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To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,
And to be judg'd by him.

The queen is obstinate,

[She curt'sies to the King, and offers to depart. CAM. Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and Disdainful to be try'd by it; 'tis not well.

She's going away.

K. HEN. Call her again.

CRIER. Katharine queen of England, come into the court.

GRIF. Madam, you are call'd back.

Q. KATH. What need you note it? pray you, keep your way:

When you are call'd, return.-Now the Lord help,
They vex me past my patience!-pray you, pass on:
I will not tarry: no, nor ever more,
Upon this business, my appearance make
of their courts.

In

any

[Exeunt Queen, GRIFFITH, and her other Attendants.

K. HEN.

Go thy ways, Kate: That man i'the world, who shall report he has A better wife, let him in nought be trusted, For speaking false in that: Thou art, alone, (If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness, Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,— Obeying in commanding,-and thy parts Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out,2)

could speak thee out,)] If thy several qualities had tongues to speak thy praise. JOHNson.

Rather-had tongues capable of speaking out thy merits; i.e. of doing them extensive justice. In Cymbeline we have a similar expression:

"You speak him far." STEEVENS.

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Domesticks 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,

1 Where powers are your retainers: and your words, Domesticks to you, serve your will,] You have now got power at your beck, following in your retinue; and words therefore are degraded to the servile state of performing any office which you shall give them. In humbler and more common terms: Having now got power, you do not regard your word.

JOHNSON.

The word power, when used in the plural and applied to one person only, will not bear the meaning that Dr. Johnson wishes to give it.

By powers are meant the Emperor and the King of France, in the pay of one or the other of whom Wolsey was constantly retained; and it is well known that Wolsey entertained some of the nobility of England among his domesticks, and had an absolute power over the rest. M. MASON.

Whoever were pointed at by the word powers, Shakspeare, surely, does not mean to say that Wolsey was retained by them, but that they were retainers, or subservient, to Wolsey. MALONE.

I believe that powers, in the present instance, are used merely to express persons in whom power is lodged. The Queen would insinuate that Wolsey had rendered the highest officers of state subservient to his will. STEEVENS.

I believe we should read:

Where powers are your retainers, and your wards,
Domesticks to you, &c.

The Queen rises naturally in her description. She paints the powers of government depending upon Wolsey under three images; as his retainers, his wards, his domestick servants.

TYRWHITT. So, in Storer's Life and Death of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal, a poem, 1599:

"I must have notice where their wards must dwell;
"I car'd not for the gentry, for I had

66

Young nobles of the land," &c. STEEVENS.

To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,
And to be judg'd by him.

[She curt'sies to the King, and offers to depart. CAM.

The queen is obstinate,

Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and
Disdainful to be try'd by it; 'tis not well.
She's going away.

K. HEN. Call her again.

CRIER. Katharine queen of England, come into

the court.

GRIF. Madam, you are call'd back.

Q. KATH. What need you note it? pray you, keep your way:

When you are call'd, return.-Now the Lord help,
They vex me past my patience!-pray you, pass on:
I will not tarry: no, nor ever more,

Upon this business, my appearance make
In any of their courts.

[Exeunt Queen, GRIFFITH, and her other
Attendants.

K. HEN.

Go thy ways, Kate: That man i'the world, who shall report he has A better wife, let him in nought be trusted, For speaking false in that: Thou art, alone, (If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness, Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,Obeying in commanding,—and thy parts Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out,*)

could speak thee out,)] If thy several qualities had tongues to speak thy praise. JOHNSON.

Rather had tongues capable of speaking out thy merits; i.e. of doing them extensive justice. In Cymbeline we have a similar expression:

"You speak him far." STEEVENS.

[blocks in formation]

Domesticks 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,

Where powers are your retainers: and your words,

Domesticks to you, serve your will,] You have now got power at your beck, following in your retinue; and words therefore are degraded to the servile state of performing any office which you shall give them. In humbler and more common

terms: Having now got power, you do not regard your word.

JOHNSON.

The word power, when used in the plural and applied to one person only, will not bear the meaning that Dr. Johnson wishes to give it.

By powers are meant the Emperor and the King of France, in the pay of one or the other of whom Wolsey was constantly retained; and it is well known that Wolsey entertained some of the nobility of England among his domesticks, and had an absolute power over the rest. M. MASON.

Whoever were pointed at by the word powers, Shakspeare, surely, does not mean to say that Wolsey was retained by them, but that they were retainers, or subservient, to Wolsey.

MALONE.

I believe that powers, in the present instance, are used merely to express persons in whom power is lodged. The Queen would insinuate that Wolsey had rendered the highest officers of state subservient to his will. STEEvens.

I believe we should read:

Where powers are your retainers, and your wards,
Domesticks to you, &c.

The Queen rises naturally in her description. She paints the powers of government depending upon Wolsey under three images; as his retainers, his wards, his domestick servants.

TYRWHITT. So, in Storer's Life and Death of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal, a poem, 1599:

"I must have notice where their wards must dwell;
"I car'd not for the gentry, for I had

66

Young nobles of the land," &c.

STEEVENS.

To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness,
And to be judg'd by him.

[She curt'sies to the King, and offers to depart. CAM.

The queen is obstinate,

Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and
Disdainful to be try'd by it; 'tis not well.

She's going away.

K. HEN. Call her again.

CRIER. Katharine queen of England, come into the court.

GRIF. Madam, you are call'd back.

Q. KATH. What need you note it? pray you, keep your way:

When you are call'd, return.-Now the Lord help,
They vex me past my patience!-pray you, pass on:
I will not tarry: no, nor ever more,

Upon this business, my appearance make
In any of their courts.

[Exeunt Queen, GRIFFITH, and her other
Attendants.

K. HEN.

Go thy ways, Kate: That man i'the world, who shall report he has A better wife, let him in nought be trusted, For speaking false in that: Thou art, alone, (If thy rare qualities, sweet gentleness, Thy meekness saint-like, wife-like government,Obeying in commanding,—and thy parts Sovereign and pious else, could speak thee out,')

could speak thee out,)] If thy several qualities had tongues to speak thy praise. JOHNSON.

Rather had tongues capable of speaking out thy merits; i.e. of doing them extensive justice. In Cymbeline we have a similar

expression:

"You speak him far." STEEVENs.

VOL. XV.

H

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