Farewell to Greatness

Cardinal Wolsey was the King's chief advisor and a powerful man, but the King became angry with him, dismissed him from office and took all of his wealth away. In the last part of his speech Wolsey is talking to Thomas Cromwell, his secretary.

Farewell, along farewell, to all my greatness !

This is the state of man: today he puts forth

The tender leaves of hope; tomorrow blossoms,

And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;

The third day comes a frost, a killing frost;

And - when he thinks, good, easy man, full surely

His greatness is a-ripening-nips his root.

And then he falls, as I do. I have ventured,

Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,

This many summers in a sea of glory,

But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride

At length broke under me and now has left me,

Weary and old with service, to the mercy

Of a rude stream, that must for ever hide me.

Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye;

I feel my heart new opened: O, how wretched

Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors !

There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to,

That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,

More pangs and fears than wars or women have:

And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.

Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition:
By that sin fell the angels; how can man, then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by 't ?
Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate thee;
Corruption wins not more than honesty.
Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,
To silence envious tongues. Be just and fear not:
Let all the ends thou aim'st at the thy country's,
Thy God's and truth's; then if thour fall'st,
O' Cromwell,
Thou fall'st a blessed martyr.......
O Cromwell, Cromwell,
Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, He would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.