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

8 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!

Enter the King, reading a Schedule9; and LovEll. The king, the king.

Suf.

K. Hen. 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?

Nor.

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 10,
Strikes his breast hard; and anon, he casts
His eye against the moon: in most strange postures
We have seen him set himself.

K. Hen.
It may
well be;
There is a mutiny in his mind. This morning
Papers of state he sent me to peruse,
As I requir'd: And, wot11 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 outspeaks
Possession of a subject.

9 That the cardinal gave the king an inventory of his own private wealth, by mistake, and thereby ruined himself, is a known variation from the truth of history. Shakspeare, however, has not injudiciously represented the fall of that great man as owing to an incident which he had once improved to the destruction of another. See the story related of Thomas Ruthall, bishop of Durham, in Holinshed, p. 796 and 797.

10 Sallust, describing the disturbed state of Cataline's mind, takes notice of the same circumstance:- Citus modo, modo tardus incessus.'

11 Know.

Nor.

It's heaven's will;

Some spirit put this paper in the packet,

To bless your eye withal.

If we did think

K. Hen.
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.

[He takes his seat, and whispers LOVELL, who goes to WOLsey.

Wol.

Heaven forgive me!

Ever God bless your highness!

K. Hen.

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.

Sir,

Wol.
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 tendance to.

K. Hen.

You have said well. Wol. And ever may your highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well

With my well saying!

K. Hen.

"Tis well said again;

And 'tis a kind of good deed, to say well:

And yet words are no deeds. My father lov'd you:

He said, he did; and with his deed did crown

His word upon you 12. 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 par'd my present havings, to bestow

My bounties upon you.

Wol.

What should this mean?

Sur. The Lord increase this business!

K. Hen.

[Aside.

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: And, if you may confess it, say withal,

If you are bound to us or no.. What say you?
Wol. My sovereign, I confess, your royal graces,
Shower'd on me daily, have been more than could
My studied purposes requite; which went
Beyond all man's endeavours 13 ;-my endeavours
Have ever come too short of my desires,
Yet, fil'd with my abilities: Mine own ends
Have been mine so, that evermore they pointed
To the good of your most sacred person, and
The profit of the state. For your great graces
Heap'd upon me, poor undeserver, I
Can nothing render but allegiant thanks;
My prayers to heaven for you; my loyalty,
Which ever has, and ever shall be growing,
Till death, that winter, kill it.

K. Hen.

Fairly answer'd;
A loyal and obedient subject is

Therein illustrated: The honour of it
Does pay the act of it: as, i'the contrary,

12 So in Macbeth :

To crown my thoughts with acts.'

13 Your royal benefits, showered upon me daily, have been more than all my studied purpose could do to requite, for they went beyond all that man could effect in the way of gratitude. My endeavours have ever come too short of my desires, though they have fil'd, i. e. equalled or kept pace with my abilities.