Enter Lord Chamberlain, reading this letter.⌜CHAMBERLAIN⌝ My lord, the horses your Lordship sent
for, with all the care I had I saw well chosen, ridden,
and furnished. They were young and handsome and
of the best breed in the north. When they were ready
5 to set out for London, a man of my Lord Cardinal’s,
by commission and main power, took ’em from me
with this reason: his master would be served before
a subject, if not before the King, which stopped our
mouths, sir.10 I fear he will indeed; well, let him have them. He will have all, I think.Enter to the Lord Chamberlain, the Dukes
of Norfolk and Suffolk.NORFOLK Well met, my Lord Chamberlain.CHAMBERLAIN Good day to both your Graces.
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SUFFOLK How is the King employed?CHAMBERLAIN 15 I left him private, Full of sad thoughts and troubles.NORFOLK What’s the cause?CHAMBERLAIN It seems the marriage with his brother’s wife Has crept too near his conscience.SUFFOLK 20 No, his conscience Has crept too near another lady.NORFOLK ’Tis so; This is the Cardinal’s doing. The king-cardinal, That blind priest, like the eldest son of Fortune,25 Turns what he list. The King will know him one day.SUFFOLK Pray God he do! He’ll never know himself else.NORFOLK How holily he works in all his business, And with what zeal! For, now he has cracked the league30 Between us and the Emperor, the Queen’s great-nephew, He dives into the King’s soul and there scatters Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience, Fears and despairs—and all these for his marriage.35 And out of all these to restore the King, He counsels a divorce, a loss of her That like a jewel has hung twenty years About his neck, yet never lost her luster; Of her that loves him with that excellence40 That angels love good men with; even of her That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls, Will bless the King. And is not this course pious?CHAMBERLAIN Heaven keep me from such counsel! ’Tis most true: These news are everywhere, every tongue speaks ’em,
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45 And every true heart weeps for ’t. All that dare Look into these affairs see this main end, The French king’s sister. Heaven will one day open The King’s eyes, that so long have slept upon This bold bad man.SUFFOLK 50And free us from his slavery.NORFOLK We had need pray, And heartily, for our deliverance, Or this imperious man will work us all From princes into pages. All men’s honors55 Lie like one lump before him, to be fashioned Into what pitch he please.SUFFOLK For me, my lords, I love him not nor fear him; there’s my creed. As I am made without him, so I’ll stand,60 If the King please. His curses and his blessings Touch me alike: they’re breath I not believe in. I knew him and I know him; so I leave him To him that made him proud, the Pope.NORFOLK Let’s in,65 And with some other business put the King From these sad thoughts that work too much upon him.— My lord, you’ll bear us company?CHAMBERLAIN Excuse me;70 The King has sent me otherwhere. Besides, You’ll find a most unfit time to disturb him. Health to your Lordships.NORFOLK Thanks, my good Lord Chamberlain.Lord Chamberlain exits; and the King draws
the curtain and sits reading pensively.SUFFOLK, ⌜to Norfolk⌝ 75 How sad he looks! Sure he is much afflicted.KING Who’s there? Ha?
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NORFOLK, ⌜to Suffolk⌝ Pray God he be not angry.KING Who’s there, I say? How dare you thrust yourselves Into my private meditations? Who am I, ha?NORFOLK 80 A gracious king that pardons all offenses Malice ne’er meant. Our breach of duty this way Is business of estate, in which we come To know your royal pleasure.KING You are too bold.85 Go to; I’ll make you know your times of business. Is this an hour for temporal affairs, ha?Enter Wolsey and Campeius, with a commission. Who’s there? My good Lord Cardinal? O my Wolsey, The quiet of my wounded conscience, Thou art a cure fit for a king. ⌜To Campeius.⌝ You’re90 welcome, Most learnèd reverend sir, into our kingdom. Use us and it.—My good lord, have great care I be not found a talker.WOLSEY Sir, you cannot.95 I would your Grace would give us but an hour Of private conference.KING, ⌜to Norfolk and Suffolk⌝ We are busy. Go.NORFOLK, ⌜aside to Suffolk⌝ This priest has no pride in him?SUFFOLK, ⌜aside to Norfolk⌝ Not to speak of.100 I would not be so sick, though for his place. But this cannot continue.NORFOLK, ⌜aside to Suffolk⌝ If it do, I’ll venture one have-at-him.SUFFOLK, ⌜aside to Norfolk⌝ I another.Norfolk and Suffolk exit.WOLSEY 105 Your Grace has given a precedent of wisdom
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Above all princes in committing freely Your scruple to the voice of Christendom. Who can be angry now? What envy reach you? The Spaniard, tied by blood and favor to her,110 Must now confess, if they have any goodness, The trial just and noble; all the clerks— I mean the learnèd ones in Christian kingdoms— Have their free voices; Rome, the nurse of judgment, Invited by your noble self, hath sent115 One general tongue unto us, this good man, This just and learnèd priest, Cardinal Campeius, Whom once more I present unto your Highness.KING And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome, And thank the holy conclave for their loves.120 They have sent me such a man I would have wished for.⌜He embraces Campeius.⌝CAMPEIUS, ⌜handing the King a paper⌝ Your Grace must needs deserve all strangers’ loves, You are so noble. To your Highness’ hand I tender my commission—by whose virtue,125 The court of Rome commanding, you, my Lord Cardinal of York, are joined with me their servant In the unpartial judging of this business.KING Two equal men. The Queen shall be acquainted Forthwith for what you come. Where’s Gardiner?WOLSEY 130 I know your Majesty has always loved her So dear in heart not to deny her that A woman of less place might ask by law: Scholars allowed freely to argue for her.KING Ay, and the best she shall have, and my favor135 To him that does best. God forbid else. Cardinal,
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Prithee call Gardiner to me, my new secretary. I find him a fit fellow.⌜Wolsey goes to the door.⌝Enter Gardiner ⌜to Wolsey.⌝WOLSEY, ⌜aside to Gardiner⌝ Give me your hand. Much joy and favor to you. You are the King’s now.GARDINER, ⌜aside to Wolsey⌝ 140 But to be commanded Forever by your Grace, whose hand has raised me.KING Come hither, Gardiner.⌜The King and Gardiner⌝ walk and whisper.CAMPEIUS My lord of York, was not one Doctor Pace In this man’s place before him?WOLSEY 145 Yes, he was.CAMPEIUS Was he not held a learnèd man?WOLSEY Yes, surely.CAMPEIUS Believe me, there’s an ill opinion spread, then, Even of yourself, Lord Cardinal.WOLSEY 150 How? Of me?CAMPEIUS They will not stick to say you envied him And, fearing he would rise—he was so virtuous— Kept him a foreign man still, which so grieved him That he ran mad and died.WOLSEY 155 Heav’n’s peace be with him! That’s Christian care enough. For living murmurers, There’s places of rebuke. He was a fool, For he would needs be virtuous. That good fellow If I command him follows my appointment.160 I will have none so near else. Learn this, brother: We live not to be griped by meaner persons.
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KING, ⌜to Gardiner⌝ Deliver this with modesty to th’ Queen.Gardiner exits. The most convenient place that I can think of For such receipt of learning is Blackfriars.165 There you shall meet about this weighty business. My Wolsey, see it furnished. O, my lord, Would it not grieve an able man to leave So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, conscience! O, ’tis a tender place, and I must leave her.They exit.
Henry VIII
