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.
Lov. Many good nights, my lord: I rest your ser-
[Exeunt Gardiner and Page.

vant.

Enter KING and SUFFOLK

KING. Charles, I will play no more to-night;
My mind's not on't; you are too hard for me.
SUF. Sir, I did never win of you before.
KING. But little, Charles,

Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.
Now, Lovell, from the queen what is the news?
Lov. 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.
What say'st thou, ha?
To pray for her? what, is she crying out?

Lov. So said her woman, and that her sufferance made Almost each pang a death.

KING.

Alas, good lady!

SUF. God safely quit her of her burthen, and With gentle travail, to the gladding of

Your highness with an heir!

KING.

'Tis midnight, Charles;

Prithee, to bed; and in thy prayers remember

52 convented] summoned or convened (to meet his accusers). 68-69 her sufferance... each pang a death] Cf. II, iii, 15-16, supra: “his a sufferance panging As soul and body's severing."

60

70

The estate of my poor queen. Leave me alone;
For I must think of that which company

Would not be friendly to.

SUF.
A quiet night, and my good mistress will

Remember in my prayers.

I wish your highness

KING.

Charles, good night.

[Exit Suffolk.

Enter SIR ANTHONY DENNY

Well, sir, what follows?

DEN. Sir, I have brought my lord the archbishop,

As you commanded me.

KING.

Ha! Canterbury?

Lov. [Aside] This is about that which the bishop

spake:

I am happily come hither.

Re-enter DENNY, with CRANMER

KING. Avoid the gallery. [Lovell seems to stay.] Ha! I have said. Be gone.

What!

[Exeunt Lovell and Denny.

CRAN. [Aside] I am fearful: wherefore frowns he

thus ?

"T is his aspect of terror. All's not well.

86 Avoid] Quit, leave.

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

CRAN. [Kneeling]

It is my duty

Pray you, arise,

To attend your highness' pleasure.

KING.

My good and gracious Lord of Canterbury.

Come, you and I must walk a turn together;

90

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.

CRAN. [Kneeling]

100

I humbly thank your highness;

And am right glad to catch this good occasion
Most thoroughly to be winnow'd, where my chaff
And corn shall fly asunder: for, I know,

"whose

106 a brother of us] a brother member of the Privy Council. 110-111 Most thoroughly... asunder] Cf. Matthew, III, 12; fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner: but he will burn up the chaff."

110

There's none stands under more calumnious tongues
Than I myself, poor man.

KING.

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
Without indurance further.

CRAN.

Most dread liege,

The good I stand on is my truth and honesty:

If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies,

you,

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.

Know you not

How your state stands i' the world, with the whole

world?

114-115 rooted In us] rooted in our minds.

66

120

116 by my holidame] Shakespeare uses the form "halidom" in Two Gent., IV, ii, 131. The word literally means state of holiness," and the phrase is equivalent to "i' faith." 121 indurance] imprisonment, for which Shakespeare frequently uses the word "durance." The form "indurance seems to come from Foxe's Actes and Monumentes, 1576, Vol. II, p. 1759, Col. ii, where a full account is given of the arrest of Archbishop Cranmer and his conversation with the king. The speeches of the king in this Scene reproduce Foxe's words with much literalness. 122 The good I stand on] The advantage on which I rely. 123 with mine enemies] in partnership with mine enemies.

Your enemies are many, and not small; their practices
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.

CRAN.

130

God and your majesty 140

Protect mine innocence, or I fall into

The trap is laid for me!

Be of good cheer;

KING.
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.

128 practices] plots.

God's blest mother!

!

150

129 not ever] not always.