Wherefore I sent for you.

Cran.

89

[Kneeling.] It is my duty To attend your Highness' pleasure. King.

Pray you, arise,
My good and gracious Lord of Canterbury.
Come, you and I must walk a turn together;
I have news to tell you. Come, come, give me
your hand.

Ah, my good lord, I grieve at what I speak, 95
And am right sorry to repeat what follows.
I have, and most unwillingly, of late
Heard many grievous, I do say, my lord,
Grievous complaints of you; which, being con-

sider'd,

99

Have mov'd us and our council, that you shall This morning come before us; where, I know, You cannot with such freedom purge your self

But that, till further trial in those charges Which will require your answer, you must take

Your patience to you, and be well contented 105 To make your house our Tower. You a brother of us,

It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness
Would come against you.

Cran. [Kneeling.] I humbly thank your
Highness;

And am right glad to catch this good occasion

Most throughly to be winnowed, where my chaff

110

Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt

To swear against you? Such things have been done.

He's honest, on mine honour. God's blest mother!

155

I swear he is true-hearted; and a soul
None better in my kingdom. Get you gone,
And do as I have bid you. (Exit Cranmer.) He
has strangled

His language in his tears.

Enter OLD LADY [LOVELL following]. Gent. (Within.) Come back! What mean you?

Old L. I'll not come back; the tidings that I bring

Will make my boldness manners. Now, good angels

Fly o'er thy royal head, and shade thy person Under their blessed wings!

King.

159

Now, by thy looks

I guess thy message. Is the Queen deliver'd? Say, ay; and of a boy.

165

Old L. Ay, ay, my liege; And of a lovely boy. The God of heaven Both now and ever bless her! 't is a girl, Promises boys hereafter. Sir, your queen Desires your visitation, and to be Acquainted with this stranger. 'Tis as like you As cherry is to cherry.

King. Lov.

Lovell !

Sir?

An ordinary groom is for such payment.
I will have more, or scold it out of him.
Said I for this, the girl was like to him?
I will have more, or else unsay 't; and now, 175
While it is hot, I'll put it to the issue. [Exeunt.

[SCENE III. The council-chamber.] A council-table brought in with chairs and stools, and placed under the state. Enter LORD CHANCELLOR places himself at the upper end of the table on the left hand; a seat being left void above him, as for Canterbury's seat. DUKE OF SUFFOLK, DUKE OF NORFOLK, SURREY, LORD CHAMBERLAIN, GARDINER, seat themselves in order on each side. CROMWELL at lower end, as secretary. [KEEPER at the door.]

Chan. Speak to the business, master secretary. Why are we met in council? Crom.

Please your honours,

The chief cause concerns his Grace of Canter bury.

Gar. Has he had knowledge of it?

Crom.

Nor.

Keep. Without, my noble lords?

Gar.

Keep.

Yes. Who waits there?

Yes. My Lord Archbishop;

And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures.

Chan. Let him come in.

Keep.

Your Grace may enter now.

CRANMER [enters and] approaches the counciltable.

Chan. My good Lord Archbishop, I'm very

Till they obey the manage. If we suffer,
Out of our easiness and childish pity

To one man's honour, this contagious sickness,
Farewell all physic! And what follows then?
Commotions, uproars, with a general taint
Of the whole state; as, of late days, our neigh-
bours,

The upper Germany, can dearly witness,
Yet freshly pitied in our memories.

Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the

Was ever, to do well; nor is there living,
I speak it with a single heart, my lords,
A man that more detests, more stirs against,
Both in his private conscience and his place, 40
Defacers of a public peace, than I do.
Pray Heaven, the King may never find a heart
With less allegiance in it! Men that make
Envy and crooked malice nourishment

Dare bite the best. I do beseech your lordships,

That, in this case of justice, my accusers,

45

Be what they will, may stand forth face to face,

And freely urge against me.
Suf.
Nay, my lord,
That cannot be. You are a counsellor,
And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you. 50
Gar. My lord, because we have business of
more moment,

We will be short with you. "Tis his Highness'

pleasure

Stay, good my lords, I have a little yet to say. Look there, my lords;

By virtue of that ring, I take my cause
Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it
To a most noble judge, the King my master.
Cham. This is the King's ring.

100

Sur. 'Tis no counterfeit. Suf. 'Tis the right ring, by heaven! I told ye all,

When we first put this dangerous stone a-roll

ing,

"T would fall upon ourselves.
Nor.
Do you think, my lords,
The King will suffer but the little finger
Of this man to be vex'd?

106

Cham. 'Tis now too certain. How much more is his life in value with him? Would I were fairly out on 't! My mind gave me,

Crom.

In seeking tales and informations
Against this man, whose honesty the devil
And his disciples only envy at,

110

Ye blew the fire that burns ye. Now have at ye!

Enter KING, frowning on them; takes his seat. Gar. Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to Heaven

In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince; 115
Not only good and wise, but most religious;
One that, in all obedience, makes the Church
The chief aim of his honour; and, to strengthen
That holy duty, out of dear respect,
His royal self in judgement comes to hear
The cause betwixt her and this great offender.
King. You were ever good at sudden com-
mendations,

120

Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not To hear such flattery now, and in my pres

ence;

They are too thin and bare to hide offences. 125 To me you cannot reach you play the spaniel,

Noise and tumult within. Enter PORTER and his MAN.

Port. You'll leave your noise_anon, ye rascals; do you take the court for Paris-garden? Ye rude slaves, leave your gaping.

[Voice.] (Within.) Good master porter, I belong to the larder.

Port. Belong to the gallows, and be hang'd, ye rogue! Is this a place to roar in? Fetch me a dozen crab-tree staves, and strong ones; these are but switches to 'em. I'll scratch your heads. You must be seeing christenings? Do you look for ale and cakes here, you rude rascals?

11

Man. Pray, sir, be patient. 'Tis as much impossibleUnless we sweep 'em from the door with can

nons

15

To scatter 'em, as 't is to make 'em sleep
On May-day morning; which will never be.
We may as well push against Paul's, as stir 'em.
Port. How got they in, and be hang'd?
Man. Alas, I know not; how gets the tide
in?

As much as one sound cudgel of four foot-
You see the poor remainder - could distribute,
I made no spare, sir.

Port.
You did nothing, sir. 27
Man. I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor

Colbrand,

line, they need no other penance: that firedrake did I hit three times on the head, and [45 three times was his nose discharged against me; he stands there, like a mortar-piece, to blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small wit near him, that rail'd upon me till her pink'd porringer fell off her head, for kin- [50 dling such a combustion in the state. I miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman; who cried out "Clubs!" when I might see from far some forty truncheoners draw to her succour, which were the hope o' the Strand, where [65 she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broomstaff to me; I defi'd 'em still; when suddenly a file of boys behind 'em, loose shot, deliver'd such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine honour in, and let 'em win the work. The devil was amongst 'em, I think, surely. 02

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.

Enter LORD CHAMBERLAIN.

70

SCENE [V. The palace.]

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, etc., train borne by a Lady; then follows the Marchioness 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 Guard.

Cran. [Kneeling.] 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!
King. Thank
What is her name
Cran.
King.

you,

good Lord Archbishop.

Elizabeth.

Stand up, lord.

[The King kisses the child.

With this kiss take my blessing: God protect

thee!

11

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. Saba was never
More covetous of wisdom and fair virtue
Than this pure soul shall be. All princely
graces,

25

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