Suf. I wish your Highness

A quiet night, and my good miftrefs will

Remember in my prayers.

King Charles, a good night:

Well, Sir, what follows?

Enter Sir Anthony Denny.

[Exit Suffolk.

Denny. Sir, I have brought my lord the Arch

bishop,

As you commanded me.

King. Ha! Canterbury!

Denny. Yea, my good lord.

King. 'Tis true-where is he, Denny ?

Denny. He attends your Highnefs' pleasure.

King. Bring him to us.

Lov. This is about that, which the Bishop spake;

[Exit Denny.

I am happily come hither.

[Afide.

Cran. I am fearful: wherefore frowns he thus ?

"Tis his afpect of terror.

King. How now, my
Wherefore I fent for you.
Cran. It is
my duty

All's not well.

lord? you do defire to know,

T'attend your Highness' pleasure.

King. Pray you, rife ;

My good and gracious lord of Canterbury:

Come, you and I must walk a turn together:

I've news to tell you. Come, give me your hand,
Ah, my good lord, I grieve at what I speak;
And am right forry to repeat what follows.
I have, and moft unwillingly, of late
Heard many grievous, I do fay, my lord,

Grievous complaints of you; which being confider'd,
Have mov'd us and our Council, that you fhall

S.3

This

This morning come before us; where I know,
You cannot with fuch freedom purge your self,
But that, 'till further trial, in those charges
Which will require your anfwer, you must take
Your patience to you, and be well contented

To make your house our Tower: You a brother of

us,

It fits we thus proceed; or elfe no witness
Would come against you.

Cran. I humbly thank your Highness,

And am right glad to catch this good occafion
Moft throughly to be winnow'd, where my chaff

And corn fhall fly afunder.

For, I know,

There's none ftands under more calumnious tongues
Than I my self, poor man.

King. Stand up, good Canterbury;
Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted

In us, thy friend. Give me thy hand, stand
up;
Pr'ythee, let's walk. Now, by my holy dame,
What manner of man are you? my lord, I look'd,
You would have given me your petition, that
I should have ta'en fome pains to bring together
Your felf and your accufers, and have heard you
Without indurance further.

Cran. Moft dread Liege,

The good I ftand on

is my truth and honesty:

If they fhall fall, I with mine enemies

Will triumph o'er my perfon; which I weigh not,
Being of thofe virtues vacant. I fear nothing

What can be faid against me.

King. Know you not

How your ftate ftands i'th' world, with the whole

world?

Your foes are many, and not fmall; their practices
Muft bear the fame proportion; and not ever
The justice and the truth o' th' question carries
The due o' th' verdict with it. At what ease

Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt
To fwear againft you? fuch things have been done.
You're potently oppos'd; and with a malice
Of as great fize. Ween you of better luck,

I mean,

I mean, in perjur'd witness, than your mafter,
Whose minifter you are, while here he liv'd
Upon this naughty earth? go to, go to,
You take a precipice for no leap of danger,
And woo your own destruction.

Cran. God and your Majefty

Protect mine innocence, or I fall into
The trap is laid for me!

King. Be of good cheer;

They fhall no more prevail, than we give way to:
Keep comfort to you, and this morning fee
You do appear before them. If they chance
In charging you with matters, to commit you
The best perfuafions to the contrary
Fail not to ufe; and with what vehemency
Th' occafion fhall inftru&t you. If intreaties
Will render you no remedy, this Ring
Deliver them, and your appeal to us

There make before them. Look, the good man

weeps!

He's honeft, on mine honour. God's bleft mother!

I fwear, he is true-hearted; and a foul

None better in my kingdom. Get you gone,

And do as I have bid you.

[Exit Cranmer.

H'as ftrangled all his language in his tears.

Enter an old Lady.

Gen. [Within.] Come back; what mean you?
Lady, 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 fhade thy perfon

Under their blessed wings!
King. Now, by thy looks

I guess thy meffage.

Say, ay; and of a boy.

Is the Queen deliver❜d ?

Lady. Ay, ay, my Liege;

And of a lovely boy; the God of heav'n
Both now and ever bless her!-'tis a girl,
Promifes boys hereafter. Sir, your Queen

S

$ 4

Defires

Defires your vifitation; and to be

Acquainted with this ftranger; 'tis as like you,
As cherry is to cherry.

King, Lovell

Lov. Sir.

King. Give her an hundred marks. I'll to the

Queen.

[Exit King.

Lady. An hundred marks! by this light, I'll ha

more.

An ordinary groom is for fuch payment.
I will have more, or fcold it out of him.
Said I for this, the girl was like him? I'll

Have more, or elfe unfay't: now, while 'tis hot,
I'll put it to the iffue.

[Exit Ladje

SCENE IV.

Gran.

Before the Council-chamber.

Enter Cranmer.

I Hope, I'm not too late; and yet the gentle

man,

That was fent to me from the Council, pray'd me

To make great hafte. All faft? what means this? hoa?

Who waits there? fure, you know me?

Enter Door-Keeper.

D. Keep. Yes, my lord;

But yet I cannot help you.
Cran. Why?

D. Keep. Your Grace muft wait, 'till you be call'ď

for.

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

I came this way fo happily. The King

Shall understand it presently.

Cran. 'Tis Butts,

[Exit Butts.:

The

The King's phyfician; as he past along,
How earnestly he caft his eyes upon me!

Pray heav'n, he found not my difgrace! for certain,
This is of purpofe laid by fome that hate me,

(God turn their hearts! I never fought their malice)
To quench mine honour: they would fhame to make

me

Wait elfe at door: a fellow-counfellor,"

'Mong boys and grooms and lackeys! but their plea

fures

Muft be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience.

Enter the King and Butts, at a window above. Butts. I'll fhew your Grace the ftrangest fightKing. What's that, Butts?

Butts. I think, your Highnefs faw this many a day.

King. Body o' me: where is it?

Butts. There, my lord:

The high promotion of his Grace of Canterbury,
Who holds his ftate at door 'mongst pursuivants,
Pages, and foot-boys.

King. Ha! 'tis he, indeed.

Is this the honour they do one another?

'Tis well, there's one above 'em yet. I thought,
They'd parted fo much Honesty among 'em,
At least, good manners; as not thus to fuffer
A man of his place, and so near our favour,
To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasures;
And at the door too, like a poft with packets.
By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery;
Let 'em alone, and draw the curtain close,
We fhall hear more anon