Nor. Hear the king's pleasure, cardinal: who commands you[572]
To render up the great seal presently
Into our hands; and to confine yourself 230
To Asher-house, my Lord of Winchester's,[573]
Till you hear further from his highness.
Wol. Stay:
Where's your commission, lords? words cannot carry[574]
Authority so weighty.[575]
Suf. Who dare cross 'em,
Bearing the king's will from his mouth expressly? 235
Wol. Till I find more than will or words to do it—[576]
I mean your malice—know, officious lords,
I dare, and must deny it. Now I feel
Of what coarse metal ye are moulded—envy:[577]
How eagerly ye follow my disgraces,[578] 240
As if it fed ye! and how sleek and wanton[579]
Ye appear in every thing may bring my ruin![580]
Follow your envious courses, men of malice;[580]
You have Christian warrant for 'em, and, no doubt,[581]
In time will find their fit rewards. That seal 245
You ask with such a violence, the king,[582]
Mine and your master, with his own hand gave me;
Bade me enjoy it, with the place and honours,
During my life; and, to confirm his goodness,
Tied it by letters-patents: now, who'll take it?[583] 250
Sur. The king, that gave it.
Wol. It must be himself, then.
Sur. Thou art a proud traitor, priest.[584]
Wol. Proud lord, thou liest:
Within these forty hours Surrey durst better[585]
Have burnt that tongue than said so.
Sur. Thy ambition,
Thou scarlet sin, robb'd this bewailing land 255
Of noble Buckingham, my father-in-law:
The heads of all thy brother cardinals,
With thee and all thy best parts bound together,
Weigh'd not a hair of his. Plague of your policy!
You sent me deputy for Ireland; 260
Far from his succour, from the king, from all
That might have mercy on the fault thou gavest him;
Whilst your great goodness, out of holy pity,
Absolved him with an axe.
Wol. This, and all else
This talking lord can lay upon my credit, 265
I answer, is most false. The duke by law
Found his deserts. How innocent I was
From any private malice in his end,
His noble jury and foul cause can witness.
If I loved many words, lord, I should tell you 270
You have as little honesty as honour,[586]
That in the way of loyalty and truth[587]
Toward the king, my ever royal master,
Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be,[588]
And all that love his follies.