Lords, Saw you the Cardinal?

Nor. My Lord, we have

Stood here obferving him. Some strange commotion
Is in his brain: he bites his lip, and starts;
Stops on a fudden, looks upon the ground,
Then lays his finger on his temple; ftrait
Springs out into faft gate, then ftops again;

Strikes his breast hard, and then anon he cafts.

His eye against the moon; in moft ftrange poftures
We've feen him fet him felf.

King. It may well be,

There is a mutiny in's mind. This morning
Papers of state he fent me to perufe,
As I requir'd; and wot you what I found
There, on my confcience put unwittingly?
Forfooth, an inventory, thus importing;
The feveral parcels of his plate, his treasure,
Rich ftuffs and ornaments of houthold, which
I find at fuch proud rate, that it out-speaks
Poffeffion of a subject.

Nor. 'Tis heav'n's will;

Some spirit put this paper in the packet,
To bless your eye withal.

King. If we did think

His contemplations were above the earth,
And fix'd on fpiritual objects, he should ftill
Dwell in his mufings; but I am afraid

His thinkings are below the moon, nor worth
His ferious confidering.

[He takes his feat, whispers Lovell, who goes to Wolley. Wol. Heav'n forgive me

Ever God bless your Highnefs!.

King. Good my Lord,

You are full of heav'nly ftuff, and bear the inventory
Of your best graces in your mind ; the which

You were now running o'er; you have fcarce time
To steal from fpiritual leisure a brief span,
To keep your

earthly audit; fure, in that

1 deen you an ill husband, and am glad To have you therein my companion. Wol. Sir,

For holy offices I have a time;

A time to think upon the part of business
I bear i' th' ftate; and nature does require
Her times of preservation, which, perforce,
I her frail fon, amongst my brethren mortal,
Muft give my tendance to.

King. You have faid well,

Wol. And ever may your Highness yoke together,

As I will lend you caufe, my doing well
With my well faying!

King. 'Tis well faid again;
And 'tis a kind of good deed to fay well.
And yet words are no deeds.
He said he did; and with his

His word upon you.

My father lov'd you; deed did crown

Since I had my office,

I've kept you next my heart; have not alone

Employ'd you where high profits might come home; But par'd my prefent hayings, to bestow

My bounties upon you.

Wol.

What fhould this mean?

Sur. The Lord increase this business!
King. Have not made you

The prime man of the ftate? I pray you tell me
If what I now pronounce, you have found true:
And, if you may confefs it, fay withal,

[Afide.

[Afide

If you are bound to us or no? What fay you?
Wol. My Sovereign, I confefs your royal graces
Showr'd on me daily have been more than could
My ftudied purpofes requite, which went
Beyond all man's endeavours*. My endeavours
Have ever come too fhort of my defires;
Yet, fill'd with my abilities, mine own ends
Have been mine fo, that evermore they pointed
To th' good of your most sacred perfon, and
The profit of the ftate. For your great graces,
Heap'd upon me, poor undeserver, I

Can nothing render but allegiant thanks;
My pray'rs to heav'n for yoù; my loyalty,
Which ever has, and ever fhall be growing,
Till death, that winter, kill it..

King. Fairly answer'd.

A loyal and obedient fubject is
Therein illuftrated; the honour of it
Does pay the act of it. as i' th' contrary

The foulnefs is the punishment. I prefume,
That as my hand has open'd bounty to you,

My heart dropp'd love; my pow'r rain'd honour more
On you, than any; fo your hand and heart,
Your brain, and ev'ry function of your power,

• endeavours, for deferts.

Should, notwithstanding that your bond of duty,
As 'twere in love's particular, be more

To me, your friend, than any.

Wol. I profefs,

That for your Highrefs' good I ever labour'd,

More than mine own; that am I,' have been, will be.
Though all the world should crack their duty to you,
And throw it from their foul; though perils did
Abound as thick as thought could make 'em, 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 ftand unfhaken your's.

King. 'Tis 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 may.

the

[Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wolfey Nobles throng after him, whispering and fmiling.

• 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 huntfman, that has gall'd him; • Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper. I fear the story of his anger.

This paper has undone me

'tis fo

-'tis th' account

Of all that world of wealth I've 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 fecret in the packet
I fent the King? Is there no way to cure this?
No new device to beat this from his brains?
I know 'twill fir him ftrongly; yet I know
A way, if it take right, in fpight of fortune,
Will bring me off again. What's this-To the Pope?
The letter, as I live, with all the business