SCENE IV. A hall in Black-Friars. The Life of King Henry the Eighth  Shakespeare homepage  |  Henry VIII  | Act 2, Scene 4 

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 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 commission from Rome is read, 

 Let silence be commanded. 

 KING HENRY VIII  What's the need? 

 It hath already publicly been read, 

 And on all sides the authority allow'd; 

 You may, then, spare that time. 

 CARDINAL WOLSEY  Be't so. Proceed. 

 Scribe  Say, Henry King of England, come into the court. 

 Crier  Henry King of England,  & c. 

 KING HENRY VIII  Here. 

 Scribe  Say, Katharine Queen of England, come into the court. 

 Crier  Katharine Queen of England,  & c. 



 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  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. Alas, sir, 

 In what have I offended you? what cause 

 Hath my behavior 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, 

 Yea, subject to your countenance, glad or sorry 

 As I saw it inclined: when was the hour 

 I ever contradicted your desire, 

 Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends 

 Have I not strove to love, although I knew 

 He were mine enemy? what friend of mine 

 That had to him derived your anger, did I 

 Continue in my liking? nay, gave notice 

 He was from thence discharged. Sir, call to mind 

 That I have been your wife, in this obedience, 

 Upward of twenty years, and have been blest 

 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 sharp'st kind of justice. Please you sir, 

 The king, your father, was reputed for 

 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 

 Beseech you, sir, to spare me, till I may 

 Be by my friends in Spain advised; whose counsel 

 I will implore: if not, i' the name of God, 

 Your pleasure be fulfill'd! 

 CARDINAL WOLSEY  You have here, lady, 

 And of your choice, these reverend fathers; men 

 Of singular integrity and learning, 

 Yea, the elect o' 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. 

 CARDINAL CAMPEIUS  His grace 

 Hath spoken well and justly: therefore, madam, 

 It's fit this royal session do proceed; 

 And that, without delay, their arguments 

 Be now produced and heard. 

 QUEEN KATHARINE  Lord cardinal, 

 To you I speak. 

 CARDINAL WOLSEY  Your pleasure, madam? 

 QUEEN KATHARINE  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. 

 CARDINAL WOLSEY  Be patient yet. 

 QUEEN KATHARINE  I will, when you are humble; nay, before, 

 Or God will punish me. I do believe, 

 Induced 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 again, 

 I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul 

 Refuse you for my judge; whom, yet once more, 

 I hold my most malicious foe, and think not 

 At all a friend to truth. 

 CARDINAL WOLSEY  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: 

 I have no spleen against you; nor injustice 

 For you or any: how far I have proceeded, 

 Or how far further shall, is warranted 

 By a commission from the consistory, 

 Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me 

 That I have blown this coal: I do deny it: 

 The king is present: if it be known to him 

 That I gainsay my deed, how may he wound, 

 And worthily, my falsehood! yea, as much 

 As you have done my truth. If he know 

 That I am free of your report, he knows 

 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 highness shall speak in, I do beseech 

 You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking 

 And to say so no more. 

 QUEEN KATHARINE  My lord, my lord, 

 I am a simple woman, much too weak 

 To oppose your cunning. You're meek and 

 humble-mouth'd; 

 You sign your place and calling, in full seeming, 

 With meekness and humility; but your heart 

 Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride. 

 You have, by fortune and his highness' favours, 

 Gone slightly o'er low steps and now are mounted 

 Where powers are your retainers, and your words, 

 Domestics to you, serve your will as't please 

 Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you, 

 You tender more your person's honour than 

 Your high profession spiritual: 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 holiness, 

 And to be judged by him. 



 She curtsies to KING HENRY VIII, and offers to depart  CARDINAL CAMPEIUS  The queen is obstinate, 

 Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and 

 Disdainful to be tried by't: 'tis not well. 

 She's going away. 

 KING HENRY VIII  Call her again. 

 Crier  Katharine Queen of England, come into the court. 

 GRIFFITH  Madam, you are call'd back. 

 QUEEN KATHARINE  What need you note it? pray you, keep your way: 

 When you are call'd, return. Now, the Lord help, 

 They vex me past my patience! Pray you, pass on: 

 I will not tarry; no, nor ever more 

 Upon this business my appearance make 

 In any of their courts. 



 Exeunt QUEEN KATHARINE and her Attendants  KING HENRY VIII  Go thy ways, Kate: 

 That man i' the world who shall report he has 

 A better wife, let him in nought be trusted, 

 For speaking false in that: thou art, alone, 

 If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness, 

 Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government, 

 Obeying in commanding, and thy parts 

 Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out, 

 The queen of earthly queens: she's noble born; 

 And, like her true nobility, she has 

 Carried herself towards me. 

 CARDINAL WOLSEY  Most gracious sir, 

 In humblest manner I require your highness, 

 That it shall please you to declare, in hearing 

 Of all these ears,--for where I am robb'd and bound, 

 There must I be unloosed, although not there 

 At once and fully satisfied,--whether ever I 

 Did broach this business to your highness; or 

 Laid any scruple in your way, which might 

 Induce you to the question on't? or ever 

 Have to you, but with thanks to God for such 

 A royal lady, spake one the least word that might 

 Be to the prejudice of her present state, 

 Or touch of her good person? 

 KING HENRY VIII  My lord cardinal, 

 I do excuse you; yea, upon 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're excused: 

 But will you be more justified? You ever 

 Have wish'd the sleeping of this business; never desired 

 It to be stirr'd; but oft have hinder'd, oft, 

 The passages made toward it: on my honour, 

 I speak my good lord cardinal to this point, 

 And thus far clear him. Now, what moved me to't, 

 I will be bold with time and your attention: 

 Then mark the inducement. Thus it came; give heed to't: 

 My conscience first received a tenderness, 

 Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd 

 By the Bishop of Bayonne, then French ambassador; 

 Who had been hither sent on the debating 

 A marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and 

 Our daughter Mary: i' the progress of this business, 

 Ere a determinate resolution, he, 

 I mean the bishop, did require a respite; 

 Wherein he might the king his lord advertise 

 Whether our daughter were legitimate, 

 Respecting this our marriage with the dowager, 

 Sometimes our brother's wife. This respite shook 

 The bosom of my conscience, enter'd me, 

 Yea, with a splitting power, and made to tremble 

 The region of my breast; which forced such way, 

 That many mazed considerings did throng 

 And press'd in with this caution. First, methought 

 I stood not in the smile of heaven; who had 

 Commanded nature, that my lady's womb, 

 If it conceived a male child by me, should 

 Do no more offices of life to't than 

 The grave does to the dead; for her male issue 

 Or died where they were made, or shortly after 

 This world had air'd them: hence I took a thought, 

 This was a judgment on me; that my kingdom, 

 Well worthy the best heir o' the world, should not 

 Be gladded in't by me: then follows, that 

 I weigh'd the danger which my realms stood in 

 By this my issue's fail; and that gave to me 

 Many a groaning throe. Thus hulling in 

 The wild sea of my conscience, I did steer 

 Toward this remedy, whereupon we are 

 Now present here together: that's to say, 

 I meant to rectify my conscience,--which 

 I then did feel full sick, and yet not well,-- 

 By all the reverend fathers of the land 

 And doctors learn'd: first I began in private 

 With you, my Lord of Lincoln; you remember 

 How under my oppression I did reek, 

 When I first moved you. 

 LINCOLN  Very well, my liege. 

 KING HENRY VIII  I have spoke long: be pleased yourself to say 

 How far you satisfied me. 

 LINCOLN  So please your highness, 

 The question did at first so stagger me, 

 Bearing a state of mighty moment in't 

 And consequence of dread, that I committed 

 The daring'st counsel which I had to doubt; 

 And did entreat your highness to this course 

 Which you are running here. 

 KING HENRY VIII  I then moved you, 

 My Lord of Canterbury; and got your leave 

 To make this present summons: unsolicited 

 I left no reverend person in this court; 

 But by particular consent proceeded 

 Under your hands and seals: therefore, go on: 

 For no dislike i' the world against the person 

 Of the good queen, but the sharp thorny points 

 Of my alleged reasons, drive this forward: 

 Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life 

 And kingly dignity, we are contented 

 To wear our mortal state to come with her, 

 Katharine our queen, before the primest creature 

 That's paragon'd o' the world. 

 CARDINAL CAMPEIUS  So please your highness, 

 The queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness 

 That we adjourn this court till further day: 

 Meanwhile must be an earnest motion 

 Made to the queen, to call back her appeal 

 She intends unto his holiness. 

 KING HENRY VIII  [Aside]	I may perceive 

 These cardinals trifle with me: I abhor 

 This dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome. 

 My learn'd and well-beloved servant, Cranmer, 

 Prithee, return: with thy approach, I know, 

 My comfort comes along. Break up the court: 

 I say, set on. 



 Exeunt in manner as they entered  Shakespeare homepage  |  Henry VIII  | Act 2, Scene 4 

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