The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (301 page)

Katharine Queen of England, & c.

Katherine Queen of England!

QUEEN KATHARINE makes no answer, rises out of her chair, goes about the court, comes to KING HENRY VIII, and kneels at his feet; then speaks

QUEEN KATHARINE

Sir, I desire you do me right and justice;

And to bestow your pity on me: for

I am a most poor woman, and a stranger,

Born out of your dominions; having here

No judge indifferent, nor no more assurance

Of equal friendship and proceeding. Alas, sir,

In what have I offended you? what cause

Hath my behavior given to your displeasure,

That thus you should proceed to put me off,

And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness,

I have been to you a true and humble wife,

At all times to your will conformable;

Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,

Yea, subject to your countenance, glad or sorry

As I saw it inclined: when was the hour

I ever contradicted your desire,

Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends

Have I not strove to love, although I knew

He were mine enemy? what friend of mine

That had to him derived your anger, did I

Continue in my liking? nay, gave notice

He was from thence discharged. Sir, call to mind

That I have been your wife, in this obedience,

Upward of twenty years, and have been blest

With many children by you: if, in the course

And process of this time, you can report,

And prove it too, against mine honour aught,

My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty,

Against your sacred person, in God's name,

Turn me away; and let the foul'st contempt

Shut door upon me, and so give me up

To the sharp'st kind of justice. Please you sir,

The king, your father, was reputed for

A prince most prudent, of an excellent

And unmatch'd wit and judgment: Ferdinand,

My father, king of Spain, was reckon'd one

The wisest prince that there had reign'd by many

A year before: it is not to be question'd

That they had gather'd a wise council to them

Of every realm, that did debate this business,

Who deem'd our marriage lawful: wherefore I humbly

Beseech you, sir, to spare me, till I may

Be by my friends in Spain advised; whose counsel

I will implore: if not, i' the name of God,

Your pleasure be fulfill'd!

Sir, I ask you to give me my rights and justice, and to give me your pity; for

I am a very poor woman, and a foreigner,

born outside your kingdom: I do not have

an impartial judge here, nor any assurance

that I will be treated equally or with justice. Alas, Sir,

how have I offended you? What reason

has my behaviour given you to be displeased,

so that you take these steps to discard me

and take away your good grace from me? As heaven is my witness,

I have been a faithful and obedient wife to you,

always obeying your will,

always afraid to attract your dislike,

always following your moods, happy or sad

as I saw you. When did I ever

go against your wishes

or refuse to imitate you? Which of your friends

have I not tried to love, even if I knew

he was my enemy? What friend of mine

did I carry on liking if he had

annoyed you? When did I fail

to send him away?  Sir, remember

that I have been your obedient wife

for more than twenty years, and have been blessed

with many children by you. If over

this period you can point to,

with proof, anything against my honour,

my marriage vows, or my love and duty

to your holy person; then in God’s name

turn me away, and let the foulest contempt

close the door upon me, and abandon me

to the harshest kind of justice. If you please, sir,

your father the King had a reputation as being

a very prudent prince, with excellent,

matchless intelligence and judgement: Ferdinand

my father, King of Spain, was thought to be

the wisest prince who had ruled there

for many years. It is beyond doubt

that they gathered a wise council around them

from every country, and they debated this business,

and agreed our marriage was lawful: and so I humbly

beg you sir to spare me until I may

be advised by my friends in Spain, whose advice

I will ask for. If not, may you to what you wish

in the name of God.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

You have here, lady,

And of your choice, these reverend fathers; men

Of singular integrity and learning,

Yea, the elect o' the land, who are assembled

To plead your cause: it shall be therefore bootless

That longer you desire the court; as well

For your own quiet, as to rectify

What is unsettled in the king.

You have here, Lady,

these respected priests of your choice; men

of unique integrity and learning,

the greatest in the land, who have gathered

to plead your cause: so it's pointless

to ask the court for more time; as much

for your own peace of mind, as to

settle the king's.

CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

His grace

Hath spoken well and justly: therefore, madam,

It's fit this royal session do proceed;

And that, without delay, their arguments

Be now produced and heard.

His Grace

has spoken well and fairly: therefore, madam,

it's right that this royal court should proceed;

and that, without delay, their arguments

should now be produced and heard.

QUEEN KATHARINE

Lord cardinal,

To you I speak.

Lord Cardinal,

I am addressing you.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Your pleasure, madam?

What is it you wish, madam?

QUEEN KATHARINE

Sir,

I am about to weep; but, thinking that

We are a queen, or long have dream'd so, certain

The daughter of a king, my drops of tears

I'll turn to sparks of fire.

Sir,

I am about to weep; but, thinking that

I am a Queen, or I have certainly dreamt I am for a long time,

and certainly I am the daughter of the King, my teardrops

will turn into sparks of fire.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Be patient yet.

Remain calm.

QUEEN KATHARINE

I will, when you are humble; nay, before,

Or God will punish me. I do believe,

Induced by potent circumstances, that

You are mine enemy, and make my challenge

You shall not be my judge: for it is you

Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me;

Which God's dew quench! Therefore I say again,

I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul

Refuse you for my judge; whom, yet once more,

I hold my most malicious foe, and think not

At all a friend to truth.

I shall be, when you are humble; in fact before that,

or God will punish me. I believe,

due to strong evidence, that

you are my enemy, and I ask

that you should not be my judge: it is you

who has stirred up this storm between my lord and me;

may God's sweetness calm it! And so I say again,

I utterly refuse, from the depths of my soul,

to have you as my judge; someone whom, I say again,

I think is my most vicious enemy, and I do not think

a truthful one.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

I do profess

You speak not like yourself; who ever yet

Have stood to charity, and display'd the effects

Of disposition gentle, and of wisdom

O'ertopping woman's power. Madam, you do me wrong:

I have no spleen against you; nor injustice

For you or any: how far I have proceeded,

Or how far further shall, is warranted

By a commission from the consistory,

Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me

That I have blown this coal: I do deny it:

The king is present: if it be known to him

That I gainsay my deed, how may he wound,

And worthily, my falsehood! yea, as much

As you have done my truth. If he know

That I am free of your report, he knows

I am not of your wrong. Therefore in him

It lies to cure me: and the cure is, to

Remove these thoughts from you: the which before

His highness shall speak in, I do beseech

You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking

And to say so no more.

I swear

that you are not yourself; you have always

been kind and shown the effects

of a gentle nature, and of wisdom

greater than most women. Madam, you wrong me:

I have no anger against you, and will be unjust

to nobody: what I have done,

and what I shall do in future, is ordered

by the college of cardinals,

the whole college of Rome. You charge me

with fanning the flames: I deny it;

the King is here; if he knows

that I have done it and now deny it, he can

expose my lies, and rightly so, as much

as you have exposed my truth. If he knows

that I am innocent of what you say, he knows

I am not here to do you harm. So it is

down to him to acquit me, and the way to do that

is to stop you thinking this way: and so before

his Highness speaks, I beg you,

gracious madam, to stop thinking this way

and to stop saying these things.

QUEEN KATHARINE

My lord, my lord,

I am a simple woman, much too weak

To oppose your cunning. You're meek and

humble-mouth'd;

You sign your place and calling, in full seeming,

With meekness and humility; but your heart

Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride.

You have, by fortune and his highness' favours,

Gone slightly o'er low steps and now are mounted

Where powers are your retainers, and your words,

Domestics to you, serve your will as't please

Yourself pronounce their office. I must tell you,

You tender more your person's honour than

Your high profession spiritual: that again

I do refuse you for my judge; and here,

Before you all, appeal unto the pope,

To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,

And to be judged by him.

My lord, my lord,

I am a simple woman, much too weak

to fight your cunning. You are meek and speak humbly;

you show your position and your calling, it seems,

with meekness and humility; but your heart