Consider it, Henry; it is so
weighty a responsibility that God has placed in your hand, and it is
presumptuous not to meet it in holy earnestness and undisturbed
tranquillity of mind."
"Now, by the holy mother!" cried the king, striking vehemently upon
the table, "I believe, forsooth, you dare excuse traitors and
blasphemers of their king! You have not heard then of what they are
accused?"
"I have heard it," said Catharine, more and more warmly; "I have
heard, and I say, nevertheless, sign not those death-warrants, my
husband. It is true these poor creatures have grievously erred, but
they erred as human beings. Then let your punishment also be human.
It is not wise, O king, to want to avenge so bitterly a trifling
injury to your majesty. A king must be exalted above reviling and
calumny. Like the sun, he must shine upon the just and the unjust,
no one of whom is so mighty that he can cloud his splendor and dim
his glory. Punish evil-doers and criminals, but be noble and
magnanimous toward those who have injured your person."
"The king is no person that can be injured!" said Gardiner. "The
king is a sublime idea, a mighty, world-embracing thought. Whoever
injures the king, has not injured a person, but a divinely
instituted royalty--the universal thought that holds together the
whole world!"
"Whoever injures the king has injured God!" yelled the king; "and
whoever seizes our crown and reviles us, shall have his hand struck
off, and his tongue torn out, as is done to atheists and
patricides!"
"Well, strike off their hand then, mutilate them; but do not kill
them!" cried Catharine, passionately.
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