William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (572 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Who’s there, I say? How dare you thrust yourselves
Into my private meditations!
Who am I? Ha?
Into my private meditations!
Who am I? Ha?
NORFOLK
A gracious king that pardons all offences
Malice ne’er meant. Our breach of duty this way
Is business of estate, in which we come
To know your royal pleasure.
Malice ne’er meant. Our breach of duty this way
Is business of estate, in which we come
To know your royal pleasure.
KING HENRY
Ye are too bold.
Go to, I’ll make ye know your times of business.
Is this an hour for temporal affairs? Ha?
Is this an hour for temporal affairs? Ha?
Enter Cardinal Wolsey and Cardinal Campeius, the latter with a commission
Who’s there? My good lord Cardinal? O, my Wolsey,
The quiet of my wounded conscience,
Thou art a cure fit for a king.
(
To Campeius
)
The quiet of my wounded conscience,
Thou art a cure fit for a king.
(
To Campeius
)
You’re welcome,
Most learnèd reverend sir, into our kingdom.
Use us, and it. (
To Wolsey
) My good lord, have great
care
I be not found a talker.
Use us, and it. (
To Wolsey
) My good lord, have great
care
I be not found a talker.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Sir, you cannot.
I would your grace would give us but an hour
Of private conference.
Of private conference.
KING HENRY (
to Norfolk and Suffolk
) We are busy; go.
to Norfolk and Suffolk
) We are busy; go.
Norfolk and Suffolk speak privately to one another as they depart
NORFOLK
This priest has no pride in him!
SUFFOLK
Not to speak of.
I would not be so sick, though, for his place—
But this cannot continue.
But this cannot continue.
NORFOLK
If it do
I’ll venture one have-at-him.
SUFFOLK
I another.
Exeunt Norfolk and Suffolk
CARDINAL WOLSEY (
to the King
)
to the King
)
Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom
Above all princes in committing freely
Your scruple to the voice of Christendom.
Who can be angry now? What envy reach you?
The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the cterks—
I mean the learnèd ones in Christian kingdoms—
Have their free voices. Rome, the nurse of judgement,
Invited by your noble self, hath sent
One general tongue unto us: this good man,
This just and learned priest, Card’nal Campeius,
Whom once more I present unto your highness.
Above all princes in committing freely
Your scruple to the voice of Christendom.
Who can be angry now? What envy reach you?
The Spaniard, tied by blood and favour to her,
Must now confess, if they have any goodness,
The trial just and noble. All the cterks—
I mean the learnèd ones in Christian kingdoms—
Have their free voices. Rome, the nurse of judgement,
Invited by your noble self, hath sent
One general tongue unto us: this good man,
This just and learned priest, Card’nal Campeius,
Whom once more I present unto your highness.
KING HENRY (
embracing Campeius
)
embracing Campeius
)
And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,
And thank the holy conclave for their loves.
They have sent me such a man I would have wished for.
And thank the holy conclave for their loves.
They have sent me such a man I would have wished for.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
Your grace must needs deserve all strangers’ loves,
You are so noble. To your highness’ hand
I tender my commission,
You are so noble. To your highness’ hand
I tender my commission,
He gives the commission to the King
(
To Wolsey
)
To Wolsey
)
by whose virtue,
The Court of Rome commanding, you, my lord
Cardinal of York, are joined with me their servant
In the unpartial judging of this business.
Cardinal of York, are joined with me their servant
In the unpartial judging of this business.
KING HENRY
Two equal men. The Queen shall be acquainted
Forthwith for what you come. Where’s Gardiner?
Forthwith for what you come. Where’s Gardiner?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
I know your majesty has always loved her
So dear in heart not to deny her that
A woman of less place might ask by law—
Scholars allowed freely to argue for her.
So dear in heart not to deny her that
A woman of less place might ask by law—
Scholars allowed freely to argue for her.
KING HENRY
Ay, and the best she shall have, and my favour
To him that does best, God forbid else. Cardinal,
Prithee call Gardiner to me, my new secretary.
To him that does best, God forbid else. Cardinal,
Prithee call Gardiner to me, my new secretary.
Cardinal Wolsey goes to the door and calls Gardiner
I find him a fit fellow.
Enter Gardiner
CARDINAL WOLSEY (
aside to Gardiner
)
aside to Gardiner
)
Give me your hand. Much joy and favour to you.
You are the King’s now.
You are the King’s now.
GARDINER (
aside to Wolsey
) But to be commanded
aside to Wolsey
) But to be commanded
For ever by your grace, whose hand has raised me.
KING HENRY Come hither, Gardiner.
The King walks with Gardiner and whispers with him
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS (
to Wolsey
)
to Wolsey
)
My lord of York, was not one Doctor Pace
In this man’s place before him?
In this man’s place before him?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Yes, he was.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
Was he not held a learnèd man?
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Yes, surely.
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
Believe me, there’s an ill opinion spread then,
Even of yourself, lord Cardinal.
Even of yourself, lord Cardinal.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
How? Of me?
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
They will not stick to say you envied him,
And fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous,
Kept him a foreign man still, which so grieved him
That he ran mad and died.
And fearing he would rise, he was so virtuous,
Kept him a foreign man still, which so grieved him
That he ran mad and died.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Heav’n’s peace be with him—
That’s Christian care enough. For living murmurers
There’s places of rebuke. He was a fool,
For he would needs be virtuous.
There’s places of rebuke. He was a fool,
For he would needs be virtuous.
(
Gesturing towards Gardiner
)
Gesturing towards Gardiner
)
That good fellow,
If I command him, follows my appointment.
I will have none so near else. Learn this, brother:
We live not to be griped by meaner persons.
I will have none so near else. Learn this, brother:
We live not to be griped by meaner persons.
KING HENRY (
to Gardiner
)
to Gardiner
)
Deliver this with modesty to th’ Queen.
Exit Gardiner
The most convenient place that I can think of
For such receipt of learning is Blackfriars;
There ye shall meet about this weighty business.
My Wolsey, see it furnished. O, my lord,
Would it not grieve an able man to leave
So sweet a bedfellow? But conscience, conscience—
O, ’tis a tender place, and I must leave her.
For such receipt of learning is Blackfriars;
There ye shall meet about this weighty business.
My Wolsey, see it furnished. O, my lord,
Would it not grieve an able man to leave
So sweet a bedfellow? But conscience, conscience—
O, ’tis a tender place, and I must leave her.
Exeunt
2.3Enter Anne Boleyn and an Old Lady
ANNE
Not for that neither. Here’s the pang that pinches—
His highness having lived so long with her, and she
So good a lady that no tongue could ever
Pronounce dishonour of her—by my life,
She never knew harm-doing—O now, after
So many courses of the sun enthroned,
Still growing in a majesty and pomp the which
To leave a thousandfold more bitter than
’Tis sweet at first t’acquire—after this process,
To give her the avaunt, it is a pity
Would move a monster.
His highness having lived so long with her, and she
So good a lady that no tongue could ever
Pronounce dishonour of her—by my life,
She never knew harm-doing—O now, after
So many courses of the sun enthroned,
Still growing in a majesty and pomp the which
To leave a thousandfold more bitter than
’Tis sweet at first t’acquire—after this process,
To give her the avaunt, it is a pity
Would move a monster.
OLD LADY
Hearts of most hard temper
Melt and lament for her.
ANNE
O, God’s will! Much better
She ne’er had known pomp; though’t be temporal,
Yet if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce
It from the bearer, ’tis a sufferance panging
As soul and bodies severing.
Yet if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce
It from the bearer, ’tis a sufferance panging
As soul and bodies severing.
OLD LADY
Alas, poor lady!
She’s a stranger now again.
ANNE
So much the more
Must pity drop upon her. Verily,
I swear, ’tis better to be lowly born
And range with humble livers in content
Than to be perked up in a glist’ring grief
And wear a golden sorrow.
I swear, ’tis better to be lowly born
And range with humble livers in content
Than to be perked up in a glist’ring grief
And wear a golden sorrow.
OLD LADY
Our content
Is our best having.
ANNE
By my troth and maidenhead,
I would not be a queen.
OLD LADY
Beshrew me, I would—
And venture maidenhead for’t; and so would you,
For all this spice of your hypocrisy.
You, that have so fair parts of woman on you,
Have, too, a woman’s heart which ever yet
Affected eminence, wealth, sovereignty;
Which, to say sooth, are blessings; and which gifts,
Saving your mincing, the capacity
Of your soft cheveril conscience would receive
If you might please to stretch it.
For all this spice of your hypocrisy.
You, that have so fair parts of woman on you,
Have, too, a woman’s heart which ever yet
Affected eminence, wealth, sovereignty;
Which, to say sooth, are blessings; and which gifts,
Saving your mincing, the capacity
Of your soft cheveril conscience would receive
If you might please to stretch it.
ANNE
Nay, good troth.
OLD LADY
Yes, troth and troth. You would not be a queen?
ANNE
No, not for all the riches under heaven.
OLD LADY
’Tis strange. A threepence bowed would hire me,
Old as I am, to queen it. But I pray you,
What think you of a duchess? Have you limbs
To bear that load of title?
Old as I am, to queen it. But I pray you,
What think you of a duchess? Have you limbs
To bear that load of title?
ANNE
No, in truth.
OLD LADY
Then you are weakly made. Pluck off a little;
I would not be a young count in your way
For more than blushing comes to. If your back
Cannot vouchsafe this burden, ’tis too weak
Ever to get a boy.
I would not be a young count in your way
For more than blushing comes to. If your back
Cannot vouchsafe this burden, ’tis too weak
Ever to get a boy.
ANNE
How you do talk!
I swear again, I would not be a queen
For all the world.
For all the world.
OLD LADY
In faith, for little England
You’d venture an emballing; I myself
Would for Caernarfonshire, although there ’longed
No more to th’ crown but that. Lo, who comes here?
Would for Caernarfonshire, although there ’longed
No more to th’ crown but that. Lo, who comes here?
Enter the Lord Chamberlain
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
Good morrow, ladies. What were’t worth to know
The secret of your conference?
The secret of your conference?
ANNE
My good lord,
Not your demand; it values not your asking.
Our mistress’ sorrows we were pitying.
Our mistress’ sorrows we were pitying.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
It was a gentle business, and becoming
The action of good women. There is hope
All will be well.
The action of good women. There is hope
All will be well.
ANNE
Now I pray God, amen.
LORD 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 his good opinion of you, and
Does purpose honour to you no less flowing
Than Marchioness of Pembroke; to which title
A thousand pound a year annual support
Out of his grace he adds.
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 his good opinion of you, and
Does purpose honour to you no less flowing
Than Marchioness of Pembroke; to which title
A thousand pound a year annual support
Out of his grace he adds.
ANNE
I do not know
What kind of my obedience I should tender.
More than my all is nothing; nor my prayers
Are not words duly hallowed, nor my wishes
More worth than empty vanities; yet prayers and wishes
Are all I can return. Beseech your lordship,
Vouchsafe to speak my thanks and my obedience,
As from a blushing handmaid to his highness,
Whose health and royalty I pray for.
More than my all is nothing; nor my prayers
Are not words duly hallowed, nor my wishes
More worth than empty vanities; yet prayers and wishes
Are all I can return. Beseech your lordship,
Vouchsafe to speak my thanks and my obedience,
As from a blushing handmaid to his highness,
Whose health and royalty I pray for.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
Lady,
I shall not fail t’approve the fair conceit
The King hath of you. (
Aside
) I have perused 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
To lighten all this isle. (To
Anne
) I’ll to the King
And say I spoke with you;
The King hath of you. (
Aside
) I have perused 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
To lighten all this isle. (To
Anne
) I’ll to the King
And say I spoke with you;
ANNE My honoured lord.
Exit the Lord Chamberlain
OLD LADY Why, this it is—see, see!
I have been begging sixteen years in court,
Am yet a courtier beggarly, nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late
For any suit of pounds; and you—O, fate!—
A very fresh fish here—fie, fie upon
This compelled fortune!—have your mouth filled up
Before you open it.
Am yet a courtier beggarly, nor could
Come pat betwixt too early and too late
For any suit of pounds; and you—O, fate!—
A very fresh fish here—fie, fie upon
This compelled fortune!—have your mouth filled up
Before you open it.
ANNE
This is strange to me.
OLD LADY
How tastes it? Is it bitter? Forty pence, no.
There was a lady once—’tis an old story—
That would not be a queen, that would she not,
For all the mud in Egypt. Have you heard it?
There was a lady once—’tis an old story—
That would not be a queen, that would she not,
For all the mud in Egypt. Have you heard it?
ANNE
Come, you are pleasant.
OLD LADY
With your theme I could
O’ermount 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
Is longer than his foreskirt. By this time
I know your back will bear a duchess. Say,
Are you not stronger than you were?
A thousand pounds a year, for pure respect?
No other obligation? By my life,
That promises more thousands. Honour’s train
Is longer than his foreskirt. By this time
I know your back will bear a duchess. Say,
Are you not stronger than you were?
ANNE
Good lady,
Make yourself mirth with your particular fancy,
And leave me out on’t. Would I had no being;
If this salute my blood a jot. It faints me
To think what follows.
The Queen is comfortless, and we forgetful
In our long absence. Pray do not deliver
What here you’ve heard to her.
And leave me out on’t. Would I had no being;
If this salute my blood a jot. It faints me
To think what follows.
The Queen is comfortless, and we forgetful
In our long absence. Pray do not deliver
What here you’ve heard to her.
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