Sir Thomas More [26]
horsekeeper and Giles porter, sad, sad; they say my lord
goes to his trial today.
HORSEKEEPER.
To it, man! why, he is now at it, God send him well to speed!
PORTER.
Amen; even as i wish to mine own soul, so speed it with my
honorable lord and master, Sir Thomas More.
BUTLER.
I cannot tell, I have nothing to do with matters above my capacity;
but, as God judge me, if I might speak my mind, I think there lives
not a more harmless gentleman in the universal world.
BREWER.
Nor a wiser, nor a merrier, nor an honester; go to, I'll put that in
upon mine own knowledge.
PORTER.
Nay, and ye bait him his due of his housekeeping, hang ye all! ye
have many Lord Chancellor's comes in debt at the year's end, and
for very housekeeping.
HORSEKEEPER.
Well, he was too good a lord for us, and therefore, I fear, God
himself will take him: but I'll be hanged, if ever I have such an
other service.
BREWER.
Soft, man, we are not discharged yet: my lord may come home
again, and all will be well.
BUTLER.
I much mistrust it; when they go to raining once, there's ever foul
weather for a great while after. But soft; here comes Master
Gough and Master Catesby: now we shall hear more.
[Enter Gough and Catesby with a paper.]
HORSEKEEPER.
Before God, they are very sad; I doubt my lord is condemned.
PORTER.
God bless his soul! and a fig then for all wordly condemnation.
GOUGH.
Well said, Giles porter, I commend thee for it;
Twas spoken like a well affected servant
Of him that was a kind lord to us all.
CATESBY.
Which now no more he shall be; for, dear fellows,
Now we are masterless, though he may live
So long as please the king: but law hath made him
A dead man to the world, and given the axe his head,
But his sweet soul to live among the saints.
GOUGH.
Let us entreat ye to go call together
The rest of your sad fellows (by the rule
Y'are just seven score), and tell them what we hear
A virtuous honorable lord hath done
Even for the meanest follower that he had.
This writing found my lady in his study,
This instant morning, wherein is set down
Each servant's name, according to his place
And office in the house: on every man
He frankly hath bestown twenty nobles,
The best and worst together, all alike,
Which Master Catesby here forth will pay ye.
CATESBY.
Take it as it is meant, a kind remembrance
Of a fair kinder lord, with whose sad fall
He gives up house and farewell to us all:
Thus the fair spreading oak falls not alone,
But all the neighbor plants and under-trees
Are crushed down with his weight. No more of this:
Come, and receive your due, and after go
Fellow-like hence, copartners of one woe.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE III. The Tower.
[Enter Sir Thomas More, the Lieutenant, and a Servant attending,
as in his chamber in the Tower.]
MORE.
Master Lieutenant, is the warrant come?
If it be so, a God's name, let us know it.
LIEUTENANT.
My lord, it is.
MORE.
Tis welcome, sir, to me with all my heart;
His blessed will be done!
LIEUTENANT.
Your wisdom, sir, hath been so well approved,
And your fair patience in imprisonment
Hath ever shewn such constancy of mind
And Christian resolution in all troubles,
As warrant us you are not unprepared.
MORE.
No, Master Lieutenant;
I thank my God, I have peace of conscience,
Though the world and I are at a little odds:
But we'll be even now, I hope, ere long.
When is the execution of your warrant?
LIEUTENANT.
Tomorrow morning.
MORE.
So, sir, I thank ye;
I have not lived so ill, I fear to die.
Master Lieutenant, I have had a sore fit of the stone tonight; but the
king hath sent me such a rare receipt, I thank him, as I shall not
need to fear it much.
LIEUTENANT.
In life and death still merry Sir Thomas More.
MORE.
Sirrah fellow, reach me the urinal:
[He gives it him.]
Ha! let me see (there's) gravel in the water;
(And yet I see no grave danger in that)
The man were likely to live long enough,
So pleased the king.--Here, fellow, take it.
SERVANT.
Shall I go with
goes to his trial today.
HORSEKEEPER.
To it, man! why, he is now at it, God send him well to speed!
PORTER.
Amen; even as i wish to mine own soul, so speed it with my
honorable lord and master, Sir Thomas More.
BUTLER.
I cannot tell, I have nothing to do with matters above my capacity;
but, as God judge me, if I might speak my mind, I think there lives
not a more harmless gentleman in the universal world.
BREWER.
Nor a wiser, nor a merrier, nor an honester; go to, I'll put that in
upon mine own knowledge.
PORTER.
Nay, and ye bait him his due of his housekeeping, hang ye all! ye
have many Lord Chancellor's comes in debt at the year's end, and
for very housekeeping.
HORSEKEEPER.
Well, he was too good a lord for us, and therefore, I fear, God
himself will take him: but I'll be hanged, if ever I have such an
other service.
BREWER.
Soft, man, we are not discharged yet: my lord may come home
again, and all will be well.
BUTLER.
I much mistrust it; when they go to raining once, there's ever foul
weather for a great while after. But soft; here comes Master
Gough and Master Catesby: now we shall hear more.
[Enter Gough and Catesby with a paper.]
HORSEKEEPER.
Before God, they are very sad; I doubt my lord is condemned.
PORTER.
God bless his soul! and a fig then for all wordly condemnation.
GOUGH.
Well said, Giles porter, I commend thee for it;
Twas spoken like a well affected servant
Of him that was a kind lord to us all.
CATESBY.
Which now no more he shall be; for, dear fellows,
Now we are masterless, though he may live
So long as please the king: but law hath made him
A dead man to the world, and given the axe his head,
But his sweet soul to live among the saints.
GOUGH.
Let us entreat ye to go call together
The rest of your sad fellows (by the rule
Y'are just seven score), and tell them what we hear
A virtuous honorable lord hath done
Even for the meanest follower that he had.
This writing found my lady in his study,
This instant morning, wherein is set down
Each servant's name, according to his place
And office in the house: on every man
He frankly hath bestown twenty nobles,
The best and worst together, all alike,
Which Master Catesby here forth will pay ye.
CATESBY.
Take it as it is meant, a kind remembrance
Of a fair kinder lord, with whose sad fall
He gives up house and farewell to us all:
Thus the fair spreading oak falls not alone,
But all the neighbor plants and under-trees
Are crushed down with his weight. No more of this:
Come, and receive your due, and after go
Fellow-like hence, copartners of one woe.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE III. The Tower.
[Enter Sir Thomas More, the Lieutenant, and a Servant attending,
as in his chamber in the Tower.]
MORE.
Master Lieutenant, is the warrant come?
If it be so, a God's name, let us know it.
LIEUTENANT.
My lord, it is.
MORE.
Tis welcome, sir, to me with all my heart;
His blessed will be done!
LIEUTENANT.
Your wisdom, sir, hath been so well approved,
And your fair patience in imprisonment
Hath ever shewn such constancy of mind
And Christian resolution in all troubles,
As warrant us you are not unprepared.
MORE.
No, Master Lieutenant;
I thank my God, I have peace of conscience,
Though the world and I are at a little odds:
But we'll be even now, I hope, ere long.
When is the execution of your warrant?
LIEUTENANT.
Tomorrow morning.
MORE.
So, sir, I thank ye;
I have not lived so ill, I fear to die.
Master Lieutenant, I have had a sore fit of the stone tonight; but the
king hath sent me such a rare receipt, I thank him, as I shall not
need to fear it much.
LIEUTENANT.
In life and death still merry Sir Thomas More.
MORE.
Sirrah fellow, reach me the urinal:
[He gives it him.]
Ha! let me see (there's) gravel in the water;
(And yet I see no grave danger in that)
The man were likely to live long enough,
So pleased the king.--Here, fellow, take it.
SERVANT.
Shall I go with