The Lord forbid! NORFOLK Marry, amen! SUFFOLK No, no;There be moe wasps that buzz about his nose Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius Is stol'n 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, To second all his plot. I do assure you The king cried Ha! at this. Chamberlain Now, God incense him, And let him cry Ha! louder! NORFOLK But, my lord, When returns Cranmer? SUFFOLK 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. NORFOLK This same Cranmer's A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain In the king's business. SUFFOLK He has; and we shall see him For it an archbishop. NORFOLK So I hear. SUFFOLK 'Tis so.
The cardinal!
Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY and CROMWELL NORFOLK Observe, observe, he's moody. CARDINAL WOLSEY The packet, Cromwell.
Gave't you the king? CROMWELL To his own hand, in's bedchamber. CARDINAL WOLSEY Look'd he o' the inside of the paper? CROMWELL 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. CARDINAL WOLSEY Is he ready To come abroad? CROMWELL I think, by this he is. CARDINAL WOLSEY Leave me awhile.
Exit CROMWELL
Aside It shall be to the Duchess of Alencon, The French king's sister: he shall marry her.
Anne Bullen! No; I'll no Anne Bullens for him:
There's more in't than fair visage. Bullen!
No, we'll no Bullens. Speedily I wish To hear from Rome. The Marchioness of Pembroke! NORFOLK He's discontented. SUFFOLK May be, he hears the king Does whet his anger to him. SURREY Sharp enough, Lord, for thy justice! CARDINAL WOLSEY [Aside] 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-ruled king. Again, there is sprung up An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one Hath crawl'd into the favour of the king, And is his oracle. NORFOLK He is vex'd at something. SURREY I would 'twere something that would fret the string, The master-cord on's heart!
Enter KING HENRY VIII, reading of a schedule, and LOVELL SUFFOLK The king, the king! KING HENRY VIII What piles of wealth hath he accumulated To his own portion! and what expense by the hour Seems to flow from him! How, i' the name of thrift, Does he rake this together! Now, my lords, Saw you the cardinal? NORFOLK My lord, we have Stood here observing him: some strange commotion Is in his brain: he bites his lip, and starts;Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground, Then lays his finger on his temple, straight Springs out into fast gait; then stops again, Strikes his breast hard, and anon he casts His eye against the moon: in most strange postures We have seen him set himself. KING HENRY VIII It may well be;There is a mutiny in's mind. This morning Papers of state he sent me to peruse, As I required: and wot you what I found There,--on my conscience, put unwittingly?
Forsooth, an inventory, thus importing;
The several parcels of his plate, his treasure, Rich stuffs, and ornaments of household; which I find at such proud rate, that it out-speaks Possession of a subject. NORFOLK It's heaven's will:
Some spirit put this paper in the packet, To bless your eye withal. KING HENRY VIII If we did think His contemplation were above the earth, And fix'd on spiritual object, he should still Dwell in his musings: but I am afraid His thinkings are below the moon, not worth His serious considering.
King HENRY VIII takes his seat; whispers LOVELL, who goes to CARDINALWOLSEY CARDINAL WOLSEY Heaven forgive me!
Ever God bless your highness! KING HENRY VIII Good my lord, You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inventory Of your best graces in your mind; the which You were now running o'er: you have scarce time To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span To keep your earthly audit: sure, in that I deem you an ill husband, and am glad To have you therein my companion. CARDINAL WOLSEY Sir, For holy offices I have a time; a time To think upon the part of business which I bear i' the state; and nature does require Her times of preservation, which perforce I, her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal, Must give my tendence to. KING HENRY VIII You have said well. CARDINAL WOLSEY And ever may your highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well saying! KING HENRY VIII 'Tis well said again;And 'tis a kind of good deed to say well:
And yet words are no deeds. My father loved you:
His said he did; and with his deed did crown His word upon you. Since I had my office, I have kept you next my heart; have not alone Employ'd you where high profits might come home, But pared my present havings, to bestow My bounties upon you. CARDINAL WOLSEY [Aside] What should this mean? SURREY [Aside] The Lord increase this business! KING HENRY VIII Have I not made you, The prime man of the state? I pray you, tell me, If what I now pronounce you have found true:
