S. GOSNELL, Printer, Little Queen Street, Holborn.

Lords, Ladies, Bishops, Judges,-Officers, Guards,—and

SCENE, chiefly in London and Westminster; once, at

KING HENRY VIII.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

London.

An Antechamber in the Palace.

Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, and the Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

Buck. GooD morrow, and well met. How have you

done,

Since last we saw in France?

. Nor. I thank your grace:

Healthful; and ever since a fresh admirer
Öf what I saw there.

Buck. An untimely ague

Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber, when
Those suns of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Arde.

Nor. Then you lost

The view of earthly glory: Men might say,
Till this time pomp was single; but now marry'd
To one above itself. Each following day
Became the next day's master, till the last
Made former wonders its: To-day, the French,
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,
Shone down the English; and, to-morrow, they
Made Britain, India: every man, that stood,
Show'd like a mine.

The two kings,

Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst,
As presence did present them. When these suns

A 3

(For so they phrase 'em,) by their heralds challeng'd
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story,
Being now seen possible enough, got credit.
Buck. Who did guide,

I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess?
Nor. One, certes, that promises no element
In such a business.

Buck. I pray you, who, my lord?

Nor. All this was order'd by the good discretion Of the right reverend cardinal of York.

Buck. The devil speed him! no man's pye is free'd From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce vanities?

Why took he upon him,

Without the privity o' the king, to appoint

Who should attend on him? He makes up the file
Of all the gentry; for the most part such

Too, whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon.

Nor. The state takes notice of the private difference Betwixt you and the cardinal.

You know his nature,

That he's revengeful; and I know, his sword
Hath a sharp edge: it's long, and, 't may be said,
It reaches far; and where 'twill not extend,

Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel,
You'll find it wholesome.-Lo, where comes that
rock,

That I advise your shunning.

Enter Footmen,-Guards,Gentlemen,-one Gentleman bearing the broad seal,-another the Cardinal's hat, two Gentlemen with silver pillars,-two Priests with silver crosses,Sergeant at Arms with mace, two Gentlemen-ushers bareheaded with wands,Cardinal WOLSEY,-two Pages bearing his train,CROMWELL with despatches,-two Secretaries with bags of papers,Chaplains,-Gentlemen,-Footmen, -Guards.