Pageants, and sights of honour. 1 Gent. Never greater, Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir. 2 Gent. May I be bold to ask what that contains, That paper in your hand? Yes; 'tis the list The duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims customs, I should have been beholden to your paper. 2 Gent. Alas, good lady![Trumpets. The trumpets sound: stand close, the queen is coming. THE ORDER OF THE PROCESSION. A lively flourish of trumpets; then, enter 1. Two Judges. 2. Lord Chancellor, with the purse and mace before him. 3. Choristers singing. [Musick. 4. Mayor of London bearing the mace. Then Garter, in his coat of arms, and on his copper crown. 5. Marquis of Dorset, bearing a sceptre head, a gilt of gold, on his head a demi-coronal of gold. With him, the Earl of Surrey, bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned with an earl's coronet. Collars of SS. 6. Duke of Suffolk, in his robe of estate, his coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as high-steward. With him, the Duke of Norfolk, with the rod of marshalship, a coronet on his his head. Collars of SS. 7. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports; under it, the Queen in her robe; her hair richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each side of her, the biskops of London and Winchester. 8. The old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold, wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen's train. 9. Certain Ladies or Countesses, with plain circlets of gold without flowers. 2 Gent. A royal train, believe me.-These I know ; Who's that, that bears the sceptre? 1 Gent. Marquis Dorset : And that the earl of Surrey, with the rod. 2 Gent. A bold brave gentleman: And that should be The duke of Suffolk. 1 Gent. 'Tis the same; high-steward. 2 Gent. And that my lord of Norfolk? 1 Gent. 2 Gent. Yes. Heaven bless thee! [Looking on the Queen. Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on. Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel; Our king has all the Indies in his arms, And more, and richer, when he strains that lady: I cannot blame his conscience. 1 Gent. They, that bear The cloth of honour over her, are four barons Of the Cinque-ports. 2 Gent. Those men are happy; and so are all, are near her. I take it, she that carries up the train, Is that old noble lady, duchess of Norfolk. 1 Gent. It is; and all the rest are countesses. indeed ; And, sometimes, falling ones. 1 Gent. These are stars, No more of that. [Exit Procession, with a great flourish of trumpets. Enter a third Gentleman. God save you, sir! Where have you been broiling? 3 Gent. Among the croud i'the abbey; where a finger Could not be wedg'd in more; and I am stifled 2 Gent. 1 Gent. You saw How was it? 3 Gent. Well worth the seeing. 2 Gent. Good sir, speak it to us. 3 Gent. As well as I am able. The rich stream Of lords, and ladies, having brought the queen To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell off A distance from her, while her grace sat down To rest awhile, some half an hour, or so, In a rich chair of state, opposing freely The beauty of her person to the people. Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman That ever lay by man: which when the people Had the full view of, such a noise arose As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest, As loud, and to as many tunes: hats, cloaks, (Donblets, I think,) flew up; and had their faces Been loose, this day they had been lost. Such joy I never saw before. Great-bellied women, That had not half a week to go, like rams In the old time of war, would shake the press, And make them reel before them. No man living Could say, this is my wife, there; all were woven So strangely in one piece. 2 Gent. But, 'pray, what follow'd? 3 Gent. At length her grace rose, and with mo dest paces Came to the altar; where she kneel'd, and, saint-like, Sir, you To York-place, where the feast is held. 1 Gent. Must no more call it York-place, that is past: For, since the cardinal fell, that title's lost; 'Tis now the king's, and call'd-Whitehall. 3 Gent. I know it; But 'tis so lately alter'd, that the old name Is fresh about me. 2 Gent. What two reverend bishops Were those that went on each side of the queen? 3 Gent. Stokesly and Gardiner; the one, of Winchester, (Newly preferr'd from the king's secretary,) The other, London. 2 Gent. He of Winchester Is held no great good lover of the archbishop's, All the land knows that: 3 Gent. However, yet there's no great breach; when it comes, Cranmer will find a friend will not shrink from him. 2 Gent. Who may that be, I pray you? 3 Gent. Thomas Cromwell; Has made him master o'the jewel-house, 2 Gent. He will deserve more. 3 Gent. Yes, without all doubt. Come, gentlemen, ye shall go my way, which Is to the court, and there ye shall be my guests; Something I can command. As I walk thither, I'll tell ye more. Both. You may command us, sir. SCENE II. [Exeunt. Kimbolton. Enter KATHARINE, Dowager, sick; led between GRIFFITH and PATIENCE. Grif. How does your grace? Kath. Griffith, sick to death: My legs, like loaden branches, bow to the earth, Willing to leave their burden: Reach a chair:So, now, methinks, I feel a little ease. Didst thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou ledd'st me, That the great child of honour, cardinal Wolsey, Was dead? Grif. Yes, madam; but, I think, your grace, Out of the pain you suffer'd, gave no ear to't. Kath. Prythee, good Griffith, tell me how he died: If well, he stepp'd before me, happily, For Grif example. Well, the voice goes, madam: For after the stout earl Northumberland Arrested him at York, and brought him forward (As a man sorely tainted) to his answer, He fell sick suddenly, and grew so ill, He could not sit his mule. Kath. Alas, poor man! Grif. At last, with easy roads, he came to Leicester, So went to bed: where eagerly the sickness Of an unbounded stomach, ever ranking His promises were, as he then was, mighty; The clergy ill example. Grif. Noble madam, Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues We write in water. May it please your highness To hear me speak his good now? Kath. I were malicious else. Yes, good Griffith; |