Lofty and four, to them that lov'd him not; And though he were unsatisfy'd in getting, (Which was a fin) yet in hestowing, madam, 10 And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye ? Kath. It is not you I call for: Saw you none enter, fince I lept? Grif. None, madam. Kath. No? Saw you not, even now, a blessed troop But, to those men that fought him, sweet as fummer. 15 Invite me to a banquet; whose bright faces Caft thousand beams upon me, like the fun ? They promis'd me eternal happiness; And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel I am not worthy yet to wear: I shall, [dreams He was most princely: Ever witness for him Those twins of learning, that he rais'd in you, Unwilling to out-live the good he did it; The other, though unfinish'd, yet so famous, Than man could give him, he dy'd fearing God. 25 Grif. I am most joyful, madam, fuch good Poffefs your fancy. Kath. Bid the mufick leave, They are harsh and heavy to me. Pat. Do you note, [Musick ceases. How much her grace is alter'd on the sudden ? How long her face is drawn? How pale the looks, And of an earthy cold? Mark her eyes. Grif. She is going, wench; pray, pray. Kath. After my death I wish no other herald, 30 Par. Heaven comfort her! No other speaker of my living actions, To keep mine honour from corruption, Whom I most hated living, thou haft made me, On that celestial harmony I go to. Sad and folemn musick. Grif. She is afleep: Good wench, let's fit down Enter a Meffenger. Mef. An't like your grace,- 35 Grif. You are to blame, Mef. I humbly do entreat your highness' pardon; 140 A gentleman, fent from the king, to see you. Re-enter Griffith, with Capucius. For fear we wake her:-Softly, gentle Patience. 45 If my fight fail not, You should be lord ambassador from the emperor quiet, The vifion. Enter, folemnly tripping one after an ether, fix perfonages, clad in white robes, quear ing on their beads garlands of bays, and golden wizards on their faces; branches of bays, 01 My royal nephew, and your name Capucius. palm, in their hands. They first congee unto ber, 50 The times, and titles, now are alter'd strangely the ather next two, who coserve the fame order in 55 The king's request that I would vifit you; their changes, and bolding the garland over ber First, mine own service to your grace; the next, Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me to the last two, tubo likewise observe the fame order: And heartily entreats you take good comfort. A criminal connection with women was anciently call'd the vice of the body. So, in Holinfhd, "he labour'd by all means to cleare mistreffe Sanders of committing evill of ber bodie with P. 1258, him." 2 Dr. Percy remarks, that a paffage " this reflection bears a great resemblance to in Sir Tho mas More's Hiftory of Richard III. where, speaking of the ungrateful turns which Jane Shore expe "Men ufe, if they have an rienced from those whom the had ferved in her profperity; More adds, Kath. Kath. O my good lord, that comfort comes too late; How does his highness ? Cap. Madam, in good health. 'Tis like a pardon after execution: That gentle physick, given in time, had cur'd me; But now I am past all comforts here, but prayers. 5 But poverty could never draw 'em from me; Kuth. So may he ever do: and ever flourish, When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name For honesty, and decent carriage, Banish'd the kingdom! -Patience, is that letter, That they may have their wages duly paid 'em, 15 Cap. By heaven, I will; [me Or let me lose the fashion of a man! In all humility unto his highness: 20 Out of this world: tell him, in death I blest him, 25 Let me be us'd with honour; strew me over With maiden flowers, that all the world may know I was a chafte wife to my grave: embalm me, Then lay me forth: although unqueen'd, yet like 30 A queen, and daughter to a king, interr me. I can no more.[Exeunt, leading Katharine. Gard. These should be hours for neceffities, Not for delights; times to repair our nature With comforting repose, and not for us [Thomas! V. Some touch of your late business: Affairs, that walk (As, they say, fpirits do) at midnight, have Lov. My lord, I love you; 45 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. To waste these times. Good hour of night, fir 50 Gard. The fruit she goes with, Hear me, Sir Thomas: You are a gentleman 160 Of mine own way2; I know you wife, religious; Primero and primavista, two games at cards, that is, first, and first seen: because he that can thew fuch an order of cards first, wins the game. 2 i. e. of mine own opinion in religion. And, And princely care; foreseeing those fell mischiefs Come, you and I must walk a turn together; To-morrow morning to the council-board [mas, Our reasons laid before him) he hath commanded, 25 I have news to tell you: Come, come, give me He be convented 3. He's a rank weed, Sir ThoAnd we must root him out. From your affairs I hinder you too long: good night, Sir Thomas. 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 Grievous complaints of you; which, being con. fider'd, Lov. Many good nights, my lord; I rest your 30 Heard many grievous, I do say, my lord, servant. [Exeunt Gardiner and Page. 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 perfonally deliver to her What you commanded me, but by her woman I fent your message; who return'd her thanks In the greatest humbleness, and defired your highMost heartily to pray for her. King. What say'st thou? ha! [nefs To pray for her? what, is the crying out? [made Lov. So faid her woman; and that her fufferance Almost each pang a death. Have mov'd us and our council, that you shall This morning come before us; where, I know, 35 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: You a brother 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 Yourself and your accufers; and to have heard you Without indurance, further. Pr'ythee, to bed; and in thy prayers remember The eftate of my poor queen. Leave me alone; 55 I should have ta'en some pains to bring together Cran. Moft dread liege, The good I stand on is my truth and honesty; 160 If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies, i.e. the practised method, the general course. minds to the king. 3 i. e. fummon'd, conven'd. Will triumph o'er my person! which I weigh not, 2 i. e. they have broken filence, and told their 4 i. e. you being one of the council. 1 Being of those virtues vacant. I fear nothing King. Know you not [world? An ordinary groom is for fuch payment. [Exeust. How your state stands i' the world, with the whole Your enemies are many, and not small; their 5 While it is hot, I'll put it to the issue. practices Muft bear the same proportion: and not ever Cran. God, and your majesty, King. Be of good cheer; 10 15 20 They shall no more prevail, than we give way to. Fail not to use, and with what vehemency There make before them. Look, the good man weeps! He's honest, on mine honour. God's blest mother! His language in his tears. Enter an Old Lady. [Exit Cranmer. Cran. [Afide.] 'Tis Butts, The king's physician; As he past along, How earnestly he caft his eyes upon me! 30 Pray heaven he found not my disgrace! For certain, This is of purpose lay'd, by fome that hate me, (God turn their hearts! I never fought their malice) To quench mine honour: they would shame to 35 Gen. [within.] Come back; what mean you? 40 bring Will make my boldness manners. Now, good King. Now, by thy looks I guess thy message. Is the queen deliver'd? Lady. Ay, ay, my liege; And of a lovely boy: The God of heaven Acquainted with this stranger; 'tis as like you, King. Lovel, 45 make me Wait elfe at door; a fellow counsellor, Enter the King, and Butts, at a window above. Butts. I think, your highness saw this many a day. Butts. There, my lord: The high promotion of his grace of Canterbury; King. Ha! 'Tis he, indeed: Is this the honour they do one another? 50 They had parted so much honesty among 'em, 55 By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery : Let 'em alone, and draw the curtain close: Enter the Lord Chancellor, places bimself at the upper end of the table on the left band; a feat being [Exit King. 60 left void above bim, as for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Duke of Suffolk, Duke of Norfolk, Surrey, Lord Chamberlain, and Gardiner, feat them Jelves in order on each fide, Cromwell at the lower and, as Secretary. 1 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. Gard. Has he had knowledge of it? Crom. Yes. Nor. Who waits there? D. Keep. Without, my noble lords? D. Keep. My lord archbishop; And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures. D. Keep. Your grace may enter now. And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you. moment, We will be short with you. 'Tis his highness 10 'Tis my undoing: Love, and meekness, lord, 15 Become a churchman better than ambition; Win straying fouls with modesty again, Cast none away. That I shall clear myself, Lay all the weight ye can upon my patience, I make as little doubt, as you do confcience. 20 In doing daily wrongs. I could fay more, But reverence to your calling makes me modeft. Gard. My lord, my lord, you are a sectary, That's the plain truth; your painted glofs discovers, To men that understand you, words and weakness. [Cranmer approaches the council table. Gard. Which reformation must be sudden too, Crom. My lord of Winchester, you are a little, My noble lords: for those, that tame wild horses, 30 Gard. Good master Secretary, Pace 'em not in their hands to make 'em gentle; But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur 'Till they obey the manage. If we suffer ['em, (Out of our eafiness, and childish pity I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst Toone man's honour) this contagious fickness, 35 Of this new fect? ye are not found. Farewel all phyfic: And what follows then? Commotions, uproars, with a general taint Of the whole state: as, of late days, our neighbours, Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress The upper Germany, can dearly witness. Yet freshly pitied in our memories. Both of my life and office, I have labour'd, And with no little study, that my teaching, And the strong course of my authority, And freely urge against me. Suf. Nay, my lord, That cannot be; you are a counsellor, Crom. Not found? This lord chancellor, though a character, has hitherto had no place in the Dramatis Personce. In the laft scene of the fourth act, we heard that Sir Thomas More was appointed lord chancellor: but it is not he, whom the poet here introduces. Wolfey, by command, delivered up the seals on the 18th of November, 1529; on the 25th of the same month, they were delivered to Sir Thomas More, who furrender'd them on the 16th of May, 1532. Now the conclufion of this scene taking notice of queen Elizabeth's birth (which brings it down to the year 1534), Sir Thomas Audlie must neceffarily be our poet's chancellor; who fucceeded Sir Thomas More, and held the feals many years. 2 Meaning, perhaps, Fow are perfekt, while they remain in their mortal capacity. 3 i. e, your fair outside. |