The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

but still I can't help you.

  CRANMER

  Why?

  Why not?

  Enter DOCTOR BUTTS

  Keeper

  Your grace must wait till you be call'd for.

  Your Grace must wait until you're called for.

  CRANMER

  So.

  Very well.

  DOCTOR BUTTS

  [Aside] This is a piece of malice. I am glad

  I came this way so happily: the king

  Shall understand it presently.

  This is done maliciously. I am glad

  I had the luck to come this way: the King

  shall learn about this at once.

  Exit

  CRANMER

  [Aside] 'Tis Butts,

  The king's physician: as he pass'd along,

  How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me!

  Pray heaven, he sound not my disgrace! For certain,

  This is of purpose laid by some that hate me--

  God turn their hearts! I never sought their malice--

  To quench mine honour: they would shame to make me

  Wait else at door, a fellow-counsellor,

  'Mong boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures

  Must be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience.

  It's Butts,

  the King's doctor: as he passed by,

  what a strange look he gave me!

  Please heaven, let him not see my disgrace! It's certain

  that this has been done deliberately by people who hate me–

  I wish they'd change their feelings, I never did them any harm–

  to damage my honour: otherwise they'd be ashamed to make me

  wait at the door, a fellow councillor,

  amongst the boys, grooms and lackeys. But they must

  get what they want, and I shall wait patiently.

  Enter the KING HENRY VIII and DOCTOR BUTTS at a window above

  DOCTOR BUTTS

  I'll show your grace the strangest sight--

  I'll show you will grace the strangest sight–

  KING HENRY VIII

  What's that, Butts?

  What's that, Butts?

  DOCTOR BUTTS

  I think your highness saw this many a day.

  That I think your Highness has seen a long time.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Body o' me, where is it?

  By my body, where is it?

  DOCTOR BUTTS

  There, my lord:

  The high promotion of his grace of Canterbury;

  Who holds his state at door, 'mongst pursuivants,

  Pages, and footboys.

  There, my lord:

  your great Archbishop of Canterbury;

  holding his position at the door, amongst heralds,

  pages and footmen.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Ha! 'tis he, indeed:

  Is this the honour they do one another?

  'Tis well there's one above 'em yet. I had thought

  They had parted so much honesty among 'em

  At least, good manners, as not thus to suffer

  A man of his place, and so near our favour,

  To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasures,

  And at the door too, like a post with packets.

  By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery:

  Let 'em alone, and draw the curtain close:

  We shall hear more anon.

  Ha! It certainly is him:

  is this the way they are each other?

  It's a good job there is still someone higher than them. I thought

  they at least had enough honesty amongst them,

  or good manners, not to force

  a man of his position, so liked by me,

  to hang around waiting for their Lordships' permission,

  and at the door too, like a postman with letters.

  By holy Mary, Butts, that's skullduggery:

  leave them to it, and close the curtains tight:

  we'll hear more about this soon.

  Exeunt

  Enter Chancellor; places himself at the upper end of the table on the left hand; a seat being left void above him, as for CRANMER's seat. SUFFOLK, NORFOLK, SURREY, Chamberlain, GARDINER, seat themselves in order on each side. CROMWELL at lower end, as secretary. Keeper at the door

  Chancellor

  Speak to the business, master-secretary:

  Why are we met in council?

  Speak to the purpose, Master Secretary:

  why have we met in Council?

  CROMWELL

  Please your honours,

  The chief cause concerns his grace of Canterbury.

  If it please your Honours,

  the main reason is to do with his grace of Canterbury.

  GARDINER

  Has he had knowledge of it?

  Has he been informed about it?

  CROMWELL

  Yes.

  Yes.

  NORFOLK

  Who waits there?

  Who's that waiting there?

  Keeper

  Without, my noble lords?

  Outside, my noble Lords?

  GARDINER

  Yes.

  Yes.

  Keeper

  My lord archbishop;

  And has done half an hour, to know your pleasures.

  My Lord Archbishop;

  he has been waiting half an hour, to know what you want.

  Chancellor

  Let him come in.

  Let him come in.

  Keeper

  Your grace may enter now.

  Your Grace may enter now.

  CRANMER enters and approaches the council-table

  Chancellor

  My good lord archbishop, I'm very sorry

  To sit here at this present, and behold

  That chair stand empty: but we all are men,

  In our own natures frail, and capable

  Of our flesh; few are angels: out of which frailty

  And want of wisdom, you, that best should teach us,

  Have misdemean'd yourself, and not a little,

  Toward the king first, then his laws, in filling

  The whole realm, by your teaching and your chaplains,

  For so we are inform'd, with new opinions,

  Divers and dangerous; which are heresies,

  And, not reform'd, may prove pernicious.

  My good Lord Archbishop, I'm very sorry

  to have to sit here now, and see

  your chair standing empty: but we are all men,

  our nature is weak, and can often be ruled

  by the flesh; few of us are angels: and because of this weakness

  and lack of wisdom, you, who should set an example,

  have behaved badly, and not in a small way,

  firstly towards the King, and then to his laws, by filling

  the whole country, through your teaching and your chaplains,

  so we are told, with new opinions,

  perverse and dangerous; they are heresies,

  and, if they are not withdrawn, they may prove very damaging.

  GARDINER

  Which reformation must be sudden too,

  My noble lords; for those that tame wild horses

  Pace 'em not in their hands to make 'em gentle,

  But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur 'em,

  Till they obey the manage. If we suffer,

  Out of our easiness and childish pity

  To one man's honour, this contagious sickness,

  Farewell all physic: and what follows then?

  Commotions, uproars, with a general taint

  Of the whole state: as, of late days, our neighbours,

  The upper Germany, can dearly witness,

  Yet freshly pitied in our memories.

  And they must be withdrawn at once too,

  my noble lords; people who tame wild horses

  don't exercise them gently with their hands,

&n
bsp; but block up their mouths with hard bits, and dig in the spurs,

  until they do as they're told. If we allow,

  by being easy-going and having a childish regard

  for one man's honour, this infectious sickness to spread,

  then any cure will be useless: and what will happen then?

  Riots, uproar, and general corruption

  throughout the country: as, recently, our neighbours

  in upper Germany have found to their cost,

  we still remember and pity them.

  CRANMER

  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: nor is there living,

  I speak it with a single heart, my lords,

  A man that more detests, more stirs against,

  Both in his private conscience and his place,

  Defacers of a public peace, than I do.

  Pray heaven, the king may never find a heart

  With less allegiance in it! Men that make

  Envy and crooked malice nourishment

  Dare bite the best. I do beseech your lordships,

  That, in this case of justice, my accusers,

  Be what they will, may stand forth face to face,

  And freely urge against me.

  My good lords, thus far, in everything I've done

  in my life and my post, I have endeavoured,

  with no little effort, for my teaching

  and the strong use of my power

  to both be consistent, and good; my aim

  was always to do good: and there is no man living,

  I can say wholeheartedly, my lords,

  no one who hates more, or works harder to stop,

  both in private life and as a public figure,

  disturbers of the public peace, than me.

  I pray to God that the King will always have

  such faithful hearts around him! Men who derive

  nourishment from envy and crooked malice

  are the first to criticise it. I beg your Lordships,

  as this is a judicial case, that my accusers,

  whoever they are, come out and face me,

  and speak their accusations against me openly.

  SUFFOLK

  Nay, my lord,

  That cannot be: you are a counsellor,

  And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you.

  No, my lord,

  that can't happen: you are a counsellor,

  and, because of that, no man dares to accuse you.

  GARDINER

  My lord, because we have business of more moment,

  We will be short with you. 'Tis his highness' pleasure,

  And our consent, for better trial of you,

  From hence you be committed to the Tower;

  Where, being but a private man again,

  You shall know many dare accuse you boldly,

  More than, I fear, you are provided for.

  My Lord, because we have more important business,

  we will be brief with you. His Highness wishes,

  and we agree to it, that in order for you to be better tried

  you should be taken from here and imprisoned in the Tower;

  where, becoming only a private citizen again,

  you will know how many make accusations against you,

  more than you're expecting, I'm afraid.

  CRANMER

  Ah, my good Lord of Winchester, I thank you;

  You are always my good friend; if your will pass,

  I shall both find your lordship judge and juror,

  You are so merciful: I see your end;

  'Tis my undoing: love and meekness, lord,

  Become a churchman better than ambition:

  Win straying souls with modesty again,

  Cast none away. That I shall clear myself,

  Lay all the weight ye can upon my patience,

  I make as little doubt, as you do conscience

  In doing daily wrongs. I could say more,

  But reverence to your calling makes me modest.

  Ah, my good lord Winchester, thank you;

  you are always a good friend to me; if you get what you want,

  I shall find your lordship both judge and jury,

  you are so merciful: I see your plan:

  you want my downfall: love and meekness, Lord,

  are more suitable to a clergyman than ambition:

  win back souls who stray from the path by modesty,

  do not reject any. I am certain that I shall exonerate

  myself, however much you test me, I have as little doubt

  as you have conscience in the daily wrongs you do.

  I could say more, but respect for your position

  curbs my tongue.

  GARDINER

  My lord, my lord, you are a sectary,

  That's the plain truth: your painted gloss discovers,

  To men that understand you, words and weakness.

  My Lord, my lord, you are a follower of a sect,

  that's the simple truth: this outward display shows,

  to men who understand you, just empty words and weakness.

  CROMWELL

  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.

  My Lord Winchester, you are a little,

  if you'll excuse me saying so, too sharp; such noble men,

  whatever their faults, should still be given respect

  for what they once were: it's cruel

  to kick a man when he's down.

  GARDINER

  Good master secretary,

  I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst

  Of all this table, say so.

  Good Master Secretary,

  I beg your honour to excuse me; you have

  the least right of everyone at this table to say that.

  CROMWELL

  Why, my lord?

  Why, my lord?

  GARDINER

  Do not I know you for a favourer

  Of this new sect? ye are not sound.

  Don't I know that you follow

  this new sect? You are not trustworthy.

  CROMWELL

  Not sound?

  Not trustworthy?

  GARDINER

  Not sound, I say.

  Not trustworthy, I say.

  CROMWELL

  Would you were half so honest!

  Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears.

  I wish you were half as honest as me!

  Then men would pray to you, not fear you.

  GARDINER

  I shall remember this bold language.

  I shall remember this intemperate language.

  CROMWELL

  Do.

  Remember your bold life too.

  Do.

  Remember your intemperate life too.

  Chancellor

  This is too much;

  Forbear, for shame, my lords.

  That's enough;

  stop this, for shame, my lords.

  GARDINER

  I have done.

  I'm finished.

  CROMWELL

  And I.

  So am I.

  Chancellor

  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?

  So we must deal with you, my lord: it's agreed,

  I take it, unanimously, that now you sh
ould be

  taken to the Tower as a prisoner;

  to remain there until the King's further orders

  are given to us: are you all agreed, Lords?

  All

  We are.

  We are.

  CRANMER

  Is there no other way of mercy,

  But I must needs to the Tower, my lords?

  Is there nothing else you can do

  apart from send me to the Tower, my lords?

  GARDINER

  What other

  Would you expect? you are strangely troublesome.

  Let some o' the guard be ready there.

  What else

  do you expect? You're being extremely annoying.

  Bring some of the guards in there.

  Enter Guard

  CRANMER

  For me?

  Must I go like a traitor thither?

  For me?

  Must I go there like a traitor?

  GARDINER

  Receive him,

  And see him safe i' the Tower.

  Take him,

  and put him safely in the Tower.

  CRANMER

  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

  To a most noble judge, the king my master.

  Wait, my good lords,

  I still have a little I want to say. Look at this, my lords;

  through the power of this ring, I take my case

  out of the grip of cruel men, and place it