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His second marriage shall be publish'd, and

Her coronation. Katharine no more

Shall be call'd queen, but princess dowager

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

For it an archbishop.

NORFOLK.

So I hear.

SUFFOLK.

'Tis so.

Enter WOLSEY and CROMWELL

The Cardinal!

NORFOLK.

Observe, observe, he's moody.

WOLSEY.

The packet, Cromwell,

Gave't you the King?

CROMWELL.

To his own hand, in's bedchamber.

WOLSEY.

Look'd he o' th' inside of the paper?

CROMWELL.

Presently

He did unseal them; and the first he view'd,

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

To come abroad?

CROMWELL.

I think by this he is.

WOLSEY.

Leave me awhile. Exit

CROMWELL

[Aside] It shall be to the Duchess of Alencon,

The French King's sister; he shall marry her.

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.

SUFFOLK.

May be 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,

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

Our cause that she should lie i' th' bosom of

Our hard-rul'd King. Again, there is sprung up

An heretic, an arch one, Cranmer; one

Hath crawl'd into the favour of the King,

And is his oracle.

NORFOLK.

He is vex'd at something.

Enter the KING, reading of a schedule, and LOVELL

SURREY.

I would 'twere something that would fret the string,

The master-cord on's heart!

SUFFOLK.

The King, the King!

KING.

What piles of wealth hath he accumulated

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?-Now, my lords,

Saw you the Cardinal?

NORFOLK.

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

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.

KING.

It may well be

There is a mutiny in's mind. This morning

Papers of state he sent me to peruse,

As I requir'd; and wot you what I found

There-on my conscience, put unwittingly?

Forsooth, an inventory, thus importing

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;

Some spirit put this paper in the packet

To bless your eye withal.

KING.

If we did think

His contemplation were above the earth

And fix'd on spiritual object, he should still

dwell in his musings; but I am afraid

His thinkings are below the moon, not worth

His serious considering.

[The KING takes his seat and whispers

LOVELL,

who goes to the

CARDINAL]

WOLSEY.

Heaven forgive me!

Ever God bless your Highness!

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

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

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