Of my alledged reasons, drive this forward: Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life, And kingly dignity, we are contented To wear our mortal state to come, with her, 5 Katharine our queen, before the primest creature That's paragon'd o' the world.
Cam. So please your highness,
The queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness That we adjourn this court to further day: 10Mean while must be an earnest motion Made to the queen, to call back her appeal She intends unto his holiness. [They rise to depart. King. I may perceive,
These cardinals trifle with me: I abhor
15 This dilatory sloth, and tricks of Rome. My learn'd and well-beloved servant, Cranmer, Prythee, return! with thy approach, I know, My comfort comes along. Break up the court: I say, set on.
My lord of Canterbury; and got your leave To make this present summons:-Unsolicited I left no reverend person in this court; But by particular consent proceeded, Under your hands and seals. Therefore, go on; For no dislike i' the world against the person Of our good queen, but the sharp thorny points [20]
[Exeunt in manner as they entered.
Orpheus with his lute made trees, And the mountain-tops, that freeze, Bow themselves, when he did sing: To his musick, plants and flowers Ever sprung; as sun, and showers, There had made a lasting spring. Every thing that heard him play, Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by. In sweet musick is such art; Killing care, and grief of heart, Fall asleep, or, hearing, die. Enter a Gentleman.
Queen. How now ?
Enter Wolsey and Campeius. Wol. Peace to your highness! [wife? Queen. Your graces find me here part of a houseI would be all, against the worst may happen. What are your pleasures with me, reverend lords? Wol. May it please you, noble madam, to withdraw
Into your private chamber, we shall give you The full cause of our coming.
There's nothing I have done yet,o' my conscience, 40 Deserves a corner: Would, all other women Could speak this with as free a soul as I do! My lords, I care not, (so much I am happy Above a number) if my actions
Were try'd by every tongue, every eye saw 'em, 45 Envy and base opinion set against 'em,
I know my life so even: If your business Seek me out, and that way I am wife in, Out with it boldly; Truth loves open dealing. Wol. Tanta est erga te mentis integritas, regina serenissima,
Queen. O, good my lord, no Latin;
I am not such a truant since my coming, As not to know the language I have liv'd in: A strange tongue makes my cause more strange, suspicious;
Pray, speak in English: here are some will thank
(And service to his majesty and you)
So deep suspicion, where all faith was meant. 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 honour'd madam,
Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues; But cardinal sins, and hollow hearts, I fear ye: Mend 'em for shame, my lords. Is this you comfort?
5 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,
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)-15 Offers, as I do, in a sign of peace, His service, and his counsel..
[Aside. My lords, I thank you both for your good wills, Yespeak like honest men, (pray God, ye prove so!) 20 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 these fears;
Your hopes and friends are infinite.
Queen. 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' plea-
I have more charity: But say, I warn'd ye; Take heed, for heaven's sake, take heed, lest
The burdens of my sorrows fall upon ye.
Wol. Madam, this is a mere distraction; You turn the good we offer into envy.
Queen. Yeturn me into nothing: Woe upon yo And all such false professors! Would ye have in (If you have any justice, any pity;
If you 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 studie Make me a curse like this. Cam. Your fears are worse. [mysel Queen. Have I liv'd thus long,-let me spea Since virtue finds no friends,-a wife, a true one A woman, (I dare say, without vain-glory) Never yet branded with suspicion? 30lave I with all my full affections [him Still met the king? lov'd him next heaven? obey' Been, out of fondness, superstitious' to him?" Almost forgot my prayers to content him? And am I thus rewarded? 'tis not well, lords. 35 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 w aim at.
(Though he be grown so desp'rate to be honest) 40 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.
Cam. I would, your grace
Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel. Queen. How, sir? [tection;
Cum. Put your main cause into the king's pro- He's loving, and most gracious: 'twill be much 50 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.
Queen. Ye tell me what ye wish for both, my 55 Is this your christian counsel? out upon ye! Heaven is above all yet; there sits a Judge, That no king can corrupt.
Cam. Your rage mistakes us. [thought ye, Queen. The more shame for ye; holy men 160
Queen. My lord, I dare not make myself s To give up willingly that noble title Your master wed me to: nothing but death Shall e'er divorce my dignities.
[eartl Queen. 'Would I had never trod this Englis Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it! Ye have angels' faces, but heaven knows you
1i. e. for the sake of that royalty I have formerly possessed. 2 To weigh out here implies th same as to outweigh. 'i. e. served him with superstitious attention. * A quibble, said to hav
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 'em. For goodness' sake, consider what you do; How you may hurt yourself, ay, utterly Grow from the king's acquaintance, by this car- The hearts of princes kiss obedience, [riage. 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 Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and
[virtues 15 Cam.Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your With these weak woman'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.
Queen. 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:
Suf. The cardinal's letter to the pope miscarried, And came to the eye o' the king: whereinwas read, How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness To stay the judgement o' the divorce; For if 25 It did take place, I do, quoth he, perceive, My king is tangled in affection to
He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers, 30 While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fa-
A creature of the queen's, lady Anne Bullen. Sur. Has the king this? Suf. Believe it.
[coasts, Cham. The king in this perceives him, how he And hedges, his own way. But in this point All his tricks founder, and he brings his physick After his patient's death; the king already 35 Hath married the fair lady.
1i.e. enforce, urge.
public procedure. path.
Suf. May you be happy in your wish, my lord For, I profess, you have it.
Sur. Now all my joy Trace the conjunction! 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 45 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;
55 There be more wasps that buz about his nose, Will make this sting thesooner. Cardinal Campeius Is stol'n away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave; Has left the cause of the king unhandled; and Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,
2 i. e. except in himself.
3 i. e. his private practices opposite to his To hedge, is to creep along by the hedge: not to take the direct and open To memorize is to make memorable.
To second all his plot. I do assure you, The king cry'd ha! at this.
Cham. Now, God incense him, And let him cry ha! louder. Nor. But, my lord, When returns Cranmer?
Suf. He is return'd, in his opinions; which Have satisfy'd the king for his divorce, Together with all famous colleges Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe, His second marriage shall be publish'd, and Her coronation. Katharine no more Shall be call'd queen; but princess dowager, And widow to prince Arthur.
Nor. This same Cranmer 's
A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain In the king's business.
Suf. He has; and we shall see him
For it, an archbishop.
Nor. So I hear.
Suf. 'Tis so.
The cardinal
Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king, And is his oracle.
Nor. He is vex'd at something.
Sur. I would, 'twere something that would fret the string,
The master-cord of his heart!
Enter the King, reading a schedule'; and Lovel. Suf. The king, the king.
10 King. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated To his own portion! and what expence by the hour Seems to flow from him! How, i' the name of thrift,
Does he rake this together!-Now, my lords; 15 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, 20 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.
25 King. 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? 30 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 shall be to the dutchess of Alençon, The French king's sister: he shall marry her.—40 Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him: There's more in't than fair visage.-Bullen! No, we'll no Bullens!-Speedily I wish
To hear from Rome.-The marchioness of Pem
Nor. It is heaven's will; Some spirit put this paper in the packet, To bless your eye witial.
King. If we did think
His contemplations were above the earth, And fix'd on spiritual objects, 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 Lovel, who goes to Wolsey.
Wol. Heaven forgive me!— Ever God bless your highness!
Does whet his anger to him.
Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's 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 An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one
You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inven Of your best graces in your mind; the which You were now running o'er: you have scarce
i. e. with the same sentiments he entertained before he went abroad, which sentiments justify the king's divorce. 2 Mr. Steevens on this passage remarks thus: "That the cardinal gave the king an inventory of his own private wealth, by mistake, and thereby ruined himself, is a known variation from the truth of history. Shakspeare, however, has not injudiciously represented the fall of that great man, as owing to a similar incident which he had once improved to the destruction of another." See Holinshed, vol. ii. p. 796.
Her times of preservation, which, perforce, I her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal, Must give my tendance to.
King. You have said well.
Wol.Andever may your highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well saying!
King. '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! King. 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.
King. 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,
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. 5 And, after, this: and then to breakfast, with What appetite you have.
[Exit King, frowing upon Cardinal Wolsey; the Nobles throng after him, whispering and smiling.
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; 15 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've drawn together For mine own ends: indeed, to gain the popedom, 20 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! 30I 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.
35 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
40 Into our hands; and to confine yourself To Esher house, my lord of Winchester's, Till you hear further from his highness. Wol. Stay,
Where's your commission, lords? words cannot
My heart dropp'd love, my power rain'd honour, 43 Authority so mighty.
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
And throw it from their soul; 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 stand unshaken yours.
Suf. Who dare cross 'em?
Bearing the king's will from his mouth expressly? Wol. 'Till I find more than will, or words, to
50(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 disgrace,
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 [me; 60(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,
The sense is, my purposes went beyond all human endeavour. 2 i. e. ranked, or have gone an equal pace with my abilities.
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