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

Page 186

by William Shakespeare


  Enter a Gentleman

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  How now!

  Hello there!

  Gentleman

  An't please your grace, the two great cardinals

  Wait in the presence.

  If you please, your grace, the two great cardinals

  are waiting in your meeting room.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Would they speak with me?

  Do they want to speak with me?

  Gentleman

  They will'd me say so, madam.

  They told me to tell you so, madam.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Pray their graces

  To come near.

  Ask their graces

  to come in.

  Exit Gentleman

  What can be their business

  With me, a poor weak woman, fall'n from favour?

  I do not like their coming. Now I think on't,

  They should be good men; their affairs as righteous:

  But all hoods make not monks.

  What business can they have

  with me, a poor weak woman, out-of-favour?

  I don't like their being here. Now I think about it,

  they should be good men; their business should be holy:

  but it takes more than a hood to make a monk.

  Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Peace to your highness!

  Peace be with your Highness!

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Your graces find me here part of a housewife,

  I would be all, against the worst may happen.

  What are your pleasures with me, reverend lords?

  Your graces find me here acting the part of a housewife,

  I wish I really was one, if the worst should happen.

  What do you want with me, reverend lords?

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  May it please you noble madam, to withdraw

  Into your private chamber, we shall give you

  The full cause of our coming.

  If you would like to withdraw into your

  private chamber, noble madam, we shall

  give you a full explanation of why we are here.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Speak it here:

  There's nothing I have done yet, o' my conscience,

  Deserves a corner: would all other women

  Could speak this with as free a soul as I do!

  My lords, I care not, so much I am happy

  Above a number, if my actions

  Were tried by every tongue, every eye saw 'em,

  Envy and base opinion set against 'em,

  I know my life so even. If your business

  Seek me out, and that way I am wife in,

  Out with it boldly: truth loves open dealing.

  Say it here:

  I can swear that I have done nothing that

  needs hiding: if only all other women

  could say this with as clear a conscience as I do!

  My lords, I do not care (I am so much better

  than many others) if my actions

  were judged by every tongue, if every eye saw them,

  if malice and low opinions were set on them,

  I know my life is blameless. If your business

  concerns me and my place as a wife,

  speak out boldly: truth loves openness.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Tanta est erga te mentis integritas, regina

  serenissima,--

  Tanta est erga te mentis integritas, regina

  serenissima,--

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  O, good my lord, no Latin;

  I am not such a truant since my coming,

  As not to know the language I have lived in:

  A strange tongue makes my cause more strange,

  suspicious;

  Pray, speak in English: here are some will thank you,

  If you speak truth, for their poor mistress' sake;

  Believe me, she has had much wrong: lord cardinal,

  The willing'st sin I ever yet committed

  May be absolved in English.

  Oh, my good lord, no Latin;

  I have not been such a bad pupil since I came here

  that I don't know the language of the place I have lived in;

  a foreign tongue makes the business looks strange and suspicious;

  please, speak in English: there are some here who will thank you

  if you speak the truth, for the sake of her poor mistress;

  believe me, she has been very wronged: lord cardinal,

  the most deliberate sin I have ever committed

  may be forgiven in English.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Noble lady,

  I am sorry my integrity should breed,

  And service to his majesty and you,

  So deep suspicion, where all faith was meant.

  We come not by the way of accusation,

  To taint that honour every good tongue blesses,

  Nor to betray you any way to sorrow,

  You have too much, good lady; but to know

  How you stand minded in the weighty difference

  Between the king and you; and to deliver,

  Like free and honest men, our just opinions

  And comforts to your cause.

  Noble lady,

  I'm sorry that my integrity should cause

  (and my service to his Majesty and to you)

  such deep suspicion, where I am acting faithfully.

  We have not come to accuse you,

  to insult the honour that every good person's tongue praises,

  nor to bring you any sorrow,

  you have too much already, good lady; but to ask

  what your thoughts are about the great disagreements

  between the king and you; and to offer,

  like guiltless and honest men, our true opinions

  and help to you.

  CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

  Most honour'd madam,

  My Lord of York, out of his noble nature,

  Zeal and obedience he still bore your grace,

  Forgetting, like a good man your late censure

  Both of his truth and him, which was too far,

  Offers, as I do, in a sign of peace,

  His service and his counsel.

  Most honoured madam,

  my Lord of York, because of his noble nature,

  the passion and obedience he still has for your grace,

  is prepared like a good man to forget your recent criticism

  of both his honesty and him, which was too great,

  offers you, as I do, as a token of peace,

  his service and his advice.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  [Aside] To betray me.--

  My lords, I thank you both for your good wills;

  Ye speak like honest men; pray God, ye prove so!

  But how to make ye suddenly an answer,

  In such a point of weight, so near mine honour,--

  More near my life, I fear,--with my weak wit,

  And to such men of gravity and learning,

  In truth, I know not. I was set at work

  Among my maids: full little, God knows, looking

  Either for such men or such business.

  For her sake that I have been,--for I feel

  The last fit of my greatness,--good your graces,

  Let me have time and counsel for my cause:

  Alas, I am a woman, friendless, hopeless!

  To betray me–

  my Lords, I thank you both for your goodwill;

  you speak like honest men; I pray to God that you will prove to be!

  But how I can give you a quick answer,

  on such an important matter, which affects my honour so much–

  and even more affects my life, I fear–with my poor intelligence,

  to men of such dignity and learning,

 
; I really don't know. I was sitting working

  amongst my maids: God knows I was not expecting

  to see such men or be faced with such matters;

  for the sake of the woman I used to be (for I can feel

  that my greatness has almost gone) may your good graces

  allow me to have time to think and take advice on the matter:

  alas, I am a friendless and hopeless woman.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Madam, you wrong the king's love with these fears:

  Your hopes and friends are infinite.

  Madam, you insult the King's love by fearing this:

  you have an infinite number of friends and great hope.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  In England

  But little for my profit: can you think, lords,

  That any Englishman dare give me counsel?

  Or be a known friend, 'gainst his highness' pleasure,

  Though he be grown so desperate to be honest,

  And live a subject? Nay, forsooth, my friends,

  They that must weigh out my afflictions,

  They that my trust must grow to, live not here:

  They are, as all my other comforts, far hence

  In mine own country, lords.

  None to

  offer me much hope in England: can you think, lords,

  of any Englishman who would dare to give me advice?

  Or to be known as my friend, against the wishes of his Highness,

  however reckless he was to say what he thought,

  and still live as a subject? No, in truth, my friends,

  those who can compensate for my suffering,

  the ones I must give my trust to, do not live here:

  they are, as is everything else which can comfort me, far away

  in my own country, my lords.

  CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

  I would your grace

  Would leave your griefs, and take my counsel.

  I wish your Grace

  would abandon your sorrow, and take my advice.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  How, sir?

  What is it, sir?

  CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

  Put your main cause into the king's protection;

  He's loving and most gracious: 'twill be much

  Both for your honour better and your cause;

  For if the trial of the law o'ertake ye,

  You'll part away disgraced.

  Put yourself under the King’s protection;

  he's loving and most gracious: it will be much

  better for both your honour and your cause;

  if you have to go to trial

  you will leave disgraced.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  He tells you rightly.

  He's telling the truth.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Ye tell me what ye wish for both,--my ruin:

  Is this your Christian counsel? out upon ye!

  Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge

  That no king can corrupt.

  You're telling me what you both want–my ruin:

  is this your Christian advice? Get out!

  Heaven is still sitting over all of us; there is a judge there

  that cannot be corrupted by any king.

  CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

  Your rage mistakes us.

  You have misunderstood us in your anger.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  The more shame for ye: holy men I thought ye,

  Upon my soul, two reverend cardinal virtues;

  But cardinal sins and hollow hearts I fear ye:

  Mend 'em, for shame, my lords. Is this your comfort?

  The cordial that ye bring a wretched lady,

  A woman lost among ye, laugh'd at, scorn'd?

  I will not wish ye half my miseries;

  I have more charity: but say, I warn'd ye;

  Take heed, for heaven's sake, take heed, lest at once

  The burthen of my sorrows fall upon ye.

  Shame on you: I thought you were holy men,

  I swear, two holy good Cardinals;

  but I fear you are great sinners with hollow hearts:

  mend your ways, my lords, for shame. Is this your comfort?

  The medicine that you bring for a wretched lady,

  a woman lost amongst you, laughed at, scorned?

  I would not wish you half my misery;

  I am more charitable: but take note of my warning;

  be careful, for heaven's sake, be careful, in case

  the weight of my sorrows should suddenly fall upon you.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Madam, this is a mere distraction;

  You turn the good we offer into envy.

  Madam, this is just madness;

  you make our kind offers seem malicious.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Ye turn me into nothing: woe upon ye

  And all such false professors! would you have me--

  If you have any justice, any pity;

  If ye be any thing but churchmen's habits--

  Put my sick cause into his hands that hates me?

  Alas, has banish'd me his bed already,

  His love, too long ago! I am old, my lords,

  And all the fellowship I hold now with him

  Is only my obedience. What can happen

  To me above this wretchedness? all your studies

  Make me a curse like this.

  You make me nothing: damn you

  and all such false Christians! Do you want me–

  if you have any justice, any pity;

  if you're anything more than empty robes–

  to place my wounded life into the hands of one who hates me?

  Alas, I am already an exile from his bed,

  and from his love, too long ago! I am old, my lords,

  and the only business I have with him now I do

  out of my obedience. What can happen

  to me that's worse than this? Everything you do

  brings me all this misery.

  CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

  Your fears are worse.

  What you fear is worse than the reality of it.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Have I lived thus long--let me speak myself,

  Since virtue finds no friends--a wife, a true one?

  A woman, I dare say without vain-glory,

  Never yet branded with suspicion?

  Have I with all my full affections

  Still met the king? loved him next heaven?

  obey'd him?

  Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him?

  Almost forgot my prayers to content him?

  And am I thus rewarded? 'tis not well, lords.

  Bring me a constant woman to her husband,

  One that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his pleasure;

  And to that woman, when she has done most,

  Yet will I add an honour, a great patience.

  Have I lived so long–let me speak for myself,

  since goodness has no friends–as a wife, a true one?

  The woman, I daresay without vanity,

  never yet suspected of any wrongdoing?

  Have I always given all my love

  to the King? Loved him more than anything outside Heaven?

  Obeyed him?

  In my foolishness been extravagantly devoted to him?

  Almost abandoned my prayers to make him happy?

  And is this how I am rewarded? It is not good, lords.

  Show me a woman who is loyal to her husband,

  one who never sought for any happiness beyond his pleasure,

  and when that woman has done all she can

  I will still be ahead of her, due to my great patience.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Madam, you wander from the good we aim at.

  Madam, you are missing the point of the good we intend for you.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  My lord, I dare not make myself so gui
lty,

  To give up willingly that noble title

  Your master wed me to: nothing but death

  Shall e'er divorce my dignities.

  My lord, I do not dare to make myself so guilty

  that I would willingly give up that noble title

  your master gave me when we married: nothing but death

  will ever take away my honour.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Pray, hear me.

  Please, listen to me.

  QUEEN KATHARINE

  Would I had never trod this English earth,

  Or felt the flatteries that grow upon it!

  Ye have angels' faces, but heaven knows your hearts.

  What will become of me now, wretched lady!

  I am the most unhappy woman living.

  Alas, poor wenches, where are now your fortunes!

  Shipwreck'd upon a kingdom, where no pity,

  No friend, no hope; no kindred weep for me;

  Almost no grave allow'd me: like the lily,

  That once was mistress of the field and flourish'd,

  I'll hang my head and perish.

  I wish I had never walked on this English earth,

  or felt the flattery that grows on it!

  You have the faces of angels, but heaven knows what's in your hearts.

  What will happen to me now, wretched lady!

  I am the unhappiest woman alive.

  Alas, poor girls, now where are your fortunes!

  Shipwrecked in the kingdom where there is no pity,

  no friends, no hope; no family to weep for me;

  I will almost be denied burial: I shall hang my head

  and die, like a lily that at one time was the mistress of the field.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  If your grace

  Could but be brought to know our ends are honest,

  You'ld feel more comfort: why should we, good lady,

  Upon what cause, wrong you? alas, our places,

  The way of our profession is against it:

  We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow 'em.

 

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