Sur.
Good morrowe to my Lord of Shrewesburie.

Shrew
The like vnto the honourd Earle of Surrey.
yond comes my Lord of Rochester.

Rochest.
Good morrowe my good Lordes

Sur.
Clarke of the Councell, what time ist of day?

Clarke.
Past eight of clock my Lord.

Shrew.
I wunder that my good Lord Chauncellour,
dooth stay so long, considering ther's matters
of high importaunce to be scand vppon.

Sur.
Clarke of the Councell, certefie his Lordship
the Lordes expect him heere.

Rochest.
It shall not need.
yond comes his Lordship. Enter S^r. Thomas Moore, with Pursse and Mace borne before him.&fslash;

Moore.
Good morrowe to this faire assemblye.
Come my good Lords, let's sit. &fslash; Oh serious square, &fslash; they sit.
vppon this little borde ^note is dayly scande
the health and preseruation ^note of the land.
we the Phisitians that effect this good,
now, by choise diett, annon, by letting blood.
Our toyle and carefull watching, brings the King
in league with slumbers, to which, peace dooth sing.

Auoyde the roome there.
what busines Lords to day?

Shrew.
This my good Lord.
About the entertainement of the Emperour,
gainst the perfidious ffrenche into our [our] pay.

Sur.
My Lords, as tis the custome in this place,
the youngest should speake first, so, if I chaunce,
in this case to speake youngly, pardon me.
I will agree, ffraunce now hath her full strength
as hauing newe recouered the pale blood
which warre sluic'de foorth, and I consent to this,
that the coniunction of our Englishe forces
with armes of Germanie, may sooner bring
this prize of conquest in. But then my Lordes,
As ^note in the morrall hunting twixt the Lyon,
and other beastes force ioynd
frighted the weaker sharers from their ^note partes. Fol. 17^b
So if the Empires Soueraigne chaunce to put,
his plea of partnership into warres Courte,
Swoordes should discide the difference, and our blood:
in priuate ^note teares lament his entertainement.

Shrew.
To ^note doubt the wurst is still the wise mans sheeld,
that armes him safely, but the worlde knowes this,
the Emperour is a man of royall faith.
His looue vnto our Soueraigne, brings him downe,
from his emperiall seate, to marche in pay
vnder our English fflagge, and weare the crosse,
like some high order on his manly breast.
Thus seruing, hees not Maister of him selfe,
but like a Collonell, c&obar;maunding other,
is by the Generall ouer-awed him selfe.

Rochest.
yet my good Lord.

Shrew.
Let me conclude my speeche. ^note
As subiects share no portion in the conquest
of their true Soueraigne other then the meritt,
that from the Soueraigne guerdons the true subiect:
So the good Emperour in a freendly league
of amitie with England, will not soyle
his honor with the theft of Englishe spoyle.

Moore
There is no question, but this entertainement:
will be moste honorable, moste c&obar;modious.
I haue oft heard good Captaines wish to haue
riche Soldiours to attend them, such as would fight
bothe for their liues and liuings. Such a one,
is the good Emperour: I would to God,
we had ten thousand of such able men,
hah, then there would appeare, no Courte, no Cittie
but where the warres were: they would pay them selues.
Then to preuent in ffrenche warres, Englands losse:
let Germaine flagges waue with our Englishe crosse. Enter Sir Thomas ^note Palmer.

Pal.
My Lordes, his Maiestie hath sent by me
these Articles enclosde, ^note first to be viewde,
and then to be subscribed to: I tender them,
in that due reuerence ^note which befitts this place. &fslash; with greate reuerence

Moore.
Subscribe these Articles? stay, let vs pause,
our conscience first shall parley with our lawes.
My Lord of Rochester, ^note viewe you the paper.

Rochest.
Subscribe to these? now good Sir Thomas Palmer,
beseeche the King that he will pardon me.
My hart will check my hand whilste I doo write,
subscribing so, I were an hipocrite.

Pal.
doo you refuse it then my Lord?

Rochest.
I doo Sir Thomas.

Pal.
^noteThen heere ^note I summon you foorth with t'appeare,
before his maiestie, to answere there
this capitall contempt.

Rochest.
I rise, and parte,
in liew of this, to tender him my hart. &fslash; he riseth.

Pal.
wilt please your honor to subscribe my Lord?

Moore.
Sir, tell his highnesse, I entreate
some time for to bethinke me of this taske.
In the meane while, I doo resigne mine office,
^noteinto my Soueraignes hands. ALL [ ]ALTR'

Pal.
Then my Lord,
heare the prepared order from the King.
On your refusall, you shall straite departe
vnto your house at Chelsey, till you knowe
our Soueraignes further pleasure.

Moore.
Moste willingly, I goe.
My Lordes, if you will visite me at Chelsey,
weele goe a fishing, and with a cunning nett,
not like weake filme, weele catche none but the great.
ffarewell my noble Lordes: why this is right,
good morrowe to the Sunne, to state good night. —ex. Moore.

Pal.
will you subscribe my Lordes?

Sur.
Instantly good Sir Thomas,
weele bring the writing vnto our Soueraigne. &fslash; they write.

Pal.
My Lord of Rochester,
you must with me, to answere this contempt.

Roches.
This is the wurst,
who's freed from life, is from all care exempt. —ex. Ro. & Pal.

Sur.
now let vs
to our Soueraigne.

tis straunge that my lord Chauncellour should refuse Fol. 18^a
the dutie that the lawe of God bequeathes
vnto the King.

Shrew.
Come, let vs in, no doubt,
his minde will alter, and the Bishops too,
Errour in learned ^note heads hath much to doo. ^note

Previous section

Next section