Original Text |
Translated Text |
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter the Duke of Norfolk, Duke of Suffolk, Lord Surrey, and Lord Chamberlain. NORFOLK If you will now unite in your complaints And force them with a constancy, the Cardinal Cannot stand under them. If you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise But that you shall sustain more new disgraces 5 With these you bear already. SURREY I am joyful To meet the least occasion that may give me Remembrance of my father-in-law the Duke, To be revenged on him. 10 SUFFOLK Which of the peers Have uncontemned gone by him, or at least Strangely neglected? When did he regard The stamp of nobleness in any person Out of himself? 15 | Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, and Lord Chamberlain have a little meeting about Wolsey: he's become a problem, and they know it. They're just not sure what to do about it. Norfolk wants to present a united front. He thinks that Wolsey can't deny all their complaints if they join up. |
CHAMBERLAIN My lords, you speak your pleasures; What he deserves of you and me I know; What we can do to him—though now the time Gives way to us—I much fear. If you cannot Bar his access to th’ King, never attempt 20 Anything on him, for he hath a witchcraft Over the King in ’s tongue. NORFOLK O, fear him not. His spell in that is out. The King hath found Matter against him that forever mars 25 The honey of his language. No, he’s settled, Not to come off, in his displeasure. | Lord Chamberlain doesn't know if that will work. Wolsey's got private access to the king, so he can explain away anything he does when he's alone with Henry. They need to get Wolsey away from the king if they want to have a chance. Norfolk isn't so worried about that. Henry is already ticked at Wolsey; the divorce proceedings have shed some light on some of Wolsey's wheeling and dealing. |
SURREY Sir, I should be glad to hear such news as this Once every hour. 30 NORFOLK Believe it, this is true. In the divorce his contrary proceedings Are all unfolded, wherein he appears As I would wish mine enemy. SURREY How came 35 His practices to light? SUFFOLK Most strangely. SURREY O, how, how? SUFFOLK The Cardinal’s letters to the Pope miscarried And came to th’ eye o’ th’ King, wherein was read 40 How that the Cardinal did entreat his Holiness To stay the judgment o’ th’ divorce; for if It did take place, “I do,” quoth he, “perceive My king is tangled in affection to A creature of the Queen’s, Lady Anne Bullen.” 45 | Suffolk fills us in on the deets: Henry found Wolsey's letters to the Pope. In them, Wolsey asked the Pope to deny Henry's right to divorce Katherine until he gets over Anne. Uh oh. This might explain why the Lord Chamberlain heard that Henry had already married Anne; it would mean that Henry had gone ahead with his own plans since Wolsey was double-crossing him. |
SURREY Has the King this? SUFFOLK Believe it. SURREY Will this work? CHAMBERLAIN The King in this perceives him how he coasts And hedges his own way. But in this point 50 All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic After his patient’s death: the King already Hath married the fair lady. SURREY Would he had! SUFFOLK May you be happy in your wish, my lord, 55 For I profess you have it. SURREY Now, all my joy Trace the conjunction! SUFFOLK My amen to ’t. NORFOLK All men’s. 60 SUFFOLK There’s order given for her coronation. Marry, this is yet but young and may be left To some ears unrecounted. But, my lords, She is a gallant creature and complete In mind and feature. I persuade me, from her 65 Will fall some blessing to this land which shall In it be memorized. | Suffolk thinks this is good news, because Anne is virtuous. He's also heard that Cranmer will be back soon, and then Henry will officially announce his new bride. He'll also give Katherine the title "Princess Dowager." She's the widow of his brother, so it's only fitting. |
SURREY But will the King Digest this letter of the Cardinal’s? The Lord forbid! 70 NORFOLK Marry, amen! SUFFOLK No, no. There be more wasps that buzz about his nose Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius Is stol’n away to Rome, hath ta’en no leave, 75 Has left the cause o’ th’ King unhandled, and Is posted as the agent of our cardinal To second all his plot. I do assure you The King cried “Ha!” at this. CHAMBERLAIN Now God incense him, 80 And let him cry “Ha!” louder. NORFOLK But, my lord, When returns Cranmer? SUFFOLK He is returned in his opinions, which Have satisfied the King for his divorce, 85 Together with all famous colleges Almost in Christendom. Shortly, I believe, His second marriage shall be published, and Her coronation. Katherine no more Shall be called queen, but princess dowager 90 And widow to Prince Arthur. NORFOLK This same Cranmer’s A worthy fellow, and hath ta’en much pain In the King’s business. SUFFOLK He has, and we shall see him 95 For it an archbishop. NORFOLK So I hear. SUFFOLK ’Tis so. | That was a lot of gossip to get through, but now the men are all caught
up. They agree that Cranmer is a worthy guy, and that things are looking
up. |
Enter Wolsey and Cromwell, meeting. The Cardinal! NORFOLK Observe, observe; he’s moody. They stand aside. 100 WOLSEY The packet, Cromwell; Gave ’t you the King? CROMWELL To his own hand, in ’s bedchamber. WOLSEY Looked he o’ th’ inside of the paper? CROMWELL Presently 105 He did unseal them, and the first he viewed, He did it with a serious mind; a heed Was in his countenance. You he bade Attend him here this morning. WOLSEY Is he ready 110 To come abroad? CROMWELL I think by this he is. WOLSEY Leave me awhile. Cromwell exits. Aside. It shall be to the Duchess of Alençon, The French king’s sister; he shall marry her. 115 Anne Bullen? No, I’ll no Anne Bullens for him. There’s more in ’t than fair visage. Bullen? No, we’ll no Bullens. Speedily I wish To hear from Rome. The Marchioness of Pembroke! NORFOLK He’s discontented. 120 SUFFOLK Maybe he hears the King Does whet his anger to him. SURREY Sharp enough, Lord, for thy justice! WOLSEY, aside The late queen’s gentlewoman, a knight’s daughter, 125 To be her mistress’ mistress? The Queen’s queen? This candle burns not clear. ’Tis I must snuff it; Then out it goes. What though I know her virtuous And well-deserving? Yet I know her for A spleeny Lutheran, and not wholesome to 130 Our cause that she should lie i’ th’ bosom of Our hard-ruled king. Again, there is sprung up An heretic, an arch-one, Cranmer, one Hath crawled into the favor of the King And is his oracle. 135 NORFOLK He is vexed at something. SURREY I would ’twere something that would fret the string, The master-cord on ’s heart. SUFFOLK The King, the King! | That's when Wolsey and Cromwell enter. Norfolk notices that Wolsey is moody: he's asking Cromwell about his letters, and then he asks to be left alone. He tells us that Henry will marry the French king's sister, and that this Anne business is just a whim. How can Wolsey get rid of Anne? Well, he'll say she's of the wrong religion—she's Lutheran. That ought to work. Wolsey tells us how much he hates that Cranmer has such favor with the king. The other men are still watching Wolsey, and Suffolk thinks that Wolsey is annoyed about something. |
Enter King, reading of a schedule, with Lovell and Attendants. KING What piles of wealth hath he accumulated 140 To his own portion! And what expense by th’ hour Seems to flow from him! How i’ th’ name of thrift Does he rake this together? Seeing the nobles. Now, my lords, Saw you the Cardinal? 145 NORFOLK, indicating Wolsey My lord, we have Stood here observing him. Some strange commotion Is in his brain. He bites his lip, and starts, Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground, Then lays his finger on his temple, straight 150 Springs out into fast gait, then stops again, Strikes his breast hard, and anon he casts His eye against the moon. In most strange postures We have seen him set himself. | Henry enters, ticked off at all the wealth Wolsey has. He asks the men
if they've seen the Wolsey, and Norfolk says they have… but he's in a
really weird mood, so the king should beware. |
KING It may well be 155 There is a mutiny in ’s mind. This morning Papers of state he sent me to peruse, As I required, and wot you what I found? There—on my conscience, put unwittingly— Forsooth, an inventory, thus importing 160 The several parcels of his plate, his treasure, Rich stuffs and ornaments of household, which I find at such proud rate that it outspeaks Possession of a subject. NORFOLK It’s heaven’s will! 165 Some spirit put this paper in the packet To bless your eye withal. KING, studying Wolsey If we did think His contemplation were above the Earth And fixed on spiritual object, he should still 170 Dwell in his musings, but I am afraid His thinkings are below the moon, not worth His serious considering. King takes his seat, whispers Lovell, who goes to the Cardinal. | Henry figures that Wolsey is in a bad mood because he's misplaced a bunch of his papers. |
WOLSEY Heaven forgive me! Ever God bless your Highness. 175 KING Good my lord, You are full of heavenly stuff and bear the inventory Of your best graces in your mind, the which You were now running o’er. You have scarce time To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span 180 To keep your earthly audit. Sure, in that I deem you an ill husband, and am glad To have you therein my companion. WOLSEY Sir, For holy offices I have a time; a time 185 To think upon the part of business which I bear i’ th’ state; and Nature does require Her times of preservation, which perforce I, her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal, Must give my tendance to. 190 | Henry summons Wolsey and calls him a bad domestic manager: he must be too busy with praying and other spiritual stuff to worry about things here on earth. Don't worry, Wolsey replies. He can do cover both the spiritual and the earthly business. |
KING You have said well. WOLSEY And ever may your Highness yoke together, As I will lend you cause, my doing well With my well saying. KING ’Tis well said again, 195 And ’tis a kind of good deed to say well. And yet words are no deeds. My father loved you; He said he did, and with his deed did crown His word upon you. Since I had my office I have kept you next my heart, have not alone 200 Employed you where high profits might come home, But pared my present havings to bestow My bounties upon you. WOLSEY, aside What should this mean? SURREY, aside The Lord increase this business! 205 KING Have I not made you The prime man of the state? I pray you tell me If what I now pronounce you have found true; And, if you may confess it, say withal If you are bound to us or no. What say you? 210 | Excellent, says Henry. Then he gives us some backstory: his dad really loved Wolsey, and it was his dad who hired the guy. Since Henry has been king, he's been nice to Wolsey. It's clear that Henry isn't just interested in Wolsey's hiring process, but we're not sure what he's getting at. Neither is Wolsey, who mutters about his confusion to himself. Henry continues, this time trying to get Wolsey to admit that he's the king's number one guy, his right-hand man, and his most trusted adviser. |
WOLSEY My sovereign, I confess your royal graces, Showered on me daily, have been more than could My studied purposes requite, which went Beyond all man’s endeavors. My endeavors Have ever come too short of my desires, 215 Yet filed with my abilities. Mine own ends Have been mine so, that evermore they pointed To th’ good of your most sacred person and The profit of the state. For your great graces Heaped upon me, poor undeserver, I 220 Can nothing render but allegiant thanks, My prayers to heaven for you, my loyalty, Which ever has and ever shall be growing Till death—that winter—kill it. KING Fairly answered. 225 A loyal and obedient subject is Therein illustrated. The honor of it Does pay the act of it, as, i’ th’ contrary, The foulness is the punishment. I presume That, as my hand has opened bounty to you, 230 My heart dropped love, my power rained honor, more On you than any, so your hand and heart, Your brain, and every function of your power Should—notwithstanding that your bond of duty As ’twere in love’s particular—be more 235 To me, your friend, than any. WOLSEY I do profess That for your Highness’ good I ever labored More than mine own, that am, have, and will be— Though all the world should crack their duty to you 240 And throw it from their soul, though perils did Abound as thick as thought could make ’em, and Appear in forms more horrid—yet my duty, As doth a rock against the chiding flood, Should the approach of this wild river break, 245 And stand unshaken yours. KING ’Tis nobly spoken.— Take notice, lords: he has a loyal breast, For you have seen him open ’t. He hands Wolsey papers. Read o’er this, 250 And after, this; and then to breakfast with What appetite you have. King exits, frowning upon the Cardinal; the nobles throng after him smiling and whispering, and exit. | Finally, Wolsey gives in and admits it: he's a loyal subject, and he's been showered with gifts, all of which he's super grateful for. "Okay, then," Henry replies. "So what's the deal with these letters I found?" Henry hands over the letters and asks Wolsey to explain. Afterward, Henry says, they'll have breakfast together. Pancakes, anyone? Henry and the nobles leave Wolsey alone to read through the letters. |
WOLSEY What should this mean? What sudden anger’s this? How have I reaped it? He parted frowning from me, as if ruin 255 Leaped from his eyes. So looks the chafèd lion Upon the daring huntsman that has galled him, Then makes him nothing. I must read this paper— I fear, the story of his anger. He reads one of the papers. ’Tis so. 260 This paper has undone me. ’Tis th’ accompt Of all that world of wealth I have drawn together For mine own ends—indeed, to gain the popedom And fee my friends in Rome. O negligence, Fit for a fool to fall by! What cross devil 265 Made me put this main secret in the packet I sent the King? Is there no way to cure this? No new device to beat this from his brains? I know ’twill stir him strongly; yet I know A way, if it take right, in spite of fortune 270 Will bring me off again. He looks at another paper. What’s this? “To th’ Pope”? The letter, as I live, with all the business I writ to ’s Holiness. Nay then, farewell! I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, 275 And from that full meridian of my glory I haste now to my setting. I shall fall Like a bright exhalation in the evening And no man see me more. | Wolsey is beyond confused. He wonders how the king can be so mad at him when he's done nothing wrong. Then Wolsey sees the letters and knows he's a goner. He's gone all the way to the top, and now he's gonna plummet so fast. His career is toast. |
Enter to Wolsey the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Chamberlain. NORFOLK Hear the King’s pleasure, cardinal, who commands 280 you To render up the great seal presently Into our hands, and to confine yourself To Asher House, my Lord of Winchester’s, Till you hear further from his Highness. 285 WOLSEY Stay. Where’s your commission, lords? Words cannot carry Authority so weighty. SUFFOLK Who dare cross ’em, Bearing the King’s will from his mouth expressly? 290 WOLSEY Till I find more than will or words to do it— I mean your malice—know, officious lords, I dare and must deny it. Now I feel Of what coarse metal you are molded, envy; How eagerly you follow my disgraces, 295 As if it fed you, and how sleek and wanton You appear in everything 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 300 You ask with such a violence, the King, Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me; Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honors, During my life; and to confirm his goodness, Tied it by letters patents. Now, who’ll take it? 305 | Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, and Lord Chamberlain come back in and tell Wolsey that the king has ordered for him to give up his seal of office. Ouch. Never one to take anything lying down, Wolsey refuses. He won't do something just because one of them says he should; they're lower than him on the status scale, and they're just envious of him. |
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 310 Have burnt that tongue than said so. SURREY Thy ambition, Thou scarlet sin, robbed this bewailing land Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law. The heads of all thy brother cardinals, 315 With thee and all thy best parts bound together, Weighed not a hair of his. Plague of your policy! You sent me Deputy for Ireland, Far from his succor, from the King, from all That might have mercy on the fault thou gav’st him, 320 Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity, Absolved him with an ax. | Surrey calls Wolsey ambitious and says he's a plague to the country;
plus, Wolsey orchestrated his father-in-law's death. That's not cool,
man. |
WOLSEY This, and all else This talking lord can lay upon my credit, I answer, is most false. The Duke by law 325 Found his deserts. How innocent I was From any private malice in his end, His noble jury and foul cause can witness.— If I loved many words, lord, I should tell you You have as little honesty as honor, 330 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, 335 Your long coat, priest, protects you; thou shouldst feel My sword i’ th’ life blood of thee else.—My lords, Can you endure to hear this arrogance? And from this fellow? If we live thus tamely, To be thus jaded by a piece of scarlet, 340 Farewell, nobility. Let his Grace go forward And dare us with his cap, like larks. WOLSEY All goodness Is poison to thy stomach. | But Wolsey just defends himself: he's completely innocent, and as for Buckingham, he got what was coming to him. |
SURREY Yes, that goodness 345 Of gleaning all the land’s wealth into one, Into your own hands, card’nal, 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.— 350 My Lord of Norfolk, as you are truly noble, As you respect the common good, the state Of our despised nobility, our issues, Whom, if he live, will scarce be gentlemen, Produce the grand sum of his sins, the articles 355 Collected from his life.—I’ll 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! 360 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. 365 | This just angers Surrey, who starts listing Wolsey's wrongs, starting with taking lands away from nobles. Norfolk chimes in that he's got a whole laundry list of Wolsey's bad deeds. Again, Wolsey defends himself and says the king knows he's loyal. |
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. 370 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, 375 You wrought to be a legate, by which power You maimed 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 inscribed, in which you brought the King 380 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. 385 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 caused 390 Your holy hat to be stamped 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 395 Of all the kingdom. Many more there are Which, since they are of you, and odious, I will not taint my mouth with. | Suffolk, Surrey, and Norfolk read out the following charges against Wolsey: 1) that he's scheming to be the Pope's rep without asking Henry; 2) that he's taking the royal seal to Flanders; 3) that he's starting up an alliance between Ferrara and England without the king's knowledge; 4) that he's putting his holy hat on the king's coin; 5) that he's bribing the Pope… and the list goes on. |
CHAMBERLAIN O, my lord, Press not a falling man too far! ’Tis virtue. 400 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— 405 Because all those things you have done of late By your power legative 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, 410 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 to live better. For your stubborn answer About the giving back the great seal to us, 415 The King shall know it and, no doubt, shall thank you. So, fare you well, my little good Lord Cardinal. | Chamberlain steps in and says they shouldn't keep pressing on. It's not right to do it when Wolsey is already down. |
WOLSEY So, farewell to the little good you bear me. All but Wolsey exit. Farewell? A long farewell to all my greatness! 420 This is the state of man: today he puts forth The tender leaves of hopes; tomorrow blossoms And bears his blushing honors thick upon him; The third day comes a frost, a killing frost, And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely 425 His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root, And then he falls, as I do. I have ventured, 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 430 At length broke under me and now has left me, Weary and old with service, to the mercy Of a rude stream that must forever hide me. Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate you. I feel my heart new opened. O, how wretched 435 Is that poor man that hangs on princes’ favors! 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, 440 Never to hope again. Enter Cromwell, standing amazed. Why, how now, Cromwell? | All the men leave except for Wolsey, who delivers a speech about fate.
He thought he was on the right path to success, but he stood on pride
alone, and that couldn't hold him up. He curses the world and wishes he
didn't need the king's favor to do well in life. |
CROMWELL I have no power to speak, sir. WOLSEY What, amazed At my misfortunes? Can thy spirit wonder 445 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. 450 I know myself now, and I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience. The King has cured me— I humbly thank his Grace—and from these shoulders, These ruined pillars, out of pity, taken 455 A load would sink a navy: too much honor. O, ’tis a burden, Cromwell, ’tis a burden Too heavy for a man that hopes for heaven. | Cromwell comes in and stands amazed for a while, unable to speak at the
sight of the forlorn Wolsey. Wolsey tells him not to worry and not to
pity him; he'll be okay. The king's done him favors before, after all. |
CROMWELL I am glad your Grace has made that right use of it. WOLSEY I hope I have. I am able now, methinks, 460 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 465 Is your displeasure with the King. WOLSEY God bless him. CROMWELL The next is that Sir Thomas More is chosen Lord Chancellor in your place. WOLSEY That’s somewhat sudden. 470 But he’s a learnèd man. May he continue Long in his Highness’ favor 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. 475 What more? CROMWELL That Cranmer is returned with welcome, Installed Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. WOLSEY That’s news indeed. CROMWELL Last, that the Lady Anne, 480 Whom the King hath in secrecy long married, This day was viewed in open as his queen, Going to chapel, and the voice is now Only about her coronation. | Cromwell fills Wolsey in on the latest news: Henry promoted Sir Thomas
More to Wolsey's old job; Cranmer is finally back; and Anne is the new
queen. |
WOLSEY There was the weight that pulled me down. 485 O Cromwell, The King has gone beyond me. All my glories In that one woman I have lost forever. No sun shall ever usher forth mine honors, Or gild again the noble troops that waited 490 Upon my smiles. Go, get thee from me, Cromwell. I am a poor fall’n man, unworthy now To be thy lord and master. Seek the King; That sun, I pray, may never set! I have told him What and how true thou art. He will advance thee; 495 Some little memory of me will stir him— I know his noble nature—not to let Thy hopeful service perish too. Good Cromwell, Neglect him not. Make use now, and provide For thine own future safety. 500 | Wolsey thinks it's all somewhat sudden, but he realizes that the king
has moved on from him now. He instructs Cromwell to seek the king so he
can profit from being close to him; he shouldn't get dragged down with
Wolsey. |
CROMWELL, weeping O, my lord, Must I then leave you? Must I needs forgo So good, so noble, and so true a master? Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron, With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord. 505 The King shall have my service, but my prayers Forever and forever shall be yours. WOLSEY, weeping Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear In all my miseries, but thou hast forced me, Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman. 510 Let’s dry our eyes. And thus far hear me, Cromwell, And when I am forgotten, as I shall be, And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention Of me more must be heard of, say I taught thee; Say Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory 515 And sounded all the depths and shoals of honor, Found thee a way, out of his wrack, to rise in, A sure and safe one, though thy master missed it. Mark but my fall and that that ruined me. Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition! 520 By that sin fell the angels; how can man, then, The image of his maker, hope to win by it? Love thyself last; cherish those hearts that hate thee. Corruption wins not more than honesty. Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace 525 To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not. Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s. Then if thou fall’st, O Cromwell, Thou fall’st a blessèd martyr. Serve the King. And, prithee, lead me in. 530 There take an inventory of all I have To the last penny; ’tis the King’s. My robe And my integrity to heaven is all I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell, Had I but served my God with half the zeal 535 I served my king, He would not in mine age Have left me naked to mine enemies. CROMWELL Good sir, have patience. WOLSEY So I have. Farewell, The hopes of court! My hopes in heaven do dwell. 540 They exit. | Cromwell is bummed to leave Wolsey, but he'll pray for him. In turn, Wolsey gives a heartfelt goodbye to Cromwell and reminds him not to be dishonest or dishonorable: those are the most important things Wolsey can teach him. Wolsey says Cromwell should serve the king with all his heart. With that, the men part ways. |