As the fhrouds 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 loose, 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 arofe, and with modeft paces

Came to the altar, where she 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 Archbishop of Canterbury,
Sh' had all the royal makings of a Queen;
As holy oil, 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 ftate pac'd back again
To York Place, where the feast is held.

1 Gen. You muft 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, that the old name

Is fresh about me.

2 Gen. What two reverend bishops

Were thofe, that went on each fide of the Queen? 3 Gen. Stokely and Gardiner; the one of Winchefter, Newly preferr'd from the King's Secretary:

The other, London.

2 Gen. He of Winchester

Is held no great good lover of th' Archbishop,

The

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 shrink from him.
2 Gen. Who may that be, I pray you?

3 Gen. Thomas Cromwell,

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

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.

SCENE changes to Kimbolton,

[Exeunt.

Enter Catharine Dowager, fick, led between Griffith ber gentleman ufber, and Patience her woman.

Grif. H Cath. O Grifith, fick to death:

TOW does your Grace?

My legs, like loaded 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 car to't.

Cath. Pr'ythee, 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 tainted) to his answer,
He fell fick fuddenly, and grew fo ill
He could not fit his mule.

Cath. Alas, poor man!

Grif. At laft, with eafie roads he came to Leicester;
Lodg'd in the Abbey; where the rev'rend Abbot,
With all his Convent, honourably receiv'd him;
To whom he gave these words, "O father Abbot,
"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 ftill, 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.
Cath. So may he reft, his faults lie gently on him!
Yet thus far, Griffith, give me leave to speak 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 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,

Mens evil manners live in brass, their virtues
We write in water. May it please your Highness

To hear me speak his good now?

Cath. Yes, good Griffith,

I were malicious elfe.

Grif. This Cardinal, (17)

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, sweet as fummer.
And though he were unfatisfy'd in getting,
(Which was a fin) yet in beftowing, 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 bleffedness of being little:
And to add greater honours to his age
Than man could give him, he dy'd, fearing God.
Cath. After my death I wish no other herald,
No other speaker of my living actions,
To keep mine honour from corruption,
But fuch an honest chronicler as Griffith.
Whom I most hated living, thou haft made me,

Though from an bumble Stock, undoubtedly

Was fashion'd to much Honour. From bis Cradle

He was a Scholar, and a ripe, and good one ;] Thus this Paffage has hitherto been most abfurdly pointed. That Wolfey fhould be a ripe Scholar from his Cradle, is most extraordinary and incredible. My Alteration of this Pointing, I dare be pofitive, gives us the Poet's Meaning; and expreffes that Character, which, Holing head tells us, Edmund Campian, in his Hiftory of Ireland, had given of the Cardinal, that he was a Man undoubtedly born to Honour.

With thy religious truth and modefty,

Now in his ashes honour. Peace be with him!
Patience, be near me ftill, and fet me lower,
I have not long to trouble thee. Good Griffith,
Cause the musicians play me that fad note,
I nam'd my knell; whilst I fit meditating
On that celestial harmony I go to.

Sad and folemn mufick.

Grif. She is afleep: good wench, let's fit down quiet,

For fear we wake her. Softly, gentle Patience.

The Vifion. Enter folemnly one after another, fix perfonages, clad in white robes, wearing on their heads garlands of bays, and golden wizards on their faces; branches of bays, or palm in their hands. They firft congee unto her, then dance; and, at certain changes, the firft two hold a fpare garland over her head; at which, the other four make reverend curtfies. Then the two, that held the garland, deliver the fame to the other next tavo; who observe the fame order in their changes, and holding the garland over her head: Which done, they deliver the fame garland to the laft two, which likewife obferve the fame order: (At which, as it were by infpiration, he makes in her fleep figns of rejoycing, and holdeth up her hands to heaven.) And fo in their dancing vanish, carrying the garland with them. The mufick continues.

Cath. Spirits of peace; where are ye? are ye gone? And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye? Grif. Madam, we're here.

Cath. It is not you I call for;

Saw ye none enter, fince I flept?
Grif. None, Madam.

Cath. No faw you not e'en now a bleffed troop
Invite me to a banquet, whose bright faces
Caft thousand beams upon me, like the fun?
They promis'd me eternal happiness,

And