William Shakespeare

“ I would your Grace Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel. QUEEN KATHERINE.
How, sir? CAMPEIUS.
Put your main cause into the King's protection; He's loving and most gracious. 'Twill be much Both for your honour better and your cause; For if the trial of the law o'ertake ye, You'll part away disgrac'd. WOLSEY.
He tells you rightly. QUEEN KATHERINE.
Ye tell me what ye wish for both,—my ruin. Is this your Christian counsel? Out upon ye! Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge That no king can corrupt. ”

“ The heaviest and the worst Is your displeasure with the King. WOLSEY.
God bless him! CROMWELL.
The next is, that Sir Thomas More is chosen Lord Chancellor in your place. WOLSEY.
That's somewhat sudden; But he's a learned man. May he continue Long in his Highness' favour, and do justice For truth's sake and his conscience; that his bones, When he has run his course and sleeps in blessings, May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on 'em! What more? CROMWELL.
That Cranmer is return'd with welcome, Install'd Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. ”

“ WOLSEY.
If your Grace Could but be brought to know our ends are honest, You'd feel more comfort. Why should we, good lady, Upon what cause, wrong you? Alas, our places, The way of our profession is against it; We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow 'em. For goodness' sake, consider what you do; How you may hurt yourself, ay, utterly Grow from the King's acquaintance, by this carriage. The hearts of princes kiss obedience, So much they love it; but to stubborn spirits They swell, and grow as terrible as storms. I know you have a gentle, noble temper, A soul as even as a calm ”

“ WOLSEY.
May it please you, noble madam, to withdraw Into your private chamber, we shall give you The full cause of our coming. QUEEN KATHERINE.
Speak it here; There's nothing I have done yet, o' my conscience, Deserves a corner. Would all other women Could speak this with as free a soul as I do! My lords, I care not, so much I am happy Above a number, if my actions Were tried by every tongue, every eye saw 'em, Envy and base opinion set against 'em, I know my life so even. If your business Seek me out, and that way I am wife in, Out with it boldly. Truth loves open dealing. ”

“ QUEEN KATHERINE.
My lord, my lord, I am a simple woman, much too weak To oppose your cunning. You're meek and humble-mouth'd; You sign your place and calling, in full seeming, With meekness and humility; but your heart Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride. You have, by fortune and his Highness' favours, Gone slightly o'er low steps and now are mounted Where powers are your retainers, and your words, Domestics to you, serve your will as 't please Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you, You tender more your person's honour than Your high profession spiritual ”

“ 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 fallen man, unworthy now To be thy lord and master. Seek the King! That sun, I pray, may never set! ”

“ GARDINER.
Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to Heaven In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince; Not only good and wise, but most religious; One that, in all obedience, makes the Church The chief aim of his honour; and, to strengthen That holy duty, out of dear respect, His royal self in judgement comes to hear The cause betwixt her and this great offender. KING.
You were ever good at sudden commendations, Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not To hear such flattery now, and in my presence; They are too thin and bare to hide offences. ”

“ 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 Cardinal of York, are join'd with me their servant In the unpartial judging of this business. KING.
Two equal men. The Queen shall be acquainted Forthwith for what you come. Where's Gardiner? WOLSEY.
I know your Majesty has always lov'd her 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. ”

“ SURREY.
Item, you sent a large commission To Gregory de Cassado, to conclude, Without the King's will or the state's allowance, A league between his Highness and Ferrara. SUFFOLK.
That, out of mere ambition, you have caus'd Your holy hat to be stamp'd on the King's coin. SURREY.
Then, that you have sent innumerable substance— By what means got, I leave to your own conscience— To furnish Rome, and to prepare the ways You have for dignities; to the mere undoing Of all the kingdom. Many more there are; Which, since they are of you, and odious, I will not taint my mouth with. ”

“ WOLSEY.
Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready I' the privy chamber? LOVELL.
Yes, my lord. WOLSEY.
Your Grace, I fear, with dancing is a little heated. KING.
I fear, too much. WOLSEY.
There's fresher air, my lord, In the next chamber. KING.
Lead in your ladies, every one. Sweet partner, I must not yet forsake you; let's be merry. Good my Lord Cardinal, I have half a dozen healths To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure To lead 'em once again; and then let's dream Who's best in favour. Let the music knock it. ”

“ And am I thus rewarded! 'Tis not well, lords. Bring me a constant woman to her husband, One that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his pleasure; And to that woman, when she has done most, Yet will I add an honour,—a great patience. WOLSEY.
Madam, you wander from the good we aim at. QUEEN KATHERINE.
My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty, To give up willingly that noble title Your master wed me to. Nothing but death Shall e'er divorce my dignities. ”

“ 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! ”

“ Lord Cardinal, The willing'st sin I ever yet committed May be absolv'd in English. WOLSEY.
Noble lady, I am sorry my integrity should breed, And service to his Majesty and you, So deep suspicion, where all faith was meant. We come not by the way of accusation To taint that honour every good tongue blesses, Nor to betray you any way to sorrow; You have too much, good lady; but to know How you stand minded in the weighty difference Between the King and you; and to deliver, Like free and honest men, our just opinions And comforts to your cause. ”

“ NORFOLK.
Stay, my lord, And let your reason with your choler question What 'tis you go about. To climb steep hills Requires slow pace at first. Anger is like A full hot horse, who being allow'd his way, Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England Can advise me like you; be to yourself As you would to your friend. BUCKINGHAM.
I'll to the King, And from a mouth of honour quite cry down This Ipswich fellow's insolence, or proclaim There's difference in no persons. ”

“ Where, being but a private man again, You shall know many dare accuse you boldly, More than, I fear, you are provided for. CRANMER.
Ah, my good Lord of Winchester, I thank you. You are always my good friend; if your will pass, I shall both find your lordship judge and juror, You are so merciful. I see your end; 'Tis my undoing. Love and meekness, lord, Become a churchman better than ambition. Win straying souls with modesty again, Cast none away. That I shall clear myself, Lay all the weight ye can upon my patience, I make as little doubt as you do conscience In doing daily wrongs. ”

“ Beseech your lordship, Vouchsafe to speak my thanks and my obedience, As from a blushing handmaid, to his Highness; Whose health and royalty I pray for. CHAMBERLAIN.
Lady, I shall not fail to approve the fair conceit The King hath of you. [Aside.] I have perus'd her well. Beauty and honour in her are so mingled That they have caught the King; and who knows yet But from this lady may proceed a gem To lighten all this isle? I'll to the King, And say I spoke with you. [Exit Lord Chamberlain.] ”

“ I pray you, who, my lord? NORFOLK.
All this was ord'red by the good discretion Of the right reverend Cardinal of York. BUCKINGHAM
The devil speed him! no man's pie is freed From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder That such a keech can with his very bulk Take up the rays o' th' beneficial sun, And keep it from the earth. NORFOLK.
Surely, sir, There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends; For, being not propp'd by ancestry, whose grace Chalks successors their way, nor call'd upon For high feats done to the crown; neither allied To eminent assistants ”

“ Stand up, good Canterbury! Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted In us, thy friend. Give me thy hand, stand up; Prithee, let's walk. Now, by my holidame, What manner of man are you? My lord, I look'd You would have given me your petition, that I should have ta'en some pains to bring together Yourself and your accusers; and to have heard you, Without indurance, further. CRANMER.
Most dread liege, The good I stand on is my truth and honesty. If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies, Will triumph o'er my person; which I weigh not, Being of those virtues vacant. ”

“ WOLSEY.
I do profess You speak not like yourself, who ever yet Have stood to charity and display'd the effects Of disposition gentle, and of wisdom O'ertopping woman's pow'r. Madam, you do me wrong. I have no spleen against you, nor injustice For you or any. How far I have proceeded, Or how far further shall, is warranted By a commission from the consistory, Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me That I have blown this coal. I do deny it. The King is present: if it be known to him That I gainsay my deed, how may he wound, And worthily, my falsehood! ”

“ WOLSEY.
All goodness Is poison to thy stomach. SURREY.
Yes, that goodness Of gleaning all the land's wealth into one, Into your own hands, Cardinal, by extortion; The goodness of your intercepted packets You writ to the Pope against the King. Your goodness, Since you provoke me, shall be most notorious. My Lord of Norfolk, as you are truly noble, As you respect the common good, the state Of our despis'd nobility, our issues, Who, if he live, will scarce be gentlemen, Produce the grand sum of his sins, the articles Collected from his life. ”

“ My lord, my lord, you are a sectary, That's the plain truth. Your painted gloss discovers, To men that understand you, words and weakness. CROMWELL.
My Lord of Winchester, you are a little, By your good favour, too sharp; men so noble, However faulty, yet should find respect For what they have been. 'Tis a cruelty To load a falling man. GARDINER.
Good master secretary, I cry your honour mercy. You may, worst Of all this table, say so. ”

“ The rich stream Of lords and ladies, having brought the Queen To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell of A distance from her; while her Grace sat down To rest a while, some half an hour or so, In a rich chair of state, opposing freely The beauty of her person to the people,— Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman That ever lay by man;—which when the people Had the full view of, such a noise arose As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest, As loud, and to as many tunes. Hats, cloaks,— Doublets, I think,—flew up; and had their faces Been loose, this day they had been lost. ”