LADY MORE. Oh, dear husband!
[Kneeling and weeping.]
BOTH DAUGHTERS. Dear father!
MORE. See, my lords, This partner and these subjects to my flesh Prove rebels to my conscience! But, my good lords, If I refuse, must I unto the Tower?
SHREWSBURY. You must, my lord; here is an officer Ready for to arrest you of high treason.
LADY MORE AND DAUGHTERS. Oh, God, oh, God!
ROPER. Be patient, good madam.
MORE. Aye, Downs, ist thou? I once did save thy life, When else by cruel riotous assault Thou hadst been torn in pieces: thou art reserved To be my summoner to yond spiritual court. Give me thy hand; good fellow, smooth thy face: The diet that thou drinkst is spic'd with mace, And I could ne'er abide it; 'twill not disgest, Twill lie too heavily, man, on my weak breast.
SHREWSBURY. Be brief, my lord, for we are limited Unto an hour.
MORE. Unto an hour! tis well: The bell soon shall toll my knell.
LADY MORE. Dear loving husband, if you respect not me, Yet think upon your daughters.
[Kneeling.]
MORE. Wife, stand up; I have bethought me, And I'll now satisfy the king's good pleasure.
[Pointing to himself.]
BOTH DAUGHTERS. Oh, happy alteration!
SHREWSBURY. Come, then, subscribe, my lord.
SURREY. I am right glad of this your fair conversion.
MORE. Oh, pardon me! I will subscribe to go unto the Tower With all submissive willingness, and thereto add My bones to strengthen the foundation Of Julius Caesar's palace. Now, my lord, I'll satisfy the king, even with my blood; Now will I wrong your patience.--Friend, do thine office.
DOWNES. Sir thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England, I arrest you in the king's name of high treason.
MORE. Gramercies, friend. To a great prison, to discharge the strife Commenc'd twixt conscience and my frailer life, More now must march. Chelsea, adieu, adieu! Strange farewell! thou shalt ne'er more see More true, For I shall ne'er see thee more.--Servants, farewell.-- Wife, mar not thine indifferent face; be wise: More's widow's husband, he must make thee rise.-- Daughters....: --what's here, what's here? Mine eye had almost parted with a tear.-- Dear son, possess my virtue, that I ne'er gave.-- Grave More thus lightly walks to a quick grave.
ROPER. Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent.
MORE. You that way in; mind you my course in prayer: By water I to prison, to heaven through air.
[Exeunt.]
ACT V.
SCENE I. The Tower Gate.
[Enter the Warders of the Tower, with halbards.]
FIRST WARDER. Ho, make a guard there!
SECOND WARDER. Master Lieutenant gives a straight command, The people be avoided from the bridge.
THIRD WARDER. From whence is he committed, who can tell?
FIRST WARDER. From Durham House, I hear.
SECOND WARDER. The guard were waiting there are hour ago.
THIRD WARDER. If he stay long, he'll not get near the wharf, There's such a crowd of boats upon the Thames.
SECOND WARDER. Well, be it spoken without offence to any, A wiser or more virtuous gentleman Was never bred in England.
THIRD WARDER. I think, the poor will bury him in tears: I never heard a man, since I was born, So generally bewailed of every one.
[Enter a Poor Woman.]
What means this woman?--Whether doost thou press?
FIRST WARDER. This woman will be trod to death anon.
SECOND WARDER. What makest thou here?
WOMAN. To speak with that good man, Sir Thomas More.
SECOND WARDER. To speak with him! he's not Lord Chancellor.
WOMAN. The more's the pity, sir, if it pleased God.
SECOND WARDER. Therefore, if thou hast a petition to deliver, Thou mayst keep it now, for any thing I know.
WOMAN. I am a poor woman, and have had (God knows) A suit this two year in the Chancery; And he hath all the evidence I have Which should I lose, I am utterly undone.
SECOND WARDER. Faith, and I fear thoult hardly come by am now; I am sorry for thee, even with all my heart.
[Enter the Lords with Sir Thomas More, and Attendants, and enter Lieutenant and Gentleman Porter.]
Woman, stand back, you must avoid this place; The lords must pass this way into the Tower.