39MY Lord, Ile tell you, that selfe Bill is vrg'd,

40Which in th'eleuēth yere of y^e last Kings reign

41Was like, and had indeed against vs past,

42But that the scambling and vnquiet time

43Did push it out of farther question.

44Bish. Ely. But how my Lord shall we resist it now?

45Bish. Cant. It must be thought on: if it passe against vs,

46We loose the better halfe of our Possession:

47For all the Temporall Lands, which men deuout

48By Testament haue giuen to the Church,

49Would they strip from vs; being valu'd thus,

50As much as would maintaine, to the Kings honor,

51Full fifteene Earles, and fifteene hundred Knights,

52Six thousand and two hundred good Esquires:

53And to reliefe of Lazars, and weake age

54Of indigent faint Soules, past corporall toyle,

55A hundred Almes-houses, right well supply'd:

56And to the Coffers of the King beside,

57A thousand pounds by th' yeere. Thus runs the Bill.

58Bish. Ely. This would drinke deepe.

59Bish. Cant. 'Twould drinke the Cup and all.

60Bish. Ely. But what preuention?

61Bish. Cant. The King is full of grace, and faire re-

62gard.

63Bish. Ely. And a true louer of the holy Church.

64Bish. Cant. The courses of his youth promis'd it not.

65The breath no sooner left his Fathers body,

66But that his wildnesse, mortify'd in him,

67Seem'd to dye too: yea, at that very moment,

68Consideration like an Angell came,

69And whipt th'offending Adam out of him;

70Leauing his body as a Paradise,

71T'inuelop and containe Celestiall Spirits.

72Neuer was such a sodaine Scholler made:

73Neuer came Reformation in a Flood,

74With such a heady currance scowring faults:

75Nor neuer Hidra-headed Wilfulnesse

76So soone did loose his Seat; and all at once;

77As in this King.

78Bish. Ely: We are blessed in the Change.

79Bish. Cant. Heare him but reason in Diuinitie;

80And all-admiring, with an inward wish

81You would desire the King were made a Prelate:

82Heare him debate of Common-wealth Affaires;

83You would say, it hath been all in all his study:

84List his discourse of Warre; and you shall heare

85A fearefull Battaile rendred you in Musique.

86Turne him to any Cause of Pollicy,

87The Gordian Knot of it he will vnloose,

88Familiar as his Garter: that when he speakes,

89The Ayre, a Charter'd Libertine, is still,

90And the mute Wonder lurketh in mens eares,

91To steale his sweet and honyed Sentences:

92So that the Art and Practique part of Life,

93Must be the Mistresse to this Theorique.

94Which is a wonder how his Grace should gleane it,

95Since his addiction was to Courses vaine,

96His Companies vnletter'd, rude, and shallow,

97His Houres fill'd vp with Ryots, Banquets, Sports;

98And neuer noted in him any studie,

99Any retyrement, any sequestration,

100From open Haunts and Popularitie.

101B.Ely. The Strawberry growes vnderneath the Nettle,

102And holesome Berryes thriue and ripen best,

103Neighbour'd by Fruit of baser qualitie:

104And so the Prince obscur'd his Contemplation

105Vnder the Veyle of Wildnesse, which (no doubt)

106Grew like the Summer Grasse, fastest by Night,

107Vnseene, yet cressiue in his facultie.

108B.Cant. It must be so; for Miracles are ceast:

109And therefore we must needes admit the meanes,

110How things are perfected.

111B.Ely. But my good Lord:

112How now for mittigation of this Bill,

113Vrg'd by the Commons? doth his Maiestie

114Incline to it, or no?

115B.Cant. He seemes indifferent:

116Or rather swaying more vpon our part,

117Then cherishing th'exhibiters against vs:

118For I haue made an offer to his Maiestie,

119Vpon our Spirituall Conuocation,

120And in regard of Causes now in hand,

121Which I haue open'd to his Grace at large,

122As touching France, to giue a greater Summe,

123Then euer at one time the Clergie yet

124Did to his Predecessors part withall.

125B.Ely. How did this offer seeme receiu'd, my Lord?

126B.Cant. With good acceptance of his Maiestie:

127Saue that there was not time enough to heare,

128As I perceiu'd his Grace would faine haue done,

129The seueralls and vnhidden passages

130Of his true Titles to some certaine Dukedomes,

131And generally, to the Crowne and Seat of France,

132Deriu'd from Edward his great Grandfather.

133B.Ely. What was th'impediment that broke this off?

134B.Cant. The French Embassador vpon that instant

135Crau'd audience; and the howre I thinke is come,

136To giue him hearing: Is it foure a Clock?

137B.Ely. It is.

138B.Cant. Then goe we in, to know his Embassie:

139Which I could with a ready guesse declare,

140Before the Frenchman speake a word of it.

141B.Ely. Ile wait vpon you, and I long to heare it.