NORFOLK: If you will now unite in your c...

NORFOLK: If you will now unite in your complaints,

And force them with a constancy, the cardinal

Cannot stand under them: if you omit

The offer of this time, I cannot promise

But that you shall sustain moe new disgraces,

With these you bear already.

SURREY: I am joyful

To meet the least occasion that may give me

Remembrance of my father-in-law, the duke,

To be revenged on him.

SUFFOLK: Which of the peers

Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least

Strangely neglected? when did he regard

The stamp of nobleness in any person

Out of himself?

CHAMBERLAIN: My lords, you speak your pleasures:

What he deserves of you and me I know;

What we can do to him, though now the time

Gives way to us, I much fear. If you cannot

Bar his access to the king, never attempt

Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft

Over the king in's tongue.

NORFOLK: O, fear him not;

His spell in that is out: the king hath found

Matter against him that for ever mars

The honey of his language. No, he's settled,

Not to come off, in his displeasure.

SURREY: Sir,

I should be glad to hear such news as this

Once every hour.

NORFOLK: Believe it, this is true:

In the divorce his contrary proceedings

Are all unfolded wherein he appears

As I would wish mine enemy.

SURREY: How came

His practises to light?

SUFFOLK: Most strangely.

SURREY: O, how, how?

SUFFOLK: The cardinal's letters to the pope miscarried,

And came to the eye o' the king: wherein was read,

How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness

To stay the judgment o' the divorce; for if

It did take place, 'I do,' quoth he, 'perceive

My king is tangled in affection to

A creature of the queen's, Lady Anne Bullen.'

SURREY: Has the king this?

SUFFOLK: Believe it.

SURREY: Will this work?

CHAMBERLAIN: The king in this perceives him, how he coasts

And hedges his own way. But in this point

All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic

After his patient's death: the king already

Hath married the fair lady.

SURREY: Would he had!

SUFFOLK: May you be happy in your wish, my lord

For, I profess, you have it.

SURREY: Now, all my joy

Trace the conjunction!

SUFFOLK: My amen to't!

NORFOLK: All men's!

SUFFOLK: There's order given for her coronation:

Marry, this is yet but young, and may be left

To some ears unrecounted. But, my lords,

She is a gallant creature, and complete

In mind and feature: I persuade me, from her

Will fall some blessing to this land, which shall

In it be memorised.

SURREY: But, will the king

Digest this letter of the cardinal's?

The Lord forbid!

NORFOLK: Marry, amen!

SUFFOLK: No, no;

There be moe wasps that buzz about his nose

Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius

Is stol'n away to Rome; hath ta'en no leave;

Has left the cause o' the king unhandled; and

Is posted, as the agent of our cardinal,

To second all his plot. I do assure you

The king cried Ha! at this.

CHAMBERLAIN: Now, God incense him,

And let him cry Ha! louder!

NORFOLK: But, my lord,

When returns Cranmer?

SUFFOLK: He is return'd in his opinions; which

Have satisfied the king for his divorce,

Together with all famous colleges

Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe,

His second marriage shall be publish'd, and

Her coronation. Katharine no more

Shall be call'd queen, but princess dowager

And widow to Prince Arthur.

NORFOLK: This same Cranmer's

A worthy fellow, and hath ta'en much pain

In the king's business.

SUFFOLK: He has; and we shall see him

For it an archbishop.

NORFOLK: So I hear.

SUFFOLK: 'Tis so.

William Shakespeare. Henry VIII. Act 3, Sc. 2.