50

Turn me away; and let the foul'st contempt
Shut door upon me, and so give me up
To the sharp'st kind of justice. Please you, sir,
The king, your father, was reputed for
A prince most prudent, of an excellent
And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand,
My father, King of Spain, was reckon'd one
The wisest prince that there had reign'd by many
A year before: it is not to be question'd
That they had gather'd a wise council to them
Of every realm, that did debate this business,
Who deem'd our marriage lawful. Wherefore
I humbly

Beseech you, sir, to spare me, till I may
Be by my friends in Spain advis'd, whose counsel
I will implore: if not, i' the name of God,
Your pleasure be fulfill'd!

61

Wol. You have here, lady, And of your choice, these reverend fathers; men Of singular integrity and learning, Yea, the elect o' the land, who are assembled To plead your cause. It shall be therefore bootless That longer you desire the court, as well For your own quiet, as to rectify What is unsettled in the king.

Cam.

His grace

Hath spoken well and justly: therefore, madam,
It's fit this royal session do proceed,
And that, without delay, their arguments
Be now produc'd and heard.

Q. Kath.

Lord cardinal, 70

I have no spleen against you; nor injustice
For you or any how far I have proceeded,
Or how far further shall, is warranted
By a commission from the consistory,
Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me
That I have blown this coal: I do deny it.
The king is present: if it be known to him
That I gainsay my deed, how may he wound,
And worthily, my falsehood; yea, as much
As you have done my truth. If he know
That I am free of your report, he knows
I am not of your wrong. Therefore in him
It lies to cure me; and the cure is, to

You sign your place and calling, in full seeming,
With meekness and humility; but your heart
Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
You have, by fortune and his highness' favours,
Gone slightly o'er low steps, and now are mounted
Where powers are your retainers, and your words,
Domestics to you, serve your will as 't please
Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you,
You tender more your person's honour than
Your high profession spiritual; that again
I do refuse you for my judge; and here,
Before you all, appeal unto the pope,
To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,
And to be judg'd by him.

120

She court'sies to the KING, and offers to depart. Cam. The queen is obstinate, Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and Disdainful to be tried by 't: 'tis not well. She's going away. K. Hen. Call her again. Crier. Katharine Queen of England, come into the court.

Griffith. Madam, you are call'd back.

Q. Kath. What need you note it? pray you, keep your way:

130

When you are call'd, return. Now the Lord help!
They vexme past my patience. Pray you, passon:
I will not tarry; no, nor ever more
Upon this business my appearance make
In any of their courts.

Exeunt QUEEN and her Attendants.
K. Hen.
Go thy ways, Kate:
That man i' the world who shall report he has
A better wife, let him in nought be trusted,
For speaking false in that: thou art, alone,
If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness,
Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,
Obeying in commanding, and thy parts
Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out,
The queen of earthly queens. She's noble born;
And, like her true nobility, she has
Carried herself towards me.

Wol.

141

Most gracious sir,

150

In humblest manner I require your highness,
That it shall please you to declare, in hearing
Of all these ears, for where I am robb'dand bound
There must I be unloos'd, although not there
At once and fully satisfied, whether ever I
Did broach this business to your highness, or
Laid any scruple in your way, which might
Induce you to the question on 't? or ever
Have to you, but with thanks to God for such
A royal lady, spake one the least word that might
Be to the prejudice of her present state,
Or touch of her good person?

100

K. Hen. My lord cardinal, I do excuse you; yea, upon mine honour, I free you from 't. You are not to be taught That you have many enemies, that know not Why they are so, but, like to village curs,

161

Bark when their fellows do: by some of these
The queen is put in anger. You're excus'd:
But will you be more justified? you ever
Have wish'd the sleeping of this business; never
desir'd

It to be stirr'd; but oft have hinder'd, oft,
The passages made toward it. On my honour,
I speak my good lord cardinal to this point,
And thus far clear him. Now, what mov'd me to 't,
I will be bold with time and your attention:
Then mark the inducement. Thus it came ;
give heed to 't:

171

My conscience first receiv'd a tenderness,
Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
By the Bishop of Bayonne, then French ambas-
sador,

Who had been hither sent on the debating
A marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and
Our daughter Mary. I' the progress of this
business,

Ere a determinate resolution, he,

181

I mean the bishop, did require a respite; Wherein he might the king his lord advertise Whether our daughter were legitimate, Respecting this our marriage with the dowager, Sometimes our brother's wife. This respite shook The bosom of my conscience, enter'd me,

But by particular consent proceeded
Under your hands and seals: therefore, go on;
For no dislike i' the world against the person
Of the good queen, but the sharp thorny points
Of my alleged reasons drive this forward."
Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life
And kingly dignity, we are contented
To wear our mortal state to come with her, 230
Katharine our queen, before the primest creature
That's paragon'd o' the world.

Cam.
So please your highness,
The queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness
That we adjourn this court till further day:
Meanwhile must be an earnest motion
Made to the queen, to call back her appeal
She intends unto his holiness.

K. Hen. Aside. I may perceive These cardinals trifle with me: I abhor This dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome. My learn'd and well-beloved servant, Cranmer, Prithee, return: with thy approach, I know, 241 My comfort comes along. Break up the court: I say, set on. Exeunt in manner as they entered.

ACT III.

The region of my breast; which forc'd such way,
That many maz'd considerings did throng,
And press'd in with this caution. First, me-
thought

190

I stood not in the smile of heaven, who had
Commanded nature that my lady's womb,
If it conceiv'd a male child by me, should
Do no more offices of life to 't than
The grave does to the dead; for her male issue
Or died where they were made, or shortly after
This world hadair'dthem. Hence I took a thought
This was a judgment on me; that my kingdom,
Well worthy the best heir o' the world, should not
Be gladded in 't by me. Then follows that
I weigh'd the danger which my realms stood in
By this my issue's fail; and that gave to me
Many a groaning throe. Thus hulling in
The wild sea of my conscience, I did steer
Toward this remedy, whereupon we are
Now present here together; that's to say,
I meant to rectify my conscience, which
I then did feel full sick, and yet not well,
By all the reverend fathers of the land
And doctors learn'd. First, I began in private
With you, my lord of Lincoln; you remember
How under my oppression I did reek,
When I first mov'd you.

Lin.

Very well, my liege.

201

210

the QUEEN'S Apartment.

The QUEEN and her Women at work.

Q. Kath. Take thy lute, wench: my soul grows sad with troubles;

Sing, and disperse 'em, if thou canst. Leave working,

Q. Kath.

Would they speak with me? Gent. They will'd me say so, madam. Q. Kath.

To come near.

Pray their graces Exit Gentleman. What can be their business With me, a poor weak woman, fall'n from favour? I do not like their coming, now I think on 't. a They should be good men, their affairs as righteous;

But all hoods make not monks.

Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS.

Wol.
Peace to your highness!
Q. Kath. Your graces find me here part of a
housewife,

I would be all, against the worst may happen. What are your pleasures with me, reverend lords? Wol May it please you, noble madam, to withdraw

Into your private chamber, we shall give you The full cause of our coming.

Q. Kath.

31

Speak it here; There's nothing I have done yet, o'my conscience, Deserves a corner: would all other women Could speak this with as free a soul as I do! My lords, I care not, so much I am happy Above a number, if my actions

Were tried by every tongue, every eye saw 'em,
Envy and base opinion set against 'em,
I know my life so even. If your business
Seek me out, and that way I am wife in,
Out with it boldly: truth loves open dealing.
Wol. Tanta est erga te mentis integritas, regina
serenissima,

41

Most honour'd madam, My lord of York, out of his noble nature, Zeal and obedience he still bore your grace, Forgetting, like a good man, your late censure Both of his truth and him, which was too far, Offers, as I do, in a sign of peace,

His service and his counsel.

Q. Kath. Aside.

To betray me.

70

My lords, I thank you both for your good wills;
Ye speak like honest men, pray God ye prove so!
But how to make ye suddenly an answer,
In such a point of weight, so near mine honour,
More near my life, I fear, with my weak wit,
And to such men of gravity and learning,
In truth, I know not. I was set at work
Among my maids; full little, God knows, looking
Either for such men or such business.
For her sake that I have been, for I feel
The last fit of my greatness, good your graces,
Let me have time and counsel for my cause:
Alas! I am a woman, friendless, hopeless.
Wol. Madam, you wrong the king's love with
these fears:

80

Your hopes and friends are infinite.
Q. Kath.
In England
But little for my profit. Can you think, lords,
That any Englishman dare give me counsel ?

Or be a known friend, 'gainst his highness' pleasure,

Though he be grown so desperate to be honest,
And live a subject? Nay, forsooth, my friends,
They that must weigh out my afflictions,
They that my trust must grow to, live not here:
They are, as all my other comforts, far hence
In mine own country, lords.
Cam.
I would your grace
Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel.
Q. Kath.
How, sir!

Cam. Put your main cause into the king's protection;

He's loving and most gracious: 'twill be much
Both for your honour better and your cause;
For if the trial of the law o'ertake ye,
You'll part away disgrac'd.

Wol.

He tells you rightly.

Q. Kath. Ye tell me what ye wish for both; my ruin.

Is this your Christian counsel? out upon ye!
Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge 100
That no king can corrupt.
Cam.
Your rage mistakes us.
Q. Kath. The more shame for ye! holy men I
thought ye,

Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues ;
But cardinal sins and hollow hearts I fear ye.
Mend 'em, for shame, my lords.
Is this your

comfort?

The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady,
A woman lost among ye, laugh'd at, scorn'd?
I will not wish ye half my miseries,

I have more charity; but say, I warn'd ye:
Take heed, for heaven's sake, take heed, lest at

once

The burden of my sorrows fall upon ye.

Wol. Madam, this is a mere distraction; You turn the good we offer into envy.

110

Q. Kath. Ye turn me into nothing: woe upon ye, And all such false professors! Would you haveme, If ye have any justice, any pity,

If ye be any thing but churchmen's habits,
Put my sick cause into his hands that hates me!
Alas! has banish'd me his bed already,
His love, too long ago. I am old, my lords, 120
And all the fellowship I hold now with him
Is only my obedience. What can happen
To me above this wretchedness? all your studies
Make me a curse like this.

To give up willingly that noble title
Your master wed me to: nothing but death
Shall e'er divorce my dignities.

Wol.

140

Pray hear me. Q. Kath. Would I had never trod this English earth,

Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it!

Ye have angels' faces, but heaven knows your hearts.

What will become of me now, wretched lady?
I am the most unhappy woman living.
Alas! poor wenches, where are now your for-
tunes ?

Shipwreck'd upon a kingdom, where no pity,
No friends, no hope, no kindred weep for me;
Almost no grave allow'd me. Like the lily, 151
That once was mistress of the field and flourish'd,
I'll hang my head and perish.
Wol.

If your grace

Could but be brought to know our ends are honest,

You'd feel more comfort. Why should we, good lady,

Upon what cause, wrong you? alas! our places, The way of our profession is against it:

Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your virtues

170

With these weak women's fears: a noble spirit,
As yours was put into you, ever ca-ts
Such doubts, as false coin, from it. The king
loves you;

Beware you lose it not for us, if you please
To trust us in your business, we are ready
To use our utmost studies in your service.

Q. Kath. Do what ye will, my lords: and pray forgive me

If I have us'd myself unmannerly.

You know I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a seemly answer to such persons.
Pray do my service to his majesty:

He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers,

181

Bestow your counsels on me she now begs That little thought, when she set footing here, She should have bought her dignities so dear.

Exeunt.

SCENE II.-An Antechamber to the KING'S
Apartment.

Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, the Duke of
SUFFOLK, the Earl of SURREY, and the Lord
Chamberlain.

Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints, And force them with a constancy, the cardinal Cannot stand under them: if you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise

I should be glad to hear such news as this Once every hour.

Nor.

Believe it, this is true: In the divorce his contrary proceedings Are all unfolded; wherein he appears As I would wish mine enemy. Sur.

His practices to light?

Suf. Sur.

How came

Most strangely.

O! how? how?

Suf. The cardinal's letters to the pope mis

And came to the eye o' the king; wherein was read,
How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness
To stay the judgment o' the divorce; for if
It did take place, 'I do,' quoth he, 'perceive
My king is tangled in affection to

A creature of the queen's, Lady Anne Bullen.'
Sur. Has the king this?