My lord archbishop; | But reverence to your calling makes me modest. D. Keep. Of our flesh, few are angels: out of which frailty, (For so we are inform'd,) with new opinions, Gar. Which reformation must be sudden too, My noble lords: for those, that tame wild horses, Pace them not in their hands to make them gentle; But stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur them, Till they obey the manage. If we suffer To one man's honour) this contagious sickness, Cran. My good lords, hitherto, in all the progress Both of my life and office, I have labour'd, And with no little study, that my teaching, And the strong course of my authority, Might go one way, and safely; and the end Was ever, to do well nor is there living (I speak it with a single heart,' my lords,) A man that more detests, more stirs against, Both in his private conscience, and his place, Defacers of a public peace, than I do. Pray Heaven, the king may never find a heart With less allegiance in it! Men, that make Envy, and crooked malice, nourishment, Dare bite the best. I do beseech your lordships, Be what they will, may stand forth face to face, 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 of more moment, Gar. Good master secretary, I cry your honour mercy; you may, worst Crom. Gar. Not sound, I say. Not sound? "Would you were half so honest; Men's prayers then would seek you, not their fears. Gar. I shall remember this bold language. Crom. Do. Remember your bold life too. Chan. This is too much; I have done. And I. Forbear, for shame, my lords. I take it, by all voices, that forthwith Is there no other way of mercy, What other Would you expect? You are strangely trouble Stay, good my lords, Sur. We will be short with you. "Tis his highness' plea-When we first put this dangerous stone a rolling, sure, And our consent, for better trial of you, Cran. Ah, my good lord of Winchester, I thank you, You are always my good friend; if your will pass, (1) In singleness of heart.' Acts ii. 46. 'Twould fall upon ourselves. Nor. Do you think, my lords, The king will suffer but the little finger Of this man to be vex'd? Cham. '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, Ye blew the fire that burns ye: Now have at ye. Enter King, frowning on them; takes his seat. In daily thanks, that gave us such a prince; Scene III. That holy duty, out of dear respect, Bishop of Winchester. But know, I come not He, that dares most, but wag his finger at thee: Thin but once think his place becomes thee not. K. Hen. No, sir, it does not please me. At chamber-door? and one as great as you are? Chan. Thus far, My most dread sovereign, may it like your grace K. Hen. Well, well, my lords, respect him; An, for his love and service, so to him. I have a suit which you must not deny me; Cran. The greatest monarch now alive may glory K. Hen. Come, come, my lord, you'd spare your Two noble partners with you; the old duchess of And lady marquis Dorset; Will these please you? Gar. And brother-love, I do it. With a true heart, And let Heaven Witness, how dear I hold this confirmation. Port. You'll leave your noise anon, ve rascals: Do you take the court for Paris garden ?2 ye rude slaves, leave your gaping.' [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, ye rude rascals? Man. Pray, sir, be patient; 'tis as much impos sible (Unless we sweep them from the door with cannons,) 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 cuckold-maker, 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. Mam. 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 fornication 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 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 I might see from far some forty truncheoneers draw K. Hen. Good man, those joyful tears show thy to her succour, which were the hope of the Strand, true heart. The common voice, I see, is verified where she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broom. Of thee, which says thus, Do my lord of Canter- staff with me, I defied them still; when suddenly bury (1) It was an ancient custom for sponsors to present spoons to their god-children. The bear-garden on the Bank-side. (3) Roaring. a file of hors behind them, loose shot, delivered mine honour in, and let them win the work: The | With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee! devil was amongst them, I think, surely. Into whose hands I give thy life. Port. 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 I endure. I have some of them in limbo patrum,' 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. Cham. Mercy o'me, what a multitude are here! There's a trim rabble let in: Are all these Cham. As I live, If the king blame me for't, I'll lay ye all Port. You i'the camblet, get up o'the rail; I'll pick you o'er the pales else. [Exeunt. Cran. Amen. thank ye heartily; so shall this lady, For Heaven now bids me; and the words I utter Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn, In her days, every man shall eat in safety So shall she leave her blessedness to one, As great in admiration as herself; (When heaven shall call her from this cloud of Enter trumpets, Who, from the sacred ashes of her honour, darkness,) sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor, Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was, Garter, Cranmer, Duke of Norfolk, with his And so stand fix'd: Peace, plenty, love, truth, termarshal's staff, Duke of Suffolk, two Noblemen SCENE IV.-The Palace. ror, bearing great standing-bowls, for the christen- That were the servants to this chosen infant, ing gifts; then four Noblemen bearing a can- Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him; opy, under which the Duchess of Norfolk, god-Wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine, mother, bearing the Child, richly habited in a His honour and the greatness of his name mantle, &c. Trair rne by a Lady; then fol- Shall be, and make new nations: He shall flourish lows the Marchioness 6 Dorset, the other god- And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches mother, and Ladies. The troop pass once about To all the plains about him:-Our children's 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 My noble partners, and myself, thus pray :- Cran. K. Hen. you, good lord archbishop; Elizabeth. children Shall see this, and bless Heaven. K. Hen. To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her. Thou hast made me now a man; never, before (1) Place of confinement. (2) A dessert of whipping. (3) Black leather vessels to hold beer. (4) Pitch. (5) At Greenwich. (6) This and the following seventeen lines were probably written by B. Jonson, after the accession Tof king James. I have receiv'd much honour by your presence; Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank ye, EPILOGUE. TIS ten to one, this play can never please For such a one we show'd them: If they smile, The play of Henry the Eighth is one of those which still keeps possession of the stage by the splendor 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. Antenor, Trojan commanders. Thersites, a deformed and scurrillous argin. Alexander, servant to Cressida. Servant to Troilus; Servant to Paris; Servant la Diomedes. Helen, wife to Menelaus. Andromache, wife to Hector. Calchas, a Trojan priest, taking part with the Cassandra, daughter to Priam; a prophetess. Greeks. Pandarus, uncle to Cressida. Margarelon, a bastard son of Priam. Cressida, daughter to Calchas. Trojan and Greek Soldiers, and Attendants. Scene, Troy, and the Grecian camp before it. PROLOGUE. ACT I. From isles of SCENE I.-Troy. IN Troy, there lies the scene. Greece The princes orgulous,' their high blood chaf'd, And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits, (1) Proud, disdainful. (2) Freight. (3) Shut. (4) Avat, what went before. Before Priam's palace. En CALL here my varlet,' I'll unarm again: Tro. The Greeks are strong, and skilful to their |