| ACT V SCENE I | London. A gallery in the palace. |
| [
Enter GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester, a Page with a
torch 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 |
| With comforting repose, and not for us | 5 |
| 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 |
| With the Duke of Suffolk. | 10 |
| 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 |
| No great offence belongs to't, give your friend | 15 |
| 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. |
| LOVELL | My lord, I love you; | 20 |
| 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. |
| GARDINER | The fruit she goes with | 25 |
| 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 |
| Cry the amen; and yet my conscience says | 30 |
| 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 |
| Of mine own way; I know you wise, religious; | 35 |
| 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. |
| LOVELL | Now, sir, you speak of two | 40 |
| 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, |
| With which the time will load him. The archbishop | 45 |
| 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 |
| To speak my mind of him: and indeed this day, | 50 |
| 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 |
| That does infect the land: with which they moved | 55 |
| 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 |
| To-morrow morning to the council-board | 60 |
| 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. |
| [Exeunt GARDINER and Page] |
| [Enter KING HENRY VIII and SUFFOLK] |
| KING HENRY VIII | Charles, I will play no more tonight; | 65 |
| 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. |
| Now, Lovell, from the queen what is the news? | 70 |
| 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 |
| Most heartily to pray for her. | 75 |
| 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. |
| KING HENRY VIII | Alas, good lady! | 80 |
| 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; |
| Prithee, to bed; and in thy prayers remember | 85 |
| 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 |
| A quiet night; and my good mistress will | 90 |
| 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, |
| As you commanded me. | 95 |
| 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. |
| [Exit DENNY] |
| LOVELL | [Aside] This is about that which the bishop spake:
| 100 |
| 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? | 105 |
| 'Tis his aspect of terror. All's not well. |
| KING HENRY VIII | How now, my lord! you desire to know |
| Wherefore I sent for you. |
| CRANMER | [Kneeling] It is my duty
|
| To attend your highness' pleasure. | 110 |
| KING HENRY VIII | Pray you, arise, |
| 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, | 115 |
| And am right sorry 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 consider'd, |
| Have moved us and our council, that you shall | 120 |
| This morning come before us; where, I know, |
| You cannot with such 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 | 125 |
| To make your house our Tower: you a brother of us, |
| It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness |
| Would come against you. |
| CRANMER | [Kneeling] |
| I humbly thank your highness; | 130 |
| 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, |
| There's none stands under more calumnious tongues |
| Than I myself, poor man. | 135 |
| KING HENRY VIII | Stand up, good Canterbury: |
| Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted |
| In us, thy friend: give me thy hand, stand up: |
| Prithee, let's walk. Now, by my holidame. |
| What manner of man are you? My lord, I look'd | 140 |
| 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. |
| CRANMER | Most dread liege, | 145 |
| 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 said against me. | 150 |
| 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 |
| Must bear the same proportion; and not ever |
| The justice and the truth o' the question carries | 155 |
| 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. |
| You are potently opposed; and with a malice |
| Of as great size. Ween you of better luck, | 160 |
| I mean, in perjured witness, than your master, |
| Whose minister you are, whiles here he lived |
| Upon this naughty earth? Go to, go to; |
| You take a precipice for no leap of danger, |
| And woo your own destruction. | 165 |
| CRANMER | God and your majesty |
| Protect mine innocence, or I fall into |
| The trap is laid for me! |
| KING HENRY VIII | Be of good cheer; |
| They shall no more prevail than we give way to. | 170 |
| 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, |
| The best persuasions to the contrary |
| Fail not to use, and with what vehemency | 175 |
| 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 honest, on mine honour. God's blest mother! | 180 |
| I swear he is true--hearted; and a soul |
| None better in my kingdom. Get you gone, |
| And do as I have bid you. |
[Exit CRANMER] |
| He has strangled |
| His language in his tears. | 185 |
| [Enter Old Lady, LOVELL following] |
| Gentleman | [Within] Come back: what mean you?
|
| 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 |
| Under their blessed wings! | 190 |
| 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; |
| And of a lovely boy: the God of heaven | 195 |
| 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 |
| As cherry is to cherry. | 200 |
| 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. |
| An ordinary groom is for such payment. | 205 |
| 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. |
| [Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)