King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII

ACT V SCENE I	London. A gallery in the palace.
	Enter GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester, a Page with atorch before him, met by LOVELL
GARDINER	It's one o'clock, boy, is't not?
Boy	It hath struck.
GARDINER	These should be hours for necessities,
	Not for delights; times to repair our nature	5
	With comforting repose, and not for us
	To waste these times. Good hour of night, Sir Thomas!
	Whither so late?
LOVELL	Came you from the king, my lord
GARDINER	I did, Sir Thomas: and left him at primero	10
	With the Duke of Suffolk.
LOVELL	I must to him too,
	Before he go to bed. I'll take my leave.
GARDINER	Not yet, Sir Thomas Lovell. What's the matter?
	It seems you are in haste: an if there be	15
	No great offence belongs to't, give your friend
	Some touch of your late business: affairs, that walk,
	As they say spirits do, at midnight, have
	In them a wilder nature than the business
	That seeks dispatch by day.	20
LOVELL	My lord, I love you;
	And durst commend a secret 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.	25
GARDINER	The fruit she goes with
	I pray for heartily, that it may find
	Good time, and live: but for the stock, Sir Thomas,
	I wish it grubb'd up now.
LOVELL	Methinks I could	30
	Cry the amen; and yet my conscience says
	She's a good creature, and, sweet lady, does
	Deserve our better wishes.
GARDINER	But, sir, sir,
	Hear me, Sir Thomas: you're a gentleman	35
	Of mine own way; I know you wise, religious;
	And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well,
	'Twill not, Sir Thomas Lovell, take't of me,
	Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she,
	Sleep in their graves.	40
LOVELL	Now, sir, you speak of two
	The most remark'd i' the kingdom. As for Cromwell,
	Beside that of the jewel house, is made master
	O' the rolls, and the king's secretary; further, sir,
	Stands in the gap and trade of moe preferments,	45
	With which the time will load him. The archbishop
	Is the king's hand and tongue; and who dare speak
	One syllable against him?
GARDINER	Yes, yes, Sir Thomas,
	There are that dare; and I myself have ventured	50
	To speak my mind of him: and indeed this day,
	Sir, I may tell it you, I think I have
	Incensed the lords o' the council, that he is,
	For so I know he is, they know he is,
	A most arch heretic, a pestilence	55
	That does infect the land: with which they moved
	Have broken with the king; who hath so far
	Given ear to our complaint, of his great grace
	And princely care foreseeing those fell mischiefs
	Our reasons laid before him, hath commanded	60
	To-morrow morning to the council-board
	He be convented. He's a rank weed, Sir Thomas,
	And we must root him out. From your affairs
	I hinder you too long: good night, Sir Thomas.
LOVELL	Many good nights, my lord: I rest your servant.	65
	Exeunt GARDINER and Page
	Enter KING HENRY VIII and SUFFOLK
KING HENRY VIII	Charles, I will play no more tonight;
	My mind's not on't; you are too hard for me.
SUFFOLK	Sir, I did never win of you before.
KING HENRY VIII	But little, Charles;
	Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.	70
	Now, Lovell, from the queen what is the news?
LOVELL	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 great'st humbleness, and desired your highness	75
	Most heartily to pray for her.
KING HENRY VIII	What say'st thou, ha?
	To pray for her? what, is she crying out?
LOVELL	So said her woman; and that her sufferance made
	Almost each pang a death.	80
KING HENRY VIII	Alas, good lady!
SUFFOLK	God safely quit her of her burthen, and
	With gentle travail, to the gladding of
	Your highness with an heir!
KING HENRY VIII	'Tis midnight, Charles;	85
	Prithee, 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.
SUFFOLK	I wish your highness	90
	A quiet night; and my good mistress will
	Remember in my prayers.
KING HENRY VIII	Charles, good night.
	Exit SUFFOLK
	Enter DENNY
	Well, sir, what follows?
DENNY	Sir, I have brought my lord the archbishop,	95
	As you commanded me.
KING HENRY VIII	Ha! Canterbury?
DENNY	Ay, my good lord.
KING HENRY VIII	'Tis true: where is he, Denny?
DENNY	He attends your highness' pleasure.	100
	Exit DENNY
LOVELL	Aside
	I am happily come hither.
	Re-enter DENNY, with CRANMER
KING HENRY VIII	Avoid the gallery.
	LOVELL seems to stay
	Ha! I have said. Be gone. What!
	Exeunt LOVELL and DENNY
CRANMER	Aside
	I am fearful: wherefore frowns he thus?
	'Tis his aspect of terror. All's not well.	105
KING HENRY VIII	How now, my lord! you desire to know
	Wherefore I sent for you.
CRANMER	Kneeling
	To attend your highness' pleasure.
KING HENRY VIII	Pray you, arise,
	My good and gracious Lord of Canterbury.	110
	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 sorry to repeat what follows
	I have, and most unwillingly, of late	115
	Heard many grievous, I do say, my lord,
	Grievous complaints of you; which, being consider'd,
	Have moved us and our council, that you shall
	This morning come before us; where, I know,
	You cannot with such freedom purge yourself,	120
	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 of us,
	It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness	125
	Would come against you.
CRANMER	Kneeling
	I humbly thank your highness;
	And am right glad to catch this good occasion
	Most throughly to be winnow'd, where my chaff
	And corn shall fly asunder: for, I know,	130
	There's none stands under more calumnious tongues
	Than I myself, poor man.
KING HENRY VIII	Stand up, good Canterbury:
	Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted
	In us, thy friend: give me thy hand, stand up:	135
	Prithee, let's walk. Now, by my holidame.
	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,	140
	Without indurance, further.
CRANMER	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,	145
	Being of those virtues vacant. I fear nothing
	What can be said against me.
KING HENRY VIII	Know you not
	How your state stands i' the world, with the whole world?
	Your enemies are many, and not small; their practises	150
	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 swear against you? such things have been done.	155
	You are potently opposed; and with a malice
	Of as great size. Ween you of better luck,
	I mean, in perjured witness, than your master,
	Whose minister you are, whiles here he lived
	Upon this naughty earth? Go to, go to;	160
	You take a precipice for no leap of danger,
	And woo your own destruction.
CRANMER	God and your majesty
	Protect mine innocence, or I fall into
	The trap is laid for me!	165
KING HENRY VIII	Be of good cheer;
	They shall no more prevail than we give way to.
	Keep comfort to you; and this morning see
	You do appear before them: if they shall chance,
	In charging you with matters, to commit you,	170
	The best persuasions 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	175
	There make before them. Look, the good man weeps!
	He's honest, on mine honour. God's blest mother!
	I swear he is true--hearted; and a soul
	None better in my kingdom. Get you gone,
	And do as I have bid you.	180
	Exit CRANMER
	He has strangled
	His language in his tears.
	Enter Old Lady, LOVELL following
Gentleman	Within
Old 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	185
	Under their blessed wings!
KING HENRY VIII	Now, by thy looks
	I guess thy message. Is the queen deliver'd?
	Say, ay; and of a boy.
Old Lady	Ay, ay, my liege;	190
	And of a lovely boy: the God of heaven
	Both now and ever bless her! 'tis a girl,
	Promises boys hereafter. Sir, your queen
	Desires your visitation, and to be
	Acquainted with this stranger 'tis as like you	195
	As cherry is to cherry.
KING HENRY VIII	Lovell!
LOVELL	Sir?
KING HENRY VIII	Give her an hundred marks. I'll to the queen.
	Exit
Old Lady	An hundred marks! By this light, I'll ha' more.	200
	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.	205
	Exeunt