6

Commends his good opinion to you, and
Does purpose honour to you no less flowing
So much the more Than marchioness of Pembroke; to which title
A thousand pound a year, annual support,
Out of his grace he adds.

Must pity drop upon her. Verily,
I swear, 'tis better to be lowly born,
And range with humble livers in content,
Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief,
And wear a golden sorrow.

Old L.

Is our best having.2

Anne.

Our content

By my troth, and maidenhead,
I would not be a queen.
Old L.
Beshrew me, I would,
And venture maidenhead for't; and so would
you,
For all this spice of your hypocrisy :
You, that have so fair parts of woman on you,
Have too a woman's heart; which ever yet
Affected eminence, wealth, sovereignty;
Which, to say sooth, are blessings: and which gifts
(Saving your mincing) the capacity

If

Of your soft cheveril3 conscience would receive,
you might please to stretch it.
Anne.
Nay, good troth,-
Old L. Yes, troth, and troth,-You would not
be a queen?

Anne. No, not for all the riches under heaven.
Old L. 'Tis strange; a threepence bowed would

hire me,

Old as I am, to queen it: But, I pray you,
What think you of a duchess? have you limbs
To bear that load of title?

Anne.

No, in truth.

Beauty and honour in her are so mingled,
That they have caught the king and who knows yet,
But from this lady may proceed a gem,
To lighten all this isle ?-I'll to the king,
And say, I spoke with you.
Anne.

My honour'd lord.
[Exit Lord Chamberlain
Old L. Why, this it is; see, see!
I have been begging sixteen years in court
(Am yet a courtier beggarly,) nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late,
For any suit of pounds: and you, (O fate!)
A very fresh-fish here, (fye, fye upon

Old L. Then you are weakly made: Pluck off a This compell'd fortune!) have your mouth fill'd up,

little ;4

I would not be a young count in your way,

For more than blushing comes to: if your back
Cannot vouchsafe this burden, 'tis too weak
Ever to get a boy.

Anne.

How you do talk!

There was a lady once ('tis an old story,)
That would not be a queen, that would she not,
For all the mud in Egypt :11-Have you heard it?
Anne. Come, you are pleasant.

Old L.
With your theme, I could
O'ermount the lark. The marchioness of Pembroko
A thousand pounds a year! for pure respect;
No other obligation: By my life,
That promises more thousands: Honour's train
Is longer than his foreskirt. By this time,
I know, your back will bear a duchess ;-Say,
Anne.
Good lady,
Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy,.
And leave me out on't. Would I had no being,
If this salute my blood a jot; it faints me,
To think what follows.

Cham. Good morrow, ladies. What wer't worth Are you not stronger than you were?
|

to know

The secret of your conference?

Anne.
My good lord,
Not your demand; it values not your asking:
Our mistress' sorrows we were pitying.

Cham. It was a gentle business, and becoming
The action of good women: there is hope,
All will be well.

Anne.
Cham. You bear a gentle mind, and heavenly
blessings

Now I pray God, amen!

Follow such creatures. That you may, fair lady,
Perceive I speak sincerely, and high note's
Ta'en of your many virtues, the king's majesty

1 The revocation of her husband's love has reduced
her to the condition of an unfriended stranger.
2 Our best possession.

3 Cheveril is kid leather, which, being of a soft yielding nature, is often alluded to in comparisons for any thing pliant or flexible.

SCENE IV. A Hall in Black-Friars. Trumpets sennet,12 and cornets. Enter two Vergers, with and Antony and Cleopatra are not exactly in point; for the word commend, in both those instances, signifies commit.

7 Not only my all is nothing; but if my all were more than it is, it were still nothing.

8 To approve is not, as Johnson explains it, here, to strengthen by commendation, but to confirm (by the report he shall make) the good opinion the king has formed.

4 Anne Bullen declining to be either a queen or a duchess, the old lady says, 'pluck off a little let us 9 The carbuncle was supposed by our ancestors to descend a little lower, and so diminish the glare of pre-have intrinsic light, and to shine in the dark : any other ferment by bringing it nearer your own quality. gem may reflect light, but cannot give it.

5 i e. you would venture to be distinguished by the 10 Forty pence was in those days the proverbial exball, the ensign of royalty, used with the sceptre at co-pression of a small wager. Money was then reckoned ronations.—Johnson. by pounds, marks, and nobles. Forty pence, or three and fourpence, is half a noble, and is still an established legal fee.

6 I cannot but be surprised that Malone should have made any difficulty about the reading of the text :the king's majesty

Commends his good opinion to you.'

11 The fertility of Egypt is derived from the mud and slime of the Nile.

12 This word sennet, about which there has been so much discussion to little purpose, is nothing more than the senne of the old French, or the segno or segnata of the Italians, a signal given by sound of trumpet-' sig.

It is one of the most common forms of epistolary and
colloquial compliment of our ancestors, whose letters
frequently terminate with and so I commend me to
you,' or begin with After my hartie commendacions to
vou.' &c. The instances cited by Steevens from Lear | num dare buccina.'

4

short silver wands; next them, two Scribes, in the With many children by you: If, in the course habits of doctors; after them, the Archbishop of And process of this time, you can report, Canterbury alone; after him the Bishops of Lin- And prove it too, against mine honour aught, coln, Ely, Rochester, and Saint Asaph; next My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty, them, with some small distance, follows a Gentle- Against your sacred person, in God's name, man bearing the purse, with the great seal, and a Turn me away; and let the foul'st contemp cardinal's hat; then two Priests, bearing each a Shut door upon me, and so give me up silver cross; then a Gentleman Üsher bareheaded, To the sharpest kind of justice. Please you, sır, accompanied with a Sergeant at Arms, bearing a The king, your father, was reputed for silver mace; then two Gentlemen, bearing two A prince most prudent, of an excellent great silver pillars ;' after them, side by side, the And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand, two Cardinals, WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS; two | My father, king of Spain, was reckon'd one Noblemen with the sword and mace. Then enter The wisest prince, that there had reign'd by many the King and Queen, and their Trains. The King A year before: It is not to be question'd takes place under the cloth of state; the two That they had gather'd a wise council to them Cardinals sit under him as judges. The Queen Of every realm, that did debate this business, takes place at some distance from the King. The Who deem'd our marriage lawful: Wherefore 1 Bishops place themselves on each side the court in manner of a consistory; between them, the Scribes. The Lords sit next the Bishops. The Crier and the rest of the Attendants stand in convenient order about the stage.

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!5
Wol.
You have here, lady,

Wol. Whilst our commission from Rome is read, (And of your choice,) these reverend fathers; men

Let silence be commanded.

It hath already publicly been read,
And on all sides the authority allow'd;
You may then spare that time.
Wol.
Scribe. Say, Henry king of England, come into
the court.

Be't so :-Proceed.

Crier. Henry king of England, &c.

K. Hen. Here.

Of singular integrity and learning,

6

Yea, the elect of the land, who are assembled
To plead your cause: It shall be therefore bootless,
That longer you desire the court; as well
For
What is unsettled in the king.
your own quiet, as to rectify
Cam.

His grace

Hath spoken well, and justly: Therefore, madamn,
It's fit this royal session do proceed ;
And that, without delay, their arguments

Scribe. Say, Katharine queen of England, come Be now produc'd, and heard.

into court.

Crier. Katharine queen of England, &c.

[The Queen makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to the King, and kneels at his feet; then speaks.2]

Q. Kath. Sir, I desire you, do me right and jus-
tice ;3

And to bestow your pity on me: for
I am a most poor woman, and a stranger,
Born out of your dominions; having here
No judge indifferent, nor no more assurance
Of equal friendship and proceeding. Alas, sir,
In what have I offended you? what cause
Hath my behaviour given to your displeasure,
That thus you should proceed to put me off,
And take your good grace from me? Heaven wit-

ness,

I have been to you a true and humble wife,
At all times to your will conformable:
Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,

Yea, subject to your countenance; glad, or sorry,
As I saw it inclin'd. When was the hour,
I ever contradicted your desire,

Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends
Have I not strove to love, although I knew
He were mine enemy? what friend of mine
That had to him deriv'd your anger, did I
Continue in my liking? nay, gave notice
He was from thence discharg'd? Sir, call to mind
That I have been your wife, in this obedience,
Upward of twenty years, and have been blest

1 Ensigns of dignity carried before cardinals.
2 Because she could not come directly to the king
for the distance which severed them, she took pain to go
about unto the king, kneeling down at his feet,' &c.
Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, vol. i. p. 149, ed. 1825.
3 This speech is taken from Holinshed (who copies
from Cavendish) with the most trifling variations. Hall
has given a different report of the queen's speech,
which, he says, was made in French, and translated by
him from notes taken by Campeggio's secretary.

4 That is, 'If you can report and prove aught against mine honour, my love and duty, or aught against your sacred person,' &c.

Q. Kath.
To you I speak.
Wol.

I am about to weep; but, thinking that
Q. Kath.
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,7
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. Madam, you do me
wrong:

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,

parted from thence. Many supposed that she would
have resorted again to her former place; but she took
her way straight out of the house, leaning (as she was
wont always to) upon the arm of her general re-
ceiver Master Griffiths."--Life of Wolsey, p. 152.

6 That you desire to protract the business of the court. 'To pray for a longer day,' i. e. a more distant one, is yet the language of the bar in criminal trials.

7 Challenge here (says Johnson) is a law term. The criminal, when he refuses a juryman, says 'I chal lenge him.'

8 These are not the mere words of passion, but tech 5. The historical fact is, that the queen staid for no re-nical terms of the canon law: detestor and recuso. Th ply to this speech. Cavendish says,' And with that she former, in the language of canonists, sigrifies no mote Pose up, making a low courtesy to the king, and so de- than I protest against.-Blackstone.

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. Therefore in hím
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. You are meek, and hum-
ble mouth'd;

2

You sign your place and calling, in full sceming,
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
wards,3

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.

[She curtsies 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.

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, of,
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,-

6

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
Our daughter Mary: I' the progress of this bu-
siness,

Ere a determinate resolution, he

(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,

Crier. Katharine queen of England, come into Yea, with a splitting power, and made to tremble

the court.

Grif. Madam, you are call'd back.

2. 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
any of their courts.

In

[Exeunt Queen, GRIFFITH, and other
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,)4
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

1 Deny.

2 You show in appearance meekness and humility, as a token or outward sign of your place and calling; but your heart is crammed with arrogancy, &c. 3 The old copy reads :

'Where powers are your retainers; and your words, Domestics to you,' &c.

4 If thy several qualities had tongues capable of speaking out thy merits, 1. e. of doing them extensive justice.

5 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. S

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
Commandei 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 hulling9 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
Lin.
Very well, my liege.
K. Hen. I have spoke long; be pleas'd yourselt

you.

to say
How far you satisfied me.
Lin.

10

So please your highness,

off; and declares upon his honour to the whole court, 6 The king, having first addressed Wolsey, breaks that he speaks the cardinal's sentiments upon the point in question; and clears him from any attempt or wish to stir that business.

7 The words of Cavendish are- The special cause that moved me hereunto was a scrupulosity that pricked my conscience.'-See also Holinshed, p. 907.

8 Theobald thought we should read The bottom of his conscience."

9 The phrase belongs to navigation. A ship is said to hull when she is dismasted, and only her hull or hulh is left at the direction and mercy of the waves

10 Waste, or wear away