quotes, notes, timelines & more

Home » Quotes » Henry VIII » Ever God bless your Highness

Ever God bless your Highness

Wolsey
Ever God bless your Highness.
King
Good my lord,
You are full of heavenly stuff and bear the inventory
Of your best graces in your mind, the which
You were now running o’er. You have scarce time
To steal from spiritual leisure a brief span
To keep your earthly audit. Sure, in that
I deem you an ill husband, and am glad
To have you therein my companion.

’Tis well said again,
And ’tis a kind of good deed to say well.
And yet words are no deeds.

Wolsey
Sir,
For holy offices I have a time; a time
To think upon the part of business which
I bear i’ th’ state; and Nature does require
Her times of preservation, which perforce
I, her frail son, amongst my brethren mortal,
Must give my tendance to.
King
You have said well.
Wolsey
And ever may your Highness yoke together,
As I will lend you cause, my doing well
With my well saying.
King
’Tis well said again,
And ’tis a kind of good deed to say well.
And yet words are no deeds. My father loved you;
He said he did, and with his deed did crown
His word upon you. Since I had my office
I have kept you next my heart, have not alone
Employed you where high profits might come home,
But pared my present havings to bestow
My bounties upon you.
Wolsey, aside
What should this mean?

Source:
Act 3
Scene 2
Line 175

Source Type:

Spoken by:
,

Themes: