LIFE

OF

HENRY VIII.

By Mr. WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.

LONDON:

Printed for J. TONSON: And Sold by W. FEALIS
at Rowe's Head, over-against Clement's In Gate,
M DCC XXXII.

PROLOGU E.

I

Come no more to make you laugh; things now
That bear a weighty and a ferious brow,
Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe
Such noble fcenes, as draw the eye to flow,
We shall prefent. Thofe that can pity, here
May, if they think it well, let fall a tear;
The fubject will deferve it. Such as give
Their money out of hope they may believe,
May here find truth too. Those that come to fee
Only a show or two, (and so agree,

The play may pafs) if they be ftill and willing,
I'll undertake may fee away their fhilling
Richly in two short hours. Only they
That come to hear a merry, bawdy play;
A noife of targets; or to fee a fellow
In a long motley coat, guarded with yellow;
Will be deceiv'd: for, gentle hearers, know
Yo rank our chofen truth with fuch a show
As fool and fight is, (befides forfeiting
Our own brains, and th' opinion that we bring
To make that only true we now intend)
Will leave us ne'er an understanding friend.
Therefore, for goodness fake, as you are known
The first and happiest hearers of the town,
Be fad, as we would make ye. Think ye fee
The very perfons of our noble story,

As they were living: think you see them great,
And fellow'd with the gen'ral throng, and fweat
Of thousand friends; Then, in a moment, fee
How foon this mightiness meets mifery!
And if you can be merry then, I'll fay
A man may weep upon his wedding day.

KING Henry the Eight.

Cardinal Wolley, his firft Minifter and Favourite.
Cranmer. Archbishop of Canterbury.
Duke of Norfolk.

Duke of Buckingham.
Duke of Suffolk.

Earl of Surrey.

Lord Chamberlain.

Cardinal Campeius, the Pope's Legat.

Capucius, Ambassador from the Emperor Charles the Fifth.

Gardiner, Bishop of Winchefter.

Lord Abergavenny.

Lord Sands.

Sir Henry Guildford.

Sir Thomas Lovell.

Sir Anthony Denny,
Sir Nicholas Vaux.

Cromwell, firft Servant to Wolfey, afterwards to the
King.

Griffith, Gentleman-Ufher to Queen Katharine..
Three Gentlemen.

Dr. Butts, Phyfician to the King.

Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham.
Porter and his Man.

Queen Katharine, firft Wife to King Henry, afterwards Divorc'd.

Anne Bullen, belov'd by the King, and afterwards married to him.

An old Lady, Friend to Anne Bullen.

Patience, Woman of the Bed-Chamber to Queen Katharine.

Several Lords and Ladies in the dumb Shews. Women attending upon the Queen. Spirits which appear to her. Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attendants.

The SCENE lies moftly in LONDON.

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The LIFE of

HENRY VIII.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Enter the Duke of Norfolk at one door: at the other the Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord Abergavenny,

BUCKINGHAM,

OOD morrow, and well met. How have you done

Since last we faw y'in France ?

Nor. I thank your Grace:

Healthful, and ever fince a fresh admire
Of what I faw' there.

Buck. An untimely ague

Stay'd me a pris'ner in my chamber, when
Thofe funs of glory, thofe two lights of men
Met in the vale of Arde.

Nor. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde:

I was then prefent, faw 'em falute on horfe-back,
Beheld 'em when they lighted, how they clung
In their embracement, as they grew together;
Which had they, what four thron'd ones could have
weigh'd

* Sons.