you had the leaft friendship for me-You can't imagine, Sir, the pleasure she takes in talking of you: [He looks pleafed.] Ah! how you will delight her, how your venerable mien will charm her! She will never be able to withstand you-But indeed, Sir, this law-fuit will be a terrible confequence to me: [He looks grave again.] I am ruined, if I lofe it; which a very small matter might prevent--Ah! Sir, had you but feen the raptures with which the has heard me talk of you. [He refumes his gaiety.] How pleasure sparkled in her eyes at the recital of your good qualities! In fhort, to difcover a fecret to you, which I promised to conceal, I have worked up her imagination, till fhe is downright impatient of having the match concluded.

Love. Lappet, you have acted a very friendly part; and I own that I have all the obligations in the world to you.

Lap. I beg you would give me this little affiftance, Sir: [He looks Jerious.] It will fet me on my feet, and I fhall be eternally obliged to you.

Love. Farewel: I'll go and finifh my difpatches.

Lap. I affure you, Sir, you could never affift me in a greater neceffity.

Love. I must go give fome orders about a particular affair.

Lap. I would not importune you, Sir, if I was not forced by the last extremity.

Love. I expect the taylor about turning my coat: don't you think this coat will look well enough turned, and with new buttons, for a wedding-fuit?

Lap. For pity's fake, Sir, don't refufe me this small favour; I fhall be undone indeed, Sir. If it were but so small a matter as ten pounds, Sir

Love. I think I hear the tailor's voice.

Lap. If it were but five pound, Sir; but three pound, Sir; nay, Sir, a fingle guinea would be of fervice for a day or two. [As he offers to go out on either fide, fhe in-tercepts him.]

Love. I must go, I can't ftay-hark, there! fomebody calls me.-I am very much obliged to you, indeed; I am very much obliged to you. [Exit. Lap. Go to the devil like a covetous good-for

nothing

nothing villain as you are.

Ramilie is in the right:

however, fhall not quit the affair; for, though I get nothing out of him, I am fure of iny reward from the other fide.

VI. Cardinal Wolfey and Cromwell.

Wol. FAREWEL, a long farewel to all my greatnefs!
This is the ftate of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hope; to-morrow bloffoms,
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him;
The third day comes a froft, a killing froft,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full furely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his fhoot-
And then he falls, as I do. I have ventur'd,
Like little wanton boys that fwim on bladders,
Thefe many fummers in a fea of glory;
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now has left me,
Weary and old with fervice, to the mercy,
Of a rude stream, that muft for ever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of the world, I hate ye!
I feel my heart new open'd. Oh, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favours!
There is, betwixt that fmile he would afpire to,
That fweet regard of princes, and his ruin,
More pangs and fears than war or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.

Why, how now, Cromwell?

[Enter Cromwell

Crom. I have no power to speak, Sir.
Wol. What, amaz'd

At my misfortunes? Can thy fpirit wonder

A great man fhould decline? Nay, if you weep,

I'm fallen indeed.

Crom. How does your Grace?

Wol. Why, well;

Never fo truly happy, my good Cromwell.

I know myself now, and I feel within me

A peace above all earthly dignities;

A till and quiet confcience. The King has cur'd me, I humbly thank his Grace; and, from thefe fhoulders,

Thefe

Thefe ruin'd pillars, out of pity taken
A load would fink a navy, too much honour.
Oh, 'tis a burden, Cromwell, 'tis a burden,
Too heavy for a man that hopes for heav'n!

Crom. I'm glad your Grace has made that right use of it.

Wol. I hope I have: I'm able now, methinks,
Out of a fortitude of foul I feel,
T'endure more miseries, and greater far,,
Than my weak-hearted enemies dare` offer.
What news abroad?

Crom. The heavieft and the worst

Is your displeasure with the King.

Wol. God bless him!

Crom. The next is, that Sir Thomas More is chofen Lord Chancellor in your place.

Wol. That's fomewhat fudden

But he's a learned man. May he continue
Long in his Highnefs' favour, and do juftice
For truth's fake and his confcience; that his bones,
When he has run his courfe, and fleeps in bleffings,
May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on him!
What more?

Crom. That Cranmer is return'd with welcome ;
Inftall'd Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.

Wol. That's news indeed!

Crom. Laft, that the Lady Anne,

Whom the King hath in fecrecy long married,
This day was view'd in open as his Queen,
Going to chapel; and the voice is now

Only about her coronation.

Wol. There was the weight that pull'd me down : 0 Cromwell!

The King has gone beyond me: all my glories

In that one woman I have loft for ever.

No fun fhall ever ufher forth my honours,

Or gild again the noble troops that waited

Upon my fmiles. 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 fun I pray may never fet!)—I've told him
What and how true thou art: he will advance thee:

Some

Some little memory of me will stir him
(I know his noble nature) not to let

Thy hopeful fervice perish too. Good Cromwell,
Neglect him not: make use now, and provide
For thine own future fafety.

Crom. Oh my Lord!

Muft I then leave you? Muft I needs forego
So good, fo noble, and fo true a master?
Bear witnefs, all that have not hearts of iron,
With what a forrow Cromwell leaves his Lord!
The King fhall have my service; but my prayers
For ever, and for ever, fhall be yours.

Wol. Cromwell-I did not think to fhed a tear
In all my miferies-but thou haft 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 1 fhall be,

And fleep in dull cold marble, where no mention ›
Of me must more be heard-fay then, I taught thee:
Say, Wolfey, that once rode the waves of glory,
And founded all the depths and fhoals of honour,
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in ;
A fure and fafe one, though thy mafter mifs'd it.
Mark but my fall, and that which ruin'd me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition:
By that fin fell the angels: how can man, then,
(Though th' image of his Maker) hope to win by't?
Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that wait thee:
Corruption wins not more than honesty.

Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,

To filence envious tongues. Be just and fear not.
Let all the ends thou aim'ft at, be thy Country's,

Thy God's, and Truth's: then, if thou fall'ft, O Cromwell,
Thou fa't a bleffed martyr. Serve the King--

And pr'ythee lead me in

There take an inventory of all I have:

To the last peany, 'tis the King's. My robe,

And my integrity to Heav'n, is all

I dare now call mine own. Oh Cromwell, Cromwell!
Had I but ferv'd my God with half the zeal

I ferv'd my king-he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.

Crom. Good Sir, have patience.

Wol. So I have. Farewel

The hopes of court !-My hopes in heaven do dwell. VII. Sir Charles and Lady Racket.

Lady R. OLA!-I'm quite fatigued—I can hardly move-why don't you help me, you bar

barous man?

Sir C. There: take my arm

Lady R. But I won't be laugh'd at-I don't love you.

Sir G. Don't you?

Lady R. No. Dear me !-this glove!-why don't you help me off with my glove-Pfhaw! you awkward thing: let it alone: you an't fit to be about me.-Reach me a chair-you have no compaffion for me.—I am fo glad to fit down-Why do you drag me to routs ? You know I hate 'em.

Sir C. Oh! there's no exifting, no breathing, unlefs one does as other people of fashion do.

Lady R. But I'm out of humour-I lost all my mo

ney.

Sir G. How much?

Lady R. Three hundred.

Sir C. Never fret for that-I don't value three hundred pounds to contribute to your happiness.

Lady R. Don't you?-Not value three hundred pounds to please me?

Sir G. You know I don't.

Lady R. Ah! you fond fool!-But I hate gaming-It almost metamorphofes a woman into a fury-Do you know that I was frighted at myself several times to-night I had a huge oath at the very tip of my tongue. Sir C. Had ye?

Lady R. I caught myself at it-and fo I bit my lips. -And then I was crammed up in a corner of the room with fuch a ftrange party at a whift table, looking at black and red fpots-did you mind 'em!

Sir C. You know I was bufy elsewhere.

Lady R. There was that flrange unaccountable woman Mrs Nightfhade-She behaved fo ftrangely to her husband-a poor, inoffenfive, good-natured, good fort of

a