Q.Kath. Speak it here; There's nothing I have done yet, o' my conscience, Were tried by every tongue, every eye saw them, I know my life so even: If your business Q.Kath. O, good my lord, no Latin ; A strange tongue makes my cause more strange, suspicious; Pray, speak in English: here are some will thank you, If you speak truth, for their poor mistress' sake ; Believe me, she has had much wrong: Lord cardinal, The willing'st sin I ever yet committed, May be absolv'd in English. Wol. Noble lady, I am sorry, my integrity should breed, (And service to his majesty and you,) So deep suspicion, where all faith was meant. We come not by the way of accusation, To taint that honour every good tongue blesses; You have too much, good lady: but to know Cam. Most honour'd madam, My lord of York,-out of his noble nature, [5] I would be glad that my conduct were in some public trial confronted with mine enemies, that envy and corrupt judgment might try their utmost power against me. JOHNS. [6] That is, if you come to examine the title by which I am the king's. wife; or if you come to know how I have behaved as a wife. JOHNS. His service and his counsel. Q.Kath. To betray me. [Asid e. My lords, I thank you both for your good wills, In such a point of weight, so near mine honour, For her sake that I have been, (for I feel Q. Kath. In England, But little for my profit: Can you think, lords, Or be a known friend, 'gainst his highness' pleasure, Cam. I would, your grace Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel. Cam. Put your main cause into the king's protection ; He's loving, and most gracious; 'twill be much Both for your honour better, and your cause ; For, if the trial of the law o'ertake you, You'll part away disgrac'd. Wol. He tells you rightly. Q.Kath. Ye tell me what ye wish for both, my ruin : Is this your christian counsel? out upon ye! Heaven is above all yet; there sits a Judge, That no king can corrupt. Cam. Your rage mistakes us. [3] Do you think that any Englishman dare advise me; or, if any man should venture to advise with honesty, that he could live? JOHNS. [4] To weigh out is the same as to outweigh. In Macbeth, Shakspeare has Overcome for come over. STEEV. Q. Kath. The more shame for ye, holy men I thought you, Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues ; A woman lost among ye, laugh'd at, scorn'd? I will not wish ye half my miseries, I have more charity: But say, I warn'd ye; Take heed, for heaven's sake, take heed, lest at once The burden of my sorrows fall upon ye. Wol. Madam, this is a mere distraction; You turn the good we offer into envy. Q.Kath. Ye turn me into nothing: Woe upon ye, And all such false professors! Would ye have me (If you have any justice, any pity; If ye be any thing but churchmen's habits,) To me, above this wretchedness? all your studies Cam. Your fears are worse. Q.Kath. Have I liv'd thus long-(let me speak myself, Since virtue finds no friends)-a wife, a true one? A woman (I dare say, without vain-glory,) Never yet branded with suspicion ? Have I with all my full affections Still met the king? lov'd him next heaven? obey'd him? One that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his pleasure ; Wol. Madam, you wander from the good we aim at. Q. Kath. My lord, I dare not make myself so guilty, To give up willingly that noble title [5] If I mistake you, it is by your fault, not mine; for I thought you good. The distress of Katharine might have kept her from the quibble to which she is irresistibly tempted by the word cardinal. JOHNS. [6] That is, served him with superstitious attention; done more than was required. JOHNS. Your master wed me to: nothing but death Wol. 'Pray, hear me. QKath. 'Would, I had never trod this English earth, Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it! Ye have angel's faces, but heaven knows your hearts. What will become of me now, wretched lady ? I am the most unhappy woman living. Alas! poor wenches, where are now your fortunes? Wol. If your grace Could but be brought to know, our ends are honest, We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow them. How you may hurt yourself, ay, utterly Grow from the king's acquaintance, by this carriage. So much they love it; but, to stubborn spirits, I know, you have a gentle. noble temper, A soul as even as a calm: Pray, think us Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and servants. Cam. Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your virtues With these weak women's fears. A noble spirit, As yours. was put into you, ever casts Such doubts, as faise coin, from it. The king loves you; To trust us in your business, we are ready If I have us'd myself unmannerly ;7 Pray, do my service to his majesty : pray, for He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers, [7] That is, if I have behaved myself unmannerly. M. MASON. While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers, Bestow your counsels on me she now begs, That little thought, when she set footing here, She should have bought her dignities so dear. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Ante-chamber to the King's Apartment. Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, the Duke of SUFFOLK, the Earl of SURREY, and the Lord Chamberlain. Nor. If you will now unite in your complaints And force them with a constancy, the cardinal Cannot stand under them if you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise, But that you shall sustain more new disgraces, Sur. I am joyful To meet the least occasion, that may give me Suf. Which of the peers Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least Cham. My lords, you speak your pleasures: Nor. O, fear him not; His spell in that is out: the king hath found Sur. Sir, I should be glad to hear such news as this Once every hour. Nor. Believe it, this is true. [8] Force is enforce, urge. JOHNS. [9] Which of the peers has not gone by him contemned or neglected? JOHNS. [1] When did he, however careful to carry his own dignity to the utmost height, regard any dignity of another ? JOHNS. |