The hearts of princes kiss obedience,
So much they love it; but to stubborn spirits,
They swell, and grow as terrible as storms.
I know, you have a gentle, noble temper,
A soul as even as a calm: Pray, think us
Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and servants.
Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your

virtues

With these weak women's fears. A noble spirit,
As yours was put into you, ever casts

Such doubts, as false coin, from it

you;

The king loves

Beware, you lose it not: For us, if you please

To trust us in your business, we are ready

To use our utmost studies in your service.

Q. Kath. Do what ye will, my lords: And, pray,

forgive me,

If I have us'd myself unmannerly:
You know, I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a seemly answer to such persons.
Pray, do my service to his majesty:

He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers,
While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers,
Bestow your counsels on me: she now begs,
That little thought, when she set footing here,
She should have bought her dignities so dear.

• Behaved.

[Exeunt. SCENE II.

Ante-chamber to the King's apartment.

Enter the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain.

Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints And force* them with a constancy, the cardinal Cannot stand under them: If you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise, But that you shall sustain more new disgraces, With these you bear already.

Sur.

I am joyful To meet the least occasion, that may give me Remembrance of my father-in-law, the duke,

To be reveng'd on him.

Suff.

Which of the peers

Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least
Strangely neglected? when did he regard

The stamp of nobleness in any person,

Out of himself?

Cham.

My lords, you speak your pleasures:

What he deserves of you and me, I know;

What we can do to him (though now the time

Gives way to us), I much fear. If you cannot
Bar his access to the king, never attempt
Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft

Over the king in his tongue.

Nor.

O, fear him not;

His spell in that is out: the king hath found
Matter against him, that for ever mars
The honey of his language. No, he's settled,
Not to come off, in his displeasure.

• Enforce.

Sur.

Sir,

I should be glad to hear such news as this

Suff. The cardinal's letter to the pope miscarried, And came to the eye o'the king: wherein was read, How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness To stay the judgement o'the divorce: For if It did take place, I do, quoth he, perceive My king is tangled in affection to

A creature of the queen's, lady Anne Bullen.

Sur. Has the king this?

Suff.

Sur.

Believe it.

Will this work?

Cham. The king in this perceives him, how he

coasts,

And hedges, his own way. But in this point
All his tricks founder, and he brings his physick
After his patient's death; the king already
Hath married the fair lady.

Sur.

'Would he had!

Suff. May you be happy in your wish, my lord!

For, I profess, you have it.

Sur.

Trace the conjunction!

Suff.

Nor.

Now all my joy

Suff. There's order given for her coronation :

Marry, this is yet but youngt, and may be left
To some ears unrecounted-But, my lords,

She is a gallant creature, and complete

In mind and feature: I persuade me, from her
Will fall some blessing to this land, which shall

In it be memoriz'd*.

Sur.

But, will the king

Digest this letter of the cardinal's?

The Lord forbid !

Nor.

Suff.

Marry, amen!

No, no;

There be more wasps that buz about his nose,
Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius
Is stolen away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave;
Has left the cause o'the king unhandled; and

Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,

To second all his plot. I do assure you

The king cry'd, ha! at this.

Cham.

And let him cry ha, louder!
Nor.

When returns Cranmer?

Now, God incense him,

But, my lord,

Suff. He is return'd, in his opinions; which
Have satisfied the king for his divorce,
Together with all famous colleges

Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe,
His second marriage shall be publish'd, and
Her coronation. Katharine no more

Shall be call'd, queen; but princess dowager,

And widow to prince Arthur.

Nor.

This same Cranmer's

A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain

In the king's business.

Nor.

Enter Wolsey and Cromwell.

Observe, observe, he's moody.

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.

Presently

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.- [Erit Cromwell.

It shall be to the duchess of Alençon,

The French king's sister: he shall marry her.-
Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him:
There is more in it than fair visage.-Bullen!
No, we'll no Bullens. - Speedily I wish

To hear from Rome. The marchioness of Pem

To be her mistress' mistress! the queen's queen!-
This candle burns not clear: 'tis I must snuff it;
Then, out it goes. - What though I know her virtuous,
And well-deserving? yet I know her for
A spleeny Lutheran; and not wholesome to
Our cause, that she should lie i'the bosom of
Our hard-rul'd king. Again, there is sprung up
An beretick, an arch one, Cranmer; one