He fent command to the Lord Mayor ftrait
To ftop the rumour; and allay thofe tongues,
That durft difperfe it..

2 Gen. But that flander, Sir,

Is found a truth now; for it grows again
Frefher than e'er it was: and held for certain,
The King will venture at it. Either the Cardinal,
Or fome about him near, have (out of malice
To the good Queen) poffefs'd him with a fcruple
That will undo her: to confirm this too,
Cardinal Campeius is arriv'd, and lately,
As all think, for this bufiness.

1 Gen. 'Tis the Cardinal:

And merely to revenge him on the Emperor,
For not bestowing on him, at his afking,

The Arch-bishoprick of Toledo, this is purpos'd.

2 Gen. I think, you've hit the mark; but is't not cruel, That the fhould feel the fmart of this? the Cardinal

Will have his will, and the must fall.

Gen. 'Tis woeful.

We are too open here to argue this:
Let's think in private more.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, an Antichamber in the Palace. Enter Lord Chamberlain, reading a letter.

M

Y Lord, the horfes your Lordship fent for, with all the care I had, I faw well chofen, ridden, and furnish’d. They were young and handsome, and of the best breed in the North. When they were ready to Jet out for London, a man of my Lord Cardinal's by commission and main power took 'em from me, with this reafon; his mafter would be ferv'd before a fubject, if not before the King, which topp'd our mouths, Sir.

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.

Nor. Well met, my Lord Chamberlain.

Cham.

Cham. Good-day to both your Graces.

Suf. How is the King employ'd?
Cham, I left him private,

Full of fad thoughts and troubles.

Nor. What's the cause?

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

Suf. No, his confcience

Has crept too near another Lady.
Nor. 'Tis fo;

This is the Cardinal's doing; the King-Cardinal:
That blind prieft, like the eldest fon of fortune,
Turns what he lifts. The King will know him one day.
Suf. Pray God, he do! he'll never know himself elfe.
Nor. How holily he works in all his business,

And with what zeal? for now he has crack'd the league
"Tween us and th' Emperor, the Queen's great nephew.
He dives into the King's foul, and there scatters
Doubts, dangers, wringing of the confcience.
Fears, and defpair, and all these for his marriage:
And out of all thefe, to restore the King,
He counfels a divorce; a lofs of her,
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never loft her luftre;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence,
That angels love good men with even of her,
That, when the greateft ftroke of fortune falls,
Will blefs the King; and is not this course pious?

Cham. Heav'n keep me from fuch counfel! 'tis moft true,
These news are ev'ry where; ev'ry tongue fpeaks 'em,
And ev'ry true heart weeps for't. All, that dare
Look into these affairs, fee his main end,

The French King's fifter. Heav'n will one day open
The King's eyes, that fo long have slept upon
This bold, bad man.

Suf. And free us from his flavery.

Nor. We had need pray, and heartily, for deliv'rance; Or this imperious man will work us all From Princes into pages; all mens honours Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd

Into what pitch he please.

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 curfes and his bleffings
Touch me alike; they're breath I not believe in.
I knew him, and I know him; fo I leave him
To him, that made him proud, the Pope.

Nor. Let's in,

And with fome other business put the King

From these fad thoughts, that work too much upon him; My Lord, you'll bear us company?

Cham. Excufe me,

The King hath fent me other-where: befides,

You'll find a moft unfit time to disturb him:

Health to your Lordships.

[Exit Lord Chamberlain.

Nor. Thanks, my good Lord Chamberlain.

The Scene draws, and discovers the King fitting and reading penfively.

Suf. How fad he looks! fure, he is much afflicted. King. Who's there? ha?

Nor. Pray God, he be not angry.

King. Who's there, I fay? how dare you thruft yourInto my private meditations?

Who am I? ha?

[felves

Nor. A gracious King, that pardons all offences, Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty, this way, Is bufinefs of eftate; in which we come

To know your royal pleasure.

King. Ye are too bold :

Go to; I'll make ye know your times of bufinefs:
Is this an hour for temporal affairs? ha?

Enter Wolfey, and Campeius the Pope's Legat, with a
Commiffion.

Who's there? my good Lord Cardinal? O my Wolfey,
The quiet of my wounded conscience!

Thou art a cure fit for a King. -You're welcome,
Moft learned rev'rend Sir, into our kingdom; [To Cam.

Ufe

Ufe us, and it; my good Lord, have great care

I be not found a talker.

Wol. Sir, you cannot :

I would your Grace would give us but an hour

Of private conf'rence.

King. We are bufy; go.

[To Norf. and Suff.

Nor. This prieft has no pride in him?

Suf. Not to fpeak of:

I would not be fo fick though, for his place :

But this cannot continue.

Nor. If it do,

I'll venture one heave at him.

Suf. I another.

[Exeunt Norfolk and Suffolk.

Wol. Your Grace has giv❜n a precedent of wifdom Above all Princes, in committing freely

Your fcruple to the voice of Christendom:

Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?
The Spaniard, ty'd by blood and favour to her,
Muft now confefs, if they have any goodness,
The tryal juft and noble. All the clerks,

I mean the learned ones, in chriftian kingdoms,
Have their free voices. Rome, the nurfe of judgment,
Invited by your noble felf, hath fent

One gen'ral tongue unto us, this good man,
This juft and learned prieft, Cardinal Campeius;
Whom once more I prefent unto your Highness.

King. And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome, And thank the holy conclave for their loves;

They've fent me fuch a man, I would have wifh'd for. Cam. Your Grace muft needs deferve all ftrangers loves, You are fo noble: to your Highness' hand

I tender my commiffion; by whofe virtue,

(The court of Rome commanding) you, my Lord Cardinal of York, are join'd with me, their fervant, In the impartial judging of this business.

King. Two equal men: the Queen fhall be acquainted Forthwith for what you come. Where's Gardiner?

Wol. I know, your Majeity has always lov'd her

So dear in heart, not to deny her what

A woman of lefs place might ask by law;

Scholars,

Scholars, allow'd freely to argue for her.

King. Ay, and the beft, fhe fhall have; and my favour To him that does beft, God forbid else. Cardinal,

Pr'ythee, call Gardiner to me, my new Secretary,

I find him a fit fellow.

Enter 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, whofe hand has rais'd me.
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, furely.

Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion fpread then Ev'n of yourself, Lord Cardinal.

Wol. How! of me?

Cam. They will not ftick to fay, you envy'd him;
And fearing he would rife, he was fo virtuous,

Kept him a foreign man ftill: which so griev'd him,
That he ran mad and dy'd.

Wol. Heav'n's peace be with him!

That's chriftian 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 fo near elfe. Learn this, brother,
We live not to be grip'd by meaner perfons.
King. Deliver this with modefty to th' Queen.
[Exit Gardiner.

The moft convenient place that I can think of,
For fuch receit of learning, is Black-Fryers:
There ye fhall meet about this weighty business.
My Wolfey, fee it furnish'd. O my Lord,
Would it not grieve an able man to leave

So fweet a bedfellow? but, confcience, confcience!—
O, 'tis a tender place, but I must leave her.

[Exeunt.