An Antechamber in the Palace.
 A curtain hides the inner stage.
 Enter LORD CHAMBERLAIN, reading this letter.

Chamberlain	[Reads.]	"My lord, the horses your lordship sent for, with 
	all the care I had, I saw well chosen, ridden and 
	furnished. They were young and handsome, and of the best 
	breed in the north. When they were ready to set out for 
	London, a man of my Lord Cardinal's, by commission and 
	main power, took 'em from me, with this reason: his master 
	would be served before a subject, if not before the king; 
	which stopped our mouths, sir."

	I fear he will indeed; well, let him have them:
	He will have all, I think.

     Enter to the Lord Chamberlain, the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.

Norfolk	Well met, my Lord Chamberlain.

Chamberlain	Good day to both your graces.

Suffolk	How is the king employed?

Chamberlain								I left him private,
	Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

Norfolk									What's the cause?

Chamberlain	It seems the marriage with his brother's wife
	Has crept too near his conscience.

Suffolk								[Aside.] No, his conscience
	Has crept too near another lady.

Norfolk									'Tis so:
	This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal,
	That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,
	Turns what he list. The king will know him one day.

Suffolk	Pray God he do! He'll never know himself else.

Norfolk	How holily he works in all his business-
	And with what zeal! - for now he has cracked the league
	Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,
	He dives into the king's soul, and there scatters
	Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,
	Fears and despairs; and all these for his marriage:
	And out of all these, to restore the king,
	He counsels a divorce, a loss of her
	That like a jewel has hung twenty years
	About his neck, yet never lost her lustre;
	Of her, that loves him with that excellence
	That angels love good men with; even of her,
	That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
	Will bless the king: and is not this course pious?

Chamberlain	Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis most true
	These news are everywhere; every tongue speaks 'em,
	And every true heart weeps for't. All that dare
	Look into these affairs, see this main end,
	The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open
	The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon
	This bold bad man.

Suffolk						And free us from his slavery.

Norfolk	We had need pray,
	And heartily, for our deliverance,
	Or this imperious man will work us all
	From princes into pages. All men's honours
	Lie like one lump before him, to be fashioned
	Into what pitch he please.

Suffolk							For me, my lords,
	I love him not, nor fear him, there's my creed.
	As I am made without him, so I'll stand,
	If the king please; his curses and his blessings
	Touch me alike, they're breath I not believe in.
	I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him
	To him that made him proud, the Pope.

Norfolk									Let's in,
	And with some other business put the king
	From these sad thoughts that work too much upon him.
	My lord, you'll bear us company?

Chamberlain									Excuse me;
	The king has sent me otherwhere: besides,
	You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:
	Health to your lordships.

Norfolk							Thanks, my good Lord Chamberlain.
											[Exit LORD CHAMBERLAIN.

								 [The KING draws the curtain and
											sits reading pensively.

Suffolk	How sad he looks! Sure, he is much afflicted.

King Henry	Who's there, ha?

Norfolk					Pray God he be not angry.

King Henry	Who's there I say? How dare you thrust yourselves
	Into my private meditations?
	Who am I, ha?

Norfolk	A gracious king that pardons all offences
	Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty this way
	Is business of estate, in which we come
	To know your royal pleasure.

King Henry								Ye are too bold.
	Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business:
	Is this an hour for temporal affairs, ha?

               Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS with a commission.

	Who's there? My good Lord Cardinal? O, my Wolsey,
	The quiet of my wounded conscience;
	Thou art a cure fit for a king.
					[To CAMPEIUS.] You're welcome,
	Most learnd reverend sir, into our kingdom;
	Use us and it.
		[To WOLSEY.]	My good lord, have great care
	I be not found a talker.

Cardinal							Sir, you cannot.
	I would your grace would give us but an hour
	Of private conference.

King Henry		[To NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.] We are busy; go.

Norfolk	[Aside to SUFFOLK.]
	This priest has no pride in him!

Suffolk					[Aside to NORFOLK.] Not to speak of:
	I would not be so sick though for his place:
	But this cannot continue.

Norfolk			[Aside to SUFFOLK.] If it do,
	I'll venture one; have at him!

Suffolk	[Aside to NORFOLK.]			I another.
										[Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFOLK.

Cardinal	Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom
	Above all princes, in committing freely
	Your scruple to the voice of Christendom.
	Who can be angry now? What envy reach you?
	The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
	Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
	The trial just and noble. All the clerks,
	I mean the learnd ones in Christian kingdoms,
	Have their free voices: Rome, the nurse of judgment,
	Invited by your noble self, hath sent
	One general tongue unto us, this good man,
	This just and learnd priest, Cardinal Campeius,
	Whom once more I present unto your highness.

King Henry	And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,
	And thank the holy conclave for their loves.
	They have sent me such a man I would have wished for.

Campeius	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 joined with me, their servant,
	In the unpartial judging of this business.

King Henry	Two equal men. The queen shall be acquainted
	Forthwith for what you come. Where's Gardiner?

Cardinal	I know your majesty has always loved her
	So dear in heart, not to deny her that
	A woman of less place might ask by law,
	Scholars, allowed freely to argue for her.

King Henry	Ay, and the best she shall have; and my favour
	To him that does best: God forbid else. Cardinal,
	Prithee call Gardiner to me, my new secretary:
	I find him a fit fellow.

                             Enter GARDINER.

Cardinal	[Aside to GARDINER.]
	Give me your hand: much joy and favour to you;
	You are the king's now.

Gardiner	[Aside to WOLSEY.] 	But to be commanded
	For ever by your grace, whose hand has raised me.

King Henry	Come hither Gardiner.
											[Walks and whispers.

Campeius	My Lord of York, was not one Doctor Pace
	In this man's place before him?

Cardinal									Yes, he was.

Campeius	Was he not held a learnd man?

Cardinal								Yes, surely.

Campeius	Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread then,
	Even of yourself, Lord Cardinal.

Cardinal									How? Of me?

Campeius	They will not stick to say, you envied him,
	And fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous,
	Kept him a foreign man still, which so grieved him
	That he ran mad and died.

Cardinal							Heaven's peace be with him!
	That's Christian 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 so near else. Learn this, brother,
	We live not to be griped by meaner persons.

King Henry	Deliver this with modesty to the queen.
											[Exit GARDINER.
	The most convenient place that I can think of
	For such receipt of learning is Black-Friars:
	There ye shall meet about this weighty business.
	My Wolsey, see it furnished. O my lord!
	Would it not grieve an able man to leave
	So sweet a bedfellow? But conscience, conscience!
	O 'tis a tender place, and I must leave her.
											[Exeunt.
