Wol. The late queen's gentlewoman; a knight's daughter, 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 heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one
Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king, And is his oracle.
He is vex'd at something.
Suf. I would 't were something that would fret the
The master-cord of his heart!
Enter the KING, reading a schedule; and LOVELl.
Suf. The king, the king. 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,
Stood here observing him: Some strange commotion Is in his brain he bites his lip, and starts; Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground; Then, lays his finger on his temple; straight, Springs out into fast gait; then, stops again, Strikes his breast hard; and anon, he casts His eye against the moon: in most strange postures We have seen him set himself.
There is a mutiny in his mind. This morning
Papers of state he sent me to peruse, As I requir'd: And wot you what I found There; on my conscience, put unwittingly? Forsooth, an inventory, thus importing,— The several parcels of his plate, his treasure, Rich stuffs, and ornaments of household; which I find at such proud rate, that it out-speaks Possession of a subject.
Some spirit put this paper in the packet To bless your eye withal.
His contemplation were above the earth, And fix'd on spiritual object, he should still Dwell in his musings: but, I am afraid,
His thinkings are below the moon, not worth His serious considering.
[He takes his seat, and whispers LOVELL, who goes to
Ever God bless your highness!
You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inventory
Of your best graces in your mind; the which
You were now running o'er; you have scarce time To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span To keep your earthly audit: Sure, in that I deem you an ill husband: and am glad To have you therein my companion.
Wol. For holy offices I have a time; a time To think upon the part of business, which I bear i' the state; and Nature does require Her times of preservation, which, perforce, I her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal, Must give my tendance to.
Wol. And ever may your highness yoke together,
As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well-saying!
"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: He said he did; and with his deed did crown
His word upon you. Since I had my office,
I have kept you next my heart; have not alone Employ'd you where high profits might come home, But par'd my present havings, to bestow
Sur. The Lord increase this business! K. Hen. The prime man of the state? I pray you, tell me, If what I now pronounce you have found true: And, if you may confess it, say withal,
you are bound to us, or no. What say you?
Wol. My sovereign, I confess, your royal graces, Shower'd on me daily, have been more than could My studied purposes requite; which went Beyond all man's endeavours :-my endeavours Have ever come too short of my desires, Yet, fil'd with my abilities: Mine own ends Have been mine so, that evermore they pointed To the good of your most sacred person, and The profit of the state. For your great graces Heap'd upon me, poor undeserver, I
Can nothing render but allegiant thanks; My prayers to Heaven for you; my loyalty, Which ever has, and ever shall be growing, Till death, that winter, kill it.
A loyal and obedient subject is
Therein illustrated: The honour of it Does pay the act of it; as, i' the contrary, The foulness is the punishment. I presume That, as my hand has open'd bounty to you,
My heart dropp'd love, my power rain'd honour, more On you, than any; so your hand, and heart, Your brain, and every function of your power, Should, notwithstanding that your bond of duty, As 't were in love's particular, be more
To me, your friend, than any.
That for your highness' good I ever labour'd More than mine own; that am, have, and will be.a 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, As doth a rock against the chiding flood, Should the approach of this wild river break, And stand unshaken yours.
'Tis nobly spoken: Take notice, lords, he has a loyal breast,
For you have seen him open 't.-Read o'er this;
And, after, this: and then to breakfast, with
What appetite you have.
[Erit KING, frowning upon CARDINAL WOLSEY: the Nobles throng after him, smiling, and whispering. 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 Upon the daring huntsman that has gall'd him; Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper: I fear, the story of his anger.-'T is so:
This paper has undone me: "T is the account Of all that world of wealth I have drawn together For mine own ends; indeed, to gain the popedom, And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence,
a That am, have, and will be. There is certainly some corruption in this passage; for no ellipsis can have taken this very obscure form. Z. Jackson suggests "that aim has and will be." This is very harsh. We might read "That aim I have, and will"—will being a noun.
Fit for a fool to fall by! What cross devil Made me put this main secret in the packet I sent the king? Is there no way to cure this? No new device to beat this from his brains? I know 't will stir him strongly; Yet I know A way, if it take right, in spite of fortune
Will bring me off again. What's this-" To the Pope"? 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 Like a bright exhalation in the evening, And no man see me more.
Re-enter the DUKES OF NORFOLK and SUFFOLK, the EARL OF SURREY, and the Lord Chamberlain.
Nor. Hear the king's pleasure, cardinal: who commands
To render up the great seal presently Into our hands; and to confine yourself To Asher-house, my lord of Winchester's, Till you hear further from his highness.
Wol. Where's your commission, lords? words cannot carry Authority so weighty.
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. How eagerly ye follow my disgraces,
As if it fed ye! and how sleek and wanton Ye appear in everything may bring my ruin! Follow your envious courses, men of malice; You have christian warrant for them, and, no doubt, In time will find their fit rewards. That seal You ask with such a violence, the king,
« VorigeDoorgaan » |