The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 6 of 9]

Cran. For me? 95
Must I go like a traitor thither?

Gar. Receive him,
And see him safe i' 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 100
To a most noble judge, the king my master.

Cham. This is the king's ring.[827]

Sur. 'Tis no counterfeit.

Suf. 'Tis the right ring, by heaven: I told ye all,[828]
When we first put this dangerous stone a-rolling,
'Twould fall upon ourselves.

Nor. Do you think, my lords, 105
The king will suffer but the little finger
Of this man to be vex'd?

Cham. 'Tis now too certain:[827]
How much more is his life in value with him?
Would I were fairly out on't!

Crom. My mind gave me,
In seeking tales and informations 110
Against this man, whose honesty the devil
And his disciples only envy at,[829]
Ye blew the fire that burns ye: now have at ye!

Gar. Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to heaven [830]
In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince, 115
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,[831]
His royal self in judgement comes to hear 120
The cause betwixt her and this great offender.

King. You were ever good at sudden commendations,[832]
Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not
To hear such flattery now, and in my presence [833][834]
They are too thin and bare to hide offences.[834][835] 125
To me you cannot reach you play the spaniel,[836]
And think with wagging of your tongue to win me;
But, whatsoe'er thou takest me for, I'm sure
Thou hast a cruel nature and a bloody.
[To Cranmer] Good man, sit down. Now let me see the proudest [837][838]130
He, that dares most, but wag his finger at thee:[837]
By all that's holy, he had better starve
Than but once think this place becomes thee not.[839]

Sur. May it please your grace,—

King. No, sir, it does not please me.
I had thought I had had men of some understanding [840] 135
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? 140
Why, what a shame was this! Did my commission
Bid ye so far forget yourselves? I gave ye
Power as he was a councillor to try him,
Not as a groom: there's some of ye, I see,
More out of malice than integrity, 145
Would try him to the utmost, had ye mean:[841]
Which ye shall never have while I live.

Chan. Thus far,[842]
My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace
To let my tongue excuse all. What was purposed
Concerning his imprisonment, was rather, 150
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 155
May be beholding to a subject, I [843]
Am, for his love and service, so to him.
Make me no more ado, but all embrace him:[844]
Be friends, for shame, my lords! My Lord of Canterbury,
I have a suit which you must not deny me; 160
That is, a fair young maid that yet wants baptism;[845]
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? 165

King. Come, come, my lord, you'ld spare your [846]
spoons: you shall have two noble partners with you; the[846]
old Duchess of Norfolk, and Lady Marquess Dorset: will[846][847][848]
these please you?[846][848]
Once more, my Lord of Winchester, I charge you, 170
Embrace and love this man.[849]

Gar. With a true heart
And brother-love I do it.[850]

Cran. And let heaven
Witness how dear I hold this confirmation.

King. Good man, those joyful tears show thy true heart:[851]
The common voice, I see, is verified 175
Of thee, which says thus: 'Do my Lord of Canterbury
A shrewd turn, and he is your friend for ever.'[852]
Come, lords, we trifle time away; I long
To have this young one made a Christian.
As I have made ye one, lords, one remain: 180
So I grow stronger, you more honour gain. [Exeunt.

Port. You'll leave your noise anon, ye rascals: do you [854][855]
take the court for Paris-garden? ye rude slaves, leave your[854][856]
gaping.[854]

[Within] 'Good master porter, I belong to the larder.'[854][857]

Port. Belong to the gallows, and be hanged, ye rogue![854][858] 5
Is this a place to roar in? Fetch me a dozen crab-tree[854][859]
staves, and strong ones: these are but switches to 'em.[854][860]
I'll scratch your heads: you must be seeing christenings?[854]
do you look for ale and cakes here, you rude rascals?[854]

Man. Pray, sir, be patient: 'tis as much impossible— 10
Unless we sweep 'em from the door with cannons—
To scatter 'em, as 'tis to make 'em sleep
On May-day morning; which will never be:
We may as well push against Powle's as stir 'em.[861]

Port. How got they in, and be hang'd? 15

Man. Alas, I know not; how gets the tide in?
As much as one sound cudgel of four foot—
You see the poor remainder—could distribute,
I made no spare, sir.

Port. You did nothing, sir.

Man. I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand,[862] 20
To mow 'em down before me: but if I spared any[862]
That had a head to hit, either young or old,[862]
He or she, cuckold or cuckold-maker,[862]
Let me ne'er hope to see a chine again;[862][863]
And that I would not for a cow, God save her![862][864] 25

[Within] 'Do you hear, master porter?'[857]

Port. I shall be with you presently, good master puppy.[857]
Keep the door close, sirrah.

Man. What would you have me do?

Port. What should you do, but knock 'em down by [865][866] 30
the dozens? Is this Moorfields to muster in? or have we[866]
some strange Indian with the great tool come to court, the[866]
women so besiege us? Bless me, what a fry of fornication[866]
is at door! On my Christian conscience, this one christening[866][867]
will beget a thousand; here will be father, godfather,[866] 35
and all together.[866]

Man. The spoons will be the bigger, sir. There is a[866]
fellow somewhat near the door, he should be a brazier by[866]
his face, for, o' my conscience, twenty of the dog-days now[866]
reign in's nose; all that stand about him are under the[866][868] 40
line, they need no other penance: that fire-drake did I hit[866]
three times on the head, and three times was his nose[866]
discharged against me; he stands there, like a mortar-piece,[866]
to blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small[866][869]
wit near him, that railed upon me till her pinked porringer[866] 45
fell off her head, for kindling such a combustion in the[866][870]
state. I missed the meteor once, and hit that woman, who[866]
cried out 'Clubs!' when I might see from far some forty[866][871]
truncheoners draw to her succour, which were the hope o'[866][872]
the Strand, where she was quartered. They fell on; I made[866][873] 50
good my place: at length they came to the broomstaff to[866][874]
me; I defied 'em still: when suddenly a file of boys behind[866][874][875]
'em, loose shot, delivered such a shower of pebbles, that[866][875][876]
I was fain to draw mine honour in and let 'em win the[866]
work: the devil was amongst 'em, I think, surely.[866] 55

Port. These are the youths that thunder at a play-house[866]
and fight for bitten apples; that no audience, but[866]
the tribulation of Tower-hill, or the limbs of Limehouse,[866][877][878]
their dear brothers, are able to endure. I have some of[866][879]
'em in Limbo Patrum, and there they are like to dance[866] 60
these three days; besides the running banquet of two[866]
beadles that is to come.[866]

Cham. Mercy o' me, what a multitude are here![880]
They grow still too; from all parts they are coming,
As if we kept a fair here. Where are these porters,[881] 65
These lazy knaves? Ye have made a fine hand, fellows:[882]
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.

Port. An't please your honour,[883]70
We are but men; and what so many may do,[884]
Not being torn a-pieces, we have done:[885]
An army cannot rule 'em.

Cham. As I live,
If the king blame me for't, I'll lay ye all
By the heels, and suddenly; and on your heads 75
Clap round fines for neglect: ye 're lazy knaves;[886]
And here ye lie baiting of bombards when
Ye should do service. Hark! the trumpets sound;
They're come already from the christening:[887]
Go, break among the press, and find a way out [888] 80
To let the troop pass fairly, or I'll find
A Marshalsea shall hold ye play these two months.

Port. Make way there for the princess.[889]

Man. You great fellow,
Stand close up, or I'll make your head ache.

Port. You i' the camlet, get up o' the rail;[890] 85
I'll peck you o'er the pales else. [Exeunt.[891]

Gart. Heaven, from thy endless goodness, send prosperous [893]
life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty[893]
princess of England, Elizabeth![893]

Cran. [Kneeling] And to your royal grace, and the good queen.[895][896]
My noble partners and myself thus pray:[896] 5
All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady,[897]
Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy,[898]
May hourly fall upon ye!

King. Thank you, good lord archbishop:[899]
What is her name?

Cran. Elizabeth.

King. Stand up, lord.

With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee![900] 10
Into whose hand I give thy life.

Cran. Amen.

King. My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal:[901]
I thank ye heartily; so shall this lady,
When she has so much English.

Cran. Let me speak, sir,
For heaven now bids me; and the words I utter 15
Let none think flattery, for they'll find 'em truth.
This royal infant—heaven still move about her!—
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness: she shall be— 20
But few now living can behold that goodness—[902]
A pattern to all princes living with her
And all that shall succeed: Saba was never [903]
More covetous of wisdom and fair virtue
Than this pure soul shall be: all princely graces,[904] 25
That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,[905]
With all the virtues that attend the good,
Shall still be doubled on her: truth shall nurse her,
Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her:
She shall be loved and fear'd: her own shall bless her; 30
Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,[906]
And hang their heads with sorrow. Good grows with her:[907]
In her days every man shall eat in safety,
Under his own vine, what he plants, and sing
The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours: 35
God shall be truly known; and those about her
From her shall read the perfect ways of honour,[908][909]
And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.[909]
Nor shall this peace sleep with her; but, as when [910]
The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phœnix,[910] 40
Her ashes new create another heir[910]
As great in admiration as herself,[910]
So shall she leave her blessedness to one—[910]
When heaven shall call her from this cloud of darkness—[910]
Who from the sacred ashes of her honour[910] 45
Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was,[910]
And so stand fix'd. Peace, plenty, love, truth, terror,[910]
That were the servants to this chosen infant,[910]
Shall then be his and like a vine grow to him:[910]
Wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine,[910] 50
His honour and the greatness of his name[910]
Shall be, and make new nations: he shall flourish,[910]
And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches[910]
To all the plains about him. Our children's children[910][911]
Shall see this, and bless heaven.[910]

King. Thou speakest wonders. 55

Cran. She shall be, to the happiness of England,[912]
An aged princess; many days shall see her,[912]
And yet no day without a deed to crown it.[912]
Would I had known no more! but she must die;[912]
She must; the saints must have her; yet a virgin,[912][913] 60
A most unspotted lily shall she pass[912][914]
To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her.[912][915]

King. O lord archbishop,
Thou hast made me now a man! never, before
This happy child, did I get any thing. 65
This oracle of comfort has so pleased me,
That when I am in heaven I shall desire
To see what this child does, and praise my Maker.
I thank ye all. To you, my good lord mayor,
And your good brethren, I am much beholding;[916] 70
I have received much honour by your presence,
And ye shall find me thankful. Lead the way, lords:
Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank ye;
She will be sick else. This day, no man think
Has business at his house; for all shall stay:[917] 75
This little one shall make it holiday. [Exeunt.

Scene IV. The palace yard.[853]

Scene V. The palace.[892]