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It seems, you are in haste: an if there be
No great offence belongs to't, give your friend

5 Some touch of your late business: Affairs, that

walk.

(As, they say, fspirits do) at midnight, have In them a wilder nature, than the business

That feeks dispatch by day.

Lov. My lord, I love you;

And durft commend a fecret to your ear

Much weightier than this work. The queen's in

labour,

They say, in great extremity; and fear'd,

She'll with the labour end.

Gard. The fruit, she goes with,

I pray for heartily; that it may find

Good time, and live: but for the stock, fir Thomas,

I wish it grubb'd up now.

Lov. Methink, I could

Cry the amen; and yet my confcience says

She's a good creature, and, sweet lady, does
Deserve our better wishes.

Gard. But, fir, fir,-

Hear me, fir Thomas: You are a gentleman

6

Of mine own way; I know you wife, religious;

And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well, 'Twill not, fir Thomas Lovel, take't of me, 'Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she,

Sleep in their graves.

Lov. Now, fir, you speak of two

The most remark'd i' the kingdom. As for Crom

well,

Beside that of the jewel-house, he's made master O' the rolls, and the king's fecretary; further, fir,

5 Some touch of your late business :-) Some hint of the bufiness that keeps you awake so late. JOHNSON.

6

-mine own way;-) Mine own opinion in religion.

JOHNSON.

Stands

Stands in the gap and trade of more preferments, With which the time will load him: The archbishop Is the king's hand, and tongue; And who dare speak One fyllable against him?

Gard. Yes, yes, fir Thomas,

There are that dare; and I myself have ventur'd
To speak my mind of him: and, indeed, this day,
Sir, (I may tell it you) I think, I have
Incens'd the lords o' the council, that he is
(For fo I know he is, they know he is)
A most arch heretick, a peftilence

That does infect the land: with which they moved,
Have broken with the king, who hath fo far
Given ear to our complaint, (of his great grace
And princely care; foreseeing those fell mischiefs
Our reasons laid before him) he hath commanded,
To-morrow morning to the council-board
He be convented. He's a' rank weed, fir Thomas,
And we must root him out. From your affairs
I hinder you too long: good night, fir Thomas.

Lov. Many good nights my lord; I rest your fer-
[Exeunt Gardiner and Page.

vant.

7 Stands in the gap and trade of more preferments, Trade is the practised method, the general course. JOHNSON.

Trade has been already used by Shakspeare with this meaning in K. Richard II:

"Some way of common trade." See Vol. II. p. 90.
STEEVENS.

I have

Incens'd the lords o' the council, that he is, &c.
A most arch heretick,

1

This passage, according to Shakspeare's licentious grammar, may mean-I have incens'd the lords of the council, for that he is, i.e. because. STEEVENS.

broken with the king ;) They have broken filence;

told their minds to the king. JOHNSON.

* He be convented.) Convented is fummoned, convened. See Vol. II. p. 150. STEEVENS.

As

As Lovel is going out, enter the King, and the Duke of Suffolk.

King. Charles, I will play no more to-night; My mind's not on't, you are too hard for me. Suf. Sir, I did never win of you before.

King. But little, Charles;

Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.-
Now, Lovel, from the queen what is the news?
Lov. I could not personally deliver to her
What you commanded me, but by her woman
I sent your message, who return'd her thanks
In the greatest humbleness, and defir'd your highness
Most heartily to pray for her.

King. What say'st thou? ha!

To pray for her? what, is she crying out?

Lov. So faid her woman; and that her fufferance

made

Almost each pang a death.

King. Alas, good lady !

Suf. God safely quit her of her burden, and

With gentle travel, to the gladding of

Your highness with an heir!

King. 'Tis midnight, Charles,

Pr'ythee to bed; and in thy prayers remember
The estate of my poor queen.

Leave me alone;

For I must think of that, which company

Would not be friendly to.

Suff. I wish your highness

A quiet night, and my good mistress will

Remember in my prayers.

King. Charles, good night.

[Exit Suffolk.

Enter

Enter fir Anthony Denny 2.

Well, fir, what follows?

Denny. Sir, I have brought my lord the archbishop,

As you commanded me.

King.

* Enter fir Anthony Denny.] The substance of this and the two following scenes is taken from Fox's Acts and Monuments of the Christian Martyrs, &c. 1563.

"When night came, the king fent fir Anthony Denie about midnight to Lambeth to the archbishop, willing him forthwith to refort unto him at the court. The message done, the arch. bishop speedily addressed himselfe to the court, and comming into the galerie where the king walked and taried for him, his highnesse faid, Ah, my lorde of Canterbury, I can tell you newes. For divers weighty confiderations it is determined by me and the counfaile, that you to-morrowe at nine of the clocke shall be committed to the Tower, for that you and your chaplaines) as information is given to us, have taught and preached, and thereby sown within the realme such a number of execrable heresies, that it is feared the whole realme being infected with them, no small contention and commotions will rife thereby amongst my subjects, as of late daies the like was in divers parts of Germanie, and therefore the counsell have requested me for the triall of the matter, to suffer them to commit you to the Tower, or else no man dare come forth, as witnesse in these matters, you being a counsellor.

When the king had said his mind, the archbishop kneeled down, and faid, I am content if it please your grace with al my hart, to go thither at your highness commandement; and I most humbly thank your majesty that I may come to my triall, for there be that have many waies slandered me, and now this way I hope to trie myselfe not worthie of fuch reporte.

The king perceiving the man's uprightnesse, joyned with such fimplicitie, faid; Oh Lorde, what maner a man be you? What simplicitie is in you? I had thought that you would rather have sued to us to have taken the paines to have heard you and your accusers together for your triall, without any such indurance. Do not you know what state you be in with the whole world, and how many great enemies you have? Do you not confider what an eafie thing it is to procure three or foure false knaves to wit*nesse against you? Thinke you to have better lucke that waie than your master Christ had? I see by it you will run headlong to your undoing, if I would fuffer you. Your enemies shall not

VOL. VII.

X

fo

King. Ha! Canterbury?
Denny. Ay, my good lord.

King.

so prevaile against you; for I have otherwise devised with myselse to keep you out of their handes. Yet notwithstanding tomorrow when the counsaile shall fit, and send for you, resort unto them, and if in charging you with this matter, they do commit you to the Tower, require of them, because you are one of them, a counsailer, that you may have your accusers brought before them without any further indurance, and use for your felfe as good perfuafions that way as you may devise; and if no intreatie or reasonable request will serve, then deliver unto them this my ring (which then the king delivered unto the archbishop) and faie unto them, if there be no remedie my lords, but that I must needes go to the Tower, then I revoke my cause from you, and appeale to the kinges owne person by this token unto you all, for (faide the king then unto the archbishop) so soone as they fhall sce this my ryng, they knowe it so well, that they shall understande that I have referved the whole cause into mine owne handes and determination, and that I have discharged them thereof.

The archbishop perceiving the king's benignity so much to him wards, had much ado to forbeare teares. Well, faid the king, go your waies, my lord, and do as I have bidden you. My lord, humbling himselfe with thankes, tooke his leave of the kinges highnesse for that night.

On the morrow, about nine of the clocke before noone, the counfaile sent a gentleman usher for the archbishop, who, when hee came to the counfaile chamber doore could not be let in, but of purpose (as it seemed) was compelled there to waite among the pages, lackies, and serving men all alone. D. Buts the king's physition resorting that way, and espying how my lord of Canterbury was handled, went to the king's highnesse, and faid; My lord of Canterbury, if it please your grace, is well promoted; for now he is become a lackey or a ferving man, for yonder hee standeth this halfe hower at the counfaile chamber doore amongste them. It is not fo, (quoth the king) I trowe, nor the counsaile hath not so little difcretion as to use the metropolitane of the realme in that fort, specially being one of. their own number. But let them alone (said the king) and we shall heare more foone.

Anone the archbishop was called into the counfaile chamber, to whom was alleadged as before is rehearsed. The archbishop aunfwered in like fort as the king had advised him; and in the end when he perceived that no manner of perfuafion or intreatie could ferve, he delivered them the king's ring, revoking his cause into the king's hands. The whole counfaile being thereat somewhat

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