Act IV, Scene 2

Kimbolton.

[Enter KATHARINE, Dowager, sick; led between] [p]GRIFFITH, her gentleman usher, and PATIENCE, her woman]

• Griffith. How does your grace?

• Queen Katharine. O Griffith, sick to death!
  My legs, like loaden branches, bow to the earth, 2560
  Willing to leave their burthen. Reach a chair:
  So; now, methinks, I feel a little ease.
  Didst thou not tell me, Griffith, as thou led'st me,
  That the great child of honour, Cardinal Wolsey, Was dead?

• Griffith. Yes, madam; but I think your grace, 2565
  Out of the pain you suffer'd, gave no ear to't.

• Queen Katharine. Prithee, good Griffith, tell me how he died:
  If well, he stepp'd before me, happily
  For my example.

• Griffith. Well, the voice goes, madam: 2570
  For after the stout Earl Northumberland
  Arrested him at York, and brought him forward,
  As a man sorely tainted, to his answer,
  He fell sick suddenly, and grew so ill
  He could not sit his mule. 2575

• Queen Katharine. Alas, poor man!

• Griffith. At last, with easy roads, he came to Leicester,
  Lodged in the abbey; where the reverend abbot,
  With all his covent, honourably received him;
  To whom he gave these words, 'O, father abbot, 2580
  An old man, broken with the storms of state,
  Is come to lay his weary bones among ye;
  Give him a little earth for charity!'
  So went to bed; where eagerly his sickness
  Pursued him still: and, three nights after this, 2585
  About the hour of eight, which he himself
  Foretold should be his last, full of repentance,
  Continual meditations, tears, and sorrows,
  He gave his honours to the world again,
  His blessed part to heaven, and slept in peace. 2590

• Queen Katharine. So may he rest; his faults lie gently on him!
  Yet thus far, Griffith, give me leave to speak him,
  And yet with charity. He was a man
  Of an unbounded stomach, ever ranking
  Himself with princes; one that, by suggestion, 2595
  Tied all the kingdom: simony was fair-play;
  His own opinion was his law: i' the presence
  He would say untruths; and be ever double
  Both in his words and meaning: he was never,
  But where he meant to ruin, pitiful: 2600
  His promises were, as he then was, mighty;
  But his performance, as he is now, nothing:
  Of his own body he was ill, and gave
  The clergy in example.

• Griffith. Noble madam, 2605
  Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues
  We write in water. May it please your highness
  To hear me speak his good now?

• Queen Katharine. Yes, good Griffith;
  I were malicious else. 2610

• Griffith. This cardinal,
  Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly
  Was fashion'd to much honour from his cradle.
  He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one;
  Exceeding wise, fair-spoken, and persuading: 2615
  Lofty and sour to them that loved him not;
  But to those men that sought him sweet as summer.
  And though he were unsatisfied in getting,
  Which was a sin, yet in bestowing, madam,
  He was most princely: ever witness for him 2620
  Those twins Of learning that he raised in you,
  Ipswich and Oxford! one of which fell with him,
  Unwilling to outlive the good that did it;
  The other, though unfinish'd, yet so famous,
  So excellent in art, and still so rising, 2625
  That Christendom shall ever speak his virtue.
  His overthrow heap'd happiness upon him;
  For then, and not till then, he felt himself,
  And found the blessedness of being little:
  And, to add greater honours to his age 2630
  Than man could give him, he died fearing God.

• Queen Katharine. After my death I wish no other herald,
  No other speaker of my living actions,
  To keep mine honour from corruption,
  But such an honest chronicler as Griffith. 2635
  Whom I most hated living, thou hast made me,
  With thy religious truth and modesty,
  Now in his ashes honour: peace be with him!
  Patience, be near me still; and set me lower:
  I have not long to trouble thee. Good Griffith, 2640
  Cause the musicians play me that sad note
  I named my knell, whilst I sit meditating
  On that celestial harmony I go to.

[Sad and solemn music]

• Griffith. She is asleep: good wench, let's sit down quiet, 2645
  For fear we wake her: softly, 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 2650
  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, 2655
  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 2660
  of rejoicing, and holdeth up her hands to heaven:
  and so in their dancing vanish, carrying the
  garland with them. The music continues]

• Queen Katharine. Spirits of peace, where are ye? are ye all gone,
  And leave me here in wretchedness behind ye? 2665

• Griffith. Madam, we are here.

• Queen Katharine. It is not you I call for:
  Saw ye none enter since I slept?

• Griffith. None, madam.

• Queen Katharine. No? Saw you not, even now, a blessed troop 2670
  Invite me to a banquet; whose bright faces
  Cast thousand beams upon me, like the sun?
  They promised me eternal happiness;
  And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel
  I am not worthy yet to wear: I shall, assuredly. 2675

• Griffith. I am most joyful, madam, such good dreams
  Possess your fancy.

• Queen Katharine. Bid the music leave,
  They are harsh and heavy to me.

[Music ceases]

• Patience. Do you note
  How much her grace is alter'd on the sudden?
  How long her face is drawn? how pale she looks,
  And of an earthy cold? Mark her eyes!

• Griffith. She is going, wench: pray, pray. 2685

• Patience. Heaven comfort her!

[Enter a Messenger]

• Messenger. An't like your grace,—

• Queen Katharine. You are a saucy fellow:
  Deserve we no more reverence? 2690

• Griffith. You are to blame,
  Knowing she will not lose her wonted greatness,
  To use so rude behavior; go to, kneel.

• Messenger. I humbly do entreat your highness' pardon;
  My haste made me unmannerly. There is staying 2695
  A gentleman, sent from the king, to see you.

• Queen Katharine. Admit him entrance, Griffith: but this fellow
  Let me ne'er see again.
  [Exeunt GRIFFITH and Messenger]
  [Re-enter GRIFFITH, with CAPUCIUS] 2700
  If my sight fail not,
  You should be lord ambassador from the emperor,
  My royal nephew, and your name Capucius.

• Capucius. Madam, the same; your servant.

• Queen Katharine. O, my lord, 2705
  The times and titles now are alter'd strangely
  With me since first you knew me. But, I pray you,
  What is your pleasure with me?

• Capucius. Noble lady,
  First mine own service to your grace; the next, 2710
  The king's request that I would visit you;
  Who grieves much for your weakness, and by me
  Sends you his princely commendations,
  And heartily entreats you take good comfort.

• Queen Katharine. O my good lord, that comfort comes too late; 2715
  'Tis like a pardon after execution:
  That gentle physic, given in time, had cured me;
  But now I am past an comforts here, but prayers.
  How does his highness?

• Capucius. Madam, in good health. 2720

• Queen Katharine. So may he ever do! and ever flourish,
  When I shall dwell with worms, and my poor name
  Banish'd the kingdom! Patience, is that letter,
  I caused you write, yet sent away?

• Patience. No, madam. 2725

[Giving it to KATHARINE]

• Queen Katharine. Sir, I most humbly pray you to deliver
  This to my lord the king.

• Capucius. Most willing, madam.

• Queen Katharine. In which I have commended to his goodness 2730
  The model of our chaste loves, his young daughter;
  The dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her!
  Beseeching him to give her virtuous breeding—
  She is young, and of a noble modest nature,
  I hope she will deserve well,—and a little 2735
  To love her for her mother's sake, that loved him,
  Heaven knows how dearly. My next poor petition
  Is, that his noble grace would have some pity
  Upon my wretched women, that so long
  Have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully: 2740
  Of which there is not one, I dare avow,
  And now I should not lie, but will deserve
  For virtue and true beauty of the soul,
  For honesty and decent carriage,
  A right good husband, let him be a noble 2745
  And, sure, those men are happy that shall have 'em.
  The last is, for my men; they are the poorest,
  But poverty could never draw 'em from me;
  That they may have their wages duly paid 'em,
  And something over to remember me by: 2750
  If heaven had pleased to have given me longer life
  And able means, we had not parted thus.
  These are the whole contents: and, good my lord,
  By that you love the dearest in this world,
  As you wish Christian peace to souls departed, 2755
  Stand these poor people's friend, and urge the king
  To do me this last right.

• Capucius. By heaven, I will,
  Or let me lose the fashion of a man!

• Queen Katharine. I thank you, honest lord. Remember me 2760
  In all humility unto his highness:
  Say his long trouble now is passing
  Out of this world; tell him, in death I bless'd him,
  For so I will. Mine eyes grow dim. Farewell,
  My lord. Griffith, farewell. Nay, Patience, 2765
  You must not leave me yet: I must to bed;
  Call in more women. When I am dead, good wench,
  Let me be used with honour: strew me over
  With maiden flowers, that all the world may know
  I was a chaste wife to my grave: embalm me, 2770
  Then lay me forth: although unqueen'd, yet like
  A queen, and daughter to a king, inter me.
  I can no more.

[Exeunt, leading KATHARINE]