the other four make reverend court'fies; then the two, that held the garland, deliver the fame to the other next two, ubo obferve the fame order in their changes, and holding the garland over her head: which done, they deliver the fame garland to the last two, who likewife obferve the Jame order: at which, (as it were by inspiration,) fhe makes in her fleep figns of rejoicing, and holdeth up her hands to heaven: and fo in their dancing they vanish, carrying the garland with them. The mufick continues. Cath. Spirits of peace, where are ye? Are ye all gone And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye? Grif. Madam, we are here. Cath. It is not you I call for ; Saw ye none enter, fince I flept? Grif. None, madam. Cath. No? Saw you not, even now, a blessed troop Caft thousand beams upon me, like the fun? And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel Affuredly. Grif. I am moft joyful, madam, fuch good dreams. Poffef's your fancy. Cath. Bid the mufick leave, They are harsh and heavy to me. Pat. Do you note, [Mufick ceafes. How much her grace is alter'd on the sudden? How long her face is drawn? How pale fhe looks, And of an earthy cold? Mark her eyes. Grif. She is going, wench; pray, pray. Pat. Heaven comfort her! Enter a Meffenger. Mef. An't like your grace,Cath. You are a fawcy fellow: Deferve we no more reverence? Grif. You are to blame, Know Knowing, fhe will not lofe her wonted greatness, Mef. I humbly do entreat your highness' pardon; Cath. Admit him entrance, Griffith: But this fellow Let me ne'er fee again. [Exeunt GRIFFITH, and Meffen. Re-enter GRIFFITH, with CAPUCIUS. If my fight fail not, You fhould be lord ambassador from the emperor, Cath. O my lord, The times, and titles, now are alter'd ftrangely Cap. Noble lady, First, mine own fervice to your grace; the next, Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me And heartily entreats you take good comfort. Cath. O my good lord, that comfort comes too late 'Tis like a pardon after execution: That gentle phyfick, given in time, had cur'd me; Cap. Madam, in good health. Cath. So may he ever do! and ever flourish, When I fhall dwell with worms, and my poor name Banish'd the kingdom!-Patience, is that letter, 1 caus'd you write, yet fent away ? Pat. No, madam. [giving it to CATH; Cath. Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver This to my lord the king 3. Cap. 3 This to my lord the king.] So, Holined, p. 939: "-perceiving hir felfe to wax verie weake and feeble, and to feele death approching at hand, caufed one of hir gentlewomen to write a letter to the king, com Cap. Most willing, madam. Cath. In which I have commended to his goodness The model of our chafte loves, his young daughter :The dews of heaven fall thick in bleffings on her!Befeeching him, to give her virtuous breeding; (She is young, and of a noble modeft nature; I hope, the will deferve well;) and a little To love her for her mother's fake, that lov'd him, Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition Is, that his noble grace would have fome pity Upon my wretched women, that fo long, Have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully: Of which there is not one, I dare avow, (And now I should not lye,) but will deferve, For virtue, and true beauty of the foul, For honesty, and decent carriage, A right good hufband; let him be a noble 5; And, commending to him hir daughter and his, befeeching him to stand good father unto hir; and further defired him to have fome confideration of hir gentlewomen that had ferved hir, and to fee them bestowed in marriage. Further, that it would please him to appoint that hir fervants might have their due wages, and a yeeres wages befide." STEEV. This letter probably fell into the hands of Polydore Virgil, who was then in England, and has preferved it in the twenty feventh book of his hiftory. The following is Lord Herbert's tranflation of it: "My moft dear lord, king, and husband, The hour of my death now approaching. I cannot choofe but, out of the love I bear you, advise you of your foul's health, which you ought to prefer before all confiderations of the world or flesh whatfoever: for which yet you have caft me into many calamities, and yourfelf into many troubles.-But I forgive you all, and pray God to do fo likewife. For the reft, I commend unto you Mary our daughter, be feeching you to be a good father to her, as I have heretofore defired. I muft entreat you also to respect my maids, and give them in marriage, (which is not much, they being but three,) and to all my other fervants a years pay befides their due, left otherwise they should be unprovided for. Laftly, I make this vow, that mine eyes defire you above all things. Farewell." MALONE. 4 The model of our chafte loves-] Model is image or representative. Sce Vol. III. p. 433, n. 6.; and Vol. IV. p. 568, n. 5. MALONE. 5 A right good bufband; let bim be a noble ;]" Let him be," I fuppofe; Sgnifies, even though be fhould be; or, admit that be be. She means to obferve And, fure, thofe men are happy that shall have them. If heaven had pleas'd to have given me longer life, These are the whole contents:-And, good my lord, Cap. By heaven, I will; Or let me loose the fashion of a man! Cath. I thank you, honeft lord. Remember me In all humility unto his highness: Say, his long trouble now is paffing Out of this world: tell him, in death I bleft him, [Exeunt, leading CATHARINE. obferve that, nobility fuperadded to virtue is not more than each of ber women deferves to meet with in a bufband. STEEVENS. This is, I think, the true interpretation of the line; but I do not fee why the words let him be a noble, may not, confiftently with this meaning, be understood in their obvious and ordinary fenfe. We are not to confider Catharine's women like the attendants on other ladies. One of them had already been married to more than a noble husband; having unfortunately captivated a worthless king. MALONE. ACT Enter GARDINER Bishop of Winchester, a Page with a torch before him, met by Sir Thomas LovELL. Gar. It's one o'clock, boy, is't not? Boy. It hath ftruck. Gar. Thefe fhould be hours for neceffities, Not for delights; times to repair our nature With comforting repofe, and not for us To wafte thefe times.-Good hour of night, fir Thomas! Lov. Came you from the king, my lord? With the duke of Suffolk. Lov. I muft to him too, Before he go to bed. I'll take my leave. Gar. Not yet, fir Thomas Lovel. What's the matter ?. It feems, you are in hafte: an if there be No great offence belongs to't, give your friend Some touch of your late bufinefs: Affairs, that walk (As, they fay, fpirits do,) at midnight, have. In them a wilder nature, than the business That feeks dispatch by day. Lov. My lord, I love you; And durft commend a fecret to your ear Much weightier than this work. The queen's in labour, They fay, in great extremity; and fear'd, She'll with the labour end. Gar. The fruit, fhe goes with, I pray for heartily; that it may find Good time, and live: but for the stock, fir Thomas, 6 Not for delights;] Gardiner himself is not much delighted. The delight at which he hints, feems to be the king's diverfion, which keeps him in attendance. JOHNSON. 7 - at primero-] A game at cards. See Vol. I. p. 289, n. 8. MALONE. 8 Some touch of your late bufinefs:] Some hint of the business that keeps you awake fo late. JOHNSON, I wish |