The Illustrated Works of Shakespeare/Illustrated Works of Shakespeare, The (1990)(Animated Pixels)[!][CDTV-PC].iso/shakes/text/15/05_02

Text File | 1991-04-10 | 12KB | 350 lines

The Lobby before the Council-Chamber.
 Enter CRANMER Archbishop of Canterbury,
 PURSUIVANTS, PAGES, and FOOTBOYS attending.

Cranmer    I hope I am not too late, and yet the gentleman
    That was sent to me from the council prayed me
    To make great haste. All fast? What means this? Ho!
    Who waits there?

                              Enter KEEPER.

                    Sure, 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.

Cranmer                                    So.

Butts    [Aside.] This is a piece of malice. I am glad
    I came this way so happily. The king
    Shall understand it presently.
                                            [Exit.
Cranmer                            [Aside.] 'Tis Butts,
    The king's physician. As he passed along,
    How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me:
    Pray heaven he sound not my disgrace! For certain
    This is of purpose laid 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,
    'Mong boys, grooms and lackeys. But their pleasures
    Must be fulfilled, and I attend with patience.

               Enter the KING and BUTTS at a window above.

Butts    I'll show your grace the strangest sight.

King Henry                                    What's that, Butts?

Butts    I think your highness saw this many a day.

King Henry    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.

King Henry                        Ha! 'Tis he indeed.
    Is this the honour they do one another?
    'Tis well there's one above 'em yet. I had thought
    They had parted so much honesty among 'em,
    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 'em alone, and draw the curtain close;
    We shall hear more anon.
                                            [They draw the curtain,
                                            and spy from behind.

              [ + + + + + + Scene 3. The Council-Chamber. ]

            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 the lower end, as secretary.

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    Without, 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 approaches the council-table.

Chancellor    My good lord archbishop, I'm very sorry
    To sit here at this present and behold
    That chair stand empty; but we all are men,
    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 misdemeaned yourself, 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 heresies,
    And, not reformed, may prove pernicious.

Gardiner    Which reformation must be sudden too,
    My noble lords; for those that tame wild horses
    Pace 'em not in their hands to make 'em gentle,
    But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur 'em
    Till they obey the manage. If we suffer,
    Out of our easiness and childish pity
    To one man's honour, this contagious sickness,
    Farewell all physic: 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.

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 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 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 urge against me.

Suffolk                                Nay, my lord,
    That cannot be: you are a counsellor,
    And by that virtue no man dare accuse you.

Gardiner    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.

Cranmer    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.

Gardiner    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.

Cromwell    My lord of Winchester, you're a little,
    By your good favour, 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, worst
    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 sound.

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.

Gardiner    I shall remember this bold language.

Cromwell                                    Do.
    Remember your bold life too.

Chancellor                                This is too much;
    Forbear for shame, my lords.

Gardiner                            I have done.

Cromwell                                    And I.

Chancellor    Then thus for you, my lord: it stands agreed
    I take it, by all voices; that forthwith
    You be conveyed to the 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 the 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?

Gardiner                                    Receive him,
    And see him safe i'th'Tower.

Cranmer                                Stay, good my lords,
    I have a little yet to say. Look there, my lords;
    By virtue of that ring, I take my cause
    Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it
    To a most noble judge, the king my master.

Chamberlain    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 him?
    Would I were fairly out on't.

Cromwell                                    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.

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 aim of his honour, and, to strengthen
    That holy duty out of dear respect,
    His royal self in judgement comes to hear
    The cause betwixt her and this great offender.

King Henry    You were ever good at sudden commendations,
    Bishop of Winchester; but know, I come not
    To hear such flattery now, and in my presence;
    They 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 bloody.
    [To CRANMER.]
    Good man, sit down. Now let me see the proudest
    He, that dares most, but wag his finger at thee.
    By all that's holy, he had better starve
    Than but once think his place becomes thee not.

Surrey    May it please your grace-

King Henry                            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 discretion, 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 counsellor to try 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 mean,
    Which ye shall never have while I live.

Chancellor                                    Thus far,
    My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace
    To let my tongue excuse all. What was purposed
    Concerning his imprisonment, was rather-
    If there be faith in men - meant for his trial,
    And fair purgation to the world, than malice,
    I'm sure, in me.

King Henry                    Well, well, my lords, respect him;
    Take him and use 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 ado, but all embrace him;
    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 wants 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    Come, come, my lord, you'd spare your spoons. You shall
    have two noble partners with you: the old Duchess of
    Norfolk, and Lady Marquess Dorset. Will these please you?
    Once more, my lord of Winchester, I charge you
    Embrace and love this man.

Gardiner                            With a true heart
    And brother-love I do it.

Cranmer                                And let heaven
    Witness how dear I hold this confirmation.

King Henry    Good man! Those joyful tears show thy true heart.
    The common voice, I see, is verified
    Of thee, which says thus: 'Do my lord of Canterbury
    A shrewd 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 one, lords, one remain;
    So I grow stronger, you more honour gain.
                                            [Exeunt.