SHREWSBURY

The like unto the honoured Earl of Surrey.

Yon comes my lord of Rochester.

ROCHESTER

Good morrow, my good lords.

SURREY

Clerk of the Council,

What time is’t of day?

CLERK

Past eight of clock, my lord.

SHREWSBURY

I wonder that my good Lord Chancellor

Doth stay so long, considering there’s matters

Of high importance to be scanned upon.

SURREY

Clerk of the Council, certify his lordship

The lords expect him here.

ROCHESTER

It shall not need.

Yon comes his lordship.

Enter Sir Thomas More, with purse and mace borne

before him

MORE

Good morrow to this fair assembly.

Come, my good lords, let’s sit.

They sit

O serious square!

Upon this little board is daily scanned

The health and preservation of the land,

We the physicians that effect this good,

Now by choice diet, anon by letting blood.

Our toil and careful watching brings the King

In league with slumbers, to which peace doth sing.—

Avoid the room there!—

What business, lords, today?

SHREWSBURY

This, my good lord:

About the entertainment of the Emperor

’Gainst the perfidious French into our pay.

SURREY

My lords, as‘tis the custom in this place

The youngest should speak first, so if I chance

In this case to speak youngly, pardon me.

I will agree France now hath her full strength,

As having new recovered the pale blood

Which war sluiced forth; and I consent to this:

That the conjunction of our English forces

With arms of Germany may sooner bring

This prize of conquest in. But then, my lords,

As in the moral hunting ’twixt the lion

And other beasts force joined 〈 〉

Frighted the weaker sharers from their parts,

So, if the Empire’s sovereign chance to put

His plea of partnership into war’s court,

Swords should decide the difference, and our blood

In private tears lament his entertainment.

SHREWSBURY

To doubt the worst is still the wise man’s shield

That arms him safely, but the world knows this:

The Emperor is a man of royal faith.

His love unto our sovereign brings him down

From his imperial seat, to march in pay

Under our English flag, and wear the cross

Like some high order on his manly breast.

Thus serving, he’s not master of himself,

But, like a colonel, commanding other,

Is by the general overawed himself.

ROCHESTER

Yet, my good lord—

SHREWSBURY

Let me conclude my speech.

As subjects share no portion in the conquest

Of their true sovereign other than the merit

That from the sovereign guerdons the true subject,

So the good Emperor in a friendly league

Of amity with England will not soil

His honour with the theft of English spoil.

MORE

There is no question but this entertainment

Will be most honourable, most commodious.

I have oft heard good captains wish to have

Rich soldiers to attend them, such as would fight

Both for their lives and livings. Such a one

Is the good Emperor. I would to God

We had ten thousand of such able men.

Ha, then there would appear no court, no city,

But, where the wars were, they would pay

themselves.

Then, to prevent in French wars England’s loss,

Let German flags wave with our English cross.

Enter Sir Thomas Palmer

PALMER

My lords, his majesty hath sent by me

These articles enclosed, first to be viewed,

And then to be subscribed to. (With great reverence) I

tender them

In that due reverence which befits this place.

MORE

Subscribe these articles? Stay, let us pause.

Our conscience first shall parley with our laws.

My lord of Rochester, view you the paper.

ROCHESTER

Subscribe to these? Now good Sir Thomas Palmer,

Beseech the King that he will pardon me.

My heart will check my hand whilst I do write.

Subscribing so, I were an hypocrite.

PALMER

Do you refuse it then, my lord?

ROCHESTER

I do, Sir Thomas.

PALMER

Then here I summon you forthwith t’appear

Before his majesty, to answer there

This capital contempt.

ROCHESTER I rise, and part,

In lieu of this, to tender him my heart. He riseth

PALMER

Will’t please your honour to subscribe, my lord?

MORE

Sir, tell his highness, I entreat

Some time for to bethink me of this task.

In the meanwhile, I do resign mine office

Into my sovereign’s hands. All alter

PALMER

Then, my lord,

Hear the prepared order from the King.

On your refusal you shall straight depart

Unto your house at Chelsea, till you know

Our sovereign’s further pleasure.

MORE Most willingly I go.

My lords, if you will visit me at Chelsea

We’ll go a-fishing, and with a cunning net,

Not like weak film, we’ll catch none but the great.

Farewell, my noble lords. Why, this is right:

Good morrow to the sun, to state good night.

Exit

PALMER

Will you subscribe, my lords?