King Henry VIII
CARDINAL WOLSEY
CARDINAL CAMPEIUS
CAPUCIUS -- ambassador from the Emperor CHARLES V
CRANMER -- Archbishop of Canterbury
DUKE OF NORFOLK, DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, DUKE OF SUFFOLK, EARL OF SURREY
Lord chamberlain, Lord chancellor
GARDINER -- Bishop of Winchester
BISHOP OF LINCOLN
LORD ABERGAVENNY, LORD SANDS
SIR HENRY GUILDFORD, SIR THOMAS LOVELL, SIR ANTHONY DENNY, SIR NICHOLAS VAUX
Secretaries to WOLSEY
CROMWELL -- servant to WOLSEY
GRIFFITH -- gentleman-usher to QUEEN KATHARINE
Three gentlemen
DR BUTTS -- physian to the KING
Garter king-at-arms
Surveyor -- to the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM
BRANDON
A sergeant-at-arms
Doorkeeper to the Council Chamber
Porter and his man
Page to GARDINER -- a crier
QUEEN KATHARINE -- wife to KING HENRY, afterwards divorced
ANNE BULLEN -- her maid of honour, afterwards Queen
An old lady -- friend to ANNE BULLEN
PATIENCE -- woman to QUEEN KATHARINE
Several lords and ladies -- in the dumb shows
Women -- attending on the QUEEN
Scribes, officers, guards, other attendants
Spirits
PLAY
Chiefly in London and Westminster; once at Kimbolton.
PROLOGUE
ACT I
Scene i: London. An ante-chamber in the palace.
Scene ii: London. The Council Chamber.
Scene iii: London. A room in the palace.
Scene iv: London. The Presence Chamber in York Palace.
ACT II
Scene i: London. A street.
Scene ii: London. An ante-chamber in the palace.
Scene iii: London. An ante-chamber in the Queen's apartments.
Scene iv: London. A hall in Black-Friars.
ACT III
Scene i: London. Palace at Bridewell. A room in the Queen's apartments.
Scene ii: London. An ante-chamber to the King's apartments in the palace.
ACT IV
Scene i: A street in Westminster.
Scene ii: Kimbolton.
ACT V
Scene i: London. A gallery in the palace.
Scene ii: Lobby before the Council Chamber.
Scene iii: The palace yard.
Scene iv: The palace.
EPILOGUE
Act III: Scene ii
CARDINAL WOLSEY: So farewell to the little good you bear me.
Farewell, a long farewell, to all my greatness!
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hope; to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And, -- when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, -- nips his root,
And then he falls, as I do. I have ventur'd,
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
This many summers in a sea of glory;
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now has left me,
Weary and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream, that must for ever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye:
I feel my heart new opened. O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on prince's favours!
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
More pangs and fears than wars or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.
