Whose health, and royalty, I pray for.
Cham. Lady,

I fhall not fail to approve the feir conceit

The king hath of you.-I have perus'd her well:
Beauty and honour are in her fo mingled,

[Afide. That they have caught the king: and who knows yet, But from this lady may proceed a gem,

To lighten all this ifle [5] I'll to the king,

And fay, I spoke with you.

Anne. My honour'd lord. [Exit Lord Chamberlain. Old L. Why, this it is; fee, fee!

I have been begging fixteen years in court
(Am yet a courtier beggarly) nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late,

For any fuit of pounds and you, (O fate !)
A very fresh fish here (fye, fye upon

This compell'd fortune!) have your mouth fill'd up,
Before you open it.

Anne. This is ftrange to me.

Old L. How taftes it? is it bitter? forty pence, no. There was a lady once ('tis an old ftory),

That would not be a queen, that would the not,
For all the mud in Egypt :-Have you heard it?
Anne. Come, you are pleafant.

Old L. With your theme, I could
O'er-mount the lark.

The marchionefs of Pembroke !
A thousand pounds a year! for pure refpect;
No other obligation? By my life,

That promifes more thousands: Honour's train
Is longer than his fore-skirt. By this time,
I know, your back will bear a dutchefs ;-Say,
Are you not ftronger than you were?

Anne. Good lady,

Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy,
And leave me out on't. 'Would I had no being,
If this falute my blood a jot; it faints me,

To think what follows;

The queen is comfortless, and we forgetful
In our long abfence: Pray, do not deliver
What here you have heard, to her.

Old L. What do you think me?

[Exeunt.

[5] Perhaps alluding to the carbuncle, a gem fuppofed to have intrinfic light, and to thine in the dark; any other gem may reflect light, but cannot give it. JOHNS.

SCENE IV.

A Hall in Black-Friars. Trumpets, Sennet,[8] and Cornets. Enter two Vergers, with short filver wands ; next them, two Scribes, in the habits of Doctors; after them, the Archbishop of CANTERBURY alone; after bim, the Bishops of LINCOLN, ELY, ROCHESTER, and St. ASAPH; next them, with fome small distance, follows a Gentleman bearing the purfe, with the great feal, and the Cardinal's bat; then two Priests, bearing each a filver cross; then a Gentleman-Uher barebeaded, accompanied with a Serjeant at Arms, bearing a mace; then two Gentlemen, bearing two great filver pillars [9] after them, fide by fide, the tavo Cardinals; tavo Noblemen with the faword and mace. The King takes place under the Cloth of State; the two Cardinals fit under him, as Judges. The Queen takes place, fome distance from the King. The Bishops place themselves on each fide the Court, in manner of a Confiftory; below them, the Scribes. The Lords fit next the Bishops. The rest of the Attendants fand in con◄ venient order about the ftage.

Wol. Whilft our commiffion from Rome is read, Let filence be commanded.

King. What's the need?

It hath already publicly been read,

And on all fides the authority allow'd ;

You may then spare that time.

Wol. Be't fo :-Proceed.

Scribe. Say, Henry, king of England, come into the

court.

Crier. Henry, king of England, &c.

King. Here.

Scribe. Say, Catherine, queen of England, Come into the court.

[8] Dr. Burney, to whom the world will foon be under great obligations on the fubject of mufick, undertook to trace the etymology of this word, but without fuccefs. The following conjecture of his fhould not, however, be withheld from the public. Senne or fennie de l'Allemand fen qui fig. nifie affemblee.' Dict. de vieux Langage. Senne affemblee a fon de cloche.' Menage.-Perhaps, therefore, fays he, fennet may mean a flourish for the purpofe of affembling chiefs, or apprizing the people of their approach. Senefte is the name of an antiquated French tune. STEEV.

[9] Pillars were fome of the enfigns of dignity carried before cardinals. Sir Thomas More, when he was fpeaker to the commons, advised them to admit Wolfey into the houfe with his maces and his pillars. Life of Sir Thomas More. JOHNS.

Crier. Catherine queen of England, &c.

{The Queen makes no answer, rifes out of her chair, goes about the Court, comes to the King, and kneels at his

feet; then fpeaks.]

Queen. Sir, I defire you, do me right and justice,
And to beftow 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 affurance
Of equal friendship and proceeding. Alas, fir,
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 witness,
I have been to you a true and humble wife,
At all times to your will conformable :

Ever in fear to kindle your diflike.

Yea, fubject to your countenance; glad, or forry, As I faw it inclin'd. When was the hour,

I ever contradicted your defire,

Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends
Have I not ftrove 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 not notice
He was from thence difcharg'd? Sir, call to mind,
That I have been your wife, in this obedience,
Upward of twenty years, and have been bleft
With many children by you. If, in the courfe
And procefs 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 facred perfon, in God's name,
Turn me away, and let the foul'ft contempt
Shut door upon me, and fo give me up

To the sharpest kind of justice. Please you, fir,
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 wifeft prince, that there had reign'd by many
A year before: It is not to be question'd
That they had gather'd a wife council to them

Of every realm, that did debate this bufinefs,

Who deem'd our marriage lawful: Wherefore I humbly Befeech you, fir, to fpare me, till I may

Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whofe 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 fingular integrity and learning,

Yea, the elect of the land, who are affembled

To plead your caufe: It fhall be therefore bootlefs,
That longer you defer the court; as well

For your own quiet, as to rectify

What is unfettled in the king.

Cam. His grace

Hath spoken well and juftly: Therefore, madam,
It's fit this royal feffion do proceed;

And that, without delay, their arguments

Be now produc'd, and heard.

Queen. Lord cardinal,—

To you I fpeak.

Wol. Your pleasure, madam?

Queen. Sir,

I am about to weep; but, thinking that

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

I'll turn to sparks of fire.

Wol. Be patient yet,

Queen. 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,[1]
You fhall not be my judge: for it is you
Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me,-
Which God's dew quench!-Therefore, I fay again,
I utterly abhor, yea, from my foul

Refufe you for judge; whom, yet once more,
I hold my moft malicious foe, and think not
At all a friend to truth.

Wol. I do profefs,

You fpeak not like yourself, who ever yet

Have ftood to charity, and difplay'd the effects

[1] Challenge is here a verbum juris, a law terin. The criminal, when

refufes a juryman, fays, I challenge him.' JOENS.

Of difpofition gentle, and of wisdom

O'er-topping woman's power. Madam, you do me wrong,
I have no fpleen againft you; nor injustice

For you, or any: how far I have proceeded,
Or how far further fhall, is warranted
By a commiffion from the confistory,

Yea, the whole confiftory of Rome. You charge me,
That I have blown this coal: I do deny it :.
The king is prefent; if it be known to him,
That I gainfay my deed, how may he wound,
And worthily, my falfehood! 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 fhall speak in, I do befeech

You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking,
And to fay fo no more.

Queen. My lord, my lord,,

I am a fimple woman, much too weak

To oppofe your cunning. You are meek, and humblemouth'd;

You fign your place and calling,[2] in full feeming,
With meeknefs and humility; but your heart
Is cramm'd with arrogancy, fpleen, and pride.
You have, by fortune, and his highness' favours,[3]
Gone flightly o'er low steps;. and now are mounted,
Where powers are your retainers: and your words,
Domestics to you, ferve your will, as't please
Yourself pronounce their office. I muft tell you,
You tender more your perfon's honour, than
Your high profeffion fpiritual: 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 curt fies to the King, and offers to depart. Cam. The queen is obftinate,

[2] To fign, muft here be to fhow, to denote. By your outward meeknefs and humility, you show that you are of an holy order, but, &c. JOHN. [3] You have now got power at your beck, following in your retinue; and words therefore are degraded to the fervile ftate of performing any office which you fhall give them. In humbler and more common terms; Having now got power, you do not regard your word.' ib,