scene where King Henry is represented as arriving at Cardinal Wolsey's gate at Whitehall, one of which, being injudiciously managed, set fire to the thatched roof of the theatre *. Dr. Johnson first suggested that Ben Jonson might have supplied the Prologue and Epilogue to the play upon the occasion of its revival. Dr. Farmer, Steevens, and Malone, support his opinion; and even attribute to him some of the passages of the play.

Mr. Gifford has controverted this opinion of Jonson having been the author of the Prologue and Epilogue of this play, and thinks the play which was performed under the title of All is

*The circumstance is recorded by the continuator of Stowe ; and in a MS. Letter of Thomas Lorkin to Sir Thomas Puckering, dated London, this last of June, 1613, it is thus mentioned: 'No longer since than yesterday, while Bourbage his company were acting at the Globe the play of Henry VIII. and there, shooting of certayne chambers in way of triumph, the fire catched,' &c.-MS. Harl. 7002.

So in a letter from John Chamberlaine to Sir Ralph Winwood, dated London, 8th July, 1613:-' But the burning of the Globe, or Playhouse, on the Bank side, on St. Peter's day, cannot escape you; which fell out by a peale of chambers (that I know not upon what occasion were to be used in the play), the tampin or stopple of one of them lighting in the thatch that covered the house, burn'd it to the ground in less than two hours, with a dwelling-house adjoining; and it was a great marvaile and faire grace of God that the people had so little harm, having but two narrow doors to get out at.'-Winwood's Memorials, vol. iii. p. 469.

The event is also recorded by Sir Henry Wotton, in his letter of the 2d of July, 1613, where he says it was at a new play, acted by the king's players at the Bank's Side, called All is

True was a distinct performance, and not Shakspeare's Henry the Eighth. To this it has been answered, That the Prologue, which has always accompanied Shakspeare's drama from its first publication in 1623, manifestly and repeatedly alludes to the title of the play which was represented on the 29th of June, 1613, and which we know to have been founded on the history

True, representing some principal pieces of the reign of Henry the Eighth.'-Reliquia Wotton, p. 425, Ed. 2d.

So much having been said of the Globe Theatre, the reader will not be displeased to see a rude picture of it from the old Long View of London, printed at Antwerp in the reign of Elizabeth.

of King Henry the Eighth, affords a strong proof of their identity, as appears by the following passages:

Such, as give

Their money out of hope they may believe,

May here find truth too,' &c.

Gentle readers know

To rank our chosen truth with such a show
As fool and fight is," &c.

'To make that only true we now intend.'

And though Sir Henry Wotton mentions it as a new play, we have Stowe and Lorkin who call it The play of Henry the Eighth.'

'That the Prologue and Epilogue were not written by Shakspeare is, I think, clear from internal evidence,' says Mr. Boswell; to whose opinion I have no hesitation in subscribing: but it does not follow that they were the production of Ben Jonson's pen. That gentleman has clearly shown that there was no intention of covertly sneering at Shakspeare's other works in this prologue; but that this play is opposed to a rude kind of farcical representation on the same subject by Samuel Rowley (see the first note on the Prologue). This play, or interlude, which was printed in 1605, is probably referred to in the following entry on the books of the Stationers' Company: :'Nathaniel Butter, Feb. 12, 1604, That he get good allowance for the Enterlude of King Henry VIII. before he begin to print it; and with the warden's hand to yt, he is to have the same for his copy.' Stowe has observed that 'Robert Greene had written somewhat on the same story;' but there is no evidence that it was in a dramatic form: it may have been something historical, and not by the dramatic poet of that name; as Stowe

cites the authority of Robert Greene, with Robert Brun, Fabian, &c. in other places of his Chronicle.

This historical drama comprises a period of twelve years, commencing in the twelfth year of King Henry VIII. (1521), and ending with the christening of Elizabeth in 1533. The poet has deviated from history in placing the death of Queen Katharine before the birth of Elizabeth, for in fact Katharine did not die till 1536. In constructing his scenes he has availed himself largely of the eloquent narrative of Wolsey's faithful servant and biographer, George Cavendish, as copied by the Chronicles; and indeed the pathos of the Cardinal's dying scene is almost as effective in the simple narrative of Cavendish as in the play. The fine picture which the poet has drawn of the suffering and defenceless virtue of Queen Katharine, and the just and spirited, though softened, portrait he has exhibited of the impetuous and sensual character of Henry, are above all praise. It has been justly said that this play contains little action or violence of passion, yet it has considerable interest of a more mild and thoughtful cast, and some of the most striking passages that are to be found in the poet's works.'

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

KING HENRY THE EIGHTH.

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 other Gentlemen.

DOCTOR BUTTS, Physician to the King.

Garter, King at Arms.

Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham.

BRANDON, and a Sergeant at Arms.

Door-keeper of 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 upon the Queen; Spirits, which appear to her; Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attendants.

SCENE-chiefly in London and Westminster: once, at Kimbolton.