of King Henry the Eighth, affords a strong proof of their identity, as appears by the following passages: Such, as give Their money out of hope they may believe, May here find truth too,' &c. Gentle readers know To rank our chosen truth with such a show As fool and fight is," &c. To make that only true we now intend.' And though Sir Henry Wotton mentions it as a new play, we have Stowe and Lorkin who call it The play of Henry the Eighth.' 'That the Prologue and Epilogue were not written by Shakspeare is, I think, clear from internal evidence,' says Mr. Boswell; to whose opinion I have no hesitation in subscribing: but it does not follow that they were the production of Ben Jonson's pen. That gentleman has clearly shown that there was no intention of covertly sneering at Shakspeare's other works in this prologue; but that this play is opposed to a rude kind of farcical representation on the same subject by Samuel Rowley (see the first note on the Prologue). This play, or interlude, which was printed in 1605, is probably referred to in the following entry on the books of the Stationers' Company :'Nathaniel Butter, Feb. 12, 1604, That he get good allowance for the Enterlude of King Henry VIII. before he begin to print it; and with the warden's hand to yt, he is to have the same for his copy.' Stowe has observed that 'Robert Greene had written somewhat on the same story;' but there is no evidence that it was in a dramatic form: it may have been something historical, and not by the dramatic poet of that name; as Stowe cites the authority of Robert Greene, with Robert Brun, Fabian, &c. in other places of his Chronicle. This historical drama comprises a period of twelve years, commencing in the twelfth year of King Henry VIII. (1521), and ending with the christening of Elizabeth in 1533. The poet has deviated from history in placing the death of Queen Katharine before the birth of Elizabeth, for in fact Katharine did not die till 1536. In constructing his scenes he has availed himself largely of the eloquent narrative of Wolsey's faithful servant and biographer, George Cavendish, as copied by the Chronicles; and indeed the pathos of the Cardinal's dying scene is almost as effective in the simple narrative of Cavendish as in the play. The fine picture which the poet has drawn of the suffering and defenceless virtue of Queen Katharine, and the just and spirited, though softened, portrait he has exhibited of the impetuous and sensual character of Henry, are above all praise. It has been justly said that this play contains little action or violence of passion, yet it has considerable interest of a more mild and thoughtful cast, and some of the most striking passages that are to be found in the poet's works.' PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. CARDINAL WOLSEY. CARDINAL CAMPEIUS. DUKE of NORFOLK. DUKE of BUCKINGHAM. DUKE of SUFFOLK. EARL of SURREY. LORD SANDS. BISHOP of LINCOLN. LORD Abergavenny. CROMWELL, Servant to Wolsey. GRIFFITH, Gentleman Usher to Queen Katharine. DOCTOR BUTTS, Physician to the King. Garter, King at Arms. Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham. BRANDON, and a Sergeant at Arms. Door-keeper of the Council Chamber. Porter, and his Man. Page to Gardiner. A Crier. QUEEN KATHARINE, Wife to King Henry, afterwards divorced. PATIENCE, Woman to Queen Katharine. Several Lords and Ladies in the Dumb Shows; Women attending upon the Queen; Spirits, which appear to her; Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attendants. SCENE―chiefly in London and Westminster: once, at Kimbolton. PROLOGUE. I COME no more to make you laugh; things now, The play may pass; if they be still, and willing, 1i. e. faced or trimmed. This long motley coat was the usual dress of a fool. See Mr. Douce's dissertation on the Fools of Shakspeare. The Prologue and Epilogue to this play are apparently not by the hand of Shakspeare. They have been attributed to Ben Jonson; but this opinion is controverted by Mr. Gifford. The intention of the writer (says Mr. Boswell) was to contrast the historical truth and taste displayed in the present play with the performance of a contemporary dramatist, When you see me you know me, or the famous Chronicle of King Henry the Eighth, &c. by Samuel Rowley,' in which Will Summers, the jester, is a principal character. There are other incidents in this. merry bawdy play,' besides the perversion of historical facts, which make it more than probable that it is here alluded to. VOL. VII. As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring, As they were living; think, you see them great, 2 Opinion seems here to mean character; as in King Henry IV. Part I. Act v. Sc. 4:- Thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion.' To realize that opinion of character is our present object, not to forfeit it by introducing absurdities. 3 Happiest being here used in a Latin sense for propitious or favourable. Sis bonus o fœlixque tuis!' has been thought a reason for attributing this Prologue to Jonson; but we have shown that Shakspeare often uses words in a Latin sense. |