Synopsis:
The procession returns from Anne’s coronation, which is then described by a gentleman who was in attendance.
Henry VIIIHenry VIII
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
Two stories dominate Henry VIII: the fall of Cardinal Wolsey, Henry’s powerful advisor, and Henry’s quest to divorce Queen Katherine, who…
Prologue
Act 1, scene 1
The Duke of Buckingham, learning the details of the costly and ultimately fruitless meeting of French and English at the…
Act 1, scene 2
Queen Katherine reveals that Wolsey is heavily taxing the English in the king’s name, and Henry pronounces a pardon to…
Act 1, scene 3
Three courtiers discuss the royal proclamation against young fops who have adopted French manners and dress after returning from France….
Act 1, scene 4
At the supper, Wolsey and his guests are visited by Henry and his courtiers, all disguised as shepherds. Henry dances…
Act 2, scene 1
Buckingham, convicted of treason, is led to execution. He declares his innocence, forgives his enemies, and vows his loyalty to…
Act 2, scene 2
Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Lord Chamberlain join in denouncing Wolsey. They hold him responsible for dividing Henry from Katherine, and…
Act 2, scene 3
Anne Bullen pities Katherine, now threatened with divorce. The Lord Chamberlain enters to announce that Henry has created Anne marchioness…
Act 2, scene 4
At the trial, Katherine refuses to have the validity of her marriage judged by the church court, given Wolsey’s malice…
Act 3, scene 1
Wolsey and Campeius visit Katherine to persuade her to contest the divorce no longer.
Act 3, scene 2
Courtiers assemble to discuss Wolsey’s sudden fall from Henry’s favor, Henry’s marriage to Anne Bullen, and plans for her coronation….
Act 4, scene 1
The procession returns from Anne’s coronation, which is then described by a gentleman who was in attendance.
Act 4, scene 2
The dying Princess Dowager Katherine and her attendant Griffith provide contrasting accounts of the character of the newly dead Wolsey….
Act 5, scene 1
The new archbishop of Canterbury, Cranmer, is under attack because his religious beliefs seem heretical. The king, after receiving news…
Act 5, scene 2
Cranmer suffers the public humiliation of being locked out of a Privy Council meeting. Allowed in, he is then threatened…
Act 5, scene 3
A porter and his assistant fight to control the crowd determined to view the royal daughter’s christening.
Act 5, scene 4
At Princess Elizabeth’s christening, Cranmer prophesies a magnificent reign for the future Queen Elizabeth I and an equally successful one…
Act 5, epilogue
Scene 1
Enter two Gentlemen, meeting one another, ⌜the FirstGentleman carrying a paper.⌝
FIRST GENTLEMAN
You’re well met once again.
SECOND GENTLEMAN So are you.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
You come to take your stand here and behold
The Lady Anne pass from her coronation?
SECOND GENTLEMAN
5 ’Tis all my business. At our last encounter,
The Duke of Buckingham came from his trial.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
’Tis very true. But that time offered sorrow,
This general joy.
SECOND GENTLEMAN ’Tis well. The citizens
10 I am sure have shown at full their royal minds,
As, let ’em have their rights, they are ever forward
In celebration of this day with shows,
Pageants, and sights of honor.
FIRST GENTLEMAN Never greater,
15 Nor, I’ll assure you, better taken, sir.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
May I be bold to ask what that contains,
That paper in your hand?
FIRST GENTLEMAN Yes, ’tis the list
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Henry VIII
ACT 4. SC. 1
20 By custom of the coronation.
The Duke of Suffolk is the first, and claims
To be High Steward; next, the Duke of Norfolk,
He to be Earl Marshal. You may read the rest.
⌜He offers him the paper.⌝
⌜SECOND⌝ GENTLEMAN
I thank you, sir. Had I not known those customs,
25 I should have been beholding to your paper.
But I beseech you, what’s become of Katherine,
The Princess Dowager? How goes her business?
FIRST GENTLEMAN
That I can tell you too. The Archbishop
Of Canterbury, accompanied with other
30 Learnèd and reverend fathers of his order,
Held a late court at Dunstable, six miles off
From Ampthill, where the Princess lay, to which
She was often cited by them, but appeared not;
And, to be short, for not appearance and
35 The King’s late scruple, by the main assent
Of all these learnèd men she was divorced,
And the late marriage made of none effect;
Since which she was removed to Kymmalton,
Where she remains now sick.
SECOND GENTLEMAN 40 Alas, good lady!
Hautboys. A lively flourish of trumpets.
The trumpets sound. Stand close. The Queen is coming.
Then, ⌜enter⌝ two Judges; Lord Chancellor, with purse
and mace before him. Choristers singing. Music.
⌜Enter⌝ Mayor of London, bearing the mace. Then
Garter, in his coat of arms, and on his head he wore a
gilt copper crown.
A royal train, believe me! These I know.
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Henry VIII
ACT 4. SC. 1
head a demi-coronal of gold. With him, the Earl of
Surrey, bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned
with an earl’s coronet. Collars of S’s.
Who’s that that bears the scepter?
FIRST GENTLEMAN Marques Dorset,
45 And that the Earl of Surrey with the rod.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
A bold brave gentleman.
⌜Enter⌝ Duke of Suffolk, in his robe of estate, his
coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as High
Steward. With him, the Duke of Norfolk, with the rod of
Marshalship, a coronet on his head. Collars of S’s.
That should be
The Duke of Suffolk.
FIRST GENTLEMAN ’Tis the same: High Steward.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
50 And that my Lord of Norfolk?
FIRST GENTLEMAN Yes.
⌜Enter⌝ a canopy, borne by four of the Cinque-ports,
under it the Queen in her robe, in her hair, richly
adorned with pearl, crowned. On each side her, the
Bishops of London and Winchester.
SECOND GENTLEMAN Heaven bless thee!
Thou hast the sweetest face I ever looked on.—
Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel.
55 Our king has all the Indies in his arms,
And more, and richer, when he strains that lady.
I cannot blame his conscience.
FIRST GENTLEMAN They that bear
The cloth of honor over her are four barons
60 Of the Cinque-ports.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
Those men are happy, and so are all are near her.
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ACT 4. SC. 1
gold wrought with flowers, bearing the Queen’s train.
Certain Ladies or Countesses, with plain circlets of gold
without flowers.
I take it she that carries up the train
Is that old noble lady, Duchess of Norfolk.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
It is, and all the rest are countesses.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
65 Their coronets say so. These are stars indeed.
⌜FIRST GENTLEMAN⌝
And sometimes falling ones.
SECOND GENTLEMAN No more of that.
⌜The Coronation procession exits, having
passed⌝ over the stage in order and state, and then
a great flourish of trumpets.
Enter a third Gentleman.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
God save you, sir. Where have you been broiling?
THIRD GENTLEMAN
Among the crowd i’ th’ Abbey, where a finger
70 Could not be wedged in more. I am stifled
With the mere rankness of their joy.
SECOND GENTLEMAN You saw
The ceremony?
THIRD GENTLEMAN That I did.
FIRST GENTLEMAN 75 How was it?
THIRD GENTLEMAN
Well worth the seeing.
SECOND GENTLEMAN Good sir, speak it to us!
THIRD GENTLEMAN
As well as I am able. The rich stream
Of lords and ladies, having brought the Queen
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Henry VIII
ACT 4. SC. 1
A distance from her, while her Grace sat down
To rest awhile, some half an hour or so,
In a rich chair of state, opposing freely
The beauty of her person to the people.
85 Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman
That ever lay by man, which when the people
Had the full view of, such a noise arose
As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest—
As loud and to as many tunes. Hats, cloaks,
90 Doublets, I think, flew up, and had their faces
Been loose, this day they had been lost. Such joy
I never saw before. Great-bellied women
That had not half a week to go, like rams
In the old time of war, would shake the press
95 And make ’em reel before ’em. No man living
Could say “This is my wife there,” all were woven
So strangely in one piece.
SECOND GENTLEMAN But what followed?
THIRD GENTLEMAN
At length her Grace rose, and with modest paces
100 Came to the altar, where she kneeled and saintlike
Cast her fair eyes to heaven and prayed devoutly,
Then rose again and bowed her to the people.
When by the Archbishop of Canterbury
She had all the royal makings of a queen—
105 As, holy oil, Edward Confessor’s crown,
The rod, and bird of peace, and all such emblems—
Laid nobly on her; which performed, the choir,
With all the choicest music of the kingdom,
Together sung Te Deum. So she parted,
110 And with the same full state paced back again
To York Place, where the feast is held.
FIRST GENTLEMAN Sir,
You must no more call it “York Place”; that’s past,
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ACT 4. SC. 1
115 ’Tis now the King’s and called “Whitehall.”
THIRD GENTLEMAN I know it,
But ’tis so lately altered that the old name
Is fresh about me.
SECOND GENTLEMAN What two reverend bishops
120 Were those that went on each side of the Queen?
THIRD GENTLEMAN
Stokeley and Gardiner, the one of Winchester,
Newly preferred from the King’s secretary,
The other London.
SECOND GENTLEMAN He of Winchester
125 Is held no great good lover of the Archbishop’s,
The virtuous Cranmer.
THIRD GENTLEMAN All the land knows that.
However, yet there is no great breach. When it comes,
Cranmer will find a friend will not shrink from him.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
130 Who may that be, I pray you?
THIRD GENTLEMAN Thomas Cromwell,
A man in much esteem with th’ King, and truly
A worthy friend. The King has made him
Master o’ th’ Jewel House,
135 And one already of the Privy Council.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
He will deserve more.
THIRD GENTLEMAN Yes, without all doubt.
Come, gentlemen, you shall go my way,
Which is to th’ court, and there you shall be my
140 guests,
Something I can command. As I walk thither,
I’ll tell you more.
BOTH You may command us, sir.
They exit.
