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The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,

Must now confess, if they have any goodness,

The trial just and noble. All the clerks,

I mean the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms

Have their free voices. Rome the nurse of judgment,

Invited by your noble self, hath sent

One general tongue unto us, this good man,

This just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius,

Whom once more I present unto your Highness.

KING.

And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,

And thank the holy conclave for their loves.

They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd for.

CAMPEIUS.

Your Grace must needs deserve an strangers' loves,

You are so noble. To your Highness' hand

I tender my commission; by whose virtue-

The court of Rome commanding-you, my Lord

Cardinal of York, are join'd with me their servant

In the unpartial judging of this business.

KING.

Two equal men. The Queen shall be acquainted

Forthwith for what you come. Where's Gardiner?

WOLSEY.

I know your Majesty has always lov'd her

So dear in heart not to deny her that

A woman of less place might ask by law-

Scholars allow'd freely to argue for her.

KING.

Ay, and the best she shall have; and my favour

To him that does best. God forbid else. Cardinal,

Prithee call Gardiner to me, my new secretary;

I find him a fit fellow. Exit

WOLSEY

Re-enter WOLSEY with GARDINER

WOLSEY.

[Aside to GARDINER] Give me your hand: much

joy and favour to you;

You are the King's now.

GARDINER.

[Aside to WOLSEY] But to be commanded

For ever by your Grace, whose hand has rais'd me.

KING.

Come hither, Gardiner. [Walks and

whispers]

CAMPEIUS.

My Lord of York, was not one Doctor Pace

In this man's place before him?

WOLSEY.

Yes, he was.

CAMPEIUS.

Was he not held a learned man?

WOLSEY.

Yes, surely.

CAMPEIUS.

Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread then,

Even of yourself, Lord Cardinal.

WOLSEY.

How! Of me?

CAMPEIUS.

They will not stick to say you envied him

And, fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous,

Kept him a foreign man still; which so griev'd him

That he ran mad and died.

WOLSEY.

Heav'n's peace be with him!

That's Christian 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 so near else. Learn this, brother,

We live not to be grip'd by meaner persons.

KING.

Deliver this with modesty to th' Queen.

Exit

GARDINER

The most convenient place that I can think of

For such receipt of learning is Blackfriars;

There ye shall meet about this weighty business-

My Wolsey, see it furnish'd. O, my lord,

Would it not grieve an able man to leave

So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, conscience!

O, 'tis a tender place! and I must leave her.

Exeunt

ACT II. SCENE 3.

London. The palace

Enter ANNE BULLEN and an OLD LADY

ANNE.

Not for that neither. Here's the pang that pinches:

His Highness having liv'd so long with her, and she

So good a lady that no tongue could ever

Pronounce dishonour of her-by my life,

She never knew harm-doing-O, now, after

So many courses of the sun enthroned,

Still growing in a majesty and pomp, the which

To leave a thousand-fold more bitter than

'Tis sweet at first t' acquire-after this process,

To give her the avaunt, it is a pity

Would move a monster.

OLD LADY.

Hearts of most hard temper

Melt and lament for her.

ANNE.

O, God's will! much better

She ne'er had known pomp; though't be temporal,

Yet, if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce

It from the bearer, 'tis a sufferance panging

As soul and body's severing.

OLD LADY.

Alas, poor lady!

She's a stranger now again.

ANNE.

So much the more

Must pity drop upon her. Verily,

I swear 'tis better to be lowly born

And range with humble livers in content

Than to be perk'd up in a glist'ring grief

And wear a golden sorrow.

OLD LADY.

Our content

Is our best having.

ANNE.

By my troth and maidenhead,

I would not be a queen.

OLD LADY.