That the great child of honour, cardinal Wolsey, Was dead? Grif. Yes, madam; but, I think, your grace, Out of the pain you suffer'd, gave no ear to't. Kath. Pr'ythee, good Griffith, tell me how he died: If well, he stepp'd before me, happily 2, For my example. Grif. Well, the voice goes, madam: For after the stout Earl Northumberland Arrested him at York, and brought him forward (As a man sorely tainted) to his answer, He fell sick suddenly, and grew so ill, He could not sit his mule3. Alas! poor man! Kath. So went to bed: where eagerly his sickness 2 Happily is sometimes used by Shakspeare for haply, peradventure; as in The Taming of the Shrew, Act iv. Sc. 4:old Gremio is heark'ning still, And happily we might be interrupted.' But it here more probably means opportunely. 3 Cardinals generally rode on mules, as a mark perhaps of humility. Cavendish says that Wolsey rode like a cardinal sumptuously upon his mule, trapped altogether in crimson velvet and gilt stirrups.' And Roy, in the Satire already quoted, says: 'Doth he then use on mules to ride? Ye, and that with so shameful pride 4 Roads, or rodes, here, is the same as courses, stages, or journeys. From whence also was formed out-rodes, in-rodes, &c. Foretold, should be his last), full of repentance, His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace. Of an unbounded stomach 5, ever ranking His promises were, as he then was, mighty; 5 i. e. of unbounded pride or haughtiness. Thus Holinshed— This cardinal was of a great stomach, for he computed himself equal with princes, and by crafty suggestions got into his hands innumerable treasure: he forced little on simony, and was not pitifull, and stood affectionate in his own opinion: in open presence he would lie and seie untruth, and was double both in speech and meaning: he would promise much and perform little : he was vicious of his bodie, and gave the clergie evil example.' Ed. 1587, p. 922. 6 one that by suggestion Ty'd all the kingdom -: Suggestion here, I think, means wicked prompting. It is used in this sense in The Tempest. I have no doubt that we should read tyth'd instead of ty'd, as Dr. Farmer proposed, and as the passage quoted from Holinshed warrants. The word tythes was not exclusively used to signify the emoluments of the clergy. Thus in Beaumont and Fletcher's Queen of Corinth : 'Why, sir, the kingdom's his; and no man now Can come to Corinth, or from Corinth go, 7 To be ill, evil, or naught of body, was to be addicted to women to be lewd in life and manners. Grif. Noble madam, Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues We write in water. May it please your highness To hear me speak his good now? Kath. I were malicious else. Grif. Yes, good Griffith ; This cardinal, Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly Was fashion'd to much honour from his cradle 8. Than man could give him, he died, fearing God 10. 8 This passage has been absurdly pointed in all the modern editions: 9 Was fashion'd to much honour. From his cradle He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one.' 'Unwilling to outlive the good that did it.' Good appears here to be put for goodness, as in the passage just above: May it please your highness To hear me speak his good now?' 10 This speech is formed on the following passage in HolinThis cardinal (as Edmund Campion in his Historie of shed: Kath. After my death I wish no other herald, Now in his ashes honour: Peace be with him!- Sad and solemn musick. Grif. She is asleep: Good wench, let's sit down quiet, For fear we wake her;-Softly, gentle Patience. Ireland described him) was a man undoubtedly born to honour; I think (saith he) some prince's bastard, no butcher's sonne ; exceeding wise, faire-spoken, high-minded, full of revenge, vitious of his bodie, loftie to his enemies, were they never so bigge, to those that accepted and sought his friendship wonderful courteous; a ripe schooleman, thrall to affections, brought a bed with flatterie; insaciable to get, and more princelie in bestowing, as appeareth by his two colleges at Ipswich and Oxenford, the one overthrown with his fall, the other unfinished, and yet as it lyeth, for an house of studentes (considering all the appurtenances) incomparable throughout Christendome.-He held and injoied at once the bishoprickes of Yorke, Duresme, and Winchester, the dignities of lord cardinall, legatt, and chancellor, the abbaie of St. Albans, diverse priories, sundrie fat benefices in commendam; a great preferrer of his servants, an advauncer of learning, stoute in every quarrel, never happy till this his overthrow: wherin he shewed such moderation, and ended so perfectlie, that the houre of his death did him more honour than all the pomp of his life passed.' We have a similar thought in Macbeth: 6 nothing in his life Became him like the leaving it.' The Vision. Enter, solemnly tripping one after another, six Personages, clad in white robes, wearing on their heads garlands of bays, and golden vizards on their faces; branches of bays, or palm, in their hands. They first congee unto her, then dance; and, at certain changes, the first two hold a spare garland over her head; at which, the other four make reverend court'sies; then the two that held the garland, deliver the same to the other next two, who observe the same order in their changes, and holding the garland over her head: which done, they deliver the same garland to the last two, who likewise observe the same order: at which (as it were by inspiration) she makes in her sleep signs of rejoicing, and holdeth up her hands to heaven and so in their dancing they vanish, carrying the garland with them. The musick continues. Kath. Spirits of peace, where are ye? Are ye all gone? 11 And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye11? Grif. Madam, we are here. Kath. It is not you I call for : Saw ye none enter, since I slept? Grif. None, madam. Kath. No? Saw you not, even now, a blessed troop Invite me to a banquet; whose bright faces Cast thousand beams upon me, like the sun? They promis'd me eternal happiness; And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel Assuredly. 11 Gray had probably this passage in his mind when he made his bard exclaim on a similar occasion: Stay, O stay! nor thus forlorn Leave me unbless'd, unpitied, here to mourn.' |