The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (304 page)

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 guilty,

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