ACT II. SCENE 4.

London. A hall in Blackfriars

Trumpets, sennet, and cornets. Enter two VERGERS, with short silver wands; next them, two SCRIBES, in the habit of doctors; after them, the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY alone; after him, the BISHOPS OF LINCOLN, ELY, ROCHESTER, and SAINT ASAPH; next them, with some small distance, follows a GENTLEMAN bearing the purse, with the great seal, and a Cardinal's hat; then two PRIESTS, bearing each silver cross; then a GENTLEMAN USHER bareheaded, accompanied with a SERGEANT-AT-ARMS bearing a silver mace; then two GENTLEMEN bearing two great silver pillars; after them, side by side, the two CARDINALS, WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS; two NOBLEMEN with the sword and mace. Then enter the KING and QUEEN and their trains. The KING takes place under the cloth of state; the two CARDINALS sit under him as judges. The QUEEN takes place some distance from the KING. The BISHOPS place themselves on each side of the court, in manner of consistory; below them the SCRIBES. The LORDS sit next the BISHOPS. The rest of the attendants stand in convenient order about the stage

  WOLSEY. Whilst our commission from Rome is read,
    Let silence be commanded.
  KING. What's the need?
    It hath already publicly been read,
    And on all sides th' authority allow'd;
    You may then spare that time.
  WOLSEY. Be't so; proceed.
  SCRIBE. Say 'Henry King of England, come into the court.'
  CRIER. Henry King of England, &c.
  KING. Here.
  SCRIBE. Say 'Katharine Queen of England, come into the 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

  QUEEN KATHARINE. Sir, I desire you do me right and justice,
    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 of
    And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness,
    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
    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
    With many children by you. If, in the course
    And process of this time, you can report,
    And prove it too against mine honour, aught,
    My bond to wedlock or my love and duty,
    Against your sacred person, in God's name,
    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' th' name of God,
    Your pleasure be fulfill'd!
  WOLSEY. You have here, lady,
    And of your choice, these reverend fathers-men
    Of singular integrity and learning,
    Yea, the elect o' th' 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.
  CAMPEIUS. 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.
  QUEEN KATHARINE. Lord Cardinal,
    To you I speak.
  WOLSEY. Your pleasure, madam?
  QUEEN KATHARINE. 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.
  WOLSEY. Be patient yet.
  QUEEN KATHARINE. 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
    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.
  WOLSEY. I do profess
    You speak not like yourself, who ever yet
    Have stood to charity and display'd th' effects
    Of disposition gentle and of wisdom
    O'ertopping woman's pow'r. 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
    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
    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.
  QUEEN KATHARINE. My lord, my lord,
    I am a simple woman, much too weak
    T' oppose your cunning. Y'are meek and humble-mouth'd;
    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 pow'rs 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.
                     [She curtsies to the KING, and offers to depart]
  CAMPEIUS. 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.
  KING. Call her again.
  CRIER. Katharine Queen of England, come into the court.
  GENTLEMAN USHER. Madam, you are call'd back.
  QUEEN KATHARINE. 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. Exeunt QUEEN and her attendants
  KING. Go thy ways, Kate.
    That man i' th' 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.
  WOLSEY. 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?
  KING. 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. Y'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 hind'red, 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 th' inducement. Thus it came-give heed to't:
    My conscience first receiv'd a tenderness,
    Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
    By th' 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' th' progress of this business,
    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,
    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' th' 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.
  LINCOLN. Very well, my liege.
  KING. I have spoke long; be pleas'd yourself to say
    How far you satisfied me.
  LINCOLN. So please your Highness,
    The question did at first so stagger me-
    Bearing a state of mighty moment in't
    And consequence of dread-that I committed
    The daring'st counsel which I had to doubt,
    And did entreat 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 summons. Unsolicited
    I left no reverend person in this court,
    But by particular consent proceeded
    Under your hands and seals; therefore, go on,
    For no dislike i' th' world against the person
    Of the good Queen, but the sharp thorny points
    Of my alleged reasons, drives this forward.
    Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life
    And kingly dignity, we are contented
    To wear our moral state to come with her,
    Katharine our queen, before the primest creature
    That's paragon'd o' th' world.
  CAMPEIUS. 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.
  KING. [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
    My comfort comes along. -Break up the court;
    I say, set on. Exuent in manner as they entered