Read King John & Henry VIII Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Old as I am, to
queen it
45
: but, I pray you,
What think you of a duchess? Have you limbs
To
bear
that
load of title
47
?
ANNE
No, in truth.
OLD LADY
Then you are weakly made:
pluck off
49
a little:
I would not be a young
count
in your
way
50
,
For more than blushing comes to
51
: if your back
Cannot
vouchsafe
this
burden
52
, ’tis too weak
Ever to
get
53
a boy.
ANNE
How you do talk!
I swear again, I would not be a queen
For all the world.
OLD LADY
In faith, for
little England
57
You’d venture an
emballing
58
: I myself
Would for
Caernarvonshire
, although there
longed
59
No more to th’crown but that. Lo, who comes here?
Enter Lord Chamberlain
CHAMBERLAIN
Good morrow, ladies: what were’t worth to know
The secret of your
conference
62
?
ANNE
My good lord,
Not your demand: it
values not
64
your asking:
Our mistress’ sorrows we were pitying.
CHAMBERLAIN
It was a
gentle
66
business, and becoming
The action of good women: there is hope
All will be well.
ANNE
Now I pray God, amen.
CHAMBERLAIN
You bear a gentle mind, and heav’nly 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
Commends
74
his good opinion of you, and
Does
purpose
75
honour to you no less flowing
Than Marchioness of Pembroke: to which title
A thousand pound a year, annual support,
Out of his
grace
78
he adds.
ANNE
I do not know
What
kind
of my obedience I should
tender
80
:
More than my all is nothing
81
: nor my prayers
Are not words duly
hallowed
82
, nor my wishes
More
83
worth than empty vanities: yet prayers and wishes
Are all I can return. Beseech your lordship,
Vouchsafe
85
to speak my thanks and my obedience,
As from a blushing handmaid to his highness,
Whose health and royalty I pray for.
CHAMBERLAIN
Lady,
Aside
The king hath of you.— I have
perused
90
her well:
Beauty and honour in her are so mingled
That they have caught the king: and who knows yet
But from this lady may proceed a
gem
93
To Anne
To
lighten
94
all this isle.— I’ll to the king
And say I spoke with you.
ANNE
My honoured lord.
Exit Lord Chamberlain
OLD LADY
Why, this it is: see, see!
I have been begging sixteen years in court,
Am yet a courtier
beggarly
99
, nor could
Come
pat
100
betwixt too early and too late
For any
suit of
pounds
101
, and you — O fate! —
A very
fresh
fish
here —
fie
102
, fie, fie upon
This
compelled
fortune! —
have your mouth filled up
103
Before you open it.
ANNE
This is
strange
105
to me.
OLD LADY
How
tastes
it? Is it bitter?
Forty pence
106
, no:
There was a lady once, ’tis an old story,
That would not be a
queen
108
, that would she not
ANNE
Come, you are
pleasant
110
.
OLD LADY
With
your theme
111
, I could
O’ermount
112
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
115
Is longer than his foreskirt: by this time
I know
your back will bear a duchess
117
. Say,
Are you not stronger than you were?
ANNE
Good lady,
Make yourself mirth with your
particular fancy
120
,
And leave me out
on’t
121
. Would I had no being
If this
salute
my
blood
a jot: it
faints me
122
,
To think what follows.
The queen is comfortless, and we forgetful
In our long absence: pray, do not
deliver
125
What here you’ve heard to her.
OLD LADY
What do you think me?
Exeunt
running scene 7
Trumpets,
sennet
and cornets. Enter two
Vergers
, with short silver wands; next them two Scribes in the
habit of doctors
[
and a Crier
]
: after them, the
[
Arch
]
bishop of Canterbury alone: after him, the Bishops of Lincoln, Ely, Rochester and
St 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, the two Cardinals
[
Wolsey and Campeius
]
, two Noblemen, with the sword and mace. The King
[
Henry
]
takes place under the
cloth of state
. The two Cardinals sit under him as judges. The Queen
[
Katherine, attended by Griffith
]
takes place some distance from the King. 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
th’authority allowed
5
:
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, come into the court.
KING HENRY VIII
Here.
SCRIBE
Say, ‘Katherine, Queen of England, come into the
court.’
CRIER
Katherine, Queen of England, come into the court.
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
QUEEN KATHERINE
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
16
,
Born out of your dominions, having here
No judge
indifferent
18
, nor no more assurance
Of
equal
friendship and
proceeding
19
. Alas, sir,
In what have I offended you? What cause
Hath my behaviour given to your displeasure,
That thus you should
proceed to put me off
22
,
And take your good
grace
23
from me? Heaven witness,
I have been to you a true and humble wife,
At all times to your will
conformable
25
,
Ever in fear to kindle your
dislike
26
,
Yea, subject to your
countenance
27
, 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
33
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 blessed
With
many children
38
by you. If, in the course
And process of this time, you can report,
And prove it too, against mine
honour
aught
40
,
My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty
Against
42
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 unmatched
wit
48
and judgement. Ferdinand
My father, King of Spain, was reckoned
one
49
The wisest prince that there had reigned by many
A year before. It is not to be questioned
That they had gathered a wise council to them
Of every realm, that did debate this business,
Who deemed our marriage lawful.
Wherefore
54
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’th’name of God,
Your pleasure be fulfilled.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
You have here, lady,
And of your choice, these
reverend fathers
60
, men
Of singular integrity and learning,
Yea, the
elect
62
o’th’land, who are assembled
To plead your cause. It shall be therefore
bootless
63
That
longer
you
desire
64
the court, as well
For your own
quiet
65
, 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
69
do proceed,
And that, without delay, their arguments
Be now produced and heard.
QUEEN KATHERINE
Lord cardinal,
To you I speak.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Your pleasure, madam?
QUEEN KATHERINE
Sir,
I am about to weep: but, thinking that
We are a queen, or long have dreamed so,
certain
77
The daughter of a king, my drops of tears
I’ll turn to sparks of fire.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Be patient yet.
QUEEN KATHERINE
I will, when you are humble: nay,
before
81
,