Act 4, Scene 1: A street in Westminster

SCENE I. A street in Westminster.

    Enter two Gentlemen, meeting one another

First Gentleman

    You're well met once again.

Second Gentleman

    So are you.

First Gentleman

    You come to take your stand here, and behold
    The Lady Anne pass from her coronation?

Second Gentleman

    'Tis all my business. At our last encounter,
    The Duke of Buckingham came from his trial.

First Gentleman

    'Tis very true: but that time offer'd sorrow;
    This, general joy.

Second Gentleman

    'Tis well: the citizens,
    I am sure, have shown at full their royal minds--
    As, let 'em have their rights, they are ever forward--
    In celebration of this day with shows,
    Pageants and sights of honour.

First Gentleman

    Never greater,
    Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir.

Second Gentleman

    May I be bold to ask at what that contains,
    That paper in your hand?

First Gentleman

    Yes; 'tis the list
    Of those that claim their offices this day
    By custom of the coronation.
    The Duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims
    To be high-steward; next, the Duke of Norfolk,
    He to be earl marshal: you may read the rest.

Second Gentleman

    I thank you, sir: had I not known those customs,
    I should have been beholding to your paper.
    But, I beseech you, what's become of Katharine,
    The princess dowager? how goes her business?

First Gentleman

    That I can tell you too. The Archbishop
    Of Canterbury, accompanied with other
    Learned and reverend fathers of his order,
    Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off
    From Ampthill where the princess lay; to which
    She was often cited by them, but appear'd not:
    And, to be short, for not appearance and
    The king's late scruple, by the main assent
    Of all these learned men she was divorced,
    And the late marriage made of none effect
    Since which she was removed to Kimbolton,
    Where she remains now sick.

Second Gentleman

    Alas, good lady!

    Trumpets
    The trumpets sound: stand close, the queen is coming.

    Hautboys

    THE ORDER OF THE CORONATION
    1. A lively flourish of Trumpets.
    2. Then, two Judges.
    3. Lord Chancellor, with the purse and mace
    before him.
    4. Choristers, singing.

    Music
    5. Mayor of London, bearing the mace. Then
    Garter, in his coat of arms, and on his
    head a gilt copper crown.
    6. Marquess Dorset, bearing a sceptre of gold,
    on his head a demi-coronal of gold. With
    him, SURREY, bearing the rod of silver with
    the dove, crowned with an earl's coronet.
    Collars of SS.
    7. SUFFOLK, in his robe of estate, his coronet
    on his head, bearing a long white wand, as
    high-steward. With him, NORFOLK, with the
    rod of marshalship, a coronet on his head.
    Collars of SS.
    8. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports;
    under it, QUEEN ANNE in her robe; in her hair
    richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each
    side her, the Bishops of London and
    Winchester.
    9. The old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of
    gold, wrought with flowers, bearing QUEEN
    ANNE's train.
    10. Certain Ladies or Countesses, with plain
    circlets of gold without flowers.

    They pass over the stage in order and state

Second Gentleman

    A royal train, believe me. These I know:
    Who's that that bears the sceptre?

First Gentleman

    Marquess Dorset:
    And that the Earl of Surrey, with the rod.

Second Gentleman

    A bold brave gentleman. That should be
    The Duke of Suffolk?

First Gentleman

    'Tis the same: high-steward.

Second Gentleman

    And that my Lord of Norfolk?

First Gentleman

    Yes;

Second Gentleman

    Heaven bless thee!

    Looking on QUEEN ANNE
    Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on.
    Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel;
    Our king has all the Indies in his arms,
    And more and richer, when he strains that lady:
    I cannot blame his conscience.

First Gentleman

    They that bear
    The cloth of honour over her, are four barons
    Of the Cinque-ports.

Second Gentleman

    Those men are happy; and so are all are near her.
    I take it, she that carries up the train
    Is that old noble lady, Duchess of Norfolk.

First Gentleman

    It is; and all the rest are countesses.

Second Gentleman

    Their coronets say so. These are stars indeed;
    And sometimes falling ones.

First Gentleman

    No more of that.

    Exit procession, and then a great flourish of trumpets

    Enter a third Gentleman

First Gentleman

    God save you, sir! where have you been broiling?

Third Gentleman

    Among the crowd i' the Abbey; where a finger
    Could not be wedged in more: I am stifled
    With the mere rankness of their joy.

Second Gentleman

    You saw
    The ceremony?

Third Gentleman

    That I did.

First Gentleman

    How was it?

Third Gentleman

    Well worth the seeing.

Second Gentleman

    Good sir, speak it to us.

Third Gentleman

    As well as I am able. The rich stream
    Of lords and ladies, having brought the queen
    To a prepared place in the choir, fell off
    A distance from her; while her grace sat down
    To rest awhile, some half an hour or so,
    In a rich chair of state, opposing freely
    The beauty of her person to the people.
    Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman
    That ever lay by man: which when the people
    Had the full view of, such a noise arose
    As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest,
    As loud, and to as many tunes: hats, cloaks--
    Doublets, I think,--flew up; and had their faces
    Been loose, this day they had been lost. Such joy
    I never saw before. Great-bellied women,
    That had not half a week to go, like rams
    In the old time of war, would shake the press,
    And make 'em reel before 'em. No man living
    Could say 'This is my wife' there; all were woven
    So strangely in one piece.

Second Gentleman

    But, what follow'd?

Third Gentleman

    At length her grace rose, and with modest paces
    Came to the altar; where she kneel'd, and saint-like
    Cast her fair eyes to heaven and pray'd devoutly.
    Then rose again and bow'd her to the people:
    When by the Archbishop of Canterbury
    She had all the royal makings of a queen;
    As holy oil, Edward Confessor's crown,
    The rod, and bird of peace, and all such emblems
    Laid nobly on her: which perform'd, the choir,
    With all the choicest music of the kingdom,
    Together sung 'Te Deum.' So she parted,
    And with the same full state paced back again
    To York-place, where the feast is held.

First Gentleman

    Sir,
    You must no more call it York-place, that's past;
    For, since the cardinal fell, that title's lost:
    'Tis now the king's, and call'd Whitehall.

Third Gentleman

    I know it;
    But 'tis so lately alter'd, that the old name
    Is fresh about me.

Second Gentleman

    What two reverend bishops
    Were those that went on each side of the queen?

Third Gentleman

    Stokesly and Gardiner; the one of Winchester,
    Newly preferr'd from the king's secretary,
    The other, London.

Second Gentleman

    He of Winchester
    Is held no great good lover of the archbishop's,
    The virtuous Cranmer.

Third Gentleman

    All the land knows that:
    However, yet there is no great breach; when it comes,
    Cranmer will find a friend will not shrink from him.

Second Gentleman

    Who may that be, I pray you?

Third Gentleman

    Thomas Cromwell;
    A man in much esteem with the king, and truly
    A worthy friend. The king has made him master
    O' the jewel house,
    And one, already, of the privy council.

Second Gentleman

    He will deserve more.

Third Gentleman

    Yes, without all doubt.
    Come, gentlemen, ye shall go my way, which
    Is to the court, and there ye shall be my guests:
    Something I can command. As I walk thither,
    I'll tell ye more.

Both

    You may command us, sir.

    Exeunt