Whilst our commission from Rome is read

2.4.21351Let silence be commanded.

What's the need?

2.4.41353It hath already publicly been read

2.4.51354And on all sides th'authority allowed;

2.4.61355You may then spare that time.

Be't so; proceed.

Say, 'Henry King of England, come into the court.'

Henry King of England, come into the court.

Here.

Say, 'Katherine Queen of England,

2.4.121361Come into the court.'

Katherine Queen of England, come into the court.

Sir, I desire you do me right and justice

2.4.151367And to bestow your pity on me, for

2.4.161368I am a most poor woman, and a stranger

2.4.171369Born out of your dominions, having here

2.4.181370No judge indifferent, nor no more assurance

2.4.191371Of equal friendship and proceeding. Alas, sir:

2.4.201372In what have I offended you? What cause

2.4.211373Hath my behavior given to your displeasure

2.4.221374That thus you should proceed to put me off

2.4.231375And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness

2.4.241376I have been to you a true and humble wife,

2.4.251377At all times to your will conformable;

2.4.261378Ever in fear to kindle your dislike;

2.4.271379Yea, subject to your countenance, glad or sorry,

2.4.281380As I saw it inclined? When was the hour

2.4.291381I ever contradicted your desire,

2.4.301382Or made it not mine, too? Or which of your friends

2.4.311383Have I not strove to love, although I knew

2.4.321384He were mine enemy? What friend of mine,

2.4.331385That had to him derived your anger, did I

2.4.341386Continue in my liking? Nay, gave notice

2.4.351387He was from thence discharged? Sir, call to mind

2.4.361388That I have been your wife in this obedience

2.4.371389Upward of twenty years, and have been blessed

2.4.381390With many children by you. If, in the course

2.4.391391And process of this time, you can report -

2.4.401392And prove it too - against mine honor aught,

2.4.411393My bond to wedlock or my love and duty

2.4.421394Against your sacred person, in God's name

2.4.431395Turn me away and let the foul'st contempt

2.4.441396Shut door upon me, and so give me up

2.4.451397To the sharp'st kind of justice. Please you, sir,

2.4.461398The king your father was reputed for

2.4.471399A prince most prudent, of an excellent

2.4.481400And unmatched wit and judgement. Ferdinand,

2.4.491401My father, king of Spain, was reckoned one

2.4.501402The wisest prince that there had reigned by many

2.4.511403A year before. It is not to be questioned

2.4.521404That they had gathered a wise council to them

2.4.531405Of every realm that did debate this business,

2.4.541406Who deemed our marriage lawful. Wherefore I humbly

2.4.551407Beseech you, sir, to spare me till I may

2.4.561408Be, by my friends in Spain, advised; whose counsel

2.4.571409I will implore. If not, i'th' name of God,

2.4.581410Your pleasure be fulfilled.

You have here, lady,

2.4.601412And of your choice these reverend fathers, men

2.4.611413Of singular integrity, and learning;

2.4.621414Yea, the elect o'th'Land, who are assembled

2.4.631415To plead your cause. It shall be therefore bootless

2.4.641416That longer you desire the court, as well

2.4.651417For your own quiet as to rectify

2.4.661418What is unsettled in the king.

His grace

2.4.681420Hath spoken well and justly; therefore, madam,

2.4.691421It's fit this royal session do proceed,

2.4.701422And that (without delay) their arguments

2.4.711423Be now produced and heard.

Lord cardinal, to you I speak.

Your pleasure, madam.

Sir, I am about to weep; but thinking that

2.4.751427We are a queen (or long have dreamed so), certain

2.4.761428The daughter of a king, my drops of tears

2.4.771429I’ll turn to sparks of fire.

Be patient yet.

I will, when you are humble; nay before,

2.4.801432Or God will punish me. I do believe

2.4.811433(Induced by potent circumstances), that

2.4.821434You are mine enemy and make my challenge;

2.4.831435You shall not be my judge. For it is you

2.4.841436Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me;

2.4.851437(Which God’s dew quench), therefore I say again

2.4.861438I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul

2.4.871439Refuse you for my judge, whom yet once more

2.4.881440I hold my most malicious foe, and think not

2.4.891441At all a friend to truth.

I do profess

2.4.911443You speak not like yourself who, ever yet,

2.4.921444Have stood to charity and displayed th'effects

2.4.931445Of disposition gentle, and of wisedome,

2.4.941446O’er-topping woman’s power. Madam, you do me wrong.

2.4.951447I have no spleen against you, nor injustice

2.4.961448For you or any. How far I have proceeded,

2.4.971449Or how far further shall, is warranted

2.4.981450By a commission from the consistory;

2.4.991451Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me

2.4.1001452That I have blown this coal; I do deny it.

2.4.1011453The king is present: If it be known to him

2.4.1021454That I gainsay my deed how may he wound,

2.4.1031455And worthily, my falsehood; yea, as much

2.4.1041456As you have done my truth. If he know

2.4.1051457That I am free of your report, he knows

2.4.1061458I am not of your wrong. Therefore in him

2.4.1071459It lies to cure me, and the cure is to

2.4.1081460Remove these thoughts from you. The which before

2.4.1091461His highness shall speak in, I do beseech

2.4.1101462You (gracious madam), to unthink your speaking

2.4.1111463And to say so no more.

My lord, my Lord:

2.4.1131465I am a simple woman, much too weak

2.4.1141466T'oppose your cunning. Y'are meek, and humble-mouthed;

2.4.1151467You sign your place and calling in full seeming,

2.4.1161468With meekness and humility; but your heart

2.4.1171469Is crammed with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.

2.4.1181470You have by fortune, and his highness’s favors,

2.4.1191471Gone slightly o’er low steps and now are mounted

2.4.1201472Where powers are your retainers and your words

2.4.1211473(Domestics to you), serve your will as't please

2.4.1221474Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you,

2.4.1231475You tender more your person’s honor than

2.4.1241476Your high profession spiritual. That again

2.4.1251477I do refuse you for my judge and here,

2.4.1261478Before you all, appeal unto the pope

2.4.1271479To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness

2.4.1281480And to be judged by him.

The queen is obstinate,

2.4.1301483Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and

2.4.1311484Disdainful to be tried by’t. ’Tis not well;

2.4.1321485She's going away.

Call her again.

Katherine, Queen of England, come into the court.

Madam, you are called back.

What, need you note it? Pray you keep your way

2.4.1371490When you are called return. Now, the Lord help,

2.4.1381491They vex me past my patience. Pray you, pass on;

2.4.1391492I will not tarry. No, nor ever more

2.4.1401493Upon this business my appearance make

2.4.1411494In any of their courts.

Go thy ways, Kate,

2.4.1431497That man i'th' world who shall report he has

2.4.1441498A better wife, let him in naught be trusted

2.4.1451499For speaking false in that. Thou art alone

2.4.1461500(If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness,

2.4.1471501Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,

2.4.1481502Obeying in commanding, and thy parts

2.4.1491503Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out),

2.4.1501504The queen of earthly queens. She's noble born,

2.4.1511505And like her true nobility she has

2.4.1521506Carried herself towards me.

Most gracious sir,

2.4.1541508In humblest manner I require your highness

2.4.1551509That it shall please you to declare in hearing

2.4.1561510Of all these ears (for where I am robed and bound,

2.4.1571511There must I be unloosed, although not there

2.4.1581512At once, and fully satisfied) whether ever I

2.4.1591513Did broach this business to your highness, or

2.4.1601514Laid any scruple in your way, which might

2.4.1611515Induce you to the question on't; or ever

2.4.1621516Have to you, but with thanks to God for such

2.4.1631517A royal lady, spake one the least word that might

2.4.1641518Be to the prejudice of her present state

2.4.1651519Or touch of her good person?

My lord cardinal,

2.4.1671521I do excuse you. Yea, upon mine honor

2.4.1681522I free you from't. You are not to be taught

2.4.1691523That you have many enemies that know not

2.4.1701524Why they are so, but like to village curs

2.4.1711525Bark when their fellows do. By some of these

2.4.1721526The queen is put in anger. Y'are excused;

2.4.1731527But will you be more justified? You ever

2.4.1741528Have wished the sleeping of this business, never desired

2.4.1751529It to be stirred; but oft have hindered, oft

2.4.1761530The passages made toward it. On my honor

2.4.1771531I speak, my good lord cardinal, to this point,

2.4.1781532And thus far clear him.

2.4.1791533Now, what moved me to't,

2.4.1801534I will be bold with time and your attention.

2.4.1811535Then mark th' inducement. Thus it came; give heed to't.

2.4.1821536My conscience first received a tenderness,

2.4.1831537Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches uttered

2.4.1841538By th' bishop of Bayonne, then French ambassador,

2.4.1851539Who had beene hither sent on the debating

2.4.1861540And marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and

2.4.1871541Our daughter Mary. I'th' progress of this business,

2.4.1881542Ere a determinate resolution, he

2.4.1891543(I meane the Bishop) did require a respite,

2.4.1901544Wherein he might the king, his lord, advertise

2.4.1911545Whether our daughter were legitimate,

2.4.1921546Respecting this our marriage with the dowager

2.4.1931547Sometimes our brother's wife. This respite shook

2.4.1941548The bosom of my conscience; entered me,

2.4.1951549Yea, with a spitting power and made to tremble

2.4.1961550The region of my breast which forced such way

2.4.1971551That many 'mazed considerings did throng

2.4.1981552And pressed in with this caution. First, methought

2.4.1991553I stood not in the smile of heaven, who had

2.4.2001554Commanded nature, that my lady's womb,

2.4.2011555If it conceived a male child by me should

2.4.2021556Do no more offices of life to't than

2.4.2031557The grave does to th' dead. For her male issue

2.4.2041558Or died where they were made, or shortly after

2.4.2051559This world had aired them. Hence I took a thought,

2.4.2061560This was a judgement on me, that my kingdom

2.4.2071561(Well worthy the best heir o'th' world), should not

2.4.2081562Be gladded in't by me. Then follows that

2.4.2091563I weighed the danger, which my realms stood in

2.4.2101564By this my issue's fail, and that gave to me

2.4.2111565Many a groaning throw. Thus hulling in

2.4.2121566The wild sea of my conscience I did steer

2.4.2131567Toward this remedy, whereupon we are

2.4.2141568Now present here together: that's to say

2.4.2151569I meant to rectify my conscience, which

2.4.2161570I then did feel full sick, and yet not well

2.4.2171571By all the reverend fathers of the land

2.4.2181572And doctors learned. First I began in private,

2.4.2191573With you my lord of Lincoln; you remember

2.4.2201574How, under my oppression, I did reek

2.4.2211575When I first moved you.

Very well, my liege.

I have spoke long, be pleased yourself to say

2.4.2241578How far you satisfied me.

So please your highness,

2.4.2261580The question did at first so stagger me,

2.4.2271581Bearing a state of mighty moment in't

2.4.2281582And consequence of dread, that I committed

2.4.2291583The daringest counsel which I had to doubt,

2.4.2301584And did entreat your highness to this course

2.4.2311585Which you are running heere.

I then moved you

2.4.2331587My Lord of Canterbury, and got your leave

2.4.2341588To make this present summons unsolicited.

2.4.2351589I left no reverend person in this court,

2.4.2361590But by particular consent proceeded

2.4.2371591Under your hands and seals; therefore go on,

2.4.2381592For no dislike i'th' world against the person

2.4.2391593Of the good queen but the sharp, thorny points

2.4.2401594Of my alleged reasons drives this forward.

2.4.2411595Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life

2.4.2421596And kingly dignity, we are contented

2.4.2431597To wear our mortal state to come with her,

2.4.2441598(Katherine our queen), before the primest creature

2.4.2451599That's paragoned o'th' world.

So please your highness,

2.4.2471601The queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness

2.4.2481602That we adjourn this court till further day.

2.4.2491603Meanwhile, must be an earnest motion

2.4.2501604Made to the queen to call back her appeal

2.4.2511605She intends unto his holiness.

I may perceive

2.4.2531607These cardinals trifle with me. I abhor

2.4.2541608This dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome.

2.4.2551609My learned and well-beloved servant Cranmer,

2.4.2561610Prithee return; with thy approach I know

2.4.2571611My comfort comes along. Break up the court;

2.4.2581612I say, set on!