第 15 节
作者:
竹水冷 更新:2021-02-19 20:31 字数:9321
most noble poet。
LIEUTENANT。 Adieu; most honored lords。
'Exeunt Lords。'
MORE。 Fair prison; welcome; yet; methinks; For thy fair building tis
too foul a name。 Many a guilty soul; and many an innocent; Have breathed
their farewell to thy hollow rooms。 I oft have entered into thee this way;
Yet; I thank God; ne'er with a clear conscience Than at this hour: This is
my comfort yet; how hard sore My lodging prove; the cry of the poor
suitor; Fatherless orphan; or distressed widow; Shall not disturb me in my
quiet sleep。 On; then; a God's name; to our close abode! God is as strong
here as he is abroad。
'Exeunt。'
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SIR THOMAS MORE
SCENE II。 More's House。
'Enter Butler; Porter; and Horsekeeper several ways。'
BUTLER。 Robin brewer; how now; man! what cheer; what cheer?
BREWER。 Faith; Ned butler; sick of thy disease; and these our other
fellows here; Rafe horsekeeper and Giles porter; sad; sad; they say my lord
goes to his trial today。
HORSEKEEPER。 To it; man! why; he is now at it; God send him well
to speed!
PORTER。 Amen; even as i wish to mine own soul; so speed it with my
honorable lord and master; Sir Thomas More。
BUTLER。 I cannot tell; I have nothing to do with matters above my
capacity; but; as God judge me; if I might speak my mind; I think there
lives not a more harmless gentleman in the universal world。
BREWER。 Nor a wiser; nor a merrier; nor an honester; go to; I'll put
that in upon mine own knowledge。
PORTER。 Nay; and ye bait him his due of his housekeeping; hang ye
all! ye have many Lord Chancellor's comes in debt at the year's end; and
for very housekeeping。
HORSEKEEPER。 Well; he was too good a lord for us; and therefore; I
fear; God himself will take him: but I'll be hanged; if ever I have such an
other service。
BREWER。 Soft; man; we are not discharged yet: my lord may come
home again; and all will be well。
BUTLER。 I much mistrust it; when they go to raining once; there's
ever foul weather for a great while after。 But soft; here comes Master
Gough and Master Catesby: now we shall hear more。
'Enter Gough and Catesby with a paper。'
HORSEKEEPER。 Before God; they are very sad; I doubt my lord is
condemned。
PORTER。 God bless his soul! and a fig then for all wordly
condemnation。
GOUGH。 Well said; Giles porter; I commend thee for it; Twas spoken
like a well affected servant Of him that was a kind lord to us all。
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SIR THOMAS MORE
CATESBY。 Which now no more he shall be; for; dear fellows; Now we
are masterless; though he may live So long as please the king: but law hath
made him A dead man to the world; and given the axe his head; But his
sweet soul to live among the saints。
GOUGH。 Let us entreat ye to go call together The rest of your sad
fellows (by the rule Y'are just seven score); and tell them what we hear A
virtuous honorable lord hath done Even for the meanest follower that he
had。 This writing found my lady in his study; This instant morning;
wherein is set down Each servant's name; according to his place And
office in the house: on every man He frankly hath bestown twenty nobles;
The best and worst together; all alike; Which Master Catesby here forth
will pay ye。
CATESBY。 Take it as it is meant; a kind remembrance Of a fair kinder
lord; with whose sad fall He gives up house and farewell to us all: Thus
the fair spreading oak falls not alone; But all the neighbor plants and
under…trees Are crushed down with his weight。 No more of this: Come;
and receive your due; and after go Fellow…like hence; copartners of one
woe。
'Exeunt。'
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SIR THOMAS MORE
SCENE III。 The Tower。
'Enter Sir Thomas More; the Lieutenant; and a Servant attending; as in
his chamber in the Tower。'
MORE。 Master Lieutenant; is the warrant come? If it be so; a God's
name; let us know it。
LIEUTENANT。 My lord; it is。
MORE。 Tis welcome; sir; to me with all my heart; His blessed will be
done!
LIEUTENANT。 Your wisdom; sir; hath been so well approved; And
your fair patience in imprisonment Hath ever shewn such constancy of
mind And Christian resolution in all troubles; As warrant us you are not
unprepared。
MORE。 No; Master Lieutenant; I thank my God; I have peace of
conscience; Though the world and I are at a little odds: But we'll be even
now; I hope; ere long。 When is the execution of your warrant?
LIEUTENANT。 Tomorrow morning。
MORE。 So; sir; I thank ye; I have not lived so ill; I fear to die。 Master
Lieutenant; I have had a sore fit of the stone tonight; but the king hath sent
me such a rare receipt; I thank him; as I shall not need to fear it much。
LIEUTENANT。 In life and death still merry Sir Thomas More。
MORE。 Sirrah fellow; reach me the urinal:
'He gives it him。'
Ha! let me see (there's) gravel in the water; (And yet I see no grave
danger in that) The man were likely to live long enough; So pleased the
king。Here; fellow; take it。
SERVANT。 Shall I go with it to the doctor; sir?
MORE。 No; save thy labour; we'll cossen him of a fee: Thou shalt see
me take a dram tomorrow morning; Shall cure the stone; I warrant; doubt
it not。 Master Lieutenant; what news of my Lord of Rochester?
LIEUTENANT。 Yesterday morning was he put to death。
MORE。 The peace of soul sleep with him! He was a learned and a
reverend prelate; And a rich man; believe me。
LIEUTENANT。 If he were rich; what is Sir Thomas More; That all this
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SIR THOMAS MORE
while hath been Lord Chancellor?
MORE。 Say ye so; Master Lieutenant? what do ye think A man; that
with my time had held my place; Might purchase?
LIEUTENANT。 Perhaps; my lord; two thousand pound a year。
MORE。 Master Lieutenant; I protest to you; I never had the means in
all my life To purchase one poor hundred pound a year: I think I am the
poorest Chancellor That ever was in England; though I could wish; For
credit of the place; that my estate were better。
LIEUTENANT。 It's very strange。
MORE。 It will be found as true。 I think; sir; that with most part of my
coin I have purchased as strange commodities As ever you heard tell of in
your life。
LIEUTENANT。 Commodities; my lord! Might I (without offence)
enquire of them?
MORE。 Croutches; Master Lieutenant; and bare cloaks; For halting
soldiers and poor needy scholars Have had my gettings in the Chancery:
To think but what a cheat the crown shall have By my attainder! I prithee;
if thou beest a gentleman; Get but a copy of my inventory。 That part of
poet that was given me Made me a very unthrift; For this is the disease
attends us all; Poets were never thrifty; never shall。
'Enter Lady More mourning; Daughters; Master Roper。'
LIEUTENANT。 Oh; noble More! My lord; your wife; your son…in…
law; and daughters。
MORE。 Son Roper; welcome;welcome; wife; and girls。 Why do you
weep? because I live at ease? Did you not see; when I was Chancellor; I
was so clogged with suitors every hour; I could not sleep; nor dine; nor sup
in quiet? Here's none of this; here I can sit and talk With my honest keeper
half a day together; Laugh and be merry: why; then; should you weep?
ROPER。 These tears; my lord; for this your long restraint Hope had
dried up; with comfort that we yet; Although imprisoned; might have had
your life。
MORE。 To live in prison; what a life were that! The king (I thank him)
loves me more then so。 Tomorrow I shall be at liberty To go even whether
I can; After I have dispatched my business。
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SIR THOMAS MORE
LADY MORE。 Ah; husband; husband; yet submit yourself! Have care
of your poor wife and children。
MORE。 Wife; so I have; and I do leave you all To his protection hath
the power to keep you Safer than I can; The father of the widow and the