a combustion in the state. I miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman, who cried out, clubs !4 when I might see from far some forty truncheoneers draw to her succour, which were the hope of the Strand, where she was quarter'd. They fell one I made good my place; at length they came to the broomstaff with me, I defied them still; when suddenly a file of boys behind them, loose shot, deliver'd such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine honour in, and let them win the work: the devil was amongst them, I think, surely.

Port. These are the youths that thunder at a play-house, and fight for bitten apples; that no audience but the Tribulation of Tower-hill, or the limbs of Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able to endure, I have some of them in Limbo Patrum, and there they are like to dance these three days; besides the running banquet of two beadles §, that is

to come.

Enter the Lord CHAMBERLAIN.

Cham. Mercy o' me, what a multitude are here! They grow still too, from all parts they are coming, As if we kept a fair here! Where are these porters These lazy knaves?-Ye have made a fine hand fellows.

There's a trim rabble let in: Are all these
Your faithful friends o' the suburbs? We shall
have

Great store of room, no doubt, left for the ladies,
When they pass back from the christening.
Port. An't please your honour

We are but men; and what so many may do,
Not being torn a pieces, we have done:
An army caunot rule them.

Cham. As I live,

If the king blame me for't, I'll lay ye all
By the heels, and suddenly and on your heads
Clap round fines, for neglect: you are lazy knaves;
And here ye lie baiting of bombards ||, when
Ye should do service. Hark, the trumpets sound;
They are come already from the christening:
Go, break among the press, and find away out
To let the troop pass fairly; or I'll find

The brazier.

+ Outery for assistance.

A desert of whipping.

Black leather vessels to hold beer.

Place of confinement.

A Marshalsea, shall hold you play these two months.

Port. Make way there for the princess.

Man. You great fellow, stand close up, or I'll make your head ake.

Port. You i' the camblet, get up o' the rail; I'll pick you o'er the pales else.

SCENE IV.-The Palace +.

[Exeunt

Enter Trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, Lord Mayor, GARTER, CRANMER, Duke of NORFOLK, with his Marshal's Staff, Duke of SUFFOLK, two Noblemen bearing great standing-bowls for the christening gifts, then four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the Duchess of Norfolk, godmother, bearing the Child richly habited in a mantle, &c.-Train borne by a Lady; then follows the Marchioness of Dorset, the other godmother, and Ladies.-The Troop pass once about the stage, and GARTER speaks.

Gart. Heaven, from thy endless goodness, send prosperous life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty princess of England, Elizabeth!

Flourish.-Enter KING and Train.

Cran. [Kneeling.] And to your royal grace, and the good queen,

My noble partners, and myself, thus pray-
All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady,
Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy,
May hourly fall upon ye!

K. Hen. Thank you, good lord archbishop :
What is her name?

Cran. Elizabeth.

K. Hen. Stand up, lord.

[The King kisses the Child. With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee! Into whose hands I give thy life.

Cran. Amen.

K. Hen. My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal :

I thank ye heartily; so shall this lady,
When she has so much English.

Cran. Let me speak, Sir,

For Heaven now bids me; and the words I utter Let none think flattery, for they'll find them

truth.

• Pitch.

+ At Greenwich.

This royal infant, (heaven still move about her!)
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness: she shall be
(But few now living can behold that goodness,)
A pattern to all princes living with her,
And that all shall suoceed: Sheba was never
More covetous of wisdom, and fair virtue,
Than this pure soul shall be: All princely graces,
That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,
With all the virtues that attend the good,
Shall still be doubled on her: Truth shall nurse

her,

Holy and heavenly thoughts still connsel her: She shall be loved, and fear'd: her own shall bless her;

Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,
And hang their heads with sorrow: good grows
with her:

In her days, every man shall eat in safety
Under his own vine, what he plants; and sing
The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours:
God shall be truly known; and those about her
From her shall read the perfect ways of honour,
And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.
[Nor shall this peace sleep with her: but as when
The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phoenix,.
Her ashes new create another heir

As great in admiration as herself;
So shall she leave her blessedness to one,
(When heaven shall call her from this cloud of
darkness,)

Who, from the sacred ashes of her honour,
Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was,
And so stand fix'd: Peace, plenty, love, truth,

terror,

That were the servants to this chosen infant,
Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him;
Wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine,
His honour and the greatness of his name
Shall be, and make new nations: he shall flourish,
And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches
To all the plains about him :-Our children's chil

dren Shall see this, and bless heaven.

This and the following seventeen lines were probably written by B. Johnson, after the acces sion of king James.

K. Hen. Thou speakest wonders.]

Cran. She shall be, to the happiness of England,
An aged princess; many days shall see her,
And yet no day without a deed to crown it.
'Would I had known no more! But she must die,
She must, the saints must have her; yet a virgin,
A most unspotted lily shall she pass

To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her.
K. Hen. O lord archbishop,

Thou hast made me now a man; never, before
This happy child, did 1 get any thing:
This oracle of comfort has so pleased me,
That, when I am in heaven, I shall desire
To see what this child does, and praise my Maker.-
I thank you all,-To you, my good lord mayor,
And your good brethren, I am much beholden;
I have received much honour by your presence,
And ye shall find me thankful. Lead the way,

lords ;

Ye must all see the queen, and she must thank ye,
She will be sick else. This day, no man think
He has business at his house; for all shall stay,
This little one shall make it holiday.

[Exeunt

EPILOGUE.

'Tis ten to one, this play can never please
All that are here: Some come to take their ease,
And sleep an act or two; but those, we fear,
We have frighted with our trumpets; so, 'tis clear,
They'll say, 'tis naught: others, to hear the city
Abused extremely, and to cry,-that's witty!
Which we have not done neither: that, I fear,
All the expected good we are like to hear
For this play at this time, is only in
The merciful construction of good women;
For such a one we shew'd them; if they smile.
And say, 'twill do, I know, within a while
All the best men are ours; for 'tis ill hap,
If they hold, when their ladies bid them clap.

The play of Henry the Eighth is one of those which still keeps possession of the stage by the splendour of its pageantry. The coronation; about forty years ago, drew the people together in multitudes for a great part of the winter. Yet pomp is not only the merit of this play. The meek sorrows, and virtuous distress of Katharine, have furnished some scenes, which may be justly num bered among the greatest efforts of tragedy. But the genius of Shakspeare comes in and goes out with Katharine. Every other part may be easily conceived and easily written. JOHNSON.

The historical dramas are now concluded, of which the two Parts of Henry the Fourth, and Henry the Fifth, are among the happiest of our author's compositions; and King John, Richard the Third, and Henry the Eighth, deservedly stand in the second class. Those whose curiosity would refer the historical scenes to their original, may consult Holinshed, and sometimes Hall: from Holinshed, Shakspeare has often inserted whole speeches, with no more alteration than was ne cessary to the numbers of his verse. To transcribe them into the margin was unnecessary, because the original is easily examined, and they are sel dom less perspicuous in the poet than in the his

torian.

To play histories, or to exhibit a succession of events by action and dialogue, was a common entertainment among our rude ancestors upon great festivities. The parish clerks once performed at Clerkenwell a play which lasted three days, containing The History of the World.

IBID.