Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9780486790138
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Shakespeare Drama
• Index: Literature

The portrait of a monarchy in crisis, this historical drama concerns the famous king's efforts to secure a divorce from his dignified and popular queen in order to marry an enchanting courtesan and produce a male heir. The play ranks among Shakespeare's most sumptuous and spectacular works, offering a splendid pageant of masques and royal ceremony. Occasional lapses in historical accuracy are compensated for by keen psychological and political insights, vivid characterizations, and evocative language.
Possibly the last of Shakespeare's dramas, Henry VIII was almost certainly co-written with John Fletcher. It is a play of farewells ? to the world, to life, to power ? in which major historical characters make memorable exits, including Cardinal Wolsey's rueful observation: "Had I but served my God with half the zeal / I served my king, he would not in mine age / Have left me naked to mine enemies. " Nevertheless, the play ends in triumph and hopeful expectations with the prophecy of the coming Elizabethan age.

ACT I.

SCENE I. London. An Ante-Chamber in the Palace.

Enter the DUKE OF NORFOLK at one door; at the other, the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and the LORD ABERGAVENNY.

BUCK. Good morrow, and well met. How have ye done

Since last we saw 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 prisoner in my chamber, when

Those suns 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 horseback;

Beheld them, when they ’lighted, how they clung

In their embracement, as they grew together; [10]

Which had they, what four throned ones could have weigh’d

Such a compounded one?

BUCK. All the whole time

I was my chamber’s prisoner.

NOR. Then you lost

The view of earthly glory: men might say,

Till this time pomp was single, but now married

To one above itself. 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 [20]

Made Britain India: every man that stood

Show’d like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were

As cherubins, all gilt: the madams too,

Not used to toil, did almost sweat to bear

The pride upon them, that their very labour

Was to them as a painting: now this masque

Was cried incomparable; and the ensuing night

Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,

Equal in lustre, 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

Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns—

For so they phrase ’em—by their heralds challenged

The noble spirits to arms, they did perform

Beyond thought’s compass; that former fabulous story,

Being now seen possible enough, got credit,

That Bevis was believed.

BUCK. O, you go far.

NOR. As I belong to worship, and affect

In honour honesty, the tract of every thing [40]

Would by a good discourser lose some life,

Which action’s self was tongue to. All was royal;

To the disposing of it nought rebell’d;

Order gave each thing view; the office did

Distinctly his full function.

BUCK. Who did guide,

I mean, who set the body and the limbs

Of this great sport together, as you guess?

NOR. One, certes, that promises no element

In such a business.

BUCK. I pray you, who, my lord?

NOR. All this was order’d by the good discretion [50]

Of the right reverend Cardin...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright page
• Note
• Dramatis Personæ
• The Prologue
• Contents
• Act I
• Act II
• Act III
• Act IV
• Act V
• The Epilogue