sir thomas more(托马斯·莫尔骑士)-第16节
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the power to keep you Safer than I can； The father of the widow and the
orphans。
ROPER。 The world； my lord； hath ever held you wise； And 't shall be
no distaste unto your wisdom； To yield to the opinion of the state。
MORE。 I have deceived myself； I must acknowledge； And； as you say；
son Roper； to confess the same； It will be no disparagement at all。
LADY MORE。 His highness shall be certified thereof Immediately。
＇Offering to depart。＇
MORE。 Nay； hear me； wife； first let me tell ye how： I thought to have
had a barber for my beard； Now； I remember； that were labour lost； The
headsman now shall cut off head and all。
ROPER'S WIFE。 Father； his majesty； upon your meek submission；
Will yet （they say） receive you to his grace In as great credit as you were
before。
MORE。 。。。。。。。。 Has appointed me to do a little business。 If that were
past； my girl； thou then shouldst see What I would say to him about that
matter； But I shall be so busy until then； I shall not tend it。
DAUGHTER。 Ah； my dear father！
LADY MORE。 Dear lord and husband！
MORE。 Be comforted； good wife； to live and love my children； For
with thee leave I all my care of them。 Son Roper； for my sake that have
loved thee well； And for her virtue's sake； cherish my child。 Girl； be not
proud； but of thy husband's love； Ever retain thy virtuous modesty； That
modesty is such a comely garment As it is never out of fashion； sits as fair
upon the meaner woman as the empress； No stuff that gold can buy is half
so rich； Nor ornament that so becomes a woman。 Live all and love
together； and thereby You give your father a rich obsequy。
BOTH DAUGHTERS。 Your blessing； dear father。
MORE。 I must be goneGod bless you！ To talk with God； who now
doth call。
LADY MORE。 Aye； my dear husband！
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SIR THOMAS MORE
MORE。 Sweet wife； good night； good night： God send us all his
everlasting light！
ROPER。 I think； before this hour； More heavy hearts ne'er parted in
the Tower。
＇Exeunt。＇
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SIR THOMAS MORE
SCENE IV。 Tower Hill。
＇Enter the Sheriffs of London and their Officers at one door； the
Warders with their halbards at another。＇
SECOND SHERIFF。 Officers； what time of day ist？
OFFICER。 Almost eight o'clock。
SECOND SHERIFF。 We must make haste then； least we stay too long。
SECOND WARDER。 Good morrow； Master Shrieves of London；
Master Lieutenant Wills ye repair to the limits of the Tower； There to
receive your prisoner。
FIRST SHERIFF。 Go back； and tell his worship we are ready。
SECOND SHERIFF。 Go bid the officers make clear the way； There
may be passage for the prisoner。
＇Enter Lieutenant and his Guard； with More。＇
MORE。 Yet； God be thanked； here's a fair day toward； To take our
journey in。 Master Lieutenant； It were fair walking on the Tower leads。
LIEUTENANT。 And so it might have liked my sovereign lord； I would
to God you might have walked there still！
＇He weeps。＇
MORE。 Sir； we are walking to a better place。 Oh； sir； your kind and
loving tears Are like sweet odors to embalm your friend！ Thank your good
lady； since I was your guest； She has made me a very wanton； in good
sooth。
LIEUTENANT。 Oh； I had hoped we should not yet have parted！
MORE。 But I must leave ye for a little while； Within an hour or two
you may look for me； But there will be so many come to see me； That I
shall be so proud； I will not speak； And； sure； my memory is grown so ill； I
fear I shall forget my head behind me。
LIEUTENANT。 God and his blessed angels be about ye！ Here；
Master Shrieves； receive your prisoner。
MORE。 Good morrow； Master Shrieves of London； to ye both： I thank
ye that ye will vouchsafe to meet me； I see by this you have not quite
forgot That I was in times past； as you are now； A sheriff of London。
SECOND SHERIFF。 Sir； then you know our duty doth require it。
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SIR THOMAS MORE
MORE。 I know it well； sir； else I would have been glad You might
have saved a labour at this time。 Ah； Master Sheriff； you and I have been
of old acquaintance！ you were a patient auditor of mine； when I read the
divinity lecture at St。 Lawrence's。
SECOND SHERIFF。 Sir Thomas More； I have heard you oft； As many
other did； to our great comfort。
MORE。 Pray God； you may so now； with all my heart！ And； as I call to
mind； When I studied the law in Lincoln's Inn； I was of council with ye in
a cause。
SECOND SHERIFF。 I was about to say so； good Sir Thomas。。。。。。
MORE。 Oh； is this the place？ I promise ye； it is a goodly scaffold： In
sooth； I am come about a headless errand； For I have not much to say； now
I am here。 Well； let's ascend； a God's name： In troth； methinks； your stair is
somewhat weak； I prithee； honest friend； lend me thy hand To help me up；
as for my coming down； Let me alone； I'll look to that myself。
＇As he is going up the stairs； enters the Earls of Surrey and
Shrewsbury。＇
My Lords of Surrey and Shrewsbury； give me your hands。 Yet before
we。。。。ye see； though it pleaseth the king to raise me thus high； yet I am not
proud； for the higher I mount； the better I can see my friends about me。 I
am now on a far voyage； and this strange wooden horse must bear me
thither； yet I perceive by your looks you like my bargain so ill； that there's
not one of ye all dare enter with me。 Truly； here's a most sweet gallery；
＇Walking。＇ I like the air of it better than my garden at Chelsea。 By your
patience； good people； that have pressed thus into my bedchamber； if
you'll not trouble me； I'll take a sound sleep here。
SHREWSBURY。 My lord； twere good you'ld publish to the world
Your great offence unto his majesty。
MORE。 My lord； I'll bequeath this legacy to the hangman； ＇Gives him
his gown。＇ and do it instantly。 I confess； his majesty hath been ever good
to me； and my offence to his highness makes me of a state pleader a stage
player （though I am old； and have a bad voice）； to act this last scene of my
tragedy。 I'll send him （for my trespass） a reverend head； somewhat bald；
for it is not requisite any head should stand covered to so high majesty： if
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SIR THOMAS MORE
that content him not； because I think my body will then do me small
pleasure； let him but bury it； and take it。
SURREY。 My lord； my lord； hold conference with your soul； You see；
my lord； the time of life is short。
MORE。 I see it； my good lord； I dispatched that business the last night。
I come hither only to be let blood； my doctor here tells me it is good for
the headache。
HANGMAN。 I beseech thee； my lord； forgive me！
MORE。 Forgive thee； honest fellow！ why？
HANGMAN。 For your death； my lord。
MORE。 O； my death？ I had rather it were in thy power to forgive me；
for thou hast the sharpest action against me； the law； my honest friend； lies
in thy hands now： here's thy fee ＇His purse。＇； and； my good fellow； let my
suit be dispatched presently； for tis all one pain； to die a lingering death；
and to live in the continual mill of a lawsuit。 But I can tell thee； my neck is
so short； that； if thou shouldst behead an hundred noblemen like myself；
thou wouldst ne'er get credit by it； therefore （look ye； sir）； do it
handsomely； or； of my word； thou shalt never deal with me hereafter。
HANGMAN。 I'll take an order for that； my lord。
MORE。 One thing more； take heed thou cutst not off my beard： oh； I
forgot； execution passed upon that last night； and the body of it lies buried
in the Tower。Stay； ist not possible to make a scape from all this strong
guard？ it is。 There is a thing within me； that will raise And elevate my
better part bove sight Of these same weaker eyes； and； Master Shrieves；
For all this troop of steel that tends my death； I shall break from you； and
fly up to heaven。 Let's seek the means for this。
HANGMAN。 My lord； I pray ye；
