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

    SECRETARIES to Wolsey

    CROMWELL,
           servant to Wolsey

    GRIFFITH,
           gentleman-usher to Queen Katharine

   THREE GENTLEMEN

    DOCTOR BUTTS,
           physician to the King

   GARTER KING-AT-ARMS

    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

   SCENE:

    London;
        Westminster;
           Kimbolton 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,
           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 The play
            may pass,
         if they be
             still and willing,
           I'll undertake
            may see
                  away their shilling Richly
                       in two short hours.

    Only they
         That come
              to hear
                   a merry bawdy play,
           A noise of targets,
         or to see a fellow
               In a long motley coat
             guarded with yellow,
           Will be deceiv'd;
        for,
           gentle hearers,
         know,
           To rank our chosen truth
               with such a show
             As fool and
              fight is,
         beside forfeiting Our own brains,
           and the opinion
             that we bring To make
               that only true
             we now intend,
         Will leave us
              never an understanding friend.

    Therefore,
           for goodness sake,
         and as you
            are known The first
                   and happiest hearers
                       of the town,
           Be sad,
         as we would make ye.

    Think ye
          see The very persons
               of our noble story As
         they were living;
        think you see them great,
           And follow'd with the general
              throng and sweat
                   Of thousand friends;
        then,
           in a moment,
         see How soon this mightiness
            meets misery.