ACT V
SCENE I London. A gallery in the palace.


 [Enter GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester, a Page with a
 torch before him, met by LOVELL]

GARDINER It's one o'clock, boy, is't not?

Boy It hath struck.

GARDINER These should be hours for necessities,
 Not for delights; times to repair our nature
 With comforting repose, and not for us
 To waste these times. Good hour of night, Sir Thomas!
 Whither so late?

LOVELL                   Came you from the king, my lord

GARDINER I did, Sir Thomas: and left him at primero
 With the Duke of Suffolk.

LOVELL I must to him too,
 Before he go to bed. I'll take my leave.

GARDINER Not yet, Sir Thomas Lovell. What's the matter?
 It seems you are in haste: an if there be
 No great offence belongs to't, give your friend
 Some touch of your late business: affairs, that walk,
 As they say spirits do, at midnight, have
 In them a wilder nature than the business
 That seeks dispatch by day.

LOVELL My lord, I love you;
 And durst commend a secret to your ear
 Much weightier than this work. The queen's in labour,
 They say, in great extremity; and fear'd
 She'll with the labour end.

GARDINER The fruit she goes with
 I pray for heartily, that it may find
 Good time, and live: but for the stock, Sir Thomas,
 I wish it grubb'd up now.

LOVELL Methinks I could
 Cry the amen; and yet my conscience says
 She's a good creature, and, sweet lady, does
 Deserve our better wishes.

GARDINER But, sir, sir,
 Hear me, Sir Thomas: you're a gentleman
 Of mine own way; I know you wise, religious;
 And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well,
 'Twill not, Sir Thomas Lovell, take't of me,
 Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she,
 Sleep in their graves.

LOVELL Now, sir, you speak of two
 The most remark'd i' the kingdom. As for Cromwell,
 Beside that of the jewel house, is made master
 O' the rolls, and the king's secretary; further, sir,
 Stands in the gap and trade of moe preferments,
 With which the time will load him. The archbishop
 Is the king's hand and tongue; and who dare speak
 One syllable against him?

GARDINER Yes, yes, Sir Thomas,
 There are that dare; and I myself have ventured
 To speak my mind of him: and indeed this day,
 Sir, I may tell it you, I think I have
 Incensed the lords o' the council, that he is,
 For so I know he is, they know he is,
 A most arch heretic, a pestilence
 That does infect the land: with which they moved
 Have broken with the king; who hath so far
 Given ear to our complaint, of his great grace
 And princely care foreseeing those fell mischiefs
 Our reasons laid before him, hath commanded
 To-morrow morning to the council-board
 He be convented. He's a rank weed, Sir Thomas,
 And we must root him out. From your affairs
 I hinder you too long: good night, Sir Thomas.

LOVELL Many good nights, my lord: I rest your servant.

 [Exeunt GARDINER and Page]

 [Enter KING HENRY VIII and SUFFOLK]

KING HENRY VIII Charles, I will play no more tonight;
 My mind's not on't; you are too hard for me.

SUFFOLK Sir, I did never win of you before.

KING HENRY VIII But little, Charles;
 Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.
 Now, Lovell, from the queen what is the news?

LOVELL I could not personally deliver to her
 What you commanded me, but by her woman
 I sent your message; who return'd her thanks
 In the great'st humbleness, and desired your highness
 Most heartily to pray for her.

KING HENRY VIII What say'st thou, ha?
 To pray for her? what, is she crying out?

LOVELL So said her woman; and that her sufferance made
 Almost each pang a death.

KING HENRY VIII Alas, good lady!

SUFFOLK God safely quit her of her burthen, and
 With gentle travail, to the gladding of
 Your highness with an heir!

KING HENRY VIII 'Tis midnight, Charles;
 Prithee, to bed; and in thy prayers remember
 The estate of my poor queen. Leave me alone;
 For I must think of that which company
 Would not be friendly to.

SUFFOLK I wish your highness
 A quiet night; and my good mistress will
 Remember in my prayers.

KING HENRY VIII Charles, good night.

 [Exit SUFFOLK]

 [Enter DENNY]

 Well, sir, what follows?

DENNY Sir, I have brought my lord the archbishop,
 As you commanded me.

KING HENRY VIII Ha! Canterbury?

DENNY Ay, my good lord.

KING HENRY VIII 'Tis true: where is he, Denny?

DENNY He attends your highness' pleasure.

 [Exit DENNY]

LOVELL [Aside]  This is about that which the bishop spake:
 I am happily come hither.

 [Re-enter DENNY, with CRANMER]

KING HENRY VIII Avoid the gallery.

 [LOVELL seems to stay]

 Ha! I have said. Be gone. What!

 [Exeunt LOVELL and DENNY]

CRANMER [Aside]
 I am fearful: wherefore frowns he thus?
 'Tis his aspect of terror. All's not well.

KING HENRY VIII How now, my lord! you desire to know
 Wherefore I sent for you.

CRANMER [Kneeling]              It is my duty
 To attend your highness' pleasure.

KING HENRY VIII Pray you, arise,
 My good and gracious Lord of Canterbury.
 Come, you and I must walk a turn together;
 I have news to tell you: come, come, give me your hand.
 Ah, my good lord, I grieve at what I speak,
 And am right sorry to repeat what follows
 I have, and most unwillingly, of late
 Heard many grievous, I do say, my lord,
 Grievous complaints of you; which, being consider'd,
 Have moved 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.

CRANMER [Kneeling]

    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 tongues
 Than I myself, poor man.

KING HENRY VIII Stand up, good Canterbury:
 Thy truth and thy integrity is rooted
 In us, thy friend: give me thy hand, stand up:
 Prithee, let's walk. Now, by my holidame.
 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.

CRANMER 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.

KING HENRY VIII Know you not
 How your state stands i' the world, with the whole world?
 Your enemies are many, and not small; their practises
 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 opposed; and with a malice
 Of as great size. Ween you of better luck,
 I mean, in perjured witness, than your master,
 Whose minister you are, whiles here he lived
 Upon this naughty earth? Go to, go to;
 You take a precipice for no leap of danger,
 And woo your own destruction.

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

KING HENRY VIII 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 is true--hearted; and a soul
 None better in my kingdom. Get you gone,
 And do as I have bid you.

 [Exit CRANMER]

      He has strangled
 His language in his tears.

 [Enter Old Lady, LOVELL following]

Gentleman [Within]                 Come back: what mean you?

Old 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!

KING HENRY VIII Now, by thy looks
 I guess thy message. Is the queen deliver'd?
 Say, ay; and of a boy.

Old 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.

KING HENRY VIII Lovell!

LOVELL Sir?

KING HENRY VIII Give her an hundred marks. I'll to the queen.

 [Exit]

Old Lady An hundred marks! By this light, I'll ha' more.
 An ordinary groom is for such payment.
 I will have more, or scold it out of him.
 Said I for this, the girl was 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]




 KING HENRY VIII


ACT V