As from a blushing handmaid, to his highness;
Whose health, and royalty, I pray for.

Cham. Lady,

I shall not fail to approve the fair conceit,

The king hath of you.—I have perus'd her well ;
Beauty and honour in her are so mingled,

[Aside. That they have caught the king: and who knows yet, But from this lady may proceed a gem,

To lighten all this isle ?—I'll to the king,
And say, I spoke with you.

Anne. My honour'd lord.

[Exit Lord Chamberlain..

Old L. Why, this it is; see, see!

I have been begging sixteen years in court,
(Am yet a courtier beggarly,) nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late
For any suit of pounds and you, (O fate !)
A very fresh-fish here, (fye, fye, upon

This compell'd fortune!) have your mouth fill'd up,
Before you open it.

Anne. This is strange to me.

Old L. How tastes it? is it bitter? forty pence, no There was a lady once, ('tis an old story,)

That would not be a queen, that would she not,
For all the mud in Ægypt :-Have you heard it?
Anne. Come, you are pleasant.

Old L. With your theme, I could
O'ermount the lark.

The marchioness of Pembroke
A thousand pounds a year! for pure respect;
No other obligation: By my life,

That promises more thousands: Honour's train
Is longer than his fore-skirt. By this time,
I know, your back will bear a duchess ;-Say,
Are you not stronger than you were?
Anne. Good lady,

Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy,
And leave me out on't. 'Would, I had no being,
If this salute my blood a jot; it faints me,

To think what follows.

The queen is comfortless, and we forgetful
In our long absence: Pray, do not deliver
What you have heard, to her.

Old L. What do you think me?

[Exeunt.

[1] Perhaps alluding to the carbuncle, a gem supposed to have intrinsic light, and to shine in the dark: any other gem may reflect light but cannot give it JOH. From the many artful strokes of address the poet has thrown in upon queen Elizabeth and her mother, it should seem that this play was written and performed in his royal mistress's time: if so, some lines were added by him in the last scene, after the accession of king James. THEO

SCENE IV.

A Hall in Black-Fryars. Trumpets, Sennet,2 and Cornets. Enter two Vergers, with short silver wands; next them, two Scribes, in the habits of doctors; after them, the Archbishop of CANTERBURY alone; after him, the Bishops of 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;3 after them, side by side, the tro 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 allow'd ;

You may then spare that time.

Wol. Be't so-Proceed.

Scri. Say, Henry king of England, come into the court. Crier. Henry king of England, &c.

K.Hen. Here.

Scri. 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.

[2] A sennet appears to have signified a short flourish on Cornets MAL. 131 Pillars were some of the ensigns of dignity carried before cardinals. Sir Thomas More, when he was speaker to the commons, advised them to admit Wolsey into the house with his maces and his pillars. JOHNS-So, in The Treatous a satire on Cardinal Wolsey, no date, but published between the execution of the duke of Buckingham and the repudiation of Katharine :

"With worldly pompe incredible,

Before him rydeth two prestes strong;
And they bare two crosses right longe,
Gapyng in every man's face:

After them followe two laye men seculur,
And each of them holdyng a pillar,

In their hondes steade of a mace."

STEEV.

Wolsey had two great crosses of silver, the one of his archbishopric, the other of his legacy, borne before him whithersoever he went or rode, by two of the tallest priests that he could get within the realm. TOLLET.

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,
In what have I offended you? what cause
Hath my behaviour 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 :

Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,

Yea, subject to your countenance; glad, or sorry,
As I saw it inclin'd. When was the hour,
I ever contradicted your desire,

friends

Or made it not mine too? Or which of your
Have I not strove to love, although I knew
He were mine enemy? what friend of mine,
That had to him deriv'd your anger, did I
Continue in my liking? nay, gave notice
He was from thence discharg'd? 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 honour 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 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

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

Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whose counsel
I will implore: If not; i'the name of God,
Your pleasure be fulfill'd !

Wol. You have here, lady,

(And of your choice,) these reverend fathers; men Òf singular integrity and learning,

Yea, the elect of the land, who are assembled

To plead your cause: It shall be therefore bootless,
That longer you desire3 the court; 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 produc'd, and heard.

Q.Kath. Lord cardinal,

To you I speak.

Wol. Your pleasure, madam?

Q. Kath. Sir,

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.

Wol. Be patient yet.

Q.Kath. 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,4
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,
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 display'd 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,

[3] That you desire to protract the business of the court; that you solicit a more distant session and trial. To pray for a longer day, i.e. a more distant one, when the trial or execution of criminals is agitated, is yet the language of the bar. In the fourth folio, defer is substituted for desire. MAL.

[4] Challenge is here a verbum juris, a law term. The criminal, when he refuses a juryman, says-I challenge him. JOHNS.

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 humblemouth'd;

6

You sign your place and calling,5 in full seeming,
With meekness and humility: but your heart
Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.
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,
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,
And to be judg'd by him.

[She curt'sies to the king, and offers to depart. Cam. The queen is obstinate,

Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and

Disdainful to be try'd by it; 'tis not well,

She's going away.

K.Hen. Call her again.

Cri. Katharine queen of England, come into the court. Grif. Madam, you are call'd back.

Q.Kath.What need you note it?pray you,keep your way;

[5] To sign, must here be to show, to denote. By your outward meekness and humility, you show that you are of an holy order, but, &c. JOHNS. [6] The queen would insinuate that Wolsey had rendered the highest of fices subservient to his will. STEEV.