Enter King, reading of a schedule; and Lovel.
Sur. I would, 'twere fomething that would fret the
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?
Stood here obferving him. Some ftrange Commotion
Is in his brain; he bites his lip, and starts;
Stops on a fudden, looks upon the ground,
Then lays his finger on his temple; ftrait,
Springs out into faft gate, then ftops again;
Strikes his breaft hard, and then anon he cafts
His eye against the moon; in most strange poftures
We've feen him set himself.
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, on my confcience put unwittingly?
Forfooth, an inventory, thus importing;
The feveral parcels of his plate, his treasure,
Rich stuffs and ornaments of houshold, which
I find at fuch proud rate, that it out-fpeaks
Poffeffion of a fubject.
Nor. It's heav'n's 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
[He takes his feat, whispers Lovel, who goes to
Wol. Heav'n forgive me
Ever God bless your highness! ·
King. Good my Lord,
You are full of heav'nly ftuff, 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; 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 said 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 say well.
And yet words are no deeds.
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
Imploy'd you where high profits might come home
But par'd my present havings, to bestow
Wol. What fhould this mean?
Sur. The lord increase this business!
King. Have I not made you
The prime man of the ftate? I pray you, tell me,
If what I now pronounce, you have found true:
And, if you may confess it, fay withal,
If you are bound to us, or no? what say you?
Wol. My Sovereign, I confefs your royal graces
Showr'd on me daily have been more than could
My ftudied purposes requite, 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 mine fo, that evermore they pointed
To th' good of your moft facred person, and
The profit of the ftate: For your great graces
Heap'd upon me, poor un-deferver, 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 anfwer'd:
A loyal and obedient fubject is
Therein illuftrated; the honour of it
Does pay the act of it, as i' th' contrary
The foulness 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,
fo 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.
That for your Highness' 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 unshaken 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
[Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wolfey; the Nobles throng after him, whispering and smiling.
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 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 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 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 Holinefs. Nay, then farewel;
I've touch'd the highest point of all my Greatness;
And from that full meridian of my glory
I hate now to my fetting. I fhall fall,
Like a bright exhalation in the evening;
And no man fee me more.
Enter to Wolfey, the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the
Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain.
Nor. Hear the King's pleafure, Cardinal; who com
To render up the Great Seal prefently
Into our hands, and to confine yourself
To After-houfe, my lord of Winchester's,
Till you hear further from his Highness.
Wol. Stay :
Where's your commiffion, lords? words cannot carry
Authority fo mighty.
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,
I dare, and muft deny it. Now I feel
Of what coarse metal ye are molded,-
How eagerly ye follow my difgrace,
As if it fed ye; and how fleek, and wanton,
Y'appear in every thing may bring my ruin.
Follow your envious courfes, men of malice;
You've chriftian 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 patents. 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 durft better
Have burnt that tougue, than faid fo.
Sur. Thy ambition,
Thou scarlet fin, robb'd this bewailing land.
Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law:
The heads of all thy brother Cardinals,
(With thee, and all thy best parts bound together,) Weigh'd not a hair of his. Plague of your policy! You fent me Deputy for Ireland,
Far from his fuccour; from the King; from all, That might have mercy on the fault, thou gav'ft him:
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