First, mine own service to your grace; the next,
The king's request that I would visit you;
Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me
Sends you his princely commendations,

And heartily entreats you take good comfort.
Kath. O, my good lord! that comfort comes too
late:

"Tis like a pardon after execution.

That gentle physic, given in time, had cur'd me; But now I am past all comforts here, but prayers. How does his highness?

Cap.

Madam, in good health.

Kath. So may he ever do! and ever flourish, When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name Banish'd the kingdom! — Patience, is that letter,

I caus'd you write, yet sent away?

Pat. [Giving it to her.]

No, madam. Kath. Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver

This to my lord the king.

Cap.

Most willing, madam.

Kath. In which I have commended to his good

ness

The model 10 of our chaste loves, his young daugh

The dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her!
Beseeching him to give her virtuous breeding;
(She is young, and of a noble modest nature;
I hope she will deserve well ;) and a little
To love her for her mother's sake, that lov'd him,
Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition
Is that his noble grace would have some pity
Upon my wretched women, that so long

10 Model signified, in the language of our ancestors, a repre sentation or image.

Have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully:
Of which there is not one, I dare avow,
(And now I should not lie,) but will deserve,
For virtue and true beauty of the soul,
For honesty and decent carriage,

A right good husband, let him be" a noble ;
And, sure, those men are happy that shall have them.
The last is for my men,-they are the poorest,
But poverty could never draw them from me,-
That they may have their wages duly paid them,
Ard something over to remember me by:

If Heaven had pleas'd to have given me longer life,
And able means, we had not parted thus.
These are the whole contents: and, good my lord,
By that you love the dearest in this world,
As you wish Christian peace to souls departed,
Stand these poor people's friend, and urge the king
To do me this last right.

Cap.

By Heaven, I will; Or let me lose the fashion of a man!

Kath. I thank you, honest lord. In all humility unto his highness: Say, his long trouble now is passing

Remember me

Out of this world: tell him, in death I bless'd him,
For so I will. - Mine eyes grow dim. - Farewell,
My lord.-Griffith, farewell.—Nay, Patience,
You must not leave me yet. I must to bed;
Call in more women. When I am dead, good
wench,

Let me be us'd with honour: strew me over
With maiden flowers, that all the world may know
I was a chaste wife to my grave. Embalm me,
The lay me forth: although unqueen'd, yet like

11 Even if he should be.

A queen, and daughter to a king, inter me.

I can no more.

[Exeunt, leading KATHARINE

ACT V.

SCENE I. A Gallery in the Palace

Enter GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester, a Page with a Torch before him.

Gar. It's one o'clock, boy, is't not?
Boy.

It hath struck.

Gar. These should be hours for necessities, Not for delights;' times to repair our nature With comforting repose, and not for us

Gar. I did, Sir Thomas; and left him at primero❜ With the duke of Suffolk.

Lov.

I must to him too,

Before he go to bed. I'll take my leave.

Gar. Not yet, Sir Thomas Lovell. What's the matter?

1 Gardiner himself is not much delighted. The delights at which he hints seem to be the king's diversions, which keep him in attendance.

2 Primero, prime, or primavista. A game at cards, said by some writers to be one of the oldest known in England.

It seems you are in haste: and if there be

No great offence belongs to't, give your friend Some touch of your late business. Affairs that walk (As they say spirits do) at midnight have

In them a wilder nature, than the business

That seeks despatch by day.

Lov.

My lord, I love you,

And durst commend a secret to your ear

Much weightier than this work. The queen's in

labour,

They say, in great extremity; and fear'd,

She'll with the labour end.

Gar.

The fruit she goes with

I pray for heartily, that it may find

Good time, and live; but for the stock, Sir Thomas,

I wish it grubb'd up now.

Lov.

Methinks, I could

Cry the amen; and yet my conscience says
She's a good creature, and, sweet lady, does
Deserve our better wishes.

Gar.

But, sir, sir,

Hear me, Sir Thomas: Y' are a gentleman
Of mine own way; I know you wise, religious ;
And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well,-

"Twill not, Sir Thomas Lovell, take't of me,

Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she, Sleep in their

Lov.

graves.

Now, sir, you speak of two The most remark'd i'the kingdom. As for Crom

well,.

Beside that of the jewel-house, he's made master O'the rolls, and the king's secretary; further, sir, Stands in the gap and trade of more preferments,

Of mine own opinion in religion.

That is, course or way. "Iter pro incepto et instituto, a way

With which the time will load him: The archbishop

Is the king's hand and tongue; and who dare speak One syllable against him?

Gar.

Yes, yes, Sir Thomas, There are that dare; and I myself have ventur'd

To speak my mind of him: and, indeed, this day, Sir, (I may tell it you,). I think I have

5

Incens'd the lords o'the council, that he is

(For so I know he is, they know he is)

A most arch heretic, a pestilence

That does infect the land: with which they mov'u̸
Have broken with the king; who hath so far
Given ear to our complaint, (of his great grace
And princely care, foreseeing those fell mischiefs
Our reasons laid before him,) hath commanded
To-morrow morning to the council board

He be convented.' He's a rank weed, Sir Thomas,
And we must root him out. From your affairs
I hinder you too long: good night, Sir Thomas.
Lov. Many good nights, my lord: I rest your ser-
[Exeunt GARDINER and Page.

vant.

As LOVELL is going out, enter the King, and the Duke of SUFFOlk.

King. Charles, I will play no more to-night: My mind's not on't; you are too hard for me. Suf. Sir, I did never win of you before.

trade, or course." COOPER. Again, in Udal's Apothegms: "althoughe it repent them of the trade or way that they have chosen."

Incens'd or insensed in this instance, and in some others, only means instructed, informed: still in use in Staffordshire. It properly signifies to infuse into the mind, to prompt or instigate. "Invidiæ stimulo mentes Patrum fodit Saturnia: Juno incenseth the senators' minds with secret envy against." COOPER.

6 That is, have broken or opened the subject with him.. See The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act i. sc. 3, note 4.

That is, summoned, convened.

H.