Gar. My lord, my lord, you are a sectasy,
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.
Crom.

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

Not sound?
Gar. Not sound, I say.
Crom.

Would you were half so honest!
Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears.
Gar. I shall remember this bold language.
Cron.

Do.
Remernber your bold life too.
Chan.

This is too much :
Forbear, for shame, my lords.
Gar.

I have done.
Crom.

And I.
Chan. Then thus for you, my lord, --It stands

agreed,
I take it, by all voices, that forthwith
You be convey'd to the Tower a prisoner;
There to remain, till the king's further pleasure
Be known unto us : Are you all agreed, lords ?

All. We are.

Cran. Is there no other way of mercy,
But I must needs to the 'Tower, my lords?
Gar.

What other
Would you expect? You are strangely troublesome.
Let some o'the guard be ready there.

Enter Guard.
Cran,

For me?
Must I go like a traitor thither?
Gar.

Receive him,
And see him safe 'the Tower.
Cran.

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

KING HENRY VIII.
Was it discretion, lords, to let this man,
This good man, (few of you deserve that tide,
This honest man, wait like a lowsy footboy
At chamber door and one as great as you are!
Why, what a shame was this ! Did my commission
Bid ye so far forget yourselves! I gave ye
Power as he was a counsellor to try him,
Not as a groom ; There's some of ye, I see,
More out of malice than integrity,
Would try him to the utmost, had ye mean;
Which ye shall never have, while I live,

Chari
My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace
To let my tongue exeuse all. What was purpos'd
Concerning his imprisonment, was rather
(If there be faith in men) meant for his trial,
And fair purgation to the world, than malice;
I am sure, in me.
K. Hen.

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 beholden to a subjeet, 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 Can-
I have a suit which you must not deny me;
That is, a fait young maid that yet wants baptisan,
You must be godfather, and answer for her

Cron. 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?
K. Hen. Come, come, my lord, you'd spare your

spoons ; you shall have
Two noble partners with you; the old duchess of

Norfolk,
And lady marquis Dorset; Will these please you?
Once more, my lord of Winchester, 1 charge you,
Embrace, and love this man.
Gar.

With a true heart,
And brother-love, I do it.
Cran.

And let heaven
Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation,
K. Hen. Good man, those joyful tears show thy

true beart.
The common voice, I see, is verified
Of thee, which says thus, Do my lord of Canterbury

132

Was it discretion, lords, to let this man,
This good man, (few of you deserve that title,)
This honest man, wait like a loway footboy
At chamber door and one as great as you are?
Why, what a shame was this? Did my commission
Bid ye so far forget yourselves ? I gave ye
Power as he was a counsellor to try him,
Not as a groom; There's some of ye, I see,
More out of malice than integrity,
Would try him to the utmost, bad ye mean;
Which ye shall never have, while I live.
Char,

Thus far,
My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace
To let my tongue excuse all. What was purpos'd
Concerning his imprisonment, was rather
(If there be faith in men) meant for his trial,
And fair purgation to the world, than malice;
I am sure, in me.

x Hen. Well, well, my lords, respect hina;
Take him, and use him well, he's worthy of it.
I will say thus much for him, If a prince
May be beholden 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 Can-

terbury,
1 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.

Cran. 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 !
K. Hen. Come, come, my lord, you'd spare your

spoons ; you shall have
Two noble partners with you; the old duchess of
And lady marquis Dorset; Will these please you ?
Once more, my lord of Winchester, I charge you,
Eznbrace, and love this man.

With a true heart,
And brother love, I do it.
Cran.

And let heaven
Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation.
K. Hen. Good man, those joyful tears show thy

true heart.
The common voice, I see, is verified
Of thee, which says thus, Do my lord of Canterburza

3

Norfolk,

Gar.

132

255 have we some strange Indian with the great tool come to court, the women so besiege us! Bless me, what a fry of fornication is at door! on my Christian conscience, this one christening will heget a thousand; here will be father, godfather, and all together.

Man. The spoons will be the bigger, sir. There is a fellow somewhat near the door, he should be a brazier by his face, for, o'my conscience, twenty of the dog-days now reign in's nose; all that stand about him are under the line, they need to other penance : That fire-drake did I hit three times on the head, and three tiines was his nose discharged against me; he stands there, like a mortar-piece, to blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small wit near him, that railed upon me till her pink'd porringer fell off her head, for kindling such a combustion in the state. I miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman, who cried out, clubs / when i might see from far some forty trancheoneers draw to her suecour, which were the hope of the Strand, where she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broomstaff with me, I defied them still; when suddenly a file of boys behind them, loose shot, delivered such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine honour in, and let them win the work.

The devil was amongst them, I think, surely

Port. These are the youths that thunder at a
play-house, and fight for bitten apples; that no
audience but the Tribulation of Tower-hill, or the
limbs of Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able
to endure. I have some of them in Limbo Patrum,
and there they are like to dance these three days;
besides the running banquet of two beadles, that is
to come.

Enter the Lord Chamberlain.
Cham. Mercy o'me, what a multitude are here!
They grow still too, from all parts they are coming,
As if we kept a fair here! Where are these porters,
These lazy Knaves l_Ye have made a fine hand,

fellows.
There's a trim rabble let in: Are all these
Your faithful friends o'the suburbs? We shall have
Great store of room, no doubt, left for the ladies,
When they pass back from the christening.