This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal : That blind prieft, like the eldest son of fortune, Turns what he lifts. This king will know him one day.

Suf. Pray God, he do! he'll never know himfelf

élfé.

Nor. How holily he works in all his bufinefs! And with what zeal! For, now he has crack'd the league

Between us and the emperor,the queen's great nephew,
He dives into the king's foul; and there scatters
Doubts, dangers, wringing of the confcience,
Fears, and defpairs, and all these for his marriage :
And, out of all thefe to reftore the king,
He counfels a divorce: a lofs of her,
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never loft her luftre ;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her,
That, when the greateft ftroke of fortune falls,
Will blefs the king: And is not this course pious?
Cham. Heaven keep me from fuch counfel! 'Tis

most true,

These news are every where; every tongue fpeaks 'em, And every true heart weeps for't: All, that dare Look into these affairs, fee his main end,

The French king's fifter. Heaven will one day open The king's eyes, that fo long have slept upon

This bold bad man.

Suf. And free us from his flavery.

Nor. We had need

pray,

And heartily, for our deliverance;

Or this imperious man will work us all
3 From princes into pages: all men's honours

2 The French king's fifter.] i. e. the duchefs of Alençon.

STEEVENS.

3 From princes into pages :-J This may allude to the retinue of the cardinal, who had feveral of the nobility among his menial fervants. JOHNSON.

Lie

Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd + Into what pitch he please.

Suf. For me, my lords,

I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed:
As I am made without him, fo I'll ftand,

If the king please; his curfes and his bleffings
Touch me alike, they are breath I not believe in.
I knew him, and I know him; fo I leave him
To him, that made him proud, the pope.

Nor. Let's in;

And, with fome other bufinefs, put the king From these fad thoughts, that work too much upon him:

My lord, you'll bear us company?

Cham. Excufe me;

The king hath fent me other-where: befides,
You'll find a moft unfit time to disturb him :
Health to your lordships.

Nor. Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.

[Exit Lord Chamberlain.

A Door opens, and difcovers the King fitting and reading penfively.

Suf. How fad he looks! fure, he is much afflicted.
King. Who's there? ha?

Nor. Pray God, he be not angry.

4 Into what pitch he pleafe.] Here is a strange diffonance in the metaphor, which is taken from unbak'd dough. I read:

Into what pinch be pleafe.

i. e. into what shape he pleafe. WARBURTON.

I do not think this emendation neceffary, let the allusion be to what it will. The mafs must be fashioned into pitch or height, as well as into particular form. The meaning is, that the cardinal can, as he pleafes, make high or low, JOHNSON.

The allufion feems to be to the 21ft verfe of the 9th chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans: "Hath not the potter power over the clay of the fame lump, to make one veffel unto honour, and another unto difhonour?" COLLINS.

5 A door opens, &c.] The stage direction in the old fingular one. Exit Lord Chamberlain, and the King curtain, and fits reading penfively. STEEVENS.

copy is a draws the

King. Who's there, I say? How dare you thruft yourselves

Into my private meditations?

Who am I? ha?

Nor. A gracious king, that pardons all offences, Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty, this way, Is bufinefs of eftate; in which, we come To know your royal pleasure.

King. You are too bold:

Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business: Is this an hour for temporal affairs? ha?

Enter Wolfey, and Campeius with a Commiffion. Who's there? my good lord cardinal?-O my Wolfey,

The quiet of my wounded confcience,

Thou art a cure fit for a king.-You're welcome,
[To Campeius.
Moft learned reverend fir, into our kingdom;
Ufe us, and it :-My good lord, have great care
I be not found a talker.

Wol. Sir, you cannot.

6

[To Wolfey

I would, your grace would give us but an hour

Of private conference.

King. We are bufy; go.

[To Norf. and Suf.

Nor. This priest has no pride in him ?

Suf. Not to speak of;

I would not be fo fick though, for his place:

But this cannot continue.

Nor. If it do,

I'll venture one heave at him.

Suf. I another. [Exeunt Norfolk and Suffolk.)

have great care

I be not found a talker.]

Afide.

I take the meaning to be, Let care be taken that my promise be performed, that my profeffions of welcome be not found empty talk.

JOHNSON.

7 —fo fick though,—] That is, so fick as he is proud. JOHNSON.

Q 2

Wol.

Wol. Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom Above all princes, in committing freely Your fcruple to the voice of Christendom: Who can be angry now? what envy reach you? The Spaniard, ty'd by blood and favour to her, Muft now confefs, if he have any goodness, The trial juft and noble. All the clerks,

I mean, the learned ones, in chriftian kingdoms,
Have their free voices: Rome, the nurse of judgment,
Invited by your noble felf, hath fent

One general tongue unto us, this good man,
This juft and learned pricft, cardinal Campeius;
Whom, once more, I prefent unto your highness.
King. And, once more, in mine arms I bid him
welcome,

And thank the holy conclave for their loves;
They have fent me fuch a man I would have wifh'd for.
Cam. Your grace muft needs deferve all ftrangers'
loves,

You are so noble: To your highness" hand
I tender my commiffion; by whofe virtue,
(The court of Rome commanding)—you, my lord
Cardinal of York, are join'd with me their fervant,
In the unpartial judging of this business.

King. Two equal men. The queen fhall be acquainted

Forthwith, for what you come :-Where's Gardiner ?
Wol. I know, your majefty has always lov'd her
So dear in heart, not to deny her that

A woman of lefs place might afk by law,
Scholars, allow'd freely to argue for her.

King. Ay, and the beft, fhe fhall have; and my

favour

To him that does beft; God forbid elfe. Cardinal,
Pr'ythee, call Gardiner to me, my new fecretary;
I find him a fit fellow.

Car.

Cardinal goes out, and re-enters with Gardiner.

Wol. Give me your hand: much joy and favour to

you ;

You are the king's now.

Gard. But to be commanded

For ever by your grace, whofe hand has rais'd me.
[Afide.
King. Come hither, Gardiner. [Walks and whispers.
Cam. My lord of York, was not one doctor Pace
In this man's place before him?

Wol. Yes, he was.

Cam. Was he not held a learned man?

Wol. Yes, furely.

Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion fpread then Even of yourself, lord cardinal.

Wol. How of me?

Cam. They will not stick to say, you envy'd him ; And, fearing he would rife, he was fo virtuous, * Kept him a foreign man ftill: which fo griev'd him, That he ran mad, and dy'd.

Wol. Heaven's peace be with him!

That's chriftian 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 fo near elfe. Learn this, brother,
We live not to be grip'd by meaner persons.

King. Deliver this with modefty to the queen.
[Exit Gardiner.

The most convenient place that I can think of,
For fuch receipt of learning, is Black-Friars;
There ye fhall meet about this weighty bufinefs:-
My Wolfey, see it furnish'd.—O my lord,

Would it not grieve an able man, to leave

8

Kept him a foreign man ftill:-] Kept him out of the king's prefence, employed in foreign embaffies. JOHNSON.