Imatges de pàgina
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That thus you should proceed to put me off,
And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness,
I've been to you a true and humble wife,

At all times to your will conformable:

Ever in fear to kindle your

diflike,

Yea, fubject to your count'nance; glad or forry,
As I faw it inclin'd: when was the hour
I ever contradicted your defire?

Or made it not mine too? 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 deriv'd your anger, did I
Continue in my liking? nay, gave notice
He was from thence difcharg'd? Sir, call to mind,
That I have been your wife, in this obedience,
Upwards of twenty years, and have been bleft
With many children by you. If in the course
And procefs of this time you can report,
And prove it too, against mine honour ought,
My bond of wedlock, or my love and duty
Againft your facred perfon; in God's name
Turn me away; and let the foul'ft contempt
Shut door upon me, and fo give me up
To the fharpest kind of justice. Please you, Sir,
The King your father was reputed for
A Prince moft prudent, of an excellent
And unmatch'd wit and judgment. Ferdinand
My father, King of Spain, was reckon❜d one
The wifeft Prince that there had reign'd, by many
A year before. It is not to be queftion'd,
That they had gather'd a wife council to them
Of ev'ry realm, that did debate this business,

Who deem'd our marriage lawful. Wherefore humbly,
Sir, I beseech you, fpare me, 'till I may

Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whofe council
I will implore. If not, i' th' name of God

Your pleasure be fulfill'd.

Wol. You have here, lady,

(And of your choice) these rev'rend fathers, men Of fingular integrity and learning:

Year

Yea, the elect o'th 'land, who are affembled

To plead your caufe.

It fhall be therefore bootlefs

That longer you defer the court, as well
For our own quiet, as to rectifie

What is unfettled in the King.

Cam. His Grace

Hath fpoken well and juftly; therefore, madam,
It's fit this royal feffion do proceed,

And that without delay their arguments

Be now produc'd, and heard.

Queen. Lord Cardinal,

To you I fpeak.

Wol. Your pleasure, madam.
Queen. Sir,

I am about to weep; but thinking that

We are a Queen, or long have dream'd fo, certain
The daughter of a King, my drops of tears
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 circumftances: that

You are mine enemy, and make my challenge.
You fhall 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 foul

Refuse you for my judge, whom yet once more
I hold my moft malicious foe, and think not
At all a friend to truth.

Wol. I do profess

You fpeak not like your felf, who ever yet
Have stood to charity, and difplay'd th' effects
Of dispofition gentle, and of Wifdom

O'er-topping woman's power. Madam, you wrong me..
I have no fpleen against you, nor injustice
For you, or any; how far I've proceeded,
Or how far further fhall, is warranted
By a commiffion from the confiftory,

Yea, the whole confift'ry of Rome. You charge me,

That

That I have blown this coal; I do deny it.
Toe King is prefent; if't be known to him
That I gainfay my deed, how may he wound,
And worthily, my falfhood? 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 fpeak in, I do befeech

You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking,
And fay no more.

Queen. My lord, my lord, I am

A fimple woman, much too weak t' oppose

Your cunning. You are meek and humble-mouth'd ;.
You fign your place and calling, in full feeming,
With meekness and humility; but your heart
Is cramm'd with arrogance, with fpleen and pride.
You have by fortune and his Highness favours
Gone flightly o'er low fteps, and now are mounted
Where pow'rs are your retainers; and your words,
Domefticks to you, ferve your will, as't please
Your felf pronounce their office. I muft tell you
You tender more your perfon's honour, than
Your high profeffion fpiritual. That again
I do refufe you for my judge, and here
Before you all, appeal unto the Pope

To bring my whole caufe 'fore his holiness
And to be judg'd by him..

[She courtefies to the King, and offers to departi Cam. The Queen is obftinate,

Stubborn to justice, apt t'accuse it, and

Disdainful to be try'd by't; 'tis not well.

She's going away.

King. Call her again.

Cryer. Katherine, Queen of England, come into the

court.

Ufher. Madam, you are call'd back.

Queen. What need you note it? pray you keep your

way.

When

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When you are call'd, return. Now the Lord help
They vex me paft my patience-pray pass on;
I will not tarry no, nor ever more

Upon this bufinefs my appearance make
In any of their courts.

[Exeunt Queen and her Attendants

SCENE

King. Go thy ways, Kate,

VII..

That man i'th world, who fhall report he has
A better wife, let him in nought be trufted,
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, could but fpeak thee out)
The Queen of earthly Queens. She's noble borns
And like her true nobility, he has

Carried her felf tow'rds me.

Wol. Moft gracious Sir,

In humbleft manner I require your Highness
That it fhall pleafe you to declare, in hearing
Of all thefe ears (for where I'm robb'd and bound,
There must I be unloos'd, although not there
At once, and fully fatisfy'd) if I

Did broach this bufinefs to your Highness, or
Laid any fcruple in your way, which might.
Induce you to the question on't; or ever
Have to you, but with thanks to God for fuch
A royal lady, fpake one the leaft word,
That might be prejudice of her present state,
Or touch of her good perfon?

King. My lord Cardinal,

I do excufe you; yea, upon mine honour,
I free you from't: you are not to be taught,
That you have many enemies, that know not
Why they are fo, but like the village curs,
Bark when their fellows do. By fome of thefe
The Queen is put in anger; y'are excus'd:

But

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But will you be more juftify'd? you ever
Have with'd the fleeping of this bufinefs, never
Defir'd it to be tirr'd; but oft have hindred
The paffages made tow'rds it: on my honour
I fpeak, my good lord Cardinal, to this point;
And thus far clear him. Now, what mov'd me to't.
I will be bold with time and your attention:

Then mark th' inducement. Thus it came; give heed to't `
My confcience first receiv'd a tenderness,

Scruple, and prick'd, on certain fpeeches utter'd
By th' bilhop of Bayon, then French Ambaffador,
Who had been hither fent on the debating
A marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and
Our daughter Mary: I'th' progrefs of this bufinefs,
Ere a determinate refolution, he

(I mean the bishop) did require a refpite,
Wherein he might the King his lord advertife,
Whether our daughter were legitimate;
Refpecting this our marriage with the Dowager,
Sometime our brother's wife. This refpite fhook
The bofom of my confcience, enter'd me,
Yea with a fplitting power; and made to tremble
The region of my breaft, which forc'd fuch way,
That many maz'd confiderings did throng

And preft it with this caution. First, methought
I ftood not in the fmile of heav'n, which had
Commanded nature, that my lady's womb
(If it conceiv'd a male-child by me) fhould
Do no more offices of life to't, than

The grave does to the dead; for her male-iffue,
Or died where they were made, or fhortly after
This world had air'd them. Hence I took a thought,
This was a judgment on me, that my kingdom
(Well worthy the beft heir o'th' world) fhould not
Be glad in one by me. Then follows, that
I weigh'd the danger which my realms ftood in
By this my iffue's fail, and that gave to me
Many a groaning throe: thus hulling in
The wild fea of my confcience, I did steer
Towards this remedy, whereon we are

Now

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