In all my miseries: but thou hast forc'd me,
Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman.
Let's dry our eyes, and thus far hear me, Cromwell;
And when I am forgotten, as I shall be,
And fleep in dull cold marble, where no mention
Of me must more be heard, say then, I taught thee;
Say Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,
And founded all the depths and shoals of honour,
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in,
A fure and fafe one, though thy master miss'd it.
Mark but my fall, and that which ruin'd me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition:
By that fin fell the angels: How can man then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by 't?
Love thyself last; cherish those hearts that hate thee;
Corruption wins not more than honesty.
Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,
To filence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not.
Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy Country's,
Thy God's, and Truth's; then, if thou fall'st, O Cromwell,
'Thou fall'st a blessed martyr. Serve the King;
And-Pr'ythee, lead me in;
There take an inventory of all I have;
To the last penny, 'tis the King's. My robe,
And my integrity to heaven, is all
I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell,
Had I but ferv'd my God with half the zeal
I ferv'd my King, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.
Crom. Good Sir, have patience.
Wol. So I have. Farewel
The hopes of Court! My hopes in heaven do dwell.
No. XVI.-KING HENRY VIII.
Аст IV. SCENE II. Kimbolton.
Enter Catharine Dowager, fick, led between Griffith, her Gentleman-Usher, and Patience, her Woman.
How does your Grace?
Cath. O Griffith, fick to death:
My legs, like loaded branches, bow to the earth,
Willing to leave their burden: reach a chair;-
So-now, methinks, I feel a little ease.
Didft thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou led'st me,
That the great child of honour, Cardinal Wolfey,
Was dead?
Griff. Yes, madam; but I think your Grace,
Out of the pain you suffer'd, gave no ear to 't.
Cath. Pr'ythee, good Griffith, tell me how he died;
If well, he stepp'd before me, happily,
For my example.
Griff. Well, the voice goes, madam :
For after the stout Earl Northumberland
Arrested him at York, and brought him forward
(As a man forely tainted) to his answer,
He fell fick fuddenly, and grew fo ill,
He could not fit his mule.
Griff. At last, with easy roads, he came to Leicester,
Lodg'd in the abbey; where the reverend abbot,
With all his convent, honourably receiv'd him;
To whom he gave these words:-O father abbot,
An old man, broken with the storms of state,
Is come to lay his weary bones among ye;
Give him a little earth for charity!
So went to-bed: where eagerly his fickness
Pursu'd him still; and three nights after this,
About the hour of eight (which he himself
Foretold should be his last) full of repentance,
Continual meditations, tears, and forrows,
He gave his honours to the world again,
His blessed part to Heaven, and slept in peace.
Cath. So may he rest, his faults lie gently on him!
Yet thus far, Griffith, give me leave to fpeak him,
And yet with charity-he was a man
Of an undoubted stomach, ever ranking
Himself with Princes; one, that by fuggeftion
Ty'd all the kingdom: fimony was fair play;
His own opinion was his law: i' the prefence
He would say untruths; and be ever double,
Both in his words and meaning: he was never,
But where he meant to ruin, pitiful:
His promifes were, as he then was, mighty;
But his performance, as he now is, nothing.
Of his own body he was ill, and gave
The clergy ill example.
Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues
We write in water. May it please your Highness
To hear me fpeak his good now?
Cath. Yes, good Griffith;
I were malicious elfe.
Griff. This Cardinal,
Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly
Was fashion'd to much honour. From his cradle
He was a fcholar, and a ripe and good one :
Exceeding wife, fair spoken, and perfuading:
Lofty, and four to them that lov'd him not;
But, to those men that fought him, sweet as summer.
And though he were unsatisfy'd in getting,
(Which was a fin) yet in bestowing, Madam,
He was most princely: ever witness for him
Those twins of learning, that he rais'd in you,
Ipswich and Oxford; one of which fell with him,
Unwilling to outlive the good he did it;
The other, though unfinim'd, yet fo famous,
So excellent in art, and still so rifing,
That Chrifßendom shall ever speak his virtue.
His overthrow heap'd. happiness upon him;
For then, and not till then, he felt himself,
And found the blessedness of being little;
And, to add greater honours to his age
'Than nan could give him, he died fearing God.
Cath. After my death I with no other herald,
No other speaker of my living actions,
To keep mine honour from corruption,
But fuch an honest chronicler as Griffith.
Whom I most hated living, thou hast made me,
With thy religious truth and modesty,
Now in his ashes honour: Peace be with him!-
Patience, be near me still; and set me lower:
I have not long to trouble thee. Good Griffith,
Cause the muficians play me that fad note
I nam'd my knell, whilst I fit meditating
On that celestial harmony I go to.
Griff. She is afleep. Good wench, let's fit down quiet,
Cath. Spirits of peace, where are ye? Are ye gone?
And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye?
Griff. Madam, we're here.
Cath. It is not you I call for.
Saw ye none enter since I flept?
Griff. None, Madam.
Cath. No! faw ye not e'en now a blessed troop
Invite me to a banquet, whose bright faces
Cast thousand beams upon me, like the fun?
They promised me eternal happiness,
And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel
I am not worthy yet to wear. I shall assuredly.
Griff. I am most joyful, Madam, such good dreams
Possess your fancy.
Cath. Bid the music leave,
'Tis harsh and heavy to me.
Pat. Do you note
How much her Grace is alter'd on the sudden?
How long her face is drawn? how pale she looks,
And of an earthly cold? Observe her eyes.
Griff. She is going, wench. Pray, pray
Pat. Heaven comfort her!
Mes. An't like your Grace
Cath. You are a saucy fellow. Deserve we no more reverence ?
Griff. You're to blame,
Knowing the will not lose her wonted greatness,
To use so rude behaviour. Go to, kneel.
Mcf. [kneeling] I humbly do intreat your Highness' pardon;
My hafte made me unmannerly. There is staying
A gentleman sent from the King, to fee you.
Cath. Admit him entrance, Griffith. But this fellow Let me ne'er see again. [Exit Messenger.
You should be Lord Ambassador from the Emperor,
My royal nephew; and your name Capucius.
Cap. Madam, the fame, your servant.
The times and titles are now alter'd strangely
With me fince first you knew me. But, I pray you,
What is your pleasure with me?
First mine own service to your Grace; the next,
The King's request that I would visit you,
Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me
Sends you his princely commendations,
And heartily intreats you take good comfort.
Cath. O my good Lord, that comfort comes too late;
'Tis like a pardon after execution.
That gentle physic, given in time, had cur'd me;
But now I'm pafst all comforts here, but prayers.
How does his Highness?
Cap. Madam, in good health.
Cath. So may he ever do, and ever flourish
When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name
Banish'd the kingdom! -Patience, is that letter,
I caus'd you write, yet fent away?
Cath. Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver This to my Lord the King.
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