You know, I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a seemly answer to such persons.
Pray, do my service to his majesty:

He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers,
While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers,
Bestow your counsels on me: she now begs,
That little thought, when she set footing here,
She should have bought her dignities so dear. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Ante-chamber to the King's apartment. Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, the Duke of SUFFOLK, the Earl of SURREY, and the LORD Chamberlain,

Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints
And force them with a constancy, the cardinal
Cannot stand under them: If you omit
The offer of this time, I cannot promise,
But that you shall sustain more new disgraces,
With these you bear already.

Sur.
I am joyful
To meet the least occasion, 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 stamp of nobleness in any person,
Out of himself?

Cham.
My lords, you speak your pleasures:
What he deserves of you and me, I know;
What we can do to him, (though now the time
Gives way to us,) I much fear. If you cannot
Bar his access to th' king, never attempt

Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft
Over the king in his tongue.

Nor.

O, fear him not;
His spell in that is out: the king hath found
Matter against him, that for ever mars
The honey of his language. No, he's settled,
Not to come off, in his displeasure.

Sur.

Sir, I should be glad to hear such news as this

Once every

hour.

Nor.

Believe it, this is true.

In the divorce, his contrary proceedings

Are all unfolded; wherein he

As I could wish mine enemy.

Sur.

appears,

How came

His practices to light?

Suf.

Most strangely.

O, how, how!

Sur.

Suf. The cardinal's letter to the pope

miscarried,

And came to th' eye o'th' king: wherein was read,
How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness
To stay the judgement 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.

Sur.

Believe it.

Will this work?

Cham. The king in this perceives him, how he coasts, And hedges, his own way. But in this point All his tricks founder, and he brings his physick After his patient's death; the king already Hath married the fair lady.

Sur.

'Would he had!

Suf. May you be happy in your wish, my lord!

For, I profess, you have it.

Sur.

Trace the conjunction!

Suf.

Nor.

Now all my joy

My amen to't!

All men's.

Suf. There's order given for her coronation :
Marry, this is yet but young, and may be left
To some ears unrecounted.-But, my lords,
She is a gallant creature, and complete
In mind and feature: I persuade me, from her
Will fall some blessing to this land, which shall
In it be memoriz'd.

Sur.

But, will the king

Digest this letter of the cardinal's?

The lord fordid!

Nor.

Suf.

Marry, amen!

No, no;

There be more wasps that buz about his nose,
Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius
Is stolen away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave;
Has left the cause o' th' king unhandled; and
Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,
To second all his plot. I do assure you
The king cry'd, ha! at this.

Cham.

And let him cry ha, louder!
Nor.

When returns Cranmer?

Now, God incense him,

But, my lord,

Suf. He is return'd, in his opinions; which Have satisfied the king for his divorce,

Together with all famous colleges

Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe,
His second marriage shall be publish'd, and
Her coronation. Katharine no more
Shall be call'd, queen; but princess dowager,
And widow to prince Arthur.

Nor.

This same Cranmer's

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

Nor.

Enter WOLSEY and CROMWELL.

Observe, observe, he's moody.

Wol. The packet, Cromwell, gave it you the king?
Crom. To his own hand, in his bedchamber.
Wol. Look'd he o'th'inside of the paper?

Crom.
◆ Presently
He did unseal them: and the first he view'd,
He did it with a serious mind; a heed
Was in his countenance: You, he bade
Attend him here this morning.

Wol.

To come abroad?

Crom.

Is he ready

I think, by this he is.

[Exit CROMWELL.

It shall be to the duchess of Alençon,
The French king's sister: he shall marry her.—
Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him:
There is more in it than fair visage.--Bullen!

No, we'll no Bullens.-Speedily I wish

To hear from Rome. The marchioness of Pembroke !

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' th' bosom of
Our hard-rul'd king. Again, there is sprung up
An heretick, an arch one, Cranmer; one
Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king,
And is his oracle.

Nor.

He is vex'd at something.

Suf. I would, 'twere something that would fret the

string,

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 expence by th' hour Seems to flow from him! How, i'th'name of thrift, Does he rake this together!-Now, my lords; Saw you the cardinal?

Nor.

My lord, we have

Stood here observing him: Some strange commotion