with pearl, crowned. On each fide her the bishops of London and Winchester.

9. The old Dutchefs of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold, wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen's train. 10. Certain ladies or Counteffes, with plain circlets of gold without flowers.

They pass over the ftage in order and ftate, and then Exeunt, with a great flourish of trumpets.

2 Gen. A royal train believe me; these I know; Who', that who bears the fcepter?

1 Gen. Marquels Dorfet.

And that the Earl of Surrey, with the rod.

2 Gen. A bold brave gentleman. That should be The Duke of Suffolk.

1 Gen. 'Tis the fame: high Steward.

2 Gen. And that my lord of Norfolk &

1 Gen. Yes.

2 Gen. Heav'n bless thee,

Thou haft the fweeteft face I ever look'd on.
Sir, as I have a foul, fhe 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 confcience.

i Gen. They that bear

The cloth of ftate above her, are four barons
Of the Cinque-Ports.

2 Gen. Those men are happy, fo are all are near her. I take it, fhe that carries up her train,

Is that old noble lady, the Dutchefs of Norfolk.

1 Gen. It is, and all the reft are Counteffes.

2 Gen. Their coronets fay fo. Thefe are ftars in deed,

And fometimes falling ones.

1 Gen. No more of that.

Enter a third Gentleman.

God fave you Sir. Where have you been broiling? 3 Gen. Among the crowd i'th'abby, where a finger Could not be wedg'd in more; I am ftifled,

With the meer rankness of their joy.
2 Gen. You faw the ceremony?
3 Gen. I did.

1 Gen. How was it?

3 Gen. Well worth the feeing. 2 Gen. Good Sir, speak it to us. 3 Gen. As well as I am able. The rich ftream Of lords and ladies, having brought the Queen To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell off A diftance from her; while her Grace fate down To reft a while, fome half an hour, or fo, In a rich chair of ftate, oppofing freely The beauty of her perfon to the people. Believe me, Sir, fhe is the goodliest woman That ever lay by man; which when the people Had the full view of, fuch a noife arose As the fhrowds make at sea in a stiff tempeft, As loud, and to as many tunes. Hats, cloaks, Doublets, I think, flew up; and had their faces Been loofe, this day they had been loft. Such joy I never faw before. Great-belly'd women, That had not half a week to go, like rams In the old time of war, would shake the prefs And make 'em reel before 'em. No man living Could fay, this is my wife there, all were woven So ftrangely in one piece.

2 Gen. But pray what follow'd?

3 Gen. At length her Grace rofe, and with modeft paces

Came to the altar, where the kneel'd, and faint-like
Caft her fair eyes to heav'n, and pray'd devoutly.
Then rofe again, and bow'd her to the people:
When by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury,
Sh' had all the royal makings of a Queen;
As holy all, Edward confeffor's crown,

The rod, and bird of peace, and all fuch emblems
Laid nobly on her which perform'd, the choir
With all the choiceft mufick of the kingdom,
Together fung Te Deum. So fhe parted,
And with the fame full state pac'd back again

To York-Place, where the feaft is held.

1 Gen. You must no more call it York-place, that's paft. · For fince the Cardinal fell, that title's loft,

'Tis now the King's, and call'd Whitehall.
3 Gen. I know it:

But 'tis fo lately alter'd, the old name
Is fresh about me.

2 Gen. What two reverend bishops

Were those that went on each side of the Queen ?
3 Gen. Stokely and Gardiner, the one of Winchester,
Newly preferr'd from the King's Secretary :
The other, London,

2 Gen. He of Winchester

Is held 'no great good lover of th' Arch-bishop,
The virtuous Cranmer.

3 Gen. All the land knows that:

However yet there's no great breach; when't comes, Cranmer will find a friend will not fhrink from him. 2 Gen. Who may that be, I pray you?

3 Gen. Thomas Cromwell,

A man in much efteem with the King, and truly
A worthy friend. The King has made him
Mafter o'th' jewel house,

And one already of the privy-council.

2 Gen. He will deferve more.

3 Gen. Yes, without all doubt.

Come, gentlemen, you fhall go my way,

Which is to th' court, and there fhall be my guests: Something I can command; as I walk thither

I'll tell ye more.

Both. You may command us, Sir.

[Exeunt.

*SCENE II.

Enter Katharine Dowager, fick, led between Griffith her gentleman Usher, and Patience her woman.

Grif.How

OW does your Grace?
Kath. O Griffith, fick to death:

My

My legs like loaden branches bow to th' earth,
Willing to leave their burthen: reach a chair
So - now methinks I feel a little ease. [Sitting down.
Didft thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou led'ft me,
That the great child of honour, Cardinal Wolfey,
Was dead?

Grif. Yes Madam; but I think your Grace,
Out of the pain you fuffer'd, gave no ear to't.
Kath. Prythee, good Griffith, tell me how he dy'd.
If well, he ftept before me happily,

For my example.

Grif. Well, the voice goes, Madam.

For after the ftout Earl of Northumberland

Arrested him at York, and brought him forward (As a man forely tafted) to his anfwer,

He fell fick fuddenly, and grew fo ill

He could not fit his mule.

Kath. Alas, poor man!

Grif. At laft, with eafy roads he came to Leicester,
Lodg'd in the abby; where the rev'rend abbot,
With all his convent, honourably receiv'd him;
To whom he
O father abbot,
thefe words.
gave
An old Man broken with the ftorms of state,
Is come to lay his weary bones among ye;
Give him a little earth for charity!
So went to bed; where eagerly his fickness
Purfu'd him still, and three nights after this,
About the hour of eight, (which he himself
Foretold fhould be his laft) full of repentance,
Continual meditations, tears and forrows,
He gave his honours to the world again,
His bleffed part to heav'n, and flept in peace.
Kath. So may he reft, his faults lie bury'd with him!
Yet thus far, Griffith, give me leave to fpeak him,
And yet with charity; he was a man

Of an unbounded ftomach, ever ranking
Himself with Princes: one that by fuggeftion
Ty'd all the Kingdom; fimony was fair play:
His own opinion was his law. I'th' prefence
He would fay untruths, and be ever double

Both

Both in his words and meaning. He was never,
But where he meant to ruin, pitiful.

His promises were, as he then was, mighty;
But his performance, as he now is, nothing.
Of his own body he was ill, and gave
The clergy ill example.

Grif. Noble madam,

Men's evil manners live in brass, their virtues We write in water. May it please your Highness To hear me speak his good now?

Kath. Yes, good Griffith,

I were malicious elfe.

Grif. This Cardinal,

Though from an humble ftock, undoubtedly Was fashion'd to much honour. From his cradle He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one; Exceeding wife, fair fpoken, and perfuading; Lofty and four to them that lov'd him not, But to thofe men that fought him, fweet as fummer And though he were unfatisfy'd in getting, (Which was a fin) yet in bestowing, Madam, He was moft princely: Ever witness for him Thofe twins of learning that he rais'd in you Ipfwich and Oxford! one of which fell with him, Unwilling to out-live the good he did it: The other, though unfinish'd, yet fo famous, So excellent in art, and ftill fo rifing, That Christendom fhall ever fpeak his virtue. His overthrow heap'd happiness upon him; For then, and not till then, he felt himself, And found the blessedness of being little : And to add greater honours to his age Than man could give him, he dy'd, fearing God. Kath. After my death I wifh no other herald, No other fpeaker of my living actions, To keep mine honour from corruption, But fuch an honeft chronicler as Griffith. Whom I moft hated living, thou haft made me With thy religious truth and modesty,

Now in his afhes honour. Peace be with him!