I fwear, he is true-hearted; and a foul

None better in my kingdom.-Get you gone,

And do as I have bid you.-[Exit CRANMER.] He has ftrangled

His language in his tears.

Enter an old Lady.

Gent. [Within.] Come back; What mean you? 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 fhade thy perfon

Under their blessed wings!

K. Hen.

Now, by thy looks I guess thy meffage. Is the queen deliver'd?

Say, ay; and of a boy.

Lady.

Ay, ay, my liege;

And of a lovely boy: The God of heaven
Both now and ever bless her !-'tis a girl,
Promises boys hereafter. Sir, your queen
Defires your visitation, and to be

Acquainted with this ftranger; 'tis as like you,
As cherry is to cherry.

K. Hen. Give her an hundred marks. I'll to the queen.

[Exit King. Lady. An hundred marks! By this light, I'll have more. An ordinary groom is for such payment.

I will have more, or scold it out of him.

Said I for this, the girl is like to him?

6

I will

I will have more, or else unsay't; and now
While it is hot, I'll put it to the issue.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Lobby before the Council-Chamber.

Enter CRANMER; Servants, Door-keeper, &c. attending. Cran. I hope, I am not too late; and yet the gentleman, That was fent to me from the council, pray'd me To make great hafte. All faft? what means this ?-Hoa! Who waits there?-Sure, you know me?

D. Keep.

Yes, my lord;

D. Keep. Your grace must wait, till you be call'd for.

Cran.

Enter Doctor BUTTS.

So.

Butts. This is a piece of malice. I am glad, I came this way fo happily: The king

Shall understand it presently.

Cran. [Afide.]

[Exit BUTTS.

'Tis Butts,

The king's physician; As he past along,

How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me!

Pray heaven, he found not my difgrace! For certain,
This is of purpose lay'd, by fome that hate me,
(God turn their hearts! I never fought their malice,)
To quench mine honour: they would shame to make me
Wait elfe at door; a fellow counsellor,

Among boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures
Must be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience.

Enter,

Enter, at a window above, the King and BUTTS.

Butts. I'll fhow your grace the strangest fight,— What's that, Butts?

K. Hen.

Butts. I think, your highness saw this many a 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 fuffer
A man of his place, and fo near our favour,
To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasures,
And at the door too, like a poft with packets.
By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery:
Let them alone, and draw the curtain clofe;
We fhall hear more anon.-

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 feat being left void above him, as for the Archbishop of Canterbury. The reft feat themfelves in order on each fide. CROMWELL at the lower end, as fecretary.

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

Crom.

Crom.

Please your honours,

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

Crom.

Nor.

Yes.

Who waits there?

Yes.

D. Keep. Without, my noble lords?

Gar.

D. Keep.

My lord archbishop;

And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures.

Chan. Let him come in.

D. Keep.

Your grace may enter now. [CRANMER approaches the council-table.

Chan. My good lord archbishop, I am very forry To fit here at this prefent, and behold

That chair ftand 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 misdemean'd yourself, and not a little,
Toward the king, first, then his laws, in filling
The whole realm, by your teaching, and your chaplains,
(For fo we are inform'd,) with new opinions,
Divers, and dangerous; which are herefies,
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,
Till they obey the manage. If we suffer

(Out of our eafiness, and childish pity

To one man's honour) this contagious fickness,
Farewell, all phyfick: 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 progrefs
Both of my life and office, I have labour'd,
And with no little ftudy, that my teaching,
And the ftrong course of my authority,
Might go one way, and fafely; 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 beft. I do befeech your lordships,
That, in this case of justice, my accufers,
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 mo

ment,

We will be thort with you. 'Tis his highness' pleasure, And our confent, 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 fhall both find your lordship judge and juror, You are fo merciful: I fee your end,