KING Henry the Eight.

Cardinal Wolfey, his first Minister 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 Winchester.

Lord Abergavenny.

Lord Sands.

Sir Henry Guildford.

Sir Thomas Lovell.

Sir Anthony Denny,

Sir Nicholas Vaux.

Cromwell, first Servant to Wolsey, afterwards to the King.

Griffith, Gentleman-Usher to Queen Katharine..

Three Gentlemen.

Dr. Butts, Physician to the King.

Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham.

Porter and his Man.

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

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

An eld 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 SCENElies mostly in LONDON.

The LIFE of

HENRY VIII.

ACTI. 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 since a fresh admirer

Of what I saw there.

Buck. An untimely ague

Stay'd me a pris'ner in my chamber, when
Those suns of glory, those two lights of men
Met in the vale of Arde.

Nor. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde :
I was then present, saw 'em salute on horse-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

* fons.

A 3

Such

1

Such a compounded one?

Buck. All the whole time
I was my chamber's prifoner.

Nor. Then you loft

The view of earthly glory: men might fay
'Till this time pomp was fingle, but now marry'd
To one above it felf. Each following day
Became the next day's master, 'till the last
Made former wonders, its. To-day the French,
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,
Shone down the English ; and to-morrow they
Made Britain, India: every man that stood,
Shew'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As Cherubins, all gilt; the Madams too,
Not us'd to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour.
Was to them as a painting. Now this mask
Was cry'd incomparable, and th' ensuing night
Made it a fool and beggar. The two Kings
Equal in luftre, were now beft, now worst,
As prefence did present them; him in eye,
Still him in praise; and being present both,
'Twas said they saw but one, and no difcerner
Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns,
(For so they phrase 'em) by their heralds, challeng'd
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass, that old fabulous story
(Being now seen possible enough) got credit;
That + Bevis was believ'd.

Buck. Oh, you go far!

Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect
In honour, honesty; the tract of every thing
Would by a good discourser lose some life,
Which action's self was tongue to.

Buck. All was royal;
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd,
Order gave each thing view. The office did
Distinctly his full function. Who did guide,
I mean, who set the body and the limbs

† The old romantic legend of Bevis of Southampton.

Of

Of this great sport together, as you guess ?
Nor. One fure, that promises no

In fuch a business.

element

Buck. Pray you, who, my lord?'
Nor. All this was order'd by the good difcretion

Of the right rev'rend Cardinal of York.

Buck. The devil speed him: no man's pye is freed From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder That such a † ketch can with his very bulk Take up the rays o'th' beneficial fun, And keep it from the earth.

Nor. Yet surely, Sir,

There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends:
For being not propt by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way; nor call'd upon
For high feats done to th' crown; neither ally'd
To eminent assistants; but spider-like,
Out of his felf-drawn web; this gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way,
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the King.

Aber. I cannot tell

What heav'n hath giv'n him; let some graver eye
Pierce into that: but I can see his pride

Peep through each part of him; whence has he that,
If not from hell, the devil is a niggard,
Or has giv'n all before, and he begins
A new hell in himself.

Buck. Why the devil,

Upon this French going out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o'th' King, t'appoint
Who should attend him? he makes up the file
Of all the gentry; for the most part such
To whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon: And his own letter
(The honourable board of council out)

*

no rudiment or beginning.

† ketch, from the Italian Caicchio, fignifyng a Tub, Barrel, or Hogshead. Skinner,

Must fetch in him he * papers.

Aber. I do know

Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sicken'd their estates, that never
They shall abound as formerly.

Buck. O many

Have broke their backs with laying mannors on 'em For this great journey. What did this great vanity, But minifter communication of

A most poor issue?

Nor. Grievingly, I think,

The peace between the French and us, not values
The coft that did conclude it.

Buck. Every Man,

After the hideous storm that follow'd, was
A thing inspir'd; and not consulting, broke
Into a general prophefie; that this tempeft,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboaded
The sudden breach on't.

Nor. Which is budded out:

For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd Our merchants goods at Bourdeaux.

Aber. Is it therefore

Th'ambassador is filenc'd?

Nor. Marry is't.

Aber. A proper title of a peace, and purchas'd,

At a fuperfluous rate!

Buck. Why, all this business

Our rev'rend Cardinal carry'd.
Nor. Like it your Grace,

The state takes notice of the private difference
Betwixt you and the Cardinal. I advise you
(And take it from a heart that wishes you
Honour and plenteous safety) that you read
The Cardinal's malice and his potency
Together: to consider further, that

What

* he papers, a verb; His own letter, By his own single authority, and without the concurrence of the Council, must fetch in Him whom he papers down. I don't understand it, unless this be the meaning.