SCENE VII.
King.
Go thy ways, Kate;
That man i'th' world who shall report he has
A better wife, let him in nought be trusted,
For speaking false in that. Thou art alone,
If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness,
Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,
Obeying in commanding, and thy parts
Sov'reign and pious else, 9 notecould speak thee out,
The Queen of earthly Queens. She's noble born;
And, like her true nobility, she has
Carried herself tow'rds me.
Wol.
Most gracious Sir,
In humblest manner I require your Highness,
That it shall please you to declare, in hearing
Of all these ears, (for where I'm robb'd and bound,
There must I be unloos'd, 1 note
although not there
-- 427 --
At once, and fully satisfy'd) if I
Did broach this business to your Highness, or
Laid any scruple in your way, which might
Induce you to the question on't, or ever
Have to you, but with thanks to God for such
A royal lady, spake one the least word,
That might be prejudice of her present state,
Or touch of her good person?
King.
My Lord Cardinal,
I do excuse 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 so; but, like the village curs,
Bark when their fellows do; by some of these
The Queen is put in anger. Y'are excus'd;
But will you be more justify'd? you ever
Have wish'd the sleeping of this business, never
Desir'd it to be stirr'd: but oft have hindred
The passages made tow'rds it.—2 note
On my honour,
I speak my good Lord Cardinal to this point;
And thus far clear him. Now, what mov'd me to't—
I will be bold with time and your attention.—
Then mark th' inducement. Thus it came—give heed to't—
My conscience first receiv'd a tenderness,
3 noteScruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd
-- 428 --
By th' bishop of Bayon, then French ambassador;
Who had been hither sent on the debating
A marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and
Our daughter Mary; I'th' progress of this business,
Ere a determinate resolution, he
(I mean the bishop) did require a respite;
Wherein he might the King his Lord advertise,
Whether our daughter were legitimate,
Respecting this our marriage with the Dowager,
Sometime our brother's wife. 4 note
This respite shook
The bosom of my conscience, enter'd me,
Yea, with a splitting power, and made to tremble
The region of my breast; which forc'd such way,
That many maz'd considerings did throng,
And prest in with this caution. First, methought,
I stood not in the smile of heav'n, which had
Commanded nature, that my Lady's womb,
If it conceiv'd a male-child by me, should
Do no more offices of life to't, than
The grave does to the dead; for her male-issue
Or died where they were made, or shortly after
This world had air'd them. Hence I took a thought,
This was a judgment on me, that my kingdom,
Well worthy the best heir o'th'world, should not
Be gladded in't by me. Then follows, that
I weigh'd the danger which my realms stood in
By this my issue's fail; and that gave to me
Many a groaning throe. Thus 5 note
hulling in
-- 429 --
The wild sea of my conscience, I did steer
Towards this remedy, whereupon we are
Now present here together; that's to say,
I mean to rectify my conscience, which
I then did feel full-sick, and yet not well,
By all the rev'rend fathers of the land
And doctors learn'd. First, I began in private
With you, my Lord of Lincoln; you remember,
How under my oppression I did reek,
When I first mov'd you.
Lin.
Very well, my Liege.
King.
I have spoke long; be pleas'd yourself to say
How far you satisfy'd me.
Lin.
Please your Highness,
The question did at first so stagger me,
Bearing a state of mighty moment in't,
And consequence of dread, that I committed
The daring'st counsel, which I had, to doubt,
And did intreat your Highness to this course,
Which you are running here.
King.
6 noteI then mov'd you,
My Lord of Canterbury; and got your leave
To make this present summons. Unsollicited
I left no rev'rend person in this Court,
But by particular consent proceeded
Under your hands and seals. Therefore go on;
For no dislike i'th' world against the person
Of our good Queen, but the sharp thorny points
Of my alleged reasons drive this forward.
-- 430 --
Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life
And kingly dignity, we are contented
To wear our mortal state to come, with her,
Catharine our Queen, before the primest creature
* note
That's paragon'd i'th' world.
Cam.
So please your Highness,
The Queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness
That we adjourn this Court to further day;
Mean while must be an earnest motion
Made to the Queen, to call back her appeal
She intends to his Holiness.
[They rise to depart. The King speaks to Cranmer.
King.
I may perceive,
These Cardinals trifle with me; I abhor
This dilatory sloth, and tricks of Rome.
My learn'd and well beloved servant Cranmer,
Pr'ythee, return! with thy approach, I know,
My comfort comes along.—Break up the Court.
—I say, set on.
[Exeunt, in manner as they enter'd.
-- 431 --
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
