William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (379 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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ROPER
The world, my lord, hath ever held you wise,
And ’t shall be no distaste unto your wisdom
To yield to the opinion of the state.
And ’t shall be no distaste unto your wisdom
To yield to the opinion of the state.
MORE
I have deceived myself, I must acknowledge;
And as you say, son Roper, to confess the same
It will be no disparagement at all.
And as you say, son Roper, to confess the same
It will be no disparagement at all.
LADY MORE (offering to depart)
His highness shall be certified thereof, immediately.
MORE
Nay, hear me, wife. First let me tell ye how
I thought to have had a barber for my beard;
Now I remember that were labour lost:
The headsman now shall cut off head and all.
I thought to have had a barber for my beard;
Now I remember that were labour lost:
The headsman now shall cut off head and all.
ROPER’S WIFE
Father, his majesty, upon your meek submission,
Will yet, they say, receive you to his grace,
In as great credit as you were before.
Will yet, they say, receive you to his grace,
In as great credit as you were before.
MORE
( ) wench. Faith, my lord the King
Has appointed me to do a little business.
If that were past, my girl, thou then shouldst see
What I would say to him about that matter.
But I shall be so busy until then
I shall not tend it.
Has appointed me to do a little business.
If that were past, my girl, thou then shouldst see
What I would say to him about that matter.
But I shall be so busy until then
I shall not tend it.
BOTH DAUGHTERS Ah, my dear father!
LADY MORE Dear lord and husband!
MORE
Be comforted, good wife, to live and love my children,
For with thee leave I all my care of them.
Son Roper, for my sake that have loved thee well,
And for her virtue’s sake, cherish my child.—
Girl, be not proud, but of thy husband’s love.
Ever retain thy virtuous modesty.
That modesty is such a comely garment
As it is never out of fashion, sits as fair
Upon the meaner woman as the empress.
No stuff that gold can buy is half so rich,
Nor ornament that so becomes a woman.
Live all, and love together, and thereby
You give your father a rich obsequy.
For with thee leave I all my care of them.
Son Roper, for my sake that have loved thee well,
And for her virtue’s sake, cherish my child.—
Girl, be not proud, but of thy husband’s love.
Ever retain thy virtuous modesty.
That modesty is such a comely garment
As it is never out of fashion, sits as fair
Upon the meaner woman as the empress.
No stuff that gold can buy is half so rich,
Nor ornament that so becomes a woman.
Live all, and love together, and thereby
You give your father a rich obsequy.
BOTH DAUGHTERS
Your blessing, dear father.
MORE
I must be gone—God bless you—
To talk with God, who now doth call.
LADY MORE
Ah, my dear husband—
MORE
Sweet wife, goodnight, goodnight.
God send us all his everlasting light.
ROPER
I think before this hour
More heavy hearts ne’er parted in the Tower.
More heavy hearts ne’er parted in the Tower.
Exeunt
[
Lady More, Daughters, and Roper one way; More,
Lieutenant, and Servant as into the Tower
]
Sc. 17]
Enter the Sheriffs of London and their Officers at one door, the Warders with their halberds at another
FIRST SHERIFF
Officers, what time of day is’t?
OFFICER
Almost eight o’clock.
SECOND SHERIFF
We must make haste then, lest we stay too long.
FIRST WARDER
Good morrow, Master Sheriffs of London. Master
Lieutenant
Wills ye repair to the limits of the Tower,
There to receive your prisoner.
Lieutenant
Wills ye repair to the limits of the Tower,
There to receive your prisoner.
FIRST SHERIFF (to
Officer)
Officer)
Go back and tell his worship we are ready.
SECOND SHERIFF
Go bid the officers make clear the way,
There may be passage for the prisoner.
Enter Lieutenant
and
his guard, with More
There may be passage for the prisoner.
Enter Lieutenant
and
his guard, with More
MORE
Yet God be thanked, here’s a fair day toward
To take our journey in. Master Lieutenant,
It were fair walking on the Tower leads.
To take our journey in. Master Lieutenant,
It were fair walking on the Tower leads.
LIEUTENANT
An so it might have liked my sovereign lord,
I would to God you might have walked there still.
He weeps
I would to God you might have walked there still.
He weeps
MORE
Sir, we are walking to a better place.
O sir, your kind and loving tears
Are like sweet odours to embalm your friend.
Thank your good lady; since I was your guest
She has made me a very wanton, in good sooth.
O sir, your kind and loving tears
Are like sweet odours to embalm your friend.
Thank your good lady; since I was your guest
She has made me a very wanton, in good sooth.
LIEUTENANT
O, I had hoped we should not yet have parted!
MORE
But I must leave ye for a little while.
Within an hour or two you may look for me.
But there will be so many come to see me
That I shall be so proud I will not speak;
And sure my memory is grown so ill
I fear I shall forget my head behind me.
Within an hour or two you may look for me.
But there will be so many come to see me
That I shall be so proud I will not speak;
And sure my memory is grown so ill
I fear I shall forget my head behind me.
LIEUTENANT
God and his blessed angels be about ye!—
Here, Master Sheriffs, receive your prisoner.
Here, Master Sheriffs, receive your prisoner.
MORE
Good morrow, Master Sheriffs of London, to ye both.
I thank ye that ye will vouchsafe to meet me.
I see by this you have not quite forgot
That I was in times past as you are now,
A sheriff of London.
I thank ye that ye will vouchsafe to meet me.
I see by this you have not quite forgot
That I was in times past as you are now,
A sheriff of London.
FIRST SHERIFF
Sir, then you know our duty doth require it.
MORE
I know it well, sir, else I would have been glad
You might have saved a labour at this time.
[
To Second Sheriff
] Ah, Master Sheriff,
You and I have been of old acquaintance.
You were a patient auditor of mine
When I read the divinity lecture
At St Laurence’s.
You might have saved a labour at this time.
[
To Second Sheriff
] Ah, Master Sheriff,
You and I have been of old acquaintance.
You were a patient auditor of mine
When I read the divinity lecture
At St Laurence’s.
SECOND SHERIFF
Sir Thomas More,
I have heard you oft, as many other did,
To our great comfort.
To our great comfort.
MORE
Pray God you may so now, with all my heart.
And, as I call to mind,
When I studied the law in Lincoln’s Inn
I was of counsel with ye in a cause.
And, as I call to mind,
When I studied the law in Lincoln’s Inn
I was of counsel with ye in a cause.
SECOND SHERIFF
I was about to say so, good Sir Thomas.
〈 〉
〈 〉
[
They pass over the stage. A ladder to the scaffold is
revealed, with the Hangman attending it
]
MORE
O, is this the place?
I promise ye, it is a goodly scaffold.
In sooth, I am come about a headless errand,
For I have not much to say, now I am here.
Well, let’s ascend, i’ God’s name.
In troth, methinks your stair is somewhat weak.
[
To the Hangman
] I prithee, honest friend, lend me thy
hand
To help me up. As for my coming down,
Let me alone, I’ll look to that myself.
I promise ye, it is a goodly scaffold.
In sooth, I am come about a headless errand,
For I have not much to say, now I am here.
Well, let’s ascend, i’ God’s name.
In troth, methinks your stair is somewhat weak.
[
To the Hangman
] I prithee, honest friend, lend me thy
hand
To help me up. As for my coming down,
Let me alone, I’ll look to that myself.
As he is going up the stairs, enters the Earls of Surrey
and Shrewsbury
My lords of Surrey and of Shrewsbury, give me your
hands yet before we part. Ye see, though it pleaseth the
King to raise me thus high, yet I am not proud; for the
higher I mount the better I can see my friends about me.
I am now on a far voyage, and this strange wooden
horse must bear me thither. Yet I perceive by your looks
you like my bargain so ill that there’s not one of ye all
dare venture with me. (Walking) Truly, here’s a most
sweet gallery. I like the air of it better than my garden at
Chelsea. By your patience, good people that have
pressed thus into my bedchamber, if you’ll not trouble
me I’ll take a sound sleep here.
hands yet before we part. Ye see, though it pleaseth the
King to raise me thus high, yet I am not proud; for the
higher I mount the better I can see my friends about me.
I am now on a far voyage, and this strange wooden
horse must bear me thither. Yet I perceive by your looks
you like my bargain so ill that there’s not one of ye all
dare venture with me. (Walking) Truly, here’s a most
sweet gallery. I like the air of it better than my garden at
Chelsea. By your patience, good people that have
pressed thus into my bedchamber, if you’ll not trouble
me I’ll take a sound sleep here.
SHREWSBURY
My lord, ’twere good you’d publish to the world
Your great offence unto his majesty.
Your great offence unto his majesty.
MORE My lord, I’ll bequeath this legacy to the hangman, and do it instantly.
Gives him his gown
I confess his majesty hath been ever good to me, and my
offence to his highness makes me of a state pleader, a
stage player—though I am old and have a bad voice—to
act this last scene of my tragedy. I’ll send him, for my
trespass, a reverend head: somewhat bald, for it is not
requisite any head should stand covered to so high
majesty. If that content him not, because I think my
body will then do me small pleasure, let him but bury it
and take it.
offence to his highness makes me of a state pleader, a
stage player—though I am old and have a bad voice—to
act this last scene of my tragedy. I’ll send him, for my
trespass, a reverend head: somewhat bald, for it is not
requisite any head should stand covered to so high
majesty. If that content him not, because I think my
body will then do me small pleasure, let him but bury it
and take it.
SURREY
My lord, my lord, hold conference with your soul.
You see, my lord, the time of life is short.
You see, my lord, the time of life is short.
MORE I see it, my good lord. I dispatched that business the last night. I come hither only to be let blood
by the hangman.
My doctor here tells me it is good for the headache.
by the hangman.
My doctor here tells me it is good for the headache.
HANGMAN I beseech ye, my lord, forgive me.
MORE Forgive thee, honest fellow? Why?
HANGMAN For your death, my lord.
MORE O, my death! I had rather it were in thy power to forgive me, for thou hast the sharpest action against me. The law, my honest friend, lies in thy hands now. Here’s thy fee.
[
He gives him
]
his purse
And, my good fellow, let my suit be dispatched presently;
for ‘tis all one pain to die a lingering death and to live
in the continual mill of a lawsuit. But I can tell thee,
my neck is so short that if thou shouldst behead an
hundred noblemen like myself, thou wouldst ne’er get
credit by it. Therefore—look ye, sir—do it handsomely,
or, of my word, thou shalt never deal with me
hereafter.
for ‘tis all one pain to die a lingering death and to live
in the continual mill of a lawsuit. But I can tell thee,
my neck is so short that if thou shouldst behead an
hundred noblemen like myself, thou wouldst ne’er get
credit by it. Therefore—look ye, sir—do it handsomely,
or, of my word, thou shalt never deal with me
hereafter.
HANGMAN I’ll take an order for that, my lord.
MORE One thing more: take heed thou cutt’st not off my beard. O, I forgot, execution passed upon that last night, and the body of it lies buried in the Tower. Stay, is’t not possible to make a scape from all this strong guard? It is.
There is a thing within me that will raise
And elevate my better part ’bove sight
Of these same weaker eyes. And Master Sheriffs,
For all this troop of steel that tends my death,
I shall break from you and fly up to heaven.
Let’s seek the means for this.
And elevate my better part ’bove sight
Of these same weaker eyes. And Master Sheriffs,
For all this troop of steel that tends my death,
I shall break from you and fly up to heaven.
Let’s seek the means for this.
HANGMAN My lord, I pray ye put off your doublet. 115
MORE
Speak not so coldly to me; I am hoarse already.
I would be loath, good fellow, to take more.
Point me the block; I ne’er was here before.
I would be loath, good fellow, to take more.
Point me the block; I ne’er was here before.
HANGMAN
To the east side, my lord.
MORE Then to the east.
We go to sigh; that o’er, to sleep in rest.
Here More forsakes all mirth; good reason why:
The fool of flesh must with her frail life die.
No eye salute my trunk with a sad tear.
Our birth to heaven should be thus: void of fear.
Here More forsakes all mirth; good reason why:
The fool of flesh must with her frail life die.
No eye salute my trunk with a sad tear.
Our birth to heaven should be thus: void of fear.
Exit
SURREY
A very learnèd worthy gentleman
Seals error with his blood. Come, we’ll to court.
Let’s sadly hence to perfect unknown fates,
Whilst he tends progress to the state of states. [
Exeunt
]
Seals error with his blood. Come, we’ll to court.
Let’s sadly hence to perfect unknown fates,
Whilst he tends progress to the state of states. [
Exeunt
]
[
Original Text
(
Munday
)]
Original Text
(
Munday
)]
APPENDIX A
The following passages in the Original Text are marked for deletion and replaced by the Additional Passages.
AI. Replaced by 4.1-76. In the Original Text there are missing leaves between AI and A2.
DOLL
Peace there, I say! Hear Captain Lincoln speak.
Keep silence till we know his mind at large.
Keep silence till we know his mind at large.
ALL THE REST
Agreed, agreed. Speak then, brave Captain Lincoln.
LINCOLN
Come, gallant bloods, you whose free souls do scorn
To bear th’enforcèd wrongs of aliens.
Add rage to resolution. Fire the houses
Of these audacious strangers. This is St Martin’s,
And yonder dwells Meautis, a wealthy Piccard,
At the Green Gate;
De Barde, Peter van Hollak, Adrian Martin,
With many more outlandish fugitives.
Shall these enjoy more privilege than we
In our own country? Let’s then become their slaves.
Since justice keeps not them in greater awe,
We’ll be ourselves rough ministers at law.
To bear th’enforcèd wrongs of aliens.
Add rage to resolution. Fire the houses
Of these audacious strangers. This is St Martin’s,
And yonder dwells Meautis, a wealthy Piccard,
At the Green Gate;
De Barde, Peter van Hollak, Adrian Martin,
With many more outlandish fugitives.
Shall these enjoy more privilege than we
In our own country? Let’s then become their slaves.
Since justice keeps not them in greater awe,
We’ll be ourselves rough ministers at law.
ALL THE REST Fire the houses, fire the houses!
DOLL Ay, for we may as well make bonfires on May Day as at Midsummer. We’ll alter the day in the calendar, and set it down in flaming letters.
SHERWIN
Stay, that would much endanger the whole city,
Whereto I would not the least prejudice.
Whereto I would not the least prejudice.
DOLL No, nor I neither: so may mine own house be burned for company. I’ll tell ye what: we’ll drag the strangers out into Moorfields, and there bumbaste them till they stink again.
GEORGE BETTS
Let some of us enter the strangers’ houses,
And, if we find them there, then bring them forth.
And, if we find them there, then bring them forth.
Exeunt some, and Sherwin
DOLL If ye bring them forth before ye find them, I’ll never allow of that.
WILLIAMSON
Now, lads, how shall we labour in our safety?
I hear the Mayor hath gathered men in arms,
And that Sheriff More an hour ago received
Some of the Privy Council in at Ludgate.
Force now must make our peace, or else we fall.
’will soon be known we are the principal.
I hear the Mayor hath gathered men in arms,
And that Sheriff More an hour ago received
Some of the Privy Council in at Ludgate.
Force now must make our peace, or else we fall.
’will soon be known we are the principal.
DOLL And what of that? If thou beest afraid, husband, go home again and hide thy head, for, by the Lord, I’ll have a little sport now I am at it.
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