Stubborn to juftice, apt to accufe it, and
Difdainful to be try'd by it; 'tis not well,
She's going away.

King. Call her again.

Crier. Catherine, queen of England, come into the court. Usher. Madam, you are call'd back.

Queen. 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 bufinefs my appearance make

In any of their courts. [Exeunt Queen and her Attendants. King. Go thy ways, Kate:

That man i' the world, who fhall report he has

A better wife, let him in nought be trufted,
For speaking falfe in that: Thou art, alone,
(If thy rare qualities, fweet gentlenefs,

Thy meekness faint-like, wife-like government,
Obeying in commanding, and thy parts,
Sovereign, and pious elfe, could speak thee out)[4]
The queen of earthly queens :-She is noble born:
And, like her true nobility, fhe has

Carried herself towards me.

Wol. Moft gracious fir,

In humbleft manner I require your highness,
That it fhall please you to declare, in hearing

Of all these ears (for where I am robb'd and bound,
There muft I be unloos'd; although not there
At once, and fully fatisfy'd), if I

Did broach this bufinefs to your highnefs ;[5] or
Laid any scruple 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 to the prejudice of her prefent ftate,
Or touch of her good perfon?

King. My lord cardinal,

I do excufe 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 fo, but, like to village curs,

A

If thy feveral qualities had tongues to fpeak thy praife. JOHNS. [5] The fenfe, which is encumber'd with words, is this, 'I must be loofed, though when fo loofed, I fhall not be fatisfied fully and at once ;' that is, I fhall not be immediately fatisfied. JOHNS.

Bark when their fellows do: by fome of these
The queen is put in anger. You are excus'd:
But will you be more juftify'd? you ever
Have wish'd the fleeping of this bufinefs; never
Defir'd it to be stirr'd; but oft have hindred, oft
The paffages made toward it :-on my honour,
I fpeak my good lord cardinal to this point,[6]
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 confcience first receiv'd a tenderness,

Scruple, and prick,[7] on certain speeches utter'd
By the bishop of Bayonne, then French ambassador ;
Who had been hither fent on the debating

A marriage 'twixt the duke of Orleans and

Our daughter Mary: I'the progrefs of this business,
Ere a determinate refolution, he

(I mean, the bishop) did require a refpite;
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. Firft, methought,
I ftood not in the smile of heaven; which
Commanded nature, that my lady's womb,
If it conceiv'd a male child by me, fhould
Do no more offices of life to't, than

The grave does to the dead: for her male-iffue
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 beft heir o'the 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

[6] The king, having firft addreffed to Wolfey, breaks off; and declares upon his honour to the whole court, that he fpeaks the cardinal's fentiments upon the point in queftion; and clears him from any attempt, or with, to ftir that bufinefs.

THEO.

[7] Prick of confcience was the term in confeffion.

JOHNS,

Many a groaning throe. Thus hulling in
The wild fea of my confcience,[8] I did fteer
Towards this remedy, whereupon we are
Now present here together; that's to say,
I mean to rectify my conscience, which
I then did feel full fick, 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 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 fay How far you fatisfy'd me.

Lin. Please your highness,

The queftion did at firft 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 highnefs 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 prefent fummons :-Unfolicited
I left no reverend perfon in this court;
But, by particular confent, proceeded

Under your hands and feals. Therefore, go on ;
For no diflike i'the world against the perfon
Of our good queen, but the fharp 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 ftate to côme, with her,
Catherine our queen, before the primeft creature
That's paragon'd o'the world.

Cam. So please your highness,

The queen being abfent, 'tis a needful fitness
That we adjourn this court to further day:
Mean while must be an earneft motion
Made to the queen, to call back her appeal
She intends to his holinefs.

[They rife to depart

[8] The expreffion belongs to navigation. A fhip is faid to hull, when fhe is difmafted, and only her hull, or hulk, is left at the direction and mercy of the waves. STEEV.

King. I may perceive,

[Speaking to CRANMER.

These cardinals trifle with me: I abhor
This dilatory floth, and tricks of Rome.
My learn'd and well-beloved servant Cranmer,
Pr'ythee, return! with thy approach, I know,
My comfort comes along. Break up the court:
I fay, fet on. [Exeunt, in Manner as they enter'd.

ACT III. SCENE I.

The Queen's Apartments. The Queen and her Women, as at Work.

Queen.

TAKE thy lute, wench: my foul grows fad with troubles;

Sing, and disperse them, if thou canft: leave working.
SONG.

Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain-tops, that freeze,
Bow themfelves, when he did fing:
To his mufic, plants, and flowers,
Ever fprung; as fun, and showers,
There had made a lafting Spring.
Every thing that heard him play,
Even the billows of the fea,

Hung their heads, and then lay by.
In fweet mufic is fuch art;

Killing care, and grief of heart,
Fall asleep, or, hearing, die.

Queen.

Enter a Gentleman.

How now?

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

Wait in the prefence.

Queen. Would they speak with me?

Gent. 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, fallen from favour?

[Exit Meffenger.

I do not like their coming, now I think on't.

They should be good men; their affairs are righteous:(1) But, All hoods make not monks.

Enter the Cardinals WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS. Wol. Peace to your highness!

Queen. Your graces find me here part of a house-wife: 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 fhall give you The full caufe of our coming.

Queen. Speak it here;

There's nothing I have done yet, o' my conscience,
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 every tongue, every eye saw 'em,
Envy and bafe opinion fet against 'em,(2)

I know my life so even: If your bufinefs
Seek me out, and that way I am wife in,(3)

Out with it boldly; truth loves open dealing.

Wol. Tanta eft ergà te mentis integritas, regina fereniffima,

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:

A ftrange tongue makes my cause more strange, suspicions;

Pray, fpeak in English: here are some will thank you
If you speak truth, for their poor mistress' fake ;

Believe me, fhe has had much wrong: Lord cardinal,
The willing'ft fin I ever yet committed,

May be abfolv'd in English.

Wol. Noble lady,

I am forry my integrity fhould breed

(And fervice to his majefty and you)

So deep fufpicion, where all faith was meant.

(1) Affairs means not their prefent errand, but the bufinefs of their calling. JOHNS.

(2) I would be glad that my conduct were in fome public trial confronted with mine enemies, that envy and corrupt judgment might try their utmoft power against me. JOHNS.

(3) That is, if you come to examine the title by which I am the king's wife; or, if you come to know how I have behaved as a wife. ib.