ROUND BY F. REDFORD

THE
True Chronicle
of
Thomas
Cromwell.

W. W.

The life and death of the Lord
*Cromwell.*

Enter three Smiths, Hodge and two other,
old Cromwels men.

Hodge.

Ome Maifters, I thinke it be paft fuc a clock,
Is it not time we were at worke?

My old Maifter heele be stirring anon.

1 I cannot tell whether my old mafter will be
stirring or no: but I am sure I can hardly take my
afternoones nap, for my young maifter Thomas,
He keepes such a quile in his ftudie,

With the Sunne, and the Moone, and the feauen Starres,
That I doe verily thinke heele read out his wits.

Hod. He skill of the Starres? there's good man Car of Fulbum,
He that carried vs to the strong Ale, where goody Trundell

Had her maide got with childe: O he knowes the Starres,

Heele tickle you Charles Waine in nine degrees,

That fame man will tell goody Trundell

When her Ale shall milcary, onely by the Starres.

2 I that's a great vertue indeed, I thinke Thomas
Be no body in comparifon to him.

1 Well Maifters come, shall we to our hammers?

Hod. I content, firſt lets take our mornings draught,
And then to worke roundly.

2 I agreed, goe in Hodge. Exit omnes.

Enter young Cromwell.

Crom. Good morrow morne, I doe salute thy brightneſſe,
The night feemes tedious to my troubled ſoule:

A 2

Whoe

BOUND BY FABLES

The Life and Death

Whose black obscureftie binds in my minde

A thousand fundry cogitations :

And now Aurora with a liuely dye,

Addes comfort to my ſpirit that mounts on high.

Too high indeede, my ſtate being so meane:

My ſtudy like a minerall of gold,

Makes my hart proude wherein my hope's inrowld,

My bookeſ is all the wealth I doe poffeſſe,
Here within they
must beate with.

And vnto them I haue engaged my hart,

O learning how deuine thou ſeemes to me :

Within whose ſames is all felicity?

Peace with your hammers, leaue your knocking there,

You doe diſturbe my ſtudy and my reſt,

Leaue off I ſay, you madde me with the noyſe.

Enter Hodge and the two Men.

Hod. Why how now Maifter Thomas how now,

Willyou not let vs worke for you ?

Crom. You fret my hart, with making of this noſſe.

Hod. How fret your hart? I but Thomas, youle

Fret your fathers purſe if you let vs from working.

2. I this tis for him to make him a gentleman,

Shall we leaue worke for your muſing, that's well I faith?

But there comes my old Maifter now.

Enter old Cromwell.

Old Crom. You idle knaues, what are you loytring now,

No hammers walking and my worke to doe ?

What not a heate among your worke to day ?

Hod. Marry fir your ſonne Thomas will not let vs worke at all,

Old Crom. Why knaue I ſay, haue I thus carkde and car'd

And all to keepe thee like a gentleman,

And doſt thou let my ſeruants at their worke :

That ſweat for thee knaue? labour thus for thee ?

Crom. Father their hammers doe offend my ſtudie.

Old Crom. Out of my doores knaue if thou likeſt it not,

I cry you mercy is your eares ſo fine ?

I tell thee knaue theſe get when I doe ſleep,

I will not haue my Anuill ſtand for thee.

Crom. There's

of the Lord Cromwell.

Crom. There's mony father, I will pay your men. He throwes

Old Crom. Haue I thus brought thee vp vnto my coſt, mony a
In hope that one day thou wouſt leeleue my age, mong them.

And art thee now ſo lauifh of thy coine,
To ſcatter it among theſe idle knaues?

Crom. Father be patient, and content your ſelſe,

The time will come I ſhall hold golde as traſh :

And here I ſpeake with a prefaging ſoule,

To build a pallace where now this cottage ſtands,
As fine as is King Henries, houſe at Sheene.

Old Crom. You build a houſe ? you knaue, youle be a begger,

Now afore God all is but caſt away

That is beſtowed vpon this thriftſelle lad,

Well, had I bound him to ſome honeſt trade :

This had not beene, but it was his mothers doing,

To ſend him to the Vniuerſitie :

How builde a houſe where now this cottage ſtands,

As faire as that at Sheene? he ſhall not here me,

A good boy Tom, I con thee thanke Tom,

Well ſaid Tom, gramarcies Tom,

Into your worke knaues hence you ſaulſe boy.

Exit all but young Cromwell.

Cro. Why should my birth keepe downe my mounting ſpirit?

Are not all creatures ſubieſt vnto time ?

To time, who doth abufe the world,

And filleſ it full of hodge-podge baſtardy,

There's legions now of beggars on the earth,

That their originall did ſpring from Kings :

And many Monarkes now whose ſathers were,

The riffe-raſſe of their age: for time and Fortune

Weares out a noble traine to beggery,

And from the dunghill minions doe aduance

To ſtate: and marke in this admiring world,

This is but courſe, which in the name of Fate

Is ſeene as often as it whirles about :

The Riuer Thames that by our doore doth paffe,

His firſt beginning is but ſmall and ſhallow :

A 3

Yet

The Life and Death

Yet keeping on his course, grows to a sea.
And likewise Wolfay, the wonder of our age,
His birth as meane as mine, a Butchers fonde
Now who within this land a greater man ?
Then Cromwell cheere thee vp, and tell thy (oule)
That thou maist liue to flourish and controule.

Enter old Cromwell.

Old Crom. Tom Cromwell, what Tom Hay.

Crom. Doe you call fir?

Old Crom. Here is Maifter Bowfer come to know, if you have
dispatched his petition, for the Lords of the counsell or no.

Crom. Father I haue, please you to call him in.

Old Crom. That's well said Tom, a good lad Tom.

Enter Maifter Bowfer.

Bow. Now Maifter Cromwell, haue you dispatched this

Crom, I haue fir, here it is, please you perufe it. (petition?

Bow. It shall not need, weele read it as we goe by water :

And Maifter Cromwell, I haue made a motion
May doe you good, and if you like of it.

Our Secretarie at Antwarpe, fir is dead,

And the Marchants there hath lent to me,
For to prouide a man fit for the place :

Now I doe know none fitter then your felfe,
If with your liking it stand Maifter Cromwell.

Crom. With all my hart fir, and I much am bound,
In loue and duty for your kindnesse Thowne.

Old Crom. Body of me Tom make haft, leaft some body

Get betweene thee and home Tom.

I thanke you good Maifter Bowfer, I thanke you for my boy,
I thanke you always, I thanke you moft hartely fir :

Hoe a cup of Beerethere for Maifter Bowfer.

Bow. It shall not need fir, Maifter Cromwell will you god?

Crom. I will attend you fir.

Old Crom. Farewell Tom, God bleſſe thee Tom,

God speed thee good Tom.

Enter Bagot a Broker, Solus.

Bag. I hope this day is fatall vnto some,

And

of the Lord Cromwell.

And by their loue muſt Bagot ſeeke to gaine,

This is the lodging of Maifter Friskiball,

A liberall Marchant, and a Florentine,

To whom Banifter owes a thousand pound,

A Marchant Banckrout, whose Father was my Maifter,

What doe I care, for pitie or regarde ?

He once was wealthy, but he now is ſalne,

And this morning haue I got him areſted,

At the ſute of Maifter Friskiball,

And by this meanes ſhall I be ſure of Coyne,

For doing this fame good to him vnknowne :

And in good time, ſee where the Marchant comes.

Enter Friskiball.

Bag. Good morrow to kinde Maifter Friskiball.

Fris. God morrow to your ſelfe good maifter Bagot,

And what's the newes you are so early stirring ?

It is for gaine, I make no doubt of that.

Bag. It is for the loue fir that I beare to you,

When did you ſee your debter Banifter ?

Fris. I promife you, I haue not ſeen the man

This two moneths day, his pouertie is ſuch,

As I doe thinke he ſhames to ſee his friends.

Bag. Why then affure your ſelfe to ſee him ſtraight,

For at your ſute I haue areſted him,

And here they will be with him prefently.

Fris. Arreſt him at my ſute ? you were to blame,

I know the mans misfortunes to be ſuch,

As hee's not able for to pay the debt,

And were it knowne to ſome he were vndone.

Bag. This is your pittifull hart to thinke it ſo,

But you are much deceaued in Banifter,

Why ſuch as he will breake for fashion ſake,

And vnto that they owe a thousand pound,

Pay ſcarce a hundred : O fir beware of him,

The man is lewdly giuen, to Dyce and Drabs,

Spends all he hath in harlots companies,

It

The Life and Death

It is no mercy for to pitie him,
I speake the truth of him, for nothing els,
But for the kindnesse that I beare to you,
Fris. If it be so, he hath deceiued me much,
And to deale strictly with such a one as he.
Better feuere then too much lenitie,
But here is Maifter Banifter him selfe,
And with him as I take the officers,

Enter Banifter, his wife, and two officers.
Ban. O Maifter Friskiball you haue vndone me,
My state was well nigh ouerthrowne before,
Now altogether downe-caft by your meanes.
Mist. Ba. O mafter Friskiball, pity my husbands caſe
Hee is a man hath liued as well as any,
Till enuious fortune and the rauenous Sea
Did rob, diſrobe, and ſpoile vs of our owne.
Fri. Mist. Banifter, I enuie not your husband,
Nor willingly would I haue ſed him thus:
But that I heare hee is so lewdely giuen,
Haunts wicked company, and hath inough
To pay his debts, yet will not be knowne thereof.
Ban. This is that damned Broker, that ſame Bagot,
Whom I haue often from my Trencher ſed,
Ingratefull villaine for to vſe me thus.
Bag. What I haue ſaid to him is naught but truth.
Mr. Ba. What thou haſt ſaid ſprings from an enuious hart.
A Cannibal that doth eate men aliue,
But here vpon my knee beleeue me fir,
And what I speake, so helpe me God is true,
We ſcarſe haue meate to feede our little Babes,
Moft of our Plate is in that Brokers hand,
Which had we mony to defray our debts
I thinkewee would not bide that penurie:
Be merciſull, kinde maifter Friskiball,
My husband, children, and my ſelfe will eate
But one meale a day, the other will we keepe and ſell.

AS

of the Lord Cromwell.

As part to pay the debt we owe to you:
If euer teares did pierce a tender minde,
Be pittifull, let me some fauour finde.
Bag. Be not you so mad fir, to beleeue hir teares.

Fri. Go to, I fee thou art an enuious man,
Good miſtris Banifter kneele not to me,
I pray rife vp, you ſhall haue your deſire.
Holde officers; be gone, ther's for your paines,
You know you owe to me a thousand pound,
Here take my hand, if eare God make you able;
And place you in your former ſtate againe,
Pay me: but if itill your fortune frowne,
Vpon my faith I le neuer aske you crowne:
I neuer yet did wrong to men in thrall.
For God doth know what to my ſelfe may fall.

Ban. This vnexpected fauour vndeſerued,
Doth make my hart bleed inwardly with ioy,
Nere may ought prosper with me is my owne,
If I forget this kindnesſe you haue ſhowne.
Mr. Ba. My children in their prayers both night and day,
For your good fortune and ſuccesse ſhall pray.

Fri. I thanke you both, I pray goe dine with me,
Within these three dayes, if God giue me leaue,
I will to Florence to my native home,
Bagot holde, thereſa Portague to drinke,
Although you ill deferued it by your merit,
Giue not ſuch cruell ſcope vnto your hart,
Be ſure the ill you doe will be requited,
Remember what I ſay, Bagot farewell,
Come Maifter Banifter, you ſhall with me,
My fare's but ſimple, but welcome hartily.
Exit all but Bagot.
Bag. A plague goe with you, would you had eate your hart,
Is this the thankes I haue for all my paines:
Confuſion light vpon you all for me,
Where he had wont to giue a ſcore of crownes,
Doth he now ſoyſt me with a Portague:
Well, I will be reuenged vpon this Banifter.

B

Ile

The Life and Death

Ile to his Creditors, buy all the debts he owes,
As seeming that I doe it for good-will,
I am fure to haue them at an eale rate;
And when tis done, in Christendome he itaies not,
But ile make his hatt'take with sorrow,
And if that Banifter become my debter
By heauen and earth ile make his plague the greater, Exit Bagot,
Enter Chorus,

Cho. Now gentlemen imagine, that young Cromwell is
In Antwarpe, Ledger for the English Marchants:
And Banifter to shunne this Bagots hate,
Hearing that he hath got some of his debts,
Is fled to Antwarpe, with his wife and children,
Which Bagot hearing is gone after them:
And thether sends his billes of debt before,
To be reuenged on wretched Banifter,
What doth fall out, with patience fit and see,
A iust requitall of false trecherie.
Exit.

Cromwell in his Study with bags of money
before him casting of account.

Crom. Thus farre my reckoning doth goe straight and even:
But Cromwell this fame plodding fits not thee:
Thy minde is altogether set on trauell,
And not to liue thus cloyed wither like a Nunne,
It is not this fame trauil that I regard,
Experience is the iewell of my hart.
Enter a Post.

Post. I pray fir, are you ready to dispatch me?
Crom. Yes heres those fummes of mony you muft cary,
You goe to farre as Frankford, doe you not?

Post. I doe fir.
Crom. Well prethee make all the haft thou canst,
For there be certaine English gentlemen
Are bound for Venice, and may happily want
And if that you shouldft linger by the way :
But in hope that you will make good speed,

There's

of the Lord Cromwell.

There's two Angels to buy you spurres and wandes.
Po. I thanke you fir, this will adde winges indeede.
Crom. Golde is of power to make an Eagles speed.

Enter Miftris Banifter.

What gentlewoman is this that greeues so much?
It seemes she doth addreſſe her ſelfe to me.

Mi. Ba. God faue you fir, pray is your name Maifter Cromwell.

Crom. My name is Thomas Cromwell, gentlewoman.

Mi. Ba. Know you not one Bagot fir, that's come to Antwarpe?

Crom. No trust me, I neuer saw the man,

But here are billes of debt I haue receiued
Againſt one Banifter a Marchant fallen into decay.

Mi. Ba. Into decay indeede, long of that wretch,
I am the wife to woſull Banifter,
And by that bloudy villaine am perſu'de,
From London here to Antwarpe,

My husband he is in the gouernours hands:
And God of heauen knowes how he'll deale with him,
Now fir your hart is framed of milder temper,
Be mercifull to a diſtrefſed ſoule,
And God no doubt will treble bletſe your gaine.

Crom. Good Miftris Banifter, what I can, I will,
In any thing that lies within my power.
Mi. Ba. O ſpeake to Bagot, that fame wicked wretch,
An Angel voyce may moue a damned diuell.

Crom. Why is he come to Antwarpe as you here?

Mi. Ba. I hard he landed ſome two houres ſince.

Crom. Well Miftris Banifter allure your ſelfe,
Ile ſpeake to Bagot in your owne behalfe:
And winne him t'all the pittie that I can,
Meane time, to comfort you in your diſtreſſe,
Receiue theſe Angels to releeuе your neeſe,
And be allured that what I can effect:
To doe you good, no way I will neglect.

Mi. Ba. That mighty God that knowes each mortals hart,
Keepe you from trouble, ſorrow, grieſe and ſmart. Exit Mi. Ba.

B 2

Crom.

## The life and Death

Crom. Thankes courteous woman,
For thy hartie prayer:
It greeces my foule to see her milerie,
But we that liue vnder the worke of fate,
May hope the beſt, yet knowes not to what ſtate
Our ſtarres and deſtinies hath vs aſigne,
Fickle is Fortune, and her face is blinde.

### Enter Bagot soliss.

Ba. So all goes well, it is as I would haue it,
Banifter he is with the Gouernour:
And ſhortly ſhall haue guities vpon his heeles,
It glads my hart to thinke vpon the ſlaue,
I hope to haue his body rot in prifon:
And after here, his wife to hang her ſelfe,
And all his children die for want of ſoode,
The Iewels I haue brought to Antwarpe,
Are reconn'd to be worth ſiue thouſand pound,
Which ſcarcely ſtoode me in three hundreth pound,
I bought them at an eafe kinde of rate,
I care not which way they came by them
That ſould them me, it comes not neare my hart.
And leaſt they ſhould be ſtolne as ſure they are,
I thought it meete to ſell them here in Antwarpe,
And ſo haue left them in the Gouernours hand,
Who offers me within two hundreth pound
Of all my price: but now no more of that,
I muſt goe ſee and if my billes be ſafe,
The which I ſent to Maifter Cromwell,
That if the winde ſhould keepe me on the ſea,
He might areſt him here before I came:
And in good time, ſee where he is: God ſaue you fir.
Crom. And you, pray pardon me, I know you not.
Bag. It may be ſo fir, but my name is Bagot,
The man that ſent to you the billes of debt.
Crom. O the man that perfues Banifter,

Here

## of the Lord Cromwell.

Here are the billes of debt you ſent to me:
As for the man you know beſt where he is,
It is reported you aue a flintie hart,
A minde that will not ſtoope to any pittie;
An eye that knowes not how to ſhed a teare,
A hand that's alwayes open for reward,
But Maifter Bagot would you be ruled by me;
You ſhould turne all theſe to the contrarie,
Your hart ſhould ſtill haue feeling of remorſe,
Your minde, according to your ſtate, be liberall
To thoſe that ſtand in neede and in diſtreſſe;
Your hand to helpe them that doe ſtand in want,
Rather then with your poyſe to holde them downe,
For euery ill turne ſhow your ſelfe more kinde,
Thus ſhould I doe, pardon, I speake my minde.

Bag. I fir, you ſpeake to here what I would ſay,
But you muſt liue I know, as well as I:
I know this place to be extortion,
And tis not for a man to keepe ſafe here,
But he muſt lye, cog, with his deareſt friend;
And as for pittie, ſcorne it, hate all conſcience,
But yet I doe commend your wit in this,
To make a ſhow, of what I hope you are not,
But I commend you and tis well done,
This is the onely way to bring your gaine.

Crom. My gaine: I had rather chaine me to an ore,
And like a ſlaue there toile out all my life,
Before ide liue ſo baſe a ſlaue as thou:
I like an hipocrite to make a ſhow,
Of ſeeming vertue and a diuell within?
No Bagot, if thy conſcience were as cleare,
Poore Banifter, nere had beene troubled here.

Bag. Nay good Maifter Cromwell be not angry fir,
I know full well that you are no ſuch man,
But if your conſcience were as white as Snow,
It will be thought that you are otherwife,

Crom. Will it be thought that I am other wife?

B 3

Let.

## The Life and Death

Let them that thinke so know they are decei'u'd;
Shall Cromwell liue to haue his faith mifconfer'd,
Antwarpe for all the wealth within thy Towne
I will not stay here full two hours longer:
As good lucke serues, my accounts are all made euen,
Therefore ile straight vnto the treasurer,
Bagot, I know youle to the gouernour,
Commend me to him, fay I am bound to trauaile,
To see the fruitefull parts of Italy,
And as you euer bore a Chriftian minde,
Let Banister some fauour of you finde.

Bag. For your fake fir ile helpe him all I can,
To starve his hart out eare he gets a groate,
So Maifter Cromwell doe I take my leaue,
For I must straight vnto the gouernour.

### Exit Bagot.

Crom. Farewell fir, pray you remember what I faid:
No Cromwell, no, thy hart was nere so bafe
To liue by falhodee or by brokery,
But 't falles out well, I little it repent,
Hereafter, time in trauell shalbe spent.

### Enter Hodge his fathers man.

Hod. Your fonne Thomas, quoth you, I haue beene me homaft.
I had thought it had beene no such matter to a gone by water: for
at Putmay ile goe you to Parilh garden for two pence, lit as still as
may be, without any wagging or ioulting in my guttres, in a little
boate too: here vve were scarce foure mile in the great greene
water, but I thinking to goe to my afternoones vnchines, astwas
my manner at home, but I felta a kinde of rifting in my guttres: at
laft one a the Sailers spying of me, be a good cheere fayes hee, let
downe thy victuals, and vp with it, thou haft nothing but an
Eele in thy belly: Well, too't went I, to my victuals went the
Sailers, & thinking me to be a man of better experience then any
in the shippe, asked mee what Woode the shippe was made of:
they all fwore I tould them as right as if I had beene acquainted
with

## of the Lord Cromwell.

with the Carpenter that made it, at laft wee grew neere land,
and I grew villanous hungry, went to my bagge, the diuell a
bit there was, the Sailers had tickled mee. yet I cannot blame
them, it was a part of kindneſſe, for I in kindneſſe tould them
what Wood the shippe was made of, and they in kindneſſe eare
vp my victuals, as indeede one good turne asketh another: well
would I, could I, finde my Maifter Thomas in this Dutch Towne,
he might put some English Beare into my belly.

Crom. What Hodge my fathers man, by my hand welcome,
How doth my father? whats the newes at home?

Hod. Maifter Thomas, O God Maifter Thomas, your hand,
gloue and all, this is to giue you to vnderstanding that your fa-
ther is in health, and Alice Downing here hath ſent you a Nut-
meg, and Boſſe Make water a race of Ginger, my fellow Will and
Tom hath betweene them ſent you a dozen of points, and good-
man Tolle, of the Goate, a paire of mittons, my ſelfe came in per-
ſon, and this is all the newes.

Crom. Gramaſſe good Hodge, and thou art welcome to me,
But in as ill a time thou commeſt as may be:
For I am trauelling into Italy,
What ſaſt thou Hodge, wilt thou beare me company?

Hodge. Will I beare thee company Tom, what tell ſt me of
Italy, were it to the furtheſt part of Flanders, I would goe with
thoe Tom, I am thine in all weale and woe, thy owne to com-
maund, what Tom, I haue paſſed the rigorous waves of Nep-
tunes blaſſes, I tell you Thomas I haue beene in the danger of the
flouds, and when I haue ſene Boreas beginne to play the Ruffin
with vs, then would I downe a my knees and call vpon Vulcan.

Crom. And why vpon him?

Hod. Because as this fame fellow Neptune is God of the Seas,
ſo Vulcan is L O R D ouer the Smiths, and therefore I being a
Smith, thought his Godhead would haue ſome care yet of me,

Crom. A good conceit, but tell me haſt thou din'd yet?

Hod. Thomas to ſpeak the truth, not a bit yet I.

Crom. Come goe with me, thou haſt haue cheere good ſtore.
And farewell Antwarpe if I come no more.

Hodg. I follow thee to sweet Tom, I follow thee

Exit ambo.

Enter

The life and Death

Enter the Governor of the English house, Bagot, Banifter, his wife, and two officers.

Gouer. Is Cromwell gone then, say you Maister Bagot,
What diflike, I pray, what was the caufe?

Bag. To tell you true, a wilde braine of his owne,
Such youth as they, cannot fee when they are well:
He is all bent to trauaile, that's his reason.
And doth not loue to eate his bread at home.

Gou. Well, good fortune with him, if the man be gone.
We hardly shall finde such a one as he,
To fit our turnes, his dealings were so honest:
But now fir, for your lewes that I haue,
What doe you fay ? what, will you take my price?

Bag. O fir, you offer too much vnderfootc.

Gou. 'Tis but two hundred pound betweene vs man,
What's that in paiment of flue thouland pound.

Bag. Two hundred pound birladie fir tis great,
Before I got lo much, it made me leweat.

Gou. Well Maifter Bagot Ile proffer you fairely,
You fee this Marchant Maifter Banifter,
Is going now to prifon at your fute.

His fublance all is gone, what would you haue?
Yet in regarde I knew the man of wealth,
Neuer difhoneft dealing, but such mishaps
Hath falne on him, may light on me, or you,
There is two hundred pound betweene vs,
We will diuide the fame, Ile giue you one,
On that condition you will let him free:
His flate is nothing, that you fee your felfe,
And where naught is the King muft lobe his right.

Bag. Sir, fir, you ſpeake out of your loue,
Tis foolish loue fir fure to pittie him:
Therefore content your ſelfe, this is my minde,
To doe him good I will not bate a penie.

Ban. This is my comfort though thou doft no good,
A mighty ebbe followes a mighty floud.

Mi.

of the Lord Cromwell.

Mi. Ba. O thou base wretch, whom we haue foſtered,
Euen as a Serpent for to poyſon vs,

If God did euer right a womans wrong:
To that fame God I bend and bow my heart,
To let his heany wrath fall on thy head,
By whom my hopes and toyes are butchered.

Bag. Alas fond woman, I prethee pray thy worſt,
The Fox fares better ſtill when he is curſt.

Enter Maifter Bowſer a Marchant.

Gou. Maifter Bowſer ! your welcome fir from England,
What's the beſt newes ? How doth all our friends?

Bow. They are all well and doe commend them to you,
There's letters from your brother and your ſonne:

So faire you well fir, I muſt take my leaue.
My haſt and buſineſſe doth require ſo.

Gou. Before you dine fir ? what goe you out of towne?

Bow. I faith vnleſſe I here ſome newes in towne,
I muſt away, there is no remedy.

Gou. Maifter Bowſer what is your buſines, may I know it?
You may fir, and ſo shall all the Citie.

Bow. The King of late hath had his treaſury rob'd,
And of the choyſe ſtiewels that he had:

The value of them was ſeauen thouland pounds,
The fellow that did ſteale theſe iewels is hanged,
And did confefſe that for three hundred pound,
He ſould them to one Bagot dwelling in London:
Now Bagot's ſled, and as we here to Antwarpe,
And hether am I come to ſeeke him out,
And they that firſt can tell me of his newes,
Shall haue a hundred pound for their reward.

Ban. How iuſt is God to right the innocent?

Gou. Maifter Bowſer you come in happy time,
Here is the villaine Bagot that you ſeeke.
And all theſe iewels haue I in my hands,
Officers looke to him, hould him ſaſt.

Bag. The diuell ought me a ſhame, and now hath paid it.

C

Bow. Is

BOUND BY F.C.

BOUND BY GOD

## The Life and Death

Bow. Is this that Bagot? fewelows beare him hence,
We will not now stand for his reply;
Lade him with Yrons, wee will haue him tride
In England where his villanies are knowne.

Bag. Mifchiefe, confusion, light vpon you all,
O hang me, droune me, let me kill my selfe,
Let goe my armes let me run quick to hell.

Bow. Away, beare him away, stop the flaues mouth,
They carry him away.

Mi, Ba. Thy workes are infinite, great God of heauen.

Gou. I hard this Bagot was a wealthy fellow.

Bow. He was indeed, for when his goods were zealed,
Of fewels, coyne, and Plate within his houfe,
Was found the value of fiume thousand pound,
His furniture fully worth halfe so much,
Which being all ftrainde for the King,
Hefranckly gaue it to the Antwarpe Marchants,
And they againe, out of their bounteous minde,
Hath to a brother of their company,
A man decaid by fortune of the Seas,
Guen Bagot's wealth, to let him vp againe:
And keepe it for him, his name is Banifter.

Gou. Maifter Bowfer, with this happy newes,
You haue reuied two from the gates of death,
This is that Banifter, and this his wife.

Bow. Sir I am glad my fortune is so good,
To bring such tidings as may comfort you,

Ban. You haue giuen life vnto a man deemd dead,
For by the newes, my life is newly bred.

Mi. Ba. Thankes to my God, next to my Soueraigne King,
And laft to you that thefe good newes doe bring.

Gou. The hundred pound I muft receiue as due
For finding Bagot, I freely giue to you.

Bow. And Maifter Banifter, if you pleafe,
Ile beare you company, when you croufe the Seas.

Ban. If it pleafe you fir, my company is but meane,
Stands with your liking, Ile waite on you.

Gou. I

## of the Lord Cromwell.

Gou. I am glad that allthings doe accorde so well:
Come Maifter Bowfer, let vs in to dinner:
And Miftriffe Banifter, be mery woman,
Come after forrow now, lets cheere your spirit,
Knaues haue their due, and you but what you merit.

Exit omnes.

Enter Cromwell and Hodge in their shirtes, and
without Hattes.

Hodg. Call yee this feeing of fashions?
Marry would I had ftaide at Putney still,
O Maifter Thomas, we are (poiled, we are) gone.

Crom. Content thee man, this is but fortune.

Hodg. Fortune, a plague of this Fortune makes me goe wet-
floud, the roagues would not leaue me a fhooe to my feet, for my
hoafe they scorned them with their heeles, but for my Dublet
and Hatte, O Lord they imbraced mee, and vnlaſed mee, and
tooke away my cloathes, and ſo difgraced me.

Crom. Well Hodge, what remedie?
What lift ſhall we make now?

Hodg. Nay I know not, for begging I am naught, for ftealing
worſe: by my troth I muſt euen fall to my olde trade, to the
Hammer and the Horſe heeles againe: but now the worſt is, I
am not acquainted with the humor of the horſes in this countrie,
whether they are not coulthiſt, giuen much to kicking, or no: for
vvhen I haue one legge in my hand, if he ſhould vp and lay
tother on my chops, I were gone, there lay I, there lay Hodge.

Crom. Hodge I beleeue thou muſt worke for vs both.

Hodg. O Maifter Thomas, haue not I tolde you of this, haue
not I many a time and often, ſaid Tom, or Maifter Thomas, learne
to make a Horſe-ſhooe, it will be your owne another day: this
was not regarded, Harke you Thomas, what doe you call the
ſellowes that robd vs?

Crom. The Bandetto.

Hodg. The Bandetto doe you call them, I know not what
they are called here, but I am ſure we call them plainetheeues in

C 2

Eng-

## The Life and Death

England, O Thomas that we were now at Putney, at the ale there,
Crom. Content thee man, here let vp these two billes,
And let vs keepe our standing on the bridge:
The fashion of this country is such,
If any stranger be opprefted with want,
To write the manner of his milery,
And such as are diſpoſed to succour him,
Will doe it, what, haſt thou let them vp?

Hod. I they're vp, God ſend some to reade them,
And not lonely to reade them, but alſo to looke on vs:
And not altogether to looke on vs,
But to releeu vs, O colde, colde, colde.

One ſtandes at one end,
and one at tother.

Enter Friskiball the Marchant, and
reades the billes.

Fris. What's here? two Englishmen rob'd by the Bandetto,
One of them ſeemes to be a gentleman:
Tis pittie that his fortune was ſo hard,
To fall into the desperate hands of theeues,
Ile queſtion him of what eſtate he is,
God faue you fir, are you an Englishman?

Crom. I am fir a diſtrefſed Englishman.

Fri/. And what are you my friend,

Hod. Who I fir, by my troth I doe not know my ſelfe what I
am now, but fir, I was a Smith fir, a poore Farrier of Putney,
thats my Maſter fir yonder, I was robbed for his ſake fir.

Fri/. I fee you haue beene met by the Bandetto,
And therefore neede not aske how you came thus :

But Friskiball, why doſt thou queſtion them
Of their eſtate and not releeu their neede ?
Sir, the coyne I haue about me is not much :
There's fixteene Ducks for to cloath your ſelues,
There's fixteene more to buy your diet with,
And there's fixteene to pay for your horſe hier :

Tis all the wealth you fee my purſe potſſeſſes,
But if you pleafe for to enquire me out,
You ſhall not want for ought that I can doe,

My name is Friskiball, a Florence Marchant,

A man

## of the Lord Cromwell.

A man that always loued your nation.

Crom. This vnexpected ſavour at your hands,
Which God doth know, if euer I ſhall require it,
Necesſitie makes me to take your bountie,
And for your gold can yeeld you naught but thankes,
Your charitie hath helpt me from diſpaire.
Your name ſhall ſtill be in my harty prayer.

Fris. It is not worth ſuch thankes come to my house,
Your want ſhall better be releeu'd then thus.

Crom. I pray excufe me, this ſhall well ſuſſice,
To beare my charges to Bononia,
Whereas a noble Earle is much diſtrefſed :
An Englishman, Russell the Earle of Bedford
Is by the French King ſolde vnto his death,
It may fall out, that I may doe him good:
To faue his life, Ile hazard my hart blood:
Therefore kinde fir, thankes for your liberall gift,
I muſt be gone to aide him there's no ſhift.

Fris. Ile be no hinderer to ſo good an act,
Heauen proſper you, in that you goe about:
If Fortune bring you this way backe againe,
Pray let me fee you: ſo I take my leaue,
All good a man can with, I doe bequeath.

Exit Friskiball.

Crom. All good that God doth ſend, light on your head,
There's ſew ſuch men within our climate bred.

How ſay you now Hodge, is not this good fortune ?

Hod. How ſay you, Ile tell you what maſter Thomas
If all men be of this Gentlemans minde,
Let's keepe our ſtandings vpon this Bridge,
We ſhall get more here with begging in one day,
Then I ſhall with making Horſhoes in a whole yeere.

Crom. No Hodge, we muſt begone vnto Bononia,
There to releeu the noble Earle of Bedford :
Where if I faile nor in my policie,
I ſhall deceiue their ſubtiler treachery.

Hodge. Nay Ile follow you, God bleſſe vs from the theeing
Bandettoes againe.

Exit omne.

Enter

C.3

BOUND BY

## The Life and Death

*Enter Bedford and his Hoaſt.*

*Bed.* Am I betraide, was Bedforde borne to die,
By such bafe ſlaues in such a place as this ?
Hae I eſcaped so many times in France,
So many battailes haue I ouer paffed,
And made the French ſtirre when they hard my name;
And am I now betraide vnto my death ?
Some of their harts bloud firſt shall pay for it.

*Hoa.* They doe define my Lord to ſpake with you,

*Bed.* The traitors doe define to haue my bloud,
But by my birth, my honour, and my name,
By all my hopes, my life ſhall coſt them deare.
Open the dore, ile venter out vpon them,
And if I muſt die, then ile die with honour.

*Hoa.* Alas my Lord that is a desperate course,
They haue begirt you round about the houſe:
Their meaning is to take you prifoner,
And so to fend your body vnto France.

*Bed.* Firſt shall the Ocean be as dry as land,
Before aliuie they ſend me vnto France:
Ile haue my body firſt bored like a Siue,
And die as Hæſtor, gainſt the Mermidions,
Eare France ſhall boaſt Bedfordes their prifoner,
Trecherous France that gainſt the law of armes:
Hath here betraide thy enemy to death,
But be affured my bloud ſhall be reuenged,
Vpon the beſt liues that remaines in France:
Stand backe, or eſſe thy run ſt vpon thy death.

*Enter a Servant.*

*Mef.* Pardon my Lord, I come to tell your honour
That they haue hired a Neopolitan,
Who by his Oratorie hath promiſed them
Without the shedding of one drop of bloud,
Into their hands ſafe to deliuer you,
And therefore craues none but himſelfe may enter,
And a poore ſwaine that attends on him.

*Exit ſeruant.*

*Bed.* A

## of the Lord Cromwell.

*Bed.* A Neapolitan, bid him come in,
Were he as cunning in his eloquence
As Cicero the famous man of Rome,
His words would be as chaffe againſt the winde,
Sweet tong'd Vlſſes that made Aiaxe mad;
Were he and his tongue in this ſpeakers head,
Aliue he winnes me not, then is no conquelt dead,
*Enter Cromwell like a Neopolitan, and Hodge with him.*

*Crom.* Sir, are you the maſter of the houſe ?

*Hoa.* I am fir.

*Crom.* By this fame token you muſt leaue this place,
And leaue none but the Earle and I together,
And this my Peſſant here to tend on vs.

*Hoa.* With all my hart, God grant, you doe ſome good.

*Exit. Hoaſt. Cromwell ſbut the dore.*

*Bed.* Now fir what's your will with me ?

*Crom.* Intends your honour, not to yeeld your ſelfe?

*Bed.* No good-man gooſe, not while my ſword doth laſt,
Is this your eloquence for to perſwade me.

*Crom.* My Lord my eloquence is for to ſaue you,
I am not as you iudge a Neopolitan:
But Cromwell your ſeruant, and an Englishman.

*Bed.* How Cromwell, not my Farriers ſonne ?

*Crom.* The fame fir, and am come to ſuccour you.

*Hod.* Yes faith fir, and I am Hodge your poore Smith,
Many a time and oft haue I ſhooed your Dapper Gray.

*Bed.* And what auailes it me that thou art here?

*Crom.* It may auaile if youle be rul'd by me,
My Lord you know the men of Mantua ;

And theſe Bononians are at deadly ſtrife,
And they my Lord, both loue and honour you
Could you but get out of the Mantua port,
Then were you ſafe diſpight of all their force.

*Bed.* Tut man thou talkeſt of things impoffible,
Doff thou not ſee that we are round beſt :
How then is it poffible, we should eſcape ?

*Crom.* By

The Life and Death

Crom. By force we cannot, but by pollicie,
Put on the apparell here that Hodge doth weare,
And give him yours; the States they know you not.
For as I thinke they neuer saw your face,
And at a watch-word muft I call them in,
And will defire, that we two safe may paffe
To Mantua, where he fay my buſinelle lies,
How doth your Honour like of this deuife?

Bed. O wondrous good: But wilt thou venter Hodge?

Hod. Will O noble Lord, I doe accord ? in any thing I can,
And doe agree, to let thee free, doe fortune what the can.

Bed. Come then, let's change our apparell, and be true.

Crom. Goe Hodge make half, leaſt they chance to call.

Hod. I warrant you, fit him with a ſute. Exit Earle & Hodge.
Crom. Heauens graunt this pollicie, doth take ſuccedle,
And that the Earle may safely ſcape away.

And yet it greeces me for this ſimple wretch,
For feare they should offer him violence,
But of two euils, tis beſt to ſhun the greatest,
And better is it that he liue in thrall,
Then ſuch a Noble Earle as he should fall.

Their ſlubborne harts, it may be will relent:
Since he is gone, to whom their hate is bent,
My Lord haue you dispatched?

Enter Bedford like the Clowne, and Hodge in his
clowne and his Hat o.

Bed. How dooſt thou like vs Cromwell, is it well?

Crom. O my Lord, excellent: Hodge how dooſt feele thy ſelfe?

Hod. How do I feele my ſelfe? why as a Noble man I should do,
O how I feele honor come creeping on,
My Nobilitie is wonderfull melancholy:

Is it not moſt Gentleman like to be melancholy?

Crom. Yes Hodge, now goe fit downe in the ſtudy.

And take ſtate vpon thee.

Hodge. I warrant you my Lord, let me alone to take ſtate vpon
me:

of the Lord Cromwell.

me: but harke my Lord, doe you feele nothing bite about you?

Bed. No truſt me Hodge.

Hod. I, they know they want their old pafure; tis a ſtrange
thing of this vermine, they dare not meddle with Nobilitie.

Crom. Goe take thy place Hodge, I will call them in,

All is done, enter
Hodge fits in the ſtudy, and
and if you pleafe, Cromwell calles in the States.

Enter the States and Officers, with Halberts.

Gou. What haue you wone him? will he yeelde himſelfe?

Crom. I haue an't pleafe you, and the quiet Earle,

Doth yeeld himſelte to be diſpoſed by you.

Gou. Giue him the mony that we promiſed him:

So let him goe, whether it pleafe himſelfe.

Crom. My buſinelle ſir lies vnto Mantua,

Pleaſe you to giue me ſafe conduct therethor.

Gou. Goe and conduct him to the Mantua port,

And fee him ſafe deliuered prefently. Exit Cromwell

Goe draw the curtaines, let vs ſee the Earle, and Bedford.

O he is writing, ſtand apart a while.

Hod. Fellow William, I am not as I haue beene, I went from
you a Smith, I write to you as a Lord: I am at this preſent writing, a-
mong the Polonyan Saſiges. I do commend my Lordship to Raphe
& to Roger, to Bridget & to Doritie, & ſo to al the youth of Putney.

Gou. Sure the ſe are the names of English Noblemen,

Some of his ſpeciall friends, to whom he writes:

But ſtay he doth adreſſe himſelfe to ſing. Here he ſings a ſong.

My Lord I am glad you are ſo frolick and ſo blithe,
Beleeue me noble Lord if you knew all,

Youde change your merry vaine to ſudden ſorrow.

Hod. I change my merry vaine, no thou Bononian, no,

I am a Lord and therefore let me goe,

And doe deſie thee and thy Saſigis,

Therefore ſtand off, and come not neere my honor.

Gou. My Lord this ieſting cannot ſerue your turne.

Hod. Dooſt thinke thou blacke Bononian beaſt,

That I doe floute, doe gibe, or ieſt,

No, no, thou Beare-pot, know that I, a noble Earle, a Lord pardy.

D

Gou.

B O O K
S O U N D
O F
L O O K

The Life and Death

Gou. What meanes this Trumpets found?

A Trumpet sounds. Enter a Mellenger.

Ct. One come from the States of Mantua.

Gou. What, would you with vs speake, thou man of Mantua?

Mef, Men of Bononia: this my meffage is,

To let you know the Noble Earle of Bedford:
Is fafe within the towne of Mantua,

And willes you fend the pefant that you haue,

Who hath deceiued your expectation,

Or els the States of Mantua haue vowed:

They will recall the truce that they haue made,

And not a man shall flirre from forth your towne,

That shall returne vnleife you ſend him backe.

Gou. O this miffortune how it mads my hart ?

The Neopolitan hath beguiled vs all;

Hence with this foole: what shall we doe with him,

The Earle being gone ? a plague vpon it all.

Hod. No ile affure you I am no Earle, but a Smith Sir,

One Hodge, a Smith at Putney fir:

One that hath gullied you that hath bored you fir.

Gou. Away with him, take hence the foole: you came for,

Hod. I fir; and ile leaue the greater foole with you.

Mef, Farewell Bononians, come friend a long with me.

Hod. My friend afore, my Lordſhip will follow thee.

Gou. Well Mantua, ſince by the Earle is loſt,

Within ſew dayes I hope to ſee thee croſt.

Exit omnes.

Enter Chorus.

Cho. Thus farre you ſee how Crommells fortune paffed.

The Earle of Bedford being ſafe in Mantua:

Desires Crommells company into France,

To make requitall for his courteſie :

But Cromwell doth denie the Earle his ſute,

And relles him that thofe parts he meant to ſee,

He had not yet ſer ſ footing on the land,

And ſo directly takes his way to Spaine:

The Earle to France, and ſo they both do paff,

Now let your thoughts as Swift as is the winde,

Skip

of the Lord Cromwell.

Skip some ſew yeeres, that Cromwell ſpent in trauell,
And now imagine him to be in England:

Seruant vnto the Maifter of the Roules,

Where in ſhort time he there beganne to florish,

An houre ſhall show you what ſew yeeres did cherifh.

Exit.

The Maſick playes they bring out the banquet, Enter Sir Christopher Hales, and Cromwell, and two ſeruants.

Hales. Come firſ, be careful of your Maifters credit,

And as our bountie now exceeds the figure

Of common entertainment: ſo doe you

With lookes as free as is your Maifters ſoule,

Gue formall welcome to the thronged tables,

That ſhall receive the Cardinals followers,

And the attendants of the great Lord Chancellor.

But all my care Cromwell depends on thee,

Thou art a man, differing from vulgar forme,

And by how much thy ſpirit is ranckt boue theseſe,

In rules of Arte, by ſo much it ſhines brighter by trauell,

Whose obſeruance picaedes his merit

In a moſt learned, yet vn affecting ſpirit,

Good Cromwell caſt an eye of faire regarde,

Bout all my houſe, and what this ruder ſlfe,

Through ignorancer, or wine, doe miſcreate,

Salue thou with curteſie: iſ we welcome want,

Full bowles, and ample banquets will ſee me ſcant.

Crom. Sir, what ſoever lies in me,

Affure you I will ſhow my vermoſt duty.

Exit Crom.

Hales. About it then, the Lords will ſtraight be here:

Cromwell, thou haſt thofe parts would rather ſute,

The ſeruice of the ſtate, then of my houſe,

I looke vpon thee with a louing eye,

That one day will prefer thy deftinity.

Enter Mellenger.

Mef. Sir the Lords be at hand,

Hales. They are welcome, bid Cromwell ſtraight attend vs,

And looke you all things be in perfect readinelle.

D 2

The

BOUND BY

The Life and Death

The Musick playes. Enter Cardinall Wolsay, Sir.
Thomas Moore and Gardiner.

Wol. O fir Christopher you are too liberall, what a banketto!
Hal. My Lords if words could show the ample welcome,
That my free hart affords you, I could then become a prater:
But I now must deale like a feast Polstitian,
With your Lordships, deferre your welcome till the banket end,
That it may then fale our defect of faire:
Yet Welcome now and all that tend on you,

Wol. Thankes to the kinde Maiſter of the Roules,
Come and fit downe, fit downe fir Thomas Moore:
Tis ſtrange, how that we and the Spaniard differ,
Their dinner, is our banquet after dinner,
And they are men of actiue diſpoſition,
This I gather, that by their ſparing meate :
Their body more fitter for the watres,
And if that famine chance to pinch their mawes,
Being vſde to ſaft it breeding leſſe paine.

Hal. Fill me some Wine: He anſwere Cardinall Wolsay:
My Lord we Englishmen are of more freer ſoules,
Then hunger ſtaru'd, and ill complexioned ſpaniards,
They that are rich in Spaine, ſpare belly foode,
To decke their backes with an Italian hoode,
And Silkes of Ciuill: And the pooreſt Snake,
That feedes on Lemmons, Pilchers, and neare heated
His pallet with ſwecte fleth, will beare a caſe,
More fat and gallant then his ſtarued face,
Pride, the Inquifition, and this belly-ouill,
Are in my iudgement Spaines three headed diuell.

Mo. Indeece it is a plague vnto their nation,
Who ſtager after in blinde imitation.

Hal. My Lords with welcome, I prefent your Lordships
A ſolemne health..

Mo. I loue health well, but when as healths doe bring
Paine to the head, and bodies furſetting :
Then ceaſe I healths: nay ſpill not friend,

For

of the Lord Cromwell.

For though the drops be ſmall,
Yet haue they force, to force men to the wall.

Wol. Sir Christopher, is that your man?

Hal. And like your grace he is a Scholler, and a Lingueſt,
One that hath trauelled many parts of Chriſtendome my Lord,

Wol. My friend come nearer, haue you beenea traueler?

Cro. My Lord I haue added to my knowledge, the low countries,
France, Spaine, Germanie, and Italie:

And though ſmall gaine of profit I did finde,
Yet did it plesa my eye, content my minde.

Wol. What doe you thinke of the ſeuerall ſtates.
And Princes Courts as you haue trauelled?

Crom. My Lord no Court with England may compare,
Neither for ſtate nor ciuill government:
Luſt dwelles in France, in Italie, and Spaine,
From the poore pefant to the Princes traine,
In Germanie, and Holland riot ſerues,
And he that moſt can drinke, moſt he deferues:
England I praife not: for I here was borne,
But that the laugheth the others vnto ſcorne.

Wol. My Lord there dwelles within that ſpirit,
More then can be diſcern'd by outward eye,
Sir Christopher will you part with your man?

Hal. I haue fought to proffer him to your Lordship,
And now I fee he hath preferred himſelfe.

Wol. What is thy name?

Crom. Cromwell my Lord.

Wol. Then Cromwell here we make thee ſoliciter of our caufes,
And neareſt next our ſelfe:

Gardiner giue you kinde welcome to the man.

Gardiner imbraces him.

Mo. My Lord you are a royall Winer.
Hath got a man besides your bountious dinner,
Well Knight, pray we come no more:
If we come often, thou maiſt ſhut thy doore.

Wol. Sir Christopher hadſt thou giuen me,
Halfe thy lands, thou couldſt not haue plearſed me

D3

So

SOUND BY

## The Life and Death

So much as with this man of thine,
My infant thoughts doe spell:
Shortly his fortune shall be lifted higher,
True industry doth kindle honours fire,
And so kinde Maiſter of the Roules farewell.

Hal. Cromwell farewell.

Crom. Cromwell takes his leaue of you
That neare will leaue to loue and honour you.

Exit Omnes.

### Enter Chorus.

Cho. Now Cromwells highest fortunes doth begin, The Musick players, as they goe in.
Wolfay that lou'd him as he did his life:
Committed all his treasure to his hands,
Wolfay is dead, and Gardiner his man,
Is now created Bishop of Winchester :
Pardon if we omit all Wolfayes life,
Because our play depends on Cromwells death,
Now fit and see his highest state of all;
His height of rying; and his sodaine fall,
Pardon the errors is all ready past,
And lie in hope the best doth come at last:
My hope vpon your fauour doth depend,
And look to haue your liking ere the end.

Exit.

Enter Gardiner. Bishop of Winchester, the Dukes of Norfolke, and of Suffolk, Sir Thomas Moore, Sir Christopher Halles, and Cromwell.

Nor. Maiſter Cromwell, since Cardinall Wolfayes death,
His Maiestie is given to vnderstand,
There's certaine billes and writings in your hand,
That much concernes the state of England:
My Lord of Winchester is it not so?

Gar. My Lord of Norfolke, we two were whilome fellowes,
And Maiſter Cromwell, though our Maiſters loue:

Did

## of the Lord Cromwell.

Did binde vs, while his loue was to the King,
It is no boote now to deny those things
Which may be preiudiciall to the state:
And though that God hath raiſe my fortune hyper,
Then any way I lookt for, or defer'd.

Yet my life no longer with me dwell,
Then I prooue true vnto my Soueraigne:

What say you Maiſter Cromwell haue you those writings, I, or no?

Crom. Here are the writings, and vpon my knees,
I giue them vp, vnto the worthy Dukes,
Of Suffolk, and of Norfolke: he was my Maiſter,
And each vertuous part

That liu'd in him, I tendered with my harr,
But what his head complotted gainſt the state.
My countries loue commands me that to hate:
His sudden death I greeue for, not his fall,
Because he fought to worke my countries thrall.

Suff. Cromwell, the King shall here of this thy duty,
Whom I affure my ſelſe will well reward thee:

My Lord, lets goe vnto his Maiestie,
And show theſe writings which he longs to see.

Exit Norfolke and Suffolk.

### Enter Bedford hastily.

Bed. How now, whole this Cromwell?
By my loule, welcome to England:
Thou once didst faue my life, didst not Cromwell?

Cro. If I did so, 'tis greater glory for me that you remember it,
Then for my ſelſe vainely to report it.

Bed. Well Cromwell, now is the time,
I shall commend thee to my Soueraigne:
Cheere vp thy ſelſe, for I will raiſe thy state,
A Ruffell yet was neuer found ingrate.

Exit.

Hales. O how vincertaine is the wheel of state,
Who lately greater then the Cardinall,
For feare, and loue: and now who lower lies?

Gaye

The Life and Death

Gay honours are but Fortunes flatteries,
And whom this day, pride and promotion fwels,
To morrow, enuie and ambition quels.

Moore. Who sees the Cob-web intangle the poore Flie,
May boldly say the wretches death is nigh.

Gard. I know his flate and proud ambition,
Was too too violent to laft ouer long.

Hales. Who foares too neare the funne with golden winges,
Mealtes them, to ruine his owne fortune brings.

Enter the Duke of Suffolk.

Suf. Cromwell kneele downe in king Henries name,
Arise fir Thomas Cromwell, thus beginnes thy fame.

Enter the Duke of Norfolkke.

Norf. Cromwell the Maiestie of England,
For the good liking he conceiues of thee:
Makes thee Maifer of the iewell houfe,
Chiefe Secretary to himselves, and with all,
Creates thee one of his highnelfe priue Counfell.

Enter the Earle of Bedford.

Bed. Where is fir Thoma, Cromwell is he knighted,
Suf. He is my Lord.
Bed. Then to adde honour to his name,
The King creates him Lord keeper of his priuie Scale:
And Maifer of the Roules,

Which you fir Christopher doe now enioys,
The King determines higher place for you.

Crom. My Lords these honors are too high for my defent,
Moore. O content thee man, who would not choose it?
Yet thou art wife in feeming to refufe it.

Gard. Here's honors, titles and promotions,
I scare this climbing, will haue a sudden fall.

Norf.

of the Lord Cromwell.

Norf. Then come my Lords, lets altogether bring,
This new mad: Counsellor to Englands King.

Exit all but Gardiner.

Gard. But Gardiner means his glory shall be dim'd:
Shall Cromwell live a greater man then I?

My enuie with his honour now is bred,
I hope to shorten Cromwell by the head.

Exa.

Enter Friskiball very poore.

Fris. O Friskiball, what shall become of thee?
Where shall thou goe, or which way shall thou turne?
Fortune that turnes her too vnconftant wheele,
Hath turn'd thy wealth and riches in the Sea,

All parts abroade where euer I haue beene,
Growes weary of me, and denies me fuccour,
My debters they, that should relecue my want,
For weare's my mony, faies they owe me none:
They know my flate too meane, to beare out law,

And here in London where I oft haue beene,
And haue done good to many a wretched man,

Am now moft wretched here, dispised my selfe,
Invaine it is, more of their hearts to try,
Be patient therefore, laye thee downe and die.

He lies downe.

Enter good-man Seely, and his
wife Ioane.

Seely. Come Ioane, come, lets see what heele doe for vs now?
I wisc haue done for him, when many a time and often hee
might haue gone a hungry to bed.

Wife. Alas man, now he is made a Lord, heele neuer looke vp-
on vs, heele fulfill the old Prouerbe: fer Beggers a horse-backe, &
theile ride: a wella day for my cow, such as he hath made vs come
behinde hand, we had neuer pawnd our Cowe els to pay our rent.

Seely.

E

SOUND BY

## The Life and Death

Seely. Well Ioane, heele come this way : and by Gods dickers ile tell him roundly of it, and if hee were tenne LORDS : a shall know that I had not my Cheefe and my Bacon for no-thing.

Wife. Doe you remember husband how hee would mouch vp my Cheefe cakes, hee hath forgot this now, but now weele remember him.

Seely. I we shall haue now three flappes with a Foxe taile: but I faith ile gibber a ioynt, but ile tell him his owne : itay who comes here ? O stand vp here he comes, stand vp.

Enter Hodge very fine with a Tipſafe, Cromwell, the Mace carved before him : Norfolke, and Suffolk, and attendants.

Hod. Come, away with theſe beggars here, rife vp Cirra, Come our good people : runne afore there ho.

Friskiball rſeth, and ſtands aſarre off.

Seely. I vvee are kicked away now, vvee come for our owne, the time hath beene hee vvould a looked more friendely vpon vs : And you Hodge, we know you well inough though you are so fine.

Crom. Come hether firrah : itay, what men are theſe ?
My honest Hoſt of Hounſlow, and his wife :
I owe thee mony father, doe I not ?

Seely. I by the body of mee dooeſt thou, vvould thou wouldeſt pay mee, good foure pound it is, I haue a the poſſe at home.

Crom. I know is true, firrah giue him ten Angelis,
And looke your wife, and you doe itay to dinner :
And while you liue I freely giue to you,
Foure pound a yeere, for the foure pound I ought you.

Seely. Art not changed, art ould Tom full ?
Now God bleſſe the good Lord Tom :
Home Iane, home, ile dine with my Lord Tom to day,

And

## of the Lord Cromwell.

And thou ſhalt come next weeke,
Fetch my Cow, home Ioane, home.

Wife. Now God bleſſe thee, my good Lord Tom,
Ile fetch my Cow preſently.

Exit Wife.

### Enter Gardiner.

Crom. Sirra, goe to yon Iſtanger, tell him I deſire him Stay to dinner: I muſt Ipeake with him;

Gard. My Lord of Norſtolke ſee you this fame bubble ? That fame puffe, but marke the end, my Lord, marke the end.

Norſ. I promife you, I like not something he hath done, But let that paffe, the King doth loue him well.

Crom. Good morrow to my Lord of Wincheſter.
I know you beare me hard, about the Abby lands.

Gard. Haue I not reaſon, when religion is wronged ? You had no colour for what you haue done.

Crom. Yes the aboliſhing of Antichriſt,
And of his Popiſh order from our Realme :
I am no enemy to religion,

But what is done, it is for Englands good,
What did they ſerue for but to feede a ſort :
Of Iazie Abbots, and of full fed Fryers,
They neither plow, nor ſowe, and yet they reape

The fat of all the Land, and ſucke the poore:
Looke what was theirs, is in King Henries hands,
His wealth before lay in the Abby lands.

Gard. Indeede theſe things you haue aledg'd my Lord,
When God doth know the infant yet vnborne,
Will curſe the time, the Abbies were puld downe,
I pray now where is hofpitality ?
Where now may poore diſtrefled people goe
For to reſcue their neede, or reſt their bones,
When weary trauell'd doth oppreſſe their limmes ?
And where religious men ſhould take them in,

E 2

Shall

The Life and Death

Shall now be kept backe with a Maſtive dogge,
And thouſand, And thouſand.

Nor. O my Lord no more : things palt redresse.

Tis booteleſſe to complaine.

Crom. What ſhall we to the Conuocation houſe.

Nor. Weele follow you my Lord pray leade the way.

Enter Old Cromwell like a Farmer.

Old Cre. How, one Cromwell made Lord keeper since Heſt
And dwelt in Yorkeſhire ? I neuer hard better newes :
(Putney
Ile fee that Cromwell, or it ſhall goe hard,

Crom. My aged father : ſtate ſet aſide,

Father on my knee I craue your bleſſing:
One of my ſeruants goe and haue him in,
At better leaſure will we talke with him.

Old Crom. Now if I die, how happy were the day,
To fee this comfort raines forth ſhowers of joy.

Exit Old Cromwell.

Nor. This dutie in him ſhowes a kinde of grace.

Crom. Goe on before for time draws on apace.

Exit all but Friskiball.

Fri. I wonder what this Lord would haue with me,
His man ſo strictly gaue me charge to ſlay :
I neuer did offend him to my knowledge,
Well, good or bad, I meane to bide it all,
Worſe then I am, now neuer can befall.

Enter Banifter and his wife.

Ba. Come wife I take it he almoſt dinner time,
For Maſtler Newton, and Maſtler Creſbie ſent to me:
Laſt night, they would come dine with me,
And take their bond in: I pray thee hie thee home,
And fee that all things be in readineſſe.

Mi. Ba. They ſhalbe welcome, husband He goe before,
But is not that man Maſtler Friskiball?

She runnes and imbraces him.

Ba. 0

of the Lord Cromwell.

Ba. O heauens it is kinde Maſtler Friskiball:

Say ſir, what hap hath brought you to this pate ?

Fri. The fame that brought you to your miſery.

Ba. Why would you not acquaint me with your ſtate ?
Is Banifter your poore friend ſorg ſent to ?

Whofe goods, whoſe loue, whoſe life and all is yours.

Fri. I thought your ſtate would be as the reſt,
That had more kindneſſe at my hands then you,

Yet looked alcaſe, when as they ſaw me poore :

Mi. Ba. If Banifter ſhould beare ſo bafe a hart,
I neuer would looke his husband in the face.

But hate him as I would a Cockatruſe.

Ba. And well thou mightest, ſhould Banifter deale ſo,
Since that I ſaw you ſir, my ſtate is mended:

And for the thouſand pound I owe to you,

I haue it ready for you ſir at home,

And though I greeue your fortune is ſo bad :

Yet that my hap's to help you, makes me glad,

And now ſir will it pleyſe you walke with me.

Fri. Not yet I cannot, for the Lord Chancelour,
Hath here commaunded me to waight on him,
For what I know not: pray God it be for good.

Ba. Neuer make doubt of that, ile warrant you,
He is as kinde a noble gentleman :

As euer did poffeſſe the place he hath.

Mi. Ba. Sir my brother is his ſteward, if you pleyſe,
Weale goe along and beare you company :

I know we ſhall not want for welcome there?

Fri. Withall my hart is but what's become of Bagot.

Ba. He is hanged, for buying iewels of the Kings.

Fri. A iuſt reward for one ſo impious,

The time draws on, ſir will you goe along.

Ba. Ile follow you kinde Maſtler Friskiball.

Exit Omnes.

E3

Enter

The Life and Death

Enter two Marchants.

1 Now Maister Crofbie, I see you have a care
To keepe your word, in paiment of your mony.

2 By my faith I haue reaſon vpon a bond,
Three thouſand pound is too much to forſet,
Yet I doubt not Maifter Banifter.

1 By my faith your ſumme is more then mine,
And yet I am not much behinde you too,
Conſidering that to day I paid at Court,

2 Maſſe and well ſemembred:
What's the reaſon the Lord Cromwels men,
Weare ſuch long skirts vpon their coates ?
They reach downe to their very ham.

1 I will reſolue you ſir, and thus it is:
The Biſhop of Wincheſter, that loues not Cromwell,
As great men are enuied, as well as letſe.

A while ago there was a iarre betweene them,
And it was brought to my Lord Cromwels care,
That Biſhop Gardiner would ſit on his skirts,
Vpon which word, he made his men long Blew coates,
And in the Court wore one of them himſelfe:
And meeting with the Biſhop, quoth he, my Lord
Here's skirt enough now for your Grace to ſit on,
Which vexed the Biſhop to the very hart,
This is the reaſon why they weare long coates.

2 Tis alwaies ſeene, and marke it for a rule,
That one great man will enuie ſtill another :

But tis a thing that nothing concernes me:

What, ſhall we now to Maifter Banifteres?
I come, weele pay him royally for our dinner. Exit.

Enter the Uſher and the Shewer, the meate goes
ouer the Stage.

Uſher. Yncouer there Gentlemen.

Enter

of the Lord Cromwell.

Enter Cromwell, Bedford, Suffolk, Old Cromwell,
Friskiball, good-man Scely, and
attendants.

Crom. My noble Lords of Suffolk and of Bedford,
Your honors welcome to poore Cromwels house:
Where is my father ? nay be couered Father,
Although that duty to these noble men doth challenge it
Yet He make bolde with them.

Your head doth beare the calender of care:
What Cromwell couered, and his Father bare?

It must not be. Now fir to you,
Is not your name Friskiball, and a Florentine.

Fris. My name was Friskiball, till cruell fate?
Did rob me of my name and of ſlate.

Crom. What fortune brought you to this countrie now?

Fris. All other parts hath left me ſuccourleſſe,
Saue onely this, becauſe of debts I haue
I hopeto gaine for to relecue my want.

Crom. Did you not once vpon your Florence, bridge,
Helpe a diſtrefled men, robd by the Bandetto,
His name was Cromwell?

Fris. I neuer made my braine a calender of any good I did,
I alwaies lou'd this nation with my heart.

Crom. I am that Cromwell that you there releeu'd,
Sixteene Ducks you gaue me for to cloath me,
Sixteene to beare my charges by the way,
And ſixteene more I had for my horſe hier,
There be those ſeuerall ſummes iuſtly return'd,
Yet it iniſtlice were that ſeruing at my need,
For to repay them without intereſt,
Therefore receiue of me theſe ſoure ſeverall bags,
In each of them there is ſoure hundred marke,
And bring to me the names of all your debtors,
And if they will not ſee you paide, I will:

O God

The Life and Death

O God forbid, that I should fee him fall,
That helpt me in my greatest need of all;
Here stands my Father that first gaue me life,
Alas what dutie is too much for him?
This man in time of need did faue my life,
And therefore cannot doe too much for him.
By this old man I often times was fed,
Els might I haue gone supperlelle to bed.
Such kindneffe haue I had of these three men,
That Cromwell no way can repay againe:
Now in to dinner, for we lay too long,
And to good flomacke is no greater wrong

Exit gardiner.

Enter Gardiner in his study, and his man.

Gard. Sitra, where be those men I caus'd to fly?
Ser. They doe attend your pleasure Sit within,
Gar. Bid them come hither, and fly you without,
For by those men the Foxe of this same land,
That makes a Goole of better then himselfe,
Must worried be vnto his latest home,
Or Gardiner will faile in his intent.
As for the Dukes of Suffolk and of Norfolke,
Whom I haue sent for to come speake with me,
How focuer outwardly they shadow it,
Yet in their harts I know they loue him not,
As for the Earle of Bedford hee is but one,
And dares not gaine-fay what we doe let downe.

Enter the two Winffles.

Now my friends, you know I fau'd your liues,
When by the law you had deferued death,
And then you promised me vpon your othes,
To venture both your liues to doe me good.
Both wit, Wefwore no more then that we will performe,
Gard. I take your words, and that which you must doe,

Is

of the Lord Cromwell.

Is seruice for your God, and for your King,
To roote a rebell from this flourishing land,
One thatz an enemy vnto the Church:
And therefore muft you take your solemne oathes,
That you heard Cromwell, the Lord Chauncellor,
Did wilh a dagger at King Henries hart:
Feare not to fweare it, for I hard him speake it,
Therefore weele shield you from infuing harmes,
2 Wit. If you will warrant vs the deed is good,
Weele vndertake it.

Gar. Kneele downe, and I will here abfolue you both,
This Crucifixe I lay vpon your heads,
And Sprinkle holy-water on your brows,
The deed is meritorious that you doe,
And by it shall you purchase grace from heauen.
1 Now fir weele vndertake it by our foules.
2 For Cromwell neuer loued none of our sort.
Gar. I know he doth not, and for both of you,
I will preferre you to some place of worth;
Now get you in, vntill I call for you,
For presently the Dukes meanes to be here.
Exit wit.
Cromwell fit fast, thy time's not long to raigne,
The Abbies that were puld downe by thy meanes,
Is now a meane for me to pull thee downe:
Thy pride also thy owne head lights vpon,
For thou art he that chang'd religion:
But now no more, for here the Dukes are come.

Enter Suffolk, Norfolke, and the Earle of Bedford.

Suff. Good euen to my Lord Bishop.
Nor. How fares my Lord? what are you all alone?
Gar. No not alone my Lords, my minde is troubled:
I know your honours muſe wherefore I ſent
And in ſuch haſt: What came you from the King?
Nor. We did, and left none but Lord Cromwell with him.

F

Gard.

The Life and Death

Gard. O what a dangerous time is this we liue in,
There's Thomas Wolsey, hee's already gone,

There's Thomas Wolsey, hee's already gone,
And Thomas Moore, he followed after him :

Another Thomas yet there doth remaine,

That is farre worse then either of those twaine,

And if with speed my Lords we not purue it,
I feare the King and all the land will rue it.

Bed. Another Thomas? pray God it be not Cromwell.

Gard. My Lord of Bedford, it is that traitor Cromwell.

Bed. Is Cromwell fall? my hart will neuer thinke it.

Suff. My Lord of Winchester, what likelihood,

Or proofe haue you of this his treachery.

Gard. My Lord too much, call in the men within,
The men my Lord upon their othes affirme,
That they did here Lord Cromwell in his garden,
Wished a dagger flicking at the hart,

That they did here Lord Cromwell in his garden,
Wished a dagger flicking at the hart,
Of our King Henrie, what is this but treason?

Bed. If it be so, my hart doth bleed with sorrow.

Suff. How say you friends, what, did you here these words?

1 Wt. We did and 't like your grace.

Norf. In what place was Lord Cromwell when he spake them?

2 Wt. In his Garden, where we did attend a fute,

Which we had waited for two yeere and more.

Suff. How long if since you heard him spake these words?

2 Wt. Some halfe yeere since.

Bed. How chance that you conceal'd it all this time?

1 Wt. His greatneſſe made vs feare, that was the cauſe,

Gard. I, I, his greatneſſe that's the cauſe indeed,

And to make his treaſon here more manifeſt,

He calles his ſeruants to him round about,

Tels them of W. lſayes life, and of his fall,

Sales that himſelfe hath many enemies,

And gives to ſome of them a Parke or Manor.

To others Leafes, Lands to other ſome:

What need he doe thus in his prime of life,

And if he were not ſeaſefull of his death?

Suff.

of the Lord Cromwell.

Suff. My Lord the ſe likelihoods are very great.

Bed. Pardon me Lords, for I muſt needs depart,
Their proofes are great, but greater is my heart.

Exit Bedford.

Norf. My friends take heed of that which you haue said,

Your ſoules muſt anſwere what your tongues reports :

Therefore take heed, be wary what you doe.

2 Wt. My Lord we ſpeak no more but truth.

Norf. Let them depart my Lord of Winchester,

Let them men be close kept

Vntill the day of triall.

Gar. They ſhall my Lord : hee take in theſe two men.

Exit witnesses.

My Lords, if Cromwell haue a publike triall,

That which we doe, is voide, by his deniall :

You know the King will credit none but him.

Nor. Tis true, he rules the King euen as he pleases,

Suff. How ſhall we doe for to attache him then?

Gar. Mary my Lords thus, by an Act he made himſelfe,

With an intent to intrap ſome of our liues,

And this it is : If any Councillor

Be conuicted of high treaſon,

He ſhall be executed without a publike triall.

This Act my Lords he cauſd the King to make.

Suff. A did indeed, and I remember it,

And now it is like to fall vpon himſelfe.

Nor. Let vs not flack it, tis for Englands good,

We muſt be wary, els heele goe beyond vs.

Gar. Well hath your Grace ſaid my Lord of Norfolke

Therefore let vs presently to Lambeth,

Thether comes Cromwell from the Court to night,

Let vs areſt him, ſend him to the Tower.

And in the morning, cut off the traitors head.

Norf. Come then about it, let vs guard the towne,

This is the day that Cromwell muſt goe downe.

Gard. Along my Lords, well Cromwell is halſe dead,

F 2

He

## The Life and Death

He shak'd my hart, but I will shaue his head.

Exeunt.

Enter Bedford solus.

Bed. My soule is like a water troubled,
And Gardiner is the man that makes it so,
O Cromwell, I doe feare thy end is neare:
Yet Ile prevent their malice if I can,
And in good time, see where the man doth come,
Who little knowes how neares his day of dome.

Enter Cromwell with his traine, Bedford makes as though he would speake to him: he goes on.

Crom. Your well encountered my good Lord of Bedford,
I see your honour is adretied to talke,
Pray pardon me, I am sent for to th'King,
And doe not know the businesse yet my selfe,
So fare you well, for I must needs be gone.

Exit all the traine.

Bed. You muft, well, what remedy?
I feare too soone you muft be gone indeed,
The King hath businesse, but little doest thou know,
Whose busie for thy life: thou think'st it not so.

Enter Cromwell and the traine againe.

Crom. The fefcond time well met my Lord of Bedford,
I am very fory that my haft is ſuch,
Lord Marques Dorſet being ſicke to death,
I muſt receaue of him the priuie ſeale
At Lambeth, ſoone my Lord weele talke our fill.

Exit the traine.

Bed. How ſmooth and caſie is the way to death

Enter a ſeruant.

Mef. My Lord, the Dukes of Norfolk and of Suffolk,

Accom-

## of the Lord Cromwell.

Accompanied with the Bishop of Winchelſter,
Intreates you to come preſently to Lambeth,
On earneſt matters that concernes the ſlate.

Bed. To Lambeth, so: goe fetch me pen and inke,
I and Lord Cromwell there shall talke enough,
I and our laſt, I feare, and if he come,
Here take this letter, and beare it to Lord Cromwell,
Bid him read it, lay it concernes him neare,
Away be gone, make all the haſt you can,
To Lambeth, doe I goe a woefull man.

Exit.

Enter Cromwell and his traine.

Crom. Is the Barge ready? I will ſtraight to Lambeth,
And if this one dayes businesſe once were pafft,
I'd take my caſe to morrow after trouble,
How now my friend wouldſt thou speake with me?

The Meſſenger brings him the letter, he puts it in his pocket.

Mef. Sir heres a letter from my Lord of Bedford.

Crom. O good my friend commend me to thy Lord,
Hould take those Angels, drinke them for thy paines.

Mſe. He doth defire your grace to reade it,
Because he layes it doth concerne you neare.

Crom. Bid him affure himſelfe of that, farewell,
To morrow tell him ſhall he heare from me,
Set on before there, and away to Lambeth.

Exeunt omnes.

Enter Winchelſter, Suffolk, Norſolke, Bedford, Sergiант at armes, the Herauld, and halberts.

Gar. Halberts ſtand close vnto the water ſide,
Sergiant at armes be bould in your office,
Herauld deliuer your proclamation.

Ha. This is to giue notice to all the Kings ſubjeſts.

The

F 3

## The Life and Death

The late Lord Cromwell, Lord Chancellor of England,

Vicar generall ouer the realme,

Him to hould and eſteme as a traytor,

Againſt the Crowne and dignitie of England:

So God faue the King.

Gar. Amen.

Bed. Amen, and roote thee from the land,

For whilſt thou lineſt truth cannot ſtand.

Nor. Make a lane there, the traitor is at hand,

Keepe backe Cromwells men:

Drowne them if they come on, Sergiant your office.

Enter Cromwell, they make a lane with their Halberts.

Crom. What meanes my Lord of Norſtolke by theſe words?

Sirs come along.

Gar. Kill them if they come on.

Ser. Lord Cromwell, in King Henries name,

I doe arreſt your honour of high treaſon.

Crom. Sergiant, me of treaſon?

Cromwels men offer to draw.

Suf. Kill them if they draw a ſword.

Crom. Hould, I charge you, as you loue me draw not a ſword,

Who dares accrue Cromwell of treaſon now?

Gar. This is no place to reckon vp your crime,

Your Doue-like lookes were viewed with ſerpents eyes.

Crom. With ſerpents eyes indeed, by thine they were,

But Gardiner doe thy woorſt, I feare thee not,

My faith compared with thine as much ſhall paffe,

As doth the Diamond excell the glaſſe:

Attached of treaſon, no accuſers by,

Indeed what tongue dares ſpeake ſo foule a lie?

Nor. My Lord, my Lord, matters are too well knowne,

And it is time the King had note thereof.

Crom. The King, let me goe to him face to face,

No better triall I defire then that,

Let

## of the Lord Cromwell.

Let him but ſay that Cromwelle faith was ſained,

Then let my honour, and my name be ſtained:

If euuer my hart againſt my King was ſee,

O let my ſoule in Iudgement anſwere it,

Then if my faith's confirmed with his reaſon,

Gainſt whom hath Cromwell then committed treaſon?

Suf. My Lord your matter ſhall be tried,

Meane time, with paſience content your ſelfe.

Crom. Perſorce I muſt with patience be content :

O deare friend Bedford doeſt thou ſtand ſo neare ?

Cromwell reioyceth one friend ſheds a teare,

And whether iſt? which way muſt Cromwell now?

Gar. My Lord you muſt vnto the tower,

Lieutenant, take him to your charge

Crom. Well where you pleafe, yet before I part,

Let me conferre a little with my men.

Gar. As you goe by water ſo you ſhall.

Crom. I haue ſome buſineſſe preſent to impart,

Nor. You may not ſtay, Lieutenant, take your charge.

Crom. Well, well my Lord, you ſecond Gardiners text,

Norſtolke farewell, thy turne wilbe the next.

Exit Cromwell, and the Lieutenants.

Gar. His guiltie confiſence makes him raue my Lord.

Nor. I let him talke his time is ſhort enough.

Gar. My Lord of Bedford, come you weepe for him,

That would not ſhed halſe a teare for you.

Bed. It grieues me for to ſee his ſudden fall,

Gar. Such ſucceſſe with I vnto traitours all.

Exeunt.

Enter two Citizens.

1. Why? can this newes be true? iſt possible?
The great Lord Cromwell arreſted vpon treaſon,
I hardly will beleeue it can be ſo,

2. It is too true fir, would it were otherwife,
Condition I ſpent halſe the wealth I haue,

1

## The Life and Death

I was at Lambeth, saw him there arrested,
And afterward committed to the Tower.

1 What was for treason that he was committed?

2. Kinde noble Gentleman: I may true the time,
All that I haue, I did inioy by him,
And if he die, then all my state is gone.

1 It may be hoped that he shall not die,
Because the King did favour him so much.

2. O sir, you are deceived in thinking so,
The grace and favour he had with the King,
Hath cauſe him haue so many enemies:
He that in court ſecure will keepe himselfe,
Muft not be great, for then he is enuied at.

The Shrub is ſafe, when as the Cedar ſhakes,
For where the King doth loue aboute compare,
Of others they as much more enuied are.

1. This pitie that this noble man should fall,
He did so many charitable deeds.

2. This true, and yet you fee in each estate,
There's none so good, but some one doth him hate,
And they before would smile him in the face,
Will be the formoft to doe him diſgrace:

What will you goe along vnto the Court?

1 I care not if I do, and heare the newes,
How men will iudge what shall become of him.

2. Some will ſpeake hardly some will ſpeake in pitie,
Goe you to the Court, Ile goe into the Citie,
There I am ſure to here more newes then you.

1 Why then ſoone will we meet againe.

Exit.

Enter Cromwell in the Tower.

Crom. Now Cromwell haſt thou time to meditate,
And thinke vpon thy ſtate, and of the time:
Thy honours came vnfought, I, and vnlooked for,
Thy fall as ſudden, and vnlooked for to,

What

## of the Lord Cromwell.

What glory was in England that I had not?

Who in this land commanded more then Cromwell?

Except the King who greater then my ſelfe?

But now I fee what after ages ſhall,

The greater man, more ſudden is their fall.

And now I doe remember the Earle of Bedford.

Was very defirious for to ſpeake to me:

And afterward ſent vnto me a letter,

The which I thinke I haue ſtill in my pocket,

Now may I read it, for I now haue leafure,

And this I take it is.

He reades the Letter.

My Lord come not this night to Lambeth,
For if you doe, your ſtate is oner throwne.

And much I doubt your life, and if you come:

Then if you loue your ſelfe, stay where you are.

O God had I but read this letter,

Then had I beene free from the Lions paw,

Deferring this, to read vntill to morrow,

I ſpurnd at joy, and did imbrace my ſorrow,

Enter the Lieutenant of the Tower and officers.

Now Maiſter Lieutenant, when's this day of death?

Lieu. Alas my Lord would I might neuer fee it,
Here are the Dukes of Swaffolke and of Norfolke,
Winchefter, Bedford, and fir Richard Ratchiffe,

With others, but why they come I know not.

Crom. No matter wherefore, Cromwell is prepared,
For Gardiner has my ſtate and life inſnard,
Bid them come in, or you shall doe them wrong,
For here ſtands he, whom some thinkes lives too long,
Learning killes learning, and inſteed of Inck
To dip his Pen, Cromwells heart blood doth drinke.

G

Enter

The Life and Death

Enter all the Nobles.

Norf. Good morrow Cromwell, what alone so sad?
Crom. One good among you, none of you are bad,
For my part, it best fits me be alone,
Sadneſſe with me, not I with any one.

What is the King acquainted with my cauſe?

Norf. We have, and he hath anſwered vs my Lord,
Crom. How, ſhall I come to ſpeak with him my ſelfe?
Gard. The King is so aduertified of your guilt,
He will by no meanes admit you to his prefence.

Crom. No way admit me, am I so ſoone forgot?
Did he but yelſterday imbrace my neck,

And ſaid that Cromwell was euen halſe himſelfe,
And is his Princely eares so much bewitched
With ſcandolous ignomie, and ſlanderous ſpeeches,
That now he doth deny to looke on me,

Well, my Lord of Winchelſter, no doubt but you,
Are much in ſauour with his Maiestie,

Will you beare a letter from me to his grace?

Gard. Pardon me, ile beare no traitors letters.

Crom. Ha, will you doe this kindneſſe then?

Tell him by word of mouth, what I ſhall ſay to you,

Gard. That will I.

Crom. But on your honour will you?

Gard. I on my honour.

Crom. Beare witneſſe Lords,

Tell him when he hath knowne you,

And tried your faith but halſe so much as mine,
Heele finde you to be the falſe harted man

In England: Pray tell him this.

Bed. Be patient good my Lord in theſe extreames.

Crom. My kinde and honorable Lord of Bedford,
I know your honour alwaies loued me well,

But pardon me, this still ſhall be my theame,

Gardiner

of the Lord Cromwell,

Gardiner is the cauſe makes Cromwell so extreame,
Sir Ralph Sadler, pray a word with you,
You were my man, and all that you potleſſe
Came by my meanes, to requite all this,
Will you take this letter here of me,
And giue it with your owne hands to the King.

Sad. I kitle your hand, and neuer will I reſt,
Eareto the King this be deliuered.

Exu Sadler.

Crom. Why yet Cromwell hath one friend in ſtore.

Gard. But all the haſt he makes shall be but vaine;
Here's a diſcharge for your prisoner,

To fee him executed prefently:

My Lord, you here the tenor of your life.

Crom. I doe imbrace it, welcome my laſt date,
And of this gliftering world I take laſt leaue,
And noble Lords, I take my leaue of you,
As willingly I goe to meete with death,
As Gardiner did pronounce it with his breath,
From treaſon is my hart as white as Snow,
My death only procured by my foe:

I pray commend me to my Soueraigne King,
And tell him in what ſort his Cromwell died,

To loose his head before his cauſe were tride:
But let his Grace, when he shall here my name,
Say only this, Gardiner procured the ſame.

Enter young Cromwell.

Lieu. Here is your ſonne come to take his leaue.

Crom. To take his leaue,

Come hether Harry Cromwell,
Marke boy the laſt words that I ſpeak to thee,
Flatter not Fortune, neither fawne vpon her,
Gape not for ſtate, yet loose no ſparke of honours,
Ambition, like the plague ſee thou chew it,

I die for treaſon boy, and neuer knew it,
Yet letthy faith as potleſſe be as mine,

And Cromwels vertues in thy face shall ſhine,

G 2

Come

## The Life and Death

Come goe along and see me leaue my breath,
And lie leaue thee vpon the floure of death.

Son. O father I shall die to see that wound,
Your blood being spilt will make my hart to found.

Crom. How boy, not looke vpon the Axe?
How shall I doe then to haue my head stroke off?
Come on my childe and see the end of all,
And after say that Gardiner was my fall.

Gar. My Lord you speake it of an enuious hart,
I haue done no more then law and equitie.

Bed. O good my Lord of Winchester for beare,
It would better seemed you to beene abfent,
Then with your words difturbe a dying man.

Crom. Who me my Lord ? no : he disturbes not me,
My minde he flirres not, though his mightie shocke
Hath brought mo peeres heads downe to the blocke.
Farewell my boy, all Cromwell can bequeath,
My hartie bleffing, so I take my leaue.

Hang. I am your deaths man, pray my Lord forgive me.
Crom. Euen with my soule, why man thou art my Doctor,
And brings me precious Philicke for my soule,
My Lord of Bedford I desire of you,
Before my death a corporall imbrace.

Bedford comes to him, Cromwell
imbraces him.

Farewell great Lord, my loue I doe commend.
My hart to you, my soule to heauen I send,
This is my ioy that ere my body fleete,

Your honourd armes is my true winding sheete,
Farewell deare Bedford, my peace is made in heauen,
Thus falles great Cromwell a poore ell in length,
To rife to vnmeasured height, winged with new strength,
The land of Wormes, which dying men difcouer,
My soule is thrinde with heauens celestiall couer.

Exit Cromwell and the officers, and others.

Bed. Well, farewell Cromwell the trewe! friend,

That

## of the Lord Cromwell

That euer Bedford shall poſſeſſe againe,
Well Lords I feare when this man is dead,
Youlewisht in vaine that Cromwell had a head.

### Enter one with Cromwels head.

Offi. Here is the head of the deceased Cromwell.
Bed. Pray thee goe hence, and beare his head away,
Vnto his body, interre them both in clay.

### Enter fir Raulph Sadler.

Sad. Ho now my Lords, what is Lord Cromwell dead?
Bed. Lord Cromwels body now doth want a head,
Sad. O God a little ſpeede had ſaued his life,
Here is a kinde repriue come from the King,
To bring him straight vnto his Maiestie.

Suff. I, I fir Raulph, repriues comes now too late.
Gar. My confcience now tels me this deede was ill,
Would Chriſt that Cromwell were aliue againe.

Nor. Come let vs to the King whom well I know,
Will grieue for Cromwell, that his death was so.

Excunt omnes.

## FINIS.