And thank the holy conclave for their loves; loves, You are so noble: To your highness' hand I tender my commission; by whose virtue, K. Hen. Two equal men. The queen shall be acquainted Forthwith, for what you come :-Where's Gardiner? A woman of less place might ask by law, Scholars, allow'd freely to argue for her. K. Hen. Ay, and the best, she shall have; and my favour To him that does best; God forbid else. Cardinal, [Exit WOLSEY Re-enter WOLSEY, with GARDINER. Wol. Give me your hand: much joy and favour to you; You are the king's now. Gard. But to be commanded For ever by your grace, whose hand has rais'd me. [A side. K. Hen. Come hither, Gardiner. [They converse apart. Cam. My lord of York, was not one doctor Pace In this man's place before him? Wol. Cam. Was he not held a learned man? Wol. Yes, he was. Yes, surely. Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread then Even of yourself, lord cardinal. Wol. How! of me? Cam. They will not stick to say, you envied him; And, fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous, Kept him a foreign man still; which so griev'd him, That he ran mad, and died. Wol. For he would needs be virtuous: That good fellow, K. Hen. Deliver this with modesty to the queen. The most convenient place that I can think of, So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, conscience,- [Exeunt. SCENE III. An Ante-chamber in the Queen's Apartments. Enter ANNE BULLEN, and an old Lady. Anne. Not for that neither;-Here's the pang that pinches : His highness having liv'd so long with her: and she 5 Kept him a foreign man still;] Kept him out of the king's presence, employed in foreign embassies. Still growing in a majesty and pomp,-the which She ne'er had known pomp: though it be temporal, It from the bearer, 'tis a sufferance, panging As soul and body's severing. I swear, 'tis better to be lowly born, And wear a golden sorrow. And venture maidenhead for't; and so would you, For all this spice of your hypocrisy : You, that have so fair parts of woman on you Affected eminence, wealth, sovereignty; Which, to say sooth, are blessings: and which gifts (Saving your mincing) the capacity 6 To give her the avaunt!] To send her away contemptuously; to pronounce against her a sentence of ejection. 7 Yet, if that quarrel, fortune,] Perhaps for quarreller. 8 stranger now again.] Again an alien; not only no longer queen, but no longer an Englishwoman. JOHNSON. 9 -- our best having.] That is, our best possession. Of your soft cheveril' conscience would receive, Anne. Nay, good troth,— Old L. Yes, troth, and troth,-You would not be a queen? Anne. No, not for all the riches under heaven. Old L. 'Tis strange: a three-pence bowed would hire me, Old as I am, to queen it: But, I pray you, What think you of a duchess? have you limbs Anne. No, in truth. Old L. Then you are weakly made: Pluck off a little'; I would not be a young count in your way, For more than blushing comes to: if your back Ever to get a boy. Anne. How you do talk! I swear again, I would not be a queen For all the world. Old L. In faith, for little England You'd venture an emballing; I myself Would for Carnarvonshire, although there 'long'd No more to the crown but that. Lo, who comes here? Enter the Lord Chamberlain. Cham. Good morrow, ladies. What wer't worth to know The secret of your conference? Anne. My good lord, Not your demand; it values not your asking: Our mistress' sorrows we were pitying. 2 1 cheveril ] Is kid skin, soft leather. Pluck off a little ; &c.] i. e. let us still further divest preferment of its glare, let us descend yet lower and more upon a level with your own quality. Cham. It was a gentle business, and becoming The action of good women: there is hope, All will be well. Anne. Now I pray God, amen! Cham. You bear a gentle mind, and heavenly blessings Follow such creatures. That you may, fair lady, Perceive I speak sincerely, and high note's Ta'en of your many virtues, the king's majesty Commends his good opinion to you, and Does purpose honour to you no less flowing Than marchioness of Pembroke; to which title A thousand pound a year, annual support, Out of his grace he adds. Anne. I do not know, What kind of my obedience I should tender; More than my all is nothing; nor my prayers Are not words duly hallow'd', nor my wishes More worth than empty vanities; yet prayers, and wishes, Are all I can return. 'Beseech your lordship, Vouchsafe to speak my thanks, and my obedience, As from a blushing handmaid, to his highness; Whose health, and royalty, I pray for. Cham. Lady, I shall not fail to approve the fair conceit‘, Beauty and honour in her are so mingled, [A side. That they have caught the king: and who knows yet, To lighten all this isle ?—I'll to the king, Anne. My honour'd lord. [Exit Lord Chamberlain. More than my all is nothing, 3 More than my all is nothing, &c.] for my prayers and wishes are of no value, and yet prayers and wishes are all I have to return. 4 I shall not fail, &c.] I shall not omit to strengthen, by my commendation, the opinion which the king has formed. |