Why, well; Wol. A still and quiet conscience. The king has cur'd me, use of it. Wol. I hope I have: I am able now, methinks, (Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,) To endure more miseries, and greater far, The heaviest, and the worst, Is your displeasure with the king. Wol. God bless him! Crom. The next is, that sir Thomas More is chosen Lord chancellor in your place. Wol. That's somewhat sudden : But he's a learned man. May he continue Long in his highness' favour, and do justice For truth's sake, and his conscience; that his bones, When he has run his course, and sleeps in blessings, May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on 'em! What more? Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition; Corruption wins not more than honesty. To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not: Thou fall'st a blessed martyr. Serve the king; There take an inventory of all I have, To the last penny: 'tis the king's my robe, I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell, So I have. Farewell The hopes of court! my hopes in heaven do dwell. ACT IV. [Exeunt. Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with welcome, SCENE I-A street in Westminster. Enter Install'd lord archbishop of Canterbury. Wol. That's news, indeed. Crom. Last, that the lady Anne, Whom the king hath in secrecy long married, This day was view'd in open, as his queen, Going to chapel; and the voice is now Only about her coronation. Wol. There was the weight that pull'd me down. The king has gone beyond me, all my glories Thy hopeful service perish too: Good Cromwell, Crom. O my lord, Must I then leave you? Must I needs forego So good, so noble, and so true a master? Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron, With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord.The king shall have my service; but my prayers For ever, and for ever, shall be yours. two Gentlemen, meeting. 1 Gent. You are well met once again. 2 Gent. And so are you. 1 Gent. You come to take your stand here, and behold The lady Anne pass from her coronation? 2 Gent. 'Tis all my business. At our last en 'Tis well: The citizens, I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds; Never greater, 1 Gent. The duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims 2 Gent. I thank you, sir; had I not known those customs, I should have been beholden to your paper. Wol. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear In all my miseries; but thou hast forc'd me Out of thy honest truth to play the woman. Let's dry our eyes: and thus far hear me, Cromwell; And,-when I am forgotten, as I shall be ; And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention Of me more must be heard of,-say, I taught thee. Say, Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,From Ampthill, where the princess lay; to which And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour, Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in; A sure and safe one, though thy master miss'd it. Mark but my fall, and that that ruin'd me. (1) The chancellor is the guardian of orphans. 1 Gent. That I can tell you too. The archbishop She oft was cited by them, but appear'd not: (2) Interest. Enter a third Gentleman. And the late marriage1 made of none effect: Since which, she was removed to Kimbolton, Where she remains now, sick. 2 Gent. Alas, good lady![Trumpets. The trumpets sound: stand close, the queen is coming. THE ORDER OF THE PROCESSION. A lively flourish of trumpets; then enter 1. Two judges. 2. Lord Chancellor, with the purse and mace before him. 3. Choristers singing. [Music. 4. Mayor of London, bearing the mace. Then Garter, in his coat of arms, and on his head, a gilt copper crown. 5. Marquis Dorset, bearing a sceptre of gold, on his head a demi-coronal of gold. With him, the earl of Surrey, bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned with an earl's coronet. Collars of SS. 6. Duke of Suffolk, in his robe of estate, his coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as high-steward. With him, the duke of Norfolk, with the rod of marshalship, a coronet on his head. Collars of SS. 7. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports; under it, the Queen in her robe; in her hair richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each side of her, the bishops of London and Winchester. 8. The old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold, wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen's train. 9. Certain ladies or countesses, with plain circlets of gold, without flowers. 3 Gent. Well worth the seeing. 2 Gent. Good sir, speak it to us. 3 Gent. As well as I am able. The rich stream Of lords, and ladies, having brought the queen To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell off A distance from her; while her grace sat down To rest a while, some half an hour, or so, In a rich chair of state, opposing freely The beauty of her person to the people. Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman That ever lay by man: which when the people Had the full view of, such a noise arose As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest, 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 lost. Such joy never saw before. Great-bellied women, That had not half a week to go, like rams In the old time of war, would shake the press, And make them reel before them. No man living Could say, This is my wife, there; all were woven So strangely in one piece. 2 Gent. But, pray, what follow'd? 3 Gent. At length her grace rose, and with modest paces Came to the altar; where she kneel'd, and, saint- Cast her fair eyes to heaven, and pray'd devoutly, 2 Gent. A royal train, believe me.--" know; Who's that, that bears the sceptre? 1 Gent. Marquis Dorset: And that the earl of Surrey, with the rod. 2 Gent. A bold brave gentleman: And that should be Of the Cinque-ports. She had all the royal makings of a queen; Sir, you I know it; But 'tis so lately alter'd, that the old name 2 Gent. What two reverend bishops Were those that went on each side of the queen? 3 Gent. Stokesly and Gardiner; the one, of Winchester, (Newly preferr'd from the king's secretary,) 2 Gent. Those men are happy; and so are all, are The other, London. near her. I take it, she that carries up the train, Is that old noble lady, duchess of Norfolk. 1 Gent. It is; and all the rest are countesses. 2 Gent. Their coronets say so. These are stars, indeed; And, sometimes, falling ones, 1 Gent. No more of that. [Exit procession, with a great flourish of trumpets. (1) The marriage lately considered as valid. And one, already, of the privy-council. This cardinal, I were malicious else. Grif. Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly Was fashion'd to6 much honour. From his cradle,' He was a scholar, and a ripe, and good one; Exceeding wise, fair-spoken, and persuading: Lofty, and sour, to them that lov'd him not; But, to those men that sought him, sweet as summer. And though he were unsatisfied in getting, SCENE II-Kimbolton. Enter Katharine, dow-(Which was a sin,) yet in bestowing, madam, ager, sick; led between Griffith and Patience. You may command us, sir. [Exe. Grif. How does your grace? Grif. Yes, madam; but, I think, your grace, If well, he stepp'd before me, happily,2 Kath. Alas! poor man! Grif. At last, with easy roads,3 he came to Leicester, Lodg'd in the abbey; where the reverend abbot, His promises were, as he then was, mighty; Grif. Kath. Yes, good Griffith; you, He was most princely: Ever witness for him Sad and solemn music. Grif. She is aleep: Good wench, let's sit down quiet, For fear we wake her;-Softly, gentle Patience. The vision. Enter, solemnly tripping one after another, six personages, clad in white robes, wearing on their heads garlands of bays, and golden vizards on their faces; branches of bays, or palm, in their hands. They first congee unto her, then dance; and, at certain changes, the first two hold a spare garland over her head; at which, the other four make reverent court'sies; then the two that held the garland, deliver the same to the other next two, who observe the same order in their changes, and holding the garland over her head: which done, they deliver the same garland to the last two, who likewise observe the same order: at which (as it were by inspiration,) she makes in her sleep signs of re joicing, and holdeth up her hands to heaven: and so in their dancing they vanish, carrying the garland with them. The music continues. Kath. Spirits of peace, where are ye? Are ye And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye? It is not you I call for : (1) This scene is above any other part of Shak-Invite me to a banquet; whose bright faces (2) Haply. (4) Pride. (3) By short stages. (7) Ipswich. Mess. An't like your grace,- Mess. I humbly do entreat your highness' pardon; Let me ne'er see again. [Exeunt Grif. and Mess. If my sight fail not, Cap. Kath. O my good lord, that comfort comes too 'Tis like a pardon after execution: No, madam. ness The model of our chaste loves, his young daugh ter :2 Have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully: A right good husband, let him be3 a noble ; them. The last is, for my men :-they are the poorest, Cap. By heaven, I will; Kath. I thank you, honest lord. Remember me Let me be us'd with honour; strew me over [Exeunt, leading Katharine. ACT V. SCENE 1-A gallery in the palace. Enter Lov. Lov. I must to him, too, In them a wilder nature, than the business It seems, you are in haste: an if there be No great offence belongs to't, give your friend Some touch of your late business: Affairs, that walk The dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her!-(As, they say, spirits do,) at midnight, have Beseeching him, to give her virtuous breeding; (She is young, and of a noble modest nature; I hope, she will deserve well;) and a little To love her for her mother's sake, that lov'd him, Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition Is, that his noble grace would have some pity Upon my wretched women, that so long, Lov. They say, in great extremity; and fear'd, But, sir, sir, Gar. Hear me, sir Thomas: You are a gentleman Of mine own way; I know you wise, religious; And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well,'Twill not, sir Thomas Lovell, take't of me,Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she, Sleep in their graves. Lov. Now, sir, you speak of two The most remark'd i'the kingdom. As for Cromwell, Beside that of the jewel-house, he's made master One syllable against him? That does infect the land: with which they moved, K. Hen. Charles, I will play no more to-night; Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.— ness Most heartily to pray for her. What say'st thou? ha! Almost each pang a death. K. Hen. Alas, good lady! Suf. God safely quit her of her burden, and With gentle travail, to the gladding of Your highness with an heir! K. Hen. 'Tis midnight, Charles, Pr'ythee, to bed; and in thy prayers remember The estate of my poor queen. Leave me alone; For I must think of that, which company Will not be friendly to. (1) Set on. VOL. II. Lov. This is about that which the bishop spake; I am happily come hither. Re-enter Denny, with Cranmer. K. Hen. Avoid the gallery. [Lovell seems to stay. What!- It is my duty, 'Pray you, arise, My good and gracious lord of Canterbury. Come, you and I must walk a turn together; I have news to tell you: Come, come, give me your hand. Ah, my good lord, I grieve at what I speak, Have mov'd us and our council, that It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness Cran. I humbly thank your highness; And am right glad to catch this good occasion Most throughly to be winnow'd, where my chaff And corn shall fly asunder: for, I know, There's none stands under more calumnious tongues, Than I myself, poor man. K. Hen. I should have ta'en some pains to bring together (4) One of the council, (2) Told their minds. (3) Summoned. (5) Value. 2 H |