The king hath sent me other-where: besides,
You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:
Health to your lordships.

Nor. Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.
[Exit Lord CHAMBERLAIN.

NORFOLK opens a folding door. The KING is
discovered sitting, and reading pensively.
Suf. How sad he looks! sure, he is much af.
flicted.

K. Hen. Who is there? ha?

Nor. 'Pray God he be not angry.

Above all princes, in committing freely
Your scruple to the voice of Christendom:
Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?
The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the clerks,

I mean, the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms,
Have their free voices; Rome, the nurse of
judgment,

Invited by your noble self, hath sent

One general tongue unto us, this good man,
This just and learned priest, cardinal Cam-

peius;

Whom, once more, I present unto your high

ness.

K. Hen. And, once more, in mine armɛ I bid him welcome,

And thank the holy conclave for their loves; They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd for.

Cam. Your grace must needs deserve all
stranger's loves,

You are so noble: To your highness' hand
I tender my commission; by whose virtue,
(The court of Rome commanding,) you, my lord
Cardinal of York, are join'd with me their ser-
vant,

In the unpartial judging of this business.
K. Hen. Two equal men. The queen shall be
acquainted
Forthwith, for what you come :-Where's Gar-
diner ?

Wol. I know your majesty has always lov'd

her

So dear in heart, not to deny her that
A woman of less place might ask by law,
Scholars, allow'd freely to argue for her.
K. Hen. Ay, and the best, she shall have;
and my favour

To him that does best; God forbid else. Car-
dinal,

K. Hen. Who's there, I say? How dare you Pr'ythee, call Gardiner to me, my new secretary;

thrust yourselves

Into my private meditations ?

Who am I? ha?

I find him a fit fellow.

[Exit WOLSEY. Re-enter WOLSEY, with GARDINER. Wol. Give me your hand; much joy and favour to you;

You are the king's now.

Gard. But to be commanded

For ever by your grace, whose hand has rais'd [Aside.

me.

K. Hen. Come hither, Gardiner.

[They converse apart. Cam. My lord of York, was not one doctor Pace

In this man's place before him?

Wol. Yes, he was.

Cam. Was he not held a learned mau ?
-Wol. Yes, surely.

Cam. Believe me, there's an ill opinion spread
then

Even of yourself, lord cardinal.
Wol. How? of me!

Cam. They will not stick to say, you envied
him;

And, fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous, Kept him a foreign man still; which so griev'd him,

That he ran mad, and died.

Wol. Heaven's peace be with him!
That's Christian care enough for living mur

murers,

There's places of rebuke. He was a fool; For he would needs be virtuous: That good fellow, Aside. If I command him, follows my appointment; I will have none so near else. Learn this, brother,

[Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFOLK. Wol. Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom

High or low.

↑ So sick as he is proud.

We live not to be grip'd by meaner persons.
K. Hen. Deliver this with modesty to the
queen.
[Exit GARDINER.
The most convenient place that I can think of
For such receipt of learning, is Black-Friars;

• Out of the king's presence,

There ye shall meet about this weighty busi

ness:

My Wolsey, see it furnish'd.-O my lord,
Would it not grieve an able man, to leave
So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, con-
science,-

Oh! 'tis a tender place, and I must leave her.
[Excunt.

SCENE III.-An Ante-chamber in the
QUEEN'S Apartments.

Enter ANNE BULLEN, and an old LADY. Anne. Not for that neither ;-Here's the pang that pinches :

His highness having liv'd so long with her:

and she

So good a lady, that no tongue could ever
Pronounce dishonour of her,—by my life,
She never knew harm-doing :-O now, after
So many courses of the sun enthron'd,
Still growing in a majesty and pomp,-the

which

To leave is a thousand-fold more bitter, than 'Tis sweet at first to acquire,-after this

cess,

To give her the avaunt! it is a pity
Would move a monster.

Old L. Hearts of most hard temper

Melt and lament for her.

Anne. O God's will! much better,

Old L. Tu faith, for little England
You'd venture an emballing: I myself
Would for Carnarvousbire, although there 'long'd
No more to the crown but that. Lo, who comes
here ?

Enter the Lord CHAMBERLAIN.
Cham. Good morrow, ladies. What wer't worth
to know

The secret of your conference ?
Anne. My good lord,

Not your demand; it values not your asking
Our mistress' sorrows we were pitying.

Cham. It was a gentle business, and becom
ing

The action of good women: there is hope,
All will be well.

Anne. Now I pray God, amen!

Cham. You bear a gentle mind, and heavenly
blessings

Follow such creatures. That you may, fair lady,
Perceive I speak sincerely, and high note's
Ta'en of your many virtues, the king's majesty
Commends his good opinion to you, and
pro-Does purpose honour to you no less flowing

Than marchioness of Pembroke; to which title
A thousand pound a year, annual support,
Out of his grace he adds.

Anne. I do not know,

What kind of my obedience I should tender;
More than my all is nothing: nor my prayers

She ne'er had known pomp: though it be tem- Are not words duly hallow'd, nor my wishes

More worth than empty vanities; yet prayers, and

wishes,

yet,

But from this lady may proceed a gem,
To lighten all this isle ?-I'll to the king,
And say, I spoke with you.
Anne. My honour'd lord.

[Exit Lord CHAMBERLAIN Old L. Why, this it is; see, see!

I have been begging sixteen years in court,
(Am yet a courtier beggarly, nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late,
For any suit of pounds and you, (O fate!)
A very fresh-fish here, (fie, fie upon

This compell'd fortune !) have your mouth fill'd

Annc. No, not for all the riches under hea-That

ven.

Old L. 'Tis strange; a three-pence bow'd **
would hire me,

Old as I am, to queen it; But, I pray you,
What think you of a duchess? have you limbs
To bear that load of title ?

Anne. No, in truth.

would not be a queen, that would she not, [it f For all the mud in Egypt :-Have you heard Anne. Come, you are pleasant. Old. L. With your theme, I could O'ermount the lark. The marchioness of Pem.

broke I

A thousand pounds a year! for pure respect;

Old L. Then you are weakly made: Pluck off No other obligation: By my life,

Upward of twenty years, and have been bless'd
With many children by you: If, in the course
And process of this time, you can report,
And prove it too, against mine honour aught,
My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty,
Against your sacred person, in God's name,
Turn me away; and let the foul'st contempt
Shut door upon me, and so give me up
To the sharpest kind of justice.
Sir,

dinand,

Please you,

Fer

SCENE IV.-A Hall in Black-friars. Trumpets, sennet, ⚫ and cornets. Enter two VERGERS, with short silver wands; next them, two SCRIBES, in the habits of doctors; after them, the Archbishop of CANTERBURY The king, your father, was reputed for alone: after him, the Bishops of LINCOLN, A prince most prudent, of an excellent ELY, ROCHESTER, and SAINT ASAPH; next And unmatch'd wit and judgment: them, with some small distance, follows a Gentleman bearing the purse, with the My father, king of Spain, was reckon'd one great seal, and a cardinal's hat; then The wisest prince, that there had reign'd by two Priests, bearing each a silver cross; many then a Gentleman-Usher bare-headed, accompanied with a Sergeant at Arms, bearing a silver mace; then two Gentle. men, bearing two great silver pillars; after them, side by side, the two Cardinals WOLSEY and CAMPEIUS; two noblemen with the sword and mace. Then enter the KING and QUEEN, and their Trains. The King takes place under the cloth of state; the two Cardinals sit under him as judges. The Queen takes place at some distance from the King. The Bishops place themselves on each side the court, in manner of a consistory; between them, the Scribes. The Lords sit next the Bishops. The Crier and the rest of the Attendants stand in convenient order about the stage. Wol. Whilst our commission from Rome is read

Let silence be commanded.

K. Hen. What's the need?

It hath already publicly been read,

And on all sides the authority allow'd;

You may then spare that time.

Wol. Be't so :-Proceed.

A year before: It is not to be question'd
That they had gather'd a wise council to them
Of every realm, that did debate this business,
Who deem'd our marriage lawful: Wherefore
I humbly
Beseech you, Sir, to spare me till I may
Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whose
counsel

I will implore: if not; i'the name of God,
Your pleasure be fulfill'd

Wol. You have here, lady,
[men
(And of your choice,) these reverend fathers;
Of singular integrity and learning,
Yea, the elect of the land, who are assembled
To plead your cause: It shall be therefore
bootless,⚫

That longer you desire the court; as well
For your own quiet, as to rectify
What is unsettled in the king.

Cam. His grace

[dam,

Hath spoken well and justly; Therefore, ma-
It's fit this royal session do proceed;

And that without delay, their arguments

Be now produc'd, and heard.

Q. Kath. Lord cardinal,

Scribe. Say, Henry king of England, come To you I speak.

into the court.

Crier. Henry king of England, &c.

K. Hen. Here.

Scribe. Say, Katharine queen of England, come into court.

Crier. Katharine queen of England, &c. [The QUEEN makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to the KING, and kneels at his feet; then speaks.] Q. Kath. Sir, I desire you, do me right and justice;

And to bestow your pity on me : for

I am a most poor woman, and a stranger,
Born out of your dominions; having here
No judge indifferent, nor no more assurance
Of equal friendship and proceeding.

Sir,

Alas,

In what have I offended you? what cause
Hath my behaviour given to your displeasure,
That thus you should proceed to put me off,
And take your good grace from me? Heaven
witness,

I have been to you a true and humble wife,
At all times to your will conformable:

Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,

Wol. Your pleasure, madam
Q. Kath. Sir,

I am about to weep; but, thinking that
We are a queen, (or long have dream'd so,)
certain,

The daughter of a king, my drops of tears
I'll turn to sparks of fire.

Wol. Be patient yet.

Q. Kath. I will, when you are humble; uay,
before,

Or God will punish me. I do believe,
Induc'd by potent circumstances, that
You are mine enemy; and make my challenge:
You shall not be my judge; for it is you

Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and
me,-

Which God's dew quench!-Therefore, I say

You speak not like yourself; who ever yet

Yea, subject to your countenance; glad, or Have stood to charity, and display'd the effects

I do excuse you; yea, upou 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 to village curs,
Bark when their fellows do: by some of these
The queen is put in anger. You are excus'd:
But will you be more justified? you ever
Have wish'd the sleeping of this business;

The bosom of my conscience, enter'd me,
Yea, with a splitting power, and made to trem-
ble
[way,

The region of my breast; which forc'd such That many maz'd considerings did throng, come And press'd in with this caution. First, me

Gent. An't please your grace, the two great But how to make you suddenly an answer,