TPTT The Famous History of the Life of Henry the Eighth: ACT II
Introduction
THE PROLOGUE
ACT I
ACT II
SCENE I. Westminster. A street.
SCENE II. An ante-chamber in the palace.
SCENE III. An ante-chamber of the QUEEN'S apartments.
SCENE IV. A hall in Black-Friars.
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
Feedback
  Search:   
for:

Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay Learn More
SCENE II. An ante-chamber in the palace.
Enter Chamberlain, reading a letter
Chamberlain
      'My lord, the horses your lordship sent for, with
      all the care I had, I saw well chosen, ridden, and
      furnished. They were young and handsome, and of the
      best breed in the north. When they were ready to
5     set out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by
      commission and main power, took 'em from me; with
      this reason: His master would be served before a
      subject, if not before the king; which stopped our
      mouths, sir.'
10    I fear he will indeed: well, let him have them:
      He will have all, I think.
Enter, to Chamberlain, NORFOLK and SUFFOLK
NORFOLK
      Well met, my lord chamberlain.
Chamberlain
      Good day to both your graces.
SUFFOLK
      How is the king employ'd?
Chamberlain
15    I left him private,
      Full of sad thoughts and troubles.
NORFOLK
      What's the cause?
Chamberlain
      It seems the marriage with his brother's wife
      Has crept too near his conscience.
SUFFOLK
20    No, his conscience
      Has crept too near another lady.
NORFOLK
      'Tis so:
      This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:
      That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,
25    Turns what he list. The king will know him one day.
SUFFOLK
      Pray God he do! he'll never know himself else.
NORFOLK
      How holily he works in all his business!
      And with what zeal! for, now he has crack'd the league
      Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,
30    He dives into the king's soul, and there scatters
      Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,
      Fears, and despairs; and all these for his marriage:
      And out of all these to restore the king,
      He counsels a divorce; a loss of her
35    That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
      About his neck, yet never lost her lustre;
      Of her that loves him with that excellence
      That angels love good men with; even of her
      That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
40    Will bless the king: and is not this course pious?
Chamberlain
      Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis most true
      These news are every where; every tongue speaks 'em,
      And every true heart weeps for't: all that dare
      Look into these affairs see this main end,
45    The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open
      The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon
      This bold bad man.
SUFFOLK
      And free us from his slavery.
NORFOLK
      We had need pray,
50    And heartily, for our deliverance;
      Or this imperious man will work us all
      From princes into pages: all men's honours
      Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd
      Into what pitch he please.
SUFFOLK
55    For me, my lords,
      I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed:
      As I am made without him, so I'll stand,
      If the king please; his curses and his blessings
      Touch me alike, they're breath I not believe in.
60    I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him
      To him that made him proud, the pope.
NORFOLK
      Let's in;
      And with some other business put the king
      From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon him:
65    My lord, you'll bear us company?
Chamberlain
      Excuse me;
      The king has sent me otherwhere: besides,
      You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:
      Health to your lordships.
NORFOLK
70    Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.
Exit Chamberlain; and KING HENRY VIII draws the curtain, and sits reading pensively
SUFFOLK
      How sad he looks! sure, he is much afflicted.
KING HENRY VIII
      Who's there, ha?
NORFOLK
      Pray God he be not angry.
KING HENRY VIII
      Who's there, I say? How dare you thrust yourselves
75    Into my private meditations?
      Who am I? ha?
NORFOLK
      A gracious king that pardons all offences
      Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty this way
      Is business of estate; in which we come
80    To know your royal pleasure.
KING HENRY VIII
      Ye are too bold:
      Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business:
      Is this an hour for temporal affairs, ha?

Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS, with a commission

      Who's there? my good lord cardinal? O my Wolsey,
85    The quiet of my wounded conscience;
      Thou art a cure fit for a king.

To CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

      You're welcome,
      Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom:
      Use us and it.

To CARDINAL WOLSEY

90    My good lord, have great care
      I be not found a talker.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Sir, you cannot.
      I would your grace would give us but an hour
      Of private conference.
KING HENRY VIII
      We are busy; go.
NORFOLK
      This priest has no pride in him?
SUFFOLK
      (Aside to NORFOLK) Not to speak of:
100   I would not be so sick though for his place:
      But this cannot continue.
NORFOLK
      (Aside to SUFFOLK) If it do,
      I'll venture one have-at-him.
SUFFOLK
      (Aside to NORFOLK) I another.
Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFOLK
CARDINAL WOLSEY
105   Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom
      Above all princes, in committing freely
      Your scruple to the voice of Christendom:
      Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?
      The Spaniard, tied blood and favour to her,
110   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
115   One general tongue unto us, this good man,
      This just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius;
      Whom once more I present unto your highness.
KING HENRY VIII
      And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,
      And thank the holy conclave for their loves:
120   They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd for.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      Your grace must needs deserve all 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
125   Cardinal of York, are join'd with me their servant
      In the unpartial judging of this business.
KING HENRY VIII
      Two equal men. The queen shall be acquainted
      Forthwith for what you come. Where's Gardiner?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      I know your majesty has always loved her
130   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 HENRY VIII
      Ay, and the best she shall have; and my favour
      To him that does best: God forbid else. Cardinal,
135   Prithee, call Gardiner to me, my new secretary:
      I find him a fit fellow.
Exit CARDINAL WOLSEY
Re-enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, with GARDINER
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      (Aside to GARDINER) Give me your hand much joy and
      favour to you;
      You are the king's now.
GARDINER
      But to be commanded
      For ever by your grace, whose hand has raised me.
KING HENRY VIII
      Come hither, Gardiner.
Walks and whispers
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      My Lord of York, was not one Doctor Pace
145   In this man's place before him?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Yes, he was.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      Was he not held a learned man?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Yes, surely.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread then
150   Even of yourself, lord cardinal.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      How! of me?
CARDINAL 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 grieved him,
155   That he ran mad and died.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Heaven'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,
160   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 HENRY VIII
      Deliver this with modesty to the queen.

Exit GARDINER

      The most convenient place that I can think of
165   For such receipt of learning is Black-Friars;
      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!
170   O, 'tis a tender place; and I must leave her.
Exeunt
Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene