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I haue béene your wife these twentie yeares and more, & you haue had by me diuerse children. If there be anie iust cause that you can alleage against me, ei|ther of dishonestie, or matter lawfull to put me from you; I am content to depart to my shame and re|buke: and if there be none, then I praie you to let me haue iustice at your hand.The quéene iustifieth the mariage. The king your father was in his time of excellent wit, and the king of Spaine my father Ferdinando was reckoned one of the wisest princes that reigned in Spaine manie yeares before. It is not to be doubted, but that they had ga|thered as wise counsellors vnto them of euerie realme, as to their wisedoms they thought méet, who déemed the marriage betwéene you and me good and lawfull, &c. Wherefore, I humblie desire you to spare me, vntill I may know what counsell my freends in Spaine will aduertise me to take, and if you will not, then your pleasure be fulfilled. ¶With that she arose vp, making a lowe curtesie to the king, and de|parted from thence.

The king being aduertised that shée was readie to go out of the house,The quéene departing on [...] of the court is called againe. commanded the crier to call hir againe, who called hir by these words; Katharine quéene of England, come into the court. With that (quoth maister Griffith) Madame, you be called a|gaine. On on (quosh she) it maketh no matter, I will not tarrie, go on your waies. And thus she departed, without anie further answer at that time, or anie o|ther, and neuer would appeare after in anie court. The king perceiuing she was departed, said these words in effect: For as much (quoth he) as the quéene is gone, I will in hir absence declare to you all, that shée hath beene to me as true, as obedient, and as conformable a wife, as I would wish or desire. She hath all the vertuous qualities that ought to be in a woman of hir dignitie, or in anie other of a baser e|state, she is also surelie a noble woman borne, hir conditions will well declare the same.

With that quoth Wolseie the cardinall: Sir,The cardinall requireth to haue that de|clared which was well en|ough known. I most humblie require your highnesse, to declare be|fore all this audience, whether I haue béene the chéefe and first moouer of this matter vnto your maiestie or no, for I am greatlie suspected heerein. My lord cardinall (quoth the king) I can well excuse you in this matter, marrie (quoth he) you haue béene rather against me in the tempting héereof, than a setter for|ward or moouer of the same. The speciall cause that mooued me vnto this matter, was a certeine scrupu|lositie that pricked my conscience, vpon certeine words spoken at a time when it was, by the bishop of Baion the French ambassador, who had béene hither sent, vpon the debating of a marriage to be conclu|ded betweene our daughter the ladie Marie, and the duke of Orleance, second son to the king of France.

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