Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

Lord for thy justice!

Wol. [Afide.] The late Queen's gentlewoman! a Knight's daughter!

[ocr errors]

To be her miftrefs's miftrefs! the Queen's Queen!-
This candle burns not clear, 'tis I muft fnuff it,
Then out it goes-what though I know her virtuous
And well-deferving? yet I know her for

A fpleeny Lutheran, and not wholesome to
Our caufe! that the fhould lye i'th' bofome of
Our hard-rul'd King!-again, there is fprung up
An heretick, an arch one; Cranmer, one
Hath crawl'd into the favour of the King,
And is his oracle.

Nor. He's vex'd at fomething.

SCENE III.

Enter King reading of a schedule.

Sur. I would 'twere fomething that would fret the

ftring

The mafter-cord of's heart:

Suf. The King, the King.

King. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated To his own portion! what expence by th' hour Seems to flow from him! how i'th' name of thrift Does he rake this together! Now, my lords, Saw you the Cardinal ?

Nor. My lord, we have

Stood here obferving him. Some ftrange commotion
Is in his brain; he bites his lips and ftarts,
Stops on a fudden, looks upon the ground,
Then lays his finger on his temple; ftratt
Springs out into faft gate, then stops again,
Strikes his breaft hard, and then anon he cafts
His eye against the moon, in moft ftrange poftures
We've feen him fet himself.

King. It may well be,

There is a mutiny in's mind. This morning
Papers of ftate he fent me to peruse,
As I requir'd; and wot you what I found

There

There, on my confcience put unwittingly?
Forfooth an inventory, thus importing
The feveral parcels of his plate, his treasure,
Rich ftuffs and ornaments of houfhold, which
I find at fuch a proud rate, it out-fpeaks
Poffeffion of a subject. -

Nor. It's heav'ns will,

Some fpirit put this paper in the packet,
To blefs your eye withal.

King. If we did think

His contemplations were above the earth,
And fix'd on fpiritual objects, he should still
Dwell in his mufings; but I am afraid

His thinkings are below the moon, nor worth
His ferious confidering.

[He takes his feat, whispers Lovell, who goes to Wolfey. Wol. Heav'n forgive me.

Ever God bless your Highness

King. Good my Lord,

You are full of heavenly ftuff, and bear the inventory

of your best graces in your mind; the which

You were now running o'er; you have fcarce time
To fteal from fpiritual leifure a brief fpan-

To keep your earthly audit; fure 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
I bear i'th' ftate; and nature does require
Her times of prefervation, which perforce
I her frail fon, amongst my brethren mortal,
Muft give my tendance to.

King. You have faid well.

Wol. And ever may your Highness yoke together,

As I will lend you caufe, my doing well

With my well faying,

King. 'Tis well faid again,

And 'tis a kind of good deed to fay well.

And yet words are no deeds. My father lov d you,

[ocr errors]

He

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

He faid he did, and with this deed did crown
His word upon you. Since I had my office
I've kept you next my heart, have not alone
Imploy'd you where high profits might come home,
But par'd my prefent havings to bestow

My bounties upon you.

Wol. What fhould this mean?

Sur. The lord increase this bufinefs.

King. Have I not made you

[blocks in formation]

The prime man of the ftate? I pray you tell me,
If what I now pronounce you have found true:
And if you may confefs it, fay withal

If you are bound to us, orno? what say you?
Wol. My Sovereign, I confefs your royal graces
Showr'd on me daily have been more than could
My ftudied purposes require, which went
Beyond all man's endeavours. My endeavours
Have ever come too fhort of my defires,
Yet fill'd with my abilities, mine own

Ends have been fuch that evermore they pointed
To the good of your most facred perfon, and
The profit of the ftate: For your great graces
Heap'd upon me, poor undeferver, I

Can nothing render but allegiant thanks,
My prayers to heaven for you; my loyalty,,
Which ever has, and ever fhall be growing
'Till death, that winter, kill it.

King. Fairly answer'd :

A loyal and obedient fubject is

Therein illuftrated; the honour of it
Does pay the act of it, i'th' contrary

The fouĺnefs is the punishment.. I prefume:
That as my hand has open'd bounty to you,

My heart dropp'd love, my pow'r rain'd honour, more
On you, than any; fo 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 profefs,.

That

That for your Highnefs' good I ever labour'd
More than mine own; that am I, have been, will be:
Though all the world fhould crack their duty to you,
And throw it from their foul; 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 ftand unfhaken yours.

King. 'Tis nobly spoken;

Take notice lords, he has a loyal
For you have feen him open't.

breast,
Read o'er this,
[Giving him papers?

And after this, and then to breakfast, with

What appetite you may.

[Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wolfey, the Ne bies throng after him whispering and smiling.

SCENE IV.

Wol. What fhould this mean?

What fudden 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 buntfman that has gall'd him,

Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper: I fear, the story of his anger

This paper has undone me

-'tis fo

'tis th' account

Of all that world of wealth I've drawn together
For mine own ends, indeed to gain the Popedom,
And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence!
Fit for a fool to fall by. What cross devil
Made me put this main fecret in the packet
I fent the King? is there no way to cure this?
No new device to beat this from his brains?
I know 'twill ftir him ftrongly; yet I know
A way, if I take right, in fpight 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's holinefs. Nay, then farewel:
I've touch'd the highest point of all my greatneff

And

And from that full meridian of my glory,
1 hafte now to my fetting. • 1 fhall fall
Like a bright exhalation in the evening,,
And no man fee me more.

SCENE V.

Enter to Wolfey, the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain.

Nor. Hear the King's pleasure, Cardinal, who com mands you

To render up the great feal prefently
Into our hands and to confine your felf
To Alher-house, my lord of Winchester's,
'Till you hear further from his highnefs.
Wol. Stay:

Where's your commiffion, lords? words cannot carry
Authority fo mighty..

Suf. Who dare crofs 'em,

Bearing the King's will from his mouth exprefly?
Wol. Till I find more than will, or words to do it,
I mean your malice, know officious lords,

1 dare, and must deny it.

Now I feel
Of what coarse metal ye are molded-Envy:
How eagerly ye follow my difgrace

As if it fed ye, and how fleek and wanton
Ye appear in every thing may bring my ruin.
Follow your envious courfes, men of malice;
You have a chriftian warrant for 'em, and
In time will find their fit rewards. That feal
You ask with fuch a violence, the King

(Mine and your mafter) with his own hand gave mej
Bad me enjoy it, with the place and honours,
During my life; and to confirm his goodness,
Ty'd it by letters patents. Now, who'll take it?
Sur. The King that gave it.

Wol. It must be himself then.

Sur. Thou'rt a proud traitor, prieft.
Wol. Proud lord, thou lieft:

Within thefe forty hours Surrey durft better

« AnteriorContinua »