Welcome to PhiloLogic  
   home |  the ARTFL project |  download |  documentation |  sample databases |   
William Shakespeare, 1564-1616 [1623], Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies. Published according to the True Originall Copies (Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed. Blount, London) [word count] [S10801].
To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.

Next section

Introductory matter

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ King Henry the Eighth. Cardinal Wolsey. Cardinal Campeius. Capucius, Ambassador from the Emperor Charles V. Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. Duke of Norfolk. Duke of Buckingham. Duke of Suffolk. Earl of Surrey. Lord Chamberlain. Lord Chancellor. Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester. Bishop of Lincoln. Lord Abergavenny. Lord Sandys. Sir Henry Guildford. Sir Thomas Lovell. Sir Anthony Denny. Sir Nicholas Vaux. Secretary to Wolsey. Cromwell, servant to Wolsey. Griffith, gentleman-usher to Queen Katharine. Gentleman 1, Gentleman 2, Gentleman 3. Doctor Butts, physician to the King. Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham. Brandon, and a Sergeant at Arms. Doorkeeper of the Council Chamber. Porter, and his Man. Page to Gardiner. A Crier. Queen Katharine, wife to King Henry, afterwards divorced. Anne Bullen, her Maid of Honour, afterwards Queen. An old Lady, friend to Anne Bullen. Patience, woman to Queen Katharine. Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Lords and Ladies in the Dumb Shows; Women attending upon the Queen; Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attendants; Spirits. Servant, Messenger, Gentleman, Scribe, Garter, King at Arms

Main text

THE PROLOGUE.
I come no more to make you laugh, Things now,
That beare a Weighty, and a Serious Brow,
Sad, high, and working, full of State and Woe:
Such Noble Scœnes, 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 Subiect will deserue it. Such as giue
Their Money out of hope they may beleeue,
May heere finde Truth too: Those that come to see
Onely a show or two, and so a gree,
The Play may passe: If they be still, and willing,
Ile vndertake 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 along Motley Coate, garded with Yellow,
Will be deceyu'd. For gentle Hearers, know
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
To make that onely true, we now intend,
Will leaue vs neuer an vnderstanding 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. Thinke ye see
The very Persons of our Noble Story,
As they were Liuing: 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 vpon his Wedding day.

Next section


William Shakespeare, 1564-1616 [1623], Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies. Published according to the True Originall Copies (Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed. Blount, London) [word count] [S10801].
Powered by PhiloLogic