Part 61 (2/2)
Becket unrobing. Herbert of Bosham and Servant_.
ORIGINAL REVSION
_Servant._ Shall I not help _Servant._ Shall I not help your lords.h.i.+p to your rest? your lords.h.i.+p to your rest?
_Becket._ Friend, am I so _Becket._ Friend, am I so much better than thyself much better than thyself That thou shouldst help me? That thou shouldst help me?
Thou art wearied out Thou art wearied out With this day's work, get thee With this day's work, get thee to thine own bed. to thine own bed.
Leave me with Herbert, friend. Leave me with Herbert, friend.
(_Exit Servant.) (Exit Servant_.) Help me off, Herbert, with Help me off, Herbert, with this--and this. this--and this.
_Herbert._ Was not the people's _Herbert._ Was not the people's blessing as we past blessing as we past Heart-comfort and a balsam to Heart-comfort and a balsam to thy blood? thy blood?
_Becket._ The people know _Becket._ The people know their Church a tower of their Church a tower of strength, strength, A bulwark against Throne and A bulwark against Throne and Baronage. Baronage.
Too heavy for me, this; off Too heavy for me, this; off with it, Herbert! with it, Herbert!
_Herbert._ Is it so much heavier _Herbert._ Is it so much heavier than thy Chancellor's robe? than thy Chancellor's robe?
_Becket._ No; but the Chancellor's _Becket._ No; but the Archbishop's and the Archbishop's Chancellor's and the
Together more than mortal man Together more than mortal man can bear. can bear.
_Herbert._ Not heavier than _Herbert._ Not heavier than thine armour at Thoulouse? thine armour at Thoulouse?
_Becket._ O Herbert, Herbert, in my chancellors.h.i.+p I more than once have gone against the Church.
_Herbert._ To please the King?
_Becket._ Ay, and the King of kings, Or justice; for it seem'd to me but just The Church should pay her scutage like the lords.
But hast thou heard this cry of _Becket._ But hast thou heard Gilbert Foliot this cry of Gilbert Foliot That I am not the man to be That I am not the man to be your Primate, your Primate, For Henry could not work a For Henry could not work a miracle-- miracle-- Make an Archbishop of a soldier? Make an Archbishop of a soldier?
_Herbert._ Ay, _Herbert._ Ay, For Gilbert Foliot held himself For Gilbert Foliot held himself the man. the man.
_Becket._ Am I the man? My mother, ere she bore me, Dream'd that twelve stars fell glittering out of heaven Into her bosom.
_Herbert._ Ay, the fire, the light, The spirit of the twelve Apostles enter'd Into thy making.
_Becket._ And when I was a child, The Virgin, in a vision of my sleep, Gave me the golden keys of Paradise. Dream, Or prophecy, that?
_Herbert._ Well, dream and prophecy both.
_Becket._ And when I was of Theobald's household, once-- The good old man would sometimes have his jest-- He took his mitre off, and set it on me, And said, ”My young Archbishop-- thou wouldst make A stately Archbishop!” Jest or prophecy there?
_Herbert._ Both, Thomas, both.
_Becket._ Am I the man? That _Becket._ Am I the man? That rang rang Within my head last night, and Within my head last night, and when I slept when I slept Methought I stood in Canterbury Methought I stood in Canterbury Minster, Minster, And spake to the Lord G.o.d, and And spake to the Lord G.o.d and said, ”O Lord, said, I have been a lover of wines and delicate meats, And secular splendours, and a favourer Of players, and a courtier, and a feeder Of dogs and hawks, and apes, and lions, and lynxes.
Am _I_ the man?” And the Lord answer'd me, ”Thou art the man, and all the more the man.”
And then I asked again, ”O Lord my G.o.d Henry the King hath been my ”Henry the King hath been friend, my brother my friend, my brother And mine uplifter in this And mine uplifter in this world, world, and chosen me and chosen me For this thy great For this thy great archbishop.r.i.c.k, believing archbishop.r.i.c.k, believing That I should go against the That I should go against the Church with him, Church with him, And I shall go against him with And I shall go against him with the Church, the Church.
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