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Port. These are the youths that thunder at a playhouse, and fight for bitten apples; that no audience, but the Tribulation' of Tower-hill, or the limbs of Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able to endure. I have some of 'em in Limbo Patrum, and there they are like to dance these three days, besides the running banquet of two beadles, that is to come.

[Tumult and Shouts. Enter the Lord Chamberlain.

Cham. Mercy o' me, what a multitude are here! They grow still, too; from all parts they are coming, As if we kept a fair! Where are these porters, These lazy knaves ?-Ye have made a fine hand, fellows :

We shall have

There's a trim rabble let in. Are all these
Your faithful friends o' the suburbs?
Great store of room, no doubt, left for the ladies,

When they pass back from the christening.

Port. An't please your honour We are but men; and what so many may do, Not being torn a pieces, we have done:

An army cannot rule 'em.

Cham.

As I live,
If the king blame me for 't, I'll lay ye all
By the heels, and suddenly; and on your heads
Clap round fines for neglect. Y' are lazy knaves;
And here ye lie baiting of bombards, when [Trumpets.5
Ye should do service. Hark! the trumpets sound;
They're come already from the christening.

Go, break among the press, and find a way out
To let the troop pass fairly, or I'll find

A Marshalsea shall hold ye play these two months.
Port. Make way there for the princess.

Man. You great fellow, [Tumult and confusion.
Stand close up, or I'll make your head ache.
Port. You i' the camblet, get up o' the rail;

I'll peck you o'er the pole' else.

[Exeunt.

1 2 A reference to some Puritan set, or place of assembly. 3 Not in f. e. 4 Large leather vessels for holding liquor. 5 6 Not in f. e. "pales: in f. e.

SCENE IV.-The Palace at Greenwich. Enter Trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor, Garter, CRANMER, Duke of NORFOLK, with his Marshal's staff, Duke of SUFFOLK, two Noblemen bearing great standing bowls for the christening gifts: then, four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the Duchess of NORFOLK, godmother, bearing the child richly habited in a mantle, &c. Train borne by a Lady: then follows the Marchioness of DORSET, the other godmother, and Ladies. The Troop pass once about the stage, and Garter speaks.

Gart. Heaven,

From thy endless goodness, send prosperous life,
Long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty

Princess of England, Elizabeth!

Flourish. Enter King, and Train. Cran. And to your royal grace, and the good queen,

My noble partners, and myself, thus pray :—
All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady,
Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy,
May hourly fall upon ye!

K Hen.

What is her name?

Cran.

K. Hen.

[Kneeling.

Thank you, good lord archbishop.

Elizabeth.

Stand up, lord. [CRAN. rises.1 With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee! Into whose hand I give thy life. [Kissing the child.

Cran.

Amen!

K. Hen. My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal. I thank ye heartily: so shall this When she has so much English.

lady,

Cran.
Let me speak, sir,
For Heaven now bids me; and the words I utter
Let none think flattery, for they 'll find them truth.
This royal infant,-heaven still move about her!-
Though in her cradle, yet now promises

Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness. She shall be
(But few now living can behold that goodness)
A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed: Sheba was never

1 Not in f. e.

More covetous of wisdom, and fair virtue,

Than this pure soul shall be: all princely graces,
That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,
With all the virtues that attend the good,

Shall still be doubled on her: truth shall nurse her; Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her:

She shall be lov'd, and fear'd: her own shall bless her: Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,

And hang their heads with sorrow: good grows with her.

In her days every man shall eat in safety
Under his own vine what he plants, and sing
The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours.
God shall be truly known; and those about her
From her shall read the perfect ways of honour,
And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.
Nor shall this peace sleep with her: but as when
The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phoenix,
Her ashes new create another heir,

As great in admiration as herself;

So shall she leave her blessedness to one,

[ness)

(When heaven shall call her from this cloud of dark

Who, from the sacred ashes of her honour,

Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was,

And so stand fix'd. Peace, plenty, love, truth, terror,
That were the servants to this chosen infant,
Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him:
Wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine,
His honour and the greatness of his name

Shall be, and make new nations: he shall flourish,
And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches

To all the plains about him. Our children's children
Shall see this, and bless heaven.

K. Hen.

Thou speakest wonders.
Cran. She shall be, to the happiness of England,
An aged princess; many days shall see her,
And yet no day without a deed to crown it.

Would I had known no more! but she must die:
She must; the saints must have her: yet a virgin,

A most unspotted lily shall she pass

To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her.
K. Hen. O, lord archbishop!

Thou hast made me now a man: never, before
This happy child, did I get any thing.

This oracle of comfort has so pleased me,
That when I am in heaven I shall desire
To see what this child does, and praise my Maker.—
I thank ye all.-To you, my good lord mayor,
And you, good brethren, I am much beholding:
I have receiv'd much honour by your presence,
And ye shall find me thankful.-Lead the way, lords :-
Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank ye;
She will be sick else. This day, no man think
He has business at his house, for all shall stay:
This little one shall make it holiday.

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUE.

'Tis ten to one, this play can never please
All that are here. Some come to take their ease,
And sleep an act or two; but those, we fear,
We have frighted with our trumpets; so, 't is clear,
They'll say, 't is naught: others, to hear the city
Abus'd extremely, and to cry,-"that 's witty,"
Which we have not done neither: that, I fear,
All the expected good we 're like to hear
For this play, at this time, is only in
The merciful construction of good women;
For such a one we show'd 'em. If they smile,
And say, 't will do, I know, within a while
All the best men are ours; for 't is ill hap,
If they hold, when their ladies bid 'em clap.

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