Scene V. The palace. Enter Trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor, Garter, Cranmer, Duke of Norfolk with bis marshal's staff, Duke of Suffolk, two Noblemen bearing great standing-bowls for the christening gifts ; then four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the Duchess of Norfolk, godmother, bearing the child richly babited in a mantle, &c., train borne by a Lady; then follows the Marchioness Dorset, the other godmother, and Ladies. The troop pass once about the stage, and Garter speaks. Gart. Heaven, from thy endless goodness, send prosperous life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty princess of England, Elizabeth! Flourish. Enter King and Guard. Cran. [Kneeling] And to your royal grace, and the good queen. My noble partners and myself thus pray; All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady, [The King kisses the child. Cran. With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee! Amen. King. My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal : Cran. When she has so much English. 20 Let me speak, sir, With all the virtues that attend the good, her; Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn, And hang their heads with sorrow. Good grows with her: In her days every man shall eat in safety, As great in admiration as herself, So shall she leave her blessedness to one 41 When heaven shall call her from this cloud of dark ness Who from the sacred ashes of her honour Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was, And so stand fix'd. Peace, plenty, love, truth, terror, That were the servants to this chosen infant, 50 Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him: King. An aged princess; many days shall see her, To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her. King. O lord archbishop, Thou hast made me now a man! never, before This happy child, did I get any thing. That when I am in heaven I shall desire 70 To see what this child does, and praise my Maker. Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank ye; [Exeunt. The Epilogue. 'Tis ten to one this play can never please All that are here: some come to take their ease, And sleep an act or two; but those, we fear, We have frighted with our trumpets; so, 'tis clear, They'll say 'tis naught: others, to hear the city Abused extremely, and to cry That's witty!' Which we have not done neither; that, I fear, All the expected good we're like to hear For this play at this time, is only in The merciful construction of good women; For such a one we show'd 'em : if they smile, And say 'twill do, I know, within a while All the best men are ours; for 'tis ill hap, If they hold when their ladies bid 'em clap. 10 |