geant at Arms, bearing a silver mace; then two Gentlemen, bearing two great silver pillars;1 after them, side by side, the two Cardinals, WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS; two Noblemen with the sword and mace. Then enter the King and Queen, and their Trains. The King takes place under the cloth of state; the two Cardinals sit under him as judges. The Queen takes place at some distance from the King. The Bishops place themselves on each side the court in manner of a consistory; between them, the Scribes. The Lords sit next the Bishops. The Crier and the rest of the Attendants stand in convenient order about the stage.

Wol. Whilst our commission from Rome is read, Let silence be commanded.

K. Hen.

What's the need?

It hath already publicly been read,

And on all sides the authority allowed;
You may then spare that time.

Wol.

Be't so;-proceed.

Scribe. Say, Henry king of England, come into the

court.

Crier. Henry king of England, &c.

K. Hen. Here.

Scribe. Say, Katharine queen of England, come into

court.

Crier. Katharine queen of England, &c.

[The Queen makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to the King, and kneels at his feet; then speaks.]

Q. Kath. Sir, I desire you, do me right and justice; And to bestow your pity on me; for

I am a most poor woman, and a stranger,
Born out of your dominions; having here
No judge indifferent, nor no more assurance
Of equal friendship and proceeding. Alas, sir,

1 Ensigns of dignity carried before cardinals.

In what have I offended you? What cause
Hath my behavior given to your displeasure,
That thus you should proceed to put me off,
And take your good grace from me?

witness,

I have been to you a true and humble wife,
At all times to your will conformable;

Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,

Heaven

Yea, subject to your countenance; glad, or sorry,
As I saw it inclined. When was the hour,

I ever contradicted

your desire,

Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends
Have I not strove to love, although I knew
He were mine enemy? What friend of mine,
That had to him derived your anger, did I
Continue in my liking? nay, gave notice

He was from thence discharged? Sir, call to mind
That I have been your wife, in this obedience,
Upward of twenty years, and have been blest
With many children by you. If, in the course
And process of this time, you can report,
And prove it too, against mine honor aught,
My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty,
Against your sacred person, in God's name,
Turn me away; and let the foul'st contempt
Shut door upon me, and so give me up

To the sharpest kind of justice. Please you, sir,
The king, your father, was reputed for
A prince most prudent, of an excellent
And unmatched wit and judgment. Ferdinand,
My father, king of Spain, was reckoned one
The wisest prince, that there had reigned by many
A year before. It is not to be questioned
That they had gathered a wise council to them
Of every realm, that did debate this business,
Who deemed our marriage lawful.

humbly

Beseech you, sir, to spare me, till I may

Wherefore I

Be by my friends in Spain advised; whose counsel

I will implore: if not, i' the name of God,
Your pleasure be fulfilled!1

Wol.
You have here, lady,
(And of your choice,) these reverend fathers; men
Of singular integrity and learning,

Yea, the elect of the land, who are assembled

To plead your cause.

It shall be therefore bootless,

2

That longer you desire the court; 2 as well
For your own quiet, as to rectify

What is unsettled in the king.

Cam.

His grace

Hath spoken well, and justly. Therefore, madam,
It's fit this royal session do proceed;

And that, without delay, their arguments

Be now produced, and heard.

Q. Kath.

Lord cardinal,

Your pleasure, madam?

Q. Kath.

Sir,

I am about to weep; but, thinking that

We are a queen, (or long have dreamed so,) certain, The daughter of a king, my drops of tears

I'll turn to sparks of fire.

Wol.

Be patient yet.

Q. Kath. I will, when you are humble; nay, before, Or God will punish me. I do believe,

Induced by potent circumstances, that

You are mine enemy; and make my challenge,
You shall not be my judge; for it is you
Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me,
Which God's dew quench!-Therefore, I say again,
I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul,

Refuse you for my judge; whom, yet once more,

1 The historical fact is, that the queen staid for no reply to this speech. Cavendish says, 'And with that she rose up, making a low courtesy to the king, and so departed from thence. Many supposed that she would have resorted again to her former place; but she took her way straight out of the house, leaning (as she was wont always to do) upon the arm of her general receiver Master Griffiths."-Life of Wolsey, p. 152.

"To pray for

2 That you desire to protract the business of the court. a longer day," i. e. a more distant one, is yet the language of the bar in criminal trials.

I hold my most malicious foe, and think not
At all a friend to truth.

Wol.

I do profess,

You speak not like yourself; who ever yet
Have stood to charity, and displayed the effects
Of disposition gentle, and of wisdom

O'ertopping woman's power. Madam, you do me

wrong.

I have no spleen against you; nor injustice
For you, or any; how far I have proceeded,
Or how far further shall, is warranted

By a commission from the consistory,

Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me,
That I have blown this coal. I do deny it;
The king is present; if it be known to him,
That I gainsay my deed, how may he wound,
And worthily, my falsehood! yea, as much
As you have done my truth. But if he know
That I am free of your report, he knows,
I am not of your wrong. Therefore in him
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 are meek and humble

mouthed ;

You sign your place and calling, in full seeming,
With meekness and humility; but your heart
Is crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
You have, by fortune, and his highness' favors,
Gone slightly o'er low steps; and now are mounted
Where powers are your retainers; and your wards,1
Domestics to you, serve your will, as't please

1 The old copy reads:

"Where powers are your retainers; and your words,
Domestics to you," &c.

Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you,
You tender more your person's honor, than
Your high profession spiritual; that again
I do refuse you for my judge; and here,
Before you all, appeal unto the pope,

To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,
And to be judged by him.

Cam.

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

The queen is obstinate,

Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and
Disdainful to be tried by it; 'tis not well.

She's going away.

K. Hen.

Call her again.

Crier. Katharine queen of England, come into the

court.

Grif. Madam, you are called back.

Q. Kath. What need you note it? Pray you, keep

your way;

When you are called, 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 business, my appearance make

In

any of their courts.

[Exeunt QUEEN, GRIFFITH, and other Attendants. K. Hen. Go thy ways, Kate. 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,-
Obeying in commanding, and thy parts
Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out,)
The queen of earthly queens.

She is noble born;

And, like her true nobility, she has
Carried herself towards me.

Wol.

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 robbed and bound,
There must I be unloosed; although not there