Memorial Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon, where most of the plays of Shakespeare have been produced since its opening in 1879. There is a library and also a picture gallery in the same building
THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF KING HENRY THE EIGHT
COME no more to make you laugh, Things now,
I That beare a Weighty, and a Serious Brow,
Sad, high, and working, full of State and woe:
Such Noble Scones, as draw the Eye to flow
We now present. Those that can Pitty, heere
May (if they thinke it well) let fall a Teare,
The Subject will deserve it. Such as give
Their Money out of hope they may beleeve,
May beere finde Truth too. Those that come to see 10
Onely a show or two, and so a gree,
The Play may passe: If they be still, and willing,
Ile undertake may see away their shilling
Richly in two short houres. Onely they
That come to heare a Merry, Bawdy Play,
A noyse of Targets: Or to see a Fellow
In a long Motley Coate, garded1 with Yellow,
Will be deceyv'd. For gentle Hearers, know 1trimmed
To ranke our chosen Truth with such a show
As Foole, and Fight is, beside forfeyting
Our owne Braines, and the Opinion that we bring 11. a gree: agree-2-4F.
To make that onely true, we now intend,
Will leave us never an understanding Friend.
Therefore, for Goodnesse sake, and as you are knowne
The First and Happiest Hearers of the Towne,
Be sad, as we would make ye.
The very Persons of our Noble Story,
As they were Living: Thinke you see them Great,
And follow'd with the generall throng, and sweat
Of thousand Friends: Then, in a moment, see
How soone this Mightinesse, meets Misery:
And if you can be merry then, Ile say,
A Man may weepe upon his Wedding day.
Actus Primus. Scona Prima.
[London. An ante-chamber in the palace.]
Enter the Duke of Norfolke at one doore. At the other, the Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord
Norf. I thanke your Grace:
Healthfull, and ever since a fresh Admirer
Of what I saw there.
Buck. An untimely Ague
Staid me a Prisoner in my Chamber, when
Those Sunnes 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 Horsebacke,
Beheld them when they lighted, how they clung
In their Embracement, as they grew together,
What foure Thron'd ones could have weigh'd
Such a compounded one?
Buck. All the whole time
I was my Chambers Prisoner.
Nor. Then you lost
The view of earthly glory: Men might say
Till this time Pompe was single, but now married
To one above it selfe. Each following day
Became the next dayes master, till the last
Made former Wonders, it's. To day the French,
All Clinquant1 all in Gold, like Heathen Gods
Shone downe the English; and to morrow, they
Made Britaine, India: Every man that stood,1 glittering
Shew'd like a Mine. Their Dwarfish Pages were
As Cherubins, all gilt: the Madams too,
Not us'd to toyle, did almost sweat to beare
The Pride upon them, that their very labour
Was to them, as a Painting. Now this Maske
Was cry'de incompareable; and th'ensuing night
Made it a Foole, and Begger. The two Kings
Equall in lustre, were now best, now worst
As presence did present them: Him in eye,
Still him in praise, and being present both,
'Twas said they saw but one, and no Discerner
Durst wagge his Tongue in censure, when these Sunnes
(For so they phrase 'em) by their Heralds challeng'd
The Noble Spirits to Armes, they did performe
Beyond thoughts Compasse, that former fabulous Storie
Being now seene, possible enough, got credit
That Bevis was beleev'd.
Buc. Oh you go farre.
Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect
In Honor, Honesty, the tract of ev'ry thing,
44. period after censure-RowE.
|