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

Be of good cheer;

The trap is laid for me!
K. Hen.
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 is true-hearted; and a soul

None better in my kingdom.-Get you gone,

And do as I have bid you.—

His language in his tears.

[Exit Cranmer.

He has strangled

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 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,

queen.

I'll to the [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, &c. attending. 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. Keep.

But yet I cannot help you.

Cran.

Why?

Yes, my lord;

D. Keep. Your grace must wait till you be call'd for. Enter DOCTOR BUTTS.

Cran.

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

Shall understand it presently.

Cran. [Aside]

"Tis Butts,

The king's physician; As he past along,
How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me!

So.

[Exit Butts.

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.-

The Council-chamber.

[Exeunt.

Enter the Lord Chancellor, the DUKE of SUFFOLK, EARL of SURRY, Lord Chamberlain, GARDINER, and CROMWELL. The Chancellor places himself at the upper end of the Table on the 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?

Please your honours,

Crom.
The chief cause 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 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 chaplains
(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 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.

Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress Both of my life and office, I have labour'd, 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.

Nay, my lord,

Suf.

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 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.

Cran. 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.
Gar. 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.
Crom. My lord of Winchester, you are 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.

Gar.

Good master secretary,

I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst
Of all this table, say so.

lord?

Crom.
Why, my
Gar. Do not I know you for a favourer
Of this new sect? ye are not sound.
Crom.

Not sound?

'Would you were half so honest

Gar. Not sound, I say.

Crom.

Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears