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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 This yeare was sir Iames Spenser maior of London, Polydor. in whose time the watch in London on Midsummer night was laid downe. About this time the king receiued into fauour doctor Stephan Gar|diner,Doctor Ste|phã Gardner. whose seruice he vsed in matters of great se|crecie and weight, admitting him in the roome of doctor Pace,Doctor Pace falleth out of his wits. the which being continuallie abroad in ambassages, and the same oftentimes not much ne|cessarie, by the cardinals appointment, at length he tooke such gréefe therewith, that he fell out of his right wits. The place where the cardinals should sit to heare the cause of matrimonie betwixt the king and the quéene, Anno Reg. 21. Edw. Hall. was ordeined to be at the Blacke friers in London, where in the great hall was preparation made of seats, tables, and other furniture, accor|ding to such a solemne session and roiall apparance. The court was platted in tables and benches in manner of a consistorie, Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 959. The maner of the session, e|uerie perso|nage of ac|count in his place. one seat raised higher for the iudges to sit in. Then as it were in the midst of the said iudges aloft aboue them three degrées high, was a cloth of estate hanged, with a chaire roiall vnder the same, wherein sat the king; and besides him, some distance from him sat the quéene, and vnder the iud|ges feet sat the scribes and other officers: the chéefe scribe was doctor Stéeuens, and the caller of the court was one Cooke of Winchester.

Then before the king and the iudges within the court sat the archbishop of Canturburie Warham, and all the other bishops. Then stood at both ends within, the counsellors learned in the spirituall laws, as well the kings as the quéenes. The doctors of law for the king (whose names yée haue heard before) had their conuenient roomes. Thus was the court furni|shed. The iudges commanded silence whilest their commission was read, both to the court and to the people assembled.The king and queene called into the court. That doone the scribes commanded the crier to call the king by the name of king Hen|rie of England, come into the court, &c. With that the king answered and said, Héere. Then called he the queene by the name of Katharine quéene of England come into the court, &c. Who made no answer, but rose out of hir chaire.

And bicause shée could not come to the king di|rectlie, for the distance seuered betweene them, shée went about by the court, and came to the king, knee|ling downe at his féet, to whome she said in effect as followeth:Quéene Ka|tharines la|mentable and p [...]hie spéech in presence of the court. Sir (quoth she) I desire you to doo me ius|tice and right, and take some pitie vpon me, for I am a poore woman, and a stranger, borne out of your do|minion, hauing héere no indifferent counsell, & lesse assurance of fréendship. Alas sir, what haue I offen|ded you, or what occasion of displeasure haue I shew|ed you, intending thus to put me from you after this sort? I take God to my iudge, I haue beene to you a true & humble wife, euer conformable to your will and pleasure, that neuer contraried or gainesaid any thing thereof, and being alwaies contented with all things wherein you had any delight, whether little or much, without grudge or displeasure, I loued for your sake all them whome you loued, whether they were my fréends or enimies.

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