Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

But, I beseech you, what’s become of Katherine,

The princess dowager? How goes her business?

 

Second Gentleman

King Henry the Eighth          Act IV, Scene i, Line 24

We’ve run into these two unnamed gentlemen before. We’re at the coronation of Anne Boleyn and these two are discussing what’s going on. Today’s Second Gentleman’s question relates to Queen Katherine of Aragon who has been very reluctant to grant Henry the divorce he needs to be able to marry Anne. In fact, much of this play has been about this struggle between Henry and her.

Would you like to know what happened to her? The First Gentleman knows.

That I can tell you too. The archbishop
Of Canterbury, accompanied with the other
Learned and reverend fathers of his order,
Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off
From Ampthill, where the princess lay; to which
She was often cited by them, but appear’d not:
And, to be short, for not appearance and
The king’s late scruple, by the main assent
Of all these learned men she was divorced,
And the late marriage made of none effect:
Since which she was removed to Kimbolton,
Where she remains now sick.

So, basically, Henry divorced her after all, and shipped her off. I guess it didn’t pay to fall out of the king's favor. No worries: Anne will fall out of favor in time as well. She, however, will not be so lucky as Katherine. The latter, at least, go shipped off in one piece. Anne will not be so lucky.

Wait, what does that mean that she's not going to get shipped off in one piece?

Never mind, Mojo. You don't want to know.