R.H.
Cran.
I am fearful:—Wherefore frowns he thus?
K. Hen.
How now, my lord? You do desire to know
Wherefore I sent for you.
Cran.
It is my duty,
To attend your highness' pleasure.
[Kneels.
-- 86 --
K. Hen.
Pray you, arise,
My good and gracious lord of Canterbury.
Come, you and I must walk a turn together;
I have news to tell you.
I have, and most unwillingly, of late
Heard many grievous, I do say, my lord,
Grievous complaints of you; which, being consider'd,
Have mov'd us and our council, that you shall
This morning come before us.
Cran.
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 (Kneeling.)
K. Hen.
Stand up, good Canterbury;
Thy truth and thy integrity, is rooted
In us, thy friend. Give me thy hand, stand up;
Now, by my holy-dame,
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.
Cran.
Most dread liege,
The good I stand on is my truth, and honesty.
If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies,
Will triumph o'er my person; which I weigh not.
Being of those virtues vacant.
K. Hen.
Be of good cheer;
They shall no more prevail, than we give way to.
Keep comfort to you. Look, the good man weeps!
He's honest, on mine honour.
And now my lord of Canterbury,
I have a suit which you must not deny me;
Hourly we do expect a fair young stranger,
That will want baptism. You must be godfather.
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.
Lovell (without).
Come back; what mean you?
-- 87 --
Old Lady entering, R.H. 1 E.
I'll not come back, the tidings that I bring
Will make my boldness manners. Now, good angels
Fly o'er thy royal head, and shade thy person
Under their blessed wings.
K. Hen.
Now, by thy looks
I guess thy message. Is the queen deliver'd?
Say, ay; and of a boy.
Lady.
Ay, ay, my liege;
And of a lovely boy. The dews of heaven
Both now and ever bless her! 'Tis a girl,
Promises boys hereafter; 'tis as like you
As cherry is to cherry.
K. Hen.
Lovell.
Enter Lovell, R.H.
Lov.
Sir.
K. Hen.
Give her an hundred marks.
I'll to the queen.
[Exeunt R.H.
Come, my good lord, away. I long
To have this young one made a christian.
[Exeunt King, and Cranmer, R.H.
Lady.
An hundred marks! By this light, I'll have more.
An ordinary groom is for such payment.
I will have more, or scold it out of him.
Said I for this, the girl is like to him?
I will have more, or else unsay 't; and now
While it is hot, I'll put it to the issue.
[Exeunt Old Lady and Lovell, R.H.
-- 88 --
SCENE II.
MOVING PANORAMA,
Representing London as it appeared in the reign of Henry
VIII., with the Barges of the Lord Mayor and City Council,
on their way to Greenwich, to attend the Christening of the
Princess Elizabeth, on the 10th September, 1533.
SCENE III.
—INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE GREY FRIARS, GREENWICH,
RESTORED FROM CONTEMPORANEOUS BUILDINGS, IN THE ABSENCE OF ACTUAL VESTIGES.
King Henry, Duke of Norfolk, with his marshal's
staff, Duke of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain,
Noblemen, bearing great standing bowls for the
christening gifts; Lords and Ladies, Duchess of
Norfolk, godmother, bearing the child richly habited
in a mantle, &c. Train borne by a Lady. The
Marchioness of Dorset, the other godmother.
Lord Chancellor, Lord Mayor, Sheriff's, Aldermen,
Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of
London and the other Bishops; Trumpeters, Mace-bearers,
Pursuivants, Guards, Garter King-at-Arms
—all discovered. At the end of the flourish of
trumpets, Garter speaks.
Gart.
Heaven, from thy endless goodness, send prosperous
life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty
princess of England, Elizabeth!* note
[Flourish.
Cran. [Kneeling.]
And to your royal grace, and the good queen,
My noble partners, and myself, thus pray;—
All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady,
Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy,
May hourly fall upon ye!
-- 89 --
K. Hen.
Thank you, good lord archbishop;
What is her name?
Cran.
Elizabeth.
K. Hen.
Stand up, lord.—
[The King kisses the Child.
With this kiss take my blessing: Heaven protect thee!
Into whose hands I give thy life.
Cran.
Let me speak, sir,
For Heaven now bids me; and the words I utter
Let none think flattery, for they'll find them truth.
This royal infant, (heaven still move about her!)
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness: She shall be
A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed: truth shall nurse her,
Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her:
She shall be lov'd, and fear'd: Her own shall bless her:
Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,
And hang their heads with sorrow. Our children's children
Shall see this, and bless heaven.
K. Hen.
Thou speakest wonders.
Cran.
She shall be to the happiness of England,
An aged princess; many days shall see her,
And yet no day without a deed to crown it.
'Would I had known no more! but she must die,
She must, the saints must have her; yet a virgin,
A most unspotted lily shall she pass
To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her.
K. Hen.
O lord archbishop,
This oracle of comfort has so pleas'd me.
That, when I am in heaven, I shall desire
To see what this child does. I thank ye all.
Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank ye,
She will be sick else. This day, no man think
He has business at his house; for all shall stay,
This little one shall make it holiday.(1)8Q0051
[Flourish of trumpets as the Curtain falls.
THE END.
-- 90 --
Charles Kean [1855], Shakespere's historical play of King Henry the Eighth; arranged for representation at the Princess's Theatre, by Charles Kean. First performed on Wednesday, 16th May, 1855 (Printed by John K. Chapman and Co. [etc.], London) [word count] [S35600].
