I will implore. If not, i'th' name of God, Wol. You have here, lady, (And of your choice) these rev'rend fathers, men Of lingular integrity and learning: Yea, the elect o'th'land, who are affembled To plead your caufe. It shall be therefore bootless, What is unfettled in the King. Cam. His Grace Hath spoken well and juftly; therefore, madam, And that without delay their arguments Be now produc'd, and heard. Queen. Lord Cardinal, To you I speak. Wol. Your pleasure, madam? I am about to weep; but thinking that We are a Queen, or long have dream'd fo; certain, I'll turn to fparks of fire. Wol. Be patient yet Queen. I will, when you are humble; nay, before; Or God will punish me. I do believe, Induc'd by potent circumstances, that You are mine enemy, and make my challenge; Refuse you for my judge; whom yet once more Wol. I do profefs, You speak not like your felf; who ever yet Have ftood to charity, and difplay'd th' effects Of difpofition gentle, and of wifdom O'er-topping woman's power. Madam, you wrong me. I have no fpleen against you, nor injustice Yea, the whole Confift'ry of Rome. You charge me, Remove these thoughts from you. The which before You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking; Queen. My lord, my lord, I am a fimple woman, much too weak [mouth'd; T'oppose your cunning. You are meek, and humble- [She curtfies to the King, and offers to depart. Cam. The Queen is obftinate, Stubborn to juftice, apt t'accufe it, and King, Call her again. Cryer. Cryer. Catharine, Queen of England, come into the Uber. Madam, you are call'd back. [Court. Queen. What need you note it? pray you, keep your way. When you are call'd, return. Now the Lord help, They vex me paft my patience! pray you, pafs on; I will not tarry; no, nor ever more Upon this business my appearance make of their Courts. In any [Exeunt Queen and her Attendants. King. Go thy ways, Kate; That man i'th'world who fhall report he has A better wife, let him in nought be trusted; For fpeaking falfe in that. Thou art alone, (If thy rare qualities, fweet gentleness, Thy meeknefs faint-like, wife-like government, Obeying in commanding, and thy parts Sovereign and pious elfe, could fpeak thee out) The Queen of earthly Queens. She's noble born; And, like her true nobility, fhe has Carried her felf tow'rds me. Wol. Moft gracious Sir, In humbleft manner I require your Highness, Did broach this bufinefs to your Highness, or King. My lord Cardinal, I do excufe you; yea, upon mine honour, But But will you be more juftify'd? you ever Then mark th' inducement. Thus it came; give heed to't. Scruple, and prick, on certain fpeeches utter'd (I mean the bifhop) did require a refpite; Respecting this our marriage with the Dowager, (16) on my Honour Ifpeak, my good Lord Cardinal, to this Point.] In all the Editions, excepting Mr. Rowe's, this paffage has been pointed mistakingly, as if the King were speaking to the Cardinal: but This is not the Poet's Intention. The King, having first addrefs'd to Wolfey, breaks off and declares upon his Honour to the whole Court, that he fpeaks the Cardinal's Sentiments upon the Point in Queftion; and clears him from any Attempt, or Wish, to stir that Business. (17) This Respite book The Bofom of my Confcience,] Tho this Reading be Senfe, and therefore I have not ventur'd to difplace it; yet, I verily believe, the Poet wrote; The Bottom of my Confcience, My Reason is this. Shakespeare in all his Hiftorical Plays was a moft diligent Obferver of Hollingshead's Chronicle; and had him always in Eye, wherever he thought fit to borrow any Matter from him. Now Hollingsbead, in the Speech which he has given to King Henry upon this Subject, makes him deliver himfelf thus." Which Words, once conceived with"in the fecret Bottom of my Confcience, ingendred such a scrupulous "Doubt, that my Confcience was incontinently accombred, vex'd, and difquieted." Vid. Life of Henry 8th p. 907.. 66 The The region of my breaft; which forc'd fuch way, The grave does to the dead; for her male-iffue Lin. Very well, my liege. King. I have spoke long; be pleas'd your self to say How far you fatisfy'd me. Lin. Please your Highness, The question did at firft so stagger me, (18) my Oppreffion I did reel,] This Word first got place in Mr. Rowe's Edition; all the Old Copies read, as I have reftor'd in the Text, reek; i. e. Sweat under the Burthen, and Agony of my Anxieties. |