That's the plain truth: your painted gloss discovers,
To men that understand you, words and weakness.

Crom. My Lord of Winchester, you are a little,
By your good favour, too sharp; men so noble,
However faulty, yet should find respect

For what they have been: 'tis a cruelty
To load a falling man.

Gard.

Good master secretary,

I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst

Of all this table, say so.

Crom.

Why, my lord?

Gard. Do not I know you for a favourer
Of this new sect? ye are not sound.
Crom.

Gard. Not sound, I say.
Crom.

Not sound?

Would you were half so honest!

Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears.
Gard. I shall remember this bold language.
Crom.

Remember your bold life too.

Chan.

Forbear, for shame, my lords.

Gard.

Crom.

Do.

This is too much ;(143)

I've done.

And I.

Chan. Then thus for you, my lord:--it stands agreed,

I take it, by all voices, that forthwith.

You be convey'd to the Tower a prisoner;

There to remain till the king's further pleasure

Be known unto us:-are you all agreed, lords?
All. We are.

Cran.

Is there no other way of mercy, But I must needs to the Tower, my lords?

Gard.

What other Would you expect? you're strangely troublesome.Let some o' the guard be ready there!

(143) Chan. This is too much;] To the present speech, and to the next three speeches of the Chancellor, the folio prefixes "Cham." Walker (Shakespeare's Versification, &c., p. 86) would read "This' too much." See note 105.

Look there, my lords;
take my cause

[Showing ring.

And see him safe i' the Tower.

Cran.

I've a little yet to say.
By virtue of that ring I
Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it
To a most noble judge, the king my master.
Chan. This is the king's ring.

Sur.

'Tis no counterfeit.

Suf. 'Tis the right ring, by heaven: I told ye all, When we first put this dangerous stone a-rolling, "Twould fall upon ourselves.

Nor.

Do you think, my lords,

The king will suffer but the little finger

Of this man to be vex'd?

Chan.

'Tis now too certain :

How much more is his life in value with him!

Would I were fairly out on't!

Crom.

My mind gave me,

In seeking tales and informations

Against this man,-whose honesty the devil
And his disciples only envy at,-

Ye blew the fire that burns ye: now have at ye!

Enter the King, frowning on them; he takes his seat.

Gard. Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to heaven In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince; 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 judgment comes to hear

The cause betwixt her and this great offender.

K. Hen. You were ever good at sudden commendations,

But know, I come not

Bishop of Winchester.
To hear such flatteries now, and in my presence:
They are too thin and bare (144) to hide offences.
To me, you cannot reach, you play the spaniel,
And think with wagging of your tongue to win me:
But, whatsoe'er thou tak'st me for, I'm sure
Thou hast a cruel nature and a bloody.-

[To Cranmer] Good man, sit down.

proudest,

Now let me see the

He that dares most, but wag his finger at thee:

By all that's holy, he had better starve

Than but once think this place becomes thee not.(145)

Sur. May't please your grace,—

K. Hen.

No, sir, it does not piease me.

I had thought I had had men of some understanding

And wisdom of my council; but I find none.
Was it discretion, lords, to let this man,

This good man,-few of you deserve that title,-
This honest man, wait like a lousy footboy
At chamber-door? and one as great as you are?
Why, what a shame was this! Did my commission
I gave ye

Bid ye so far forget yourselves?
Power as he was a counsellor to try him,
Not as a groom: there's some of ye,
More out of malice than integrity,

(144) To hear such flatteries

I see,

They are too thin and bare]

Here the folio has "flattery " instead of "flatteries," and "base" instead of "bare." The first of these errors was corrected by Pope: the correction of the second was proposed by Malone (who is pleased to deny that "flattery" is an error, and refers the "They" of the next line to "commendations").

(145) Than but once think this place becomes thee not.] So the fourth folio. The first folio has ". thinke his place," &c.,—which Malone brings back into the text, and explains "Who dares to suppose that the place or situation in which he is, is not suitable to thee also?"— forgetting, it would seem, the previous stage-direction (p. 562) about the "seat being left void" for the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that Cranmer has just taken that "seat" or "place" at the bidding of the king,"Good man, sit down."-(The misprint of "his" for "this" (as I have shown in my Remarks on Mr. Collier's and Mr. Knight's eds. of Shakespeare, p. 142) is of frequent occurrence.)

Would try him to the utmost, had ye mean;
Which ye shall ne'er have while I live.

Chan.

Thus far,

My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace
To let my tongue excuse all. What was purpos'd
Concerning his imprisonment, was rather—
If there be faith in men-meant for his trial,
And fair purgation to the world, than malice,—
I'm sure in me.

K. Hen. Well, well, my lords, respect him;
Take him, and use him well, he's worthy of it.
I will say thus much for him,—if a prince
May be beholding to a subject, I

Am, for his love and service, so to him.

Make me no more ado, but all embrace him:

Be friends, for shame, my lords!-My Lord of Canterbury,

I have a suit which you must not deny me;

That is,(146) a fair young maid that yet wants baptism,

You must be godfather, and answer for her.

Cran. The greatest monarch now alive may glory

In such an honour: how may I deserve it,

That am a poor and humble subject to you?

K. Hen. Come, come, my lord, you'd spare your spoons: you shall have

Two noble partners with you; th' old Duchess of Norfolk, And Lady Marquess Dorset: will these please you ?— Once more, my Lord of Winchester, I charge you,

Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation.

K. Hen. Good man, those joyful tears show thy true heart: (147)

The common voice, I see, is verified

Of thee, which says thus, "Do my Lord of Canterbury

(146) That is,] Which Rowe altered to "There is," means, says Malone, "My suit is:" but I suspect that Rowe's alteration is right. (147) heart:] So the second folio-The first folio has "hearts."

A shrewd turn, and he is your friend for ever."-
Come, lords, we trifle time away; I long

To have this young one made a Christian.
As I have made ye one, lords, one remain;
So I grow stronger, you more honour gain.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The palace-yard.

Noise and tumult within. Enter Porter and his Man.

Port. You'll leave your noise anon, ye rascals: do you take the court for Parish-garden ?(148) ye rude slaves, leave your gaping.

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

Port. Belong to the gallows, and be hanged, 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?

Man. Pray, sir, be patient: 'tis as much impossible-
Unless we sweep 'em from the door with cannons--
To scatter 'em, as 'tis 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.

Man. I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand, To mow 'em down before me: but if I spar'd any

(148) Parish-garden?] In my former edition I printed (with the fourth folio) "Paris-garden," remarking; "The folio has 'Parish Garden,' -which, as a vulgar corruption, might suit the Porter: but if we retain it, we must also presently retain Powles."" In opposition to which remark, Mr. Grant White observes that "Paris Garden was called Parish Garden by people of the Porter's class;" and that "The folio, as in numerous other instances, has 'Powle's:' but this is a mere phonographic irregularity, not a characteristic vulgarism like 'Parish' above."