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Henry VIII - Act 1, scene 4
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Henry VIII - Act 1, scene 4Act 1, scene 4
Scene 4
Synopsis:
At the supper, Wolsey and his guests are visited by Henry and his courtiers, all disguised as shepherds. Henry dances with Anne Bullen and exclaims over her beauty.
Hautboys. A small table under a state for the Cardinal, alonger table for the guests. Then enter Anne Bullen and
divers other ladies and gentlemen as guests at one door;
at another door enter Sir Henry Guilford.
GUILFORD
0633 Ladies, a general welcome from his Grace
0634 Salutes you all. This night he dedicates
0635 To fair content and you. None here, he hopes,
0636 In all this noble bevy has brought with her
0637 5 One care abroad. He would have all as merry
0638 As, first, good company, good wine, good welcome
0639 Can make good people.
Enter Lord Chamberlain, Lord Sands, and
⌜Sir Thomas⌝ Lovell.
0640 O, my lord, you’re tardy!
0641 The very thought of this fair company
0642 10 Clapped wings to me.
CHAMBERLAIN 0643 You are young, Sir Harry Guilford.
SANDS
0644 Sir Thomas Lovell, had the Cardinal
0645 But half my lay thoughts in him, some of these
0646 Should find a running banquet, ere they rested,
0647 15 I think would better please ’em. By my life,
0648 They are a sweet society of fair ones.
LOVELL
0649 O, that your Lordship were but now confessor
0650 To one or two of these!
p.
49
SANDS
0651
I would I were.0652 20 They should find easy penance.
LOVELL 0653 Faith, how easy?
SANDS
0654 As easy as a down bed would afford it.
CHAMBERLAIN
0655 Sweet ladies, will it please you sit?—Sir Harry,
0656 Place you that side; I’ll take the charge of this.
⌜The guests are seated.⌝
0657 25 His Grace is ent’ring. Nay, you must not freeze;
0658 Two women placed together makes cold weather.
0659 My Lord Sands, you are one will keep ’em waking.
0660 Pray sit between these ladies.
SANDS 0661 By my faith,
0662 30 And thank your Lordship.—By your leave, sweet ladies.
⌜He sits between Anne Bullen and another lady.⌝
0663 If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me;
0664 I had it from my father.
ANNE 0665 Was he mad, sir?
SANDS
0666 O, very mad, exceeding mad, in love too;
0667 35 But he would bite none. Just as I do now,
0668 He would kiss you twenty with a breath.
⌜He kisses Anne.⌝
CHAMBERLAIN 0669 Well said,
0670 my lord.
0671 So, now you’re fairly seated, gentlemen,
0672 40 The penance lies on you if these fair ladies
0673 Pass away frowning.
SANDS 0674 For my little cure,
0675 Let me alone.
Hautboys. Enter Cardinal Wolsey, ⌜with Attendants and
Servants,⌝ and takes his state.
WOLSEY
0676 You’re welcome, my fair guests. That noble lady
p.
51
0677
45 Or gentleman that is not freely merry0678 Is not my friend. This to confirm my welcome,
0679 And to you all good health.⌜He drinks to them.⌝
SANDS 0680 Your Grace is noble.
0681 Let me have such a bowl may hold my thanks
0682 50 And save me so much talking.
WOLSEY 0683 My Lord Sands,
0684 I am beholding to you. Cheer your neighbors.—
0685 Ladies, you are not merry.—Gentlemen,
0686 Whose fault is this?
SANDS 0687 55 The red wine first must rise
0688 In their fair cheeks, my lord. Then we shall have ’em
0689 Talk us to silence.
ANNE 0690 You are a merry gamester,
0691 My Lord Sands.
SANDS 0692 60 Yes, if I make my play.
0693 Here’s to your Ladyship, and pledge it, madam,
⌜He drinks to her.⌝
0694 For ’tis to such a thing—
ANNE 0695 You cannot show me.
SANDS
0696 I told your Grace they would talk anon.
Drum and Trumpet. Chambers discharged.
WOLSEY 0697 65 What’s that?
CHAMBERLAIN
0698 Look out there, some of you.⌜Servants exit.⌝
WOLSEY 0699 What warlike voice,
0700 And to what end, is this?—Nay, ladies, fear not.
0701 By all the laws of war you’re privileged.
Enter a Servant.
CHAMBERLAIN
0702 70 How now, what is ’t?
SERVANT 0703 A noble troop of strangers,
0704 For so they seem. They’ve left their barge and landed,
0705 And hither make, as great ambassadors
0706 From foreign princes.
p.
53
WOLSEY
0707
75 Good Lord Chamberlain,0708 Go, give ’em welcome—you can speak the French
0709 tongue—
0710 And pray receive ’em nobly, and conduct ’em
0711 Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty
0712 80 Shall shine at full upon them. Some attend him.
⌜Lord Chamberlain exits, with Attendants.⌝
All rise, and tables removed.
0713 You have now a broken banquet, but we’ll mend it.
0714 A good digestion to you all; and once more
0715 I shower a welcome on you. Welcome all!
Hautboys. Enter King and others as masquers, habited
like shepherds, ushered by the Lord Chamberlain.
They pass directly before the Cardinal and gracefully
salute him.
0716 A noble company! What are their pleasures?
CHAMBERLAIN
0717 85 Because they speak no English, thus they prayed
0718 To tell your Grace: that, having heard by fame
0719 Of this so noble and so fair assembly
0720 This night to meet here, they could do no less,
0721 Out of the great respect they bear to beauty,
0722 90 But leave their flocks and, under your fair conduct,
0723 Crave leave to view these ladies and entreat
0724 An hour of revels with ’em.
WOLSEY 0725 Say, Lord Chamberlain,
0726 They have done my poor house grace, for which I
0727 95 pay ’em
0728 A thousand thanks and pray ’em take their pleasures.
⌜The masquers⌝ choose Ladies. ⌜The⌝
King ⌜chooses⌝ Anne Bullen.
KING
0729 The fairest hand I ever touched! O beauty,
0730 Till now I never knew thee.
Music, Dance.
WOLSEY
0731 My lord!
p.
55
CHAMBERLAIN
0732
100 Your Grace?WOLSEY 0733 Pray tell ’em thus much
0734 from me:
0735 There should be one amongst ’em by his person
0736 More worthy this place than myself, to whom,
0737 105 If I but knew him, with my love and duty
0738 I would surrender it.
CHAMBERLAIN 0739 I will, my lord.
Whisper ⌜with the masquers.⌝
WOLSEY
0740 What say they?
CHAMBERLAIN 0741 Such a one they all confess
0742 110 There is indeed, which they would have your Grace
0743 Find out, and he will take it.
WOLSEY 0744 Let me see, then.
⌜He leaves his state.⌝
0745 By all your good leaves, gentlemen.
⌜He bows before the King.⌝
0746 Here I’ll make
0747 115 My royal choice.
KING, ⌜unmasking⌝ 0748 You have found him, cardinal.
0749 You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord.
0750 You are a churchman, or I’ll tell you, cardinal,
0751 I should judge now unhappily.
WOLSEY 0752 120 I am glad
0753 Your Grace is grown so pleasant.
KING 0754 My Lord Chamberlain,
0755 Prithee come hither. What fair lady’s that?
CHAMBERLAIN
0756 An ’t please your Grace, Sir Thomas Bullen’s daughter,
0757 125 The Viscount Rochford, one of her Highness’ women.
KING
0758 By heaven, she is a dainty one.—Sweetheart,
0759 I were unmannerly to take you out
0760 And not to kiss you. ⌜He kisses Anne.⌝ A health,
0761 gentlemen!
0762 130 Let it go round.⌜He drinks a toast.⌝
p.
57
WOLSEY 0763 Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready
0764 I’ th’ privy chamber?
LOVELL 0765 Yes, my lord.
WOLSEY 0766 Your Grace,
0767 135 I fear, with dancing is a little heated.
KING
0768 I fear, too much.
WOLSEY 0769 There’s fresher air, my lord,
0770 In the next chamber.
KING
0771 Lead in your ladies ev’ry one.—Sweet partner,
0772 140 I must not yet forsake you.—Let’s be merry,
0773 Good my Lord Cardinal. I have half a dozen healths
0774 To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure
0775 To lead ’em once again, and then let’s dream
0776 Who’s best in favor. Let the music knock it.
They exit, with Trumpets.