Now, if you can blush, and cry guilty, cardinal, Wol. Speak on, sir; I dare your worst objections: if I blush, It is, to see a nobleman want manners. Sur. I'd rather want those than my head. Have at you First, that, without the king's assent, or knowledge, You wrought to be a legate; by which power You maim'd the jurisdiction of all bishops. Nor. Then, that, in all you writ to Rome, or else Was still inscrib'd; in which you brought the king Suf. Then, that, without the knowledge Sur. Item, you sent a large commission Without the king's will, or the state's allowance, Suf. That, out of mere ambition, you have caus'd Sur. Then, that you have sent innumerable substance (By what means got, I leave to your own conscience,) To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways You have for dignities; to the mere undoing Of all the kingdom. Many more there are; Which, since they are of you, and odious, I will not taint my mouth with. Cham. O my lord, Fress not a falling man too far; 'tis virtue : Not you, correct him. My heart weeps to see him Sur. I forgive him. Suf. Lord cardinal, the king's further pleasure is,-: Because all those things, you have done of late By your power legatine within this kingdom, Fall into the compass of a pramunire,2 That therefore such a writ be su'd against you; Chattels, and whatsoever, and to be [2] It is almost unnecessary to observe that pramunire is a Bararous word used instead of præmonere. STEEVENS. Out of the king's protection :-This is my charge. The king shall know it, and, no doubt, shall thank you. So fare you well, my little good lord cardinal. [Exeunt all but WOLSEY. But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride Never to hope again. Enter CROMWELL amazedly. Why, how now, Cromwell? . Crom. I have no power to speak, sir. Wol. What, amaz'd At my misfortunes? can thy spirit wonder, A great man should decline?. Nay, an you weep, Crom. How does your grace? Wol. Why, well; Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell. I know myself now; and I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience. The king has cur'd me, I humbly thank his grace; and from these shoulders, H VOL. VII. These ruin'd pillars, out of pity, taken Crom. I am glad, your grace has made that right use of it. Wol. I hope, I have: I am able now, methinks, (Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,) To endure more miseries, and greater far, Than my weak-hearted enemies dare offer. Crom. The heaviest, and the worst, Is your displeasure with the king. Wol. God bless him! Crom. The next is, that Sir Thomas More is chosen Lord Chancellor in your place. Wol. That's somewhat sudden : But he's a learned man. May he continue Long in his highness' favour, and do justice For truth's sake, and his conscience; that his bones, Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with welcome, Wol. That's news indeed. Crom. Last, that the lady Anne, Whom the king hath in secrecy long married, Only about her coronation. Wol. There was the weight that pull'd me down. O Crom The king has gone beyond me, all my glories In that one woman I have lost for ever: No sun shall ever usher forth mine honours, Or gild again the noble troops that waited [well. Upon my smiles. Go, get thee from me, Cromwell; To be thy lord and master. Seek the king; That sun, I pray, may never set! I have told him (I know his noble nature,) not to let Thy hopeful service perish too : Good Cromwell, [3] The chancellor is the general guardian if orphans. A tomb of tears is very harsh. JOHNSON. KING HENRY VIII. 4 Neglect him not: make use now, and provide Must I then leave you? must I needs forego Wol. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention 171 Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate thee :*. Corruption wins not more than honesty. Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace, To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not : Let all the ends, thou aim'st at, be thy country's, [4] i. e. Make interest. STEEVENS. [5] Though this be good divinity, and an admirable precept for our conduct in private life, it was never calculated or designed for the magistrate or public minister. Nor could this be the direction of a man experienced in affairs to his pupil. It would make a good christian, but a very ill and very unjust statesman. And we have othing so infamous in tradition, as the supposed advice given to one of our kings, fo cherish his enemies, and be in no pain for his friends. I am of opinion the poet rote: cherish those hearts that wait thee: that is, thy dependants. For the contrary practice had contributed to Wolsey's ruin. He was not careful enough in making dependants by his bounty, while intent in Amassing wealth to himself. The following line seems to confirm this correction : Corruption wins not more than honesty. That is, You will never find men won over to your temporary occasions by bribery, so useful to you as friends made by a just and generous munificence. WARBURTON. I am unwilling wantonly to contradict so ingenious a remark, but that the reader ay not be misled, and believe the emendation proposed to be necessary, he should emember that this is not a time for Wolsey to speak only as a statesman, but as a christian. Shakespeare would have debased the character, just when he was employing his strongest efforts to raise it, had he drawn it otherwise. Nothing makes the hour of disgrace more irksome, than the reflection, that we have been deaf to offers of reconciliation, and perpetuated that enmity which we might have conerted into friendship. STEEVENS. Thy God's, and truth's; then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell Thou fall'st a blessed martyr. And,-pr'ythee, lead me in: Serve the king; There take an inventory of all I have, To the last penny; 'tis the king's my robe, I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell, Had I but serv'd my God with half the zeal I serv'd my king, he would not in mine age Crom. Good sir, have patience. The hopes of court! my hopes in heaven do dwell. ACT IV. [Exeuni SCENE I.-A street in Westminster. Enter two Gentlemen meeting. 1 Gen. You are well met once again. 2 Gen. And so are you. 1 Gen. You come to take your stand here, and behold The lady Anne pass from her coronation ? 2 Gen. 'Tis all my business. At our last encounter, The duke of Buckingham came from his trial. 1 Gen. 'Tis very true: but that time offered sorrow This, general joy. 2 Gen. 'Tis well: The citizens, I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds ; As, let them have their rights, they are ever forward' In celebration of this day with shows, Pageants, and sights of honour. 1 Gen. Never greater, Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir. 2 Gen. May I be bold to ask what that contains, That paper in your hand? 1 Gen. Yes; 'tis the list Of those, that claim their offices this day, By custom of the coronation. JOHNSON. [5] This sentence was really uttered by Wolsey. Antonio Perez, the favourite of Philip II. of Spain made the same pathetic com plaint: "Mon zele etoit si grand vers ces benignes puissances [la cour de Turin, que si j'en eusse seu autant pour Dieu, je ne doubte point qu'il ne m'eut deja recom pensé de son paradis." MALONE. This was a strange sentence for Wolsey to utter, who was disgraced for the bases treachery to his king in the affair of the divorce: but it shows how naturally men endeavour to palliate their crimes even to themselves. MASON. |