Shakespeare - First Folio facsimile (1910)/The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight/Act 4 Scene 2
Scena Secunda.
Enter Katherine Dowager, sicke, lead betweene Griffith,her Gentleman Vsher, and Patienceher Woman.
Grif.How do's your Grace?
Kath.O Griffith, sicke to death:My Legges like loaden Branches bow to'th'Earth,Willing to leaue their burthen: Reach a Chaire,So now (me thinkes) I feele a little ease.Did'st thou not tell me Griffith, as thou lead'st mee,That the great Childe of Honor, Cardinall WolseyWas dead?
Grif.Yes Madam: but I thanke your GraceOut of the paine you suffer'd, gaue no eare too't.
Kath.Pre'thee good Griffith, tell me how he dy'de.If well, he stept before me happilyFor my example.
Grif.Well, the voyce goes Madam,For after the stout Earle NorthumberlandArrested him at Yorke, and brought him forwardAs a man sorely tainted, to his Answer,He fell sicke sodainly, and grew so illHe could not sit his Mule.
Kath.Alas poore man.
Grif.At last, with easie Rodes, he came to Leicester,Lodg'd in the Abbey; where the reuerend AbbotWith all his Couent, honourably receiu'd him;To whom he gaue these words. O Father Abbot,An old man, broken with the stormes of State,Is come to lay his weary bones among ye:Giue him a little earth for Charity.So went to bed; where eagerly his sicknessePursu'd him still, and three nights after this,About the houre of eight, which he himselfeForetold should be his last, full of Repentance,Continuall Meditations, Teares, and Sorrowes,He gaue his Honors to the world agen,His blessed part to Heauen, and slept in peace.
Kath.So may he rest,His Faults lye gently on him:Yet thus farre Griffith, giue me leaue to speake him,And yet with Charity. He was a manOf an vnbounded stomacke, euer rankingHimselfe with Princes. One that by suggestionTy'de all the Kingdome. Symonie, was faire play,His owne Opinion was his Law. I'th'presenceHe would say vntruths, and be euer doubleBoth in his words, and meaning. He was neuer(But where he meant to Ruine) pittifull.His Promises, were as he then was, Mighty:But his performance, as he is now, Nothing:Of his owne body he was ill, and gaueThe Clergy ill example.
Grif.Noble Madam:Mens euill manners, liue in Brasse, their VertuesWe write in Water. May it please your HighnesseTo heare me speake his good now?
Kath.Yes good Griffith,I were malicious else.
Grif.This Cardinall,Though from an humble Stocke, vndoubtedlyWas fashion'd to much Honor. From his CradleHe was a Scholler, and a ripe, and good one:Exceeding wise, faire spoken, and perswading:Lofty, and sowre to them that lou'd him not:But, to those men that sought him, sweet as Summer.And though he were vnsatisfied in getting,(Which was a sinne) yet in bestowing, Madam,He was most Princely: Euer witnesse for himThose twinnes of Learning, that he rais'd in you,Ipswich and Oxford: one of which, fell with him,Vnwilling to out-liue the good that did it.The other (though vnfinish'd) yet so Famous,So excellent in Art, and still so rising,That Christendome shall euer speake his Vertue.His Ouerthrow, heap'd Happinesse vpon him:For then, and not till then, he felt himselfe,And found the Blessednesse of being little.And to adde greater Honors to his AgeThen man could giue him; he dy'de, fearing God.
Kath.After my death, I wish no other Herald,No other speaker of my liuing Actions,To keepe mine Honor, from Corruption,But such an honest Chronicler as Griffith.Whom I most hated Liuing, thou hast made meeWith thy Religious Truth, and Modestie,(Now in his Ashes) Honor: Peace be with him.Patience, be neere me still, and set me lower,I haue not long to trouble thee. Good Griffith,Cause the Musitians play me that sad noteI nam'd my Knell; whil'st I sit meditating
On that Cœlestiall Harmony I go too.Sad and solemne Musicke.
Grif.She is asleep: Good wench, let's sit down quiet,For feare we wake her. Softly, gentle Patience.
The Vision.Enter solemnely tripping one after another, sixe Personages,clad in white Robes, wearing on their heades Garlands ofBayes, and golden Vizards on their faces, Branches of Bayesor Palme in their hands. They first Conge vnto her, thenDance: and at certaine Changes, the first two hold a spareGarland ouer her Head, at which the other foure make reuerend Curtsies. Then the two that held the Garland, deliuer the same to the other next two, who obserue the same order in their Changes, and holding the Garland ouer herhead. Which done, they deliuer the same Garland to thelast two: who likewise obserue the same Order. At which(as it were by inspiration) she makes (in her sleepe) signes ofreioycing, and holdeth vp her hands to heauen. And so, intheir Dancing vanish, carrying the Garland with them.The Musicke continues.
Kath.Spirits of peace, where are ye? Are ye all gone?And leaue me heere in wretchednesse, behinde ye?
Grif.Madam, we are heere.
Kath.It is not you I call for,Saw ye none enter since I slept?
Grif.None Madam.
Kath.No? Saw you not euen now a blessed TroopeInuite me to a Banquet, whose bright facesCast thousand beames vpon me, like the Sun?They promis'd me eternall Happinesse,And brought me Garlands (Griffith) which I feeleI am not worthy yet to weare: I shall assuredly.
Grif.I am most ioyfull Madam, such good dreamesPossesse your Fancy.
Kath.Bid the Musicke leaue,Musicke ceases.They are harsh and heauy to me.
Pati.Do you noteHow much her Grace is alter'd on the sodaine?How long her face is drawne? How pale she lookes,And of an earthy cold? Marke her eyes?
Grif.She is going Wench. Pray, pray.
Pati.Heauen comfort her.
Enter a Messenger.
Mes.And't like your Grace———
Kath.You are a sawcy Fellow,Deserue we no more Reuerence?
Grif.You are too blame,Knowing she will not loose her wonted GreatnesseTo vse so rude behauiour. Go too, kneele.
Mes.I humbly do entreat your Highnesse pardon,My hast made me vnmannerly. There is stayingA Gentleman sent from the King, to see you.
Kath.Admit him entrance Griffith. But this FellowExit Messeng.Let me ne're see againe.
Enter Lord Capuchius.
If my sight faile not,You should be Lord Ambassador from the Emperor,My Royall Nephew, and your name Capuchius.
Cap.Madam the same. Your Seruant.
Kath.O my Lord,The Times and Titles now are alter'd strangelyWith me, since first you knew me.But I pray you,What is your pleasure with me?
Cap.Noble Lady,First mine owne seruice to your Grace, the nextThe Kings request, that I would visit you,Who greeues much for your weaknesse, and by meSends 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 Physicke giuen in time, had cur'd me:But now I am past all Comforts heere, but Prayers.How does his Highnesse?
Cap.Madam, in good health.
Kath.So may he euer do, and euer flourish,When I shall dwell with Wormes, and my poore nameBanish'd the Kingdome. Patience, is that LetterI caus'd you write, yet sent away?
Pat.No Madam.
Kath.Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliuerThis to my Lord the King.
Cap.Most willing Madam.
Kath.In which I haue commended to his goodnesseThe Modell of our chaste loues: his yong daughter,The dewes of Heauen fall thicke in Blessings on her,Beseeching him to giue her vertuous breeding.She is yong, and of a Noble modest Nature,I hope she will deserue well; and a littleTo loue her for her Mothers sake, that lou'd him,Heauen knowes how deerely.My next poore Petition,Is, that his Noble Grace would haue some pittieVpon my wretched women, that so longHaue follow'd both my Fortunes, faithfully,Of which there is not one, I dare auow(And now I should not lye) but will deserueFor Vertue, and true Beautie of the Soule,For honestie, and decent CarriageA right good Husband (let him be a Noble)And sure those men are happy that shall haue 'em.The last is for my men, they are the poorest,(But pouerty could neuer draw 'em from me)That they may haue their wages, duly paid 'em,And something ouer to remember me by.If Heauen had pleas'd to haue giuen me longer lifeAnd able meanes, we had not parted thus.These are the whole Contents, and good my Lord,By that you loue the deerest in this world,As you wish Christian peace to soules departed,Stand these poore peoples Friend, and vrge the KingTo do me this last right.
Cap.By Heauen I will,Or let me loose the fashion of a man.
Kath.I thanke you honest Lord. Remember meIn all humilitie vnto his Highnesse:Say his long trouble now is passingOut of this world. Tell him in death I blest him(For so I will) mine eyes grow dimme. FarewellMy Lord. Griffith farewell. Nay Patience,Vou must not leaue me yet. I must to bed,Call in more women. When I am dead, good Wench,Let me be vs'd with Honor; strew me ouerWith Maiden Flowers, that all the world may knowI was a chaste Wife, to my Graue: Embalme me,Then lay me forth (although vnqueen'd) yet likeA Queene, and Daughter to a King enterre me.Exeunt leading Katherine.I can no more.