Take thy lute, wench:

3.1.21617My soul grows sad with troubles.

3.1.31618Sing, and disperse 'em if thou canst; leave working.

How now?

And't please your grace, the two great cardinals

3.1.181635Wait in the presence.

Would they speak with me?

They willed me say so, Madam.

Pray their graces

3.1.221639To come near. What can be their business

3.1.231640With me, a poor weak woman, fall'n from favor?

3.1.241641I do not like their coming; now I think on't

3.1.251642They should be good men, their affairs as righteous.

3.1.261643But all hoods make not monks.

Peace to your highness.

Your graces find me here part of a housewife,

3.1.291647(I would be all), against the worst may happen.

3.1.301648What are your pleasures with me, reverent lords?

May it please you, noble madam to withdraw

3.1.321650Into your private chamber. We shall give you

3.1.331651The full cause of our coming.

Speak it here.

3.1.351653There's nothing I have done yet o' my conscience

3.1.361654Deserves a corner. Would all other Women

3.1.371655Could speak this with as free a soul as I do.

3.1.381656My lords, I care not (so much I am happy

3.1.391657Above a number), if my actions

3.1.401658Were tried by ev'ry tongue, ev'ry eye saw 'em,

3.1.411659Envy and base opinion set against 'em;

3.1.421660I know my life so even. If your business

3.1.431661Seek me out, and that way I am wife in.

3.1.441662Out with it boldly; truth loves open dealing.

Tanta est erga te mentis integritas Regina serenissima.

O, good my lord, no Latin.

3.1.471665I am not such a truant since my coming,

3.1.481666As not to know the language I have lived in.

3.1.491667A strange tongue makes my cause more strange, suspicious.

3.1.501668Pray, speak in English; here are some will thank you

3.1.511669If you speak truth, for their poor mistress's sake.

3.1.521670Believe me, she has had much wrong. Lord cardinal,

3.1.531671The willingest sin I ever yet committed,

3.1.541672May be absolved in English.

Noble lady,

3.1.561674I am sorry my integrity should breed,

3.1.571675(And service to his majesty and you)

3.1.581676So deep suspicion, where all faith was meant.

3.1.591677We come not by the way of accusation,

3.1.601678To taint that honor every good tongue blesses,

3.1.611679Nor to betray you any way to sorrow.

3.1.621680You have too much good, lady; but to know

3.1.631681How you stand minded in the weighty difference

3.1.641682Between the king and you, and to deliver

3.1.651683(Like free and honest men), our just opinions

3.1.661684And comforts to our cause.

Most honoured madam,

3.1.681686My lord of York, out of his noble nature,

3.1.691687Zeal and obedience, he still bore your grace,

3.1.701688Forgetting (like a good man) your late censure

3.1.711689Both of his truth and him (which was too far),

3.1.721690Offers, as I do, in a sign of peace,

3.1.731691His service and his counsel.

To betray me.

3.1.751693My lords, I thank you both for your good wills.

3.1.761694YYe speak like honest men, (pray God ye prove so),

3.1.771695But how to make ye suddenly an answer

3.1.781696In such a point of weight, so need mine honor,

3.1.791697(More near my life I fear) with my weak wit;

3.1.801698And to such men of gravity and learning,

3.1.811699In truth, I know not. I was set at work,

3.1.821700Among my maids, full little (God knows), looking

3.1.831701Either for such men or such business;

3.1.841702For her sake that I have been, for I feel

3.1.851703The last fit of my greatness. Good your graces,

3.1.861704Let me have time and counsel for my cause.

3.1.871705Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless.

Madam,

3.1.891707You wrong the king's love with these fears,

3.1.901708Your hopes and friends are infinite.

In England,

3.1.921710But little for my profit can you think, lords,

3.1.931711That any English man dare give me counsel?

3.1.941712Or be a known friend 'gainst his highness's pleasure,

3.1.951713(Though he be grown so desperate to be honest)

3.1.961714And live a subject? Nay, forsooth my friends,

3.1.971715They that must weigh out my afflictions,

3.1.981716They that my trust must grow to, live not here;

3.1.991717They are (as all my other comforts) far hence

3.1.1001718In mine own country, lords.

I would your grace

3.1.1021720Would leave your griefs and take my counsel.

How, sir?

Put your main cause into the king's protection;

3.1.1051723He's loving and most gracious. 'Twill be much

3.1.1061724Both for your honor better and your cause;

3.1.1071725For if the trial of the law o'ertake ye,

3.1.1081726You'll part away disgraced.

He tels you rightly.

Ye tell me what ye wish for both: my ruin.

3.1.1111729Is this your Christian counsel? Out upon ye!

3.1.1121730Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge

3.1.1131731That no king can corrupt.

Your rage mistakes us.

The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye,

3.1.1161734Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues.

3.1.1171735But cardinal sins and hollow hearts I fear ye;

3.1.1181736Mend 'em for shame my Lords: Is this your comfort?

3.1.1191737The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady?

3.1.1201738A woman lost among ye, laughed at, scorned?

3.1.1211739I will not wish ye half my miseries;

3.1.1221740I have more charity. But say I warn'd ye;

3.1.1231741Take heed, for heaven's sake take heed, least at once

3.1.1241742The burden of my sorrows fall upon ye.

Madam, this is a mere distraction;

3.1.1261744You turn the good we offer into envy.

Ye turn me into nothing. Woe upon ye

3.1.1281746And all such false professors. Would you have me

3.1.1291747(If you have any justice, any pity;

3.1.1301748If ye be any thing but churhmens' habits);

3.1.1311749Put my sick cause into his hands that hates me?

3.1.1321750Alas, he's banished me his bed already,

3.1.1331751His love, too, long ago. I am old, my lords,

3.1.1341752And all the fellowship I hold now with him

3.1.1351753Is only my obedience. What can happen

3.1.1361754To me above this wretchedness? All your studies

3.1.1371755Make me a curse like this.

Your fears are worse.

Have I lived thus long (let me speak myself,

3.1.1401758Since virtue finds no friends), a wife, a true one?

3.1.1411759A woman (I dare say without vainglory),

3.1.1421760Never yet branded with suspicion?

3.1.1431761Have I, with all my full affections,

3.1.1441762Still met the king? Loved him next heaven? Obeyed him?

3.1.1451763Been (out of fondness), superstitious to him?

3.1.1461764Almost forgot my prayers to content him?

3.1.1471765And am I thus rewarded? 'Tis not well, lords.

3.1.1481766Bring me a constant woman to her husband,

3.1.1491767One that ne'er dreamed a joy beyond his pleasure;

3.1.1501768And to that woman (when she has done most),

3.1.1511769Yet will I add an honor: a great patience.

Madam, you wander from the good

3.1.1531771We aim at.

My lord,

3.1.1551773I dare not make myself so guilty

3.1.1561774To give up willingly that noble title

3.1.1571775Your master wed me to; nothing but death

3.1.1581776Shall e'er divorce my dignities.

Pray, hear me.

Would I had neuer trod this English earth,

3.1.1611779Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it:

3.1.1621780Ye have angels' faces, but heaven knows your hearts.

3.1.1631781What will become of me now, wretched lady?

3.1.1641782I am the most unhappy woman living.

3.1.1651783Alas (poor wenches) where are now your fortunes?

3.1.1661784Shipwrecked upon a kingdom where no pity,

3.1.1671785No friends, no hope, no kindred weep for me?

3.1.1681786Almost no grave allowed me? Like the lily

3.1.1691787That once was mistress of the field and flourished,

3.1.1701788I'll hang my head and perish.

If your grace

3.1.1721790Could but be brought to know our ends are honest,

3.1.1731791You'd feel more comfort. Why should we, (good lady),

3.1.1741792Upon what cause wrong you? Alas, our places,

3.1.1751793The way of our profession is against it;

3.1.1761794We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow 'em.

3.1.1771795For goodness' sake, consider what you do;

3.1.1781796How you may hurt yourself. Aye, utterly

3.1.1791797Grow from the king's acquaintance by this carriage.

3.1.1801798The hearts of princes kiss obedience,

3.1.1811799So much they love it. But to stubborn spirits

3.1.1821800They swell and grow as terrible as storms.

3.1.1831801I know you have a gentle, noble temper;

3.1.1841802A soul as even as a calm. Pray think us

3.1.1851803Those we profess: peace-makers, friends, and servants.

Madam, you'l find it so.

3.1.1871805You wrong your virtues

3.1.1881806With these weak woman's fears. A noble spirit,

3.1.1891807As yours was put into you, ever casts

3.1.1901808Such doubts as false coin from it. The king loves you;

3.1.1911809Beware you lose it not. For us, (if you please

3.1.1921810To trust us in your business) we are ready

3.1.1931811To use our utmost studies in your service.

Do what ye will, my lords,

3.1.1951813And pray forgiue me;

3.1.1961814If I have used myself unmannerly

3.1.1971815You know I am a woman, lacking wit

3.1.1981816To make a seemly answer to such persons.

3.1.1991817PPray do my service to his majesty;

3.1.2001818He has my heart yet, and shall have my prayers

3.1.2011819While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers,

3.1.2021820Bestow your counsels on me. She now begs

3.1.2031821That little thought when she set footing here,

1822She should have bought her dignities so dear.