Our cause, that she should ly ith' bosom of
Our hard-rul'd King. Again, there is iprung up
An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one

Hath crawl'd into the favour of the King,

And is his oracle.

Nor. He's vex'd at something.

SCENE

III.

Enter King reading of a schedule, and Lovel.

Sur. I would 'twere something that would fret

the ftring,

The master cord of's heart!

Suf. The King, the King.

King. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated To his own portion! what expence by the 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 observing him; fome strange commo-
Is in his brain: he bites his lip, and starts, [tion
Stops on a fudden, looks upon the ground,
Then lays his finger on his temple; ftrait
Springs out into faft gait, then stops again,
Strikes his breaft hard, and then anon he cafts
His eye against the moon: in most strange postures
We've seen him fet hintelf.

King. It may well be

There is a mutiny in's mind. This morning
Papers of state he fent me to perufe,
As I requir'd; and wot you what I found
There, on my confcience, put unwittingly?
Forsooth, an inventory, thus importing,
The feveral parcels of his plate, his treafure,
Rich stuffs and ornaments of houshold, which
I find at fuch proud rate, that it out-speaks
Poffeflion of a fubject.

Nor. Its Heav'n'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 objects, he should still
Dwell in his musings; but I am afraid
His thinkings are below the moon, nor worth

His serious confidering.

[He takes his feat, whispers Lovel, who goes to Wolfey.

Wol. Heav'n forgive me
Ever God bless your Highness!
King. Good my Lord,

You are full of heav'nly stuff, and bear the inven-
Of your beft graces in your mind, the which [tory
You were now running o'er: you have scarce time:
To fteal from spiritual leifure a brief fpan,.
To keep your earthly audit. fure, in that
I deen you an ill husband, and ain glad
To have you therein my companion.

Wal. Sir,

For holy offices I have a time;

A time to think upon the part of business
I bear i' th' flate; and nature does require
Her times of presersation, which perforce
I, her frail fon, amongst my brethren mortal,
Muft give my tendence to.

King. You have faid well.

Wol. And ever may your Highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well faying!

King. 'Tis well faid again;

And tis a kind of good deed to say well;
And yet words are no deeds My father lov'd you;
He faid he did, and with his deed did crown

His word upon you. Since I had my office,
I've kept you next my heart: have not alone
Employ'd you where high profits might come home,

But par'd my present havings, to bestów

My bounties upon vou.

Wol What should this mean?

[Afide.

Sur. The Lord increase this business!

[Afide.

King. Have I not made you.

The prime man of the state? I pray tell me

If what I now pronounce you have found true; And, if you may confefs it, say, withal, If you are bound to us, or no. What say you? Wol. My Sovereign, I confefs your roval graces, Show'r'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 defires, Yet fil'd * with my abilities: mine own ends Have been mine so, that evermore they pointed To th' 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 prayers to Heav'n for you; my loyalty, Which ever has and ever shall be growing, 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, o' th' contrary, The foulness is the punishment. I presume That as my hand has open'd bounty to you, My heart dropp'd love, my pow'r rain'd honour

more

On you that 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 profess

That for your Highness' good I ever labour'd, More than mine own, that am I, have been, will

be:

Tho' all the world should crack their duty to you,

*

My endeavours, though less than my defires, have filed, that is, gone an equal pace with my abilities. Johnson.

+ Notwithstanding here signifies, setting aside, not con idering. Roderick.

And throw it from their foul; though perils did
Abound, as thick as thought could make 'em, and
Appear in forms more horrid; vet my duty,
As coth 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 breast,
For you have seen him open't. 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 nobles throng after him, whispering and
Smiling.

SCENE

Wol. What should this mean?

IV.

What sudden 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 huntsman that has gall'd him,
Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper :
I fear the story of his anger-tis fo-
This paper has undone me. ---'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 secret in the packet
I fent the King? Is there no way to care this?
No new device to beat this from his brains?
I know 'twill ftir him strongly; yet I know
A way, if it 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 Holiness. Nay, then farewell;
I've touch'd the highest point of all my greatness,
And from that full meridian of my glory
I haste now to my setting. I shall fall

Like a bright exhalation in the evening,
And no man see me more.

SCENE V.

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

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

To render up the great feal presently
Into our hands, and to confine yourself
To Asher-house, my Lord of Winchester's,
Till you hear further from his Highness.

Wol. Stay;

Where's your commission, Lords? words cannot

carry

Authority to mighty.

1

Suf. Who dare cross 'em,

Bearing the King's will from his mouth expressly?
Wol. Till I find more than will or words to do it,

(I mean your malice), know, officious Lords,
I dare and must deny it. Now I feel
Of what coarse metal ye are moulded, Envy;
How eagerly ye follow my disgrace,
As if it fed ye; and how fleek and wanton
Y'appear in every thing may bring my ruin.
Follow your envious courses, men of malice;
You've Christian warrant for 'em, and no doubt,
In time, will find their fit rewards. That seal
You ask with fuch a violence, the King,
Mine and your mafter, with his own hand gave me,
Bad me enjoy it, with the place and honours,
During my life; and, to confirm his goodness,
Ty'd it by letters-patent. Now, who'll take it?
Sur. The King that gave it.
Wol. It must be himself, then.

Sur. Thou'rt a proud traitor, priest.

Wol. Proud Lord, thou lieft;

Within these forty hours Surrey durst better
Have burnt that tongue, than faid fo.

Sur. Thy ambition,

VOL. VII.