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.
Cran.

God, and your majesty,
Protect mine innocence, or I fall into
The trap is laid for me!
K. Hen.

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 The 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's true-hearted; and a soul None better in my kingdoin.-Get you gone, And do as I have bid you.—[Exit Cranmer.] He

has strangled 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

7

Ween you of better luck,] To ween is to think, to ima. ginc. Though now obsolete, the word was common to all our ancient writers. VOL. VII.

T

Fly o'er thy royal head, and shade thy person
Under their blessed wings!
K. Hen.

Now, by thy looks
I guess thy message. 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
Desires your visitation, and to be
Acquainted with this stranger; 'tis as like you,
As cherry is to cherry.
K. Hen.

Lovell,

Lov. .

Enter Lovell.

Sir. 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?
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, Sc. at

tending. Cran. I hope, I am not too late; and yet the

gentleman, That was sent to me from the council, pray'd me

To make great haste. All fast? what means this?

Hoa!
Who waits there?-Sure, you know me?
D. Kеер.

Yes, my lord;
But yet I cannot help you.
Cran.

Why? D. Keep. Your grace must wait, till you be callid

for.

Enter Doctor Burts.
Cran.

So.
Butts. This is a piece of malice. I am glad,
I came this way so happily: The king
Shall understand it presently. [Exit Butts.
Cran. [ Aside.]

'Tis Butts, The king's physician; as he past along, How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me! Pray heaven, he sound not my disgrace! For certain, This is of purpose lay'd, 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, Among boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their

pleasures Must be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience.

Enter, at a Window above, the King and Butts.

Butts. I'll show your grace the strangest sight, K. Hen.

What's that, Butts ? 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 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 them alone, and draw the curtain close;' We shall hear more anon.

[Exeunt.

THE COUNCIL-CHAMBER.

Enter the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of SupFOLK,

Earl of SURREY, Lord Chamberlain, GARDINER, and CROMWELL. The Chancellor places himself at the upper end of the table on ihe left hand; a seat being left void above him, as for the Archbishop of Canterbury. The rest seat themselves in order on each side. CROMWELL at the lower end, as secretary.

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

Please your honours, The chief cause concerns his grace of Canterbury.

Gar. Has he had knowledge of it?

9 They had parted, &c.] We should now say—They had shared, &c. i. e. had so much honesty among them.

draw the curtain close;] i. e. the curtain of the balcony, or upper stage, where the King now is.

1

Crom.

Yes.
Nor.

Who waits there?
D. Keep. Without, my noble lords?
Gar.

Yes.
D. Kеер. .

My lord archbishop; And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures.

Chan. Let him come in.
D. Kеер.

Your grace may enter now.
[CRANMER approaches the Council-table.
Chan. My good lord archbishop, I am 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 misdemean'd yourself, and not a little,
Toward the king first, then his laws, in filling
The whole realm, by your teaching, and your chap-

lains, (For so we are inform’d,) with new opinions, Divers, and dangerous; which are heresies, 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 easiness, and childish pity To one man's honour) this contagious sickness, Farewell, all physick; And what follows then? Commotions, uproars, with a general taint

- and capable Of our flesh, few are angels: &c.] If this passage means any thing, it may mean, few are perfect, while they remain in their mortal capacity ; i. e. while they are capable in a condition] of being invested with flesh.