King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare

Author:William Shakespeare
Language: eng
Format: epub

[Exeunt, first passing over the stage in order and state,

and then a great flourish of trumpets.]

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

A royal train, believe me. These I know.

Who's that that bears the sceptre?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Marquess Dorset;

And that the Earl of Surrey, with the rod.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

A bold brave gentleman. That should be

The Duke of Suffolk?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

'Tis the same: High Steward.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

And that my Lord of Norfolk?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Yes.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Heaven bless thee! [Looking on the Queen.]

Thou hast the sweetest face I ever look'd on.

Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel;

Our king has all the Indies in his arms,

And more and richer, when he strains that lady.

I cannot blame his conscience.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

They that bear

The cloth of honour over her, are four barons

Of the Cinque-ports.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Those men are happy; and so are all are near her.

I take it, she that carries up the train

Is that old noble lady, Duchess of Norfolk.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

It is; and all the rest are countesses.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Their coronets say so. These are stars indeed;

And sometimes falling ones.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

No more of that.

[Exit the last of the procession.]

[Enter a third Gentleman.]

God save you, sir! Where have you been broiling?

THIRD GENTLEMAN.

Among the crowds i' the Abbey, where a finger

Could not be wedg'd in more. I am stifled

With the mere rankness of their joy.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

You saw the ceremony?

THIRD GENTLEMAN.

That I did.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

How was it?

THIRD GENTLEMAN.

Well worth the seeing.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Good sir, speak it to us.

THIRD GENTLEMAN.

As well as I am able. The rich stream

Of lords and ladies, having brought the Queen

To a prepar'd place in the choir, fell of

A distance from her; while her Grace sat down

To rest a while, some half an hour or so,

In a rich chair of state, opposing freely

The beauty of her person to the people,--

Believe me, sir, she is the goodliest woman

That ever lay by man;--which when the people

Had the full view of, such a noise arose

As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest,

As loud, and to as many tunes. Hats, cloaks,--

Doublets, I think,--flew up; and had their faces

Been loose, this day they had been lost. Such joy

I never saw before. Great-belli'd women,

That had not half a week to go, like rams

In the old time of war, would shake the press

And make 'em reel before 'em. No man living

Could say "This is my wife" there; all were woven

So strangely in one piece.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

But what follow'd?

THIRD GENTLEMAN.

At length her Grace rose, and with modest paces

Came to the altar; where she kneel'd, and saintlike

Cast her fair eyes to heaven and pray'd devoutly;

Then rose again and bow'd her to the people,

When by the Archbishop of Canterbury

She had all the royal makings of a queen,

As holy oil, Edward Confessor's crown,

The rod, and bird of peace, and all such emblems

Laid nobly on her; which perform'd, the choir,

With all the choicest music of the kingdom,

Together sung "Te Deum." So she parted,

And with the same full state pac'd back again

To York Place, where the feast is held.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Sir,

You must no more call it York Place, that's past;

For, since the Cardinal fell, that title's lost.

'Tis now the King's, and call'd Whitehall.

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