Still met the King? lov'd him next Heav'n? obey'á
Been, out of fondness, fuperftitious to him? [him?
Almot forgot my prayers to content him?

And am I thus rewarded? 'Tis not well, Lords.
Bring me a conftant woman to her husband,
One that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his pleasure;
And to that woman. when the has done most,
Yet will I add an honour, a great patience.
Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we aim at.
Queen. My Lord, I dare not make myself so guilty,
To give up willingly that noble title

Your mafter wed me to: nothing but death
Shall e'er divorce my dignities.

Wol. Pray hear me

Queen. 'Would I had never trod this English earth, Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it!

Ye've angels' faces, but Heav'n knows your hearts..
What fhall become of me now! wretched lady!
I am the most unhappy woman living.

-Alas! poor wenchies, where are now your for-
tunes?
[To her women.
Ship-wreck'd upon a kingdom where no pity,
No friends, no hope, no kindred weep for me,
Almoft no grave allow'd me. Like the lily,
That once was miftrefs of the field and flourishid,
I'll hang my head, and perish.

Wol. If your Grace

Could but be brought to know our ends are honest,
You'd feel more comfort. Why fhould we, good Lady,
Upon what caufe, wrong you? Alas! our places,
The way of our profeflion is against it;

We are to cure fuch forrows, not to fow 'em.
For goodneis' fake confider what you do;
How you may hurt yourself, nay, utterly

Grow from the King's acquaintance by this carriage.
The hearts of Princes kifs obedience,

So much they love it; but to ftubborn fpirits
They fwell and grow as terrible as ftorins.
I know you have a gentle, noble temper,
A foul as even as a calm; prav think us
Those we profefs, peace-makers, friends and fer-

vants.

Cam. Madam, you'll find it fo. You wrong your

virtues

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

Such doubts, as falle coin, from it. The King loves

you;

Beware you lofe it not. For us, if you please

To truft us in your bufinefs, we are ready
To ufe our utmost studies in your fervice.

Queen. Do what you will, my Lords; and pray If I have us'd myself unmannerly.

[forgive me,
You know I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a feemly aniwer to fuch perfons.
Pray do my service to his Majesty':

He has my heart yet; and fhall have my pray❜rs,
While I fhall have my life. Come, rev'rend fathers,
Bestow your counfels on me. She now begs,
That little thought, when the fet footing here,
She fhould have bought her dignities fo dear.

[Exeunt.

Antechamber to the King's Apartments.

Enter Duke of Norfolk, Duke of Suffolk, Lord Sur rey, and Lord Chamberlain.

Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints, And force them with a conftancy, the Cardinal' Cannot ftand under them. If you omit

The offer of this time. I cannot promife

But that you fhall fuftain more new dilgraces,
With thefe you bear already.

Sur. I am joyful

To meet the leaft occafion that may give me
Remembrance of my father-in-law, the Duke,
To be reveng'd on him.

Suf. Which of the peers

Have uncontemn'd gone by him or at least
Strangely neglected? when did he regard
The ftamp of nobleneis in any perfon,
Out of himself?

Cham. My Lords, you speak your pleafures.
What he deferves of you and me, I know;
What we can do to him, though now the time
Give way to us, I much fear. If you cannot
Bar his accefs to the King, never attempt
Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft
Over the King in's tongue.

Nor O, fear him not;

His fpell in that is out; the King hath found
Matter against him that for ever mars

The honey of his language. No, he's fettled,
Not to come off in his most high difpleasure.

Sur. I fhould be glad to hear fuch news as this Once every hour.

Nor. Believe it, this is true.

In the divorce his contrary proceedings
Are all unfolded; wherein he appears
As I would with mine enemy.

Sur. How came

His practices to light?

Suf. Moft ftrangely.

Sur. How?

*

Suf. The Cardinal's letters to the Pope miscarried,
And came to th' eye o' th' King; wherein was read,
How that the Cardinal did intreat his Holiness
To ftay the judgment o' th' 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?

Suf. Believe it.

Sur. Will this work?

Cham. The King in this perceives him, how he coafts

And hedges his own way. But in this point
All his tricks founder, and he brings his phyfie
After his patient's death the King already
Hath married the fair Lady.

Sur. 'Would he had!

Private practices opposite to his public procedure.

Fabnfop

Suf. May you be happy in your wish, my Lord; For, I profefs, you have it.

Sur. Now all joy

Trace the conjunction!
Suf. My Amen to't!
Nor. All mens'!

Suf. There's order given for her coronation.
Marry, this is yet but young, and may be left
To fome ears unrecounted: but, my Lords,

She is a gallant creature, and compleat

In mind and feature

I perfuade me from her

Will fall fome bletting to this land, which fhall
In it be memoriz'd.

Sur. But will the King

Digeft this letter of the Cardinal's?

The Lord forbid !

Nor. Marry, Amen!

Suf. No, no:

There be more wafps that buz about his nose,
Will make this fting the fooner. Cardinal Cam-
Is ftoln away to Rome, has ta'en no leave, [peius
Hath left the caufe o' th' King unhandled; and
Is pofted, as the agent of our Cardinal,

To fecond all his plot. I do affure you
The King cry'd Ha! at this.

Cham. Now, God incenfe him;

And let him cry ha, louder!

Nor. But, my Lord,
When returns Cranmer ?

Suf. He is return'd with his opinions, which
Have fatisfy'd the King for his divorce,
Gather'd from all the famous colleges
Almoft in Chriftendom: fhortly, I believe,
His fecond marriage fhall be publish'd, and
Her coronation. Catharine no more

Shall be call'd Queen; but Princess dowager,
And widow to Prince Arthur.

Nor. This fame Craniner's

A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain
In the King's business.

To trace, is to follow. Johnfon.

Suf. He has, and we fhall fee him

For it an Archbishop.

Nor. So I hear.

Suf. 'Tis fo.

Enter Wolfey and Cromwell.

The Cardinal

Nar. Obferve, obferve, he's moody.

Wol. The packet, Cromwell,

Gave it you the King?

Crom. To his own hand, in's bed-chamber.
Wal Look'd he o'th' infide of the paper?
Crom. Prefently

He did unfeal them, and the firft he view'd,
He did it with a ferious mind; a heed

Was in his countenance. You he bade.
Attend him here this morning.

Wol. Is he ready

To come abroad?

Crom.. I think by this he is.

Wol. Leave me a while.

It fhall be to the Duchefs of Alanson,

[Exit Crom

The French King's fifter; he fhall marry her. Anne Bullen! no, I'll no Anne Bullens for him,There's more in't than fair vifage-Bullen !

No, we'll no Bullens!-fpeedily I wish

To hear from Rome-The Marchioness of Pembroke

Nor. He's discontented.

Suf. May be he hears the King

Does whet his anger to him.

Sur. Sharp enough,

Lord, for thy justice!

Wol. afide.] The late Queen's gentlewoman, a knight's daughter,

To be her mittrefs miftrefs? the Queen's queen? This candle burns not clear; 'tis I must fnuff it,

Then out it goes.

virtuous,

What though I know her

And well deferving? yet I know her for

A fpleeny Lutheran, and not wholesome to