TPTT The Famous History of the Life of Henry the Eighth: ACT IV
Introduction
THE PROLOGUE
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
SCENE I. A street in Westminster.
SCENE II. Kimbolton.
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE I. A street in Westminster.
Enter two Gentlemen, meeting one another
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 offer'd 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 honour.
First Gentleman
      Never greater,
15    Nor, I'll assure you, better taken, sir.
Second Gentleman
      May I be bold to ask at what that contains,
      That paper in your hand?
First Gentleman
      Yes; 'tis the list
      Of those that claim their offices this day
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.
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 Katharine,
      The princess dowager? how goes her business?
First Gentleman
      That I can tell you too. The Archbishop
      Of Canterbury, accompanied with other
30    Learned 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 appear'd not:
      And, to be short, for not appearance and
35    The king's late scruple, by the main assent
      Of all these learned men she was divorced,
      And the late marriage made of none effect
      Since which she was removed to Kimbolton,
      Where she remains now sick.
Second Gentleman
40    Alas, good lady!

Trumpets

      The trumpets sound: stand close, the queen is coming.
Hautboys
THE ORDER OF THE CORONATION
1. A lively flourish of Trumpets.
2. Then, two Judges.
3. Lord Chancellor, with the purse and mace before him.
4. Choristers, singing.
Music
5. Mayor of London, bearing the mace. Then Garter, in his coat of arms, and on his head a gilt copper crown.
6. Marquess Dorset, bearing a sceptre of gold, on his head a demi-coronal of gold. With him, SURREY, bearing the rod of silver with the dove, crowned with an earl's coronet. Collars of SS.
7. SUFFOLK, in his robe of estate, his coronet on his head, bearing a long white wand, as high-steward. With him, NORFOLK, with the rod of marshalship, a coronet on his head. Collars of SS.
8. A canopy borne by four of the Cinque-ports; under it, QUEEN ANNE in her robe; in her hair richly adorned with pearl, crowned. On each side her, the Bishops of London and Winchester.
9. The old Duchess of Norfolk, in a coronal of gold, wrought with flowers, bearing QUEEN ANNE's train.
10. Certain Ladies or Countesses, with plain circlets of gold without flowers.
They pass over the stage in order and state
Second Gentleman
      A royal train, believe me. These I know:
      Who's that that bears the sceptre?
First Gentleman
      Marquess Dorset:
45    And that the Earl of Surrey, with the rod.
Second Gentleman
      A bold brave gentleman. That should be
      The Duke of Suffolk?
First Gentleman
      'Tis the same: high-steward.
Second Gentleman
      And that my Lord of Norfolk?
First Gentleman
50    Yes;
Second Gentleman
      Heaven bless thee!

Looking on QUEEN ANNE

      Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on.
      Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel;
      Our king has all the Indies in his arms,
55    And more and richer, when he strains that lady:
      I cannot blame his conscience.
First Gentleman
      They that bear
      The cloth of honour over her, are four barons
      Of the Cinque-ports.
Second Gentleman
60    Those men are happy; and so are all are near her.
      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
      Their coronets say so. These are stars indeed;
65    And sometimes falling ones.
First Gentleman
      No more of that.
Exit procession, 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' the Abbey; where a finger
      Could not be wedged in more: I am stifled
70    With the mere rankness of their joy.
Second Gentleman
      You saw
      The ceremony?
Third Gentleman
      That I did.
First Gentleman
      How was it?
Third Gentleman
75    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
      To a prepared place in the choir, fell off
80    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.
      Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman
85    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--
      Doublets, I think,--flew up; and had their faces
90    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,
      And make 'em reel before 'em. No man living
95    Could say 'This is my wife' there; all were woven
      So strangely in one piece.
Second Gentleman
      But, what follow'd?
Third Gentleman
      At length her grace rose, and with modest paces
      Came to the altar; where she kneel'd, and saint-like
100   Cast her fair eyes to heaven and pray'd devoutly.
      Then rose again and bow'd her to the people:
      When by the Archbishop of Canterbury
      She had all the royal makings of a queen;
      As holy oil, Edward Confessor's crown,
105   The rod, and bird of peace, and all such emblems
      Laid nobly on her: which perform'd, the choir,
      With all the choicest music of the kingdom,
      Together sung 'Te Deum.' So she parted,
      And with the same full state paced back again
110   To York-place, where the feast is held.
First Gentleman
      Sir,
      You must no more call it York-place, that's past;
      For, since the cardinal fell, that title's lost:
      'Tis now the king's, and call'd Whitehall.
Third Gentleman
115   I know it;
      But 'tis so lately alter'd, that the old name
      Is fresh about me.
Second Gentleman
      What two reverend bishops
      Were those that went on each side of the queen?
Third Gentleman
120   Stokesly and Gardiner; the one of Winchester,
      Newly preferr'd from the king's secretary,
      The other, London.
Second Gentleman
      He of Winchester
      Is held no great good lover of the archbishop's,
125   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
      Who may that be, I pray you?
Third Gentleman
130   Thomas Cromwell;
      A man in much esteem with the king, and truly
      A worthy friend. The king has made him master
      O' the jewel house,
      And one, already, of the privy council.
Second Gentleman
135   He will deserve more.
Third Gentleman
      Yes, without all doubt.
      Come, gentlemen, ye shall go my way, which
      Is to the court, and there ye shall be my guests:
      Something I can command. As I walk thither,
140   I'll tell ye more.
Both
      You may command us, sir.
Exeunt
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