Shakespeare Portal

Act 5, Scene 2

Lobby before the council-chamber.

  1. [Pursuivants, Pages, etc., attending. Enter Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury.]
  2. Archbishop Cranmer
  3. 2810 I hope I am not too late; and yet the gentleman,
  4. 2811 That was sent to me from the council, pray'd me
  5. 2812 To make great haste. All fast? what means this? Ho!
  6. 2813 Who waits there? Sure, you know me?
  7. [Enter Keeper.]
  8. Keeper
  9. 2814 Yes, my lord;
  10. 2815 But yet I cannot help you.
  11. Archbishop Cranmer
  12. 2816 Why?
  13. Keeper
  14. 2817 Your Grace must wait till you be call'd for.
  15. [Enter Doctor Butts.]
  16. Archbishop Cranmer
  17. 2818 So.
  18. [Aside.]
  19. Doctor Butts
  20. 2819 This is a piece of malice. I am glad
  21. 2820 I came this way so happily; the King
  22. 2821 Shall understand it presently.
  23. [Exit.]
  24. [Aside.]
  25. Archbishop Cranmer
  26. 2822 'Tis Butts,
  27. 2823 The King's physician. As he pass'd along,
  28. 2824 How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me!
  29. 2825 Pray Heaven, he sound not my disgrace! For certain,
  30. 2826 This is of purpose laid by some that hate me—
  31. 2827 God turn their hearts! I never sought their malice—
  32. 2828 To quench mine honour; they would shame to make me
  33. 2829 Wait else at door, a fellow-counsellor,
  34. 2830 'Mong boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures
  35. 2831 Must be fulfill'd, and I attend with patience.
  36. [Enter the King and Butts, at a window above.]
  37. Doctor Butts
  38. 2832 I'll show your Grace the strangest sight—
  39. King Henry VIII
  40. 2833 What's that, Butts?
  41. Doctor Butts
  42. 2834 I think your Highness saw this many a day.
  43. King Henry VIII
  44. 2835 Body o' me, where is it?
  45. Doctor Butts
  46. 2836 There, my lord,
  47. 2837 The high promotion of his Grace of Canterbury;
  48. 2838 Who holds his state at door, 'mongst pursuivants,
  49. 2839 Pages, and footboys.
  50. King Henry VIII
  51. 2840 Ha! 'tis he, indeed.
  52. 2841 Is this the honour they do one another?
  53. 2842 'Tis well there's one above 'em yet. I had thought
  54. 2843 They had parted so much honesty among 'em,
  55. 2844 At least, good manners, as not thus to suffer
  56. 2845 A man of his place, and so near our favour,
  57. 2846 To dance attendance on their lordships' pleasures,
  58. 2847 And at the door too, like a post with packets.
  59. 2848 By holy Mary, Butts, there's knavery.
  60. 2849 Let 'em alone, and draw the curtain close;
  61. 2850 We shall hear more anon.
  62. [Exeunt.]