King John & Henry VIII Read online

  To make great haste. All fast3? What means this? Ho!

  Who waits there?

  Enter [Door] Keeper

  Sure4 you know me?

  KEEPER Yes, my lord,

  But yet I cannot help you.

  CRANMER Why?

  KEEPER Your grace must wait till you be called for.

  Enter Doctor Butts [passing over the stage]

  CRANMER So9.

  Aside

  DOCTOR BUTTS This is a piece of malice. I am glad

  I came this way so happily11. The king

  Shall understand it presently12.

  Exit [Doctor] Butts

  Aside

  CRANMER ’Tis Butts,

  The king’s physician: as he passed along

  How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me:

  Pray heaven he sound16 not my disgrace: for certain

  This is of purpose laid17 by some that hate me —

  God turn18 their hearts, I never sought their malice —

  To quench mine honour: they would shame to make me

  Wait else at door, a fellow councillor,

  ’Mong boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures

  Must be fulfilled, and I attend22 with patience.

  Enter the King [Henry] and [Doctor] Butts at a window above

  DOCTOR BUTTS I’ll show your grace the strangest sight—

  KING HENRY VIII What’s that, Butts?

  DOCTOR BUTTS I think your highness saw this many a day.

  KING HENRY VIII Body o’me26, where is it?

  DOCTOR BUTTS There, my lord:

  The high promotion of his grace of Canterbury,

  Who holds his state at door, ’mongst pursuivants29,

  Pages, and footboys30.

  KING HENRY VIII Ha? ’Tis he, indeed.

  Is this the honour they do one another?

  ’Tis well there’s one above ’em33 yet: I had thought

  They had parted so much honesty34 among ’em —

  At least good manners — as not thus to suffer35

  A man of his place36, and so near our favour,

  To dance attendance37 on their lordships’ pleasures —

  And at the door, too, like a post with packets38.

  By holy Mary, Butts, there’s knavery:

  Let ’em alone, and draw the curtain close40:

  We shall hear more anon.

  [Exeunt above]

  A council table brought in with chairs and stools, and placed under the state. Enter Lord Chancellor, places himself at the upper end of the table, on the left hand: a seat being left void above him, as for Canterbury’s seat. Duke of Suffolk, Duke of Norfolk, Surrey, Lord Chamberlain, Gardiner, seat themselves in order on each side. Cromwell at lower end, as secretary

  To Cromwell

  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.

  GARDINER Has he had knowledge of it?

  CROMWELL Yes.

  NORFOLK Who waits there?

  KEEPER Without49, my noble lords?

  GARDINER Yes.

  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 below and] approaches the council table

  CHANCELLOR My good lord archbishop, I’m very sorry

  To sit here at this present56, and behold

  That chair57 stand empty: but we all are men,

  In our own natures frail, and capable58

  Of our flesh59: few are angels: out of which frailty

  And want60 of wisdom, you that best should teach us,

  Have misdemeaned yourself61, 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 informed — with new opinions,

  Divers and dangerous, which are heresies65,

  And, not reformed, may prove pernicious66.

  GARDINER Which reformation must be sudden too,

  My noble lords, for those that tame wild horses

  Pace ’em not in their hands69 to make ’em gentle,

  But stop their mouths with stubborn70 bits and spur ’em

  Till they obey the manage. If we suffer71,

  Out of our easiness72 and childish pity

  To one man’s honour, this contagious sickness,

  Farewell all physic74: and what follows then?

  Commotions, uproars, with a general taint75

  Of the whole state, as of late days our neighbours,

  The upper Germany, can dearly witness77,

  Yet freshly pitied in our memories.

  CRANMER My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress

  Both of my life and office, I have laboured,

  And with no little study, that my teaching

  And the strong course82 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 single85 heart, my lords —

  A man that more detests, more stirs against,

  Both in his private conscience and his place87,

  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

  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 urge95 against me.

  SUFFOLK Nay, my lord,

  That cannot be: you are a councillor,

  And by that virtue98 no man dare accuse you.

  GARDINER My lord, because we have business of more moment99,

  We will be short100 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 private103 man again,

  You shall know many dare accuse you boldly,

  More than, I fear, you are provided105 for.

  CRANMER Ah, my good lord of Winchester, I thank you:

  You are always my good friend: if your will pass107,

  I shall both find your lordship judge and juror,

  You are so merciful. I see your end109:

  ’Tis my undoing. Love and meekness, lord,

  Become111 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 conscience115

  In doing daily wrongs. I could say more,

  But reverence to your calling makes me modest.

  GARDINER My lord, my lord, you are a sectary118,

  That’s the plain truth: your painted gloss discovers119

  To men that understand you, words120 and weakness.

  CROMWELL My lord of Winchester, you’re a little,

  By your good favour122, too sharp: men so noble,

  However faulty, yet should find respect

  For what they have been: ’tis a cruelty

  To load a falling man.

  GARDINER Good Master Secretary,

  I cry your honour mercy: you may worst127

  Of all this table say so.

  CROMWELL Why, my lord?

  GARDINER Do not I know you for a favourer

  Of this new sect? Ye are not sound131.

  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.

  GAR
DINER I shall remember this bold136 language.

  CROMWELL Do.

  Remember your bold life, too.

  CHANCELLOR This is too much:

  Forbear140 for shame, my lords.

  GARDINER I have done.

  CROMWELL And I.

  To Cranmer

  CHANCELLOR Then thus for you, my lord: it stands agreed,

  I take it, by all voices, that forthwith

  You be conveyed to th’Tower a prisoner,

  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 th’Tower, my lords?

  GARDINER What other

  Would you expect? You are strangely troublesome:

  Let some o’th’guard be ready there.

  Enter the Guard

  CRANMER For me?

  Must I go like a traitor thither?

  To the Guard

  GARDINER Receive156 him,

  And see him safe157 i’th’Tower.

  CRANMER Stay, good my lords,

  He shows the King’s ring

  I have a little yet to say. Look there, my lords,

  By virtue of that ring, I take my cause

  Out of the gripes161 of cruel men, and give it

  To a most noble judge, the king my master.

  CHAMBERLAIN163 This is the king’s ring.

  SURREY ’Tis no counterfeit.

  SUFFOLK ’Tis the right ring, by heaven: I told ye all,

  When we 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 vexed?

  CHAMBERLAIN ’Tis now too certain:

  How much more is his life in value with him172?

  Would I were fairly out on’t173.

  CROMWELL My mind gave174 me,

  In seeking tales and informations175

  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 [Henry] 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,

  Not only good and wise, but most religious:

  One that, in all obedience, makes the Church

  The chief aim183 of his honour and, to strengthen

  That holy duty out of dear respect184,

  His royal self in judgement comes to hear

  The cause betwixt her and this great offender.

  KING HENRY VIII You were ever good at sudden187 commendations,

  Bishop of Winchester. But know I come not

  To hear such flattery now, and in my presence

  They190 are too thin and base to hide offences:

  To me you cannot reach. You play the spaniel,

  And think with wagging of your tongue to win me:

  But whatsoe’er thou tak’st me for, I’m sure

  Thou hast a cruel nature and a bloody194.—

  To Cranmer, who sits in vacant seat at head of table

  Good man, sit down.— Now let me see the proudest

  He196, that dares most, but wag his finger at thee.

  By all that’s holy, he had better starve197

  Than but once think his place becomes thee not.

  SURREY May it please your grace—

  KING HENRY VIII No, sir, it does not please me.

  I had thought I had had men of some understanding

  And wisdom of my council, but I find none.

  Was it discretion203, lords, to let this man,

  This good man — few of you deserve that title —

  This honest man, wait like a lousy footboy

  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 councillor to try209 him,

  Not as a groom. There’s some of ye, I see,

  More out of malice than integrity,

  Would try him to the utmost, had ye mean212,

  Which ye shall never have while I live.

  CHANCELLOR Thus far,

  My most dread sovereign, may it like215 your grace

  To let my tongue excuse all. What was purposed216

  Concerning his imprisonment, was rather —

  If there be faith in men — meant for his trial,

  And fair purgation219 to the world than malice,

  I’m sure, in me.

  KING HENRY VIII Well, well, my lords, respect him:

  Take him, and use222 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.

  Make me no more ado226, but all embrace him:

  To Cranmer

  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 wants229 baptism:

  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’d spare your spoons234:

  you shall have two noble partners with you: the old Duchess

  of Norfolk, and Lady Marquess Dorset: will these please you?

  To Gardiner

  Once more, my lord of Winchester, I charge you

  Embrace and love this man.

  He embraces Cranmer

  GARDINER With a true heart

  And brother-love I do it.

  He weeps

  CRANMER And let heaven

  Witness how dear I hold this confirmation.

  KING HENRY VIII Good man, those joyful tears show thy true heart:

  The common voice244, I see, is verified

  Of thee, which says thus: ‘Do my lord of Canterbury

  A shrewd246 turn, and he’s your friend for ever.’

  Come, lords, we trifle time away: I long

  To have this young one made a Christian.

  As I have made ye one249, lords, one remain:

  So I grow stronger, you more honour gain.

  Exeunt

  Act 5 Scene 3

  running scene 14

  Noise and tumult within: enter Porter [with a broken cudgel] and his Man

  To those within

  PORTER You’ll leave1 your noise anon, ye rascals:

  do you take the court for Paris Garden? Ye rude2

  slaves, leave your gaping3.

  [VOICE] WITHIN Good master porter, I belong to4 th’larder.

  PORTER Belong to th’gallows, and be hanged, ye rogue! Is

  this a place to roar in?— Fetch me a dozen crab-tree6 staves,

  To his Man

  and strong ones: these are but switches7 to ’em.—

  To those within

  I’ll scratch8 your heads: you must be seeing

  christenings? Do you look for ale and cakes here, you rude

  rascals?

  MAN Pray, sir, be patient: ’tis as much impossible,

  Unless we sweep ’em from the door with cannons,

  To scatter ’em, as ’tis to make ’em sleep

  On May-day morning14, which will never be:

  We may as well push against Paul’s15, as stir ’em.

  PORTER How got they in, and be hanged16?

  MAN Alas, I know not: how gets the tide in?

  As much as one sound cudgel of four foot —

  Holds up the cudgel

  You see the poor remainder — could distribute,
/>
  I made no spare20, sir.

  PORTER You did nothing, sir.

  MAN I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand22,

  To mow ’em down before me: but if I spared any

  That had a head to hit, either young or old,

  He or she, cuckold25 or cuckold-maker,

  Let me ne’er hope to see a chine26 again,

  And that I would not for a cow27, God save her!

  [VOICE] WITHIN Do you hear, master porter?

  PORTER I shall be with you presently, good master puppy29.—

  To his Man

  Keep the door close, sirrah30.

  MAN What would you have me do?

  PORTER What should you do, but knock ’em down by

  th’dozens? Is this Moorfields to muster33 in? Or have we some

  strange Indian with the great tool34 come to court, the women

  so besiege us? Bless me, what a fry35 of fornication is at door!

  On my Christian conscience, this one christening will beget a

  thousand: here will be father, godfather, and all together.

  MAN The spoons38 will be the bigger, sir. There is a fellow

  somewhat near the door, he should be a brazier39 by his face,

  for, o’my conscience twenty of the dog-days now reign in’s40