ACT IV.

[Enter Chorus.]

CHORUS. Now Cromwell's highest fortunes doth begin. Wolsey, that loved him as he did his life, Committed all his treasure to his hands. Wolsey is dead, and Gardiner, his man, Is now created Bishop of Winchester: Pardon if we omit all Wolsey's life, Because our play depends on Cromwell's death. Now sit and see his highest state of all; His haight of rising and his sudden fall. Pardon the errors is all ready past, And live in hope the best doth come at last: My hope upon your favour doth depend, And look to have your liking ere the end.

[Exit.]

SCENE I. The same. A public walk.

[Enter Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, The Dukes of Norfolk, and of Suffolk, Sir Thomas More, Sir Christopher Hales, and Cromwell.]

NORFOLK. Master Cromwell, since Cardinal Wolsey's death, His majesty is given to understand There's certain bills and writings in your hand, That much concerns the state of England. My Lord of Winchester, is it not so?

GARDINER. My Lord of Norfolk, we two wear whilom fellows; And, master Cromwell, though our master's love Did bind us, while his love was to the King, It is not boot now to deny these things, Which may be prejudicial to the state: And though that God hath raised my fortune higher Than any way I looked for or deserved, Yet my life no longer with me dwell, Than I prove true unto my Sovereign: What say you, master Cromwell? have you those writings? Aye, or no?

CROMWELL. Here are the writings, and upon my knees, I give them up unto the worthy Dukes Of Suffolk and of Norfolk:he was my Master, And each virtuous part, That lived in him, I tendered with my heart; But what his head complotted gainst the state My country's love commands me that to hate. His sudden death I grieve for, not his fall, Because he sought to work my country's thrall.

SUFFOLK. Cromwell, the King shall hear of this thy duty, Whom I assure my self will well reward thee; My Lord let's go unto his Majesty, And show these writings which he longs to see.

[Exit Norfolk and Suffolk.] [Enter Bedford hastily.]

BEDFORD. How now, who's this? Cromwell, by my soul! welcome to England: Thou once didst save my life, didst not Cromwell?

CROMWELL. If I did so, 'tis greater glory for me, That you remember it, than of my self Vainly to report it.

BEDFORD. Well, Cromwell, now is the time, I shall commend thee to my Sovereign: Cheer up thy self, for I will raise thy state. A Russell yet was never found ingrate.

[Exit.]

HALES. O how uncertain is the wheel of state. Who lately greater than the Cardinal, For fear, and love? and now who lower lies? Gay honours are but Fortune's flatteries, And whom this day pride and promotion swells, To morrow envy and ambition quells.

MORE. Who sees the Cob-web intangle the poor Fly, May boldly say the wretches death is nigh.

GARDINER. I knew his state and proud ambition Was too too violent to last over-long.

HALES. Who soars too near the sun with golden wings, Melts them, to ruin his own fortune brings.

[Enter the Duke of Suffolk.]

SUFFOLK. Cromwell, kneel down in King Henry's name.-- Arise sir Thomas Cromwell; thus begins thy fame.

[Enter the Duke of Norfolk.]

NORFOLK. Cromwell, the majesty of England, For the good liking he conceives of thee, Makes thee master of the jewel house, Chief Secretary to himself, and with all, Creates thee one of his highness' privy Counsel.

[Enter the Earl of Bedford.]

BEDFORD. Where is sir Thomas Cromwell? is he knighted? SUFFOLK. He is, my Lord.

BEDFORD. Then to add honour to his name, The King creates him Lord keeper of His privy Seal, and master of the Rules, Which you sir Christopher do now enjoy; The King determines higher place for you.

CROMWELL. My Lords, These honors are too high for my desert.

MORE. O content thee, man; who would not choose it? Yet thou art wise in seeming to refuse it.

GARDINER. Here's honors, titles, and promotions: I fear this climbing will have a sudden fall.

NORFOLK. Then come, my Lords; let's altogether bring This new made Counselor to England's King.

[Exit all but Gardiner.]

GARDINER. But Gardiner means his glory shall be dimmed. Shall Cromwell live a greater man than I? My envy with his honour now is bred; I hope to shorten Cromwell by the head.

[Exit.]

SCENE II. London. A street beforeCromwell's

house.

[Enter Friskiball very poor.]

FRISKIBALL. O Friskiball, what shall become of thee? Where shalt thou go, or which way shalt thou turn Fortune, that turns her too unconstant wheel, Hath turned thy wealth and riches in the Sea. All parts abroad where ever I have been Grows weary of me, and denies me succour; My debtors, they that should relieve my want, Forswears my money, says they owe me none: They know my state too mean to bear out law, And here in London, where I oft have been, And have done good to many a wretched man, I am now most wretched here, despised my self. In vain it is, more of their hearts to try; Be patient, therefore, lay thee down and die.

[He lies down.]

[Enter good man Seely, and his wife Joan.]

SEELY. Come, Joan, come; let's see what he'll do for us now.Iwis we have done for him, when many a time and often he might have gone a hungry to bed.

WIFE. Alas, man, now he is made a Lord, he'll never look upon us; he'll fulfill the old Proverb:Set beggars a horse-back, and they'll ride.--A, welliday for my Cow! such as he hath made us come behind hand:we had never pawned our Cow else to pay our rent.

SEELY. Well, Joan, he'll come this way:and by God's dickers, I'll tell him roundly of it, and if he were ten Lords:a shall know that I had not my Cheese and my Bacon for nothing.

WIFE. Do you remember, husband, how he would mooch up my Cheese cakes? he hath forgot this now, but we'll remember him.

SEELY. Aye, we shall have now three flaps with a Fox tail; but, I faith, I'll gibber a joint, but I'll tell him his own.Stay, who comes here?O stand up; here he comes; stand up.

[Enter Hodge very fine with a Tipstaff; Cromwell, the Mace carried before him; Norfolk, and Suffolk, and attendants.]

HODGE. Come, away with these beggars here; rise up, sirra. Come,

out the good people:run afore there, ho! [Friskiball riseth, and stands a far off.]

SEELY. Aye, we are kicked away, now we come for our own; the time hath been he would a looked more friendlyupon us.And you, Hodge, we know you well enough, though you are so fine.

CROMWELL. Come hither, sirrah.--Stay, what men are these? My honest Host of Hounslow and his wife! I owe thee money, father, do I not?

SEELY. Aye, by the body of me, dooest thou.Would thouwouldest pay me:good four pound it is, I have a the post at home.

CROMWELL. I know tis true.Sirra, give him ten Angels: And look your wife and you do stay to dinner: And while you live, I freely give to you Four pound a year, for the four pound I ought you.

SEELY. Art not changed, art old Tom still!Now God bless the good Lord Tom.Home, Joan, home; I'll dine with my Lord Tom to day, and thou shalt come next week.Fetch my Cow; home, Joan, home.

WIFE. Now God bless thee, my good Lord Tom; I'll fetch my cow presently.

[Exit Wife.] [Enter Gardiner.]

CROMWELL. Sirra, go to yon stranger; tell him I Desire him stay at dinner.I must speak With him.

GARDINER. My Lord of Norfolk, see you this same bubble, That same puff? but mark the end, my Lord, Mark the end.

NORFOLK. I promise you, I like not something he hath done, But let that pass; the King doth love him well.

CROMWELL. God morrow to my Lord of Winchester. I know you bear me hard about the Abbey lands.

GARDINER. Have I not reason, when religion is wronged? You had no colour for what you have done.

CROMWELL. Yes; the abolishing of Antichrist, And of this Popish order from our Realm. I am no enemy to religion, But what is done, it is for England's good. What did they serve for but to feed a sort Of lazy Abbots and of full fed Friars? They neither plow, nor sow, and yet they reap The fat of all the Land, and suck the poor: Look, what was theirs, is

in King Henry's hands; His wealth before lay in the Abbey lands.

GARDINER. Indeed these things you have alleged, my Lord, When God doth know the infant yet unborn Will curse the time the Abbeys were pulled down. I pray, now where is hospitality? Where now may poor distressed people go, For to relieve their need, or rest their bones, When weary travel doth oppress their limbs? And where religious men should take them in, Shall now be kept back with a Mastiff do, And thousand thousand--

NORFOLK. O, my Lord, no more:things past redress Tis bootless to complain.

CROMWELL. What, shall we to the Convocation house? NORFOLK. We'll follow you, my Lord; pray, lead the way. [Enter Old Cromwell like a Farmer.]

OLD CROMWELL. How? one Cromwell made Lord Keeper since I left Putney And dwelt in Yorkshire.I never heard better news: I'll see that Cromwell, or it shall go hard.

CROMWELL. My aged father! state set aside, Father, on my knee I crave your blessing: One of my servants go and have him in; At better leisure will we talk with him.

OLD CROMWELL. Now if I die, how happy were the day! To see this comfort rains forth showers of joy.

[Exit Old Cromwell.]

NORFOLK. This duty in him shows a kind of grace. CROMWELL. Go on before, for time draws on apace. [Exit all buy Friskiball.]

FRISKIBALL. I wonder what this Lord would have with me. His man so strictly gave me charge to stay: I never did offend him to my knowledge. Well, good or bad, I mean to bide it all; Worse than I am now never can befall.

[Enter Banister and his wife.]

BANISTER. Come, wife, I take it be almost dinner time, For master Newton, and master Crosby sent To me last night, they would come dine with me, And take their bond in:I pray thee, hie thee home, And see that all things be in readiness.

MISTRESS BANISTER. They shall be welcome, husband; I'll go before.-- But is not that man master Friskiball?

[She runs and embraces him.]

BANISTER. O heavens, it is kind master Friskiball! Say sir, what hap hath brought you to this pass?

FRISKIBALL. The same that brought you to your misery. BANISTER. Why would you not acquaint me with your state? Is

Banister your poor friend quite forgot: Whose goods, whose love, whose life and all is yours?

FRISKIBALL. I thought your usage would be as the rest, That had more kindness at my hands than you, Yet looked askance, when as they saw me poor.

MISTRESS BANISTER. If Banister should bear so base a heart, I never would look my husband in the face, But hate him as I would a Cockatrise.

BANISTER. And well thou mightest, should Banister deal so. Since that I saw you, sir, my state is mended: And for the thousand pound I owe to you, I have it ready for you, sir, at home; And though I grieve your fortune is so bad, Yet that my hap's to help you make me glad. And now, sir, will it please you walk with me?

FRISKIBALL. Not yet I cannot, for the Lord Chancellor Hath here commanded me to wait on him, For what I know not:pray God tis for my good.

BANISTER. never make doubt of that; I'll warrant you, He is as kind a noble gentleman As ever did possess the place he hath.

MISTRESS BANISTER. Sir, my brother is his steward; if you please, We'll go along and bear you company: I know we shall not want for welcome there.

FRISKIBALL. With all my heart:but what's become of Bagot? BANISTER. He is hanged, for buying jewels of the King's.

FRISKIBALL. A just reward for one so impious. The time draws on, sir; will you go along?

BANISTER. I'll follow you, kind master Friskiball. [Exit Omnes.]

SCENE III. The same. Another street.

[Enter two Merchants.]

FIRST MERCHANT. Now, master Crosby, I see you have a care, To keep your word, in payment of your money.

SECOND MERCHANT. By my faith, I have reason upon a bond; Three thousand pound is too much to forfeit. Yet I doubt not Master Banister.

FIRST MERCHANT. By my faith, your sum is more than mine, And yet i am not much behind you too, Considering that to day I paid at court.

SECOND MERCHANT. Mass, and well remembered, What's the reason the Lord Cromwell's men Wear such long skirts upon their coats. They reach almost down to their very ham.

FIRST MERCHANT. I will resolve you, sir; and thus it is: The Bishop of Winchester, that loves not Cromwell, As great men are envied, as well as less-- A while ago there was a jar between them, And it was brought to my Lord Cromwell's ear, That Bishop Gardiner would sit on his skirt; Upon which word, he made his men long Blue coats, And in the Court wore one of them himself: And meeting with the Bishop, quoth he, 'My Lord, Here's skirt enough now for your Grace to sit on;' Which vexed the Bishop to the very heart. This is the reason why they wear long coats.

SECOND MERCHANT. Tis always seen, and mark it for a rule, That one great man will envy still another: But tis a thing that nothing concerns me. What, shall we now to Master Banister's?

FIRST MERCHANT. Aye, come, we'll pay him royally for our dinner. [Exit.]

SCENE IV. The same. A room in Cromwell's house.

[Enter the Usher and the Shewer, the meat goes overthe stage.] USHER. Uncover there, Gentlemen.

[Enter Cromwell, Bedford, Suffolk, Old Cromwell, Friskiball, goodman Seely, and attendants.]

CROMWELL. My noble Lords of Suffolk and of Bedford, Your honors' welcome to poor Cromwell's house. Where is my father? nay, be covered, Father. Although that duty to these noble men Doth challenge it, yet I'll make bold with them. Your head doth bear the calendar of care. What, Cromwell covered and his Father bare! It must not be.Now, sir, to you.Is not Your name Friskiball and a Florentine?

FRISKIBALL. My name was Friskiball, till cruel fate Did rob me of my name and of my state.

CROMWELL. What fortune brought you to this country now?

FRISKIBALL. All other parts hath left me succourless, Save only this.Because of debts I have, I hope to gain for to relieve my want.

CROMWELL. Did you not once, upon your Florence bridge, Help two distressed men, robbed by the Bandetti?-- His name was Cromwell.

FRISKIBALL. I never made my brain a calendar Of any good I did; I always loved this nation with my heart.

CROMWELL. I am that Cromwell that you there relieved. Sixteen Ducats you gave me for to clothe me, Sixteen to bear my charges by the way, And sixteen more I had for my horse hire: There be those several sums justly returned, Yet with injustice, serving at my need, And to repay them without interest. Therefore receive of me these four several bags; In each of them there is four hundred mark; And bring me the names of all your debitors, And if they will not see you paid, I will: O God forbid, that I should see him fall, That helped me in my greatest need of all. Here stands my Father that first gave me life, Alas, what duty is too much for him? This man in time of need did save my life, And therefore I cannot do too much for him. By this old man I often times was fed, Else might I have gone supperless to bed. Such kindness have I had of these three men, That Cromwell no way can repay again. Now in to dinner, for we stay too long,

And to good stomachs is no greater wrong. [Exit omnes.]

SCENE V. The same. A room in theBishop of Winchester's house.

[Enter Gardiner in his study, and his man.]

GARDINER. Sirra, where be those men I caused to stay? SERVANT. They do attend your pleasure, sir, within.

GARDINER. Bid them come hither, and stay you without:-- For by those men, the Fox of this same land, That makes a Goose of better than himself, We'll worry him unto his latest home, Or Gardiner will fail in his intent. As for the Dukes of Suffolk and Norfolk, Whom I have sent for to come speak with me, Howsoever, outwardly they shadow it, Yet in their hearts I know they love him not: As for the Earl of Bedford, he is but one, And dares not gainsay what we do set down.

[Enter the two witnesses.]

Now, my friends, you know I saved your lives, When by the law you had deserved death, And then you promised me upon your oaths, To venture both your lives to do me good.

BOTH WITNESSES. We swore no more than that we will perform.

GARDINER. I take your words; and that which you must do Is service for your God, and for your King: To root a rebel from this flourishing land, One that's an enemy unto the Church: And therefore must you take your solemn oaths, That you heard Cromwell, the Lord Chancellor, Did wish a dagger at King Henry's heart. Fear not to swear it, for I heard him speak it; Therefore we'll shield you from ensuing harms.

SECOND WITNESS. If you will warrant us the deed is good, We'll undertake it.

GARDINER. Kneel down, and I will here absolve you both. This Crucifix I lay upon your head, And sprinkle holy-water on your brows. The deed is meritorious that you do, And by it shall you purchase grace from heaven.

FIRST WITNESS. Now, sir, we'll undertake it, by our souls. SECOND WITNESS. For Cromwell never loved none of our sort.

GARDINER. I know he doth not, and for both of you, I will prefer you

to some place of worth: Now get you in, until I call for you, For presently the Dukes means to be here.

[Exit witnesses.]

Cromwell, sit fast, thy time's not long to reign. The Abbeys that were pulled down by thy means Is now a mean for me to pull thee down: Thy pride also thy own head lights upon, For thou art he hath changed religion:-- But now no more, for here the Dukes are come.

[Enter Suffolk, Norfolk, and the Earl of Bedford.] SUFFOLK. Goodden to my Lord Bishop.

NORFOLK. How fares my Lord? what, are you all alone?

GARDINER. No, not alone, my Lords; my mind is troubled; I know your honours muse wherefore I sent, And in such haste.What, came you from the King?

NORFOLK. We did, and left none but Lord Cromwell with him. GARDINER. O, what a dangerous time is this we live in! There's

Thomas Wolsey, he's already gone, And Thomas More, he followed after him: Another Thomas yet there doth remain, That is far worse than either of those twain, And if with speed, my Lords, we not pursue it, I fear the King and all the land will rue it.

BEDFORD. Another Thomas! pray God it be not Cromwell. GARDINER. My Lord of Bedford, it is that traitor Cromwell. BEDFORD. Is Cromwell false? my heart will never think it.

SUFFOLK. My Lord of Winchester, what likelihood, Or proof have you of this his treachery?

GARDINER. My Lord, too much.--Call in the men within. [Enter witnesses.]

These men, my Lord, upon their oaths affirm, That they did hear Lord Cromwell in his garden, Wished a dagger sticking at the heart Of our King Henry.What is this but treason?

BEDFORD. If it be so, my heart doth bleed with sorrow. SUFFOLK. How say you friends? what, did you hear these words? FIRST WITNESS. We did, and like your grace.

NORFOLK. In what place was Lord Cromwell when he spake them? SECOND WITNESS. In his Garden, where we did attend a suit,

Which we had waited for two year and more.

SUFFOLK. How long ist since you heard him speak these words? SECOND WITNESS. Some half year since.

BEDFORD. How chance that you concealed it all this time? FIRST WITNESS. His greatness made us fear, that was the cause.

GARDINER. Aye, aye, his greatness; that's the cause indeed; And to make his treason here more manifest, He calls his servants to him round about, Tells them of Wolsey's life, and of his fall, Says that himself hath many enemies, And gives to some of them a Park or Manor, To others Leases, Lands to other some: What need he do thus in his prime of life, And if he were not fearful of his death?

SUFFOLK. My Lord, these likelihoods are very great.

BEDFORD. Pardon me, Lords, for I must needs depart; Their proofs are great, but greater is my heart.

[Exit Bedford.]

NORFOLK. My friends, take heed of that which you have said. Your souls must answer what your tongues reports: Therefore, take heed, be wary what you do.

SECOND WITNESS. My Lord, we speak no more but truth. NORFOLK. Let them Depart.--My Lord of Winchester, let these men

Be close kept until the day of trial.

GARDINER. They shall, my Lord:ho, take in these two men. [Exit witnesses.]

My Lords, if Cromwell have a public trial, That which we do is void by his denial; You know the king will credit none but him.

NORFOLK. Tis true, he rules the King even as he pleases. SUFFOLK. How shall we do for to attach him, then?

GARDINER. Marry, my Lords, thus:by an Act he made himself, With an intent to entrap some of our lives, And this it is:If any Counsellor Be convicted of high treason, he shall Be executed without a public trial. This Act, my Lords, he caused the King to make.

SUFFOLK. A did indeed, and I remember it, And now it is like to fall upon himself.

NORFOLK. Let us not slack it, tis for England's good. We must be

wary, else he'll go beyond us.

GARDINER. Well hath your Grace said, my Lord of Norfolk; Therefore let us presently to Lambeth. Thether comes Cromwell from the Court to night. Let us arrest him, send him to the Tower, And in the morning, cut off the traitor's head.

NORFOLK. Come, then, about it, let us guard the town. This is the day that Cromwell must go down.

GARDINER. Along, my Lords.--Well, Cromwell is half dead; He shaked my heart, but I will shave his head.

[Exeunt.]