SCENE VII.
King. Go thy ways, Kate;
That man i' th' world who fhall report he has
A better wife, let him in nought be trusted,
For fpeaking false in that.
(If thy rare qualities, fweet gentleness,
Thy meeknefs faint-like, wife like government,
Obeying in commanding, and thy parts
Sovereign and pious, could but fpeak thee out)
The Queen of earthly Queens. She's noble-born;
And, like her true nobility, fhe has
Carried herself tow'rds me.
In humblest manner I require your Highness,
That it thall please you to declare, in hearing
Of all these ears, (for where I'm robb'd and bound,
There must I be unloos'd; although not there
Aton'd, and fully fatisfy'd), if I
Did broach this bufinefs to your Highness; or
Laid any fcruple in your way, which might
Induce you to the queftion on't; or ever
Have to you, but with thanks to God for fuch
A royal lady, fpake one the leaft word,
That might be prejudice of her present state,
Or touch of her good perion?
King. My Lord Cardinal,
I do excufe you; yea, upon mine honour,
1 free you from 't You are not to be taught,
That you have many enemies, that know not
Why they are fo; but, like the village-curs,
Bark when their fellows do. By fome of these
The Queen is put in anger. Y'are excus'd.
Put will you be more justified? You ever
Have with d the fleeping of this business; never
De fir'd it to be itirr'd; but oft have hindred
The paflages made tow'rds it.On my honour,
I fpeak, 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 th' inducement. Thus it came; give heed
My conicience first receiv'd a tenderness,
Scruple, and prick, on certain fpeeches utter'd
By th' Bishop of Bayonne, then French Ambaffador
Who had been hither fent on the debating
A marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and
Our daughter Mary: I' th' progrefs of this bufinefs,
Ere a determinate refolution, he
(I mean the Bishop) did require a respite ;
Wherein he might the King his Lord advertise,
Whether our daughter were legitimate,
Refpecting this our marriage with the dowager,
Sometime our brother's wife. This refpite fhook
The bofom of my confcience, enter'd me,
Yea, with a splitting power; and made to tremble
The region of my breaft; which forc'd fuch way,
That many maz'd confiderings did throng,
And prefs'd in with this caution. First, methought
I ftood not in the fmile of Heav'n, which 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' th' world) fhould not
Be gladded in 't by me. Then follows, that
I weigh'd the danger which my realms stood in
By this my iffue's fail; and that gave to me
Many a groaning throe. Thus hulling in
The wild fea of my confcience, I did iteer
Towards this remedy, whereupon we are
Now prefent here together; that's to fay,
I mean to rectify my confcience, (which
I then did feel full fick, and yet not well),
By all the rev'rend fathers of the land,
And doctors learn'd. First, 1 began in private
With you, my Lord of Lincoln; you remember,
How under my oppreffion I did reek,
When I first mov'd you.
Lin. Very well, my Liege.
King. I have fpoke long; be pleas'd yourself to say How far you fatisfy'd me.
Lin. Please your Highnefs,
The question did at first fo ftagger me,
Bearing a state of mighty moment in't,
And confequence of dread, that I committed
The daring'ft counsel which I had, to doubt;
And did intreat your Highness to this course,
Which you are running here.
King. I then mov'd you,
My Lord of Canterbury; and got your leave
To make this present fummons: unsolicited
I left no rev'rend perfon in this court,
But by particular confent proceeded
Under your hands and feals. Therefore go on;
For no diflike Fth' world against the perfon
Of our good Queen, but the fharp thorny points
Of my alledged reafons, drive this forward.
Prove but our marriage lawful, by my lite
And kingly dignity, we are contented
To wear our mortal state to come with her,
(Catharine our Queen), before the primest creature
That's paragon'd i' th' world.
Cam. So please your Highness,
The Queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness
That we adjourn this court to further day;
Mean while must be an earnest motion
Made to the Queen, to call back her appeal
She intends to his Holiness.
Thefe Cardinals trifle with me: I abhor
The dilatory floth, and tricks of Rome.
My learn'd and well-beloved fervant Cranmer,
Pr'ythee return! with thy approach, I know,
My comfort comes along. Break up the court.
1 fay, fet on. [Exeunt, in manner as they enter'd.
The Queen's apartment.
The Queen and her women, as at work.
Queen. Take thy lute, wench, my foul grows fad
Sing, and difperfe 'em, if thou canft: leave working.
Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain-tops tha freeze,
Bow themselves when he did fing.
To his mufic, plants and flowers
Ever rofe, as fun and showers
There had made a lafting spring.
Ev'ry thing that heard him pley,
Ev'n the billows of the fea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by.
In fweet mufc is such art,
Killing care, and grief of heart,
Fall afleep, or hearing die.
Enter a Gentleman.
Gen. An't please your Grace, the two great Cardinals Wait in the prefence.
Queen. Would they fpeak with me?
Gen. They will'd me fay fo, Madam.
Queen Pray their Graces
To come near. 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 * are righteous;
But all hoods make not monks.
Enter the Cardinals Wolfey and Campeius.
Wol. Peace to your Highness!
Queen. Your Graces find me here part of a housewife, (I would be all), against the worst may happen:
What are your pleasures with me, Rev'rend Lords?
Wol. May't please you, Noble Madam, to withdraw Into your private chamber; we shall give you The full caufe of our coming.
There's nothing I have done yet, o' my confcience,
Deferves a corner; would all other women
Could speak this with as free a foul as I do!
My Lords, I care not (fo much I am happy
Above a number) if my actions
Were try'd by ev'ry tongue, ev'ry eye faw 'em ;
Envy and bafe opinion fet against 'em;
I know my life fo even. If your bufinefs
Do seek me out, and that way I am wife in,
Out with it boldly: truth loves open dealing.
Wol. Tanta eft erga te mentis integritas, Regina Se-
reniffima,-
Queen. O, good my Lord, no Latin;
I am not fuch a truant fince my coming,
As not to know the language I have liv'd in. [cious:
A ftrange tongue makes my cause more ftrange, fufpi-
Pray fpeak in English; here are fome will thank you,
If you speak truth, for their poor mistrefs' fake.
Believe me, the has had much wrong. Lord Cardinal,
The willing'ft fin I ever yet committed,
May be abfolv'd in English.
Wol. Noble Lady,
I'm forry my integrity should breed
(And fervice to his Majefty and you)
So deep fufpicion, where all faith was meant.
We come not, by the way of accufation,
To taint that honour every good tongue blesses,
Nor to betray you any way to forrow;
You have too much, good Lady: but to know
How you
stand minded in the weighty diff'rence
Between the King and you; and to deliver,
Like free and honeft men, our just opinions
And comforts to your caufe.
Cam. Moft 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 cenfure
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