Suf. The cardinal's letter to the pope miscarried,
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
It did take place, I do, quoth he, perceive,
My king is tangled in affection to

A creature of the queen's, lady Anne Bullen.
Sur. Has the king this?

Suf.

Sur.

Believe it.

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 physick
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.

Suf. There's order given for her coronation:
Marry, this is yet but young, 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 memoriz'd.

Sur.

But, will the king

Digest this letter of the cardinal's?

The lord forbid!

Nor.

Suf.

Marry, amen!

No, no;

There be more wasps that buz about his nose,
Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius.
Is stolen away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave;
Has left the cause o' the king unhandled; and
Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,
To second all his plot. I do assure you

The king cry'd, ha! at this.

Suf. He is return'd, in his opinions; which
Have satisfy'd 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.

Enter IVolsey 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

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.

[Exit Cromwell.

Wol. Leave me a-while.

It shall be to the dutchess 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

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 vir

tuous,

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.

Sur. I would, 'twere something that would fret the string,

The master-cord of his heart!

Enter the King, reading a schedule; and Lovell.

Suf.

The king, the king.

K. Hen. What piles of wealth hath he accumu

lated

To his own portion! and what expence 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,
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, wot 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 out-speaks
Possession of a subject.

Nor.

It's heaven's will;

Some spirit put this paper in the packet,

To bless your eye withal.

K. Hen.

If we did think

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.

Wol.

[He takes his seat; and whispers Lovell, who goes to Wolsey.

Heaven forgive me!

Ever God bless your highness!

K. Hen.

Good my lord,

You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inven

Of

tory

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.

Wol.

Sir,