Shakespeare - First Folio facsimile (1910)/The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight/Act 2 Scene 4
Scena Quarta.
Trumpets, Sennet, and Cornets.
Enter two Vergers, with short siluer wands; next them two Scribes in the habite of Doctors; after them, the Bishop of Canterbury alone; after him, the Bishops of Lincolne, Ely, Rochester, and S. Asaph: Next them, with some small distance, followes a Gentleman bearing the Purse, with the great Seale, and a Cardinals Hat: Then two Priests, bearing each a Siluer Crosse: Then a Gentleman Vsher bareheaded, accompanyed with a Sergeant at Armes, bearing a Siluer Mace: Then two Gentlemen bearing two great Siluer Pillers: After them, side by side, the two Cardinals, two Noblemen, with the Sword and Mace. The King takes place vnder the Cloth of State. The two Cardinalls sit vnder him as Iudges. The Queene takes place some distance from the King. The Bishops place themselues on each side the Court in manner of a Consistory: Below them the Scribes. The Lords sit next the Bishops. The rest of the Attendants stand in conuenient order about the Stage.
Car.Whil'st our Commission from Rome is read,Let silence be commanded.
King.What's the need?It hath already publiquely bene read,And on all sides th'Authority allow'd,You may then spare that time.
Car.Bee't so, proceed.
Scri.Say, Henry K. of England, come into the Court.
Crier.Henry King of England, &c.
King.Heere.
Scribe.Say, Katherine Queene of England,Come into the Court.
Crier.Katherine Queene of England, &c.
The Queene makes no answer, rises out of her Chaire,goes about the Court, comes to the King, and kneeles athis Feete. Then speakes.
Sir, I desire you do me Right and Iustice,And to bestow your pitty on me; forI am a most poore Woman, and a Stranger,Borne out of your Dominions: hauing heereNo Iudge indifferent, nor no more assuranceOf equall Friendship and Proceeding. Alas Sir:In what haue I offended you? What causeHath my behauiour giuen to your displeasure,That thus you should proceede to put me off,And take your good Grace from me? Heauen witnesse,I haue bene to you, a true and humble Wife,At all times to your will conformable:Euer in feare to kindle your Dislike,Yes, subiect to your Countenance: Glad, or sorry,As I saw it inclin'd? When was the houreI euer contracted your Desire?Or made it not mine too? Or which of your FriendsHaue I not stroue to loue, although I knewHe were mine Enemy? What Friend of mine,That had to him deriu'd your Anger, did IContinue in my Liking? Nay, gaue noticeHe was from thence discharg'd? Sir, call to minde,That I haue beene your Wife, in this Obedience,Vpward of twenty yeares, and haue bene blestWith many Children by you. If in the courseAnd processe of this time, you can report,And proue it too, against mine Honor, aught;My bond to Wedlocke, or my Loue and DutieAgainst your Sacred Person; in Gods nameTurne me away: and let the fowl'st ContemptShut doore vpon me, and so giue me vpTo the sharp'st kinde of Iustice. Please you, Sir,The King your Father, was reputed forA Prince most Prudent; of an excellentAnd vnmatch'd Wit, and Iudgement. FerdinandMy Father, King of Spaine, was reckon'd oneThe wisest Prince, that there had reign'd, by manyA yeare before. It is not to be question'd,That they had gather'd a wise Councell to themOf euery Realme, that did debate this Businesse,Who deem'd our Marriage lawful. Wherefore I humblyBeseech you Sir, to spare me, till I mayBe by my Friends in Spaine, aduis'd; whose CounsaileI will implore. If not, i'th'name of GodYour pleasure be fulfill'd.
Wol.You haue heere Lady,(And of your choice) these Reuerend Fathers, menOf singular Integrity, and Learning;Yea, the elect o'th'Land, who are assembledTo pleade your Cause. It shall be therefore bootlesse,That longer you desire the Court, as wellFor your owne quiet, as to rectifieWhat is vnsetled in the King.
Camp.His GraceHath spoken well, and iustly: Therefore Madam,It's fit this Royall Session do proceed,And that (without delay) their ArgumentsBe now produc'd, and heard.
Qu.Lord Cardinall, to you I speake.
Wol.Your pleasure, Madam.
Qu.Sir, I am about to weepe; but thinking thatWe are a Queene (or long haue dream'd so) certaineThe daughter of a King, my drops of teares,Ile turne to sparkes of fire.
Wol.Be patient yet.
Qu.I will, when you are humble; Nay before,Or God will punish me. I do beleeue(Induc'd by potent Circumstances) thatYou are mine Enemy, and make my Challenge,You shall not be my Iudge. For it is youHaue blowne this Coale, betwixt my Lord, and me;(Which Gods dew quench) therefore, I say againe,I vtterly abhorre; yea, from my SouleRefuse you for my Iudge, whom yet once moreI hold my most malicious Foe, and thinke notAt all a Friend to truth.
Wol.I do professeYou speake not like your selfe: who euer yetHaue stood to Charity, and displayd th'effectsOf disposition gentle, and of wisedome,Ore-topping womans powre. Madam, you do me wrongI haue no Spleene against you, nor iniusticeFor you, or any: how farre I haue proceeded,Or how farre further (Shall) is warrantedBy a Commission from the Consistorie,Yea, the whole Consistorie of Rome. You charge me,That I haue blowne this Coale: I do deny it,The King is present: If it be knowne to him,That I gainsay my Deed, how may he wound,And worthily my Falsehood, yea, as muchAs you haue done my Truth. If he knowThat I am free of your Report, he knowesI am not of your wrong. Therefore in himIt lies to cure me, and the Cure is toRemoue these Thoughts from you. The which beforeHis Highnesse shall speake in, I do beseechYou (gracious Madam) to vnthinke your speaking,And to say so no more.
Queen.My Lord, my Lord,I am a simple woman, much too weakeT'oppose your [cunning]. Y'are meek, & humble-mouth'dYou signe your Place, and Calling, in full seeming,With Meekeness and Humilitie: but your HeartIs cramm'd with Arrogancie, Spleene, and Pride.You haue by Fortune, and his Highnesse fauors,Gone slightly o're lowe steppes, and now are mountedWhere Powres are your Retainers, and your words(Domestickes to you) serue your will, as't pleaseYour selfe pronounce their Office. I must tell you,You tender more your persons Honor, thenYour high profession Spirituall. That agenI do refuse you for my Iudge, and heereBefore you all, Appeale vnto the Pope,To bring my whole Cause 'fore his Holinesse,And to be iudged by him.She Curtsies to the King, and offers to depart.
Camp.The Queene is obstinate,Stubborne to Iustice, apt to accuse it, andDisdainfull to be tride by't; tis not well.Shee's going away.
Kin.Call her againe.
Crier.Katherine, Q of England, come into the Court.
Gent. Vsh.Madam, you are cald backe.
Que.What need you note it? pray you keep your way,When you are cald returne. Now the Lord helpe,They vexe me past my patience, pray you passe on;I will not tarry: no, nor euer moreVpon this businesse my appearance make,In any of their Courts.Exit Queene, and her Attendants.
Kin.Goe thy wayes Kate,That man i'th'world, who shall report he ha'sA better Wife, let him in naught be trusted,For speaking false in that; thou art alone(If thy rare qualities, sweet gentlenesse,Thy meeknesse Saint-like, Wife-like Gouernment,Obeying in commanding, and thy partsSoueraigne and Pious els, could speake thee out)The Queene of earthly Queenes: Shee's Noble borne;And like her true Nobility, she ha'sCarried her selfe towards me.
Wol.Most gracious Sir,In humblest manner I require your Highnes,That it shall please you to declare in hearingOf all these cares (for where I am rob'd and bound,There must I be vnloos'd, although not thereAt once, and fully satisfide) whether euer IDid broach this busines to your Highnes, orLaid any scruple in your way which mightInduce you to the question on't: or euerHaue to you, but with thankes to God for suchA Royall Lady, spake one, the least word that mightBe to the preiudice of her present State,Or touch of her good Person?
Kin.My Lord Cardinall,I doe excuse you; yea, vpon mine Honour,I free you from't: You are not to be taughtThat you haue many enemies, that know not
Why they are so; but like to Village Curres,Barke when their fellowes doe. By some of theseThe Queene is put in anger; y'are excus'd:But will you be more iustifi'de? You euerHaue wish'd the sleeping of this busines, neuer desir'dIt to be stir'd; but oft haue hindred, oftThe passages made toward it; on my Honour,I speake my good Lord Cardnall, to this point;And thus farre cleare him.Now, what mou'd me too't,I will be bold with time and your attention:Then marke th'inducement. Thus it came; giue heede too't:My Conscience first receiu'd a tendernes,Scruple, and pricke, on certaine Speeches vtter'dBy th'Bishop of Bayon, then French Embassador,Who had beene hither sent on the debatingAnd Marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleance, andOur Daughter Mary: I'th'Progresse of this busines,Ere a determinate resolution, hee(I meane the Bishop) did require a respite,Wherein he might the King his Lord aduertise,Whether our Daughter were legitimate,Respecting this our Marriage with the Dowager,Sometimes our Brothers Wife. This respite shookeThe bosome of my Conscience, enter'd me;Yea, with a spitting power, and made to trembleThe region of my Breast, which forc'd such way,That many maz'd considerings, did throngAnd prest in with this Caution. First, me thoughtI stood not in the smile of Heauen, who hadCommanded Nature, that my Ladies wombeIf it conceiu'd a male-child by me, shouldDoe no more Offices of life too't; thenThe Graue does to th'dead: For her Male Issue,Or di'de where they were made, or shortly afterThis world had ayr'd them. Hence I tooke a thought,This was a Iudgement on me, that my Kingdome(Well worthy the best Heyre o'th'World) should notBe gladded in't by me. Then followes, thatI weigh'd the danger which my Realmes stood inBy this my Issues faile, and that gaue to meMany a groaning throw: thus hulling inThe wild Sea of my Conscience, I did steereToward this remedy, whereupon we areNow present heere together: that's to say,I meant to rectifie my Conscience, whichI then did feele full sicke, and yet not well,By all the Reuerend Fathers of the Land,And Doctors learn'd. First I began in priuate,With you my Lord of Lincolne, you rememberHow vnder my oppression I did reekeWhen I first mou'd you.
B. Lin.Very well my Liedge.
Kin.I haue spoke long, be pleas'd your selfe to sayHow farre you satisfide me.
Lin.So please your Highnes,The question did at first so stagger me,Bearing a State of mighty moment in't,And consequence of dread, that I committedThe daringst Counsaile which I had to doubt,And did entreate your Highnes to this course,Which you are running heere.
Kin.I then mou'd you,My Lord of Canterbury, and got your leaueTo make this present Summons vnsolicited.I left no Reuerend Person in this Court;But by particular consent proceededVnder your hands and Seales; therefore goe on,For no dislike i'th'world against the personOf the good Queene; but the sharpe thorny pointsOf my alleadged reasons, driues this forward:Proue but our Marriage lawfull, by my LifeAnd Kingly Dignity, we are contentedTo weare our mortall State to come, with her,(Katherine our Queene) before the primest CreatureThat's Parragon'd o'th'World
Camp.So please your Highnes,The Queene being absent, 'tis a needfull fitnesse,That we adiourne this Court till further day;Meane while, must be an earnest motionMade to the Queene to call backe her AppealeShe intends vnto his Holinesse.
Kin.I may perceiueThese Cardinals trifle with me: I abhorreThis dilatory sloth, and trickes of Rome.My learn'd and welbeloued Seruant Cranmer,Prethee returne, with thy approch: I know,My comfort comes along: breake vp the Court;Exeunt, in manner as they enter'd.I say, set on.