Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we aim at. Q. Kath. My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty, To give up willingly that noble title

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 earth, Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it!

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.
Shipwreck'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.

If your grace

Wol.
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 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 servants. Cam. Madam, you'll find it so.

virtues

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 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.

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,

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

SCENE II.

Ante-chamber 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 shall sustain more new disgraces,
With these you bear already.

I am joyful

Sur.
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

2 If I have us'd myself —] i. e. behaved myself.

3 And force them-] Force is enforce, urge.

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
Any thing 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 could wish mine enemy.

Sur.

His practices to light?

Suf.

Sur.

4

How came

Most strangely.

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?

4 contrary proceedings-] Private practices opposite to his publick procedure.

Suf.

Sur.

Believe it.

Will this work?

Cham. The king in this perceives him, how he coasts, 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

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.

Sur.

Trace the conjunction 5!

Suf.
Nor.

Now all my joy

My amen to't!

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'd3.

There be more wasps that buz about his nose,
Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius

Is stolen away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave;
Has left the cause o'the king unhandled; and
Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,

To second all his plot. I do assure you,

The king cry'd, ha! at this.

Cham.

And let him cry, ha, louder!

Now, God incense him,

5 Trace the conjunction !] To trace is to follow.

6 In it be memoriz'd.] To memorize is to make memorable.

Nor.

When returns Cranmer?

But, my lord,

Suf. He is return'd, in his opinions'; which
Have satisfied 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 has ta'en much pain
In the king's business.

Wol. The packet, Cromwell, gave it you the king?
Crom. To his own hand, in his bedchamber.
Wol. Look'd he o'the inside of the paper?
Crom.

He did unseal them: and the first he view'd,
He did it with a serious mind; a heed
Was in his countenance: You, he bade
Attend him here this morning.

Wol.

To come abroad?

Is he ready

Presently

7 He is return'd, in his opinions ;] Cranmer, says Suffolk, is returned in his opinions, i. e. with the same sentiments which he entertained before he went abroad, which (sentiments) have satisfied the king, together with all the famous colleges referred to on the occasion-Or perhaps the passage (as Mr. Tyrwhitt observes) may mean—. -He is return'd in effect, having sent his opinions, i. e. the opinions of divines, &c. collected by him.