Yea, with a splitting power; and made to tremble
The region of my breaft; which forc'd fuch way,
That many maz'd confiderings did throng,

And preft in with this caution. First, methought,
I ftood not in the fmile 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-iffue
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'the world) fhould not
Be gladded in't by me. Then follows, that

I weigh'd the danger which my realms ftood in
By this my iffue's fail; and that gave to me
Many a groaning throe: thus hulling in
The wild fea of my confcience, I did steer
Towards this remedy, whereupon we are
Now present here together; that's to fay,
I meant to rectify my confcience, (which
I then did feel full-fick 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 oppreffion I did reek, (18)
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 fatisfy'd me.

Lin. Please your Highness,

The queftion did at firft fo ftagger me,
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 intreat your Highness to this course,
Which you are running here.

(18) my oppreffion I did reel,] This word first got place in Mr. Rowe's edition; all the old copies read, as I have reftor'd in the text, reek ; i. e. fweat under the burden, and agony of my anxieties.

P 6

King.

King. I then mov'd you, (19)

My Lord of Canterbury; and got your leave
To make this prefent fummons: Unfolicited
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
Or our good Queen, but the fharp thorny pionts
Of my alledged reafons 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,
(Catherine 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 fitnefs.
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.

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.

(19)
-I then mov'd you,
My Lord of Canterbury, and got your leave.

To make this prefent fummons unsolicited.] Thus all the impreffions. But thefe fagacious editors have palm'd a ftrange piece of nonsense upon us, from a falfe pointing. What did the King move the Bishop, nay, and fo move him as to get his leave, and yet could the fummons be faid to be unfollicited? I have refcu'd the text from fuch. an abfurd contradiction: and, again, done it upon the authority of honeft Hellinghead. "I moved it in confeffion to you, my "Lord of Lincoln, then ghoftly father. And forafmuch as then you. "yourself were in fome doubt, you mov'd me to ask the counsel of

all these my Lords. Whereupon I mov'd you, my Lord of Can"terbury, first to have your licence, in as much as you were metro"politan, to put this matter in queftion; and fo I did all of you my Lords Hollingshead. ibid, p. 908.

46.

2

ACT III.

SCENE, the Queen's Apartments.

The Queen and her Women, as at Work.

QUEEN.

AKE thy lute, wench, my foul grows fad with troubles :

ТАКОЕ

Sing, and disperse 'em, if thou canft: leave working.

OR

SON G.

Rpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain tops, that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did fing.
To his mufick, plants and flowers
Ever fprung, as fun and fhowers

There had made a lafting spring.
Ev'ry thing that heard him play,
Ev'n the billows of the fea,

Hung their heads and then lay by.
In fweet mufick is such art,
Killing care, and grief of heart
Fall afleep, or hearing die.

Enter a Gentleman.

Queen, How now ?

Gent. And't please your Grace, the two great Cardinals Wait in the prefence.

Queen. Would they fpeak with me

Gent. They will'd me fay, fo, Madam.

Queen. Pray their Graces

To come near; what can be their bufinefs

With me, a poor weak woman, fall'n from favour♪

I do not like their coming. Now I think on't,
They fhould be good men, their affairs are righteous,
But all boods make not monks.

Enter the Cardinals Wolfey and Campeius.

Wol. Peace to your Highness!

Queen. Your Graces find me here part of a house-wife. (I would be all) against the worst may happen: What are your pleasures with me, rev'rend Lords?

Wol. May't please you, noble Madam, to withdraw Into your private chamber; we fhall give you The full caufe of our coming.

Queen. Speak it here.

There's nothing I have done yet, o'my conscience,
Deferves a corner; would, all other women

Could speak this with as free a foul as I do!
My Lords, I care not (fo much I am happy
Above a number) if my actions

Were try'd by ev'ry tongue, ev'ry eye faw 'em ;
Envy and bafe opinion fet against 'em ;

I know my life fo even. If your bufinefs

Do feek me out, and that way I am wife in,
Out with it boldly: truth loves open dealing.

Wol. Tanta eft ergà te mentis integritas, Regina Serenif fima,

Queen. O, good my Lord, no Latin;

I am not fuch a truant, fince my coming,
As not to know the language 1 have liv'd in.

A ftrange tongue makes my cause more ftrange, fufpicious:
Pray, fpeak in English; here are fome will thank you,
If you fpeak truth, for their poor mistress' fake.
Believe me, fhe has had much wrong. Lord Cardinal,
The willing'ft fin I ever yet committed,

May be abfolv'd in English.

Wol. Noble Lady,

I'm forry my integrity fhould breed

(And fervice to his Majefty and you)

So deep fufpicion, where all faith was meant.
We come not by the way of accufation

To taint that honour, every good tongue blesses;

Nor

Nor to betray you any way to forrow;
You have too much, good Lady: but to know
How you
stand minded in the weighty difference
Between the King and you and to deliver,
Like free and honeft men, our just 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 censure
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 ye 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 bufinefs.

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, friendless, hopeless.

Wol. Madam, you wrong the King's love with those

Your hopes and friends are infinite.

Queen. In England,

But little for my profit: can you think, Lords,
That any English man dare give me counsel?

[fears;

Or be a known friend 'gainst his Highness' pleafure,
(Though he be grown fo defp'rate to be honeft,).
And live a fubject? nay, forfooth, my friends-
They, that muft weigh out my afflictions,
They, that my trust muft grow to, live not here ;
They are, as all my comforts are, far hence,
In my own country, Lords.

Cam. I would, your Grace

I

Would