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KING HENRY THE EIGHTH
and how sleek and wanton Ye appear in every thing may bring my ruin！
Follow your envious courses； men of malice； You have Christian warrant
for 'em； and no doubt In time will find their fit rewards。 That seal You ask
with such a violence； the King Mine and your masterwith his own hand
gave me； Bade me enjoy it； with the place and honours； During my life；
and； to confirm his goodness； Tied it by letters…patents。 Now； who'll take it？
SURREY。 The King； that gave it。 WOLSEY。 It must be himself then。
SURREY。 Thou art a proud traitor； priest。 WOLSEY。 Proud lord； thou liest。
Within these forty hours Surrey durst better Have burnt that tongue than
said so。 SURREY。 Thy ambition； Thou scarlet sin； robb'd this bewailing
land Of noble Buckingham； my father…in…law。 The heads of all thy brother
cardinals； With thee and all thy best parts bound together； Weigh'd not a
hair of his。 Plague of your policy！ You sent me deputy for Ireland； Far
from his succour； from the King； from all That might have mercy on the
fault thou gav'st him； Whilst your great goodness； out of holy pity；
Absolv'd him with an axe。 WOLSEY。 This； and all else This talking lord
can lay upon my credit； I answer is most false。 The Duke by law Found his
deserts； how innocent I was From any private malice in his end； His noble
jury and foul cause can witness。 If I lov'd many words； lord； I should tell
you You have as little honesty as honour； That in the way of loyalty and
truth Toward the King； my ever royal master； Dare mate a sounder man
than Surrey can be And all that love his follies。 SURREY。 By my soul；
Your long coat； priest； protects you； thou shouldst feel My sword i' the
life…blood of thee else。 My lords Can ye endure to hear this arrogance？
And from this fellow？ If we live thus tamely； To be thus jaded by a piece
of scarlet； Farewell nobility！ Let his Grace go forward And dare us with
his cap like larks。 WOLSEY。 All goodness Is poison to thy stomach。
SURREY。 Yes； that goodness Of gleaning all the land's wealth into one；
Into your own hands； Cardinal； by extortion； The goodness of your
intercepted packets You writ to th' Pope against the King； your goodness；
Since you provoke me； shall be most notorious。 My Lord of Norfolk； as
you are truly noble； As you respect the common good； the state Of our
despis'd nobility； our issues； Whom； if he live； will scarce be gentlemen
Produce the grand sum of his sins； the articles Collected from his life。 I'll
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startle you Worse than the sacring bell； when the brown wench Lay kissing
in your arms； Lord Cardinal。 WOLSEY。 How much； methinks； I could
despise this man； But that I am bound in charity against it！ NORFOLK。
Those articles； my lord； are in the King's hand； But； thus much； they are
foul ones。 WOLSEY。 So much fairer And spotless shall mine innocence
arise； When the King knows my truth。 SURREY。 This cannot save you。 I
thank my memory I yet remember Some of these articles； and out they
shall。 Now； if you can blush and cry guilty； Cardinal； You'll show a little
honesty。 WOLSEY。 Speak on； sir； I dare your worst objections。 If I blush；
It is to see a nobleman want manners。 SURREY。 I had rather want those
than my head。 Have at you！ First； that without the King's assent or
knowledge You wrought to be a legate； by which power You maim'd the
jurisdiction of all bishops。 NORFOLK。 Then； that in all you writ to Rome；
or else To foreign princes； 'Ego et Rex meus' Was still inscrib'd； in which
you brought the King To be your servant。 SUFFOLK。 Then； that without
the knowledge Either of King or Council； when you went Ambassador to
the Emperor； you made bold To carry into Flanders the great seal。
SURREY。 Item； you sent a large commission To Gregory de Cassado； to
conclude； Without the King's will or the state's allowance； A league
between his Highness and Ferrara。 SUFFOLK。 That out of mere ambition
you have caus'd Your holy hat to be stamp'd on the King's coin。 SURREY。
Then； that you have sent innumerable substance； By what means got I
leave to your own conscience； To furnish Rome and to prepare the ways
You have for dignities； to the mere undoing Of all the kingdom。 Many
more there are； Which； since they are of you； and odious； I will not taint
my mouth with。 CHAMBERLAIN。 O my lord； Press not a falling man too
far！ 'Tis virtue。 His faults lie open to the laws； let them； Not you； correct
him。 My heart weeps to see him So little of his great self。 SURREY。 I
forgive him。 SUFFOLK。 Lord Cardinal； the King's further pleasure is
Because all those things you have done of late； By your power legatine
within this kingdom； Fall into th' compass of a praemunire That therefore
such a writ be sued against you： To forfeit all your goods； lands； tenements；
Chattels； and whatsoever； and to be Out of the King's protection。 This is
my charge。 NORFOLK。 And so we'll leave you to your meditations How
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to live better。 For your stubborn answer About the giving back the great
seal to us； The King shall know it； and； no doubt； shall thank you。 So fare
you well； my little good Lord Cardinal。 Exeunt all but WOLSEY
WOLSEY。 So farewell to the little good you bear me。 Farewell； a long
farewell； to all my greatness！ This is the state of man： to…day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes； to…morrow blossoms And bears his blushing
honours thick upon him； The third day comes a frost； a killing frost； And
when he thinks； good easy man； full surely His greatness is a…ripening；
nips his root； And then he falls； as I do。 I have ventur'd； Like little wanton
boys that swim on bladders； This many summers in a sea of glory； But far
beyond my depth。 My high…blown pride At length broke under me； and
now has left me； Weary and old with service； to the mercy Of a rude
stream； that must for ever hide me。 Vain pomp and glory of this world； I
hate ye； I feel my heart new open'd。 O； how wretched Is that poor man that
hangs on princes' favours！ There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to；
That sweet aspect of princes； and their ruin More pangs and fears than
wars or women have； And when he falls； he falls like Lucifer； Never to
hope again。
Enter CROMWELL； standing amazed
Why； how now； Cromwell！ CROMWELL。 I have no power to speak；
sir。 WOLSEY。 What； amaz'd At my misfortunes？ Can thy spirit wonder A
great man should decline？ Nay； an you weep； I am fall'n indeed。
CROMWELL。 How does your Grace？ WOLSEY。 Why； well； Never so
truly happy； my good Cromwell。 I know myself now； and I feel within me
A peace above all earthly dignities； A still and quiet conscience。 The King
has cur'd me； I humbly thank his Grace； and from these shoulders； These
ruin'd pillars； out of pity； taken A load would sink a navytoo much
honour。 O； 'tis a burden； Cromwell； 'tis a burden Too heavy for a man that
hopes for heaven！ CROMWELL。 I am glad your Grace has made that
right use of it。 WOLSEY。 I hope I have。 I am able now； methinks； Out of a
fortitude of soul I feel； To endure more miseries and greater far Than my
weak…hearted enemies dare offer。 What news abroad？ CROMWELL。 The
heaviest and the worst Is your displeasure with the King。 WOLSEY。 God
bless him！ CROMWELL。 The next is that Sir Thomas More is chosen
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KING HENRY THE EIGHTH
Lord Chancellor in your place。 WOLSEY。 That's somewhat sudden。 But
he's a learned man。 May he continue Long in his Highness' favour； and do
justice For truth's sake and his conscience； that his bones When he has run
his course and sleeps in blessings； May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept
on him！ What more？ CROMWELL。 That Cranmer is return'd with
welcome； Install'd Lord Archbishop of Canterbury。 WOLSEY。 Th