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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 100
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're meek and humble

mouth'd;

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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 powers 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,

Cam.

Before you all, appeal unto the pope,
To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,
And to be judged by him.

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[She curtsies to the King, and offers to depart.

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. Gent. Ush. Madam, you are call'd back.

Q. 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.

I will not tarry, no, nor ever more

Pray you, pass on:

Upon this business my appearance make...

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In any of their courts.

King.

Go thy ways, Kate:

[Exeunt Queen, and her Attendants.

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,

65

Wol.

Obeying in commanding, and thy parts

Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out, 140
The queen of earthly queens. She's noble born,

And like her true nobility she has

Carried herself towards me.

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 unloosed, 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

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King.

Or touch of her good person?

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 160
The queen is put in anger. You're excused:

But will you be more justified? you ever

Have wish'd the sleeping of this business, never

desired

It to be stirr'd, but oft have hinder'd, 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 moved me to 't,

I will be bold with time and your attention :

Then mark the inducement.

heed to 't:

Thus it came; give

170

My conscience first received a tenderness,
Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
By the 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' the 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, 180
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 forced such way

:

190

That many mazed 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 conceived 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 judgement 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 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 moved you.

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