King Henry The Eighth

1 Enter Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, a Page with a torch before him,
2 met by Sir Thomas Lovell.
3 GARDINER.
4 It’s one o’clock, boy, is’t not?
5 PAGE.
6 It hath struck.
7 GARDINER.
8 These should be hours for necessities,
9 Not for delights; times to repair our nature
10 With comforting repose, and not for us
11 To waste these times. Good hour of night, Sir Thomas!
12 Whither so late?
13 LOVELL.
14 Came you from the King, my lord?
15 GARDINER.
16 I did, Sir Thomas, and left him at primero
17 With the Duke of Suffolk.
18 LOVELL.
19 I must to him too,
20 Before he go to bed. I’ll take my leave.
21 GARDINER.
22 Not yet, Sir Thomas Lovell. What’s the matter?
23 It seems you are in haste. An if there be
24 No great offence belongs to’t, give your friend
25 Some touch of your late business. Affairs that walk,
26 As they say spirits do, at midnight have
27 In them a wilder nature than the business
28 That seeks despatch by day.
29 LOVELL.
30 My lord, I love you,
31 And durst commend a secret to your ear
32 Much weightier than this work. The Queen’s in labour—
33 They say in great extremity, and feared
34 She’ll with the labour end.
35 GARDINER.
36 The fruit she goes with
37 I pray for heartily, that it may find
38 Good time, and live; but for the stock, Sir Thomas,
39 I wish it grubbed up now.
40 LOVELL.
41 Methinks I could
42 Cry the amen, and yet my conscience says
43 She’s a good creature and, sweet lady, does
44 Deserve our better wishes.
45 GARDINER.
46 But, sir, sir,
47 Hear me, Sir Thomas. You’re a gentleman
48 Of mine own way. I know you wise, religious;
49 And let me tell you, it will ne’er be well,
50 ’Twill not, Sir Thomas Lovell, take’t of me,
51 Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she
52 Sleep in their graves.
53 LOVELL.
54 Now, sir, you speak of two
55 The most remarked i’ th’ kingdom. As for Cromwell,
56 Beside that of the Jewel House, is made Master
57 O’ th’ Rolls, and the King’s secretary; further, sir,
58 Stands in the gap and trade of more preferments,
59 With which the time will load him. Th’ Archbishop
60 Is the King’s hand and tongue, and who dare speak
61 One syllable against him?
62 GARDINER.
63 Yes, yes, Sir Thomas,
64 There are that dare, and I myself have ventured
65 To speak my mind of him. And indeed this day,
66 Sir—I may tell it you, I think—I have
67 Incensed the lords o’ th’ Council, that he is—
68 For so I know he is, they know he is—
69 A most arch heretic, a pestilence
70 That does infect the land; with which they, moved,
71 Have broken with the King, who hath so far
72 Given ear to our complaint, of his great grace
73 And princely care foreseeing those fell mischiefs
74 Our reasons laid before him, hath commanded
75 Tomorrow morning to the Council board
76 He be convented. He’s a rank weed, Sir Thomas,
77 And we must root him out. From your affairs
78 I hinder you too long. Good night, Sir Thomas.
79 LOVELL.
80 Many good nights, my lord. I rest your servant.
81 [_Exeunt Gardiner and Page._]
82 Enter King and Suffolk.
83 KING.
84 Charles, I will play no more tonight.
85 My mind’s not on’t; you are too hard for me.
86 SUFFOLK.
87 Sir, I did never win of you before.
88 KING.
89 But little, Charles,
90 Nor shall not, when my fancy’s on my play.
91 Now, Lovell, from the Queen what is the news?
92 LOVELL.
93 I could not personally deliver to her
94 What you commanded me, but by her woman
95 I sent your message, who returned her thanks
96 In the great’st humbleness, and desired your Highness
97 Most heartily to pray for her.
98 KING.
99 What sayst thou, ha?
100 To pray for her? What, is she crying out?
101 LOVELL.
102 So said her woman, and that her suff’rance made
103 Almost each pang a death.
104 KING.
105 Alas, good lady!
106 SUFFOLK.
107 God safely quit her of her burden, and
108 With gentle travail, to the gladding of
109 Your Highness with an heir!
110 KING.
111 ’Tis midnight, Charles.
112 Prithee, to bed, and in thy prayers remember
113 Th’ estate of my poor Queen. Leave me alone,
114 For I must think of that which company
115 Will not be friendly to.
116 SUFFOLK.
117 I wish your Highness
118 A quiet night, and my good mistress will
119 Remember in my prayers.
120 KING.
121 Charles, good night.
122 [_Exit Suffolk._]
123 Enter Sir Anthony Denny.
124 Well, sir, what follows?
125 DENNY.
126 Sir, I have brought my lord the Archbishop,
127 As you commanded me.
128 KING.
129 Ha! Canterbury?
130 DENNY.
131 Ay, my good lord.
132 KING.
133 ’Tis true. Where is he, Denny?
134 DENNY.
135 He attends your Highness’ pleasure.
136 KING.
137 Bring him to us.
138 [_Exit Denny._]
139 LOVELL.
140 [_Aside_.] This is about that which the Bishop spake.
141 I am happily come hither.
142 Enter Cranmer and Denny.
143 KING.
144 Avoid the gallery. [_Lovell seems to stay_.]
145 Ha! I have said. Be gone.
146 What!
147 [_Exeunt Lovell and Denny._]
148 CRANMER.
149 [_Aside_.] I am fearful. Wherefore frowns he thus?
150 ’Tis his aspect of terror. All’s not well.
151 KING.
152 How now, my lord? You do desire to know
153 Wherefore I sent for you.
154 CRANMER.
155 [_Kneeling_.] It is my duty
156 T’ attend your Highness’ pleasure.
157 KING.
158 Pray you, arise,
159 My good and gracious Lord of Canterbury.
160 Come, you and I must walk a turn together.
161 I have news to tell you. Come, come, give me your hand.
162 Ah, my good lord, I grieve at what I speak,
163 And am right sorry to repeat what follows.
164 I have, and most unwillingly, of late
165 Heard many grievous—I do say, my lord,
166 Grievous—complaints of you, which, being considered,
167 Have moved us and our Council that you shall
168 This morning come before us, where I know,
169 You cannot with such freedom purge yourself
170 But that, till further trial in those charges
171 Which will require your answer, you must take
172 Your patience to you and be well contented
173 To make your house our Tower. You a brother of us,
174 It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness
175 Would come against you.
176 CRANMER.
177 [_Kneeling_.] I humbly thank your Highness,
178 And am right glad to catch this good occasion
179 Most throughly to be winnowed, where my chaff
180 And corn shall fly asunder. For I know
181 There’s none stands under more calumnious tongues
182 Than I myself, poor man.
183 KING.
184 Stand up, good Canterbury!
185 Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted
186 In us, thy friend. Give me thy hand. Stand up.
187 Prithee, let’s walk. Now, by my halidom,
188 What manner of man are you? My lord, I looked
189 You would have given me your petition that
190 I should have ta’en some pains to bring together
191 Yourself and your accusers and to have heard you
192 Without endurance, further.
193 CRANMER.
194 Most dread liege,
195 The good I stand on is my truth and honesty.
196 If they shall fail, I with mine enemies
197 Will triumph o’er my person, which I weigh not,
198 Being of those virtues vacant. I fear nothing
199 What can be said against me.
200 KING.
201 Know you not
202 How your state stands i’ th’ world, with the whole world?
203 Your enemies are many, and not small; their practices
204 Must bear the same proportion, and not ever
205 The justice and the truth o’ th’ question carries
206 The due o’ th’ verdict with it. At what ease
207 Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt
208 To swear against you? Such things have been done.
209 You are potently opposed, and with a malice
210 Of as great size. Ween you of better luck,
211 I mean in perjured witness, than your master,
212 Whose minister you are, whiles here he lived
213 Upon this naughty earth? Go to, go to.
214 You take a precipice for no leap of danger,
215 And woo your own destruction.
216 CRANMER.
217 God and your Majesty
218 Protect mine innocence, or I fall into
219 The trap is laid for me.
220 KING.
221 Be of good cheer.
222 They shall no more prevail than we give way to.
223 Keep comfort to you, and this morning see
224 You do appear before them. If they shall chance,
225 In charging you with matters, to commit you,
226 The best persuasions to the contrary
227 Fail not to use, and with what vehemency
228 Th’ occasion shall instruct you. If entreaties
229 Will render you no remedy, this ring
230 Deliver them, and your appeal to us
231 There make before them. Look, the good man weeps!
232 He’s honest, on mine honour. God’s blest mother,
233 I swear he is true-hearted, and a soul
234 None better in my kingdom.—Get you gone,
235 And do as I have bid you.
236 [_Exit Cranmer._]
237 He has strangled
238 His language in his tears.
239 LOVELL.
240 [_Within_.] Come back! What mean you?
241 Enter Old Lady; Lovell follows.
242 OLD LADY.
243 I’ll not come back. The tidings that I bring
244 Will make my boldness manners. Now, good angels
245 Fly o’er thy royal head and shade thy person
246 Under their blessed wings!
247 KING.
248 Now by thy looks
249 I guess thy message. Is the Queen delivered?
250 Say “Ay, and of a boy”.
251 OLD LADY.
252 Ay, ay, my liege,
253 And of a lovely boy. The God of heaven
254 Both now and ever bless her! ’Tis a girl
255 Promises boys hereafter. Sir, your Queen
256 Desires your visitation, and to be
257 Acquainted with this stranger. ’Tis as like you
258 As cherry is to cherry.
259 KING.
260 Lovell.
261 LOVELL.
262 Sir?
263 KING.
264 Give her an hundred marks. I’ll to the Queen.
265 [_Exit King._]
266 OLD LADY.
267 An hundred marks? By this light, I’ll ha’ more.
268 An ordinary groom is for such payment.
269 I will have more or scold it out of him.
270 Said I for this the girl was like to him?
271 I’ll have more, or else unsay’t. And now,
272 While ’tis hot, I’ll put it to the issue.
273 [_Exeunt._]