Imatges de pàgina
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Must I then leave you? must I needs forego
So good, so noble, and so true a master?
Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron,
With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord.
The king shall have my service; but my prayers
For ever, and for ever, shall be yours.

Wol. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear In all my miseries; but thou hast forc'd me Out of thy honest truth to play the woman. Let's dry our eyes: and thus far hear me, Cromwell; And, when I am forgotten, as I shall be;

And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention
Of me more must be heard of, - say, I taught thee;
Say, Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,
And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour,-
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in;
A sure and safe one, though thy master miss'd it.
Mark but my fall, and that that ruin'd me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition;
By that sin fell the angels; how can man then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by't?

Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate thee; Corruption wins not more than honesty.

Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,

To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not:
Let all the ends, thou aim'st at, be thy country's,

Thy God's, and truth's; then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell,
Thou fall'st a blessed martyr. Serve the king:

And,

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- Pr'ythee, lead me in :

There, take an inventory of all I have,

To the last penny; 'tis the king's: my robe,
And my integrity to heaven, is all

I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell,
Had I but serv'd my God with half the zeal

Had I but serv'd my God, &c.] This sentence was really uttered by Wolsey. But it was a strange sentence for him to utter, who was disgraced for the basest treachery to his king in the affair of the di

I serv'd my king, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.
Crom. Good sir, have patience.
Wol.

So I have. Farewell

[Exeunt.

The hopes of court! my hopes in heaven do dwell.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-A Street in Westminster.

Enter Two Gentlemen, meeting.

1 Gent. You are well met once again. 2 Gent.

And so are you. †

1 Gent. You come to take your stand here, and behold The lady Anne pass from her coronation?

2 Gent. 'Tis all my business. At our last encounter, The duke of Buckingham came from his trial.

1 Gent. 'Tis very true: but that time offer'd sorrow; This, general joy.

2 Gent.

'Tis well: The citizens,

I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds;
As, let them have their rights, they are ever forward
In celebration of this day with shows,

6

Pageants, and sights of honour.

1 Gent.

Never greater,

Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir.

2 Gent. May I be bold to ask what that contains,

That paper in your hand?

1 Gent.

Yes; 'tis the list

Of those, that claim their offices this day,

vorce: but it shows how naturally men endeavour to palliate their crimes even to themselves.

+"So are you.”.

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MALONE.

this day i. e. such a day as this, a coronation day.

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By custom of the coronation.

The duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims

To be high steward; next, the duke of Norfolk,
He to be earl marshal: you may read the rest.

2 Gent. I thank you, sir; had I not known those customs,

I should have been beholden to your paper.

But, I beseech you, what's become of Katharine,
The princess dowager? how goes her business?

1 Gent. That I can tell you too. The archbishop Of Canterbury, accompanied with other

Learned and reverend fathers of his order,
Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off
From Ampthill, where the princess lay; to which
She oft was cited by them, but appear'd not:
And, to be short, for not appearance, and
The king's late scruple, by the main assent
Of all these learned men she was divorc'd,
And the late marriage made of none effect:
Since which, she was removed to Kimbolton,
Where she remains now, sick.

2 Gent.

Alas, good lady!

[Trumpets. The trumpets sound: stand close, the queen is coming.

THE ORDER OF THE PROCESSION.

A lively flourish of Trumpets: then, enter

1. Two Judges.

2. Lord Chancellor, with the purse and mace before him.

3. Choristers singing.

4. Mayor of London bearing the mace.

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[Musick.

Then Garter, in

his coat of arms, and, on his head, a gilt copper

crown.

the late marriage —] i. e. the marriage lately considered as a valid one.

5. Marquis Dorset, bearing a sceptre of gold, on his

head a demi-coronal of gold. With him, the Earl of Surrey, bearing the rod of silver with

the dove, crowned with an earl's coronet. Collars of SS.

6. Duke of Suffolk, in his robe of estate, his coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as highsteward. With him, the Duke of Norfolk, with the rod of marshalship, a coronet on his head. Collars of SS.

7. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports; under it, the Queen in her robe; in her hair richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each side of her, the Bishops of London and Winchester.

8. The old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold, wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen's train. 9. Certain Ladies or Countesses, with plain circlets of gold without flowers.

2 Gent. A royal train, believe me.-These I know;Who's that, that bears the scepter?

1 Gent.

Marquis Dorset.

And that the earl of Surrey, with the rod.

2 Gent. A bold brave gentleman: And that should + be

The duke of Suffolk.

1 Gent.

'Tis the same; high-steward.

2 Gent. And that my lord of Norfolk?

1 Gent.

2 Gent.

Yes.

Heaven bless thee! [Looking on the Queen.

Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on.

Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel;

Our king has all the Indies in his arms,

And more, and richer, when he strains that lady:
I cannot blame his conscience.

+ Mr. Malone omits And.

1 Gent.

They, that bear

The cloth of honour over her, are four barons

Of the Cinque-ports.

2 Gent. Those men are happy; and so are all, are near her.

I take it, she that carries up the train,

Is that old noble lady, duchess of Norfolk.

1 Gent. It is; and all the rest are countesses.

2 Gent. Their coronets say so.

deed;

And, sometimes, falling ones.

1 Gent.

These are stars in

No more of that.

[Exit Procession, with a great flourish of Trumpets.

'Enter a third Gentleman.

God save you, sir! Where have you been broiling? 3 Gent. Among the crowd i'the abbey; where a finger Could not be wedg'd in more; and I am stifled +

With the mere rankness of their joy.

The ceremony?

2 Gent.

3 Gent.

1 Gent.

You saw

That I did.

How was it?

3 Gent. Well worth the seeing.

2 Gent.

Good sir, speak it to us.

3 Gent. As well as I am able. The rich stream
Of lords, and ladies, having brought the queen
To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell off

A distance from her; while her grace sat down
To rest a while, some half an hour, or so,
In a rich chair of state, opposing freely
The beauty of her person to the people.
Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman
That ever lay by man: which when the people

+ "and" is omitted by Mr. MALONE.

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