Wol. Is he ready

To come abroad?

Crom. I think, by this he is.

Wol. Leave me a while.

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[Exit CROMWELL.

It shall be to the dutchess of Alençon,

The French king's sister: he shall marry her.Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him: There's more in't than fair visage.-Bullen 1

No, we'll no Bullens !-Speedily I wish

To hear from Rome.-The marchioness of Pembroke I

Nor. He's discontented.

Suf. May be, he hears the king

Does whet his anger to him.

Sur. Sharp enough,

Lord, for thy justice!

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Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's

daughter,

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 vir tuous,

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 heretick, an arch one, Cranmer; one
Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king,
And is his oracle.

Nor. He is vex'd at something.

H

331

Sur

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!

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; Saw you the cardinal ?

Nor. My lord, we have

341

Stood here observing him: Some strange commotion
Is in his brain; he bites his lip, and starts;
Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground,
Then, lays his finger on his temple; straight,
Springs out into fast gait; then, stops agaia,
Strikes his breast hard; and anon, he casts

His eye against the moon: in most strange postures
We have seen him set himself.

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?
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.

351

360

Nor.

Nor. It is heaven'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 spiritual object, he should still
Dwell in his musings; but, I am afraid,
His thinkings are below the moon, not worth
His serious considering.

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[He takes his Seat; and whispers LOVEL, who goes to WOLSEY.

Wol. Heaven forgive me !—

Ever God bless your highness!

King. Good my lord,

You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inventory

Of your best graces in your mind; the which

You were now running o'er: you have scarce time
To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span,
To keep your earthly audit: Sure, in that
I deem 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, which
I bear i' the state; and nature does require
Her times of preservation, which, perforce,
I her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal,
Must give my tendance to.

King. You have said well.

380

Wol. And ever 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:

390

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

400

[Aside.

[Aside.

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.

410

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, fill'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

My prayers to heaven for you; my loyalty,

Which ever has, and ever shall be growing,

420

'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,

My heart dropp'd love, my power rain'd honour, more
On you, than any; so your hand, and heart,
Your brain, and every function of your power, 430
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 '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 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 ;

440