I’ll tell thee the true cause. The court, like heaven,

Examines not the anger of the prince,

And, being more frail-composed of gilded earth,

Shines upon them on whom the king doth shine,

Smiles if he smile, declines if he decline,

Yet, seeing both are mortal, court and king

Shed not one tear for any earthly thing.

For, so God pardon me, in my saddest hour

Thou hast no more occasion to lament,

Nor these, nor those, my exile from the court-

No, nor this body’s torture, were’t imposed,

As commonly disgraces of great men

Are the forewarnings of a hasty death—

Than to behold me after many a toil

Honoured with endless rest. Perchance the King,

Seeing the court is full of vanity,

Has pity lest our souls should be misled

And sends us to a life contemplative.

O, happy banishment from worldly pride,

When souls by private life are sanctified!

WIFE

O, but I fear some plot against your life.

MORE

Why then, ‘tis thus: the King, of his high grace,

Seeing my faithful service to his state,

Intends to send me to the King of Heaven

For a rich present; where my soul shall prove

A true rememb’rer of his majesty.

Come, prithee mourn not. The worst chance is death,

And that brings endless joy for fickle breath.

WIFE

Ah, but your children.

MORE

Tush, let them alone.

Say they be stripped from this poor painted cloth,

This outside of the earth, left houseless, bare;

They have minds instructed how to gather more.

There’s no man that’s ingenious can be poor.

And therefore do not weep, my little ones,

Though you lose all the earth. Keep your souls even

And you shall find inheritance in heaven.

But for my servants: there’s my chiefest care.

[To Catesby] Come hither, faithful steward. Be not

grieved

That in thy person I discharge both thee

And all thy other fellow officers;

For my great master hath discharged me.

If thou by serving me hast suffered loss,

Then benefit thyself by leaving me.

I hope thou hast not; for such times as these

Bring gain to officers, whoever leese.

Great lords have only name; but in the fall

Lord Spend-All’s steward’s Master Gather-All.

But I suspect not thee. Admit thou hast.

It’s good the servants save when masters waste.

But you, poor gentlemen, that had no place

T’enrich yourselves but by loathed bribery,

Which I abhorred, and never found you loved:

Think, when an oak falls, underwood shrinks down,

And yet may live, though bruised. I pray ye strive

To shun my ruin; for the axe is set

Even at my root, to fell me to the ground.

The best I can do to prefer you all

With my mean store expect; for heaven can tell

That More loves all his followers more than well.

[Addition I (Chettle)]

[Original Text (Munday)]

Enter a Servant

SERVANT

My lord, there are new lighted at the gate

The Earls of Surrey and of Shrewsbury,

And they expect you in the inner court.

MORE

Entreat their lordships come into the hall.

LADY MORE

O God, what news with them?

MORE Why, how now, wife?

They are but come to visit their old friend.

LADY MORE

O God, I fear, I fear.

MORE What shouldst thou fear, fond woman?

Iustum, si fractus illabatur orbis, impavidum ferient ruinae.

Here let me live estranged from great men’s looks.

They are like golden flies on leaden hooks.

Enter the Earls for Surrey and Shrewsbury], Downes, with his mace, and Attendants

SHREWSBURY

Good morrow, good Sir Thomas.

SURREY [to Lady More]

Good day, good madam.

Kind salutations

MORE

Welcome, my good lords.

What ails your lordships look so melancholy?

O, I know: you live in court, and the court diet

Is only friend to physic.

SURREY

O Sir Thomas,

Our words are now the King‘s, and our sad looks

The interest of your love. We are sent to you

From our mild sovereign once more to demand

If you’ll subscribe unto those articles

He sent ye th’other day. Be well advised,

For, on my honour, lord, grave Doctor Fisher,

Bishop of Rochester, at the self-same instant

Attached with you, is sent unto the Tower

For the like obstinacy. His majesty

Hath only sent you prisoner to your house,

But, if you now refuse for to subscribe,

A stricter course will follow.

LADY MORE (kneeling and weeping)

O dear husband—

BOTH DAUGHTERS (kneeling and weeping) 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. [Gesturing to Downes] Here is an officer

Ready for to arrest you of high treason.

LADY MORE and DAUGHTERS

O God, O God!

ROPER

Be patient, good madam.

MORE

Ay, Downes, is’t thou? I once did save thy life,