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.]
ACT IV. SCENE II. London. A street before Cromwell'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 friendly upon 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 thou wouldest 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.