Buck. All the whole time
I was my chamber's prisoner.
Nor. Then you lost
The view of earthly glory: men might say,
Till this time pomp was single, but now married 15
To one above itself. Each following day
Became the next day's master, till the last[15]
Made former wonders its. To-day the French,[16]
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,[17]
Shone down the English; and to-morrow they 20
Made Britain India: every man that stood
Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubins, all gilt: the madams too,
Not used to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour 25
Was to them as a painting: now this masque
Was cried incomparable; and the ensuing night
Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst,
As presence did present them; him in eye 30
Still him in praise; and being present both,
'Twas said they saw but one, and no discerner
Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns—[18]
For so they phrase 'em—by their heralds challenged
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform 35
Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story,[19]
Being now seen possible enough, got credit,
That Bevis was believed.[20]
Buck. O, you go far.
Nor. As I belong to worship and affect
In honour honesty, the tract of every thing 40
Would by a good discourser lose some life
Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal;[21][22]
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd;[22]
Order gave each thing view; the office did[22][23]
Distinctly his full function.[22]
Buck. Who did guide,[22] 45
I mean, who set the body and the limbs[22]
Of this great sport together, as you guess?[22][24]
Nor. One, certes, that promises no element[22][24][25]
In such a business.[22]
Buck. I pray you, who, my lord?[26]
Nor. All this was order'd by the good discretion 50
Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.
Buck. The devil speed him! no man's pie is freed
From his ambitious finger. What had he
To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder
That such a keech can with his very bulk[27] 55
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun,
And keep it from the earth.
Nor. Surely, sir,[28]
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propp'd by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor call'd upon 60
For high feats done to the crown; neither allied
To eminent assistants; but, spider-like,
Out of his self-drawing web, he gives us note,[29]
The force of his own merit makes his way;
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys[30] 65
A place next to the king.