The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (316 page)

Said I for this, the girl was like to him?

I will have more, or else unsay't; and now,

While it is hot, I'll put it to the issue.

A hundred marks! I swear I shall have more.

An ordinary groom would be paid this much.

I will have more, or I shall nag it out of him.

Is it for this that I said the girl was like him?

I'll have more, or I'll take it back; and now,

I'll strike while the iron is hot.

Exeunt

Enter CRANMER

CRANMER

I hope I am not too late; and yet the gentleman,

That was sent to me from the council, pray'd me

To make great haste. All fast? what means this? Ho!

Who waits there? Sure, you know me?

I hope I'm not too late; and yet the gentleman,

who was sent to me from the council, begged me

to hurry. All locked up? What does this mean? Hello!

Who's there? Surely, you know me?

Enter Keeper

Keeper

Yes, my lord;

But yet I cannot help you.

Yes, my lord;

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,

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