The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (317 page)

And the strong course of my authority

Might go one way, and safely; and the end

Was ever, to do well: nor is there living,

I speak it with a single heart, my lords,

A man that more detests, more stirs against,

Both in his private conscience and his place,

Defacers of a public peace, than I do.

Pray heaven, the king may never find a heart

With less allegiance in it! Men that make

Envy and crooked malice nourishment

Dare bite the best. I do beseech your lordships,

That, in this case of justice, my accusers,

Be what they will, may stand forth face to face,

And freely urge against me.

My good lords, thus far, in everything I've done

in my life and my post, I have endeavoured,

with no little effort, for my teaching

and the strong use of my power

to both be consistent, and good; my aim

was always to do good: and there is no man living,

I can say wholeheartedly, my lords,

no one who hates more, or works harder to stop,

both in private life and as a public figure,

disturbers of the public peace, than me.

I pray to God that the King will always have

such faithful hearts around him! Men who derive

nourishment from envy and crooked malice

are the first to criticise it. I beg your Lordships,

as this is a judicial case, that my accusers,

whoever they are, come out and face me,

and speak their accusations against me openly.

SUFFOLK

Nay, my lord,

That cannot be: you are a counsellor,

And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you.

No, my lord,

that can't happen: you are a counsellor,

and, because of that, no man dares to accuse you.

GARDINER

My lord, because we have business of more moment,

We will be short with you. 'Tis his highness' pleasure,

And our consent, for better trial of you,

From hence you be committed to the Tower;

Where, being but a private man again,

You shall know many dare accuse you boldly,

More than, I fear, you are provided for.

My Lord, because we have more important business,

we will be brief with you. His Highness wishes,

and we agree to it, that in order for you to be better tried

you should be taken from here and imprisoned in the Tower;

where, becoming only a private  citizen again,

you will know how many make accusations against you,

more than you're expecting, I'm afraid.

CRANMER

Ah, my good Lord of Winchester, I thank you;

You are always my good friend; if your will pass,

I shall both find your lordship judge and juror,

You are so merciful: I see your end;

'Tis my undoing: love and meekness, lord,

Become a churchman better than ambition:

Win straying souls with modesty again,

Cast none away. That I shall clear myself,

Lay all the weight ye can upon my patience,

I make as little doubt, as you do conscience

In doing daily wrongs. I could say more,

But reverence to your calling makes me modest.

Ah, my good lord Winchester, thank you;

you are always a good friend to me; if you get what you want,

I shall find your lordship both judge and jury,

you are so merciful: I see your plan:

you want my downfall: love and meekness, Lord,

are more suitable to a clergyman than ambition:

win back souls who stray from the path by modesty,

do not reject any. I am certain that I shall exonerate

myself, however much you test me, I have as little doubt

as you have conscience in the daily wrongs you do.

I could say more, but respect for your position

curbs my tongue.

GARDINER

My lord, my lord, you are a sectary,

That's the plain truth: your painted gloss discovers,

To men that understand you, words and weakness.

My Lord, my lord, you are a follower of a sect,

that's the simple truth: this outward display shows,

to men who understand you, just empty words and weakness.

CROMWELL

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.

My Lord Winchester, you are a little,

if you'll excuse me saying so, too sharp; such noble men,

whatever their faults, should still be given respect

for what they once were: it's cruel

to kick a man when he's down.

GARDINER

Good master secretary,

I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst

Of all this table, say so.

Good Master Secretary,

I beg your honour to excuse me; you have

the least right of everyone at this table to say that.

CROMWELL

Why, my lord?

Why, my lord?

GARDINER

Do not I know you for a favourer

Of this new sect? ye are not sound.

Don't I know that you follow

this new sect? You are not trustworthy.

CROMWELL

Not sound?

Not trustworthy?

GARDINER

Not sound, I say.

Not trustworthy, I say.

CROMWELL

Would you were half so honest!

Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears.

I wish you were half as honest as me!

Then men would pray to you, not fear you.

GARDINER

I shall remember this bold language.

I shall remember this intemperate language.

CROMWELL

Do.

Remember your bold life too.

Do.

Remember your intemperate life too.

Chancellor

This is too much;

Forbear, for shame, my lords.

That's enough;

stop this, for shame, my lords.

GARDINER

I have done.

I'm finished.

CROMWELL

And I.

So am I.

Chancellor

Then thus for you, my lord: it 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?

So we must deal with you, my lord: it's agreed,

I take it, unanimously, that now you should be

taken to the Tower as a prisoner;

to remain there until the King's further orders

are given to us: are you all agreed, Lords?

All

We are.

We are.

CRANMER

Is there no other way of mercy,

But I must needs to the Tower, my lords?

Is there nothing else you can do

apart from send me to the Tower, my lords?

GARDINER

What other

Would you expect? you are strangely troublesome.

Let some o' the guard be ready there.

What else

do you expect? You're being extremely annoying.

Bring some of the guards in there.

Enter Guard

CRANMER

For me?

Must I go like a traitor thither?

For me?

Must I go there like a traitor?

GARDINER

Receive him,

And see him safe i' the Tower.

Take him,

and put him safely in the Tower.

CRANMER

Stay, good my lords,

I have a little yet to say. Look there, my lords;

By virtue of that ring, I take my cause

Out of the gripes of cruel men, and give it

To a most noble judge, the king my master.

Wait, my good lords,

I still have a little I want to say. Look at this, my lords;

through the power of this ring, I take my case

out of the grip of cruel men, and place it

before a most noble judge, my master the king.

Chamberlain

This is the king's ring.

This is the king's ring.

SURREY

'Tis no counterfeit.

It's not a fake.

SUFFOLK

'Tis the right ring, by heaven: I told ye all,

When ye first put this dangerous stone a-rolling,

'Twould fall upon ourselves.

I swear, it's the true ring: I told you all,

when you first started this dangerous stone rolling,

that it would fall on us.

NORFOLK

Do you think, my lords,

The king will suffer but the little finger

Of this man to be vex'd?

Do you think, my lords,

that the King will allow just one little finger

of this man to be harmed?

Chancellor

'Tis now too certain:

How much more is his life in value with him?

Would I were fairly out on't!

That's now obvious:

so how much more valuable will his life be to him?

I wish I was out of this business!

CROMWELL

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!

I had my suspicions,

that in looking for gossip and information

against this man, whose honesty makes

the devil and his disciples envious,

that you were stoking the fire that would burn you: now you're for it!

Enter KING, frowning on them; takes his seat

GARDINER

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.

Mighty King, we give heaven thanks

every day for giving us such a prince;

not only good and wise, but also most religious:

one who, with all obedience, makes the church

the central pillar of his honour; and, to enhance

that holy duty, out of sweet respect,

he has come himself to judge the case