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