" the Prince being 15 and the Princess something

more, and that they bedded together for near five “ Months; it seemed very strange, that the Queen હ૮ “ should call God to witness; as fhe did, That, when ૮ foe came to King Henry's Bed, she was an unspotted

Virgin." The Dutchess of Norfolk, who was present at the Marriage, declared, “ The Age of Prince Arthur, at * the Time of his said Marriage, to be about 15, and " that she saw Prince Arthur and the Lady Catherine “ alone in Bed together, the next Night after their

Marriage.”

George, Earl of Shrewsbury, deposed, "The Mari "riage was celebrated at St. Paul's, decimo Septimo “ Henrici zmi, 1501 ; that Prince Arthur was borni

at Winchester, 2do Henrici 7mi ; and that he be6 lieved the Prince knew his Lady carnally, because « he might be able fo to do, as himself had been, who « knew his Wife before he was sixteen.”

Sir William Thomas deposed, “That Prince Arthur « and the Lady Catherine lived five Months, parily * about London and partly at Ludlow, in a House

together as Man and Wife, and that he heard Sir á William Woodall, who was at the Prince's Christening.

say, te speak like honeft Men pray God ye prove for Ye But how to make ye fuddenly 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, İn 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 Şake that I have been, (for I feel The lait fit of my Greatness) good your Graces, Let me have Time and Counsel for my Cause : Alas! I am a Woman, friendless and hopeless !

Wolf. Madam, you wrong the King's Love with those Fears, Your Hopes and Friends are infinite.

Quern. In England
But little for my Profit: Can you think, Lords,
Voi. IV.
Hh

That

“ say, That he was above 15 at the Time of his Mars

riege, and the Lady Catherine older.”
Thomas, Marquis of Dorset, deposed, “He saw a

Register of the Nativity of the King's Children, “ by which he found Prince Artbur was born the 20th “ of September, 1486, and at the Time of his Mar

riage, which was upon a Sunday, decimo septimo “ Henrici 7mi, he was of a good and genuine Com" plexion, and able, as he believed, for the Purpose « of Generation.”

Robert, Viscount Fitz-Walters, deposed,, “ The “ Prince was then about 15 and Queen Catherine old

er; and that he very well remembered, that the next “ Day after the Prince and Princess of Wales had been " in Bed together, he saw them solemnly blessed, and “ waited at Breakfast on Prince Arthur, when Maurice “ St. John did carve, and he, the Lord Fitz-Walters,

gave Drink ; at which Time Maurice St. John demanding of the Prince what he had done that Night

to make him so dry ? the Prince answered, I have “ been in Spain this Night.”

Charles, Duke of Suffolk, deposed, " That he was “ in the Bishop of London's Palace the Morrow next

following the Day of Marriage, and waited there upon the Prince at Breakfast,” who, having in

Effect

That any Englishman dare give me Counsel ?
Or be a known Friend 'gainst his Highness's Pleasure,
Though he be grown fo desp'rate to be honeft,
And live a Subject ? Nay, forsooth, my Friends,
They that most weigh out my Afflictions,
They that my Truit must grow to, live not here;
They are, as all my Comforts are, far hence,
In my own Country, Lords.

Cam. I would your Grace
Would leave your Griefs, and take my Counsel.

Queen. How, Sir ?
Cam. Put your main Cause into the King's Protection,
He's loving and moft gracious. 'Twill be much
Better both for your Honour, and your Cause:
For, if the Trial of the Law o'er-take ye,
You'll part away disgrac'd.

Wolf

Effect confirmed Maurice St. John's Deposition, added, “ That the Shrove-tide following the Mar

riage, which was in November preceding, the “ said Prince began to decay, and grow feeble " in Body, which increased, as St. John believed,

by reason the Prince lay with the Lady Cacb therine."

Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, Lord Treasurer of England, deposed, “ That he, being on the Day of “ Marriage in the Bishop of London's Palace, and the “ Morrow after at the Prince's Breakfast, heard the « Prince's Answer to Maurice St. John, when he “ faid, He had been that Night in the midst of Spain;

by which Words, because Prince Arthur was of

Age, and good Complexion - and Nature, and " above 15, he believes he carnally knew his La

dy; because himself at the same Age did know “ and carnally use a Woman ; and that he believes " this the rather, because he heard, from credible “ Persons, that the said Prince Arthur did lay with “ the said Lady Catherine five or six Nights after.”

Sir Anthony Willoughby, Knt. deposed, “ That,

being the Morrow after the Marriage in the Prince's “ Privy-chamber, the said Prince spoke before divers

Hh 2

66 Wit

Wolf. He tells you rightly.

Queen. Yę tell me, what ye wish for both, my Ruin :
Is this your Christian Counsel ? Out upon ye !
Heav'n is above all yet! There sits a Judge
That no King can corrupt.

Cam. Your Grace mistakes us.

Queen. The more Shame for ye ; holy Men I thought ye,
Upon my Soul, two rev'rend Cardinal Virtues ;
But Cardinal Sins, and hollow Hearts, I fear ye !
Mend 'em, for Shame! my Lords : Is this your Comfort,
The Cordial that you bring a wretched Lady ;
A Woman loft among ye, laugh'd at, scorn'd ?
I will not wish you half my Miseries,
I have more Charity. But say, I warn'd ye;
Take Heed, take Heed, for Heav'n's Sake! left at once
The Burthen of my Sorrows fall upon ye.

Waf

“ Witnesses these Words, Willoughby, give me a Cup

of Ale, for I have been this Night in the midst of Spain : After which he said, It is good Pastime

to have a Wife; which Words he repeated divers “ other Times, and he heard say, they lay at Lud“ low together the Sbrcve-tide next following.”

From these Depositions and other Circumstances, the Countel on the King's Part strenuously urged the Invalidity of the said Marriage from the beginning, by reason of the carnal Copulation committed between Prince Arthur, the King's Brother, and the present Queen : But it was again as vehemently denied by the Queen's Counsel.

The King's Counsel further offered the following Depositions in Support of the Contest, which were read.

William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, deposed, “That he never liked the Marriage ; and is that he told Henry the VIIth as much.”'

Sir Anthony Poynes, as to the Age only.

Thomas Lord Darcy, William Lord Montjoy, and Henry Guilford, Knights of the Garter, said little to any Purpose, but what they had heard by Fame. David Owen, as to the Age only.

Ni

Wolf. Madam, this is a meer Distraction,
You turn the Good we offer into Envy.

Queen. You 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 fick Cause into his Hands that hates me?
Alas, h'as banish'd me his Bed already,
His Love too, long ago. I'm old, my Lords,
And all the Fellowihip I hold now with him
Is only by Obedience. What can happen
To me above this Wretchedness ? All your Studies
Make me a Carse like this,

Cam. Your Fears are worfew

prseen. Have I liy'd thus long (lét me speak myself, Sir.ce Virtae finds no Friends) a Wife, a true one,

A Wo.

66

Nicholas, Bishop of Ely, deposed, “ That he could I say nothing of the Carnalis copula; but that he very $ much doubted it, in regard the Queen often (Juba ** Zestimonio Conscientiæ fuæ) faid to this Deponent,

That she was never carnally known by Prince Arthur.”

After the reading these Depositions the Bishop of Rochester, one of the Queen's Counsel, stood up, and spoke in this Manner, “ And all this is no “ more, than what hath formerly been deposed, exa• mined, thoroughly debated, and scanned by the “ best and moft learned Divines and Lawyers that “ could be got, which Time I do well remember; “ and I am not ignorant of the Manner of their “ Proceedings, when and where all the Allegations, “ în respect of what was then produced to the con

trary, was adjudged vain and frivolous, whereupon “ the Marriage was concluded, which was afterwards “ approved and ratified by the See Apoftolick; and " that in such ample Manner, as I think it a very hard “ Matter now again to call the same in question be“ fore other Judges.”

Then stood up Dr. Ridley, another of the Queen's Counsel, a little Man, but of great Spirit, and profound Learning, and said, “ My Lords, the Cardinals, we have heard how the Queen herself here

in A Woman (I dare fay without Vain-glory), Never yet branded with Suspicion ? Have I, with all my full Affections Still met the King lovd 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 never dreamt a Jóy beyond his Pleasure ; And to that Woman, when she has done most, Yet will I add an Honour, a great Patience.

Wolf. Madam, you wander from the Good we aim at.

Queen. My Lord, I dare not make myself so guilty,
To give up willingly that noble Title,
Your Mafter wed me to : Nothing but Death
Shall e'er divorce my Digniţies

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