Let me ne'er see again.

[Exeunt Griffith and Messenger.

Re-enter GRIFFITH, with CAPUCIUS.

If my sight fail not,

You should be lord ambassador from the emperor,
My royal nephew, and your name Capucius.
Cap. Madam, the same, your servant.

Kath.

O my lord, The times and titles now are alter'd strangely With me since first you knew me: but, I pray you, What is your pleasure with me?

Noble lady,

Cap. First, mine own service to your grace; the next, The king's request that I would visit you; Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me Sends you his princely commendations,

And heartily entreats you take good comfort.

Kath. O my good lord, that comfort comes too late;

'Tis like a pardon after execution :

That gentle physic, given in time, had cured me; But now I am past all comforts here but prayers. How does his highness?

Cap.

Madam, in good health.

Kath. So may he ever do! and ever florish,

When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name

Banish'd the kingdom!-Patience, is that letter,

I caused you write, yet sent away

Pa.

?

No, madam.

[giving it to Katharine.

Kath. Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver This to my lord the king.

Cap.

Most willing, madam.

Kath. In which I have commended to his good

ness

The model of our chaste loves, his young daugh

ter: 1

The dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her!-
Beseeching him to give her virtuous breeding;
(She is young, and of a noble, modest nature;
I hope, she will deserve well) and a little

To love her for her mother's sake, that loved him,
Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition
Is, that his noble grace would have some pity
Upon my wretched women, that so long
Have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully:
Of which there is not one, I dare avow,
(And now I should not lie) but will deserve,
For virtue, and true beauty of the soul,
For honesty, and decent carriage,

A right good husband, let him be a noble ;
And, sure, those men are happy that shall have
them.

The last is, for my men ;-they are the poorest,
But poverty could never draw them from me ;-
That they may have their wages duly paid them,
And something over to remember me by:

If Heaven had pleased to have given me longer life

1 Afterwards Queen Mary I.

And able means, we had not parted thus.
These are the whole contents:—and, good my lord,
By that you love the dearest in this world,
As you wish christian peace to souls departed,
Stand these poor people's friend, and urge the king
To do me this last right.

Cap.

By heaven, I will;

Or let me lose the fashion of a man!

Kath. I thank you, honest lord. Remember me In all humility unto his highness:

Say, his long trouble now is passing

Out of this world: tell him, in death I bless'd him,
For so I will.-Mine eyes grow dim.-Farewell,
My lord.-Griffith, farewell.-Nay, Patience,
You must not leave me yet: I must to bed:
Call in more

wench,

women. When I am dead, good

Let me be used with honor; strew me over
With maiden flowers, that all the world may know
I was a chaste wife to my grave: embalm me,
Then lay me forth: although unqueen'd, yet like
A queen, and daughter to a king, inter me.

I can no more.

[Exeunt, leading Katharine.

ACT V.

SCENE 1.

A gallery in the palace.

Enter GARDINER, bishop of Winchester, PAGE with a torch before him, met by SIR THOMAS LOVELL.

Gar. It's one o'clock, boy, is 't not?

It hath struck.

Boy.
Gar. These should be hours for necessities,
Not for delights; times to repair our nature
With comforting repose, and not for us

To waste these times. Good hour of night, sir

Thomas!

Whither so late?

Lov.

1

Came you from the king, my lord? Gar. I did, sir Thomas; and left him at primero 1 With the duke of Suffolk.

It seems, you are in haste; an if there be

No great offence belongs to 't, give your friend Some touch of your late business. Affairs, that walk

1 A fashionable game at cards in our author's time.

(As, they say, spirits do) at midnight, have In them a wilder nature, than the business That seeks despatch by day.

Lov.

My lord, I love you;

And durst commend a secret to your ear

Much weightier than this work. The queen's in

labor,

They say, in great extremity; and fear'd,

She 'll with the labor end.

I

Gar.

The fruit, she goes with,

pray for heartily, that it may find

Good time, and live; but for the stock, sir Thomas, I wish it grubb'd up now.

Lov.

Methinks, I could

Cry the Amen; and yet my conscience says

She's a good creature, and, sweet lady, does
Deserve our better wishes.

Gar.

Hear me, sir Thomas.

But, sir, sir.

You are a gentleman

Of mine own way: I know you wise, religious;

And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well,—
"Twill not, sir Thomas Lovell, take 't of me,
Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she
Sleep in their graves.

Lov.

Now, sir, you speak of two The most remark'd i' the kingdom. As for Crom

well,

Beside that of the jewel-house, he 's made master

O' the rolls, and the king's secretary; farther,

sir,