With many children by you: If, in the course
And procefs 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 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 sharpeft kind of juftice. Pleate you, fir,
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 wifeft prince, that there had reign'd by many
A year before: It is not to be question'd
That they had gather'd a wife council to them.
Of every realm, that did debate this business,
Who deem'd our marriage lawful: Wherefore I
humbly
Befeech you, fir, to fpare me, 'till I may
Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whofe 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
Of fingular integrity and learning,
Yea, the elect of the land, who are affembled
T'o plead your caufe: It fhall be therefore bootlefs
That longer you defer the court; as well
For your own quiet, as to rectify
What is unfettled in the king.
Cam. His grace
Hath spoken well, and juftly; Therefore, madam, 's fit this royal feffion do proceed;
nd that, without delay, their arguments
Be now produc'd, and heard.
Queen. Lord cardinal-
To you I fpeak.
Wol. Your pleafure, 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.
Queen. 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, 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 fay again,
I utterly abhor, yea, from my foul
Refufe you for my judge; whom, yet once more,
I hold my moft malicious foe, and think not
At all a friend to truth.
You fpeak not like yourfelf; who ever yet Have food to charity, and display'd the effects Of difpofition gentle, and of wildom
O'er-topping woman's power. Madam, you do
I have no fpleen against you; nor injustice
For you, or any: how far I have proceeded,
Or how far further fhall, is warranted
By a commiffion from the confiftory,
Yea, the whole confiftory of Rome. You charge me,
That I have blown this coal: I do deny it :
The king is prefent; if it be known to him,
That I gainfay my deed, how may he wound,
And worthily, my falfehood? yea, as much
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
His highnefs fhall fpeak in, I do befeech
You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking,
And to fay fo no more.
Queen. My lord, my lord,
I am a fimple woman, much too weak
To oppofe your cunning. You are meek and humble-mouth'd;
You fign your place and calling, in full feeming,
With meeknefs and humility; but your heart
Is cramm'd with arrogancy, fpleen, and pride.
You have, by fortune and his highnefs' favours,
Gone flightly o'er low steps; and now are mounted,
Where powers are your retainers; and your words,
Domesticks to you, serve your will, as't please
Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you,
You tender more your perfon's honour, than
Your high profeffion fpiritual: That again
I do refuse 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 curt'fies to the King, and offers to depart. Cam. the queen is obftinate,
Stubborn to juftice, apt to accuse it, and
Difdainful to be tried by it: 'tis not well.
She's going away.
King. Call her again..
Crier. Katharine, queen of England, come into
Ufher. Madam, you are call'd back. [the court.
Queen. What need you note it? pray you, keep
When you are call'd, return.-Now the Lord help,
They vex me paft my patience!-pray you, pafson:
I will not tarry; no, nor never more,
Upon this bufinefs, my appearance make
In any of their courts. [Exeunt Queen and her Attend.
King. Go thy ways, Kate:
That man i' the world who fhall report he has
A better wife, let him in nought be trufted,
For speaking 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 elfe could fpeak thee out),
The queen of earthly queens :-She is noble born:
And, like her true nobility, fhe has
Carried herself towards me.
In humbleft manner I require your highness,
'That it fhall pleafe you to declare, in hearing
Of all thefe ears (for where I am robb'd and bound
There muft I be unloos'd; although not there
At once and fully fatisfy'd), whether ever I
Did broach this business to your highnefs; or
Lay'd 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 to the prejudice of her prefent ftate,
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 to village curs,
Bark when their fellows do: by fome of these
The queen is put in anger. You are excus'd ;
But will you be more justify'd? you ever
Have with'd the fleeping of this bufinefs; never
Defir'd it to be ftirr'd; but oft have hindered, oft,
The paffages made toward it :-on my honour,
I fpeak my good lord cardinal to this point,
And thus far clear him. Now, what mov'd to't,--
I will be bold with time, and your attention :-
Then mark the inducement. Thus it came;-give
heed to't:-
My confcience firft receiv'd a tenderness,
Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
By the Bishop of Bayonne, then French ambafador;
Who had been hither fent on the debating
A marriage, 'twixt the duke of Orleans and
Our daughter Mary: i' the progress of this business,
Ere a determinate refolution, he
(I mean, the bithop) did require a respite;
Wherein he might the king his lord advertise
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 splitting power, and made to tremble
The region of my breaft; which forc'd fuch way,
That many maz'd confiderings did throng,
And prefs'd in with this caution. First, methought,
I stood not in the smile of heaven; who had
Commanded nature, that my lady's womb,
|