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Henry VIII

Act IV, Scene 2

Kimbolton.
 
[Enter KATHARINE, Dowager, sick; led between GRIFFITH, her gentleman usher, and PATIENCE, her woman]
 
GRIFFITH
            ,           ,
      How does | your grace?
 
KATHARINE
                                 ,          ,         ,
                             O Grif|fith, sick | to death:
           ,          ,         ,       ,      2      ,
      My legs | like load|en branch|es bow | to the earth,
       ,             ,             ,        ,         ,
      Willing | to leave | their burd|en: Reach | a chair,
          ,         ,         ,       ,        ,
      So now |(methinks)| I feel | a lit|tle ease.
        ,       2        ,         ,         ,          ,
      Didst thou not | tell me | Griffith,| as thou | ledst me,
          2      ,       ,         ,       ,   2      ,
      That the great | child of | honor,| Cardinal | Wolsey
            ,
      Was dead?
 
GRIFFITH
                ,   ,                ,            ,
               Yes mad/am: but | I thank | your grace
       ,    2        ,         ,           ,        ,    2
      Out of the | pain you | suffered,| gave no | ear to it.
 
KATHARINE
       ,               ,          ,        ,         ,
      Prithee | good Grif|fith, tell | me how | he died.
           ,          ,          ,        ,     ,
      If well,| he stepped | before | me hap|pily
       ,    2    ,
      For my ex|ample.
 
GRIFFITH
                          ,           T     T   Tx
                        Well, the | voice goes madam,
           ,             ,     ,         ,       ,
      For aft|er the / stout Earl | Northum|berland
         ,       ,         ,           ,           ,       3->
      Arrest|ed him | at York,| and brought | him for||ward
        3   ,      ,        ,        ,        ,
      As a man | sorely | tainted,| to his | answer,
           ,      ,   ,                ,        ,
      He fell | sick sud/denly,| and grew | so ill
           ,          ,          ,
      He could | not sit | his mule.
 
KATHARINE
                                       ,           ,
                                     Alas | poor* man.
 
GRIFFITH
           ,          ,      ,          ,         ,         ->
      At last,| with ea|sy roads,| he came | to Leice||ster,
         ,       2     ,        ,           ,         x
      Lodged | in the ab|bey; where | the reve|rend abbot
            ,         ,        ,   2   ,           x
      With all | his cov|ent, hon|orably | received him;
           ,         ,            ,        ,        x
      To whom | he gave | these^words.| O fath|er abbot,
          ,     ,    ,                    ,          ,
      An old | man, brok/en with | the storms | of state,
           ,        ,         ,       ,        ,        ->
      Is come | to lay | his wea|ry bones | among || ye:
        ,       2   ,        ,          ,     ,
      Give | him a lit|tle earth | for char|ity.
           ,        ,           ,     ,         ,       2->
      So went | to bed;| where eag|erly | his sick||ness
           ,          ,           ,        ,    ,
      Pursued | him still,| and three | nights aft/er this,
         ,          ,         ,            ,        ,
      About | the hour | of eight,| which he | himself
            ,            ,         ,      ,    2    ,
      Foretold | should be | his last,| full of re|pentance,
          ,   2   ,    ,          ,            x
      Contin|ual med|ita|tions, tears,| and sorrows,
           ,         ,       ,         ,        ,
      He gave | his hon|ors to | the world | again,
            ,        ,          x           ,          ,
      His bles|sed part | to heaven,| and slept | in peace.
 
KATHARINE
       ,    2       ,
      So may he | rest,
                                 ,          ,        ,
                        His | faults lie*| gently | on him:
         2      ,      ,          ,         ,          ,
      Yet thus far | Griffith,| give me | leave to | speak him,
           ,          ,     ,       ,       ,
      And yet | with char|ity.| He was | a man
        2    ,   ,        ,        ,       ,
      Of an un|bounded | stomach,| ever | ranking
           ,           ,        ,          ,       ,       ->
      Himself | with prin|ces. One | that by | sugges||tion
        ,     ,          ,        ,               ,    ,
      Tied | all the | kingdom.| Simo|ny, was / fair play,
           ,      ,       ,         ,     ,        ,
      His own | opin|ion was | his law.| In the | presence  (hex with prev)
        2       ,     ,   ,              ,       ,
      He would say | untruths,/ and be | ever | double
        ,    2        ,           ,         ,        ,
      Both in his | words, and | meaning.| He was | never
        ,               ,         ,      ,    ,
      (But where | he meant | to ru|in) pit|iful.
           ,    2      ,              ,   ,      ,
      His prom|ises, were | as he / then was,| mighty:
       ,     2     ,          ,          ,     ,
      But his per|formance,| as he | is now,| nothing:
                ,   ,     ,        ,          ,
      Of his / own bo|dy he | was ill,| and gave
            ,   ,   2    ,
      The cler|gy in ex|ample.
 
GRIFFITH
                                ,       ,
                               Noble | madam:
        T   Tx    T         ,         ,            ,       2->
      Men's evil man|ners live | in brass,| their vir||tues
           ,         ,         x        ,            ,
      We write | in wat|er. May it | please your | highness
           ,         ,           ,
      To hear | me speak | his good | now*?
 
KATHARINE
                                            ,            ,        ->
                                           Yes | good* Grif||fith;
      ,       2   ,         ,
      I | were mali|cious else.
 
GRIFFITH
                                  ,    ,
                                This card/inal,
         ,             ,        ,         ,      ,
      Though from | a hum|ble stock,| undoubt|edly
            ,       2     ,     ,        ,         ,
      Was fash|ioned to much | honor.| From his | cradle
       ,    2      ,        ,        T    .    T   T
      He was a | scholar,| and a | ripe, and good one:
         ,         ,      ,     x              ,
      Exceed|ing wise,| fair-spoken,/ and per|suading:
       ,            ,         ,           ,          ,
      Lofty,| and sour | to them | that loved | him not:
       ,     2         ,            ,           ,         ,
      But, to those | men that | sought him,| sweet as | summer.
             ,       2      ,  ,      ,        ,
      And though | he were un|satis|fied in | getting,
              ,       ,     ,    2    ,         ,
      (Which^was | a sin)| yet in be|stowing,| madam,
                 ,     ,         x     ,         ,
      He was / most prince|ly: ever | witness | for him
              ,          ,          ,          ,         ,
      Those^twins | of learn|ing, that | he raised | in you,
       ,     2       ,        ,         ,      ,
      Ipswich and | Oxford:| one of | which, fell / with him,
         ,             ,   ,          ,            x
      Unwil|ling to / outlive | the good | that did it.
          ,          ,        ,        2     ,    ,
      The oth|er (though | unfin|ished) yet so | famous,
       ,  ,    2          ,           ,         ,
      So ex/cellent in | art, and | still so | rising,
             ,       ,           x       ,          ,
      That Christ|endom | shall ever | speak his | virtue.
           ,     ,        ,    ,     2      ,
      His ov|erthrow,| heaped hap/piness u|pon him:
            ,     .   T    T    T         ,         ,
      For then,| and not till then,| he felt | himself,
            ,           ,       ,        ,        x
      And found | the bles|sedness | of be|ing little.
                ,    ,       ,       ,        ,
      And to / add great|er hon|ors to | his age
            ,            ,                ,    ,        ,
      Than man | could give | him, he / died, fear|ing God.
 
KATHARINE
       ,   2       ,          ,       ,        ,
      After my | death, I | wish no | other | herald,
         ,        ,     2    ,    ,        ,
      No oth|er speak|er of my | living | actions,
           ,          ,       ,        ,    ,
      To keep | mine hon|or from | corrup|tion,
            ,          x       ,      ,         ,
      But such | an honest | chroni|cler as | Griffith.
           ,         ,        x       ,           ,
      Whom^I | most^hat|ed living,| thou hast | made me  ??
            ,       ,         ,          ,    ,
      With thy | relig|ious truth,| and mod|esty,
        ,    2       ,       ,        ,          ,
      (Now in his | ashes)| honor:| peace be | with him.
       ,              ,         ,          ,         x
      Patience,| be near | me still,| and set | me lower.
       2      ,      ,         ,         ,             ,
      I have not | long to | trouble | thee. Good* | Griffith,
        ,            ,         ,               ,    ,
      Cause the | musi|cians play | me that / sad note
          ,          ,            ,        ,    ,      2->
      I named | my knell;| whilst^I | sit^med|itat||ing
       ,       2    ,   2   ,    2       ,  ,
      On | that celest|ial har|mony I / go to.  ??
 
[Sad and solemn music]
 
GRIFFITH
       ,    2    ,             ,            T    T    Tx
      She is a|sleep: good*| wench, let's^|sit down quiet,
            ,         ,           ,         x      ,
      For fear | we wake | her. Soft|ly, gentle | Patience.
 
[The vision. Enter, solemnly tripping one after another, six personages, clad in white robes, wearing on their heads garlands of bays, and golden vizards on their faces; branches of bays or palm in their hands. They first congee unto her, then dance; and, at certain changes, the first two hold a spare garland over her head; at which the other four make reverent curtsies; then the two that held the garland deliver the same to the other next two, who observe the same order in their changes, and holding the garland over her head: which done, they deliver the same garland to the last two, who likewise observe the same order: at which, as it were by inspiration, she makes in her sleep signs of rejoicing, and holdeth up her hands to heaven: and so in their dancing vanish, carrying the garland with them. The music continues]
 
KATHARINE
       ,     2       ,             ,                 ,    ,
      Spirits of | peace, where | are ye?| Are ye / all gone?
            ,          ,         ,       2         ,   ,
      And leave | me here | in wretch|edness, be/hind ye?
 
GRIFFITH
       ,       ,        __
      Madam,| we are | here.
 
KATHARINE
        2    ,     ,        ,
      It is not | you I | call for,  (tri with prev)
       ,    2       ,        ,         T
      Saw ye none^|enter | since I | slept?
 
GRIFFITH
                                              T   Tx
                                            None madam.
 
KATHARINE
       ,      2       T   Tx   T        ,        ,
      No? Saw* you | not even now | a bles|sed troop  ??
          ,     ,   2     ,                 ,      ,
      Invite | me to a | banquet,| whose bright | faces
             ,         ,       ,          ,         ,
      Cast^thous|and beams | upon | me, like | the sun?
             ,        ,      ,      ,      ,
      They prom|ised me | etern|al hap|piness,
             ,          ,           ,          ,         ,
      And brought | me garl|ands (Grif|fith) which | I feel
       2    ,     ,        ,         ,    3     3    ,   2
      I am not | worthy | yet to | wear: I shall as|suredly.  ??
 
GRIFFITH
       2    ,      ,        ,       T     T     T
      I am most | joyful | madam,| such good dreams
           ,          ,
      Possess | your fan|cy.
 
KATHARINE
                              ,         ,       ,
                             Bid | the mus|ic leave,
          2      ,          ,      ,
      They are harsh | and hea|vy to | me.
 
[Music ceases]
 
PATIENCE
                                            ,         ,
                                           Do | you note
            ,          ,         ,        ,          x
      How much | her grace | is alt|ered on | the sudden?
            ,          ,         ,           ,          ,
      How long | her face | is drawn?| How pale | she looks,
           ,       ,        ,      T   T    T
      And of | an ear|thy cold?| Mark her eyes?
 
GRIFFITH
         2    ,       ,       T     T
      She is go|ing wench:| pray, pray.
 
PATIENCE
                                          Tx      ,     2
                                        Heaven | comfort her.
 
[Enter a Messenger]
 
MESSENGER
         2     ,           ,
      And it like | your grace--
 
KATHARINE
                                  ,     2     ,       ,
                                 You are a | saucy | fellow,
          ,         ,          ,
      Deserve | we no | more^reve|rence?
 
GRIFFITH
                                          ,       2     ,
                                         You | are to blame,
          x               ,      ,         ,         ,
      Knowing she | will not | lose her | wonted | greatness  ??
          ,         ,       ,              ,    ,
      To use | so rude | behav|ior. Go* / to, kneel.
 
MESSENGER
         ,        2     ,     ,      ,         ,
      I hum|bly do en/treat your | highness'| pardon,
           ,       ,          ,      ,        2     ,      2->
      My haste | made me | unman|nerly.| There is stay||ing
         ,     2     ,      ,          ,         ,
      A gent|leman sent | from the | king, to | see you.
 
KATHARINE
         ,         ,          ,                ,   ,      ->
      Admit | him en|trance Grif|fith. But / this fel||low
       ,      2      ,       ,
      Let | me nere see | again.  \\
 
[Exeunt GRIFFITH and Messenger. Enter GRIFFITH, with CAPUCIUS]
       ,        T     T   T
      If my | sight fail not,
      <- T     T    T      ,      ,          ,         ,   ___
        You should be || lord am|bassa|dor from | the empe|ror,
          ,      ,   ,      2         ,      ,
      My roy|al neph|ew, and your | name Ca|pucius.
 
CAPUCIUS
       ,            ,          ,
      Madam | the same.| Your serv|ant.
 
KATHARINE
                                        ,        ,
                                        O | my lord,
            ,            x      ,         ,           ,
      The times | and titles | now are | altered | strangely
            ,           ,           ,     ,
      With me,| since first | you knew | me.
                                               2      ,
                                            But I | pray you,
        ,              ,      2      ,
      What is | your pleas|ure with me?
 
CAPUCIUS
                                         ,       ,
                                        Noble | lady,
        ,          ,    ,                  ,           ,
      First mine^|own serv/ice to | your grace,| the next
             ,         ,          ,          ,      ,
      The king's | request,| that I | would vis|it you,
             ,        ,               ,         ,        ,
      Who grieves | much for | your weak|ness, and | by me
        ,                ,       ,      ,    ,
      Sends you | his prince|ly com|menda|tions,
       ,    ,    2        ,           ,          ,
      And heart/ily en|treats you | take good*| comfort.
 
KATHARINE
      ,              ,          ,         ,           ,
      O my | good* lord,| that com|fort comes | too late,
             ,         x      ,       ,   ,
      'Tis like | a pardon | after | exe|cution:
               x     ,         x          ,           ,
      That gentle | physic | given in | time, had | cured me:
           ,     2     ,          ,          ,           x
      But now | I am past | all* com|forts here,| but prayers.
             ,          ,
      How* does | his high|ness?
 
CAPUCIUS
                                  ,             ,     ,
                                 mad|am, in / good health.
 
KATHARINE
       ,    2     ,       ,        ,        ,
      So may he | ever | do, and | ever | flourish,
           ,           ,            ,                ,    ,
      When I | shall dwell | with worms,| and my / poor name
       ,      2        ,        ,          ,         ,
      Banished the | kingdom.| Patience,| is that | letter
           ,           ,           ,    . T
      I caused | you write,| yet sent | away?
 
PATIENCE
                                               T   Tx
                                              No madam. 

KATHARINE
       ,             ,        ,     ,    2    ,
      Sir, I | most hum|bly pray | you to de|liver
        ,    2       ,          ,
      This to my | lord the | king.
 
CAPUCIUS
                                           ,         ,
                                    Most^|willing | madam.
 
KATHARINE
           ,         ,        ,        x        ,
      In which | I have | commend|ed to his | goodness
           ,       2         ,     ,           ,       ,
      The mod|el of our / chaste loves:| his young | daughter,
            ,          x       T    T    .   T         ,       o
      The dews | of heaven | fall thick in bles|sings on | her,
          ,        ,         ,         ,    2     ,        o
      Beseech|ing him | to give | her vir|tuous breed|ing.    (hex with prev)
         2     ,      ,    2     ,       ,        ,
      She is young,| and of a | noble | modest | nature,
          ,     ,      2     ,     ,             ,
      I hope | she will de|serve well;/ and a | little
           ,     ,     2       ,           ,                 ,
      To love | her for her | mother's | sake, that | loved^him,
       ,         ,           ,
      Heaven | knows how | dearly.
           ,      ,      ,
      My next | poor pe|tition,  (tri with prev)
       ,      2       ,        ,             ,          ,
      Is, that his | noble | grace would | have some | pity
        ,          ,       ,              ,   ,
      Upon | my wretch|ed wom|en, that / so long
            ,          ,        ,           ,       ,
      Have fol|lowed both | my for|tunes, faith|fully,
           ,                 ,   ,        ,      ,
      Of which | there is / not one,| I dare | avow
            ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      (And now | I should | not^lie)| but will | deserve
           ,               ,    ,      ,         ,
      For vir|tue, and / true beaut|y of | the soul,
           ,    ,         ,       ,     ,
      For hon|esty,| and dec|ent car|riage
          ,           ,         ,         ,       x
      A right | good hus|band (let | him be | a noble)
            ,           ,         ,       ,              x
      And sure | those men | are hap|py that | shall have 'em.
            ,        ,        ,      ,     2        ,
      The last | is for | my men,| they are the | poorest,
            ,     ,           x       ,          ,
      (But pov|erty | could never | draw 'em | from me)
        ,               ,           ,        ,      , 
      That they | may have | their wag|es, duly | paid 'em,
            ,        ,      ,      ,     2    ,
      And some|thing ov|er to | remem|ber me by.
            x            ,        2       x          ,       ,
      If heaven | had pleased | to have given | me long|er life
          ,       ,               ,    ,       ,
      And ab|le means,| we had / not part|ed thus.
        ,      2        T    T   T           ,         ,
      These are the | whole contents,| and good | my lord,
           ,          ,         ,        ,          ,
      By that | you love | the dear|est in | this world,
       ,    2        ,           ,          ,       ,
      As you wish^|Christian | peace to | souls de|parted,
        ,                ,           ,           ,          ,
      Stand these^|poor peo|ple's friend,| and urge | the king
          ,               ,    ,
      To do | me this / last right.
 
CAPUCIUS
                                          x         ,
                                    By heaven | I will,
          ,         ,          ,       ,      ,
      Or let | me lose | the fash|ion of | a man.
 
KATHARINE
          ,          ,        ,       ,       ,
      I thank | you hon|est lord.| Remem|ber me
          ,       ,    ,    ,  2        ,
      In all | humil|ity | unto his | highness:
       T   T    T      ,        ,        ,
      Say his long | trouble | now is | passing
       ,    2         ,      ,               ,          ,
      Out of this | world. Tell / him in | death I | blessed him
            ,       ,           ,          ,          ,
      (For so | I will)| mine eyes | grow dim.| Farewell
           ,      ,          T   T    T     ,
      My lord.| Griffith | farewell. Nay | Patience,
            ,          ,         ,        ,        ,
      You must | not^leave | me yet.| I must | to bed,
        T   .   T    Tx      ,   2       T    T    T
      Call in more women.| When I am | dead good wench,
       ,    2       ,          ,        ,        ,
      Let me be | used with | honor;| strew me | over
            ,         x            ,          ,           ,
      With maid|en flowers,| that all | the world | may know
      ,    2       ,     ,              ,         ,
      I was a | chaste wife,/ to my | grave: em|balm me,
            ,         ,          ,          ,            ,
      Then lay | me forth |(although | unqueened)| yet like
          ,           ,        ,       ,       ,        ->
      A queen,| and daught|er to | a king | inter || me.
      ,    T   T   T
      I | can no more.   \\
 
[Exeunt, leading KATHARINE]

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