Prescanned Shakespeare.com
presented by Acoustic Learning
A hall in Black-Friars.
[Trumpets, sennet, and cornets. Enter two Vergers, with short silver wands;
next them, two Scribes, in the habit of doctors; after them, CANTERBURY
alone; after him, 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;
after them, side by side, CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS; two
Noblemen with the sword and mace. KING HENRY VIII takes place under the
cloth of state; CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS sit under him as
judges. QUEEN KATHARINE takes place some distance from KING HENRY VIII. The
Bishops place themselves on each side the court, in manner of a consistory;
below them, the Scribes. The Lords sit next the Bishops. The rest of the
Attendants stand in convenient order about the stage]
CARDINAL WOLSEY
,
, ,
, __
Whilst our | commis|sion from | Rome is | read,
,
, ,
Let sil|ence be | command|ed.
KING HENRY VIII
, ,
What's | the need?
, ,
, , ,
It hath | alrea|dy pub|licly / been read,
, ,
2 , ,
,
And on / all sides | the author|ity | allowed,
, ,
,
You may | then spare | that time.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
2 , ,
Be it so,| proceed.
SCRIBE
Say, Henry King of England, come into the
court.
CRIER
Henry King of England, come into the court.
KING HENRY VIII
Here.
SCRIBE
Say, Katharine Queen of England, come into
the court.
CRIER
Katharine Queen of England, come into the
court.
[QUEEN KATHARINE makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the
court, comes to KING HENRY VIII, and kneels at his feet; then speaks]
QUEEN KATHARINE
, 2
, ,
, ,
Sir, I de|sire you | do me | right and | justice,
,
, ,
, ,
And to | bestow | your pi|ty on | me; for
,
, , ,
2 ,
I am | a most | poor wom/an, and a | stranger,
,
, ,
, ,
Born^out | of your | domin|ions: hav|ing here
,
, 2 , ,
2 ,
No* judge | indif|ferent, nor | no
more^as|surance
, ,
, ,
Of equal friendship and proceeding. Alas sir:
????
, , ,
, ,
In what | have I | offend|ed you?| What cause
, ,
x ,
, 2->
Hath my | behav|ior given | to your |
displea||sure,
, ,
, ,
,
That thus | you should | proceed | to put | me
off,
, ,
, x
,
And take | your good | grace from | me? Heaven |
witness,
2 ,
, ,
, ,
I have been | to you,| a true | and hum|ble wife,
, ,
, ,
,
At all | times to | your will | conform|able:
, ,
, ,
,
Ever | in fear | to kind|le your | dislike,
, ,
2 , 2 ,
,
Yea, sub/ject to your |countenance:| glad, or |
sorry,
, ,
, ,
,
As I | saw it | inclined?| When was | the hour
, , , ,
,
I ev|er cont|radict|ed your | desire?
, ,
, ,
2 ,
Or made | it not / mine too?| Or which | of your
friends
,
, ,
, ,
Have^I | not strove | to love,| although | I knew
,
, , ,
,
He were | mine^en|emy? | What friend | of mine,
, ,
, , ,
2->
That had | to him | derived | your ang|er, did ||
I
, ,
, , x
Contin|ue in | my lik|ing? Nay,| gave^notice
??
, ,
, ,
,
He was | from thence | discharged?| Sir, call | to
mind,
, 2
, ,
, , 2
That I have | been your | wife, in | this
o|bedience,
,
, , ,
,
Upward | of twen|ty years,| and have | been
blessed
, ,
, ,
2 ,
With ma|ny child|ren by | you. If | in the course
,
, , ,
,
And pro|cess of / this time,| you can | report,
,
, ,
, ,
And prove | it too,| against | mine^hon|or,
aught;
, , ,
2 , ,
My bond | to wed|lock, or my | love and | duty
, ,
,
, ,
Against | your sac|red pers|on; in / God's name,
,
, ,
x ,
Turn me | away:| and let | the foulest | contempt
T T . T
, , ,
Shut door upon | me, and / so give | me up
2 ,
, , ,
,
To the sharp|est kind | of just|ice. Please |
you, sir,
, ,
, , ,
The king | your fath|er, was | reput|ed for
, , , , ,
A prince | most* prud|ent; of | an ex|cellent
. T T
T , ,
,
And unmatched wit,| and judg|ment. Ferd|inand
, ,
, , ,
My fath|er, king | of Spain,| was reck|oned one
,
, , ,
, 2->
The wis|est prince,| that there | had reigned,|
by ma||ny
, , ,
, 2 ,
A year | before.| It is | not to be | questioned,
, ,
2 , ,
,
That they | had gath|ered a wise | council | to
them
,
, , x
,
Of eve|ry realm,| that did | debate this
| business,
, ,
, ,
2 , 2->
Who deemed | our mar|riage law|ful. Where|fore I
hum||bly
, ,
, , ,
Beseech | you sir,| to spare | me, till / I may
, ,
, ,
, ->
Be by | my friends | in Spain,| advised;|
whose^coun||sel
, 2 ,
, 2 ,
,
I | will implore:| if not,| in the name | of God
,
, ,
Your pleas|ure be | fulfilled.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
2 , ,
You have here |
lady,
, ,
, , ,
(And of | your choice)| these reve|rend fath|ers,
men
, ,
, , ,
->
Of sin|gular | integ|rity,| and learn||ing;
, 2 ,
2 , , 2
,
Yea,| the elect | of the land,| who are
as|sembled
, ,
, 2 ,
,
To plead | your cause.| It shall be | therefore |
bootless,
,
, , ,
,
That long|er you | desire | the court,| as well
, ,
, , ,
For your / own qui|et, as | to rec|tify
,
, , ,
What is | unset|tled in | the king.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
,
His grace
,
, , ,
x
Hath spok|en well,| and just|ly: there|fore
madam,
, ,
, , ,
It's fit | this roy|al ses|sion do | proceed,
, ,
, , ,
And that |(without | delay)| their arg|uments
, ,
,
Be now | produced,| and heard. \\
QUEEN KATHARINE
, ,
, , oo
Lord card/inal,| to you | I speak.|
CARDINAL WOLSEY
, ,
Your pleas|ure, mad|am.
QUEEN KATHARINE
,
Sir, \\
,
, ,
, ,
I am | about | to weep;| but think|ing that
, 2 ,
, ,
,
We are a | queen (or | long have | dreamed so)|
certain
, ,
, ,
,
The daught|er of | a king,| my drops | of tears,
, ,
,
I'll turn | to sparks | of fire.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
, ,
Be pa|tient yet.
QUEEN KATHARINE
, ,
, ,
,
I will,| when you | are hum|ble; nay | before,
, , ,
, ,
Or God | will pun|ish me.| I do | believe
,
, , , ,
(Induced | by pot|ent cir|cumstan|ces) that
, 2
, , ,
,
You are mine^|ene|my, and | make my | challenge,
, ,
, , ,
You shall | not be | my judge.| For it | is you
,
, ,
, ,
Have blown | this coal,| betwixt | my lord,| and
me;
,
T T T ,
, , ->
(Which God's | dew quench) there|fore, I | say
a||gain,
, 2
, , ,
I | utter|ly abhor;| yea, from | my soul
,
, ,
, ,
Refuse | you for | my judge,| whom yet |
once^more
,
, ,
, ,
2->
I hold | my most | mali|cious foe,| and think ||
not
, ,
,
At all | a friend | to truth.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
, ,
I do | profess
, ,
, ,
,
You speak | not^like | yourself:| who ev|er yet
,
, , 2 ,
2 ,
Have stood | to char|ity,| and displayed | the
effects
, ,
x ,
,
Of dis|posi|tion gentle,| and of | wisdom,
, , x ,
, ,
Oretopping woman's power. Madam, you do me
wrong ????
, 2
, , ,
,
I have no | spleen a|gainst you,| nor in|justice
,
, , , 2 3
,
For you,| or an|y: how | far I have pro|ceeded,
, , , ,
,
Or how | far furth|er (shall)| is war|ranted
,
, ,
2 , ,
By a | commis|sion from | the consis|tory,
,
, , 3 3
, ,
Yea, the | whole con|sistory of | Rome. You |
charge me,
, ,
, , x
That I | have blown | this coal:| I do | deny it,
, ,
, 2 ,
,
The king | is pres|ent: if | it be known | to him,
, ,
, ,
,
That I |*gainsay | my deed,| how* may | he wound,
, ,
, ,
,
And worth|ily | my false|hood*, yea,| as much
, ,
, T T T
As you | have done | my truth.| If he know
, ,
, ,
,
That I | am free | of your | report,| he knows
2 , ,
T T T
,
I am not | of your | wrong. Therefore | in him
,
, ,
, ,
It lies | to cure | me, and | the cure | is to
, ,
, ,
,
Remove | these thoughts | from you.| The which |
before
,
, , ,
,
His high|ness shall / speak in,| I do | beseech
,
, , ,
, ->
You (gra|cious mad|am) to | unthink | your
speak||ing,
2 , ,
,
And to / say so | no more.
QUEEN KATHARINE
, ,
My lord,| my lord,
, 2 ,
, T T
T
I am a | simple | woman,| much too weak
2 ,
, ,
, ,
,
To oppose | your cun|ning. You're | meek, and |
humble-|mouthed
, ,
, ,
, o
You sign | your place,| and cal|ling, in / full
seem|ing, (hex with prev)
,
, , ,
2 ,
With meek|ness and | humil|ity:| but your heart
,
, ,
, ,
Is crammed | with ar|rogan|cy, spleen,| and
pride.
, ,
, 2 , ,
You have | by for|tune, and his | highness'|
favors,
,
, ,
, ,
2->
Gone* slight|ly ore / low steps,| and now | are
mount||ed
x ,
, ,
,
Where powers | are your | retain|ers, and | your
words
,
, , ,
2 ,
(Domest|ics to / you) serve | your will,| as it
please
, ,
x , ,
Yourself | pronounce | their office.| I must |
tell you,
, ,
, , ,
You tend|er more | your pers|on's hon|or, than
,
, ,
x 2 ,
Your high | profes|sion spir|itual:| that again
,
, ,
, ,
I do | refuse | you for | my judge,| and here
, ,
, , ,
Before | you all,| appeal | unto | the pope,
, ,
, ,
,
To bring | my whole | cause 'fore^|his hol|iness,
, ,
,
And to | be judged | by him.
[She curtsies to KING HENRY VIII, and offers to depart]
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
, ,
,
The queen | is obs|tinate, (tri with
prev)
,
, ,
2 , ,
Stubborn | to just|ice, apt | to accuse | it, and
, , ,
2 ,
,
Disdain|ful to | be tried | by it; 'tis | not
well.
, , ,
She's go/ing a|way.
KING HENRY VIII
, __
Call / her a|gain.
CRIER
, 2
, ,
, 2 ,
Katharine,| Queen of | England,| come^in|to the
court.
GRIFFITH
,
, ,
Madam, you are called back. ????
QUEEN KATHARINE
, ,
, ,
,
What need | you note | it? Pray | you keep | your
way,
,
, ,
T . T
T
When you | are called | return.| Now the Lord
help,
, ,
, , 2 ,
They vex | me past | my pa|tience, pray | you
pass^on;
, ,
, ,
,
I will | not^tar|ry: no,| nor ev|er more,
, ,
, ,
,
Upon | this bus|iness my | appear|ance make,
, , ,
In an|y of | their courts. \\
[Exeunt QUEEN KATHARINE and her Attendants]
KING HENRY VIII
,
__ __
Go thy | ways | Kate, \\
, 2 ,
, ,
,
That man | in the world,| who shall | report | he
has
, ,
, 2 ,
,
A bet|ter wife,| let him in | nought be |
trusted,
,
, , ,
,
For speak|ing false | in that;| thou art | alone
, ,
, , ,
(If thy / rare qual|ities,| sweet gent/leness,
,
, T T T
, 2
Thy meek|ness saint-|like, wife-like |
government,
, ,
, ,
,
Obey|ing in | command|ing, and | thy parts
, 2
, , ,
,
Sovereign | and pi|ous else,| could speak | thee
out)
, ,
, , ,
The queen | of earth|ly queens:| she's nob|le
born;
, ,
, , ,
And like | her true | nobil|ity,| she has
,
, ,
Carried | herself | towards me.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
, ,
Most* gra|cious sir,
,
, , ,
, ->
In humb|lest man|ner I | require | your
high||ness,
, 2
, , , , 2->
That | it shall please | you to | declare | in
hear||ing
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Of all | these^ears |(for where | I am robbed |
and bound,
,
, , ,
,
There* must | I be | unloosed,| although | not
there
,
, , ,
, ,
At once, and fully satisfied) whether ever I
????
,
, ,
, ,
Did broach | this bus|iness to | your high|ness,
or
, ,
, , ,
Laid^a|ny scrup|le in | your way,| which might
, , , x
x
Induce | you to | the quest|ion on it:| or ever
,
, ,
, ,
Have to | you, but | with thanks | to God | for
such
, ,
, , ,
,
A roy|al la|dy, spake | one, the | least word /
that might*
,
, , 2 ,
,
Be to | the pre|judice | of her pres|ent state,
, 2
, ,
Or touch | of her good | person?
KING HENRY VIII
, , 2
My lord | cardinal,
, ,
, x ,
I do | excuse | you; yea,| upon mine^|honor,
, x
, ,
,
I free | you from it:| You are | not to | be
taught
, , ,
, , ->
That you | have ma|ny en|emies,| that know ||
not^
,
2 , ,
, ,
Why | they are so;| but like | to vil|lage-curs,
,
, ,
, ,
Bark when | their fel|lows do.| By some | of
these
,
, , ,
,
The queen | is put | in ang|er: You're | excused:
,
, ,
, x
But will | you be | more jus|tified?| You ever
, ,
3 3 , , 2
,
Have wished | the sleep|ing of this bus|iness,
nev|er desired
, ,
, ,
,
It to | be stirred;| but oft | have hind|ered,
oft
, 2 ,
, ,
,
The pas|sages made | toward it;| on my | honor,
, ,
, , 2 ,
I speak | my good | lord card/inal, to |
this^point;
, T
T T
And thus | far clear him.
,
, ,
Now, what | moved me | to it, (tri with
prev)
, ,
, , 2
,
I will | be bold | with time | and your
at|tention:
,
2 , , ,
, 2 ->
Then mark | the induce|ment. Thus | it came;|
give heed || to it:
, ,
, ,
, 2
My | conscience | first re|ceived a | tenderness,
, ,
, , ,
Scruple,| and prick,| on cert|ain speech|es
ut|tered
<- , , 2
, T T T
, ,
By || the Bish|op of Bay|onne, then French |
ambas|sador, (hex with prev)
, ,
, , 2 ,
Who had | been hith|er sent | on the de|bating
, ,
, , ,
A mar|riage 'twixt | the Duke | of Or|leans, and
??
,
, 2 ,
, 2 ,
->
Our daught|er Ma|ry: in the / progress | of this
bus||iness,
, 2 ,
2 , , ,
Ere | a determ|inate res|olu|tion, he
,
, ,
, ,
->
(I mean | the bish|op) did | require | a
res||pite,
, 2 ,
, , ,
->
Where|in he might | the king | his lord |
adver||tise,^
, 2
, ,
, ,
Wheth|er our daught|er were | legit|imate,
,
, , 3
3 , ,
Respect|ing this | our mar|riage with the
dow|ager,
,
, , , ,
*Sometimes | our broth|er's wife.| This res|pite
shook
, ,
, , ,
The bos|om of | my con|science, ent|ered me;
, 2
, x
, ,
Yea, with a | splitting | power, and | made to |
tremble
,
, ,
, ,
The reg|ion of | my breast,| which forced |
such^way,
, ,
, , ,
That ma|ny mazed | consid|erings | did throng
,
, , ,
,
And pressed | in with | this cau|tion. First,|
methought
, ,
, x
,
I stood | not in | the smile | of heaven,| who
had
,
, ,
, ,
Command|ed na|ture, that | my la|dy's womb,
, , .
T T T
,
If it | conceived | a male child by | me,
should
T T T
x
, x
Do no more | offices | of life | to it; than
,
, , 2 ,
,
The grave | does to | the dead:| for her male |
issue,
, ,
2 , ,
,
Or died | where they were | made, or | shortly |
after
,
, ,
, ,
This world | had aired | them. Hence | I took | a
thought,
, 2
, ,
, ,
This was a | judgment | on me,| that my | kingdom
,
, , 2 ,
,
(Well* worth|y the / best heir | of the world)|
should not
, x
, ,
,
Be glad|ded in it | by me.| Then fol|lows, that
,
, , ,
,
I weighed | the dang|er which | my realms | stood
in
,
, , ,
, 2
By this | my is|sue's fail,| and that | gave to
me
,
, ,
, ,
Many | a groan|ing throe:| Thus hul|ling in
, ,
, , ,
The wild | sea of | my con|science, I | did steer
x ,
, ,
,
Toward this | reme|dy, *where|upon | we are
,
, , ,
,
Now* pres|ent here | togeth|er: that's | to say,
,
, , ,
,
I meant | to rec|tify | my con|science, which
, ,
T T . T ,
I then | did feel | full sick, and yet | not*
well,
, , , ,
,
By all | the reve|rend fath|ers of | the land,
, , ,
2 , ,
And doct|ors learned.| First I be|gan in |
private,
, ,
, ,
, ->
With you | my Lord | of Lin|coln; you |
remem||ber
, ,
2 , ,
,
How | under | my oppres|sion I | did reek
, ,
When I / first moved | you.
LINCOLN
, ,
,
Ve|ry well | my liege.
KING HENRY VIII
, ,
, ,
,
I have / spoke long,| be pleased | yourself | to
say
, , ,
->
How far | you sat|isfied || me.
LINCOLN
, ,
,
So | please your | highness, (tri with
prev)
, ,
, , ,
The ques|tion did | at first | so stag/ger me,
,
, , ,
x
Bearing | a state | of migh|ty mo|ment in it,
, ,
, , ,
2->
And cons|equence | of dread,| that I |
commit||ted
, ,
, ,
,
The dar|ingst^couns|el which | I had | to doubt,
, ,
, , ,
And did | entreat | your high|ness to | this
course,
,
, ,
Which you | are run|ning here.
KING HENRY VIII
, ,
I then | moved you,
, ,
x ,
,
My Lord | of Cant|erbury,| and got | your leave
, ,
x , , 2
To make | this pres|ent summons | unso|licited.
??
, , , , ,
I left | no reve|rend pers|on in | this court;
,
, , ,
, ->
But by | partic|ular | consent | proceed||ed
, 2 ,
, ,
,
Und|er your hands | and seals;| therefore |
go^on,
, ,
2 , ,
x
For no | dislike | in the world | against | the
person
, , ,
, ,
Of the / good queen,| but the / sharp thor|ny
points
, ,
x , ,
Of my | alleg|ed reasons,| drives this
| forward:
, , ,
, ,
Prove but | our mar|riage law|ful, by | my life
, ,
, , 2 ,
And king|ly dig|nity,| we are con|tented
,
, , ,
,
To wear | our mort|al state | to come,| with her,
, 3 3
, ,
, ,
(Katharine our | queen, be|fore the | primest |
creature
, ,
2 ,
That's^par|agoned | of the world.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
, ,
o
So please | your high|ness,
(tri with prev)
, 2 ,
, ,
, ->
The queen | being ab|sent, 'tis | a need|ful
fit||ness,
, 2 ,
, ,
,
That | we adjourn | this court | till furth|er
day;
T T
T , , ,
Meanwhile, must | be an | earnest | motion
,
, , ,
,
Made to | the queen | to call | back her | appeal
2 ,
, , 3 3
She intends | unto | his hol|iness.
KING HENRY VIII
, ,
I may | perceive
, 2
, , , ,
These^card|inals trif|le with | me: I | abhor
, ,
, ,
,
This dil|ato|ry sloth,| and tricks | of Rome.
, ,
, , ,
My learned | and well-|beloved | servant
| Cranmer,
, ,
, ,
,
prithee | return,| with thy | approach:| I know,
,
, ,
, ,
My com|fort comes | along:| Break up | the court;
,
,
I say,| set on. \\
[Exeunt in manner as they entered]