King Henry The Eighth

1 Enter Katherine Dowager, sick, led between Griffith, her gentleman
2 usher, and Patience, her woman.
3 GRIFFITH.
4 How does your Grace?
5 QUEEN KATHERINE.
6 O Griffith, sick to death.
7 My legs like loaden branches bow to th’ earth,
8 Willing to leave their burden. Reach a chair.
9 [_She sits._]
10 So. Now, methinks, I feel a little ease.
11 Didst thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou ledst me,
12 That the great child of honour, Cardinal Wolsey,
13 Was dead?
14 GRIFFITH.
15 Yes, madam, but I think your Grace,
16 Out of the pain you suffered, gave no ear to’t.
17 QUEEN KATHERINE.
18 Prithee, good Griffith, tell me how he died.
19 If well, he stepped before me happily
20 For my example.
21 GRIFFITH.
22 Well, the voice goes, madam.
23 For after the stout Earl Northumberland
24 Arrested him at York and brought him forward,
25 As a man sorely tainted, to his answer,
26 He fell sick suddenly and grew so ill
27 He could not sit his mule.
28 QUEEN KATHERINE.
29 Alas, poor man!
30 GRIFFITH.
31 At last, with easy roads, he came to Leicester,
32 Lodged in the abbey, where the reverend abbot,
33 With all his covent, honourably received him;
34 To whom he gave these words: “O father abbot,
35 An old man, broken with the storms of state,
36 Is come to lay his weary bones among ye.
37 Give him a little earth for charity.”
38 So went to bed, where eagerly his sickness
39 Pursued him still; and three nights after this,
40 About the hour of eight, which he himself
41 Foretold should be his last, full of repentance,
42 Continual meditations, tears, and sorrows,
43 He gave his honours to the world again,
44 His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace.
45 QUEEN KATHERINE.
46 So may he rest. His faults lie gently on him!
47 Yet thus far, Griffith, give me leave to speak him,
48 And yet with charity. He was a man
49 Of an unbounded stomach, ever ranking
50 Himself with princes; one that by suggestion
51 Tied all the kingdom. Simony was fair-play.
52 His own opinion was his law. I’ th’ presence
53 He would say untruths, and be ever double
54 Both in his words and meaning. He was never,
55 But where he meant to ruin, pitiful.
56 His promises were, as he then was, mighty;
57 But his performance, as he is now, nothing.
58 Of his own body he was ill, and gave
59 The clergy ill example.
60 GRIFFITH.
61 Noble madam,
62 Men’s evil manners live in brass; their virtues
63 We write in water. May it please your Highness
64 To hear me speak his good now?
65 QUEEN KATHERINE.
66 Yes, good Griffith;
67 I were malicious else.
68 GRIFFITH.
69 This Cardinal,
70 Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly
71 Was fashioned to much honour. From his cradle
72 He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one,
73 Exceeding wise, fair-spoken, and persuading;
74 Lofty and sour to them that loved him not,
75 But to those men that sought him, sweet as summer.
76 And though he were unsatisfied in getting,
77 Which was a sin, yet in bestowing, madam,
78 He was most princely. Ever witness for him
79 Those twins of learning that he raised in you,
80 Ipswich and Oxford, one of which fell with him,
81 Unwilling to outlive the good that did it;
82 The other, though unfinished, yet so famous,
83 So excellent in art, and still so rising,
84 That Christendom shall ever speak his virtue.
85 His overthrow heaped happiness upon him,
86 For then, and not till then, he felt himself,
87 And found the blessedness of being little.
88 And, to add greater honours to his age
89 Than man could give him, he died fearing God.
90 QUEEN KATHERINE.
91 After my death I wish no other herald,
92 No other speaker of my living actions,
93 To keep mine honour from corruption
94 But such an honest chronicler as Griffith.
95 Whom I most hated living, thou hast made me,
96 With thy religious truth and modesty,
97 Now in his ashes honour. Peace be with him!
98 Patience, be near me still, and set me lower:
99 I have not long to trouble thee. Good Griffith,
100 Cause the musicians play me that sad note
101 I named my knell, whilst I sit meditating
102 On that celestial harmony I go to.
103 [_Sad and solemn music._]
104 GRIFFITH.
105 She is asleep. Good wench, let’s sit down quiet,
106 For fear we wake her. Softly, gentle Patience.
107 _The vision._
108 Enter, solemnly tripping one after another, six Personages, clad in
109 white robes, wearing on their heads garlands of bays, and golden
110 vizards on their faces, branches of bays or palm in their hands. They
111 first congee unto her, then dance; and, at certain changes, the first
112 two hold a spare garland over her head, at which the other four make
113 reverent curtsies. Then the two that held the garland deliver the same
114 to the other next two, who observe the same order in their changes and
115 holding the garland over her head; which done, they deliver the same
116 garland to the last two, who likewise observe the same order. At which,
117 as it were by inspiration, she makes in her sleep signs of rejoicing
118 and holdeth up her hands to heaven. And so in their dancing, vanish,
119 carrying the garland with them. The music continues.
120 QUEEN KATHERINE.
121 Spirits of peace, where are ye? Are ye all gone,
122 And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye?
123 GRIFFITH.
124 Madam, we are here.
125 QUEEN KATHERINE.
126 It is not you I call for.
127 Saw ye none enter since I slept?
128 GRIFFITH.
129 None, madam.
130 QUEEN KATHERINE.
131 No? Saw you not, even now, a blessed troop
132 Invite me to a banquet, whose bright faces
133 Cast thousand beams upon me, like the sun?
134 They promised me eternal happiness
135 And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel
136 I am not worthy yet to wear. I shall, assuredly.
137 GRIFFITH.
138 I am most joyful, madam, such good dreams
139 Possess your fancy.
140 QUEEN KATHERINE.
141 Bid the music leave,
142 They are harsh and heavy to me.
143 [_Music ceases._]
144 PATIENCE.
145 Do you note
146 How much her Grace is altered on the sudden?
147 How long her face is drawn? How pale she looks,
148 And of an earthly cold? Mark her eyes.
149 GRIFFITH.
150 She is going, wench. Pray, pray.
151 PATIENCE.
152 Heaven comfort her!
153 Enter a Messenger.
154 MESSENGER.
155 An’t like your Grace—
156 QUEEN KATHERINE.
157 You are a saucy fellow.
158 Deserve we no more reverence?
159 GRIFFITH.
160 You are to blame,
161 Knowing she will not lose her wonted greatness,
162 To use so rude behaviour. Go to, kneel.
163 MESSENGER.
164 I humbly do entreat your Highness’ pardon.
165 My haste made me unmannerly. There is staying
166 A gentleman sent from the King to see you.
167 QUEEN KATHERINE.
168 Admit him entrance, Griffith. But this fellow
169 Let me ne’er see again.
170 [_Exit Messenger._]
171 Enter Lord Caputius.
172 If my sight fail not,
173 You should be lord ambassador from the Emperor,
174 My royal nephew, and your name Caputius.
175 CAPUTIUS.
176 Madam, the same. Your servant.
177 QUEEN KATHERINE.
178 O my lord,
179 The times and titles now are altered strangely
180 With me since first you knew me. But I pray you,
181 What is your pleasure with me?
182 CAPUTIUS.
183 Noble lady,
184 First, mine own service to your Grace; the next,
185 The King’s request that I would visit you,
186 Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me
187 Sends you his princely commendations,
188 And heartily entreats you take good comfort.
189 QUEEN KATHERINE.
190 O my good lord, that comfort comes too late;
191 ’Tis like a pardon after execution.
192 That gentle physic given in time had cured me,
193 But now I am past all comforts here but prayers.
194 How does his Highness?
195 CAPUTIUS.
196 Madam, in good health.
197 QUEEN KATHERINE.
198 So may he ever do, and ever flourish,
199 When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name
200 Banished the kingdom. Patience, is that letter
201 I caused you write yet sent away?
202 PATIENCE.
203 No, madam.
204 [_Giving it to Katherine._]
205 QUEEN KATHERINE.
206 Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver
207 This to my lord the King.
208 CAPUTIUS.
209 Most willing, madam.
210 QUEEN KATHERINE.
211 In which I have commended to his goodness
212 The model of our chaste loves, his young daughter—
213 The dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her!—
214 Beseeching him to give her virtuous breeding—
215 She is young and of a noble modest nature;
216 I hope she will deserve well—and a little
217 To love her for her mother’s sake that loved him,
218 Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition
219 Is that his noble Grace would have some pity
220 Upon my wretched women, that so long
221 Have followed both my fortunes faithfully;
222 Of which there is not one, I dare avow—
223 And now I should not lie—but will deserve,
224 For virtue and true beauty of the soul,
225 For honesty and decent carriage,
226 A right good husband. Let him be a noble;
227 And sure those men are happy that shall have ’em.
228 The last is for my men—they are the poorest,
229 But poverty could never draw ’em from me—
230 That they may have their wages duly paid ’em,
231 And something over to remember me by.
232 If heaven had pleased to have given me longer life
233 And able means, we had not parted thus.
234 These are the whole contents, and, good my lord,
235 By that you love the dearest in this world,
236 As you wish Christian peace to souls departed,
237 Stand these poor people’s friend, and urge the King
238 To do me this last right.
239 CAPUTIUS.
240 By heaven, I will,
241 Or let me lose the fashion of a man!
242 QUEEN KATHERINE.
243 I thank you, honest lord. Remember me
244 In all humility unto his Highness.
245 Say his long trouble now is passing
246 Out of this world. Tell him in death I blessed him,
247 For so I will. Mine eyes grow dim. Farewell,
248 My lord. Griffith, farewell. Nay, Patience,
249 You must not leave me yet. I must to bed;
250 Call in more women. When I am dead, good wench,
251 Let me be used with honour. Strew me over
252 With maiden flowers, that all the world may know
253 I was a chaste wife to my grave. Embalm me,
254 Then lay me forth. Although unqueened, yet like
255 A queen and daughter to a king inter me.
256 I can no more.
257 [_Exeunt leading Katherine._]