Enter the King, frowning on them; he takes his seat. The chief aim of his honour; and, to strengthen His royal self in judgment comes to hear The cause betwixt her and this great offender. K. Hen. You were ever good at sudden commendations, To hear such flattery now, and in my presence: Good man, [To CRANMER.] sit down. Now, let me see the proudest, He that dares most, but wag his finger at thee: Than but once think his place becomes thee not. K. Hen. No, Sir, it does not please me. I had thought, I had had men of some understanding 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; Chan. 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'm 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 Am, for his love and service, so to him. My lord of Canterbury, I have a suit which you must not deny me; That is, a fair young maid that yet wants baptism, 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 Norfolk, and lady marquess Dorset: Will these please you? Once more, my lord of Winchester, I charge you, Embrace, and love this man. Gar. And brother-love, I do it. Cran. With a true heart, 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 Canterbury A shrewd turn, and he is your friend for ever. SCENE III. The Palace Yard. Noise and Tumult within. Enter Porter and his Man. Port. You'll leave your noise anon, ye rascals: do you take the court for Paris-garden? ye rude slaves, leave your gaping. [Within.] Good master porter, I belong to the larder. Port. Belong to the gallows, and be hanged, you rogue! Is this a place to roar in? - Fetch me a dozen crab-tree staves, and strong ones: these are but switches to them. - I'll scratch your heads: you must be seeing christenings? Do you look for ale and cakes here, you rude rascals? Man. Pray, Sir, be patient: 't is as much impossible, Unless we sweep 'em from the door with cannons, To scatter 'em, as 't is to make 'em sleep On May-day morning; which will never be. 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, He or she, cuckold or cuckold-maker, And that I would not for a cow, God save her. [Within.] Do your hear, master Porter? Port. I shall be with you presently, good master puppy. Keep the door close, sirrah. Man. What would you have me do? Port. What should you do, but knock 'em down by the dozens? Is this Moorfields to muster in? or 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 beget 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 no other penance. That fire-drake did I hit three times on the head, and three times 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 truncheoners draw to her succour, which were the hope o' the Strand, where she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broomstaff to me: I defied 'em still; when suddenly a file of boys behind 'em, loose shot, delivered such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine honour in, and let 'em win the work. The devil was amongst 'em, 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 'em 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! There's a trim rabble let in. Are all these Your faithful friends o' the suburbs? We shall have When they pass back from the christening. Port. An 't please your honour We are but men; and what so many may do, 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 Ye should do service. Hark! the trumpets sound; Go, break among the press, and find a way out To let the troop pass fairly, or I'll find A Marshalsea shall hold ye play these two months. Man. You great fellow, Stand close up, or I'll make your head ache. Port. You i' the camblet, get up o' the rail; I'll peck you o'er the pales else. SCENE IV. The Palace at Greenwich. [Exeunt. Enter Trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor, Garter, CRANMER, Duke of NORFOLK, with his Marshal's staff, Duke of SUFFOLK, two Noblemen bearing great standing bowls for the christening gifts: then, four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the Duchess of NORFOLK, godmother, bearing the child richly habited in a mantle, &c. Train borne by a Lady: then follows the Marchioness of DORSET, the other godmother, and Ladies. The Troop pass once about the stage, and Garter speaks. |