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: 't is as like you,
As cherry is to cherry.

Old L. An hundred marks! By this light, I'll

ha' more.

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,

While it is hot, I'll put it to the issue. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Lobby before the Council-chamber.

Enter CRANMER; Servants, Door-keeper, &c., attending.

Cran. I hope, I am not too late; and yet the gentleman

That was sent to me from the Council prayed me To make great haste. All fast? what means this?

Ho!

Who waits there ?-Sure, you know me?

D. Keep.

But yet I cannot help you.

Cran.

Yes, my lord;

Why?

D. Keep. Your grace must wait till you be

called for.

Enter Doctor BUTTS.

Cran.

So.

Butts. This is a piece of malice. I am glad

I came this way so happily: the King

Shall understand it presently.

Cran. [Aside.]

[Exit.

'Tis Butts,

The King's physician. As he passed along,
How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me.

'Pray Heaven, he sound not my disgrace! For

certain,

This is of purpose laid by some that hate me,— God turn their hearts! I never sought their malice,―

To quench mine honour: they would shame to make me

Wait else at door, a fellow-counsellor,

Among boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their plea

sures

Must be fulfilled, and I attend with patience.

Enter the KING and BUTTS, at a window above. Butts. I'll show your grace the strangest sightK. Hen. What's that, Butts?

Butts. I think your highness saw this many a

day.

K. Hen. Body o' me, where is it?

Butts.

There, my lord:

The high promotion of his grace of Canterbury; Who holds his state at door, 'mongst pursuivants, Pages, and footboys.

K. Hen.

Ha! 'Tis he, indeed.

Is this the honour they do one another?

"Tis well, there's one above them yet. I had thought,

They had parted so much honesty among them
At least good manners--as not thus to suffer
A man of his place, and so near our favour,
To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasures,
And at the door too, like a post with packets.
By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery :

Let 'em alone, and draw the curtain close;
We shall hear more anon.

The Council-chamber.

[Exeunt.

Enter the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Suffolk, Duke of NORFOLK, Earl of SURREY, Lord Chamberlain, GARDINER, and CROMWELL. The Chancellor places himself at the upper end of the table on the left hand; a seat being left void above him, as for the Archbishop of CANTERBURY. The rest seat themselves in order on each side, CROMWELL at the lower end, as Secretary.

Chan. Speak to the business, master Secretary: Why are we met in council?

Crom.

Please your honours,

The chief cause concerns his grace of Canterbury.

Gar. Has he had knowledge of it?

Crom.

Nor.

Yes.

Who waits there?

D. Keep. Without, my noble lords?

Gar.

D. Keep.

Yes.

My lord Archbishop;

And has done half an hour, to know your

pleasures.

Chan. Let him come in.

D. Keep.

Your grace may enter now.

[CRANMER approaches the council-table.

Chan. My good lord Archbishop, I am very

sorry

To sit here at this present, and behold

That chair stand empty but we all are men,
In our own natures frail, and capable

Of our flesh, few are angels: out of which frailty
And want of wisdom, you, that best should teach us,
Have misdemeaned yourself, and not a little,
Toward the King first, then his laws, in filling
The whole realm, by your teaching, and your
chaplains,-

For so we are informed,-with new opinions,
Divers and dangerous; which are heresies,
And, not reformed, may prove pernicious.

Gar. Which reformation must be sudden too, My noble lords; for those that tame wild horses Pace them not in their hands to make them

gentle,