ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

Heaven has an end in all: Yet you, that hear me,
This from a dying man receive as certain :

Where you are liberal of your loves, and counsels,
Be sure, you be not loose; for those, you make friends,
And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The least rub in your fortunes, fall away

Like water from ye, never found again,

But where they mean to sink ye. All good people,
Pray for me! I must now forsake ye; the last hour
Of my long weary life is come upon me.

Farewell:

And when you would say something that is sad,
Speak how I fell.-I have done; and God forgive me!

[Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and train.

1 Gent. O, this is full of pity!-Sir, it calls,

I fear, too many curses on their heads,

That were the authors.

2 Gent. If the duke be guiltless,

Tis full of woe: yet I can give you inkling

Of an

ensuing evil, if it fall,

Greater than this.

1 Gent. Good angels keep it from us! Where may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir? 2 Gent. This secret is so weighty, 'twill require Astrong faith to conceal it.

1 Gent. Let me have it;

Ido not talk much.

2 Gent. I am confident;

You shall, sir: Did you not of late days hear
Abuzzing, of a separation

Between the king and Katharine?

1 Gent. Yes, but it held not:

For when the king once heard it, out of anger
He sent command to the lord mayor, straight
To stop the rumour, and allay those tongues,
That durst disperse it.

2 Gent. But that slander, sir,

Is found a truth now; for it grows again
Fresher than e'er it was; and held for certain,
The king will venture at it. Either the cardinal,
Or some about him near, have, out of malice
To the good queen, possess'd him with a scruple,
That will undo her: To confirm this too,
Cardinal Campeius is arriv'd, and lately;
As all think, for this business.

1 Gent. "Tis the cardinal;

And merely to revenge him on the emperor,
For not bestowing on him, at his asking,

The archbishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd.

2 Gent. I think, you have hit the mark: But is't not

cruel,

That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal

Will have his will, and she must fall.

1 Gent. "Tis woful.

We are too open here to argue this;
Let's think in private more.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-An Ante-chamber in the Palace.

Enter the Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter. Cham. My lord,-The horses your lordship sent for, with all the care I had, I saw well chosen, ridden, and furnished. They were young, and handsome; and of the best

breed in the north. When they were ready to set out for
London,
a man of my lord cardinal's, by commission, and
main power, took 'em from me; with this reason,- His
master would be served before a subject, if not before the
king: which stopped our mouths, sir.

I fear, he will, indeed: Well, let him have them:
He will have all, I think.

Enter the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.
Nor. Well met, my good

Lord Chamberlain.

Cham. Good day to both your graces.

Suf. How is the king employ'd?

Cham. I left him private,

Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

Nor. What's the cause?

Cham. It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife

Has

crept too near his conscience.

Suf. No, his conscience

Has crept too near another lady.

Nor. "Tis so;

This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:
That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,
Turns what he lists. The king will know him one day.
Suf Pray God, he do! he'll never know himself else.
Nor. How holily he works in all his business!
And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the
league

Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,
He dives into the king's soul; and there scatters
Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,

Fears, and despairs, and all these for his marriage:
And, out of all these to restore the king,
He counsels a divorce: a loss of her,
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never lost her lustre ;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence,
That angels love good men with; even of her,
That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
Will bless the king: And is not this course pious?
Cham. Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis
most true,

These news are every where; every tongue speaks them,
And every true heart weeps for't: All, that dare
Look into these affairs, see this main end,-

The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open
The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon

This bold bad man.

Suf. And free us from his slavery.
Nor. We had need pray,

And heartily, for our deliverance;
Or this imperious man will work us all
From princes into pages: all men's honours
Lie in one lump before him, to be fashion'd
Into what pitch he please.

Suf. For me, my lords,

I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed:
As I am made without him, so I'll stand,

If the king please; his curses and his blessings
Touch me alike, they are breath I not believe in.
I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him
To him, that made him proud, the pope.

Nor. Let's in;

And, with some other business, put the king

From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon

him.

My lord, you'll bear us company

Cham. Excuse me;

The king hath sent me other-where: besides,
You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:
Health to your lordships.

Nor. Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.

[Exit Lord Chamberlain.

NORFOLK opens a folding-door. The King is discovered

sitting, and reading pensively.

Suf. How sad he looks! sure, he is much afflicted.
K. Hen. Who is there? ha?

Nor. 'Pray God, he be not angry.

K. Hen. Who's there, I say? How dare you

Into

Who

yourselves

my private meditations?

am I? ha?

thrust

Nor. A gracious king, that pardons all offences,
Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty, this way,
Is business of estate; in which we come
To know your royal pleasure.

K. Hen. You are too bold;

Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business:
Is this an hour for temporal affairs? ha?-

Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS.

Who's there? my good lord cardinal?-O my Wolsey, The quiet of my wounded conscience,

[blocks in formation]
« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »