Wol. Madam, you wrong the king's love with these fears; Your hopes and friends are infinite. But little for my protit: Can you think, lords, Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel. Cam: Put your main cause into the king's pro tection; He's loving, and most gracious: 'twill be much You'll part away disgraced. Wol. He tells you rightly. Q. Kath. Ye tell me what ye wish for both, my ruin : Is this your christian counsel? Out upon ye! Cam. Your rage mistakes us. Q. Kath. The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye, Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues; comfort? The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady? I have more charity: but say, I warn'd ye; Take heed, for heaven's sake, take heed, least at once The burden of my sorrows fall upon ye. Wol. Madam, this is a mere distraction; You turn the good we offer into envy. Q. Kath. Ye turn me into nothing: Woe upon ye, And all such false professors! Would ye have me (If you have any justice, any pity: * Outweigh. If ye be any thing but churchmen's habits,) Cam. Your fears are worse. Q. Kath. Have I lived thus long-(let me speak (myself, Since virtue finds no friends,)-a wife, a true one? A woman (I dare say, without vain-glory,) Never yet branded with suspicion ? Still met the king? loved him next heaven ? obey'd him? Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him, Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we aim at. Q. Kath. My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty, To give up willingly that noble title Your master wed me to: nothing but death Shall e'er divorce my dignities. Wol. 'Pray, hear me. Q. Kath. Would I had never trod this English earth, Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it! Ye have angels faces, but heaven knows your hearts. What will become of me now, wretched lady ? Shipwreck'd upon a kingdom, where no pity,, * Served him with superstitious attention. Wol. If your grace Could but be brought to know, our ends are ho nest, You'd feel more comfort: why should we, good lady, Upon what cause, wrong you? Alas! our places, The way of our profession is against it; [riage. We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow them, servants. Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your virtues With these weak women's fears. A noble spirit, As yours was put into you, ever casts Such doubts, as false coin, from it. The king loves you; Q. Kath. Do what ye will, my lords: and, pray, forgive me, If I have used myself unmannerly : 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 fa thers, Bestow your counsels on me: she now begs, [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 CHAMBER LAIN. Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints, And forcet them with a constancy, the cardinal • Behaved. † Enforce. Cannot stand under them if you omit Sur. I am joyful To meet the least occasion, that may give me Suf. Which of the peers Cham. My lords, you speak your pleasures: Nor. O, fear him not; His spell in that is out: the king hath found The honey of his language. No, he's settled, Sur. Sir, I should be glad to hear such news as this Once every hour. Nor. Believe it, this is true. 1 In the divorce, his contrary proceedings As I could wish mine enemy. Sur. How came His practices to light? Suf. Most strangely. Sur. O, how, how? [ried, Suf. The cardinal's letter to the pope miscar 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 My king is tangled in affection to A creature of the queen's, lady Anne Bullen. Sur. Has the king this? Suf. Believe it. Sur. 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 physic 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. Now all my joy Trace the conjunction! Nor. All men's. Suf. There's order given for her coronation: Marry, this is yet but youngt, 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 memorized ‡. Sur. But, will the king Digest this letter of the cardinal's? Nor. Marry, amen! Suf. No, no; There be more wasps that buz about his nose, Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Cam peius Is stolen away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave; Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal, Cham. Now, God incense him, And let him cry ha, louder! Suf. He is return'd, in his opinions; which Have satisfied the king for his divorce, Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe, Shall be call'd, queen; but princess dowager, Nor. This same Cranmer's A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain In the king's business. • Follow. VOL. IV. + New. Made memorable. Hh |