fidence of a christian spirit, on the point of returning to heaven, was never more affectingly displayed than in the dramatic history of Katharine. Her forgiveness of enemies, and her affectionate solicitude for friends, are happily conjoined to the meekest piety. Hurled from the proud pre-eminence of a regal seat, by an act of wanton cruelty, the humiliation of the queen involved in it no degradation of character, for she was a faultless sufferer. With the greatest propriety, therefore, Katharine appears equally dignified in her humble, as in her exalted station; and how beautifully she exemplifies her solicitude for a good name after death:

"When I am dead, good wench,

Let me be us'd with honour; strew me over
With maiden flowers, that all the world may know
I was a chaste wife to my grave: embalm me,
Then lay me forth: although unqueen'd, yet like
A queen, and daughter to a king, inter me.” *

Holinshed's account of the divorce of Katharine is apologetical for Henry: the good man apparently believed that "the king sore lamented his chance, and made no manner of mirth nor pastime as he was wont to do." Shakspeare so far conforms to this represen

* Act. IV. sc. 2.

tation of the case, as to make the king's scruple of conscience the avowed cause of the dissolution of his marriage; but the poet was too much a man of the world to be imposed on by such a thin disguise, and very archly displays his knowledge of the real motives which influenced Henry to cast away" a jewel that had hung for twenty years about his neck, yet never lost her lustre."*

The second scene of the play exhibits Katharine in the full enjoyment of her husband's love, and participation in his power; but ere the first act closes, the king had held "the fairest hand he ever touched."+ The image of Anne Bullen was impressed upon his heart; and he, for the first time, acknowledged the omnipotence of beauty. His devotion is expressed by the exaltation of the lady into the Marchioness of Pembroke, and "the gift of a thousand pound a year §;" and in the mean time the king's conscience becomes troubled, by a doubt he never knew before, respecting the legality of his marriage with Katharine; and he is reconciled to the resignation of the "queen of earthly queens." || "Alas!" says the poor lady,

* Act II. sc. 2.

+ Sc. IV.

"O beauty, till now I never knew thee."

§ Act II. sc. 3.

|| Act II. sc. 1, 2. 4.

“I am old*;" a lamentation sadly contrasted

by the praises bestowed upon her rival :

"Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman
That ever lay by man."

"Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel;

Our king has all the Indies in his arms,

And more, and richer, when he strains that lady:
I cannot blame his conscience." +

Shakspeare copied from Holinshed all the artful glosses by which Henry sought to conceal the odiousness of his conduct; still, however, leaving sufficiently legible traces of his hypocrisy. With every prospect before him of a speedy dissolution of his matrimonal tie, it is his question:

"Would it not grieve an able man, to leave

So sweet a bedfellow? But, conscience, conscience,
O, 'tis a tender place, and I must leave her."‡

Yet, so anxious is he to slip his yoke that the least symptom of delay alarms and vexes him:

"I may perceive

These cardinals trifle with me: I abhor

This dilatory sloth, and tricks of Rome,
My learn'd and well-beloved servant, Cranmer,
Pr'ythee, return! with thy approach, I know,
My comfort comes along." §

*Act III. sc. 1.

Act II. sc. 2.

+ Act IV. sc. 1.
§ Act II. sc. 4.

Cranmer does return, and is the bearer of

opinions which

"satisfied the king for his divorce,

Together with all famous colleges

Almost in Christendom: shortly, I believe,
His second marriage shall be publish'd, and
Her coronation."*

As the play made its appearance in the lifetime of Elizabeth, Shakspeare had a task to perform of great delicacy. Elizabeth was not a princess with whom the liberty could be safely taken of exhibiting her father in all his native deformity. The poet contrived, therefore, without altogether suppressing the harshness, tyranny, and impetuosity which distinguished him, to create an impression generally favourable to his character. The bluntness of his manner is humorous and pleasing; carrying with it a large portion of apparent goodnature, kind feeling, and general integrity of intention. The measure of the divorce, indeed, speaks volumes against Henry; and his sacrifice of Buckingham hardly seems defensible. But in his quarrel with Wolsey he is clearly right; and his conduct to, and protection of, Cramner, is noble, generous, and wise. t For the particulars of this transaction, Shakspeare was not indebted to Ho+ Act V. sc. 1, 2.

* Act III. sc. 2.

linshed, but to the acts and monuments of the christian martyrs by Fox, who minutely details the circumstances of the attempt of the privy council to crush the worthy Archbishop of Canterbury.

If the motives be obvious which led the poet to represent Henry in advantageous colours, they are even more so in the case of Anne Bullen, the mother of Elizabeth. She, accordingly, shines forth a perfect pattern of excelling nature.

Whilst the dramatist was anxious to excite pity for the fate of Katharine, it was no easy task to create an impression favourable to the person, who was the cause of all her unmerited misfortunes. Shakspeare artfully makes Anne unconscious of the king's intentions towards her; and she commiserates the fate, and expatiates on the virtues, of her unhappy mistress. By a natural transition, her reflections are turned on the advantages of humble life.

"I swear, 'tis better to be lowly born,

And range

with humble livers in content, Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief,

And wear a golden sorrow." *

The entire freedom of her mind from views or projects of ambition, and her consequent guilt

*Act II. sc. 3.