BAGENHALL. We strove against the papacy from the first, In William's time, in our first Edward's time, And in my master Henry's time; but now, The unity of Universal Church, Mary would have it; and this Gardiner follows; The unity of Universal Hell, Philip would have it; and this Gardiner follows! A Parliament of imitative apes! Sheep at the gap which Gardiner takes, who not Believes the Pope, nor any of them believe-- These spaniel-Spaniard English of the time, Who rub their fawning noses in the dust, For that is Philip's gold-dust, and adore This Vicar of their Vicar. Would I had been Born Spaniard! I had held my head up then. I am ashamed that I am Bagenhall, English. _Enter_ OFFICER. OFFICER. Sir Ralph Bagenhall! BAGENHALL. What of that? OFFICER. You were the one sole man in either house Who stood upright when both the houses fell. BAGENHALL. The houses fell! OFFICER. I mean the houses knelt Before the Legate. BAGENHALL. Do not scrimp your phrase, But stretch it wider; say when England fell. OFFICER. I say you were the one sole man who stood. BAGENHALL. I am the one sole man in either house, Perchance in England, loves her like a son. OFFICER. Well, you one man, because you stood upright, Her Grace the Queen commands you to the Tower. BAGENHALL. As traitor, or as heretic, or for what? OFFICER. If any man in any way would be The one man, he shall be so to his cost. BAGENHALL. What! will she have my head? OFFICER. A round fine likelier. Your pardon. [_Calling to_ ATTENDANT. By the river to the Tower. [_Exeunt_. SCENE IV.--WHITEHALL. A ROOM IN THE PALACE. MARY, GARDINER, POLE, PAGET, BONNER, _etc_. MARY. The King and I, my Lords, now that all traitors Against our royal state have lost the heads Wherewith they plotted in their treasonous malice, Have talk'd together, and are well agreed That those old statutes touching Lollardism To bring the heretic to the stake, should be No longer a dead letter, but requicken'd. ONE OF THE COUNCIL. Why, what hath fluster'd Gardiner? how he rubs His forelock! PAGET. I have changed a word with him In coming, and may change a word again. GARDINER. Madam, your Highness is our sun, the King And you together our two suns in one; And so the beams of both may shine upon us, The faith that seem'd to droop will feel your light, Lift head, and flourish; yet not light alone, There must be heat--there must be heat enough To scorch and wither heresy to the root. For what saith Christ? 'Compel them to come in.' And what saith Paul? 'I would they were cut off That trouble you.' Let the dead letter live! Trace it in fire, that all the louts to whom Their A B C is darkness, clowns and grooms May read it! so you quash rebellion too, For heretic and traitor are all one: Two vipers of one breed--an amphisbaena, Each end a sting: Let the dead letter burn!