in Henry the Eighth (All Is True) — Shakespeare, William; Fletcher, John
Metadata
Play
Henry the Eighth (All Is True)
Author
Shakespeare, William; Fletcher, John
Year (catalogued)
1623
First performance
1613
Decade
1620s
Genre
History
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
King's Men
Speech prefix(es)
Suff. | Suf.
Words
623
Characters
3320
Typicality
0.23 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A11954.24
BritDrama no.
1674
Cluster
Cluster 18 — Chronicle statesmen & prelates
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
How is the King employed? No, his Conscience Ha crept too near another Lady. Pray God he do, He'll never know himself else. And free us from his slavery. For me, my Lords, I love him not, nor fear him, there's my Creed: As I am made without him, so I'll stand, If the King please: his Curses and his blessings Touch me alike: the are breath I not believe in. I knew him, and I know him: so I leave him To him that made him proud; the Pope. How sad he looks; sure he is much afflicted. Not to speak of: I would not be so sick though for his place: But this cannot continue. I another. Sir, I did never win of you before. Nay, my Lord, That cannot be; you are a Counsellor, And by that virtue no man dare accuse you. 'Ts the right Ring, by Heaven: I told you all, When we first put this dangerous stone a rolling, 'Twold fallen upon our selves. Which of the Peers Have uncontemned gone by him, or at least Strangely neglected? When did he regard The stamp of Nobleness in any person Out of himself? Most strangely. The Cardinals Letters to the Pope miscarried, And came to the eye of the King, wherein was read How that the Cardinal did entreat his Holiness To stay the Judgement of the Divorce; for if It did take place, I do (quoth he) perceive My King is tangled in affection, to A Creature of the Queens, Lady Anne Bullen. Believe it. May you be happy in your wish my Lord, For I profess you have it. My Amen too't. There's order given for her Coronation: Marry this is yet but young, and may be left To some ears unrecounted. But my Lords She is a gallant Creature, and complete In mind and feature. I persuade me, from her Will fallen some blessing to this Land, which shall In it be memorized. No, no: There be more Wasps that buz about his Nose, Will make this sting the sooner. Cardinal Campeius, Is stolen away to Room, hath 'tane no leave, Ha left the cause of the King unhandled, and Is posted as the Agent of our Cardinal, To second all his plot. I do assure you, The King cried Would, at this. He is returned in his Opinions, which Have satisfied the King for his Divorce, Together with all famous Colleges Almost in Christendom: shortly (I believe) His second Marriage shall be published, and Her Coronation Katherine no more Shall be called Queen, but Princess Dowager, And Widow to Prince Arthur. He ha, and we shall see him For it and Archbishop. It's so. The Cardinal. Maybe he hears the King Does whet his Anger to him. The King, the King. Who dare cross they, Bearing the Kings will from his mouth expressly? Then, that without the knowledge Either of King or Council, when you went Ambassador to the Emperor, you made bold To carry into Flanders, the Great Seal. That out of mere Ambition, you have caused Your holy-Hat to be stamped on the Kings Coin. Lord Cardinal, the Kings further pleasure is, Because all those things you have done of late By your power Legative within this Kingdom, Fallen into' the compass of a Premunire; That therefore such a Writ be sued against you, To forfeit all your Goods, Lands, Tenements, Castles, and whatsoever, and to be Out of the Kings protection. This is my Charge. God safely quit her of her Burden, and With gentle Travail, to the gladding of Your Highness with and Heir. I wish your Highness A quiet night, and my good Mistress will Remember in my Prayers.
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.