Queen. Speake it heere.
There"s nothing I haue done yet o" my Conscience Deserues a Corner: would all other Women Could speake this with as free a Soule as I doe.
My Lords, I care not (so much I am happy Aboue a number) if my actions Were tri"de by eu"ry tongue, eu"ry eye saw "em, Enuy and base opinion set against "em, I know my life so euen. If your busines Seeke me out, and that way I am Wife in; Out with it boldly: Truth loues open dealing
Card. Tanta est erga te mentis integritas Regina serenissima
Queen. O good my Lord, no Latin; I am not such a Truant since my comming, As not to know the Language I haue liu"d in: A strange Tongue makes my cause more strange, suspitious: Pray speake in English; heere are some will thanke you, If you speake truth, for their poore Mistris sake; Beleeue me she ha"s had much wrong. Lord Cardinall, The willing"st sinne I euer yet committed, May be absolu"d in English
Card. n.o.ble Lady, I am sorry my integrity should breed, (And seruice to his Maiesty and you) So deepe suspition, where all faith was meant; We come not by the way of Accusation, To taint that honour euery good Tongue blesses; Nor to betray you any way to sorrow; You haue too much good Lady: But to know How you stand minded in the waighty difference Betweene the King and you, and to deliuer (Like free and honest men) our iust opinions, And comforts to our cause
Camp. Most honour"d Madam, My Lord of Yorke, out of his n.o.ble nature, Zeale and obedience he still bore your Grace, Forgetting (like a good man) your late Censure Both of his truth and him (which was too farre) Offers, as I doe, in a signe of peace, His Seruice, and his Counsell
Queen. To betray me.
My Lords, I thanke you both for your good wills, Ye speake like honest men, (pray G.o.d ye proue so) But how to make ye sodainly an Answere In such a poynt of weight, so neere mine Honour, (More neere my Life I feare) with my weake wit; And to such men of grauity and learning; In truth I know not. I was set at worke, Among my Maids, full little (G.o.d knowes) looking Either for such men, or such businesse; For her sake that I haue beene, for I feele The last fit of my Greatnesse; good your Graces Let me haue time and Councell for my Cause: Alas, I am a Woman frendlesse, hopelesse
Wol. Madam, You wrong the Kings loue with these feares, Your hopes and friends are infinite
Queen. In England, But little for my profit can you thinke Lords, That any English man dare giue me Councell?
Or be a knowne friend "gainst his Highnes pleasure, (Though he be growne so desperate to be honest) And liue a Subiect? Nay forsooth, my Friends, They that must weigh out my afflictions, They that my trust must grow to, liue not heere, They are (as all my other comforts) far hence In mine owne Countrey Lords
Camp. I would your Grace Would leaue your greefes, and take my Counsell
Queen. How Sir?
Camp. Put your maine cause into the Kings protection, Hee"s louing and most gracious. "Twill be much, Both for your Honour better, and your Cause: For if the tryall of the Law o"retake ye, You"l part away disgrac"d
Wol. He tels you rightly
Queen. Ye tell me what ye wish for both, my ruine: Is this your Christian Councell? Out vpon ye.
Heauen is aboue all yet; there sits a Iudge, That no King can corrupt
Camp. Your rage mistakes vs
Queen. The more shame for ye; holy men I thought ye, Vpon my Soule two reuerend Cardinall Vertues: But Cardinall Sins, and hollow hearts I feare ye: Mend "em for shame my Lords: Is this your comfort?
The Cordiall that ye bring a wretched Lady?
A woman lost among ye, laugh"t at, scornd?
I will not wish ye halfe my miseries, I haue more Charity. But say I warn"d ye; Take heed, for heauens sake take heed, least at once The burthen of my sorrowes, fall vpon ye
Car. Madam, this is a meere distraction, You turne the good we offer, into enuy
Quee. Ye turne me into nothing. Woe vpon ye, And all such false Professors. Would you haue me (If you haue any Iustice, any Pitty, If ye be any thing but Churchmens habits) Put my sicke cause into his hands, that hates me?
Alas, ha"s banish"d me his Bed already, His Loue, too long ago. I am old my Lords, And all the Fellowship I hold now with him Is onely my Obedience. What can happen To me, aboue this wretchednesse? All your Studies Make me a Curse, like this
Camp. Your feares are worse
Qu. Haue I liu"d thus long (let me speake my selfe, Since Vertue findes no friends) a Wife, a true one?
A Woman (I dare say without Vainglory) Neuer yet branded with Suspition?
Haue I, with all my full Affections Still met the King? Lou"d him next Heau"n? Obey"d him?
Bin (out of fondnesse) superst.i.tious to him?
Almost forgot my Prayres to content him?
And am I thus rewarded? "Tis not well Lords.
Bring me a constant woman to her Husband, One that ne"re dream"d a Ioy, beyond his pleasure; And to that Woman (when she has done most) Yet will I adde an Honor; a great Patience
Car. Madam, you wander from the good We ayme at
Qu. My Lord, I dare not make my selfe so guiltie, To giue vp willingly that n.o.ble t.i.tle Your Master wed me to: nothing but death Shall e"re diuorce my Dignities
Car. Pray heare me
Qu. Would I had neuer trod this English Earth, Or felt the Flatteries that grow vpon it: Ye haue Angels Faces; but Heauen knowes your hearts.
What will become of me now, wretched Lady?
I am the most vnhappy Woman liuing.
Alas (poore Wenches) where are now your Fortunes?
Shipwrack"d vpon a Kingdome, where no Pitty, No Friends, no Hope, no Kindred weepe for me?
Almost no Graue allow"d me? Like the Lilly That once was Mistris of the Field, and flourish"d, Ile hang my head, and perish
Car. If your Grace Could but be brought to know, our Ends are honest, Youl"d feele more comfort. Why shold we (good Lady) Vpon what cause wrong you? Alas, our Places, The way of our Profession is against it; We are to Cure such sorrowes, not to sowe "em.
For Goodnesse sake, consider what you do, How you may hurt your selfe: I, vtterly Grow from the Kings Acquaintance, by this Carriage.
The hearts of Princes kisse Obedience, So much they loue it. But to stubborne Spirits, They swell and grow, as terrible as stormes.
I know you haue a Gentle, n.o.ble temper, A Soule as euen as a Calme; Pray thinke vs, Those we professe, Peace-makers, Friends, and Seruants
Camp. Madam, you"l finde it so: You wrong your Vertues With these weake Womens feares. A n.o.ble Spirit As yours was, put into you, euer casts Such doubts as false Coine from it. The King loues you, Beware you loose it not: For vs (if you please To trust vs in your businesse) we are ready To vse our vtmost Studies, in your seruice
Qu. Do what ye will, my Lords: And pray forgiue me; If I haue vs"d my selfe vnmannerly, You know I am a Woman, lacking wit To make a seemely answer to such persons.
Pray do my seruice to his Maiestie, He ha"s my heart yet, and shall haue my Prayers While I shall haue my life. Come reuerend Fathers, Bestow your Councels on me. She now begges That little thought when she set footing heere, She should haue bought her Dignities so deere.
Exeunt.
Scena Secunda.
Enter the Duke of Norfolke, Duke of Suffolke, Lord Surrey, and Lord Chamberlaine.
Norf. If you will now vnite in your Complaints, And force them with a Constancy, the Cardinall Cannot stand vnder them. If you omit The offer of this time, I cannot promise, But that you shall sustaine moe new disgraces, With these you beare alreadie
Sur. I am ioyfull To meete the least occasion, that may giue me Remembrance of my Father-in-Law, the Duke, To be reueng"d on him
Suf. Which of the Peeres Haue vncontemn"d gone by him, or at least Strangely neglected? When did he regard The stampe of n.o.blenesse in any person Out of himselfe?
Cham. My Lords, you speake your pleasures: What he deserues of you and me, I know: What we can do to him (though now the time Giues way to vs) I much feare. If you cannot Barre his accesse to"th" King, neuer attempt Any thing on him: for he hath a Witchcraft Ouer the King in"s Tongue
Nor. O feare him not, His spell in that is out: the King hath found Matter against him, that for euer marres The Hony of his Language. No, he"s setled (Not to come off) in his displeasure
Sur. Sir, I should be glad to heare such Newes as this Once euery houre
Nor. Beleeue it, this is true.
In the Diuorce, his contrarie proceedings Are all vnfolded: wherein he appeares, As I would wish mine Enemy
Sur. How came His practises to light?
Suf. Most strangely
Sur. O how? how?
Suf. The Cardinals Letters to the Pope miscarried, And came to th" eye o"th" King, wherein was read How that the Cardinall did intreat his Holinesse To stay the Iudgement o"th" Diuorce; for if It did take place, I do (quoth he) perceiue My King is tangled in affection, to A Creature of the Queenes, Lady Anne Bullen