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My lord, I’ll tell you; that self bill is urged, Which in the eleventh year of the last king’s reign Was like, and had indeed against us pass’d, But that the scambling and unquiet time Did push it out of farther question.
My lord, I’ll explain; that same bill is being pushed, Which, in the eleventh year of the last king’s reign, Was almost passed, but was stopped, Because the unsettled and troubled times Pushed it out of further consideration.
But how, my lord, shall we resist it now?
But how, my lord, can we stop it now?
It must be thought on. If it pass against us, We lose the better half of our possession: For all the temporal lands which men devout By testament have given to the church Would they strip from us; being valued thus: As much as would maintain, to the king’s honour, Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights, Six thousand and two hundred good esquires; And, to relief of lazars and weak age, Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil. A hundred almshouses right well supplied; And to the coffers of the king beside, A thousand pounds by the year: thus runs the bill.
We need to think about this. If it goes against us, We lose the best part of what we own: Because all the church lands that people devoutly Have left to the church in their wills They would take them from us; valued like this: As much as would support, in honor of the king, Fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights, Six thousand and two hundred good squires; And to help the poor and old, The souls of those too weak to work. A hundred well-supplied almshouses; And a thousand pounds a year for the king’s treasury: That’s what the bill says.
This would drink deep.
That would drain us dry.
’Twould drink the cup and all.
It would take everything.
But what prevention?
But what can we do to stop it?
The king is full of grace and fair regard.
The king is full of grace and noble concern.
And a true lover of the holy church.
And a true lover of the holy church.
The courses of his youth promised it not. The breath no sooner left his father’s body, But that his wildness, mortified in him, Seem’d to die too; yea, at that very moment Consideration, like an angel, came And whipp’d the offending Adam out of him, Leaving his body as a paradise, To envelop and contain celestial spirits. Never was such a sudden scholar made; Never came reformation in a flood, With such a heady currance, scouring faults Nor never Hydra-headed wilfulness So soon did lose his seat and all at once As in this king.
His early life didn’t promise this. As soon as his father died, His wildness seemed to die with him, And at that very moment Reason, like an angel, appeared And drove out his sinful nature, Leaving his body as a paradise, Ready to hold and welcome divine spirits. There’s never been such a sudden transformation; Never has reformation come so quickly, With such force, washing away his faults Nor has stubbornness ever So quickly lost its power and disappeared As in this king.
We are blessed in the change.
We are blessed by this change.
Hear him but reason in divinity, And all-admiring with an inward wish You would desire the king were made a prelate: Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, You would say it hath been all in all his study: List his discourse of war, and you shall hear A fearful battle render’d you in music: Turn him to any cause of policy, The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, Familiar as his garter: that, when he speaks, The air, a charter’d libertine, is still, And the mute wonder lurketh in men’s ears, To steal his sweet and honey’d sentences; So that the art and practic part of life Must be the mistress to this theoric: Which is a wonder how his grace should glean it, Since his addiction was to courses vain, His companies unletter’d, rude and shallow, His hours fill’d up with riots, banquets, sports, And never noted in him any study, Any retirement, any sequestration From open haunts and popularity.
Listen to him reason about religion, And you’d wish inwardly That the king were made a church leader: Listen to him talk about matters of the state, You’d say it’s been his main study: Hear him talk about war, and you’ll hear A battle described in music: Bring him to any political issue, He will untangle it as easily as his shoelace: When he speaks, The air itself, free and easy, becomes still, And people hang on his every word, To catch his sweet and wise sentences; So that the practical side of life Must follow his ideas, which seem so amazing, It’s a wonder how he learned it, Since he was once addicted to foolish ways, His companions uneducated, rough, and shallow, His days filled with wild behavior, banquets, and sports, Never showing any interest in study, Any retreat, any withdrawal From public places and attention.
The strawberry grows underneath the nettle And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best Neighbour’d by fruit of baser quality: And so the prince obscured his contemplation Under the veil of wildness; which, no doubt, Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night, Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty.
The strawberry grows under the nettle And healthy berries grow best and ripen Next to fruits of lower quality: And so the prince hid his thoughts Under the cover of wildness; which, no doubt, Grew like summer grass, fastest at night, Unseen, yet growing in his ability.
It must be so; for miracles are ceased; And therefore we must needs admit the means How things are perfected.
It must be so; because miracles have stopped; And so we must accept the methods By which things are perfected.
But, my good lord, How now for mitigation of this bill Urged by the commons? Doth his majesty Incline to it, or no?
But, my good lord, What about the reduction of this bill Pushed by the common people? Does the king Agree with it, or not?
He seems indifferent, Or rather swaying more upon our part Than cherishing the exhibiters against us; For I have made an offer to his majesty, Upon our spiritual convocation And in regard of causes now in hand, Which I have open’d to his grace at large, As touching France, to give a greater sum Than ever at one time the clergy yet Did to his predecessors part withal.
He seems uninterested, Or rather leaning more towards our side Than supporting the petitioners against us; For I have made an offer to the king, Regarding our spiritual gathering And considering the issues at hand, Which I have explained to him in full, About France, to give a larger amount Than the clergy has ever given at once To his predecessors.
How did this offer seem received, my lord?
How was this offer received, my lord?
With good acceptance of his majesty; Save that there was not time enough to hear, As I perceived his grace would fain have done, The severals and unhidden passages Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms And generally to the crown and seat of France Derived from Edward, his great-grandfather.
It was well received by the king; Except that there wasn’t enough time to hear, As I could tell the king would have liked to do, The detailed and undisguised reasons For his true claim to some specific dukedoms And in general to the crown and throne of France Inherited from Edward, his great-grandfather.
What was the impediment that broke this off?
What was the reason that interrupted this?
The French ambassador upon that instant Craved audience; and the hour, I think, is come To give him hearing: is it four o’clock?
The French ambassador arrived right then Asking for an audience; and I think the time has come To listen to him: is it four o’clock?
It is.
Yes.
Then go we in, to know his embassy; Which I could with a ready guess declare, Before the Frenchman speak a word of it.
Then let’s go in, to hear his message; Which I could guess with confidence, Before the Frenchman even says a word.
I’ll wait upon you, and I long to hear it.
I’ll follow you, and I’m eager to hear it.