Cran. It is my duty, To attend your highness' pleasure. King. 'Pray you, arise, [Kneels. My good and gracious lord of Canterbury. Grievous complaints of you; which, being consider'd, It fits we thus proceed, or else no witness Would come against you. Cran. I humbly thank your highness; [Kneels. And am right glad to catch this good occasion King. Stand up, good Canterbury; Thy truth, and thy integrity, is rooted In us, thy friend: Give me thy hand, stand up.- What manner of man are you? My lord, I look'd I should have ta'en some pains to bring together Cran. Most dread liege, The good I stand on is my truth and honesty; Will triumph o'er my person; which I weigh not, King. Be of good cheer; They shall no more prevail, than we give way to. Fail not to use ; 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; and a soul None better in my kingdom.-Get you gone, And do as I have bid you. He has strangled His language in his tears. [Exit CRANMER. [LOVEL and LADY DENNY, without.] Lov. Come back; what mean you? L. Den. I'll not come back; the tidings that I bring Will make my boldness manners.— Enter LADY DENNY. Now, good angels Fly o'er thy royal head,- L. Den. Ay, ay, my liege; queen deliver❜d? And of a lovely boy: Angels of heaven Acquainted with this stranger; 'tis as like you, King. Lovel, Lov. Sir. Enter LovEl. King. Give her a hundred marks. I'll to the queen. [Exit the KING. L. Den. A hundred marks! By this light, I'll have more: An ordinary groom is for such payment. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Before the Council Chamber. Enter CRANMER. Cran. I hope, I am not too late; and yet the gentleman, That was sent to me from the council, pray'd me Who waits there? Enter the KEEPER of the Council Chamber. Sure, you know me? Keep. Yes, my lord; But yet I cannot help you. Enter GUILDFORD behind. Cran. Why? Keep. Your grace must wait, till you be call'd for. Cran. So. Guild. This is a piece of malice. I am glad, I came this way so happily. The king Cran. It is [Exit GUILDFORD. Sir Henry Guildford: As he pass'd along, 'Pray Heaven, he sound not my disgrace! For certain, This is of purpose laid, by some that hate me, To quench mine honour: they would shame to make me Wait else at door; a fellow-counsellor, Among boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their plea sures Must be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience. [Exit CRANMER. SCENE III. The Council Chamber. The KING'S Chair, raised, in the Centre,-the LORD CHANCELLOR at the upper End of the Table on the left Hand,-a Seat left void on the right, as for the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.-NORFOLK, SUF. FOLK, SURREY, CHAMBERLAIN, GARDINER, LOVEL, in Order on each Side,-and CROMWELL at the Table, as Secretary,-discovered. Gard. Speak to the business, master secretary: Why are we met in council? Crom. Please your honours, The chief cause concerns his grace of Canterbury. Crom. Yes. Nor. Who waits there? Enter the KEEPER. Keep. Without, my noble lords? Gard. Yes. Keep. My lord archbishop; And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures. Nor. Let him come in. Keep. Your grace may enter now. [Exit KEEPER. Enter CRANMER. Nor. My good lord archbishop, I am very sorry To sit here at this present, and behold That chair stand empty. You've misdemean'd yourself, and not a little, With new opinions, Divers, and dangerous; which are heresies, Gard. Which reformation must be sudden too, Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress Both of my life and office, I have labour'd, 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. 'Pray Heaven, the king may never find a heart. With less allegiance in't! 'Beseech your lordships, That, in this case of justice, my accusers, Be what they will, may stand forth face to face, Suf. Nay, my lord, That cannot be; you are a counsellor, And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you. Gard. My lord, because we have business of more moment, |