The Life of King Henry the Eighth the prologue
I come no more to make you laugh. Things now
That bear a weighty and a serious brow,
Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe,
3
Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow
We now present. Those that can pity, here
May (if they think it well) let fall a tear:
The subject will deserve it. Such as give
Their money out of hope they may believe,
May here find truth too. Those that come to see
Only a show or two and so agree
10
The play may pass-if they be still and willing,
I'll undertake may see away their shilling
12
Richly in two short hours. Only they
13
That come to hear a merry bawdy play,
14
A noise of targets, or to see a fellow
15
In a long motley coat guarded with yellow,
16
Will be deceived. For, gentle hearers, know
17
To rank our chosen truth with such a show
As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting
19
Our own brains and the opinion that we bring
20
To make that only true we now intend,
21
Will leave us never an understanding friend.
22
Therefore, for goodness' sake, and as you are known
The first and happiest hearers of the town,
24
Be sad, as we would make ye. Think ye see
25
The very persons of our noble story
As they were living. Think you see them great,
And followed with the general throng and sweat
Of thousand friends. Then, in a moment, see
How soon this mightiness meets misery.
30
And if you can be merry then, I'll say
A man may weep upon his wedding day.
*
¥ I.1 Enter the Duke of Norfolk at one door; at the other, the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Abergavenny.
buckingham
Good morrow and well met. How have ye done
Since last we saw in France?
norfolk I thank your grace,
Healthful, and ever since a fresh admirer
3
Of what I saw there.
4
buckingham An untimely ague
Stayed me a prisoner in my chamber when
Those suns of glory, those two lights of men,
6
Met in the vale of Andren.
7
norfolk 'Twixt Guynes and Arde.
I was then present, saw them salute on horseback,
Beheld them when they lighted, how they clung
9
In their embracement, as they grew together;
10
Which had they, what four throned ones could have weighed
11
Such a compounded one?
buckingham All the whole time
I was my chamber's prisoner.
norfolk Then you lost
The view of earthly glory. Men might say
Till this time pomp was single, but now married
15
To one above itself. Each following day
Became the next day's master, till the last
17
Made former wonders, its. Today the French,
18
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods
19
Shone down the English; and tomorrow they
20
Made Britain India: every man that stood
21
Showed like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
22
As cherubins, all gilt. The madams too,
23
Not used to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labor
25
Was to them as a painting. Now this masque
26
Was cried incomparable; and th' ensuing night
27
Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in luster, were now best, now worst,
As presence did present them: him in eye
30
Still him in praise; and being present both,
'Twas said they saw but one, and no discerner
32
Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns
33
(For so they phrase 'em) by their heralds challenged
34
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass, that former fabulous story,
36
Being now seen possible enough, got credit,
That Bevis was believed.
38
buckingham O you go far.
norfolk
As I belong to worship and affect
39
In honor honesty, the tract of ev'ry thing
40
Would by a good discourser lose some life
41
Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal.
To the disposing of it nought rebelled;
43
Order gave each thing view. The office did
44
Distinctly his full function. Who did guide,
I mean who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together? As you guess:
47
One, certes, that promises no element
48
In such a business.
buckingham I pray you who, my lord?
norfolk
All this was ordered by the good discretion
50
Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.
51
buckingham
The devil speed him! No man's pie is freed
From his ambitious finger. What had he
To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder
54
That such a keech can with his very bulk
55
Take up the rays o' th' beneficial sun
56
And keep it from the earth.
norfolk Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propped by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor called upon
60
For high feats done to th' crown, neither allied
61
To eminent assistants, but spiderlike
62
Out of his self-drawing web, a gives us note,
63
The force of his own merit makes his way,
64
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
65
A place next to the king.
abergavenny I cannot tell
What heaven hath given 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,
70
Or has given all before, and he begins
71
A new hell in himself.
buckingham Why the devil,
Upon this French going out, took he upon him
73
(Without the privity o' th' king) t' appoint
74
Who should attend on him? He makes up the file
75
Of all the gentry, for the most part such
To whom as great a charge as little honor
77
He meant to lay upon; and his own letter,
78
The honorable board of council out,
Must fetch him in he papers.
80
abergavenny I do know
Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sickened their estates that never
82
They shall abound as formerly.
buckingham O many
Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em
84
For this great journey. What did this vanity
But minister communication of
86
A most poor issue?
norfolk Grievingly I think
The peace between the French and us not values
88
The cost that did conclude it.
buckingham Every man,
After the hideous storm that followed, was
90
A thing inspired, and not consulting broke
91
Into a general prophecy: that this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded
93
The sudden breach on't.
94
norfolk Which is budded out;
For France hath flawed the league and hath attached
95
Our merchants' goods at Bordeaux.
abergavenny Is it therefore
Th' ambassador is silenced?
97
norfolk Marry is't!
abergavenny
A proper title of a peace, and purchased
98
At a superfluous rate!
99
buckingham Why, all this business
Our reverend cardinal carried.
100
norfolk Like it your grace,
The state takes notice of the private difference
101
Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you
(And take it from a heart that wishes towards you
Honor and plenteous safety) that you read
104
The cardinal's malice and his potency
Together; to consider further, that
What his high hatred would effect wants not
107
A minister in his power. You know his nature,
108
That he's revengeful; and I know his sword
Hath a sharp edge; it's long, and 't may be said
110
It reaches far, and where 'twill not extend
Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel;
112
You'll find it wholesome. Lo where comes that rock
That I advise your shunning.
114
Enter Cardinal Wolsey, the purse borne before him, certain of the Guard, and two Secretaries with papers. The Cardinal in his passage fixeth his eye on Buckingham, and Buckingham on him, both full of disdain.
wolsey
The Duke of Buckingham's surveyor, ha?
115
Where's his examination?
116
first secretary Here, so please you.
wolsey
Is he in person ready?
first secretary Ay, please your grace.
wolsey
Well, we shall then know more, and Buckingham
Shall lessen this big look.Exeunt Cardinal and his train.
119
buckingham
This butcher's cur is venom-mouthed, and I
120
Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore best
Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's book
122
Outworths a noble's blood.
123
norfolk What, are you chafed?
Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only
124
Which your disease requires.
buckingham I read in's looks
Matter against me, and his eye reviled
Me as his abject object. At this instant
He bores me with some trick. He's gone to th' king.
128
I'll follow and outstare him.
norfolk Stay, my lord,
And let your reason with your choler question
130
What 'tis you go about. To climb steep hills
Requires slow pace at first. Anger is like
A full hot horse, who being allowed his way,
Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England
134
Can advise me like you. Be to yourself
As you would to your friend.
buckingham I'll to the king
And from a mouth of honor quite cry down
This Ipswich fellow's insolence, or proclaim
138
There's difference in no persons.
139
norfolk Be advised.
Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot
140
That it do singe yourself. We may outrun
By violent swiftness that which we run at,
And lose by overrunning. Know you not
The fire that mounts the liquor till't run o'er
144
In seeming to augment it wastes it? Be advised.
I say again there is no English soul
More stronger to direct you than yourself,
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay the fire of passion.
149
buckingham Sir,
I am thankful to you, and I'll go along
150
By your prescription. But this top-proud fellow-
151
Whom from the flow of gall I name not, but
152
From sincere motions-by intelligence,
153
And proofs as clear as founts in July when
We see each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.
norfolk Say not treasonous.
buckingham
To th' king I'll say't and make my vouch as strong
157
As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both (for he is equal rav'nous
As he is subtile, and as prone to mischief
160
As able to perform't), his mind and place
161
Infecting one another, yea reciprocally,
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
164
To this last costly treaty; th' interview
That swallowed so much treasure and like a glass
Did break i' th' wrenching.
167
norfolk Faith, and so it did.
buckingham
Pray give me favor, sir. This cunning cardinal
The articles o' th' combination drew
169
As himself pleased; and they were ratified
170
As he cried "Thus let be," to as much end
As give a crutch to th' dead. But our count-cardinal
172
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey
(Who cannot err) he did it. Now this follows
(Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
To th' old dam, treason), Charles the emperor,
176
Under pretense to see the queen his aunt
(For 'twas indeed his color, but he came
178
To whisper Wolsey), here makes visitation.
His fears were that the interview betwixt
180
England and France might through their amity
Breed him some prejudice, for from this league
182
Peeped harms that menaced him: privily
Deals with our cardinal, and, as I trow,
184
Which I do well; for I am sure the emperor
Paid ere he promised, whereby his suit was granted
Ere it was asked; but when the way was made,
And paved with gold, the emperor thus desired,
That he would please to alter the king's course
And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know
190
(As soon he shall by me) that thus the cardinal
Does buy and sell his honor as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.
norfolk I am sorry
To hear this of him, and could wish he were
Something mistaken in't.
195
buckingham No, not a syllable.
I do pronounce him in that very shape
196
He shall appear in proof.
197
Enter Brandon, a Sergeant at Arms before him, and two or three of the Guard.
brandon
Your office, sergeant; execute it.
sergeant Sir,
My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
200
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most sovereign king.
202
buckingham Lo you, my lord,
The net has fall'n upon me! I shall perish
Under device and practice.
204
brandon I am sorry
To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on
205
The business present. 'Tis his highness' pleasure
You shall to th' Tower.
buckingham It will help me nothing
To plead mine innocence, for that dye is on me
Which makes my whit'st part black. The will of heav'n
Be done in this and all things! I obey.
210
O my Lord Aberga'ny, fare you well!
brandon
Nay, he must bear you company.
[To Abergavenny] The king
Is pleased you shall to th' Tower till you know
How he determines further.
abergavenny As the duke said,
The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure
By me obeyed!
brandon Here is a warrant from
The king t' attach Lord Montacute and the bodies
217
Of the duke's confessor, John de la Car,
One Gilbert Perk, his chancellor-
buckingham So, so!
These are the limbs o' th' plot. No more, I hope.
220
brandon
A monk o' th' Chartreux.
buckingham O, Michael Hopkins?
brandon He.
buckingham
My surveyor is false. The o'ergreat cardinal
Hath showed him gold; my life is spanned already.
223
I am the shadow of poor Buckingham,
Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on
225
By dark'ning my clear sun. My lord, farewell.Exeunt.
*
¥ I.2 Cornets. Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinal's shoulder, the Nobles, [the Cardinal's Secretary,] and Sir Thomas Lovell. The Cardinal places himself under the King's feet on his right side.
king
My life itself, and the best heart of it,
1
Thanks you for this great care. I stood i' th' level
2
Of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks
3
To you that choked it. Let be called before us
That gentleman of Buckingham's; in person
I'll hear him his confessions justify,
6
And point by point the treasons of his master
He shall again relate.
8
A noise within, crying "Room for the Queen!" Enter the Queen, ushered by the Duke of Norfolk, and Suffolk. She kneels. [The] King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him.
Copyright © 2018 by William Shakespeare. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
