Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

LOVELL

in Henry the Eighth (All Is True) — Shakespeare, William; Fletcher, John

Metadata

PlayHenry the Eighth (All Is True)
AuthorShakespeare, William; Fletcher, John
Year (catalogued)1623
First performance1613
Decade1620s
GenreHistory
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
Speech prefix(es)Louell. | Lou. | Lou ▪
Words471
Characters2550
Typicality0.45 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.24
BritDrama no.1674
ClusterCluster 0 — Clowns, beggars & street sellers

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Faith my Lord, I hear of none but the new Proclamation, That's clapped upon the Court Gate. I marry, There will be woe indeed Lords, the sly whoresons Have God a speeding trick to lay down Ladies. A French Song, and a Fiddle, ha no Fellow. I do beseech your Grace, for charity If ever any malice in your heart Were hid against me, now to forgive me frankly. Now Sir, you speak of two The most remarked in the Kingdom: as for Cromwell, Beside that of the Jewelhouse, is made Master OF the Rolls, and the Kings Secretary. Further Sir, Stands in the gap and Trade of more Preferments, With which the Lime will load him. the Archbishop Is the Kings hand, and tongue, and who dare speak One syllable against him? The reformation of our traveled Gallants, That fill the Court with quarrels, talk, and Tailors. To the Cardinals; Your Lordship is a guest too. That Churchman Bears a bounteous mind indeed, A hand as fruitful as the Land that feeds us, His dews fallen every where. Oh that your Lordship were but now Confessor, To one or two of these. Faith how easy? Yes, my Lord. To the water side I must conduct your Grace; Then give my Charge up to Sir Nicholas Ʋ aux, Who undertakes you to your end. Came you from the King, my Lord? I must to him too Before he go to bed. I'll take my leave. My Lord, I love you; And durst commend a secret to your ear Much weightier then this work. The Queen's in Labour They say in great Extremity, and feared Shee'l with the Labour, end. Me thinks I could Cry the Amen, and yet my Conscience says She's a good Creature, and sweet-Ladie do's Deserve our better wishes. Many good nights, my Lord, I rest your servant. I could not personally deliver to her What you commanded me, but by her woman, I sent your Message, who returned her thanks In the greatest hum see, and desired your Highness Most heartily to pr So said her woman, and that her sufferance made Almost each pang, a death. This is about that, which the Bishop spoke, I am happily come hither. Sir. They must either (For so run the Conditions) leave those remnants Of Fool and Feather, that they God in France, With all their honourable points of ignorance Pertaining thereunto; as Fights and Fireworks, Abusing better men then they can be Out of a foreign wisdom, renouncing clean The faith they have in Tennis and tall Stockings, Short blistered Breeches, and those types of Travel; And understand again Like honest men, Or pack to their old Playfellows; there, I take it, They may Cum Praulegio, we away The lag end of their lewdness, and be laughed at.

Plot summary

Plot — Henry the Eighth (All Is True)
The Kings of England and of France meet for a magnificent summit conference organized by Cardinal Wolsey. The English nobles resent Wolsey’s influence with the King, but Wolsey strikes first against the ringleader, Buckingham: evidence from his former surveyor, who bears him a grudge, secures his arrest; conviction for treason and execution follow. Queen Katherine persuades the King to repeal taxation which is causing hardship; Wolsey has it put about that his intercession secured this. King Henry attends a banquet at Wolsey’s house, performs in a masque of shepherds, and meets Anne Boleyn. Rumours circulate that he and the Queen are at odds: he claims to be troubled by the fact that she was originally married to his brother, but others notice that he is keen to marry Anne. Wolsey counsels divorce. A legatine court is summoned to judge the case, but Katherine refuses to co-operate and the court breaks up without reaching a decision. The King secretly marries Anne. The nobles conspire to overthrow Wolsey. Documents proving his corruption and treachery accidentally fall into the King’s hands, and Buckingham’s surviving allies serve him with articles of impeachment. He falls sick and dies. Anne is crowned Queen. Katherine too falls sick. Before her death she is visited by benevolent spirits, and by Caputius, the Imperial Ambassador, by whom she sends the King a request to love their daughter and provide for her former servants. Anne goes into labour and produces a daughter. A cabal of councillors attempts to overthrow Archbishop Cranmer, whom they consider a heretic. Before the hearing, Henry gives Cranmer his ring; the Archbishop produces it at a crucial moment, ensuring that the case is referred to the personal judgement of the King, who rebukes the conspirators. The vindicated Cranmer christens Henry’s new daughter, Elizabeth, and prophesies a golden future for England under her and her eventual successor.