Cap.

Noble lady,

First, mine own service to your grace; the next,
The king's request that I would visit you;
Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me
Sends you his princely commendations,
And heartily entreats you take good comfort.

Kath. O my good lord, that comfort comes too late;

'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.
How does his highness?
Cap.
Madam, in good health.
Kath. So may he ever do! and ever flourish,
When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name
Banish'd the kingdom! Patience, is that letter,
I caus'd you write, yet sent away?

Pat.

No, madam. Giving to KATHARINE. Kath. Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver This to my lord the king. Cap. Most willing, madam. Kath. In which I have commended to his goodness The model of our chaste loves, his young daughter :The dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her!Beseeching him, to give her virtuous breeding; (She is young, and of a noble modest nature; I hope, she will deserve well;) and a little

To love her for her mother's sake, that lov'd him,

Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition
Is, that his noble grace would have some pity
Upon my wretched women, that so long,
Have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully:
Of which there is not one, I dare avow,
(And now I should not lie,) but will deserve,
For virtue, and true beauty of the soul,
For honesty, and decent carriage,

A right good husband, let him be a noble ;
And, sure, those men are happy that shall have them,
The last is, for my men ;- - they are the poorest,
But poverty could never draw them from me;—
That they may have their wages duly paid them,
And something over to remember me by;

If heaven had pleas'd to have given me longer life.
And able means, we had not parted thus.
These are the whole contents: And, good my lord,
By that you love the dearest in this world,
As you wish christian peace to souls departed,
Stand these poor people's friend, and urge the king
To do me this last right.

The most remark'd i' the kingdom. As for Crom-
well,
Beside that of the jewel-house, he's made master
O' the rolls, and the king's secretary; further, sir,
Stands in the gap and trade of more preferments,
With which the time will load him: The archbishop
Is the king's hand, and tongue; And who dare speak
One syllable against him?

Gar.
Yes, yes, sir Thomas,
There are that dare; and I myself have ventur'd
To speak my mind of him: and, indeed, this day,
Sir, (I may tell it you,) I think, I have
Incens'd the lords o'the council, that he is
(For so I know he is, they know he is,)
A most arch heretick, a pestilence

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,) he hath commanded,
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.
Lov. Many good nights, my lord; I rest your
servant. [Exeunt GARDINER and Page.

As LOVELL is going out, enter the ING, and the
DUKE OF SUFFOLK.

K. Hen. 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.
K. Hen. But little Charles;

Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.
Now, Lovell, from the queen what is the news?
Lov. 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 greatest humbleness, and desir'd your highness
Most heartily to pray for her.

K. Hen.
What say'st thou? ha!
To pray for her? what, is she crying out?
Lov. So said her woman; and that her suffer-
ance made

Almost each pang a death.

K. Hen.

Alas, good lady!

It is my duty,

To attend your highness' pleasure.
K. Hen.

'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,
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 con-
sider'd,

Have mov'd us and our council, that you shall
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
To make your house our Tower: You a brot
of us,

It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness
Would come against you.

Cran.

I humbly thank your highness; And am right glad to catch this good occasion Most throughly to be winnow'd, where my chafl' And corn shall fly asunder: for, I know, There's none stands under more calumnious tongues, Than I myself, poor man.

K. Hen.

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. 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

Cran.

What can be said against me.

As you commanded me.

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 oppos'd; and with a malice

Of as great size. Ween you of better luck,
I mean, in perjur'd witness, than your master,
Whose minister you are, whiles here he liv'd

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!

K. Hen.

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,
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

There make before them. — Look, the good man weeps!

He's honest, on mine honour. God's blest mother!
I swear, he's true-hearted; and a soul
None better in my kingdom..

Get you gone,

And do as I have bid you. -[Erit CRANMER.] He has strangled

His language in his tears.

Enter an old Lady.

Cran. [Aside.]

'Tis Butts,

So.

[Exit BUTTS.

The king's physician; as he past along, How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me! Pray heaven, he sound not my disgrace! For certain, This is of purpose lay'd, by some that hate me. (God turn their hearts! I never sought their malice,) To quench mine honour: they would shame to make me

Wait else at door; a fellow counsellor, Among boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures

Must be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience.

Enter, at a window above, the KING and BUTTS. Butts. I'll show your grace the strangest sight,What's that, Butts? Butts. I think your highness saw this many a

K. Hen.

day.

K. Hen. Body o'me, where is it? Butts.

There, my lord:

The high promotion of his grace of Canterbury; Who holds his state at door, 'mongst pursuivants, Pages and footboys.

K. Hen.

Ha! 'Tis he, indeed :
Is this the honour they do one another?
'Tis well there's one above them yet. I had thought,
They had parted so much honesty among them,
(At least, good manners,) as not thus to suffer
A man of his place, and so near our favour,
To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasures,
And at the door too, like a post with packets.
By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery :

Let them alone, and draw the curtain close;
We shall bear more anon. -

THE COUNCIL-CHAMBER.

[Exeunt.

Enter the Lord Chancellor, the DUKE OF SUFFOLK, EARL OF SURREY, Lord Chamberlain, GARDINER, and CROMWELL. The Chancellor places himself at the upper end of the table on the left hand; a seat being left void above BISHOP OF CANTERBURY. in order on each side. end, as secretary.

him, as for the ARCHThe rest seat themselves CROMWELL at the lower

Chan. Speak to the business, master secretary : Why are we met in council?

Crom.

The chief cause concerns his grace of Canterbury.
Gar. Has he had knowledge of it?
Crom.

Nor.

Please your honours,

Yes. Who waits there?

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,
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 chap-
lains,

(For so we are inform'd,) with new opinions,
Divers and dangerous; which are heresies,
And, not reform'd, may prove pernicious.

Gar. Which reformation must be sudden too, My noble lords: for those that tame wild horses, Pace them not in their hands to make them gentle; But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur them,

If we suffer

Till they obey the manage.
(Out of our easiness, and childish pity
To one man's honour) this contagious sickness,
Farewell, all physick; And what follows then?
Commotions, uproars, with a general taint

Of the whole state: as, of late days, our neighbours,
The upper Germany, can dearly witness,
Yet freshly pitied in our memories.

Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress
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,
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,)
A man that more detests, more stirs against,
Both in his private conscience, and his place,
Defacers of a publick peace, than I do.
'Pray heaven, the king may never find a heart
With less allegiance in it! Men, that make
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.
Suf.
Nay, my lord,
That cannot be; you are a counsellor,
And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you.

Gar. My lord, because we have business of more
moment,

We will be short with you. 'Tis his highness' pleasure,

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.

Cran. 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,
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,
In doing daily wrongs.
I could say more,
But reverence to your calling makes me modest.
Gar. 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.

Crom. My lord of Winchester, you are a little, By your good favour, too sharp; men so noble,

Crom.

My mind gave me,

In seeking tales, and informations,
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. Gar. Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to heaven

In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince;
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,
The cause betwixt her and this great offender.