King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII

ACT V SCENE III	The Council-Chamber.
	Enter Chancellor; places himself at the upper endof the table on the left hand; a seat being leftvoid above him, as for CRANMER's seat. SUFFOLK,NORFOLK, SURREY, Chamberlain, GARDINER, seatthemselves in order on each side. CROMWELL atlower end, as secretar
Chancellor	Speak to the business, master-secretary:
	Why are we met in council?
CROMWELL	Please your honours,
	The chief cause concerns his grace of Canterbury.	5
GARDINER	Has he had knowledge of it?
CROMWELL	Yes.
NORFOLK	Who waits there?
Keeper	Without, my noble lords?
GARDINER	Yes.	10
Keeper	My lord archbishop;
	And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures.
Chancellor	Let him come in.
Keeper	Your grace may enter now.
	CRANMER enters and approaches the council-table
Chancellor	My good lord archbishop, I'm very sorry	15
	To sit here at this present, and behold
	That chair stand empty: but we all are men,
	In our own natures frail, and capable
	Of our flesh; few are angels: out of which frailty
	And want of wisdom, you, that best should teach us,	20
	Have misdemean'd yourself, and not a little,
	Toward the king first, then his laws, in filling
	The whole realm, by your teaching and your chaplains,
	For so we are inform'd, with new opinions,
	Divers and dangerous; which are heresies,	25
	And, not reform'd, may prove pernicious.
GARDINER	Which reformation must be sudden too,
	My noble lords; for those that tame wild horses
	Pace 'em not in their hands to make 'em gentle,
	But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur 'em,	30
	Till they obey the manage. If we suffer,
	Out of our easiness and childish pity
	To one man's honour, this contagious sickness,
	Farewell all physic: and what follows then?
	Commotions, uproars, with a general taint	35
	Of the whole state: as, of late days, our neighbours,
GARDINER	My lord, my lord, you are a sectary,
	That's the plain truth: your painted gloss discovers,
	To men that understand you, words and weakness.	80
CROMWELL	My Lord of Winchester, you are a little,
	By your good favour, too sharp; men so noble,
	However faulty, yet should find respect
	For what they have been: 'tis a cruelty
	To load a falling man.	85
GARDINER	Good master secretary,
	I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst
	Of all this table, say so.
CROMWELL	Why, my lord?
GARDINER	Do not I know you for a favourer	90
	Of this new sect? ye are not sound.
CROMWELL	Not sound?
GARDINER	Not sound, I say.
CROMWELL	Would you were half so honest!
	Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears.	95
GARDINER	I shall remember this bold language.
CROMWELL	Do.
	Remember your bold life too.
Chancellor	This is too much;
	Forbear, for shame, my lords.	100
GARDINER	I have done.
CROMWELL	And I.
Chancellor	Then thus for you, my lord: it stands agreed,
	I take it, by all voices, that forthwith
	You be convey'd to the Tower a prisoner;	105
	There to remain till the king's further pleasure
	Be known unto us: are you all agreed, lords?
All	We are.
CRANMER	Is there no other way of mercy,
	But I must needs to the Tower, my lords?	110
GARDINER	What other
	Would you expect? you are strangely troublesome.
	Let some o' the guard be ready there.
	Enter Guard
CRANMER	For me?
	Must I go like a traitor thither?	115
GARDINER	Receive him,
	And see him safe i' the Tower.
CRANMER	Stay, good my lords,
	I have a little yet to say. Look there, my lords;
	By virtue of that ring, I take my cause	120
	Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it
	To a most noble judge, the king my master.
Chamberlain	This is the king's ring.
SURREY	'Tis no counterfeit.
SUFFOLK	'Tis the right ring, by heaven: I told ye all,	125
	When ye first put this dangerous stone a-rolling,
	'Twould fall upon ourselves.
NORFOLK	Do you think, my lords,
	The king will suffer but the little finger
	Of this man to be vex'd?	130
Chancellor	'Tis now too certain:
	How much more is his life in value with him?
	Would I were fairly out on't!
CROMWELL	My mind gave me,
	In seeking tales and informations	135
	Against this man, whose honesty the devil
	And his disciples only envy at,
	Ye blew the fire that burns ye: now have at ye!
	Enter KING, frowning on them; takes his seat
GARDINER	Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to heaven
	In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince;	140
	Not only good and wise, but most religious:
	One that, in all obedience, makes the church
	The chief aim of his honour; and, to strengthen
	That holy duty, out of dear respect,
	His royal self in judgment comes to hear	145
	The cause betwixt her and this great offender.
KING HENRY VIII	You were ever good at sudden commendations,
	Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not
	To hear such flattery now, and in my presence;
	They are too thin and bare to hide offences.	150
	To me you cannot reach, you play the spaniel,
	And think with wagging of your tongue to win me;
	But, whatsoe'er thou takest me for, I'm sure
	Thou hast a cruel nature and a bloody.
	To CRANMER
	Good man, sit down. Now let me see the proudest	155
	He, that dares most, but wag his finger at thee:
	By all that's holy, he had better starve
	Than but once think this place becomes thee not.
SURREY	May it please your grace,--
KING HENRY VIII	No, sir, it does not please me.	160
	I had thought I had had men of some understanding
	And wisdom of my council; but I find none.
	Was it discretion, lords, to let this man,
	This good man,--few of you deserve that title,--
	This honest man, wait like a lousy footboy	165
	At chamber--door? and one as great as you are?
	Why, what a shame was this! Did my commission
	Bid ye so far forget yourselves? I gave ye
	Power as he was a counsellor to try him,
	Not as a groom: there's some of ye, I see,	170
	More out of malice than integrity,
	Would try him to the utmost, had ye mean;
	Which ye shall never have while I live.
Chancellor	Thus far,
	My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace	175
	To let my tongue excuse all. What was purposed
	Concerning his imprisonment, was rather,
	If there be faith in men, meant for his trial,
	And fair purgation to the world, than malice,
	I'm sure, in me.	180
KING HENRY VIII	Well, well, my lords, respect him;
	Take him, and use him well, he's worthy of it.
	I will say thus much for him, if a prince
	May be beholding to a subject, I
	Am, for his love and service, so to him.	185
	Make me no more ado, but all embrace him:
	Be friends, for shame, my lords! My Lord of
	Canterbury,
	I have a suit which you must not deny me;
	That is, a fair young maid that yet wants baptism,	190
	You must be godfather, and answer for her.
CRANMER	The greatest monarch now alive may glory
	In such an honour: how may I deserve it
	That am a poor and humble subject to you?
KING HENRY VIII	Come, come, my lord, you'ld spare your spoons: you	195
	shall have two noble partners with you; the old
	Duchess of Norfolk, and Lady Marquess Dorset: will
	these please you?
	Once more, my Lord of Winchester, I charge you,
	Embrace and love this man.	200
GARDINER	With a true heart
	And brother-love I do it.
CRANMER	And let heaven
	Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation.
KING HENRY VIII	Good man, those joyful tears show thy true heart:	205
	The common voice, I see, is verified
	Of thee, which says thus, 'Do my Lord of Canterbury
	A shrewd turn, and he is your friend for ever.'
	Come, lords, we trifle time away; I long
	To have this young one made a Christian.	210
	As I have made ye one, lords, one remain;
	So I grow stronger, you more honour gain.
	Exeunt
	The upper Germany, can dearly witness,
	Yet freshly pitied in our memories.
CRANMER	My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress
	Both of my life and office, I have labour'd,	40
	And with no little study, that my teaching
	And the strong course of my authority
	Might go one way, and safely; and the end
	Was ever, to do well: nor is there living,
	I speak it with a single heart, my lords,	45
	A man that more detests, more stirs against,
	Both in his private conscience and his place,
	Defacers of a public peace, than I do.
	Pray heaven, the king may never find a heart
	With less allegiance in it! Men that make	50
	Envy and crooked malice nourishment
	Dare bite the best. I do beseech your lordships,
	That, in this case of justice, my accusers,
	Be what they will, may stand forth face to face,
	And freely urge against me.	55
SUFFOLK	Nay, my lord,
	That cannot be: you are a counsellor,
	And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you.
GARDINER	My lord, because we have business of more moment,
	We will be short with you. 'Tis his highness' pleasure,	60
	And our consent, for better trial of you,
	From hence you be committed to the Tower;
	Where, being but a private man again,
	You shall know many dare accuse you boldly,
	More than, I fear, you are provided for.	65
CRANMER	Ah, my good Lord of Winchester, I thank you;
	You are always my good friend; if your will pass,
	I shall both find your lordship judge and juror,
	You are so merciful: I see your end;
	'Tis my undoing: love and meekness, lord,	70
	Become a churchman better than ambition:
	Win straying souls 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 conscience	75
	In doing daily wrongs. I could say more,
	But reverence to your calling makes me modest.