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THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF KING HENRY THE EIGHT
THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF KING HENRY THE EIGHT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE THE PROLOGVE.
I Come no more to make you laugh Things now
That beare a Weighty and a Serious Brow
Sad high and working full of State and Woe:
Such Noble Scoenes as draw the Eye to flow
We now present. Those that can Pitty heere
May (if they thinke it well) let fall a Teare
The Subiect will deserue it. Such as giue
Their Money out of hope they may beleeue
May heere finde Truth too. Those that come to see
Onely a show or two and so agree
The Play may passe: If they be still and willing
Ile vndertake may see away their shilling
Richly in two short houres. Onely they
That come to heare a Merry Bawdy Play
A noyse of Targets: Or to see a Fellow
In a long Motley Coate garded with Yellow
Will be deceyu'd. For gentle Hearers know
To ranke our chosen Truth with such a show
As Foole and Fight is beside forfeyting
Our owne Braines and the Opinion that we bring
To make that onely true we now intend
Will leaue vs neuer an vnderstanding Friend.
Therefore for Goodnesse sake and as you are knowne
The First and Happiest Hearers of the Towne
Be sad as we would make ye. Thinke ye see
The very Persons of our Noble Story
As they were Liuing: Thinke you see them Great
And follow'd with the generall throng and sweat
Of thousand Friends: Then in a moment see
How soone this Mightinesse meets Misery:
And if you can be merry then Ile say
A Man may weepe vpon his Wedding day.
Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.
Enter the Duke of Norfolke at one doore. At the other the Duke of
Buckingham and the Lord Aburgauenny.
Buckingham. Good morrow and well met. How haue ye done
Since last we saw in France?
Norf. I thanke your Grace:
Healthfull and euer since a fresh Admirer
Of what I saw there
Buck. An vntimely Ague
Staid me a Prisoner in my Chamber when
Those Sunnes of Glory those two Lights of Men
Met in the vale of Andren
Nor. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde
I was then present saw them salute on Horsebacke
Beheld them when they lighted how they clung
In their Embracement as they grew together
Which had they
What foure Thron'd ones could haue weigh'd
Such a compounded one?
Buck. All the whole time
I was my Chambers Prisoner
Nor. Then you lost
The view of earthly glory: Men might say
Till this time Pompe was single but now married
To one aboue it selfe. Each following day
Became the next dayes master till the last
Made former Wonders it's. To day the French
All Clinquant all in Gold like Heathen Gods
Shone downe the English; and to morrow they
Made Britaine India: Euery man that stood
Shew'd like a Mine. Their Dwarfish Pages were
As Cherubins all gilt: the Madams too
Not vs'd to toyle did almost sweat to beare
The Pride vpon them that their very labour
Was to them as a Painting. Now this Maske
Was cry'de incompareable; and th' ensuing night
Made it a Foole and Begger. The two Kings
Equall in lustre were now best now worst
As presence did present them: Him in eye
Still him in praise and being present both
'Twas said they saw but one and no Discerner
Durst wagge his Tongue in censure when these Sunnes
(For so they phrase 'em) by their Heralds challeng'd
The Noble Spirits to Armes they did performe
Beyond thoughts Compasse that former fabulous Storie
Being now seene possible enough got credit
That Beuis was beleeu'd
Buc. Oh you go farre
Nor. As I belong to worship and affect
In Honor Honesty the tract of eu'ry thing
Would by a good Discourser loose some life
Which Actions selfe was tongue too
Buc. All was Royall
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd
Order gaue each thing view. The Office did
Distinctly his full Function: who did guide
I meane who set the Body and the Limbes
Of this great Sport together?
Nor. As you guesse:
One certes that promises no Element
In such a businesse
Buc. I pray you who my Lord?
Nor. All this was ordred by the good Discretion
Of the right Reuerend Cardinall of Yorke
Buc. The diuell speed him: No mans Pye is freed
From his Ambitious finger. What had he
To do in these fierce Vanities? I wonder
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