And throw it from their soul; though perils did K.Hen. '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 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? Leap'd from his eyes: So looks the chafed lion Will bring me off again. What's this-To the Pope? I writ to his holiness. Nay then, farewell! I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness; I haste now to my setting: I shall fall Re-enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK, the Nor. Hear the king's pleasure, cardinal: who commands you To render up the great seal presently Into our hands; and to confine yourself Wol. Stay, Where's your commission, lords? words cannot carry Authority so weighty. Suf. Who dare cross them? 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. As if it fed ye? and how sleek and wanton You have christian warrant for them, and, no doubt, (Mine, and your master,) with his own hand gave me : Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours, During my life; and, to confirm his goodness, Tied it by letters patents: Now, who'll take it? Wel. It must be himself then. Sur. Thou art a proud traitor, priest. Within these forty hours Surrey durst better Sur. Thy ambition, Thou scarlet sin, robb'd this bewailing land Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law: The heads of all thy brother cardinals, (With thee, and thy best parts bound together,) Weigh'd not a hair of his. Plague of your policy! You sent me deputy for Ireland; Far from his succour, from the king, from all That might have mercy on the fault thou gavʼst him ; Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity, Absolv'd him with an axe. Wol. This, and all else This talking lord can lay upon my credit, His noble jury and foul cause can witness. Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be, Sur. By my soul, Your long coat,priest, protects you; thou should'st feel And from this fellow? If we live thus tamely, Is poison to thy stomach. Sur. Yes, that goodness Of gleaning all the land's wealth into one, Into your own hands, cardinal, by extortion ; The goodness of your intercepted packets, You writ to the pope, against the king: your goodness, My lord of Norfolk,-as you are truly noble, Who, if he live, will scarce be gentlemen,- Worse than the sacring bell, 2 when the brown wench Wol. How much, methinks, I could despise this man, But that I am bound in charity against it! Nor. Those articles, my lord, are in the king's hand : But, thus much, they are foul ones. Wol. So much fairer, And spotless, shall mine innocence arise, Sur. This cannot save you : I thank my memory, I yet remember. [1] The hat of a cardinal is scarlet; and one of the methods of daring larks was by small mirrors fastened on scarlet cloth, which engaged the attention of these birds while the fowler drew his net over them. STEEV. [2] The little bell, which is rung to give notice of the Host approaching when it is carried in procession, as also in other offices of the Romish church, is called the sacring, or consecration bell; from the French sacrer. THEO. 6* VOL. VI. Now, if you can blush, and cry guilty, cardinal, Wol. Speak on, sir; I dare your worst objections: if I blush, It is, to see a nobleman want manners. Sur. I'd rather want those than my head. Have at you. First, that, without the king's assent, or knowledge, You wrought to be a legate; by which power You maim'd the jurisdiction of all bishops. Nor. Then, that, in all you writ to Rome, or else Was still inscrib'd; in which you brought the king Suf. Then, that, without the knowledge Without the king's will, or the state's allowance, Suf. That, out of mere ambition, you have caus'd Sur. Then, that you have sent innumerable substance, (By what means got, I leave to your own conscience,) To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways You have for dignities; to the mere undoing Of all the kingdom. Many more there are; Which, since they are of you, and odious, I will not taint my mouth with. Cham. O my lord, Press not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue : Not you, correct him. My heart weeps to see him Sur. I forgive him. Suf. Lord cardinal, the king's further pleasure is,— Because all those things, you have done of late By your power legatine within this kingdom, 2_ Fall into the compass of a pramunire,2. That therefore such a writ be su'd against you; To forfeit all your goods, lands, tenements, Chattels, and whatsoever, and to be [2] It is almost unnecessary to observe that præ munire is a barbarous word used instead of præmonere. STEEV. Out of the king's protection :-This is my charge. [Exeunt all but WOLSEY. Wol. So farewell to the little good you bear me. But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride Enter CROMWELL amazedly. Why, how now, Cromwell? Crom. I have no power to speak, sir. Wol. What, amaz'd At my misfortunes? can thy spirit wonder, A great man should decline? Nay, an you weep, Crom. How does your grace? Wol. Why, well; Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell. I know myself now; and I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience. The king has cur'd me, I humbly thank his grace; and from these shoulders, These ruin'd pillars, out of pity, taken |