Nor. Enter WOLSEY and CROMWELL. Observe, observe, he 's moorly. Presently Wol. The packet, Cromwell, gave it you the king? Crom. To his own hand, in his bedchamber. Wol. Look'd he o' the inside of the paper? Crom. He did unseal them and the first he view'd, He did it with a serious mind; a heed Was in his countenance: You, he bade Attend him here this morning. Wol. To come abroad? Crom. : Is he ready I think, by this he is. Wol. Leave me a while. It shall be to the duchess of Alençon, [Exit CROMWELL. The French king's sister: he shall marry her. Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him: No, we 'll no Bullens.-Speedily I wish To hear from Rome.-The marchioness of Pembroke! Nor. He 's discontented. Lord, for thy justice! May be, he hears the king Sharp enough, Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's daughter, To be her mistress' mistress! the queen's queen!- A spleeny Lutheran; and not wholesome to Our hard-rul'd king. Again, there is sprung up Nor. He is vex'd at something. Suf. I would 't were something that would fret the string, The master-cord of his heart! Enter the KING, reading a schedule; and LOVELL. The king, the king. Suf. K. Hen. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated To his own portion! and what expense by the hour Seems to flow from him! How, i' the name of thrift, Does he rake this together?-Now, my lords, Saw you the cardinal? Nor. My lord, we have Stood here observing him: Some strange commotion K. Hen. As I requir'd: And wot you what I found Nor. It's heaven's will: Some spirit put this paper in the packet K. Hen. If we did think His contemplation were above the earth, Dwell in his musings: but, I am afraid, His thinkings are below the moon, not worth Wol. [He takes his seat, and whispers LOVELL, who goes to WOLSEY. Heaven forgive me! Ever God bless your highness! K. Hen. Good my lord, You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inventory Wol. K. Hen. You have said well. Wol. And ever may your highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well-saying! K. Hen. T is well said again; And 't is a kind of good deed to say well: And yet words are no deeds. My father lov'd you : His word upon you. Since I had my office, My bounties upon you. Wol. What should this mean? [Aside. K. Hen. Have I not made you The prime man of the state? I pray you, tell me, If you are bound to us, or no. What say you? Wol. My sovereign, I confess, your royal graces, Can nothing render but allegiant thanks; K. Hen. Fairly answer'd ; Therein illustrated: The honour of it To me, your friend, than any. Wol. I do profess That for your highness' good I ever labour'd More than mine own; that am, have, and will be. Though all the world should crack their duty to you And throw it from their soul; though perils did Abound, as thick as thought could make them, and Appear in forms more horrid; yet my duty, K. Hen. [Giving him papers. And, after, this: and then to breakfast, with What appetite you have. [Exit KING, frowning upon CARDINAL WOLSEY": the Nobles throng after him, smiling, and whispering. Wol. What should this mean? 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 Will bring me off again. What 's this-"To the The letter, as I live, with all the business I writ to his holiness. Nay then, farewell! I have 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 |