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!

Wol.

You have here, lady, (And of your choice,) these reverend fathers; men Of singular integrity and learning,

Yea, the elect of the land, who are assemb'ed

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,➡

To you I speak.

IVol.

Your pleasure, madam?

Q. Kath.

Sir,

I am about to weep; but, thinking that

We are a queen, (or long have dream'd so,) certain, The daughter of a king, my drops of tears

I'll turn to sparks of fire.

Wol.

Be patient yet.

Q. Kath. I will, when you are humble; nay, before, Or God will punish me. I do believe,

Induc'd by potent circumstances, that

You are mine enemy; and make my challenge,

9

and make my challenge,] Challenge is here a law term. The criminal, when he refuses a juryman, says-I challenge him Abhor and refuse are also law terms.

You shall not be my judge: for it is you
Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me,
Which God's dew quench!-Therefore, I say again,
I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul,

Refuse you for my judge: whom, yet once more,
I hold my most malicious foe, and think not
At all a friend to truth.

Wol.

I do profess,

You speak not like yourself; who ever yet
Have stood to charity, and display'd the effects
Of disposition gentle, and of wisdom
O'ertopping woman's power.

wrong:

Madam, you do me

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. But if he know
That I am free of your report, he knows,
I am not of your wrong.
your wrong.

Therefore in him

It lies, to cure me: and the cure is, to

Remove these thoughts from you; The which before
His highness shall speak in, I do beseech

You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking,
And to say so no more.

Q. Kath.

My lord, my lord,

I am a simple woman, much too weak

To oppose your cunning.

ble-mouth'd;

You are meek, and hum

You sign your place and calling, in full seeming,

1

gainsay —] i. e. deny.

• You sign your place and calling,] To sign here is to show, to

VOL. VI.

A A

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,
Domesticks to you, serve your will, as't please
Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell
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.

you,

[She curt'sies to the King, and offers to depart. Cam.

The queen is obstinate,

Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and

Disdainful to be try'd by it; 'tis not well.

She's going away.

K. Hen. Call her again.

Crier. Katharine queen of England, come into the court.

Grif. Madam, you are call'd back.

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

your way:

When you are call'd, return.-Now the Lord help,
They vex me past my patience!-pray you, pass on:
I will not tarry: no, nor ever more,

Upon this business, my appearance make
In any of their courts.

K. Hen.

[Exeunt Queen, GRIFFITH, and her other Attendants.

Go thy ways, Kate: That man i'the world, who shall report he has A better wife, let him in nought be trusted,

denote. By your outward meekness and humility, you show that you are of an holy order, but, &c.

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,)3 The queen of earthly queens:-She is noble born; And, like her true nobility, she has

Carried herself towards me.

Wol. Most gracious sir, 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'd and 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, might Be to the prejudice of her present state, Or touch of her good person?

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,
Bark when their fellows do: by some of these

The queen is put in anger. You are 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

3

could speak thee out,)] had tongues capable of speaking out thy merits; i. e. of doing them extensive justice.

although not there

At once and fully satisfied,)] The sense, which is encumbered with words, is no more than this-I must be loosed, though when so loosed, I shall not be satisfied fully and at once; that is, I shall not be immediately satisfied. JOHNSON.

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:-

My conscience first receiv'd a tenderness,
Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
By the bishop of Bayonne, then French ambassador;
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

(I mean, the bishop) did require a respite;
Wherein he might the king his lord advértise
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,
Yea, with a splitting power, and made to tremble
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, methought,
I stood not in the smile of heaven; who had
Commanded nature, that my lady's womb,
If not 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 had air'd them: 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

5 The passages made toward it :] i. e. closed, or fastened.