Home
This site uses cookies
log out

Henry VIII: Act V, Scene 4

Sign in with Google to add your annotations.

Henry VIII
Act V, Scene 4

The palace-yard.

Edinburgh Folio

From: Edinburgh Folio

Unknown artist, circa 1903

  1. Enter trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor,
  2. Garter, Cranmer, Duke of Norfolk with his marshal’s staff,
  3. Duke of Suffolk, two Gentlemen bearing great standing-bowls
  4. for the christening gifts; then four Noblemen bearing a
  5. canopy, under which the Duchess of Norfolk, godmother,
  6. bearing the child richly habited in a mantle, etc., train
  7. borne by a Lady; then follows the Marchioness Dorset, the
  8. other godmother, and Ladies.
  1. The troop pass once about the stage, and Garter speaks.

Garter

1
  1. Heaven, from thy endless goodness send prosperous life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty Princess of England, Elizabeth!
  1. Flourish. Enter King and Guard.

Cranmer

2 - 6
  1. Kneeling.
  2. And to your royal Grace and the good Queen,
  3. My noble partners and myself thus pray
  4. All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady
  5. Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy
  6. May hourly fall upon ye!

King

7 - 8
  1.                          Thank you, good Lord Archbishop.
  2. What is her name?

Cranmer

9
  1.                   Elizabeth.

King

10 - 12
  1.            Stand up, lord.
  2. The King kisses the child.
  3. With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee!
  4. Into whose hand I give thy life.

Cranmer

13
  1.                                  Amen.

King

14 - 16
  1. My noble gossips, y’ have been too prodigal.
  2. I thank ye heartily; so shall this lady,
  3. When she has so much English.

Cranmer

17 - 58
  1.                               Let me speak, sir,
  2. For heaven now bids me; and the words I utter
  3. Let none think flattery, for they’ll find ’em truth.
  4. This royal infant—heaven still move about her!—
  5. Though in her cradle, yet now promises
  6. Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
  7. Which time shall bring to ripeness. She shall be
  8. (But few now living can behold that goodness)
  9. A pattern to all princes living with her,
  10. And all that shall succeed. Saba was never
  11. More covetous of wisdom and fair virtue
  12. Than this pure soul shall be. All princely graces
  13. That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,
  14. With all the virtues that attend the good,
  15. Shall still be doubled on her. Truth shall nurse her,
  16. Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her.
  17. She shall be lov’d and fear’d: her own shall bless her;
  18. Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,
  19. And hang their heads with sorrow. Good grows with her;
  20. In her days every man shall eat in safety
  21. Under his own vine what he plants, and sing
  22. The merry songs of peace to all his neighbors.
  23. God shall be truly known, and those about her
  24. From her shall read the perfect ways of honor,
  25. And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.
  26. Nor shall this peace sleep with her; but as when
  27. The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phoenix,
  28. Her ashes new create another heir
  29. As great in admiration as herself,
  30. So shall she leave her blessedness to one
  31. (When heaven shall call her from this cloud of darkness)
  32. Who from the sacred ashes of her honor
  33. Shall star-like rise as great in fame as she was,
  34. And so stand fix’d. Peace, plenty, love, truth, terror,
  35. That were the servants to this chosen infant,
  36. Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him.
  37. Where ever the bright sun of heaven shall shine,
  38. His honor and the greatness of his name
  39. Shall be, and make new nations. He shall flourish,
  40. And like a mountain cedar reach his branches
  41. To all the plains about him. Our children’s children
  42. Shall see this, and bless heaven.
Costume design for royal trumpeter

Costume design for royal trumpeter

Emma Hamilton Smith, Charles Hamilton Smith, circa 1856

King

59
  1.                                   Thou speakest wonders.

Cranmer

60 - 66
  1. She shall be, to the happiness of England,
  2. An aged princess; many days shall see her,
  3. And yet no day without a deed to crown it.
  4. Would I had known no more! But she must die,
  5. She must, the saints must have her; yet a virgin,
  6. A most unspotted lily shall she pass
  7. To th’ ground, and all the world shall mourn her.

King

67 - 80
  1. O Lord Archbishop,
  2. Thou hast made me now a man! Never, before
  3. This happy child, did I get any thing.
  4. This oracle of comfort has so pleas’d me
  5. That when I am in heaven I shall desire
  6. To see what this child does, and praise my Maker.
  7. I thank ye all. To you, my good Lord Mayor,
  8. And you, good brethren, I am much beholding;
  9. I have receiv’d much honor by your presence,
  10. And ye shall find me thankful. Lead the way, lords,
  11. Ye must all see the Queen, and she must thank ye,
  12. She will be sick else. This day, no man think
  13. H’as business at his house; for all shall stay:
  14. This little one shall make it Holy-day.
  1. Exeunt.
Costume design for the Lord Mayor

Costume design for the Lord Mayor

Charles Hamilton Smith, Emma Hamilton Smith, 19th century

© 2021 Unotate.com • contact • privacy policy • Creative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.com • All illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons