That's the plain truth; your painted gloss discovers,
To men that understand you, words and weakness.

Crom. 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.

Gar. Good master secretary,
I cry your honour mercy ; you may, worst
Of all this table, say só.

Crom. Why, my lord ?

Gar. Do not I know you for a favourer
Of this new sect? ye are not sound.

Crom. Not sound?
Gar. Not sound, I say.

Crom. 'Would you were half so honest!
Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears.

Gar. I shall remember this bold language.

Crom. Do.
Remember your bold life too.

Cham. This is too much ;
Forbear, for sbame, my lords.

Gar. I have done.
Crom. And T.

Cham. Then thus for you, my lord,.lt 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 ?

All. We are.

Cran. Is there no other way of mercy, But I must needs to the Tower, my lords ?

Gard. What other
Would you expect? You are strangely troublesome.
Let some o'the guard be ready there.

Enter Guard.
Cran. For me ?
Must I go like a traitor thither ?

Gard. Receive him,
And see him safe i'the tower.

Cran. Stay, good my lords,
I have a little yet to say. Look there, my lords ;
By virtue of that ring, I take my cause

[4] Those that understand you, under this painted gloss this fair outside, discover your empty talk and your false reasoning

JOHNSON

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Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it
To a most noble judge, the king my master.

Cham. This is the king's ring."
Sur. 'Tis no counterfeit.

Suf. 'Tis the right ring, by heaven: I told ye all,
When we first put this dangerous stone a rolling,
'Twould fall

upon

ourselves.
Nor. Do you think, my lords,
The king will suffer but the little finger
Of this man to be vex'd ?

Cham. 'Tis now too certain':
How much more is his life in value with him!
'Would I were fairly out on't.

Crom. My mind gave me,
In seeking tales, and informations,
Against this man, (whose honesty the devil
And his disciples only envy at,)
Ye blew the fire that burns ye : Now have at ye.

Enter King, frowning on them; takes his seat.
Gar. Dread sovereign, how much are we bound to

heaven
In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince ;
Not only good and wise, but most religious :
One that, in all obedience, makes the church
The chief aim of his honour; and, to strengthen
That holy duty, out of dear respect,
His royal self in judgment comes to hear
The cause betwixt her and this great offender.

K. Hen. You were ever good at sudden commendations,
Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not
To hear such flattery now, and in my presence ;
They are too thin and base to hide offences.
To me you cannot reach, you play the spaniel,
And think with wagging of your tongue to win me ;
But, whatsoe'er thou tak’st me for, I am sure,

[5] It seems to have been a custom, begun probably in the dark ages, before literature was generally diffused, and before the regal power experienced the restraints of law, for every monarch to have a ring, the temporary possession of which invested the bolder with the same authority as the owner himself could exercise. The-production of it was sufficient to suspend the execution of the law ; it procured indemnity for offences committed, and imposed acquiescence and submission on whatever was done under its authority. Instances abound in the history of almost every nation. See Procopius de bell. Vandal. L. I. p. 15, as quoted in Farnworth's Machiavel, Vol. I. p. 9. The traditional story of the Earl of Essex, Queen Elizabeth, and the Countess of Nottingham, long considered as an incident of a romance, is generally known, and now as generally credited. See Birch's Negotin. tions, p. 206. REED.

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I see,

Thou hast a cruel nature, and a bloody.
Good man, [T. CRANMER.] sit down. Now let me see

the proudest
He, that dares most, but wag his finger at thee:
By all that's holy, he had better starve,
Than but once think his place becomes thee not.

Sur. May it please your grace,
K. Hen. No, sir, it does not please me.
I had thought, I had men of some understanding
And wisdom, of my council ; but I find none.
Was it discretion, lords, to let this man,
This good man, (few of you deserve that title,)
This honest man, wait like a lousy footboy
At chamber door ? and one as great as you are ?
Why, what a shame was this ? Did my commission
Bid ye so far forget yourselves ? I gave ye
Power as he was a counsellor to try him,
Not as a groom ;

There's some of ye,
More out of malice than integrity,
Would try him to the utmost, had ye mean ;
Which ye shall never have, while I live.

Cham. Thus far,
My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace
To let my tongue excuse all. What was purpos’d
Concerning his imprisonment, was rather
(If there be faith in men,) meant for his trial,
And fair purgation to the world, than malice ;
I am sure, in me.

K. Hen. Well, well, my lords, respect him ;
Take him, and use him well; he's worthy of it.
I will say thus much for him, If a prince
May be beholden to a subject, I
Am, for his love and service, so to him.
Make me no more ado, but all embrace him ;
Be friends, for shame, my lords.--My lord of Canterbury,
I have a suit which you must not deny me ;
That is, a fair young maid that yet wants baptism,
You must be godfather, and answer for her.

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 [5] It was the custom, long hefore the time of Shakespeare, for the sponsors at christenings, to offer gilt spoons as a present to the child. These spoons were called

.

Two noble partners with you ; the old duchess of Norfolk,
And lady marquis Dorset; Will these please you !
Once more, my lord of Winchester, I charge you,
Embrace, and love this man.

Gar. With a true heart,
And brother-love, I do it.

Cran. And let heaven
Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation.

K. Hen. Good man, those joyful tears shew thy true
The common voice, I see, is verified

[heart. Of thee, which says thus, To my lord of Canterbury A shrewd turn, and he is your friend for ever.Come, lords, we trifle time away ; I long To have this young one made a christian. As I have made ye one, lords, one remain ; So I grow stronger, you more honour gain. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. The Palace Yard. Noise and tumult within: Enter Porter

and his Man. Port. You'll leave your noise anon, ye rascals : Do you take the court for Paris-garden ? ye rude slaves, leave your gaping."

Within. Good master porter, I belong to the larder.

Port. Belong to the gallows, and be hanged, you rogue: Is this a place to roar in ?-Fetch me a dozen crab-tree staves, and strong ones ; these are but switches to them. I'll scratch your heads : You must be seeing christenings ? Do you look for ale and cakes here, you rude rascals ?

Man. Pray, sir, be patient; 'tis as much impossible (Unless we sweep them from the door with cannons,) To scatter them, as 'tis to make them sleep On May-day morning ;8 which will never be : We may as well push against Paul's, as stir them.

Port. How got they in, and be hang'a ?

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Man. Alas, I know.not; How gets the tide in!
As much as one sound cudgel of four foot
(You see the poor remainder) could distribute,
I made no spare, sir.

Port. You did nothing, sir.

Man. I am not Sampson, nor sir Guy, nor Colbrand, to mow them down before me : but, if I spared any, that had a head to hit, either young or old, he or she, cuckold or cuckold-maker, let me never hope to see a chine again ; and that I would not for a cow, God save her. Within. Do you hear, master porter ?

Port. I shall be with you presently, good master puppy. -Keep the door close, sirrah.

Man. What would you have me do ?

Port. What should you do, but knock them down by the dozens? Is this Moorfields to muster in ?' or have we some strange Indian with the great tool come to court, the women so besiege us ? Bless me, what a fry of fornication is at the door! On my christian conscience, this one christening will beget a thousand; here will be father, god-father, and all together.

Man. The spoons will be the bigger, sir. There is a fellow somewhat near the door, he should be a brazier by his face;' for, o'my conscience, twenty of the dog-days now reiga in's nose ; all that stand about him are under the line, they need no other penance. That fire-drake did I bit three times on the head, and three times was his nose discharg'd against me ; he stands there, like a mortarpiece, to blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small wit near him, that railed upon me till her pink'd porringer fell off her head, for kindling such a combustion in the state. I miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman, who cry'd out, clubs !* when I might see from far some forty truncheoneers draw to her succour, which were the hope of the Strand, where she was quartered.

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