any of their courts.(4)

[Exeunt QUEEN, GRIFFITH, and 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.
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, that 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'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:

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

(*) Old text, And.

Our daughter Mary: i' the progress of this busi

ness,

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 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 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
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.

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,
Katharine our qucen, 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:

The QUEEN and some of 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.

GENT. An't please your grace, the two great cardinals

Would they speak with me? GENT. They will'd me say so, madam.

Pray their graces

To come near. [Exit Gent.] 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, They should be good men; their affairs as righteous:

But all hoods make not monks.

WOL.

Enter WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS.

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.
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
Scek me out, and that way I am wife in,
Out with it boldly; truth loves open dealing.

WOL. Tanta est ergà te mentis integritas, regina
serenissima,

Q. KATH. O, good my lord, no Latin; I am not such a truant since my coming, As not to know the language I have liv'd in : A strange tongue makes my cause more strange, suspicious;

Pray, speak in English: here are some will thank

you,

If you speak truth, for their poor mistress' sake;-
Believe me, she has had much
wrong: lord cardinal,
The willing'st sin I ever yet committed,
May be absolv'd in English.

WOL.

Noble lady, I am sorry my integrity should breed (And service to his majesty and you) So deep suspicion, where all faith was meant. We come not by the way of accusation, To taint that honour every good tongue blesses, Nor to betray you any way to sorrow,You have too much, good lady:-but to know How you stand minded in the weighty difference Between the king and you; and to deliver, Like free and honest men, our just opinions, And comforts to your* cause.

(*) First folio, our.

CAM.

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.-
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;

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 pro

tection;

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.

He tells you rightly.

WOL.
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,
That no king can corrupt.

САМ.
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 com-
fort?

a Weigh out-] Probably for outweigh.

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.

Q. KATH. Ye turn me into nothing: woe upon

ye,

And all such false professors! Would you have

me

(If you 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,
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?
CAM.

Your fears are worse.

Q. KATH. Have I liv'd thus long-(let me
speak myself,

Since virtue finds no friends)-a wife, a true one?
A woman (I dare say, without vain-glory)
Never yet branded with suspicion?
Have I with all my full affections

Still met the king? lov'd him next heaven? obey'd him?

Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him?
Almost forgot my prayers to content him?
And am I thus rewarded? 't is not well, lords.
Bring me a constant woman to her husband,

One that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his pleasure;
And to that woman, when she has done most,
Yet will I add an honour,-a great patience.
WOL. Madam, you wander from the good we
aim at.

Q. KATH. My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty,

To give up willingly that noble title

Your master wed me to: nothing but death
Shall e'er divorce my dignities.

WOL.

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

Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it!

a

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 fortunes? [To her Women. Shipwreck'd upon a kingdom, where no pity, No friends, no hope; no kindred weep

for me,

a Ye have angels' faces,-] A reference, belike, to the old quibble attributed to Augustine,-"non Angli sed Angeli."

Almost no grave allow'd me:-like the lily,
That once was mistress of the field and flourish'd,
I'll hang my head and perish.
If your grace

WOL. 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;
We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow 'em.
For goodness' sake, consider what you do ;
How you may hurt yourself, ay, utterly
Grow from the king's acquaintance, by this
carriage.

The hearts of princes kiss obedience,

So much they love it; but to stubborn spirits
They swell, and grow as terrible as storms.
I know you have a gentle, noble temper,
A soul as even as a calm: pray, think us
Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and
You wrong

servants.

CAM. Madam, you'll find it so.

your virtues

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

The king

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,

Bestow your counsels on me: she now begs,
That little thought, when she set footing here,
She should have bought her dignities so dear.(1)
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same. Ante-chamber to the King's Apartment.

Enter the DUKE of NORFOLK, the DUKE of SUFFOLK, the EARL of SURREY, and the Lord Chamberlain.

NORF. 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