TPTT The Famous History of the Life of Henry the Eighth: ACT II
Introduction
THE PROLOGUE
ACT I
ACT II
SCENE I. Westminster. A street.
SCENE II. An ante-chamber in the palace.
SCENE III. An ante-chamber of the QUEEN'S apartments.
SCENE IV. A hall in Black-Friars.
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
Feedback
  Search:   
for:

Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay Learn More
SCENE IV. A hall in Black-Friars.
Trumpets, sennet, and cornets. Enter two Vergers, with short silver wands; next them, two Scribes, in the habit of doctors; after them, CANTERBURY alone; after him, LINCOLN, Ely, Rochester, and Saint Asaph; next them, with some small distance, follows a Gentleman bearing the purse, with the great seal, and a cardinal's hat; then two Priests, bearing each a silver cross; then a Gentleman-usher bare-headed, accompanied with a Sergeant-at-arms bearing a silver mace; then two Gentlemen bearing two great silver pillars; after them, side by side, CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS; two Noblemen with the sword and mace. KING HENRY VIII takes place under the cloth of state; CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS sit under him as judges. QUEEN KATHARINE takes place some distance from KING HENRY VIII. The Bishops place themselves 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 convenient order about the stage
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Whilst our commission from Rome is read,
      Let silence be commanded.
KING HENRY VIII
      What's the need?
      It hath already publicly been read,
5     And on all sides the authority allow'd;
      You may, then, spare that time.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Be't so. Proceed.
Scribe
      Say, Henry King of England, come into the court.
Crier
      Henry King of England, &c.
KING HENRY VIII
10    Here.
Scribe
      Say, Katharine Queen of England, come into the court.
Crier
      Katharine Queen of England, &c.
QUEEN KATHARINE makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to KING HENRY VIII, and kneels at his feet; then speaks
QUEEN KATHARINE
      Sir, I desire you do me right and justice;
      And to bestow your pity on me: for
15    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,
      In what have I offended you? what cause
20    Hath my behavior given to your displeasure,
      That thus you should proceed to put me off,
      And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness,
      I have been to you a true and humble wife,
      At all times to your will conformable;
25    Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,
      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
30    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
35    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 honour aught,
40    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 sharp'st kind of justice. Please you sir,
45    The king, your father, was reputed for
      A prince most prudent, of an excellent
      And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand,
      My father, king of Spain, was reckon'd one
      The wisest prince that there had reign'd by many
50    A year before: it is not to be question'd
      That they had gather'd a wise council to them
      Of every realm, that did debate this business,
      Who deem'd our marriage lawful: wherefore I humbly
      Beseech you, sir, to spare me, till I may
55    Be by my friends in Spain advised; whose counsel
      I will implore: if not, i' the name of God,
      Your pleasure be fulfill'd!
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      You have here, lady,
      And of your choice, these reverend fathers; men
60    Of singular integrity and learning,
      Yea, the elect o' the land, who are assembled
      To plead your cause: it shall be therefore bootless
      That longer you desire the court; as well
      For your own quiet, as to rectify
65    What is unsettled in the king.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      His grace
      Hath spoken well and justly: therefore, madam,
      It's fit this royal session do proceed;
      And that, without delay, their arguments
70    Be now produced and heard.
QUEEN KATHARINE
      Lord cardinal,
      To you I speak.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Your pleasure, madam?
QUEEN KATHARINE
      Sir,
75    I am about to weep; but, thinking that
      We are a queen, or long have dream'd so, certain
      The daughter of a king, my drops of tears
      I'll turn to sparks of fire.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      Be patient yet.
QUEEN KATHARINE
80    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
85    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,
      I hold my most malicious foe, and think not
90    At all a friend to truth.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
      I do profess
      You speak not like yourself; who ever yet
      Have stood to charity, and display'd the effects
      Of disposition gentle, and of wisdom
95    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,
100   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
105   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
      It lies to cure me: and the cure is, to
      Remove these thoughts from you: the which before
110   His highness shall speak in, I do beseech
      You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking
      And to say so no more.
QUEEN KATHARINE
      My lord, my lord,
      I am a simple woman, much too weak
115   To oppose your cunning. You're meek and
      humble-mouth'd;
      You sign your place and calling, in full seeming,
      With meekness and humility; but your heart
      Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
120   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,
125   You tender more your person's honour 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,
130   And to be judged by him.
She curtsies to KING HENRY VIII, and offers to depart
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      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 HENRY VIII
135   Call her again.
Crier
      Katharine Queen of England, come into the court.
GRIFFITH
      Madam, you are call'd back.
QUEEN KATHARINE
      What need you note it? pray you, keep your way:
      When you are call'd, return. Now, the Lord help,
140   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 KATHARINE and her Attendants
KING HENRY VIII
      Go thy ways, Kate:
145   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,
150   Obeying in commanding, and thy parts
      Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out,
      The queen of earthly queens: she's noble born;
      And, like her true nobility, she has
      Carried herself towards me.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
155   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
160   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
165   A royal lady, spake one the least word that might
      Be to the prejudice of her present state,
      Or touch of her good person?
KING HENRY VIII
      My lord cardinal,
      I do excuse you; yea, upon mine honour,
170   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
      The queen is put in anger. You're excused:
175   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,
180   And thus far clear him. Now, what moved me to't,
      I will be bold with time and your attention:
      Then mark the inducement. Thus it came; give heed to't:
      My conscience first received a tenderness,
      Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
185   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,
190   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,
      Sometimes our brother's wife. This respite shook
195   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,
      That many mazed considerings did throng
      And press'd in with this caution. First, methought
200   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
205   Or died where they were made, or shortly after
      This world had air'd them: hence I took a thought,
      This was a judgment on me; that my kingdom,
      Well worthy the best heir o' the world, should not
      Be gladded in't by me: then follows, that
210   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
215   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
220   With you, my Lord of Lincoln; you remember
      How under my oppression I did reek,
      When I first moved you.
LINCOLN
      Very well, my liege.
KING HENRY VIII
      I have spoke long: be pleased yourself to say
225   How far you satisfied me.
LINCOLN
      So please your highness,
      The question did at first so stagger me,
      Bearing a state of mighty moment in't
      And consequence of dread, that I committed
230   The daring'st counsel which I had to doubt;
      And did entreat your highness to this course
      Which you are running here.
KING HENRY VIII
      I then moved you,
      My Lord of Canterbury; and got your leave
235   To make this present summons: unsolicited
      I left no reverend person in this court;
      But by particular consent proceeded
      Under your hands and seals: therefore, go on:
      For no dislike i' the world against the person
240   Of the good queen, but the sharp thorny points
      Of my alleged reasons, drive this forward:
      Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life
      And kingly dignity, we are contented
      To wear our mortal state to come with her,
245   Katharine our queen, before the primest creature
      That's paragon'd o' the world.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
      So please your highness,
      The queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness
      That we adjourn this court till further day:
250   Meanwhile must be an earnest motion
      Made to the queen, to call back her appeal
      She intends unto his holiness.
KING HENRY VIII
      (Aside) I may perceive
      These cardinals trifle with me: I abhor
255   This dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome.
      My learn'd and well-beloved servant, Cranmer,
      Prithee, return: with thy approach, I know,
      My comfort comes along. Break up the court:
      I say, set on.
Exeunt in manner as they entered
Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene