Too heavy for a man that hopes for heaven ! Cromwell. I am glad your grace has made that right use of it. Wolsey. I hope I have : I am able now, methinks (Out of a fortitude of soul I feel), 275 The heaviest and the worst, God bless him ! That's somewhat sudden : 281 But he's a learnèd 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, 285 May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on 'em. What more ? Cromwell. That Cranmer is returned with welcome, Installed lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Wolsey. That 's news indeed ! Last, that the Lady Anne, O Cromwell, The King has gone beyond me : all my glories 295 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 fall’n man, unworthy now 300 To be thy lord and master : seek the King ; (That sun, I pray, may never set !) I have told him What and how true thou art : he will advance thee; Some little memory of me will stir him (I know his noble nature), not to let 305 Thy hopeful service perish too : good Cromwell, Neglect him not; make use now, and provide For thine own future safety. O my lord, 310 Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron, With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord. The King shall have my service. But my prayers, For ever and for ever, shall be yours. Wolsey. Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear 315 In all my miseries ; but thou hast forced me, Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman. Let 's. dry our eyes : and thus far hear me, Cromwell ; And, when I am forgotten, as I shall be, And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention 320 Of me more must be heard of, say, I taught thee; Say, Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory, And sounded all the depths and shoals of honour, Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in; A sure and safe one, though thy master missed it. 325 Mark but my fall, and that that ruined me. Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition : By that sin fell the angels ; how can man then, The image of his Maker, hope to win by 't ? Love thyself last : cherish those hearts that hate thee : Corruption wins not more than honesty. 331 lead me in : 340 Cromwell. Good sir, have patience. So I have. Farewell 345 The hopes of court ! my hopes in heaven do dwell. [Exeunt. XIII. BRUTUS AND CAESAR BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Scene I. IN EVEN SCALE. Caesar, supreme in Rome and now 'the foremost man of all this world', is king except in name, and the attempt to crown him stirs a republican faction to plot his overthrow. Cassius, as the most active member of the conspiracy, endeavours to win over his brother-in-law Brutus, a man of noble life and character who'sits high in all the people's hearts', and moreover is dear to Caesar and under the deepest obligations to him. Caesar, attended by his wife Calpurnia, his friend Mark Antony, and a great retinue, has just passed from the stage to witness the games of a public festival. Brutus lingers behind, and Cassius seizes the moment to put before him the first suggestion of the conspiracy. Cassius. Will you go see the order of the course ? Brutus. Not I. Cassius. I pray you, do. Brutus. I am not gamesome : I do lack some part Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. 5 Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires ; I'll leave you. Cassius. Brutus, I do observe you now of late : Cassius, 15 Of late with passions of some difference, Conceptions only proper to myself, Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviours ; But let not therefore my good friends be grieved (Among which number, Cassius, be you one), IO 20 30 Nor construe any further my neglect, passion; Brutus. No, Cassius ; for the eye sees not itself Cassius. 'Tis just : 35 (Except immortal Caesar) speaking of Brutus, And groaning underneath this age's yoke, Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes. Brutus. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, That you would have me seek into myself 40 For that which is not in me ? Cassius. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear : And, since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I, your glass, Will modestly discover to yourself 45 That of yourself which you yet know not of. And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus : Were I a common laugher, or did use To stale with ordinary oaths my love To every new protester; if you know 50 That I do fawn on men and hug them hard, And after scandal them; or if you know That I profess myself in banqueting To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. [A flourish of trumpets and a shout from the crowd at the games are heard. Brutus. What means this shouting? I do fear the people 55 Choose Caesar for their king. Cassius. Aye, do you fear it ? Then must I think you would not have it so. Brutus. I would not, Cassius ; yet I love him well. 60 65 But wherefore do you hold me here so long ? Cassius. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, 70 I had as lief not be as live to be In awe of such a thing as I myself. I was born free as Caesar ; so were you : We both have fed as well, and we can both Endure the winter's cold as well as he : 75 For once, upon a raw and gusty day, The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores, Caesar said to me, ‘ Dar'st thou, Cassius, now Leap in with me into this angry flood, And swim to yonder point ?' Upon the word 80 Accoutred as I was, I plunged in And bade him follow : so indeed he did. The torrent roared ; and we did buffet it With lusty sinews, throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy : But ere we could arrive the point proposed, Caesar cried, 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink ! I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber 90 Did I the tired Caesar : and this man Is now become a god, and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, If Caesar carelessly but nod on him. He had a fever when he was in Spain, 95 And, when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did shake : 'tis true, this god did shake : His coward lips did from their colour fly, And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Did lose his lustre : I did hear him groan : Aye, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans 85 100 |