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King. 'Tis true: Where is he, Denny ?
Denny. He attends your highness' pleasure..
King. Bring him to us.

[Exit Denny.

Lov. This is about that which the bishop spake;

I am happily come hither.

Re-enter Denny, with Cranmer.

[Afide.

King. Avoid the gallery. (Lovel Seemeth to stay.

what amazed, the earle of Bedford with a loud voice confirming his words with a folemn othe, said; When you first began the matter, my lordes, I told you what would come of it. Do you thinke that the king would suffer this man's finger to ake? Much more (I warrant you) will hee defend his life against brabling varlets. You doe but cumber vourselves to hear tales and fables against him. And incontinently upon the receipt of the king's token, they all rofe, and carried to the king his ring, surrendring that matter as the order and use was, into his own hands.

When they were all come to the king's prefence, his highness, with a fevere countenance, said unto them; ah, my lordes, I thought I had had wiser men of my counsaile than now I find you. What difcretion was this in you thus to make the primate of the realme, and one of you in office, to waite at the counfaile chamber doore amongst serving men? You might have confidered that he was a counfailer as well as you, and you had no fuch commission of me so to handle him. I was content that you should trie him as a counfailer, and not as a meane subject. But now I well perceive that things be done against him maliciouslie, and if fome of you might have had your mindes, you would have tried him to the uttermoft. But I doe you all to wit, and proteft, that if a prince may bee beholding unto his fubject (and so folemnelie laying his hand upon his brest) said, by the faith I owe to God I take this man here my lord of Canterburie, to bee of all other a most faithfull fubject unto us, and one to whome we are much beholding, giving him great commendations otherwife. And, with that, one or two of the chiefeft of the counfaile, making their excuse, declared, that in requesting his induraunce, it was rather ment for his triall and his purgation against the common fame and flander of the worlde, then for any malice conceived against him. Well, well, my lords, (quoth the king) take him, and well use him, as hee is worthy to bee, and make no more adoe. And with that, every man caught him by the hand, and made faire weather of altogethers, which might eafilie be done with that man." STEEVENS.

X 2

Ha!

Ha!-I have said.-Be gone.
What!-

[Exeunt Lovel, and Denny.

Cran. I am fearful : - Wherefore frowns he thus? 'Tis his aspect of terror. All's not well.

King. How now, my lord? You do defire to know

Wherefore I fent for you.

Cran. It is my duty,

To attend your highness' pleasure.

King. Pray you, arife,

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,
And am right forry 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 confider'd,
Have mov'd us and our council, that you shall
This morning come before us; where, I know,
You cannot with fuch freedom purge yourself,
But that, 'till further trial, in those charges
Which will require your answer, you must take
Your patience to you, and be well contented
To make your house our Tower: 3 You a brother

:

of us,

It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness

Would come againft you.

Cran. I humbly thank your highness;

And am right glad to catch this good occasion
Most thoroughly to be winnow'd, where my chaff
And corn fhall fly asunder: for, I know,

There's none stands under more calumnious tongues,

3You a brother of us,] You being one of the council, it is necessary to imprison you, that the witnesses against you may not be deterred. JOHNSON.

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Than I myself, poor man 4.

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 some pains to bring together Yourself and your accusers; and to have heard you, Without indurance, further.

Cran. Most dread liege,

The good I stand on is my truth, and honesty;

If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies,
Will triumph o'er my person; which I weigh not,
Being of those virtues vacant. I fear nothing

What can be faid against me.

King. Know you not

How your state stands i' the world, with the whole

world?

Your enemies are many, and not small; their prac

tices

Must bear the same proportion: and not ever
The justice and the truth o' the question carries
The due o' the verdict with it: At what ease
Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt
To fwear against you? such things have been done.
You are potently oppos'd; and with a malice
Of as great fize. Ween you of better luck,
I mean, in perjur'd witness, than your master,
Whose minifter you are, whiles here he liv'd

+ Than I myself, poor man.] Poor man probably belongs to the king's reply. JOHNSON.

5 The good I stand on Though good may be taken for advantage or fuperiority, or any thing which may help or support, yet it would, I think, be more natural to say:.

The ground I stand on

JOHNSON.

6 Ween you of better luck,] To ween is to think, to imagine. Though now obfolete, the word was common to all our ancient writers. STEEVENS.

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

King. Be of good cheer;

They shall no more prevail, than we give way to.
Keep comfort to you; and this morning fee
You do appear before them: if they shall chance,
In charging you with matters, to commit you,
The best perfuafions to the contrary
Fail not to use, and with what vehemency
The occasion shall instruct you: if entreaties
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 blest mother!
I swear, he is true-hearted; and a foul
None better in my kingdom.-Get you gone,
And do as I have bid you. He has strangled
His language in his tears.

Enter an old Lady.

[Exit Cranmer.

Gen. [within.] Comeback; 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 shade thy person Under their blessed wings!

King. Now, by thy looks

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

Lady. Ay, ay, my liege;

And of a lovely boy: The God of heaven

Both now and ever bless her!'tis a girl,

bless her!] It is doubtful whether her is re.

ferred to the queen or the girl, JOHNSON.

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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. Lovel

8

Lov. Sir.

Enter Lovel.

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

queen.

Lady. An hundred marks! By this light, I'll have

more.

An ordinary groom is for fuch 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 ifsue.

SCENE II.

Before the Council-Chamber.

[Exeunt.

Cranmer, Servants, Door-keeper, &c. attending.

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

tleman,

That was fent to me from the council, pray'd me To make great haste, All fast? what means this?

Hoa!

Who waits there?-Sure, you know me?

D. Keep. Yes, my lord;

But yet I cannot help you.

Cran. Why?

D. Keep. Your grace must wait, 'till you be call'd

for.

• Lovel, Lovel has been just sent out of the prefence, and no notice is given of his return: I have placed it here at the inftant when the king calls for him. STEEVENS.

X

Enter

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