I have, and most unwillingly, of late
Heard many grievous, I do say, my Lord,

Grievous complaints of you; which, being consider'd,

Have mov'd us and our council, that you shall
This morning come before us; where, I know,
You cannot with such freedom purge yourself,
But that, till further trial, in those charges
Which will require your answer, you must take
Your patience to you, and be well contented
To make your house our Tower: You a brother
of us,

It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness
Would come against you.

Cran. I humbly thank your Highness;

And am right glad to catch this good occasion
Most throughly to be winnow'd, where my chaff
And corn shall fly asunder: for, I know,
There's none stands under more calumnious ton-
,gues,

Than I myself, poor man.

K. Hen. Stand up, good Canterbury;
Thy truth, and thy integrity, is rooted

In us, thy friend: Give me thy hand, stand up;
Pr'ythee, let's walk. Now, by my holy-dame,
What manner of man are you? My Lord, I look'd
You would have given me your petition, that
I should have ta'en some pains to bring together
Yourself and your accusers; and to have heard you
Without indurance, further.

Cran. Most dread Liege,

The good I stand on is my truth, and honesty ; If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies,

Will triumph o'er my person; which I weigh not, Being of those virtues vacant. I fear nothing What can be said against me.

K. Hen. Know you not how

Your state stands i' the world, with the whole world?

Your enemies

Are many, and not small; their practices
Must bear the same proportion: and not ever
The justice and the truth o' the question carries
The due o' the verdict with it: At what ease
Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt
To swear against you? such things have been done.
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 should 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 mo¬

ther!

I swear, he is true-hearted; and a soul

None better in any kingdom.

Get you gone,

[Exit CRANMER.]

He has strangled

And do as I have bid you.

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.

angels

Now, good

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. Sir.

Enter LOVELL.

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, etc. attending.

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

That was sent to me

To make great haste.

Who waits there?

gentleman,

from the council, pray'd me All fast? what means this?

Hoa!

Sure, you know me?

D. Keep. Yes, my Lord;

But yet I cannot help you,
Cran. Why?

D. Keep. Your Grace must wait, till you be

Cran. So.

call'd for.

Enter Doctor BUTTS.

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,

[Exit 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 ma→

lice,)

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, 'inongst 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, -