ALL IS TRUE (HENRY VIII)

Act 3 Scene 2

(Enter the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Suffolk, Lord Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain)
l1l	Norfolk	If you will now unite in your complaints,
l2l		And force them with a constancy, the Cardinal
l3l		Cannot stand under them. If you omit
l4l		The offer of this time, I cannot promise
l5l		But that you shall sustain more new disgraces
l6l		With these you bear already.
	Surrey	I am joyful
l7l		To meet the least occasion that may give me
l8l		Remembrance of my father-in-law the Duke,
l9l		To be revenged on him.
	Suffolk	Which of the peers
l10l		Have uncontemned gone by him, or at least
l11l		Strangely neglected? When did he regard
l12l		The stamp of nobleness in any person
l13l		Out of himself?
	Lord Chamberlain	My lords, you speak your pleasures.
l14l		What he deserves of you and me I know#
l15l		What we can do to him—though now the time
l16l		Gives way to us—I much fear. If you cannot
l17l		Bar his access to th’ King, never attempt
l18l		Anything on him, for he hath a witchcraft
l19l		Over the King in ’s tongue.
	Norfolk	O, fear him not.
l20l		His spell in that is out. The King hath found
l21l		Matter against him that for ever mars
l22l		The honey of his language. No, he’s settled,
l23l		Not to come off, in his displeasure.
	Surrey	Sir,
l24l		I should be glad to hear such news as this
l25l		Once every hour.
	Norfolk	Believe it, this is true.
l26l		In the divorce his contrary proceedings
l27l		Are all unfolded, wherein he appears
l28l		As I would wish mine enemy.
	Surrey	How came
l29l		His practices to light?
	Suffolk	Most strangely.
	Surrey	O, how, how?
l30l	Suffolk	The Cardinal’s letters to the Pope miscarried,
l31l		And came to th’ eye o’ th’ King, wherein was read
l32l		How that the Cardinal did entreat his holiness
l33l		To stay the judgement o’ th’ divorce, for if
l34l		It did take place, “I do”, quoth he, “perceive
l35l		My king is tangled in affection to
l36l		A creature of the Queen’s, Lady Anne Boleyn”.
l37l	Surrey	Has the King this?
	Suffolk	Believe it.
	Surrey	Will this work?
l38l	Lord Chamberlain	The King in this perceives him how he coasts
l39l		And hedges his own way. But in this point
l40l		All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic
l41l		After his patient’s death. The King already
l42l		Hath married the fair lady.
	Surrey	Would he had.
l43l	Suffolk	May you be happy in your wish, my lord,
l44l		For I profess you have it.
	Surrey	Now all my joy
l45l		Trace the conjunction.
	Suffolk	My amen to ’t.
	Norfolk	All men’s.
l46l	Suffolk	There’s order given for her coronation.
l47l		Marry, this is yet but young, and may be left
l48l		To some ears unrecounted. But, my lords,
l49l		She is a gallant creature, and complete
l50l		In mind and feature. I persuade me, from her
l51l		Will fall some blessing to this land which shall
l52l		In it be memorized.
	Surrey	But will the King
l53l		Digest this letter of the Cardinal’s?
l54l		The Lord forbid!
	Norfolk	Marry, amen.
	Suffolk	No, no—
l55l		There be more wasps that buzz about his nose
l56l		Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius
l57l		Is stol’n away to Rome# hath ta’en no leave#
l58l		Has left the cause o’ th’ King unhandled, and
l59l		Is posted as the agent of our Cardinal
l60l		To second all his plot. I do assure you
l61l		The King cried “Ha!” at this.
	Lord Chamberlain	Now God incense him,
l62l		And let him cry “Ha!” louder.
	Norfolk	But, my lord,
l63l		When returns Cranmer?
l64l	Suffolk	He is returned in his opinions, which
l65l		Have satisfied the King for his divorce,
l66l		Together with all famous colleges,
l67l		Almost, in Christendom. Shortly, I believe,
l68l		His second marriage shall be published, and
l69l		Her coronation. Katherine no more
l70l		Shall be called “Queen”, but “Princess Dowager”,
l71l		And “widow to Prince Arthur”.
	Norfolk	This same Cranmer’s
l72l		A worthy fellow, and hath ta’en much pain
l73l		In the King’s business.
	Suffolk	He has, and we shall see him
l74l		For it an archbishop.
	Norfolk	So I hear.
	Suffolk	’Tis so.
		( 74B 
l75l		The Cardinal.
	Norfolk	Observe, observe—he’s moody.
		( 75B 
l76l	Cardinal Wolsey	(to Cromwell)
		 The packet, Cromwell—gave ’t you the King?
l77l	Cromwell	To his own hand, in ’s bedchamber.
	Cardinal Wolsey	Looked he
l78l		O’ th’ inside of the paper?
	Cromwell	Presently
l79l		He did unseal them, and the first he viewed
l80l		He did it with a serious mind# a heed
l81l		Was in his countenance. You he bade
l82l		Attend him here this morning.
	Cardinal Wolsey	Is he ready
l83l		To come abroad?
l84l	Cromwell	I think by this he is.
l85l	Cardinal Wolsey	Leave me a while.
		(Exit Cromwell)
l86l		(Aside)
		 It shall be to the Duchess of Alencon,
l87l		The French King’s sister—he shall marry her.
l88l		Anne Boleyn? No, I’ll no Anne Boleyns for him.
l89l		There’s more in ’t than fair visage. Boleyn?
l90l		No, we’ll no Boleyns. Speedily I wish
l91l		To hear from Rome. The Marchioness of Pembroke?
		(The nobles speak among themselves)
l92l	Norfolk	He’s discontented.
	Suffolk	Maybe he hears the King
l93l		Does whet his anger to him.
	Surrey	Sharp enough,
l94l		Lord, for thy justice.
l95l	Cardinal Wolsey	(aside)
		 The late Queen’s gentlewoman? A knight’s daughter
l96l		To be her mistress’ mistress? The Queen’s queen?
l97l		This candle burns not clear# ’tis I must snuff it,
l98l		Then out it goes. What though I know her virtuous
l99l		And well deserving? Yet I know her for
l100l		A spleeny Lutheran, and not wholesome to
l101l		Our cause, that she should lie i’ th’ bosom of
l102l		Our hard-ruled King. Again, there is sprung up
l103l		An heretic, an arch-one, Cranmer, one
l104l		Hath crawled into the favour of the King
l105l		And is his oracle.
		(The nobles speak among themselves)
		
	Norfolk	He is vexed at something.
		(Enter King Henry reading a schedule, and Lovell with him)
l106l	Surrey	I would ’twere something that would fret the string,
l107l		The master-cord on ’s heart!
	Suffolk	The King, the King!
l108l	King Henry	(aside)
		 What piles of wealth hath he accumulated
l109l		To his own portion? And what expense by th’ hour
l110l		Seems to flow from him? How i’ th’ name of thrift
l111l		Does he rake this together?
		(To the nobles)
		 Now, my lords,
l112l		Saw you the Cardinal?
	Norfolk	My lord, we have
l113l		Stood here observing him. Some strange commotion
l114l		Is in his brain. He bites his lip, and starts,
l115l		Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground,
l116l		Then lays his finger on his temple, straight
l117l		Springs out into fast gait, then stops again,
l118l		Strikes his breast hard, and anon he casts
l119l		His eye against the moon. In most strange postures
l120l		We have seen him set himself.
	King Henry	It may well be
l121l		There is a mutiny in ’s mind. This morning
l122l		Papers of state he sent me to peruse
l123l		As I required, and wot you what I found
l124l		There, on my conscience put unwittingly?
l125l		Forsooth, an inventory thus importing
l126l		The several parcels of his plate, his treasure,
l127l		Rich stuffs, and ornaments of household which
l128l		I find at such proud rate that it outspeaks
l129l		Possession of a subject.
	Norfolk	It’s heaven’s will.
l130l		Some spirit put this paper in the packet
l131l		To bless your eye withal.
	King Henry	If we did think
l132l		His contemplation were above the earth
l133l		And fixed on spiritual object, he should still
l134l		Dwell in his musings. But I am afraid
l135l		His thinkings are below the moon, not worth
l136l		His serious considering.
		(The King takes his seat and whispers with Lovell, who then goes to the Cardinal)
		
	Cardinal Wolsey	Heaven forgive me!
l137l		(To the King)
		 Ever God bless your highness! 
	King Henry	Good my lord,
l138l		You are full of heavenly stuff, and bear the inventory
l139l		Of your best graces in your mind, the which
l140l		You were now running o’er. You have scarce time
l141l		To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span
l142l		To keep your earthly audit. Sure, in that,
l143l		I deem you an ill husband, and am glad
l144l		To have you therein my companion.
	Cardinal Wolsey	Sir,
l145l		For holy offices I have a time# a time
l146l		To think upon the part of business which
l147l		I bear i’ th’ state# and nature does require
l148l		Her times of preservation which, perforce,
l149l		I, her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal,
l150l		Must give my tendance to.
	King Henry	You have said well.
l151l	Cardinal Wolsey	And ever may your highness yoke together,
l152l		As I will lend you cause, my doing well
l153l		With my well-saying.
	King Henry	’Tis well said again,
l154l		And ’tis a kind of good deed to say well—
l155l		And yet words are no deeds. My father loved you.
l156l		He said he did, and with his deed did crown
l157l		His word upon you. Since I had my office,
l158l		I have kept you next my heart, have not alone
l159l		Employed you where high profits might come home,
l160l		But pared my present havings to bestow
l161l		My bounties upon you.
	Cardinal Wolsey	
		(aside)
		 What should this mean?
l162l	Surrey	(aside)
		 The Lord increase this business!
	King Henry	Have I not made you
l163l		The prime man of the state? I pray you tell me
l164l		If what I now pronounce you have found true,
l165l		And, if you may confess it, say withal
l166l		If you are bound to us or no. What say you?
l167l	Cardinal Wolsey	My sovereign, I confess your royal graces
l168l		Showered on me daily have been more than could
l169l		My studied purposes requite, which went
l170l		Beyond all man’s endeavours. My endeavours
l171l		Have ever come too short of my desires,
l172l		Yet filed with my abilities. Mine own ends
l173l		Have been mine so that evermore they pointed
l174l		To th’ good of your most sacred person and
l175l		The profit of the state. For your great graces
l176l		Heaped upon me, poor undeserver, I
l177l		Can nothing render but allegiant thanks,
l178l		My prayers to heaven for you, my loyalty,
l179l		Which ever has and ever shall be growing,
l180l		Till death, that winter, kill it.
	King Henry	Fairly answered.
l181l		A loyal and obedient subject is
l182l		Therein illustrated. The honour of it
l183l		Does pay the act of it, as, i’ th’ contrary,
l184l		The foulness is the punishment. I presume
l185l		That as my hand has opened bounty to you,
l186l		My heart dropped love, my power rained honour, more
l187l		On you than any, so your hand and heart,
l188l		Your brain, and every function of your power,
l189l		Should, notwithstanding that your bond of duty,
l190l		As ’twere in love’s particular, be more
l191l		To me, your friend, than any.
	Cardinal Wolsey	I do profess
l192l		That for your highness’ good I ever laboured
l193l		More than mine own# that am, have, and will be—
l194l		Though all the world should crack their duty to you,
l195l		And throw it from their soul, though perils did
l196l		Abound, as thick as thought could make ’em, and
l197l		Appear in forms more horrid—yet, my duty,
l198l		As doth a rock against the chiding flood,
l199l		Should the approach of this wild river break,
l200l		And stand unshaken yours.
	King Henry	’Tis nobly spoken.
l201l		Take notice, lords, he has a loyal breast,
l202l		For you have seen him open ’t.
		(To Wolsey)
		 Read o’er this,
		(He gives him a paper)
l203l		And after this
		(giving him another paper)
		 , and then to breakfast with
l204l		What appetite you have.
		(Exit King Henry, frowning upon the Cardinal. The nobles throng after the King, smiling and whispering)
		 A?Shakespeare> 
	Cardinal Wolsey	What should this mean?
l205l		What sudden anger’s this? How have I reaped it?
l206l		He parted frowning from me, as if ruin
l207l		Leaped from his eyes. So looks the chafèd lion
l208l		Upon the daring huntsman that has galled him,
l209l		Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper—
l210l		I fear, the story of his anger.
		(He reads one of the papers)
		 ’Tis so.
l211l		This paper has undone me. ’Tis th’ account
l212l		Of all that world of wealth I have drawn together
l213l		For mine own ends—indeed, to gain the popedom,
l214l		And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence,
l215l		Fit for a fool to fall by! What cross devil
l216l		Made me put this main secret in the packet
l217l		I sent the King? Is there no way to cure this?
l218l		No new device to beat this from his brains?
l219l		I know ’twill stir him strongly. Yet I know
l220l		A way, if it take right, in spite of fortune
l221l		Will bring me off again. What’s this?
		(He reads the other paper)
		 “To th’ Pope”?
l222l		The letter, as I live, with all the business
l223l		I writ to ’s holiness. Nay then, farewell.
l224l		I have touched the highest point of all my greatness,
l225l		And from that full meridian of my glory
l226l		I haste now to my setting. I shall fall
l227l		Like a bright exhalation in the evening,
l228l		And no man see me more.
		(Enter to Cardinal Wolsey the Dukes of Norfolk and)
l229l		Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain
	Norfolk	Hear the King’s pleasure, Cardinal, who commands you
l230l		To render up the great seal presently
l231l		Into our hands, and to confine yourself
l232l		To Asher House, my lord of Winchester’s,
l233l		Till you hear further from his highness.
	Cardinal Wolsey	Stay—
l234l		Where’s your commission, lords? Words cannot carry
l235l		Authority so weighty.
	Suffolk	Who dare cross ’em
l236l		Bearing the King’s will from his mouth expressly?
l237l	Cardinal Wolsey	Till I find more than will or words to do it—
l238l		I mean your malice—know, officious lords,
l239l		I dare and must deny it. Now I feel
l240l		Of what coarse metal ye are moulded—envy.
l241l		How eagerly ye follow my disgraces
l242l		As if it fed ye, and how sleek and wanton
l243l		Ye appear in everything may bring my ruin!
l244l		Follow your envious courses, men of malice.
l245l		You have Christian warrant for ’em, and no doubt
l246l		In time will find their fit rewards. That seal
l247l		You ask with such a violence, the King,
l248l		Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me,
l249l		Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours,
l250l		During my life# and, to confirm his goodness,
l251l		Tied it by letters patents. Now, who’ll take it?
l252l	Surrey	The King that gave it.
	Cardinal Wolsey	It must be himself then.
l253l	Surrey	Thou art a proud traitor, priest.
	Cardinal Wolsey	Proud lord, thou liest.
l254l		Within these forty hours Surrey durst better
l255l		Have burnt that tongue than said so.
	Surrey	Thy ambition,
l256l		Thou scarlet sin, robbed this bewailing land
l257l		Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law.
l258l		The heads of all thy brother cardinals
l259l		With thee and all thy best parts bound together
l260l		Weighed not a hair of his. Plague of your policy,
l261l		You sent me deputy for Ireland,
l262l		Far from his succour, from the King, from all
l263l		That might have mercy on the fault thou gav’st him#
l264l		Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity,
l265l		Absolved him with an axe.
	Cardinal Wolsey	This, and all else
l266l		This talking lord can lay upon my credit,
l267l		I answer is most false. The Duke by law
l268l		Found his deserts. How innocent I was
l269l		From any private malice in his end,
l270l		His noble jury and foul cause can witness.
l271l		If I loved many words, lord, I should tell you
l272l		You have as little honesty as honour,
l273l		That in the way of loyalty and truth
l274l		Toward the King, my ever royal master,
l275l		Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be,
l276l		And all that love his follies.
	Surrey	By my soul,
l277l		Your long coat, priest, protects you# thou shouldst feel
l278l		My sword i’ th’ life-blood of thee else. My lords,
l279l		Can ye endure to hear this arrogance,
l280l		And from this fellow? If we live thus tamely,
l281l		To be thus jaded by a piece of scarlet,
l282l		Farewell nobility. Let his grace go forward
l283l		And dare us with his cap, like larks.
	Cardinal Wolsey	All goodness
l284l		Is poison to thy stomach.
	Surrey	Yes, that goodness
l285l		Of gleaning all the land’s wealth into one,
l286l		Into your own hands, Card’nal, by extortion#
l287l		The goodness of your intercepted packets
l288l		You writ to th’ Pope against the King# your goodness—
l289l		Since you provoke me—shall be most notorious.
l290l		My lord of Norfolk, as you are truly noble,
l291l		As you respect the common good, the state
l292l		Of our despised nobility, our issues—
l293l		Whom if he live will scarce be gentlemen—
l294l		Produce the grand sum of his sins, the articles
l295l		Collected from his life.
		(To Wolsey)
		 I’ll startle you
l296l		Worse than the sacring-bell when the brown wench
l297l		Lay kissing in your arms, lord Cardinal.
l298l	Cardinal Wolsey	(aside)
		 How much, methinks, I could despise this man,
l299l		But that I am bound in charity against it.
l300l	Norfolk	(to Surrey)
		 Those articles, my lord, are in the King’s hand#
l301l		But thus much—they are foul ones.
	Cardinal Wolsey	So much fairer
l302l		And spotless shall mine innocence arise
l303l		When the King knows my truth.
	Surrey	This cannot save you.
l304l		I thank my memory I yet remember
l305l		Some of these articles, and out they shall.
l306l		Now, if you can blush and cry “Guilty”, Cardinal,
l307l		You’ll show a little honesty.
	Cardinal Wolsey	Speak on, sir#
l308l		I dare your worst objections. If I blush,
l309l		It is to see a nobleman want manners.
l310l	Surrey	I had rather want those than my head. Have at you!
l311l		First, that without the King’s assent or knowledge
l312l		You wrought to be a legate, by which power
l313l		You maimed the jurisdiction of all bishops.
l314l	Norfolk	(to Wolsey)
		 Then, that in all you writ to Rome, or else
l315l		To foreign princes, “Ego et Rex meus”
l316l		Was still inscribed—in which you brought the King
l317l		To be your servant.
	Suffolk	
		(to Wolsey)
		 Then, that without the knowledge
l318l		Either of King or Council, when you went
l319l		Ambassador to the Emperor, you made bold
l320l		To carry into Flanders the great seal.
l321l	Surrey	(to Wolsey)
		 Item, you sent a large commission
l322l		To Gregory de Cassado, to conclude,
l323l		Without the King’s will or the state’s allowance,
l324l		A league between his highness and Ferrara.
l325l	Suffolk	(to Wolsey)
		 That out of mere ambition you have caused
l326l		Your holy hat to be stamped on the King’s coin.
l327l	Surrey	(to Wolsey)
		 Then, that you have sent innumerable substance—
l328l		By what means got, I leave to your own conscience—
l329l		To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways
l330l		You have for dignities to the mere undoing
l331l		Of all the kingdom. Many more there are,
l332l		Which since they are of you, and odious,
l333l		I will not taint my mouth with.
	Lord Chamberlain	O, my lord,
l334l		Press not a falling man too far. ’Tis virtue.
l335l		His faults lie open to the laws. Let them,
l336l		Not you, correct him. My heart weeps to see him
l337l		So little of his great self.
	Surrey	I forgive him.
l338l	Suffolk	Lord Cardinal, the King’s further pleasure is—
l339l		Because all those things you have done of late,
l340l		By your power legantine within this kingdom,
l341l		Fall into th’ compass of a praemunire—
l342l		That therefore such a writ be sued against you,
l343l		To forfeit all your goods, lands, tenements,
l344l		Chattels, and whatsoever, and to be
l345l		Out of the King’s protection. This is my charge.
l346l	Norfolk	(to Wolsey)
		 And so we’ll leave you to your meditations
l347l		How to live better. For your stubborn answer
l348l		About the giving back the great seal to us,
l349l		The King shall know it and, no doubt, shall thank you.
l350l		So fare you well, my little good lord Cardinal.
		(Exeunt all but Wolsey)
l351l	Cardinal Wolsey	So farewell—to the little good you bear me.
l352l		Farewell, a long farewell, to all my greatness!
l353l		This is the state of man. Today he puts forth
l354l		The tender leaves of hopes# tomorrow blossoms,
l355l		And bears his blushing honours thick upon him#
l356l		The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
l357l		And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
l358l		His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
l359l		And then he falls, as I do. I have ventured,
l360l		Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
l361l		This many summers in a sea of glory,
l362l		But far beyond my depth# my high-blown pride
l363l		At length broke under me, and now has left me
l364l		Weary, and old with service, to the mercy
l365l		Of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.
l366l		Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye!
l367l		I feel my heart new opened. O, how wretched
l368l		Is that poor man that hangs on princes’ favours!
l369l		There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
l370l		That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
l371l		More pangs and fears than wars or women have,
l372l		And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
l373l		Never to hope again.
		(Enter Cromwell, who then stands amazed)
		 Why, how now, Cromwell?
l374l	Cromwell	I have no power to speak, sir.
	Cardinal Wolsey	What, amazed
l375l		At my misfortunes? Can thy spirit wonder
l376l		A great man should decline?
		(Cromwell begins to weep)
		 Nay, an you weep
l377l		I am fall’n indeed.
	Cromwell	How does your grace?
	Cardinal Wolsey	Why, well—
l378l		Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell.
l379l		I know myself now, and I feel within me
l380l		A peace above all earthly dignities,
l381l		A still and quiet conscience. The King has cured me.
l382l		I humbly thank his grace, and from these shoulders,
l383l		These ruined pillars, out of pity, taken
l384l		A load would sink a navy—too much honour.
l385l		O, ’tis a burden, Cromwell, ’tis a burden
l386l		Too heavy for a man that hopes for heaven.
l387l	Cromwell	I am glad your grace has made that right use of it.
l388l	Cardinal Wolsey	I hope I have. I am able now, methinks,
l389l		Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,
l390l		To endure more miseries and greater far
l391l		Than my weak-hearted enemies dare offer.
l392l		What news abroad?
	Cromwell	The heaviest and the worst
l393l		Is your displeasure with the King.
	Cardinal Wolsey	God bless him.
l394l	Cromwell	The next is that Sir Thomas More is chosen
l395l		Lord Chancellor in your place.
	Cardinal Wolsey	That’s somewhat sudden.
l396l		But he’s a learnèd man. May he continue
l397l		Long in his highness’ favour, and do justice
l398l		For truth’s sake and his conscience, that his bones,
l399l		When he has run his course and sleeps in blessings,
l400l		May have a tomb of orphans’ tears wept on him.
l401l		What more?
	Cromwell	That Cranmer is returned with welcome,
l402l		Installed lord Archbishop of Canterbury.
l403l	Cardinal Wolsey	That’s news indeed.
	Cromwell	Last, that the Lady Anne,
l404l		Whom the King hath in secrecy long married,
l405l		This day was viewed in open as his queen,
l406l		Going to chapel, and the voice is now
l407l		Only about her coronation.
l408l	Cardinal Wolsey	There was the weight that pulled me down. O, Cromwell,
l409l		The King has gone beyond me. All my glories
l410l		In that one woman I have lost for ever.
l411l		No sun shall ever usher forth mine honours,
l412l		Or gild again the noble troops that waited
l413l		Upon my smiles. Go, get thee from me, Cromwell.
l414l		I am a poor fall’n man, unworthy now
l415l		To be thy lord and master. Seek the King—
l416l		That sun I pray may never set—I have told him
l417l		What and how true thou art. He will advance thee.
l418l		Some little memory of me will stir him.
l419l		I know his noble nature not to let
l420l		Thy hopeful service perish too. Good Cromwell,
l421l		Neglect him not. Make use now, and provide
l422l		For thine own future safety.
	Cromwell	
		(weeping)
		 O, my lord,
l423l		Must I then leave you? Must I needs forgo
l424l		So good, so noble, and so true a master?
l425l		Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron,
l426l		With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord.
l427l		The King shall have my service, but my prayers
l428l		For ever and for ever shall be yours.
l429l	Cardinal Wolsey	(weeping)
		 Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear
l430l		In all my miseries, but thou hast forced me,
l431l		Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman.
l432l		Let’s dry our eyes, and thus far hear me, Cromwell,
l433l		And when I am forgotten, as I shall be,
l434l		And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention
l435l		Of me more must be heard of, say I taught thee—
l436l		Say Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,
l437l		And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour,
l438l		Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in,
l439l		A sure and safe one, though thy master missed it.
l440l		Mark but my fall, and that that ruined me.
l441l		Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition.
l442l		By that sin fell the angels. How can man, then,
l443l		The image of his maker, hope to win by it?
l444l		Love thyself last. Cherish those hearts that hate thee.
l445l		Corruption wins not more than honesty.
l446l		Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace
l447l		To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not.
l448l		Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s,
l449l		Thy God’s, and truth’s. Then if thou fall’st, O Cromwell,
l450l		Thou fall’st a blessèd martyr.
l451l		Serve the King. And prithee, lead me in—
l452l		There take an inventory of all I have:
l453l		To the last penny ’tis the King’s. My robe,
l454l		And my integrity to heaven, is all
l455l		I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell,
l456l		Had I but served my God with half the zeal
l457l		I served my King, He would not in mine age
l458l		Have left me naked to mine enemies.
l459l	Cromwell	Good sir, have patience.
	Cardinal Wolsey	So I have. Farewell
l460l		The hopes of court# my hopes in heaven do dwell.
		(Exeunt)
	[[ACT INTERVAL]]