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
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.
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
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
despatch by day.
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.
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
Cry thee 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. Y'are a gentleman
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.
LOVELL. Now, sir, you speak of two
The most remark'd i' th' kingdom. As for Cromwell,
Beside that of the Jewel House, is made Master
O' th' Rolls, and the King's secretary; further, sir,
Stands in the gap and trade of moe preferments,
With which the time will load him. Th' Arch
bishopIs 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 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' th' 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
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
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 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.
SUFFOLK. Sir, I did never win of you before.
KING. But little, Charles;
Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.
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 desir'd your Highness
Most
heartily to pray for her.
KING. What say'st thou, ha?
To pray for her? What, is she crying out?
LOVELL. So said her woman; and that her suff'rance made
Almost each pang a death.
KING. Alas, good lady!
SUFFOLK. God
safely quit her of her burden, and
With gentle travail, to the gladding of
Your Highness with an heir!
KING. 'Tis
midnight, Charles;
Prithee to bed; and in thy pray'rs remember
Th'
estate of my poor queen. Leave me alone,
For I must think of that which company
Will not be friendly to.
SUFFOLK. I wish your Highness
A quiet night, and my good
mistress will
Remember in my prayers.
KING. Charles, good night. Exit SUFFOLK
Enter SIR ANTHONY DENNY
Well, sir, what follows?
DENNY. Sir, I have brought my lord the Arch
bishop,
As you commanded me.
KING. Ha! Canterbury?
DENNY. Ay, my good lord.
KING. 'Tis true. Where is he, Denny?
DENNY. He attends your Highness' pleasure.
KING. Bring him to us. Exit DENNY
LOVELL. [Aside] This is about that which the
bishop spake.
I am happily come hither.
Re-enter DENNY, With CRANMER
KING. 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.
KING. How now, my lord? You do desire to know
Wherefore I sent for you.
CRANMER. [Kneeling] It is my duty
T'attend your Highness' pleasure.
KING. 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, 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 consider'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 Tow'r. You a brother of us,
It fits we thus proceed, or else no
witnessWould come against you.
CRANMER. I
humbly thank your Highness
And am right glad to catch this good occasion
Most throughly to be winnowed where my chaff
And corn shall fly
asunder; for I know
There's none stands under more calumnious tongues
Than I myself, poor man.
KING. 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
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,
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.
KING. Know you not
How your state stands i' th' world, with the whole world?
Your enemies are many, and not small; their practices
Must bear the same
proportion; and not ever
The justice and the truth o' th' question carries
The due o' th'
verdict with it; at what ease
Might
corrupt minds
procure knaves as
corruptTo 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.
CRANMER. God and your Majesty
Protect mine
innocence, or I fall into
The trap is laid for me!
KING. 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
Th' 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 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.
Enter OLD LADY
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!
KING. 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
Both now and ever bless her! 'Tis a girl,