Our caufe, that he fhould ly th' bosom of
Our hard-rul'd King. Again, there is iprung up
An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one

Hath crawl'd into the favour of the King,
And is his oracle.

Nor. He's vex'd at fomething.

Enter King reading of a schedule, and Lovel. Sur. I would 't were something that would fret the ftring,

The mafter cord of's heart!

Suf. The King, the King,

King. What piles of wealth hath he accumulated To his own portion! what expence by the hour Seems to flow from him! How, i' th' name of thrift, Does he rake this together!-Now, my Lords, Saw you the Cardinal ?

Nr. My Lord, we have

Stood here obferving him; fome ftrange commo-
Is in his brain he bites his lip, and starts, [tion
Stops on a fudden, looks upon the ground,
Then lays his finger on his temple; ftrait
Springs out into faft gait, then stops again,
Strikes his breaft hard, and then anon he cafts
His eye against the moon in most strange postures
We've feen him fet hitelf.

King. It may well be

There is a mutiny in's mind. This morning
Papers of ftate he fent me to perufe,

As I requir'd; and wot you what I found
There, on my confcience, put unwittingly?
Forfooth, an inventory, thus importing,
The feveral parcels of his plate, his treasure,
Rich ftuffs and ornaments of houfhold, which
I find at fuch proud rate, that it out-peaks
Poffeflion of a fubject.

Nor. Its Heav'n's will;

Some fpirit put this paper in the packet,
To blefs your eye withal.

King. If we did think

His contemplations were above the earth,
And fix'd on spiritual objects, he should still
Dwell in his mufings; but I am afraid

His thinkings are below the moon, nor worth
His ferious considering.

[He takes his feat, whispers Lovel, who goes to Wolfey.

Wol. Heav'n forgive me

Ever God bleis your Highnefs!

King. Good iny Lord,

You are full of heav'nly stuff, and bear the inven-
Of your best graces in your mind, the which [tory
You were now running o'er: you have scarce time
To fteal from fpiritual leifure a brief fpan,.
To keep your earthly audit. fure, in that
I deen you an ill husband, and am glad
To have you therein my companion.
IVol. Sir,

For holy offices I have a time;

A time to think upon the part of business
I bear i' th' flate; and nature does require
Her times of prefers ation, which perforce
I, her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal,
Muft give my tendence to.

King. You have faid well.

Wol. And ever may your Highness yoke together, As I will lend you caufe, my doing well

With my well faying!

King, Fis well faid again;

And tis a kind of good deed to fay well;

And yet words are no deeds My father lov'd you;
He faid he did, and with his deed did crown

His word upon you. Since I had my office,
I've kept you next my heart have no alone
Employ'd you where high profits might come home,
But par'd my prefent havings, to bellow

My bounties upon vou.

Wol What Thould this mean?

Sur. The Lord increase this business!
King. Have I not made you.

The prime man of the flate? I pray tell me

[Afide.

[ Afide.

If you are bound to us, or no.

If what I now pronounce you have found true;
And, if you may confefs it, fay, withal,
What say you?
Wol. My Sovereign, I confefs your roval graces,
Show'r'd on me daily, have been more than could
My ftudied purposes requite, which went
Beyond all man's endeavours. My endeavours
Have ever come too fhort of my defires,
Yet fil'd with my abilities: mine own ends
Have been mine fo, that evermore they pointed
To th' good of your most facred perfon, and
The profit of the state. For your great graces
Heap'd upon me, poor undeferver, I

Can nothing render but allegiant thanks,
My prayers to Heav'n for you; my loyalty,
Which ever has and ever fhall be growing,
Till death, that winter, kill it.
King Fairly answer'd:

A loyal and obedient subject is
Therein illuftrated; the honour of it
Does pay the act of it, as, o' th' contrary,
The foulnefs is the punishment. 1 prefume
That as my hand has open'd bounty to you,
My heart dropp'd love, my pow'r rain'd honour

more

On you that any; fo your hand and heart,

Your brain, and every function of your power, Should notwithstanding † that your bond of duty, As 'twere in love's particular, be more

To me, your friend, than any.

Wol. I profefs

That for your Highness' good I ever labour'd, More than mine own; that am I, have been, will

be:

Tho' all the world fhould crack their duty to you,

My endeavours, though less than my defires, have filed, that is, gone an equal pace with my abilities.

Johnfon. + Notwithstanding here fignifies, fetting afide, not confidering. Roderick.

And throw it from their foul; though perils did
Abound, as thick as thought could make 'em, and
Appear in forms more horrid; yet my duty,
As coth a rock against the chiding flood,
Should the approach of this wild river break,
And ftand unfhaken yours.

King. 'Tis nobly spoken.

Take notice, Lords, he has a loyal breaft,
For you have feen him open't. Read o'er this,
[Giving him papers.
And, after, this; and then to breakfast, with
What appetite you may.

[Exit King, frowning upon Cardinal Wolley.
The nobles throng after him, whispering and
fmiling.

SCENE

Wol. What fhould this mean?

IV.

What fudden 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 ftory of his anger-'tis fo-

This paper has undone me. --'Tis th' account
Of all that world of wealth I've drawn together
For mine own ends; indeed, to gain the Popedom,
And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence,
Fit for a fool to fall by! What crofs devil
Made me put this main fecret in the packet
I fent the King? Is there no way to care this?
No new device to beat this from his brains?
I know 'twill ftir him ftrongly; yet I know
A way, if it take right, in fpight of f rtune
Will bring me off again. What's this-To the
Pope?

The letter, as I live, with all the business
I writ to's Holinefs. Nay, then farewell;
I've touch'd the highest point of all my greatnefs,
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 fee me more.

Enter to Wolley the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain! Nor. Hear the King's pleasure, Cardinal, who commands, you

To render up the great feal prefently
Into our hands, and to confine yourself
To Afher-houfe, my Lord of Winchester's,
Till you hear further from his Highness.
Wol. Stay;

Where's your commiffion, Lords? words cannot
carry
Authority fo mighty.

Suf. Who dare crofs 'em,

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 difgrace,

As if it fed ye; and how fleek and wanton
Y'appear in every thing may bring my ruin.
Follow your envious courfes, men of malice;
You've Chriftian warrant for "em, and no doubt,
In time, will find their fit rewards. That feal
You afk with fuch a violence, the King,

Mine and your mafter, with his own hand gave me,
Bad me enjoy it, with the place and honours,
During my life; and, to confirm his goodness,
Ty'd it by letters-patent. Now, who'll take it?
Sur. The King that gave
it.

Wol. It must be himfelf, then.

Sur. Thou'rt a proud traitor, priest.

Wol. Proud Lord, thou lieft;

Within these forty hours Surrey durft better
Have burnt that tongue, than faid fo.

Sur. Thy ambition,

VOL. VH.