Crom.

Wol.

Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,

To endure more miseries and greater far
Than my
weak-hearted enemies dare offer.
What news abroad?

390

The heaviest and the worst

Is your displeasure with the king.

God bless him!

Crom. The next is, that Sir Thomas More is chosen
Lord chancellor in your place.

Wol.

That's somewhat sudden :
But he's a learned man. May he continue
Long in his highness' favour, and do justice
For truth's sake and his conscience; that his
bones,

When he has run his course and sleeps in blessings,
May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on 'em!
What more?

Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with welcome, 400 Install'd lord archbishop of Canterbury.

Wol. That's news indeed.

Crom.

Last, that the Lady Anne,
Whom the king hath in secrecy long married,
This day was view'd in open as his
queen,
Going to chapel; and the voice is now
Only about her coronation.

Wol. There was the weight that pull'd me down.
Cromwell,

Crom.

410

The king has gone beyond me: all my glories
In that one woman I have lost for ever:
No sun shall ever usher forth mine honours,
Or gild again the noble troops that waited
Upon my smiles. Go, get thee from me, Cromwell;
I am a poor fall'n man, unworthy now

To be thy lord and master: seek the king;
That sun, I pray, may never set! I have told him
What and how true thou art: he will advance thee;
Some little memory of me will stir him—

I know his noble nature-not to let

Thy hopeful service perish too: good Cromwell,
Neglect him not; make use now, and provide 420
For thine own future safety.

O my lord,
Must I then leave you? must I needs forgo
So good, so noble and so true a master?
Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron,
With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord.
The king shall have my service, but my prayers
For ever and for ever shall be yours.

Wol. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear
In all my miseries; but thou hast forced me,

430

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 sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention
Of me more must be heard of, say, I taught thee;
Say, Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,
And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour,
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in;
A sure and safe one, though thy master miss'd it.
Mark but my fall and that that ruin'd me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition: 440
By that sin fell the angels; how can man then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by it?

:

Love thyself last cherish those hearts that hate thee; Corruption wins not more than honesty.

Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,

To silence 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!

And prithee, lead me in:

Serve the king;

450

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 served my God with half the zeal

I served my king, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.

Crom. Good sir, have patience.

Wol.

So I have. Farewell

The hopes of court! my hopes in heaven do dwell.

1

[Exeunt.

Act Fourth.

Scene I.

A street in Westminster.

Enter two Gentlemen, meeting one another.

First Gent. You're well met once again.

Sec. Gent.

So are you.

First Gent. You come to take your stand here and behold
The Lady Anne pass from her coronation ?

Sec. Gent. 'Tis all my business. At our last encounter,
The Duke of Buckingham came from his trial.
First Gent. 'Tis very true: but that time offer'd sorrow;
This, general joy.

Sec. Gent.

'Tis well: the citizens,

I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds—
A8, let 'em have their rights, they are ever forward—
In celebration of this day with shows,

Pageants and sights of honour.

First Gent.

Never greater,

Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir.

Sec. Gent. May I be bold to ask what that contains,
That paper in your hand?

First Gent.

Yes; 'tis the list
Of those that claim their offices this day
By custom of the coronation.

The Duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims

To be high-steward; next, the Duke of Norfolk,
He to be earl marshal: you may read the rest.

10

Sec. Gent. I thank you, sir: had I not known those

customs,

I should have been beholding to your paper.

20

But, I beseech you, what's become of Katharine, The princess dowager? how goes her business? First Gent. That I can tell you too. The Archbishop Of Canterbury, accompanied with other

Learned and reverend fathers of his order,
Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off
From Ampthill, where the princess lay; to which