Jane Seymour. After 3 days of labor, Jane has learned she has a son.
(For the purpose of the
exercise, this monologue takes place while Jane ebbs in and out of consciousness for the 12 days
after his birth)
I have a son. We have a son. I gave the King an heir...
(turning to prayer)
Benedicta excelsa Mater Christi, Maria sanctissima. Thanks be to Mary, mother of our lord, for
bringing my son into this world. No price is too high for the life of our future king. I gladly
would have endured far longer than 3 days of pain for the gift you have given me.
(Burst of pain, she slowly becomes delirious. By the end, it becomes clear she is not going to
make it)
O God, as Queen of England and mother of our future King, you must be listening to my prayers
now. While his father and the country may love him as his heir, I will always love my son. But
he, unfortunately will not be predisposed to see the goodness in the world. For his father wooed
me while married to another. He was then conceived in a bed I gained out of deceit and death. I
felt his tiny fingers push at my womb for 9 months, desperate to get out and judge the harlot he
was trapped within. And now I fear those same fingers have torn through me. Irreparably.
Dearest Lord, I have begged you to show me how to make amends for the wrongs I have
committed in becoming queen. I may have been pushed by my father, and allowed my brothers
to take bribes on my behalf. But as for Anne..... I knew the woman; she was deceitful. Lusty and
frivolous. She turned the court into a mummer's show, and even while I spent my mornings
braiding the sweet Queen Catherine's hair, Anne spared no energy in hiding her duplicitous affair
with our Henry. Therefore I refuse to accept Anne's blood on my hands. She brought that axe
upon her own head.
(More pain. She is quickly losing this battle)
Do what you will with me Lord. For I have fulfilled my purpose.. I have given our beloved King
the heir he so deserves. My beautiful Edward... He was Christened today, so I can at last rest in
the knowledge that whatever happens to me, I will see him again in your blessed Heaven.
(She gives in to the pain, and lets herself slip into sleep)
God bless my king. Let our son's reign be prosperous and long. And please God, let my death be
swift and painless. For I am afraid....
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen
last seen before death: (in a feverish haze, she becomes terrified and begs to see her son. He is
with the wet nurse, so the doctor hands Jane a bundled up cloth to squeeze while they wait for
the boy to arrive. In her delirium, she thinks the bundle is her son,a and she whispers her last
words to a grimy, soiled cloth)
Mark me well, Prince: for what I tell you will be the last and only motherly counsel you will
receive. You must be strong. Your Kingly father will be proud of you, but you must keep him
happy. All he wants is to be content, and while it doesnt sound like a difficult task, very few
have been able to keep him long. You will have your fathers fire, I can see it in your little pink
hands. I beg you to ask of me as you get older, and learn of my love and cherish the Seymour
side of you as well. I wish I could stay with you, my sweet, and teach you secrets of keeping
England happy, but the angels are calling. I hear their sweet music, and I fear I have no strength
left to refuse them. I am glad to have known you these few short days, and I that die with the
love of my life in my arms.
Letter from Henry to Jane
"MY DEAR FRIEND AND MISTRESS,
"The bearer of these few lines from thy entirely devoted servant will deliver into thy fair hands a
token of my true affection for thee, hoping you will keep it for ever in your sincere love for me.
Advertising you that there is a ballad made lately of great derision against us, which if it go
abroad and is seen by yo
u; I pray you to pay no manner of regard to it. I am not at present informed who is the setter
forth of this malignant writing; but if he is found out, he shall be straitly punished for it.
"For the things ye lacked, I have minded my lord to supply them to you as soon as he could buy
them. Thus hoping, shortly to receive you in these arms, I end for the present,
"Your own loving servant and sovereign,
"H. R."
Epitaph. Her symbol became the phoenix
"Here a Phoenix lieth, whose death
To another Phoenix gave breath
It is to be lamented much,
The world at once ne'er knew two such.
The Death of Queen Jane (a ballad by Child)
traveld
laboured, travailed
meikle
great
ha
hall
Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, traveld six weeks and more,
Till women and midwives had quite gien her oer:
O if ye were women as women should be,
Ye would send for a doctor, a doctor to me.'
The doctor was called for and set by her bedside:
'What aileth thee, my ladie, thine eyes seem so red?'
'O doctor, O doctor, will ye do this for me,
To rip up my two sides and save my babie?'
'Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's the thing I'll neer do,
To rip up your two sides to save your babie:'
Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, traveld six weeks and more,
Till women and midwives had quite gien her oer.
'O if you were doctors as doctors should be,
Ye would send for King Henry, King Henry to me:'
King Henry was called for and sat by her bedside,
'What aileth thee, Jeanie? what aileth my bride?'
'King Henry, King Henry, will you do this for me,
To rip up my two sides, and save my babie?'
'Queen Jeanie, Queen Jeanie, that's what I'll never do,
To rip up your two sides to save your babie.'
But with sighing and sobbing she's fallen in a swoon,
Her side it was ript up, and her babie was found;
At this bonnie babie's christning there was meikle joy and mirth,
But bonnie Queen Jeanie lies cold in the earth.
Six and six coaches, and six and six more,
And royal King Henry went mourning before;
O two and two gentlemen carried her away,
But royal King Henry went weeping away.
O black were their stockings, and black were their bands,
And black were the weapons they held in their hands;
O black were their mufflers, and black were their shoes,
And black were the chevrons they drew on their luves.
They mourned in the kitchen, and the mourned in the ha,
But royal King Henry mourned langest of a':
Farewell to fair England, farewell for evermore!
For the fair flower of England will never shine more.
Contemp lyrics (Joan Baez)
Queen Jane lay in labor
For six weeks and more
The women grew weary
And the midwife gave o'er
King Henry, he was sent for
On horse back and speed
King Henry came to her
In the time of her need
Oh Henry, good King Henry
If that you do be
Please pierce my side open
And save my baby
Oh no Jane, good Queen Jane
That never could be
I'd lose my sweet flower
To save my baby
Queen Jane she turned over
She fell all in a swoon
Her side was pierced open
And the baby was found
How bright was the morning
How yellow was the moon
How costly the white coat
Queen Jane was wrapped in
King Henry he weeped
He wrung his hands
'til they're sore
The flower of England
Will never be no more
