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Be to the prejudice of her present state,

Or touch of her good person?

KING.

My Lord Cardinal,

I do excuse you; yea, upon mine honour,

I free you from't. You are not to be taught

That you have many enemies that know not

Why they are so, but, like to village curs,

Bark when their fellows do. By some of these

The Queen is put in anger. Y'are excus'd.

But will you be more justified? You ever

Have wish'd the sleeping of this business; never desir'd

It to be stirr'd; but oft have hind'red, oft,

The passages made toward it. On my honour,

I speak my good Lord Cardinal to this point,

And thus far clear him. Now, what mov'd me to't,

I will be bold with time and your attention.

Then mark th' inducement. Thus it came-give heed to't:

My conscience first receiv'd a tenderness,

Scruple, and prick, on certain speeches utter'd

By th' Bishop of Bayonne, then French ambassador,

Who had been hither sent on the debating

A marriage 'twixt the Duke of Orleans and

Our daughter Mary. I' th' progress of this business,

Ere a determinate resolution, he-

I mean the Bishop-did require a respite

Wherein he might the King his lord advertise

Whether our daughter were legitimate,

Respecting this our marriage with the dowager,

Sometimes our brother's wife. This respite shook

The bosom of my conscience, enter'd me,

Yea, with a splitting power, and made to tremble

The region of my breast, which forc'd such way

That many maz'd considerings did throng

And press'd in with this caution. First, methought

I stood not in the smile of heaven, who had

Commanded nature that my lady's womb,

If it conceiv'd a male child by me, should

Do no more offices of life to't than

The grave does to the dead; for her male issue

Or died where they were made, or shortly after

This world had air'd them. Hence I took a thought

This was a judgment on me, that my kingdom,

Well worthy the best heir o' th' world, should not

Be gladded in't by me. Then follows that

I weigh'd the danger which my realms stood in

By this my issue's fail, and that gave to me

Many a groaning throe. Thus hulling in

The wild sea of my conscience, I did steer

Toward this remedy, whereupon we are

Now present here together; that's to say

I meant to rectify my conscience, which

I then did feel full sick, and yet not well,

By all the reverend fathers of the land

And doctors learn'd. First, I began in private

With you, my Lord of Lincoln; you remember

How under my oppression I did reek,

When I first mov'd you.

LINCOLN.

Very well, my liege.

KING.

I have spoke long; be pleas'd yourself to say

How far you satisfied me.

LINCOLN.

So please your Highness,

The question did at first so stagger me-

Bearing a state of mighty moment in't

And consequence of dread-that I committed

The daring'st counsel which I had to doubt,

And did entreat your Highness to this course

Which you are running here.

KING.

I then mov'd you,

My Lord of Canterbury, and got your leave

To make this present summons. Unsolicited

I left no reverend person in this court,

But by particular consent proceeded

Under your hands and seals; therefore, go on,

For no dislike i' th' world against the person

Of the good Queen, but the sharp thorny points

Of my alleged reasons, drives this forward.

Prove but our marriage lawful, by my life

And kingly dignity, we are contented

To wear our moral state to come with her,

Katharine our queen, before the primest creature

That's paragon'd o' th' world.

CAMPEIUS.

So please your Highness,

The Queen being absent, 'tis a needful fitness

That we adjourn this court till further day;

Meanwhile must be an earnest motion

Made to the Queen to call back her appeal

She intends unto his Holiness.

KING.

[Aside] I may perceive

These cardinals trifle with me. I abhor

This dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome.

My learn'd and well-beloved servant, Cranmer,

Prithee return. With thy approach I know

My comfort comes along. -Break up the court;

I say, set on. Exuent in manner as they entered

ACT III. SCENE 1.

London. The QUEEN'S apartments