[sures. D. Keep. Your grace may enter now. [CRANMER approaches the Council-table. Chan. My good lord archbishop, I am very To sit here at this present, and behold [sorry That chair stand empty: But we all are men, In our own natures frail; and capable Of our flesh, few are angels: out of which frailty, [teach us, And want of wisdom, you, that best should Have misdemean'd yourself, and not a little, Toward the king first, then his laws, in filling The whole realm, by your teaching, and your chaplains, (For so we are inform'd,) with new opinions, Divers, and dangerous; which are heresies, And, not reforın'd, may prove pernicious. Gar. Which reformation must be sudden too, My noble lords: for those that tame wild horses, [gentle; Pace them not in their hands to make them But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur them, Tiil they obey the inanage. If we suffer Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress Nay, my lord, That cannot be; you are a counsellor, And, by that virtue, no man dare accuse you. Gar. My lord, because we have business ess of [pleasure, more moment, thank you, We will be short with you. 'Tis his highness' covers, Gar. My lord, my lord, you are a sectary, That's the plain truth; your painted gloss dis[ness. To men that understand you, words and weakCrom. My lord of Winchester, you are a little, Py your good favour, too sharp; men so noble Good master secretary, Why, my lord? Gar. Do not I know you for a favourer. Of this new sect? ye are not sound. Crom. Gar. Not sound, I say. Not sound? Crom. 'Would you were half so honest! Men's prayers then would seek you, not their Both of my life and office, I have labour'd, 'Pray heaven, the king may never find a heart With less allegiance in it! Men that make Be known unto us: Are you all agreed, lords} All. We are. Cran. title,) Is there no other way of mercy, This good man, (few of you deserve that But I must needs to the Tower, my lords? Gar. What other This honest man, wait like a lousy footboy Would you expect? You are strangely troubleLet some o' the guard be ready there. [some! Enter Guard. Cran. Must I go like a traitor thither ? And see him safe i' the Tower. For me? Receive him, Stay, good my lords, I have a little yet to say. Look there, my By virtue of that ring, I take my cause 'Tis no counterfeit. Do you think, my lords, Of this man to be vex'd? 'Tis now too certain: How much more is his life in value with him? Would I were fairly out on't. Crom.. My mind gave me, In seeking tales and informations [at ye. Gar. Dread sovereign, how much are we In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince; Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not They are too thin and base to hide offences. But whatso'er thou tak'st me for, I am sure, let me see the proudest He that dares most, but wag his finger at thee: And wisdom, of my council; but I find none. At chamber door? and one as great as you Thus far, My most dread sovereign, may it like your [posed grace To let my tongue excuse all. What was purConcerning his imprisonment, was rather (If there be faith in men) meant for his trial, And fair purgation to the world, than malice, I am sure, in me. K. Hen. Well, well, my lords, respect him; Take him, and use him well, he's worthy of it. I will say thus much for him, If a prince I have a suit which you must not deny me; baptism, You must be godfather, and answer for her. Cran. The greatest monarch now alive inay glory of Norfolk, In such an honour; How may I deserve it, And brother-love, I do it. Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation. thy true heart. The common voice, I see, is verified SCENE III. The Palace Yard. Noise and tumult within. Enter Porter and his Man. Port. You'll leave your noise anon, ye rascals: Do you take the court for Paris-garden+ ye rude slaves, leave your gaping. • It was an ancient custom for sponsors to present spoons to their god-children. [Within.] Good master porter, I belong to the larder. Port. Belong to the gallows, and be hanged, you rogue: Is this a place to roar in?-Fetch me a dozen crab-tree staves, and strong ones; these are but switches to them. I'll scratch your heads: You must be seeing christenings? Do you look for ale and cakes here, you rude rascals? Man. Pray, sir, be patient; 'tis as much impossible [cannons,) (Unless we sweep them from the door with To scatter them, as 'tis to make them sleep On May-day morning; which will never be: We may as well push against Paul's, as stir them. Port. How got they in, and be hang'd? [in? Man. Alas, 1 know not; How gets the tide As much as one sound cudgel of four foot (You see the poor remainder) could distribute, I made no spare, sir. Port. You did nothing, sir. Man. I am not Samson, nor sir Guy, nor Colbrand, to mow them down before me: but, if I spared any that had a head to hit, either young or old, he or she, cuckold or cuckoldmaker, let me never hope to see a chine again; and that I would not for a cow, God save her. [Within.] Do you hear, master Porter? Port. I shall be with you presently, good master puppy.-Keep the door close, sirrah. Man. What would you have me do? Port. What should you do, but knock them down by the dozens? Is this Moorfields to muster in? or have we some strange Indian with the great tool come to court, the women so besiege us? Bless me, what a fry of forni cation is at door! On my christian conscience, this one christening will beget a thousand; here will be father, godfather, and all together. Man. The spoons will be the bigger, sir. There is a fellow somewhat near the door, he should be a brazier by his face, for, o' my conscience, twenty of the dog-days now reign in's nose; all that stand about him are under the line, they need no other penance: That fire-drake did I hit three times on the head, and three times was his nose discharged against me; he stands there like a mortar-piece, to blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small wit near him, that railed upon me till her pink'd porringer+ fell off her head, for kindling such a combustion in the state. I miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman, who cried out, clubs! when 1 might see from far some forty truncheoneers draw to her succour, which were the hope of the Strand, where she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broomstaff with me, I defied them still; when suddenly a file of boys behind them, loose shot, delivered such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine honour in, and let them win the work: The devil was amongst them, I think, surely... Por. These are the youths that thunder at a play-house, and fight for bitten apples; that no audience, but the Tribulation of Tower-hill, or the Limbs of Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able to endure. I have some of them in Limbo Patrums, and there they are like to dance these three days; besides the running banquet of two beadles, that is to come. Enter the Lord Chamberlain. here! fellows, Cham. Mercy o' me, what a multitude are They grow still too, from all parts they are coming, As if we kept a fair here! Where are these porters, These lazy knaves! - Ye have made a fine hand, There's a trim rabble let in: Are all these Your faithful friends o'the suburbs? We shall have [ladies, Great store of room, no doubt, left for the When they pass back from the christening. Port. An't please your honour, We are but men; and what so many may do, Not being torn a pieces, we have done: An army cannot rule them. Cham. As I live, If the king blame me for't, I'll lay ye all By the heels, and suddenly; and on your heads Clap round fines, for neglect: You are lazy knaves; And here ye lie baiting of bumbards, when Ye should do service. Hark, the trumpets sound; They are come already from the christening: Port. Make way there for the princess. Man. You great fellow, stand close up, or I'll make your head ake. Port. You i' the camblet, get up on the rail; I'll pick you o'er the pale's else. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Palace tt. Enter Trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor, Garter, CRANMER, Duke of NORFOLK, with his Marshal's Staff, Duke of SUFFOLK, tuo Noblemen bearing great standing bowls for the christening gifts; then four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the Duchess of NORFOLK, godmother, bearing the child richly habited in a mantle, &c. Train borne by a Lady; then follows the Marchioness of DORSET, the other godmother, and Ladies. The Troop pass once about the stage, and Garter speaks. Gart. Heaven, from thy endless goodness send prosperous life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty princess of England, Elizabeth. Flourish. Enter King, and Train. Cran. [Kneeling]. And to your royal grace, and the good queen, • Guy of Warwick, nor Colbrand the Danish giant. The brazier. Place of confinement. Black leather vessels to hold beer. ** Pitch. † Pink'd cap. || A desert of whipping. At Greenwich. (The King kisses the Child. With this kiss take my blessing: God protect Into whose hands I give thy life. [thee, Amen. K. Hen. My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal: Cran. I thank ye heartily; so shall this lady, Let me speak, sir, Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn, In her days, every man shall eat in safety, The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phœnix, darkness,) Who, from the sacred ashes of her honour, That were the servants to this chosen infant, And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches K. Hen. die, An aged princess; many days shall see her, sence, 1 I thank ye all, -To you, my good lord mayor, EPILOGUE. 'Tis ten to one, this play can never please | All that are here: Some come to take their ease, And sleep an act or two; but those, we fear, We have frighted with our trumpets; so, 'tis clear All the expected good we are like to hear They'll say, 'tis nought: others, to hear the city And say, 'twill do, I know, within a while, Abused extremely, and to cry, -that's witty! All the best men are ours; for 'tis ill hap, Which we have not done neither: that, I fear, If they hold, when their ladies bid them clap. The play of HENRY the EIGHTH is one of those which still keeps possession of the stage, by the splendour of its pageantry. The coronation, about forty years ago, drew the people together in multitudes for a great part of the winter. Yet pomp is not the only merit of this play. The meek sorrows and virtuous distress of Katharine have furnished some scenes, which may be justly numbered among the greatest efforts of tragedy. But the genius of Shakspeare comes in and goes out with Katharine. Every other part may be easily conceived and easily written.-JOHNSON. • This and the following seventeen, lines were probably written by P accession of K. James. Tonson, after the ANTENOR, NESTOR, DIOMEDES, PATROCLUS, } Grecian Commanders. THERSITES, a deformed and scurrilous Grecian. ALEXANDER, servant to Cressida. Servant to Troilus; Servant to Paris; Ser vant to Diomedes. CALCHAS, a Trojan priest, taking part HELEN, wife to Menelaus. with the Greeks. PANDARUS, Uncle to Cressida. MARGARELON, a bastard son of Priam. AGAMEMNON, the Grecian General. MENELAUS, his brother. ACHILLES, AJAX, ULYSSES, } Grecian Commanders. ANDROMACHE, wife to Hector. CASSANDRA, daughter to Priam; a Pro phetess. CRESSIDA, daughter to Calchas. Trojan and Greek Soldiers, and Attendants. Scene-Troy, and the Grecian Camp be fore it. PROLOGUE. In Troy, there lies the scene. From isles of Dardan, and Tymbria, Ilias, Chetas, Trojan, And Antenorides, with massy staples, Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits, 'Giuning in the middle; starting thence away ACT I. SCENE I. Troy. Before Priam's Pa- Less valiant than the virgin in the night, |