King. (Entring, to Scroop.)
I thank thee, Scroop; and to thy zeal and care
Commit the business of fair Nell's disposal.
Mean time, my lord, on more important matter
I need your honest counsel.—My good lord Cambridge
Will give me too his thoughts upon the business.

Cam.
My liege, you do me honour.

King.
Not a whit.
You heard what late th' archbishop mov'd, in council,
Respecting the disposal of church benefices.
His grace has laid a paper since before us,
Wherein he stands up stoutly for his temporals.

Scroop.
Doubtless, my liege, if churchmen had their will,
The best of them would never give consent
To strip the church of its o'ergrown possessions,
Tho' half the nation's wealth were in her hands.

King.
But what is thy opinion, honest Scroop?
Is't not injustice to deprive the church
Of those possessions dying men have will'd
By legal testament?

Scroop.
The publick good, I hold, my sov'reign liege,
To be the first great rule of right and wrong:
The rights of individuals hence are sacred
No longer than conducing to the publick.
Is't for your majesty's, or England's, honour
That half our glebe be holden by the church,
To fatten monks, and pamper lazy friars,
That swarm like pestful locusts o'er the land?

King.
What saith my lord of Cambridge?

Cam.
The point, my liege, is truly nice and tender.
So deep the interest of the church is rooted,
While such regard implicitly it claims
From ev'ry true believer, that I doubt
If such a step can with success be taken.
I own, I never profited as yet

From ought that Wickliff, or his tribe, have taught;
Holding it sacrilege to rob the church.

Scroop.
Not more than I, my pious earl of Cambridge;
Nor have I profited by Wickliff's doctrine.
But who will call a den of thieves the church?
Why hold we Edward's memory so dear,
But that thou knowest in his glorious reign
The famous mortmain statute was enacted:
Happy for England that had else, ere now,
A nation been of monasteries and churches,
Paying allegiance to its king the pope.

King.
Ay, Scroop, there lies the sore. The king, our father,
Out of a holy zeal to mother church,
Slacken'd the reins of that prerogative
The Edwards held so tight upon the clergy.
Hence new encroachments, and a bold contempt,
Of our authority, from Rome.

Cam.
As touching this, my liege, the holy see
Has doubtless gone too far, in granting cures
To monks and laymen, and in dispensations
For their non-residence, and other articles
Injurious to the honour of the crown.

Scroop.
Nor less injurious to its interest, Cambridge.
Believe me, Rome consults its profits more
Than that our priests deserve the cure of souls!
Say to what end the clergy should be rich,
But to lay out their wealth where it improves.
I do not mean in heav'n, my gracious liege:
They lay not up in store their treasures there:
But where preferments may be bought—at Rome.
It is to Rome their plate and moneys fly,
To fee ecclesiastick sycophants;
To nurse rebellion; and inflame the minds
Of bigot subjects 'gainst their lawful sovereigns.

Cam.
My liege, the dukes of York and Exeter,
With the young princes, pass along the gallery.

King.
Go, bid them in. [Exit Cambridge.
Scroop, let this subject of the clergy rest;
I will resume it at a proper season,

And hold thee farther question on the matter.

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