The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1229]
What more?
CROMWELL.
That Cranmer is return'd with welcome,
Install'd Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.
WOLSEY.
That's news indeed.
CROMWELL.
Last, that the Lady Anne,
Whom the King hath in secrecy long married,
This day was view'd in open as his queen,
Going to chapel; and the voice is now
Only about her coronation.
WOLSEY.
There was the weight that pull'd me down.
O Cromwell,
The King has gone beyond me. All my glories
In that one woman I have lost for ever.
No sun shall ever usher forth mine honours,
Or gild again the noble troops that waited
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;
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.
CROMWELL.
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.
The King shall have my service; but my prayers
For ever and for ever shall be yours.
WOLSEY.
Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear
In all my miseries; but thou hast forc'd me,
Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman.
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,
And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour,
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in-
A sure and safe one, though thy master miss'd it.
Mark but my fall and that that ruin'd me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition:
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
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 blessed martyr!
Serve the King, and-prithee lead me in.
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 serv'd my God with half the zeal
I serv'd 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.
Exeunt
ACT IV. SCENE 1.
A street in Westminster
Enter two GENTLEMEN, meeting one another
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
Y'are well met once again.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
So are you.
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
You come to take your stand here, and behold
The Lady Anne pass from her coronation?
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
'Tis all my business. At our last encounter
The Duke of Buckingham came from his trial.
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
'Tis very true. But that time offer'd sorrow;
This, general joy.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
'Tis well. The citizens,
I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds-
As, let 'em have their rights, they are ever forward-
In celebration of this day with shows,
Pageants, and sights of honour.
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
Never greater,
Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
May I be bold to ask what that contains,
That paper in your hand?
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
Yes; 'tis the list
Of those that claim their offices this day,
By custom of the coronation.
The Duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims
To be High Steward; next, the Duke of Norfolk,
He to be Earl Marshal. You may read the rest.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
I thank you, sir; had I not known those customs,
I should have been beholding to your paper.
But, I beseech you, what's