Shakespeare's last English history play, performed in 1613, was initially titled "All is True". By the time of the publication of the 1623 folio, however ,it had aquired a longer-winded title The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth. Shakespeare probably collaborated with John Fletcher on this play, as he did on others.
According to the Oxford Shakespeare, the play was just into its first run at the Globe, Southwark, in June 1613 when the firing of a cannon ignited the theatre's thatched roof and burned it to the ground. Oops. The were luckily no serious casualties.
See below for a selection of lines or quotations spoken by Cardinal Wolsey in Shakespeare's "Henry VIII".
Act 2 Sc 2:
Wolsey (aside to Gardiner, the King's new secretary, later Bishop of Winchester)
"Give me your hand. Much joy and favour to you. you are the King's now."
Gardiner (aside to Wolsey)
"But to be commanded for ever by your grace, whose hand has raised me."
Act 3 Sc 1
Wolsey (to Queen Katherine)
"Madam, you wrong the King's love with these fears. Your hopes and friends are infinite."
Act3 Sc 2
Wolsey (aside)
"Anne Boleyn? No, I'll no Anne Boleyns for him"
Act3 Sc 2
Wolsey (aside)
"...Again there is sprung up an heretic,
An arch one, Cranmer, one hath crawled
Into the favour of the King
And is his Oracle."
Wolsey (to Henry)
"....My endeavours have ever come too short of my desires..."
Wolsey (facing his downfall):
...This is the state of man. Today he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes; tomorrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he falls, as I do...."
Wolsey (to Cromwell):
...Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my King, He would not in mine age Have left me naked to mine enemies."
Click this link for more Cardinal Wolsey quotes
24 May, 2007
Cardinal Wolsey in Shakespeare; The Globe burns down during "Henry VIII", June 1613.
07 October, 2006
A Man For All Seasons - Can Sir Thomas More outwit Master Cromwell?
Here is the BBC synopsis and cast list..
A Man For All Seasons. By Robert Bolt
"Sir Thomas More has managed to resist Henry VIII's pressure on him to sanction the forthcoming wedding to Anne Boleyn. All of Cromwell's plots to entrap Thomas fail as the wily Chancellor counters with his knowledge of the law and his right to silence. But can treachery from an unsuspected source spell doom for the brilliant statesman? "
Sir Thomas More ...... Charles Dance
Master Richard Rich ...... Julian Rhind Tutt
Master Thomas Cromwell ...... Ken Cranham
Cardinal Wolsey ...... Timothy Bateson
King Henry VIII ...... Brian Cox
Duke of Norfolk ...... Nicholas le Prevost
Master Will Roper ...... Martin Freeman
Lady Alice More ...... Kika Markham
Mistress Margaret (Meg) More ...... Romola Garai
Boatman/Steward (aka Matthew)/Jailer ...... Sam Dale
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer/Headsman ...... Peter Tate
Woman ...... Adjoa Andoh
23 July, 2006
Thomas Cromwell beheaded on Tower Hill. 23rd July, 1540.
History.net has the date of Thomas Cromwell's demise as 23rd July, although most other sources have the 28th. Anyway, he is featured in today's Tudor post .
Thomas Cromwell (portrait by Hans Holbein jr above)began his government service as secretary to Cardinal Wolsey, and following Wolsey's fall from grace, rose rapidly to prominence as one of Henry VIII's key managers.
His key period of influence was the 1530's, but fame could be shortlived during this period....
In 1538 Henry described Cromwell to the French ambassador as "A good household manager, but not fit to meddle in the affairs of kings".
Cromwell probably took the blame for the fact that Henry claimed he was not informed of the poor physical shape of Anne of Cleves before it was too late to stop the marriage (which Cromwell had arranged).
But there were many of Wolsey's old enemies out to get him, and it was probably only a matter of time before he would be out-manouvered.
Good links to find out more are Englishhistory.net, and the BBC History site.
