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?
CRANMER
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.
CRANMER
So.
BUTTS
This is a piece of malice. I am glad
I came this way so happily. The King
Shall understand it .
CRANMER
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 councillor,
’Mong boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures
Must be fulfilled, and I attend with patience.
BUTTS
I’ll show your Grace the strangest sight.
KING
What’s that, Butts?
BUTTS
I think your Highness saw this many a day.
KING
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
Ha! he, indeed.
Is this the honour they do one another?
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 .
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.
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 mouth 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 councillor,
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. his Highness’ pleasure
And our consent, for better trial of you,
From 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:
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 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 are a little,
By your good favour, too sharp. Men so noble,
However faulty, yet should find respect
For what they have been. 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? 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 th’ 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 th’ Tower, my lords?
GARDINER
What other
Would you expect? You are strangely troublesome.
Let some o’ th’ guard be ready there.
CRANMER
For me?
Must I go like a traitor ?
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
no counterfeit.
SUFFOLK
the right ring, by heaven! I told 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
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,
blew the fire that burns . Now have at !
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
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 bare 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 tak’st me for, I’m sure
a cruel nature and a bloody.
Good man, sit down. Now let me see the proudest
He, that dares most, but wag his finger at .
By all that’s holy, he had better starve
Than but once think this place becomes not.
SURREY
May it please your Grace—
KING
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 so far forget yourselves? I gave
Power as he was a councillor to try him,
Not as a groom. There’s some of , I see,
More out of malice than integrity,
Would try him to the utmost, had mean,
Which 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
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
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
Good man, those joyful tears show true heart.
The common voice, I see, is verified
Of , which says thus: “Do my Lord of Canterbury
A shrewd turn, and he is your friend for ever.”
Come, lords, we trifle time away. I long
To have this young one made a Christian.
As I have made one, lords, one remain.
So I grow stronger, you more honour gain.