A street in Westminster
Enter two GENTLEMEN, meeting one another FIRST GENTLEMAN Y'are 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 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 of
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 divorc'd,
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 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 he wore a gilt copper
crown.
6. MARQUIS DORSET, bearing a sceptre of gold, on his head a
demi-coronal of gold. With him, the EARL OF SURREY,
bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned with an
earl's coronet. Collars of Esses.
7. DUKE OF SUFFOLK, in his robe of estate, his coronet on
his head, bearing a long white wand, as High Steward.
With him, the DUKE OF NORFOLK, with the rod of
marshalship, a coronet on his head. Collars of Esses.
8. A canopy borne by four of the CINQUE-PORTS; under it
the QUEEN 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 the QUEEN'S train.
10. Certain LADIES or COUNTESSES, with plain circlets of gold
without flowers.
Exeunt, first passing over the stage in order and state, and then a great flourish of trumpets SECOND GENTLEMAN A royal train, believe me. These know.
Who's that that bears the sceptre?
FIRST GENTLEMAN Marquis 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 [Looking on the QUEEN] Heaven
bless thee!
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, with a great flourish of trumpets Enter a third GENTLEMAN God save you, sir! Where have you been broiling?
THIRD GENTLEMAN Among the crowds i' th' Abbey, where a finger
Could not be wedg'd 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 prepar'd place in the choir, fell of
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 saintlike
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 pac'd 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 called 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 th' King, and truly
A worthy friend. The King has made him Master
O' th' 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 th' 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