Sir Thomas More
Act V, Scene 2
More’s house.
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Enter Butler, Porter, Brewer, and Horsekeeper several ways.
Ned
1
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Robin brewer, how now, man! What cheer, what cheer?
Robin
2 - 4
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Faith, Ned Butler, sick of thy disease; and these our other
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fellows here, Rafe Horsekeeper and Giles Porter, sad, sad;
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they say my lord goes to his trial today.
Ralph
5 - 6
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To it, man! Why, he is now at it, God send him well to
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speed!
Giles
7 - 8
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Amen; even as I wish to mine own soul, so speed it with my
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honorable lord and master, Sir Thomas More.
Ned
9 - 12
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I cannot tell, I have nothing to do with matters above my
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capacity; but, as God judge me, if I might speak my mind, I
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think there lives not a more harmless gentleman in the
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universal world.
Robin
13 - 14
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Nor a wiser, nor a merrier, nor an honester; go to, I’ll put
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that in upon mine own knowledge.
Giles
15 - 17
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Nay, and ye bait him his due of his housekeeping, hang ye
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all! Ye have many Lord Chancellor’s comes in debt at the
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year’s end, and for very housekeeping.
Ralph
18 - 20
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Well, he was too good a lord for us, and therefore, I fear,
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God himself will take him. But I’ll be hanged, if ever I
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have such an other service.
Robin
21 - 22
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Soft, man, we are not discharged yet. My lord may come home
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again, and all will be well.
Ned
23 - 26
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I much mistrust it; when they go to ‘raigning once, there’s
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ever foul weather for a great while after. But soft; here
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comes Master Gough and Master Catesby. Now we shall hear
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more.
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Enter Gough and Catesby with a paper.
Ralph
27
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Before God, they are very sad; I doubt my lord is condemned.
Giles
28 - 29
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God bless his soul! And a fig then for all wordly
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condemnation.
Gough
30 - 32
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Well said, Giles Porter, I commend thee for it;
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’Twas spoken like a well affected servant
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Of him that was a kind lord to us all.
Catesby
33 - 37
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Which now no more he shall be; for, dear fellows,
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Now we are masterless, though he may live
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So long as please the king. But law hath made him
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A dead man to the world, and given the axe his head,
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But his sweet soul to live among the saints.
Gough
38 - 49
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Let us entreat ye to go call together
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The rest of your sad fellows (by the rule
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Y’are just seven score), and tell them what we hear
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A virtuous honorable lord hath done
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Even for the meanest follower that he had.
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This writing found my lady in his study,
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This instant morning, wherein is set down
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Each servant’s name, according to his place
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And office in the house. On every man
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He frankly hath bestown twenty nobles,
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The best and worst together, all alike,
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Which Master Catesby here forth will pay ye.
Catesby
50 - 57
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Take it as it is meant, a kind remembrance
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Of a fair kinder lord, with whose sad fall
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He gives up house and farewell to us all:
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Thus the fair spreading oak falls not alone,
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But all the neighbor plants and under-trees
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Are crushed down with his weight. No more of this:
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Come, and receive your due, and after go
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Fellow-like hence, copartners of one woe.
