Queens Lines I was Supposed to Know a While Ago

CATHERINE OF ARAGON. How have I so offended you my lord that you must force me to suffer so? I take God and all the world to witness that I have been to you a true, humble, and obedient wife. Henry please... (she grabs him)

HENRY D. (He flinches away) Do not touch me, Catherine. You hold no power over me anymore. You have caused me to sin in the eyes of our lord. It is written in the Prohibition of Leviticus, “If a man shall take his brother’s wife it is an unclean thing, and they shall be childless.” Our lack of an heir is because our marriage is blighted in the eyes of God. There is a curse upon us.

CATHERINE OF ARAGON. It is you Henry who will be cursed if you continue with this madness. I have turned a blind eye all these years to you indiscretions. And now you propose to discard of me? For her? How has this woman bewitched you? Can you not recognize the spell you are under?

HENRY D. This conversation is over, Catherine. You and I are over. I love another. Anne will be my bride.

CATHERINE OF ARAGON. (Enraged)You have brought the devil into our matrimonial bed. You are as Prometheus was before you; you have succumbed to temptation, opened Pandora’s Box. You will forget forever denying me, and you will never find happiness with another woman. (Points at him) The dogs will lick your bones as they did Ahab’s. (She turns to leave but then adds:) I pity you, Henry. The name of Tudor will die with your daughter. Your legacy will be forever cursed… Henry you are cursed!

(End of scene, walk offstage)

(End of Jane Seymour’s Seduction)

ANNE BOELYN. Henry, our baby, a boy… Your son… I’m so sorry, so very sorry. I lost him too… Henry, please?

HENRY D. (Pacing) I must rid myself of Anne. I need a son, an heir to my throne so that the great name to Tudor will continue to live on. (Stops, turns out to audience) She is a failure! Her and Catherine, both failures. (Begin pacing back) Ten babies dead, and all I have been left with are daughters… what use are daughters to me?

OTHER HENRY. I was the king and I had ultimate power… It didn’t matter… the truth, the lies. None of it.

HENRY D. (The idea dawns on him) If I cannot justify a true purpose to teach her a lesson, I will create one. I need a son! My kingdom for a boy…

(With OTHER HENRY)

Her life for a boy.

(During Jane Seymour’s monologue)

JANE SEYMOUR. Henry entered the room. He was horrified. There was so much blood. He grabbed the doctor by the throat, and I heard him yell.

HENRY D. (Frantic) Do whatever you can! Cut that babe out of her. Save my son! Save my son!

JANE SEYMOUR. Our dear child Edward lived to be King, but not for long. He was always weak and frail… it was as if he too never recovered from his traumatic birth. Oh, Henry, I fought for you. I became the personification of a quiet, obedient wife, but you did not protect me.

(She dies and falls down. Henry catches her and rests her on his knees).

CADEN. Her life for a boy…

HENRY D. (Regretful but exhilarated) I will miss you, Jane. My one true wife.

(Masquerade scene/ meeting Anne of Cleves)

Anne of Cleves rebuffs Henry, who takes an interest in Katherine Howard instead. She realizes her mistake but it is too late. Henry pulls the fool aside and starts yelling.

HENRY D. (Cold fury, escalating) Rid me of that Cleves woman! I like her not; I like her not! She bears no resemblance to the portrait shown to me. She is naught but a Flanders mare. (Threatening) Get me a divorce. Annul this farce of a union. (Seizes Fool) IMMEDIATELY!

(As Anne of Cleves speak, Henry and Howard come out of the wings and onto the platform. The Fool takes over)

FOOL. Kathryn Howard was his child bride; but when she said she loved Henry, he knew she lied. Caught with her lover, she lost her king, as well as her head to the axeman’s swing.

HENRY D. (Kisses hands, fastens necklace) Now unto my lady

Promise to her I make:

From all other only

To her I me betake

(She takes his arm and they exit off the platform)

(The Letter scene. The fool hand Henry a letter. He reads it).

HENRY D. (Incensed) How dare she. How dare she! Make me a cuckhold husband, will she? (Cold) Betray the king of England, will she?

(Katherine runs on screaming, is blocked by the Gossips)

KATHERINE HOWARD. Henry, Henry, where are you. Henry husband, please I need your help, it’s a terrible mistake.

(She breaks past the Gossips)

Henry, thank God! Please help me my darling. They say I am arrested. Please send them away… Henry?

(He turns away)

KATHERINE HOWARD. Husband, please. Why will you not look upon me?

HENRY D. (Soft) Oh, Katherine, dear sweet Katherine. Why did you disappoint me so? I loved you well. but I am given a letter you had written your lover. Culpeper! A gentleman of my own privy chamber.

KATHERINE HOWARD. It is not true. Oh, Henry please believe me. I love no other but you.

HENRY D. (Spiteful, reading letter) “Master Culpeper, I heartily recommend myself unto you. I never longed so much for anything as I do to see you. But when I think that you shall depart from me again, it makes my heart want to die.”

KATHERINE HOWARD. Oh God, Henry… (Tries) Tis not mine. It’s all lies. I never wrote such a hateful letter. I have been compromised by those who seek to ruin me.

(She is kneeling on the floor??? The letter gets tossed to her)

HENRY D. Liar. Liar! Look here, Katherine. (Shoves letter in her face) it is written in your own hand, and upon the Queen’s parchment. (Contempt) When I read it I can almost hear your sweet voice stabbing me in the back. (Escalating) Read it. Read it to me how you love another!

KATHERINE HOWARD. No, Henry, please, I beg of you.

HENRY D. (Roars) Read it!

KATEHRINE HOWARD. “My love, it is torture to think I cannot be always in your company. Yet my trust is always in you that you will be as you have promised me, my one true love. Yours as long as life endures, Katherine.”

(They are both crying now)

KATHERINE HOWARD. Oh Henry I’m so sorry… My lord, please have mercy on me. I am a stupid, foolish girl.

HENRY D. I will not see you. Be gone from my sight, you deceitful harlot. (He shoves her away and walks to the side).

KATHERINE HOWARD. Henry, Husband, forgive me, please forgive me. I know not what caused me to slip into foolish revelries, but I attest I never meant no harm. I am young and easily led. I never meant to betray you.

(Guards approach)

HENRY D. From my sight! Take her from my sight. I shall never look upon her detestable face again.

(She is dragged away)

KATHERINE HOWARD. I beg of you dear, dear husband. Look upon me… Please… spare my life. I repent. Please Henry I repent… Help me. Don’t let them take me. I’m so sorry. Henry, Henry! Please.

KATHERINE PARR. Good morrow majesty. How is your manner this fine day?

HENRY D. Ah, Katherine. I ache all over; I confess right now that i am pondering the efforts one might need to rise safely.

KATHERINE PARR. Oh husband, you body may fail you, but your wit is assured.

HENRY D. I do count my blessings with you, my love. You have come into my life at a time I needed you most. Bright my family back together. It is apparent that you love my children as your own. You are smart, and learn’ed… Always with your head stuck in a book or some paper.

KATHERINE PARR. (Laughs, playing along) I don’t.

HENRY D. You do indeed. See! (He snatches the book and holds it out of reach). Pray tell me, what readings does my learn’ed wife indulge in now?

KATHERINE PARR. Henry, don’t!

HENRY D. (Suspicious) What readings does my learn’ed wife indulge in now?

KATHERINE PARR. Henry, listen upon this news. There are four men who dwell in the tower that need your indulgences.

HENRY D. (Dismissive) Katherine, do not more me with the pitiful lives of radical religious reformists. England does not want them, need them, nor tolerate them.

KATHERINE PARR. Please, Henry, show your mercy. Already you condemned Anne Askew. She was savagely racked and tortured before being burned at the stake. A woman on the rack… Henry the people of England want their monarch to be merciful.

HENRY D. Wife dear, do not forget the reason Miss Askew met her fate was because she was a heretic. She refused to name those who shared her beliefs… One, whom they are saying, may be you.

KATHERINE PARR. How can you believe those who seek to ruin me? Why must you dismiss my beliefs so readily? Where is the trust you once had for me?

HENRY D. Trust can be lost, wife, when one indulges heretical reformers. You will not engage in theological discussion behind my back. How dare you!

(He grabs her by the throat and shoves her to the floor)

HENRY D. I have condemned others for much, much less.

(Immediately after shoving Katherine Parr, upon platform behind throne. Henry paces.)

HENRY D. Damn her. Damn the lot of them! (Lamenting) Why must I endure these willful wives? Time and time again my life is thrown into turmoil by these deceitful women. (Cold) Katherine will pay for her betrayal of me. She will rue the day she underestimated my power.

OTHER HENRY. Why could I never see… The women in my life. My brides. My daughters. My Queens were more precious than power or property, even more precious than crown and country.

(Continue pacing on platform while Fool talks)

FOOL. All the world’s a stage and each queen played her part. But you were the fool who let them into your heart.

(Katherine Parr conspires with the Gossips, then falls to the ground pretending to cry. Enter from back left).

HENRY D. How now, sweetheart. What is all this bother?

KATHERINE PARR. I feared that I had angered you, I meant no harm. I sought to engage you in political talk to take your mind from the leg that pains you; and to learn from you, but I offended you in my stupidity. To have grieved you so, my Lord, causes me to weep. I am but a woman and I endure all the weaknesses attributed to my sex.

HENRY D. Oh my darling…Do not weep so. Come to me, my dearest.

KATHERINE PARR. But I am told you have sent a warrant for my arrest… What will become of me?

HENRY D. Rest assured; Naught harm will come to thee. What has been done, can be undone.

(Spot on Katherine Parr) FREEZE

KATHERINE PARR. One will say what one needs to say, to keep one’s head.

(Henry death scene following Katherine Parr’s exit)

BREAK FREEZE

HENRY D.

I will pray to God on high

That thou my constancy mayst see

And that yet once before I die

Thou wilt not forget to love me

Sic transit gloria mundi

Thus passes the glory of the world.

(He is wrapped by the queens and dragged away. The end!)