Anne. No, not for all the riches under heaven. OldL.'Tis strange; a three-pence bowed 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. Old L. Then you are weakly made: Pluck off a little; I would not be a young count in your way, For more than blushing comes to : if your back Anne. How you do talk! I swear again, I would not be a queen Old L. In faith, for little England You'd venture an emballing: I myself Would for Carnarvonshire, although there 'long'd 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 becoming 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 Anne. I do not know, What kind of my obedience I should tender; More worth than empty vanities; yet prayers, and wishes, Are all I can return. 'Beseech your lordship, Vouchsafe to speak my thanks, and my obedience, As from a blushing handmaid, to his highness; Cham. Lady, I shall not fail to approve the fair conceit, The king hath of you.-I have perus'd her well; [Aside. That they have caught the king: and who knows yet, To lighten all this isle ?—I'll to the king, Anne. My honour'd lord. [Exit Lord Chamberlain. Old L. Why, this it is; see, see ! I have been begging sixteen years in court, This compell'd fortune!) have your mouth fill'd up, Anne. This is strange to me. Old L. How tastes it? is it bitter? forty pence, no. There was a lady once, ('tis an old story,) That would not be a queen, that would she not, For all the mud in Egypt :-Have you heard it? Old L. With your theme, I could O'ermount the lark. The marchioness of Pembroke ! A thousand pounds a year! for pure respect; No other obligation: By my life, That promises more thousands: Honour's train Is longer than his fore-skirt. By this time, I know, your back will bear a duchess ;-Say, Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy, To think what follows. The queen is comfortless, and we forgetful Old L. What do you think me? [Exeunt. [] Perhaps alluding to the carbuncle, a gem supposed to have intrinsic light, and to shine in the dark: any other gem may reflect light but cannot give it JOH. From the many artful strokes of address the poet has thrown in upon queen Elizab th and her mother, it should seem that this play was written and performed in his royal mistress's time: if so, some lines were added by him in the last scene, after the accession of king James. THEO. SCENE IV. A Hall in Black-Fryars. Trumpets, Sennet,2 and Cornets. Enter two Vergers, with short silver wands; next them, two Scribes, in the habits of doctors; after them, the Archbishop of CANTERBURY alone; after him, the Bishops of LINCOLN, ELY, ROCHESTER, and Saint ASAPH; next them, with some small distance, follows a Gentleman bearing the purse, with the great seal, and a Cardinal's hat; then two Priests, bearing each a silver cross; then a Gentleman-Usher bare-headed, accompanied with a Sergeant at Arms, bearing a silver mace; then two Gentlemen, bearing two great silver pillars ;3 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 tro 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. Scri. Say, Henry king of England, come into the court. Crier. Henry king of England, &c. K.Hen. Here. Scri. 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. [2] A sennet appears to have signified a short flourish on Cornets. MAL. 131 Pillars were some of the ensigns of dignity carried before cardinals. Sir Thomas More, when he was speaker to the commons, advised them to admit Wolsey into the house with his maces and his pillars. JOHNS-So, in The Treatous a satire on Cardinal Wolsey, no date, but published between the execution of the duke of Buckingham and the repudiation of Katharine : "With worldly pompe incredible, After them followe two laye men seculur, In their hondes steade of a mace," STEEV. Wolsey had two great crosses of silver, the one of his archbishopric, the other of his legacy, bo ne before him whithersoever he went or rode, by two of the tallest priests that he could get within the realm. TOLLET 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, And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness, At all times to your will conformable : Ever in fear to kindle your dislike, Yea, subject to your countenance; glad, or sorry, I ever contradicted your desire, Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends He was from thence discharg'd? Sir, call to mind, To the sharpest kind of justice. Please you, sir, A prince most prudent, of an excellent And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand, My father, king of Spain, was reckon❜d one The wisest prince, that there had reign'd by many 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 Be by my friends in Spain advis'd; whose counsel Wol. You have here, lady, (And of your choice,) these reverend fathers; men Yea, the elect of the land, who are assembled For your own quiet, as to rectify What is unsettled in the king." Cam. His grace Hath spoken well, and justly: Therefore, madam, And that, without delay, their arguments Be now produc'd, and heard. Q.Kath. Lord cardinal, To you I speak. Wol. Your pleasure, madam? 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; nay, before, Or God will punish me. I do believe, Induc'd by potent circumstances, that You are mine enemy; and make my challenge, 4 Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me,- Refuse you for my judge; whom, yet once more, Wol. I do profess, You speak not like yourself; who ever yet Have stood to charity, and display'd the effects Of disposition gentle, and of wisdom O'ertopping woman's power. Madam, you do me wrong : £3] That you desire to protract the business of the court; that you solicit a more distant session and trial. To pray for a longer day, i.e. a more distant one, when the trial or execution of criminals is agitated, is yet the language of the bar. In the fourth folio, defer is substituted for desire. [4] Challenge is here a verbum juris, a law term. The criminal, when he MAL. refuses a juryman, says-I challenge him. JOHNS. |