him here with his son and successor, Thomas, the third Duke.- Suffolk, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, son of the Sir William Brandon who fell at Bosworth. He married Mary, younger sister of Henry VIII., the youthful widow of Louis XII. of France.

19. Turns what he list, 'turns the wheel of fortune so as to bring about whatever he likes.'

22. Now, 'now that.'

27. And to give the king a remedy from all these things.'

36. News. Used by Shakespeare both as a singular and plural noun; cf. Tempest, V. 221: The best news is, that " etc.; and Henry VI., Part II., I. iv. 78: 'Thither go these news.' 39. The French king's sister, or rather sister-in-law,' as it was Renée, the sister of the wife of Francis I., whom Wolsey was supposed to be anxious for his master to marry. Another wife supposed to have been thought of by Wolsey for the king was Margaret, the Duchess of Alençon. See III. ii. 85.

40. Have slept upon, 'have been closed or blinded to.'

41. His slavery, the slavery which he imposes.

46. To be fashioned to whatever height he pleases.' Cf. Richard II., I. i. 109; 'How high a pitch his resolution soars." Literally the word expresses the height to which a falcon soars.

58. Supply 'this' before 'a most unfit time.'

66. This way, 'in this manner.' 67. Estate, public interest.'

69. Go to, often used imperatively as an expression of reproof or of exhortation. To (='forward,' on ') is an adverb here. Cf. Othello, IV. ii. 194:

Iago. Well; go to; very well. Roderigo. Very well! go to! I cannot go to, man; nor 'tis not very well.'

76. Johnson explains thus, 'Let care be taken that my promise be performed, that my professions of welcome be not found mere talk.

78, 79. This is spoken ironically, of

course.

80. I would not, however, even for his place, be so sick of it (pride) as he is.' Johnson explains, 'so sick as he is proud.'

83. Have-at-him, an attack, a thrust; cf. III. ii. 307.

86. What envy (can) reach you?' 87. Spaniard,the Spanish Court.' 89. Clerks, the clergy.'

90. The question of the validity of Henry's marriage was submitted to the faculties of law and divinity in the universities of Europe, and, as is well known, almost all gave their 'free voices' for the divorce.

97. Conclave, the college of Cardinals at Rome.

104. Unpartial, 'impartial.' 105. Equal, 'just,' 'impartial.'

106. Gardiner. This was Stephen Gardiner, who became the king's secretary after a mission to Rome concerning the divorce in 1527, and was made Bishop of Winchester in 1531.

108. Not to deny, etc., as not to deny her that which a woman of lower rank might claim by law, namely, scholars, etc.'

119. Holinshed says: "The king received into favour Dr Stephen Gardiner, whom he employed in services of great secrecy and weight, admitting him in the room of Doctor Pace, the which being continually abroad in ambassages (and the same oftentimes not much necessary) of the cardinal's appointment, at length took such grief therewith, that he fell out of his right wits.'

126. Kept him constantly employed in foreign embassies.'

129. There's. Abbott observes that cases of a quasi-singular verb preceding a plural subject are common, particularly where the subject is as yet future and, as it were, unsettled. This is most frequent in the case of 'there is,' as 'There is no more such masters,' Cymbeline, IV. ii. 371.

130. That good fellow, that is, Gardiner.

133. To be grip'd by, 'to join hands with.' Cf. the substantive use of 'gripe' in Cymbeline, I. vi. 106: should I join gripes with hands made hard with hourly falsehood.'

134. Modesty, 'discretion.' 136. For receipt of such learning,' that is, of such learned men." 138. Furnish'd, 'prepared.'

SCENE 3.

13. Though it be but temporal, yet if that quarreller Fortune deprive the bearer of it, the pang he suffers is like the separation of soul from body.' In the case of the word quarrel, the abstract is put for the concrete, as often in Shakespeare. Schmidt observes that this kind of metonymy is common to all languages, and scarcely to be numbered among the peculiarities of poetical license, but that no poet has been nearly so bold in it as Shakespeare. He cites as instances: adversity loathsome fellow, age = old woman, baseness = base fellow, charm = charmer, counsel = counsellors, fear = a dreaded object, grace a graceful person, humour one who is humorous, iniquity: one who is iniquitous, mettle

a man of mettle, poverty poor people, sin a sinner, virtue a virtuous man, etc. Quarrel or carrel means a squareheaded arrow used for the cross-bow; and many commentators have taken the word to mean 'arrow' here. Cowden Clarke contends that, as we find that Shakespeare elsewhere has the 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' (Hamlet, III. i. 58); your shafts of fortune' (Pericles, III. iii. 6); and 'the shot of accident, nor dart of chance' (Othello, IV. i. 278), it seems probable that here 'quarrel' bears this meaning. He adds, moreover, in the present play, the word "divorce being associated with an instrument of death (where Buckingham speaks of "the long divorce of steel," in reference to the "axe" which is to sever him from life), lends probability to "divorce " being here used as a verb in reference to a weapon, figuratively employed.'

"

15. Panging, 'causing pangs.' Cf. with this Antony and Cleopatra, IV. xiii. 5:

'The soul and body rive not more at parting

Than greatness going off.'

17. Stranger, 'foreigner.'
18. Drop upon her (in tears).
20. Range, 'rank.'

21. Than to be dressed up in a splendour that brings grief,' etc.

23. Having, 'possession.'

24. Beshrew me, a form of simple asseveration, or a mild imprecation. 29. Affected, 'aimed at.' 30. Sooth, 'truth.'

31. Saving your mincing, 'notwithstanding your affected modesty of speech.'

32. Cheveril, kid-skin leather, a sym

bol of flexibility. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, II. iv. 87: 'O, here's a wit of cheveril, that stretches from an inch narrow to an ell broad.'

36. A three-pence bow'd, a 'bent threepenny piece.' Crooked coin was counted lucky. Rolfe quotes from Fair. holt, that there were no threepenny pieces so early as the reign of Henry VIII.-Hire, pronounced as a dissyllable.

40. Pluck off a little, 'take off a little from the rank,' that is, 'come down from a duchess to a countess.'

45. Emballing, a 'coronation,' literally 'the bearing the ball or globe,' one of the emblems of royalty.

46. For Carnarvonshire, that is, 'for a single Welsh county.'-'Longed, for 'belonged.' See note to I. ii. 32.

50. Values not, 'is not of as much value as your question.'

57. High note's ta'en, 'notice is taken in high quarters.'

60. Flowing, 'plenteous,' 'abundant.' 61. Marchioness of Pembroke. Courtenay points out that the grant of this title is misplaced. It was not made till September 1532, a few months before Anne's marriage, and long after the trial at Blackfriars, which occurred at the commencement of 1529.

65. Johnson explains thus: 'Not only my all is nothing, but if my all were more than it is, it were still nothing.'

66. 'Nor have my prayers (for his highness) enough sanctity in them to give them worth.' The double negative is frequently used for giving emphatic effect.

Alexandrine:

67. This line is an Prayers is a monosyllable. 72. To improve the fair conceit, 'to confirm the good opinion.'

76. There is perhaps an allusion here,' says Johnson, to the carbuncle which was supposed to have intrinsic light and to shine in the dark; any other gem may reflect light, but cannot give it.'

Clarke

78. My honoured lord. observes that Shakespeare occasionally uses this kind of isolated sentence to signify bidding farewell; and it seems as if it were intended to be accompanied by a valedictory salutation; for here we suppose that Anne curtseys to the Lord Chamberlain as he takes his leave. 81. Beggarly, 'extremely poor.' 82. Nor could ever hit the right moment between being too early and too late.' 84. Very, 'mere.'

G

85. Compell'd, 'thrust on you against

your will.' Pronounced compell'd.

Forty

87. Forty pence. 'I'll wager forty pence it is not.' This is a proverbial expression for a small wager. pence was half a noble, or the sixth part of a pound.

88-90. A sarcastic reference to Anne's conversation a little before.

90. Mud of Egypt, 'the wealth of Egypt,' the fertility of that country being due to the mud which overflows from the river Nile every year.

91. Pleasant, facetious,' 'witty.'

95. 'The robe of honour has a greater length of train than of foreskirt,' that is, 'this honour will be followed by a greater.'

97. Duchess, 'the rank of a duchess.' 99. Make merriment for yourself to suit your individual taste.'

100. Would I had no being, an asseveration.

101. Salute, 'excite,' 'elate.' Cf. Sonnets, cxxi. 6: give salutation to my sportive blood.'- -Faints, 'makes me to faint.'

SCENE 4.

This stage direction corresponds with the account of the trial in Holinshed and Cavendish. The trial took place early in 1529, after a long interval spent in negotiations with the Pope.

Sennet. According to Nares, a sennet 'seems to indicate a particular set of notes on the trumpet, or cornet, different from a flourish.'

The Archbishop of Canterbury at this time (1529) was William Warham, who died in 1532, and was succeeded by Cranmer. The Bishops of Lincoln, Ely, Rochester, and Saint Asaph were respectively John Langland, Nicholas West, John Fisher, and Henry Standish. The last three were counsel for the queen.

Silver pillars. These formed part of the insignia of a cardinal legate. Cavendish, Wolsey's secretary, in describing the pageantry which attended his master on state occasions, mentions 'two great crosses of silver borne before him; with also two great pillars of silver, and his pursuivant at arms with a great mace of silver gilt.' We learn from Holinshed that Wolsey had two great crosses of silver, 'the one of his archbishopric, and 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.' And Steevens quotes

from a contemporary satire on Wolsey by William Roy:

'With worldly pompe incredible, Before him rydeth two prestes stronge: And they bear two crosses right longe, Gapynge in every man's face: After them folowe two laye men secular, And each of theym holdyn a pillar,

In their hondes steade of a mace.'

In the stage direction following after line 10, the queen goes about the court,' 'because,' says Cavendish, 'she could not come to the king directly, for the distance which severed them.'

11-55. For this appropriate and touching appeal,' says Courtenay, 'there is the contemporary authority of Cavendish; notwithstanding that Hall tells us that the queen did not speak a word in this open court; and that Polydore Virgil does not ascribe to her any discourse, except a vehement inculpation of Wolsey.' The queen's speech is in great part almost a paraphrase of Cavendish. 13. Stranger, 'foreigner,' as in II. iii.

17.

15. Indifferent, 'impartial.'

28. Strove, striven. Cf. Shakespeare's drove for 'driven,' wrote for 'written,' smote for smitten,' froze for 'frozen,' shook for 'shaken,' took for 'taken.'

30. Deriv'd, 'drawn upon himself.' 31. Gave notice, Johnson suggested that 'not' may have been dropped out before 'notice' here, but it is more likely that the passage is an elliptical construction not strictly grammatical, but natural enough to condensed dramatic utterance.

38-39. Supply 'aught' before ‘against your sacred person.'

45. Katharine was daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain.

46. One the wisest. One = above all,

alone (all-one). Cf. He is one the truest manner'd,' Cymbeline, I. vi. 165, and 'one the least word,' line 151 of the present scene. Abbott observes that this is a classical usage; cf. Lat. unus justissimus. In early English, one is thus used without a superlative: 'He one is to be praised,' 'I had no brother, but him one,' 'He was king one;' and Dr Morris conjectures that here the Early English ane stands for A.S. dative an-um.

56. Of your choice. See preliminary note at the beginning of the present

scene.

60. That you desire the court longer to stay proceedings.'

75. Make my challenge. This is a

SCENE 1.

1. Lute. This was a musical instrument somewhat like the guitar.Wench meant merely 'a young woman,' without the contemptuous familiarity now implied by the word. Other words that have also become degraded in meaning are: knave, villain, boor, varlet, menial, paramour, minion, etc. 3. Orpheus, a celebrated poet and musician among the ancient Greeks. He played so exquisitely upon the lyre that not only the wild beasts, but even the rocks and trees, used to follow him. When his wife Eurydice died, he followed her into Hades, and by the charms of his lyre won her back from the inexorable Pluto, on the condition that he would not look back at her upon the way into the upper world. This his tenderness for her made him forget, and she was caught back into the shades. His grief for the loss of Eurydice made him treat with contempt the Thracian women, who, in revenge, tore him to pieces during the frenzy of a Bacchic festival. Cf. Two Gentlemen of Verona, III. 1. 78–81:

'For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews,

Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones,

Make tigers tame and huge leviathans Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands.'

Also, Merchant of Venice, V. 79-82. 12. Such art (that), etc.

17. In the presence, 'in the presence chamber.'

18. Will'd, ordered,' 'bid.' 'It was their will that I should say so.'

21. Now, now that.'

22. They should be good men, and their business equally so; but all are not genuine monks that wear a hood'-a reference to the common Latin proverb, Cucullus non facit monachum = the hood does not make the monk.

24-25. Your graces find me here to a certain extent a housewife; I would fain be wholly one that I may be prepared for the worst that may happen.'

30. O' is an abbreviation for on; cf. 'o' my life,' II. i. 50; 'o' my troth,' etc.

44. Strange, suspicious. In such combinations of adjectives, the first is used as a kind of adverb qualifying the

second. Cf. sudden-bold, daring-hardy, crafty-sick, childish-foolish, senselessobstinate, deep-contemplative, etc.

64. Which was too far, 'which was too strong.'

71. Wit, understanding.'

76. For the sake of her that I have been-a queen.'

82-86. Do you think that any Englishman dare advise me; or if any man should be so reckless as to advise with honesty, that he could live?' (Johnson). 87. Weigh out, 'measure truly.' Johnson suggests the explanation: counterbalance,' 'counteract with equal

force.'

96. Part, 'depart.'

In

101. Note the use of 'ye' here as in lines, 68, 69, 106, 108, etc. Abbott observes that ye is generally used in questions, entreaties, and rhetorical appeals. the original form of the language, ye is nominative, you accusative. This distinction, however, though observed in our version of the Bible, was disregarded by the Elizabethan writers.

102-3. Johnson says that the distress of Katharine might well have kept her from the quibble to which she is irresistibly tempted by the word cardinal.

116. If ye be anything more than mere churchmen in outward appearance. 123. Your fears are worse (than your wretchedness).

124. Let me say what I am,' 'let me speak on my own behalf.'

130. Superstitious, 'devoted to him almost to idolatry.'

133. A woman constant to her husband.' See Abbott, section 419.

135. And to that woman's highest claim to honour, I will in my own conduct, add another-a great patience.'

144. There is an allusion involved here to the saying attributed by Bede to Pope Gregory the Great, when he saw some English boys in the slave-market at Rome: 'Non Angli-sed Angeli' ('not English-but Angels'). Steevens quotes from Greene's Spanish Masquerado (1585): England, a little island where, as Saint Augustin saith, there be people with angel faces, so the inhabitants have the courage and hearts of lyons; and Malone quotes from Nashe's Anatomie of Absurditie, (1589): For my part I meane to suspend my sentence, and let an author of late