Bearing a state of mighty moment in't,
And confequence of dread, that I committed
The daring'ft counfel which I had to doubt,
And did entreat your Highness to this courfe
Which you are running here.
King. I then mov'd you,
My Lord of Canterbury, and got your leave
To make this prefent fummons. Unfollicited
I left no rev'rend perfon in this court,
But by particular confent proceeded
Under your hands and feals. Therefore go on;
For no diflike i' th' world against the perfon
Of our good Queen, but the fharp thorny points
Of my alledged reasons drive this forward.
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 primeft creature
That's paragon'd † i' th' world.
Cam. So please your Highness,
The Queen being abfent, '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 Holinefs.
[They rife to depart. The King speaks to Cranmer, King. I may perceive
Thefe Cardinals trifle with me; I abhor
This dilatory floth, and tricks of Rome.
My learn'd and well-beloved fervant Cranmer,
Pr'ythee return! with thy approach, I know,
My comfort comes along.-Break up the court.
I fay, fet on. [Exeunt, in manner as they enter'd.
Hanmer reads, I think, better,
-The primeft creature
That's paragon o' th' world. Johnson.
The Queen and her women, as at work.
AKE thy lute, wench, my foul grows fad with troubles:
-Sing, and difperfe 'em, if thou canft. Leave working.
Rpheus with his late made trees,
And the mountain-tops that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did fing.
To his mufic, plants and flowers
•Ever Sprung, as fun and fhowers
There had made a lasting spring.
Ev'ry thing that heard him play,
Ev'n the billows of the fea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by.
In fweet mufic is fuch art,
Killing care, and grief of heart
Fall afleep, or hearing die.
Enter a Gentleman.
Gent. An't pleafe your Grace, the two great Car
Wait in the prefence.
Queen. Would they speak with me?
Gent. They will'd me fay fo, Madam.
Queen. Pray their Graces
To come near. What can be their business
With me, a poor weak woman, fall'n from favour?
[Exit Meffenger.
I do not like their coming. Now I think on't,
They fhould be good men, their affairs * are righ-
But all hoods make not monks.
*Affairs for profeffions. Warb.
Enter the Cardinals Wolfey and Campeius.
Wol. Peace to your Highnefs!
Queen. Your Graces find me here part of a house wife;
I would be all, against the worst may happen.
What are your pleatures with me, rev'rend Lords?
Wol. May't pleafe you, noble Madam, to withdraw
Into your private chamber, we hall give you
The full caufe of our coming.
There's nothing I have done yet, o'my confcience,
Deferves a corner: 'would all other women
Could speak this with as free a foul as I do!
My Lords. I care not, to much I am happy
Above a number, if my actions
Were try'd by ev'ry tongue, ev'ry eye faw 'em,
Envy and bale opinion fet against 'em ;
I know my life to even. If your business
Do leek me out, and that way I am wife in,
Out with it boldly. Truth loves open dealing.
Wol. Tanta eft erga te mentis integritas, Regina
fereniffima,
Queen. O, good my Lord, no Latin;
I am not fuch a truant, fince my coming,
As not to know the language I have, liv'd in.
A ftrange tongue makes my caule more strange,
tufpicious.
Pray, fpeak in English; here are fome will thank you,
If you fpeak truth, for their poor miftrefs' fake.
Believe me, he has had much wrong. Lord Car-
The willing'ft in I ever yet committed, [dinal,
May be abfolv'd in English.
I'm forry my integrity fhould breed,
And fervice to his Majefty and you,
So deep fulpicion, where all faith was meant.
We come not, by the way of accufation,
To tain: that honour every good tongue bleffes,
Nor to betray you any way to forrow,
(You have too much, good Lady); but to know How you ftand minded in the weighty difference VO L. VII.
Between the King and you; and to deliver,
Like free and honeft men, our juft opinions
And comforts to your cause.
Cam. Moft honour'd Madam,
My Lord of York, out of his noble nature,
Zeal and obedience he ftill bore your Grace,
Forgetting, like a good man, your late cenfure
Both of his truth and him, which was too far,
Offers, as I do, in a fign of peace,
His fervice and his counfel.
Queen. To betray me.
My Lords, I thank you both for your good wills:
Ye fpeak like honeft men; pray God ye prove fo!
But how to make you fuddenly an answer
In fuch a point of weight, fo near mine honour,
More near my life I fear, with my weak wit,
And to fuch men of gravity and learning,
-In truth I know not. I was fet at work
Among my maids; full little, God knows, looking
Either for fuch men, or fuch bufmefs.
For her fake that I have been, for I feel
The laft fit of my greatnefs, good your Graces,
Let me have time and counfel for my caufe.
Alas! I am a woman, friendlefs, hopeless.
Wol. Madam, you wrong the King's love with thofe fears;
Your hopes and friends are infinite.
Queen In England,
But little for my profit. Can you think, Lords, That any Englishman dare give me counsel? Or be a known friend 'gainst his Highnefs' pleasure, Though he be grown fo defp'rate to be honeft, And live a fubject? Nay, forfooth, my friends; They that must weigh out my afflictions, They that my truft must grow to, live not here; They are, as all my comforts are, far hence, "In my own country, Lords.
Cam. I would your Grace
Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel.
Queen. How, Sir?'
Cam. Put your main caufe into the King's pre-
tection;
He's loving, and most gracious: 'twill be much
Both for your honour better, and your caufe;
For if the trial of the law o'ertake you,
You'll part away disgrac'd.
Wol. He tells you rightly.
Queen. Ye tell me what ye wish for both, my ruin. Is this your Chriftian counsel? Out upon you! Heav'n is above all yet; there fits a Judge That no King can corrupt.
Cam. Your rage mistakes us.
Queen. The more fhame for you: holy men I thought you;
Upon my foul, two rev'rend Cardinal Virtues ;
But Cardinal fins, and hollow hearts, I fear you;
Mend 'em for fhame, my Lords. Is this your com-
The cordial that you bring a wretched lady? [forts
A woman loft among you, laugh'd a', fcorn'd:
I will not with you half my miferies,
I have more charity; but fay I warn'd ye;
Take heed, take heed, for Heav'n's fake, leit at once
The burden of my forrows fall upon you.
W. Madam, this is a mere diftraction;
Ye turn the good we offer into envy.
Queen. Ye turn me into nothing Wo upon you, And all fuch falfe profeffors! Would If ve have any justice, any pity,
If ye be any thing but churchmen's habits,
Put my fick caufe into his hands that hates me?
Alas! h' is banith'd me his bed already;
His love too, long ago. I'm old, my Lords;
And all the fellowship I hold now with him
Is only my obedience. What can happen
To me above this wretchedness? all your ftudies
Make me a curfe like this!
Cam. Your fears are worfe
Queen. Have I liv'd thus long-let me speak my felf,
Since virtue finds no friends-a wife, a true one?
A woman, I dare fay, without vain-glory,
Never yet branded with fufpicion ?
Have. I with all my full affections
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