SCENE II.

Antechamber 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 force1 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.

Which of the

peers

Suf.
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 lord, 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 the king, never attempt Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft Over the king in his tongue.

1 Force is enforce, urge. So in Measure for Measure :

That thus can make him bite the law by the nose

When he would force it.'

2. Which of the peers has not gone by him contemned or neglected?' When did he regard the stamp of nobleness in any person, though attentive to his own dignity?

VOL. VII.

Y

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 3
Are all unfolded; wherein he appears,

As I could wish mine enemy.

Sur.

How came

His practices to light?

Suf.

Most strangely.

Sur.

O, how, how?

Suf. The cardinal's letter to the

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

3 i. e. his secret endeavours to counteract the divorce. 4 To coast is to hover about, to pursue a sidelong course about a thing. To hedge is to creep along by the hedge, not to take the direct and open path, but to steal covertly through circumvolutions.

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'd7.

Sur.

But, will the king

Digest this letter of the cardinal's?

The Lord forbid!

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' the king unhandled; and
Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,

5 To trace is to follow. Thus in Macbeth:

all unfortunate souls

That trace him in his line.'

The form of Surrey's wish had been anticipated by Richmond in King Richard III. sc. ult.:—

Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction!

6 This same phrase occurs again in Romeo and Juliet, Act i. Sc. 1:

'Good morrow, cousin.

7 To memorize is to make memorable. Thus in Macbeth,

Act i. Sc. 2:

'Or memorize another Golgotha.'

To second all this 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.

He has and we shall see him

So I hear.

"Tis so.

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' the inside of the paper?

Crom.

Presently

Suffolk means to say Cranmer is returned in his opinions, i. e. with the same sentiments which he entertained before he went abroad, which (sentiments) have satisfied the king, together with all the famous colleges referred to on the occasion. Or perhaps the passage (as Mr. Tyrwhitt observes) may mean, He is returned in effect, having sent his opinions, i. e. the opinions of divines, &c. collected by him.

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.

Wol. Leave me a while.- [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 Pem

Lord, for thy justice!

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' the 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!