Enter the Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter.

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 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 serv'd before a subject, if not before the king: which stopp'd our mouths, sir.

Nor.
Well met, my lord chamberlain.

Cham.
Good day to both your graces.

Suf.
How is the king employ'd?

Cham.
I left him private,
Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

Nor.
What's the cause?

Cham.
It seems, the marriage with his brother's wife
Has crept too near his conscience.

Suf.
No, his conscience
Has crept too near another lady.

Nor.
'Tis so;

This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:
That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,
Turns what he lists. This king will know him one day.

Suf.
Pray God, he do! he'll never know himself else.

Nor.
How holily he works in all his business!
And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the league
Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,
He dives into the king's soul; and there scatters
Doubts, dangers, wringing of the conscience,
Fears, and despairs, and all these for his marriage:
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 lustre;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence
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?

Cham.
Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis most true,
These news are every where; every tongue speaks'em,
And every true heart weeps for't: All, that dare
Look into these affairs, see his main end,
The French king's sister^{2 note}. Heaven will one day open
The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon
This bold bad man.

Suf.
And free us from his slavery.

Nor.
We had need pray.
And heartily, for our deliverance;
Or this imperious man will work us all
^{3 note}From princes into pages: all men's honours

Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd
^{4 note}

Suf.
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,
If the king please; his curses and his blessings
Touch me alike, they are breath I not believe in.
I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him
To him, that made him proud, the pope.

Nor.
Let's in;
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?

Cham.
Excuse me;
The king hath sent me other-where: besides,
You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:
Health to your lordships.

Nor.
Thanks, my good lord chamberlain. [Exit Lord Chamberlain. A Door opens, and discovers the King sitting and reading pensively^{5 note}.

Suf.
How sad he looks! sure, he is much afflicted.

King.
Who's there? ha?

Nor.
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?

Nor.
A gracious king, that pardons all offences,
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:
Go to; I'll make ye 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.—You're welcome, [To Campeius.
Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom;
Use us, and it:—My good lord, ^{6 note}
have great care
I be not found a talker. [To Wolsey.

Wol.
Sir, you cannot.
I would, your grace would give us but an hour
Of private conference.

King.
We are busy; go. [To Norf. and Suf.

Nor. Aside.
This priest has no pride in him?

Suf. Aside.
Not to speak of;
I would not be ^{7 note}so sick though, for his place:
But this cannot continue.

Nor. Aside.
If it do,
I'll venture one heave at him.

Suf. Aside.
I another. [Exeunt Norfolk and Suffolk.

Wol.
Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom
Above all princes, in committing freely
Your scruple to the voice of Christendom:
Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?
The Spaniard, ty'd by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if he have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the clerks,
I mean, the learned ones, in christian kingdoms,
Have their free voices: Rome, the nurse of judgment,
Invited by your noble self, hath sent
One general tongue unto us, this good man,
This just and learned 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;
They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd for.

Cam.
Your grace must needs deserve all strangers' loves,
You are so noble: To your highness' hand
I tender my commission; by whose virtue,
(The court of Rome commanding)—you, my lord
Cardinal of York, are join'd 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?

Wol.
I know, your majesty has always lov'd her
So dear in heart, not to deny her that
A woman of less place might ask by law,
Scholars, allow'd freely to argue for her.

King.
Ay, and the best, she shall have; and my favour
To him that does best; God forbid else. Cardinal,
Pr'ythee, call Gardiner to me, my new secretary;
I find him a fit fellow.

Cardinal goes out, and re-enters with Gardiner.

Wol.
Give me your hand: much joy and favour to you;
You are the king's now.

Gard.
But to be commanded
For ever by your grace, whose hand has rais'd me. [Aside.

King.
Come hither, Gardiner. [Walks and whispers.

Cam.
My lord of York, was not one doctor Pace
In this man's place before him?

Wol.
Yes, he was.

Cam.
Was he not held a learned man?

Wol.
Yes, surely.

Cam.
Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread then
Even of yourself, lord cardinal.

Wol.
How! of me?

Cam.
They will not stick to say, you envy'd him;
And, fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous,
^{8 note}Kept him a foreign man still: which so griev'd him,
That he ran mad, and dy'd.

Wol.
Heaven'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;
I will have none so near else. Learn this, brother,
We live not to be grip'd by meaner persons.

King.
Deliver this with modesty to the queen. [Exit Gardiner.
The most convenient place that I can think of,
For such receipt of learning, is Black-Friars;
There, ye shall meet about this weighty business:—
My Wolsey, see it furnish'd.—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. [Exeunt.

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