Page 1704 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

CROMWELL

O my lord,
Must I then leave you? Must I needs forgo
So good, so noble, and so true a master?

Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron,
With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord. [425]
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

In all my miseries, but thou hast forced me,
Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman. [430]
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
Of me more must be heard of, say I taught thee;
Say Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory, [435]
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.
Mark but my fall, and that that ruined me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition: [440]

By that sin fell the angels. How can man then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by it?
Love thyself last, cherish those hearts that hate thee;
Corruption wins not more than honesty.

Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace [445]
To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not.
Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s,
Thy God’s, and truth’s. Then if thou fall’st, O Cromwell,

Thou fall’st a blessèd martyr. Serve the King;
And prithee, lead me in. [450]
There take an inventory of all I have,
To the last penny: ’tis the King’s. My robe,

And my integrity to heaven, is all
I dare now call mine own. O Cromwell, Cromwell,
Had I but served my God with half the zeal [455]