Ladies, you are not merry ;-Gentlemen, Whose fault is this? Sands. The red wine first must rise In their fair cheeks, my lord; then we shall have them Talk us to silence. Anne. My Lord Sands. Sands. Wol. You are a very merry gamester, Yes, if I make my play. Chambers discharged,* L. H. Drums and fifes heard in the distance: Cham. Look out there, some of you. Wol. What's that? [Exeunt Servants, L.H. What warlike voice? And to what end is this ?-Nay, ladies, fear not; Enter SERVANTS and a SENESCHAL, L.H. 2 E. Serv. A noble troop of strangers; For so they seem: they have left their barge, and landed; And hither make, as great ambassadors From foreign princes, Wol. Good Lord Chamberlain, Go, give them welcome, you can speak the French tongue; [Exit CHAMBERLAIN, L.H. 2 E., attended by Drums and Fifes. *Chambers, short guns, or cannon, standing upon their breeching without carriages, chiefly used for festive occasions ; and having their name most probably from being little more than chambers for powder. Enter the KING, L. H.U.E., and twelve others, as Maskers, habited like Shepherds, preceded by sixteen Drummers and Fifers, and sixteen Torch-bearers; ushered by the LORD CHAMBERLAIN. They pass directly before the CARDINAL, and gracefully salute him. A noble company! what are their pleasures? Cham. Because they speak no English, thus they pray'd This night to meet here, they could do no less, But leave their flocks; and under your fair conduct, Say, Lord Chamberlain, Wol. They have done my poor house grace, for which I pay them A thousand thanks, and pray them take their pleasures. [Ladies chosen for the dance. The KING chooses ANNE BOLEYN. K. Hen. The fairest hand I ever touch'd! O, beauty, Till now I never knew thee. MUSIC Wol. My lord, Cham. Wol. -DANCE. Your grace? Pray, tell them thus much from me: There should be one amongst them, by his person, I would surrender it. [CHAM. goes to the company, and returns. Wol. What say they? Cham. Such a one, they all confess, There is, indeed, which they would have your grace Find out, and he will take it. Wol. Let me see then- [Comes from his state. By all your good leaves, gentlemen;-Here I'll make My royal choice. K. Hen. You have found him, cardinal: [Unmasking. You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord : You are a churchman, or, I'll tell you, cardinal, I should judge now unhappily. Wol. I am glad, Your grace is grown so pleasant. Cham. An't please your grace, Sir Thomas Bullen's daughter, The Viscount Rochford, one of her highness' women. And not to kiss you.*-A health, gentlemen, Let it go round. Wol. Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready I' th' privy chamber? K. Hen. Lead in your ladies, every one.-Sweet partner, I must not yet forsake you :-Let's be merry ; Good, my Lord Cardinal, I have half a dozen healths ner. [Exeunt with music.(4) * A kiss was anciently the established fee of a lady's partSo, in a Dialogue between Custom and Veretie, concerning the use and abuse of Dauncing and Minstrelsie, bl. 1, no date, "imprinted at London at the long shop adjoining unto Saint Mildred's Church in the Pultrie, by John Allde :' "But some reply, what foole would daunce," "If that when daunce is doon," "He may not have at ladyes lips" "That which in daunce he woon?" END OF ACT FIRST. Steevens. HISTORICAL NOTES TO ACT FIRST. (1) "Ornamental pillars were formerly carried before a Cardinal, and Wolsey was remarkable for keeping up this piece of state. He is so described by Holingshed and other historians. Cavendish, his biographer, speaks of the silver pillars and of his cross-bearers and pillar-bearers. Skelton satirically describes him as going With worldly pompe incredible, Before him rydeth two prestes stronge, After them folowe two layemen secular, In their handes, steade of a mace.-Skelton's Works. These pillars were supposed to be emblematical of the support given by the cardinals to the church."-Nares's Glos sary. Cavendish describes the Cardinal passing through the City of London with a procession of lords and ladies to the number of twelve hundred horse on the 3rd of July, 1526: "Then marched he forward out of his own house at Westminster, passing through all London, over London Bridge, having before him of gentlemen a great number, three in a rank, in black velvet livery coats, and the most part of them with great chains of gold about their necks. And all his yeomen, with noblemen's and gentlemen's servants following him in French tawny livery coats; having embroidered upon the backs and breasts of the said coats these letters, T. and C., under the cardinal's hat. His sumpter mules, which were twenty in number and more, with his carts and other carriages of his train, were passed on before, conducted and guarded with a great number of bows and spears. He rode like a cardinal, very sumptuously, on a mule trapped with crimson velvet upon velvet, and his stirrups of copper, and gilt; and his spare mule following him with like apparel. And before him he had his two great crosses of silver, two great pillars of silver, the great seal of England, his cardinal's hat, and a gentleman that carried his valaunce, otherwise called a cloakbag; which was made altogether of fine scarlet cloth, embroidered over and over with cloth of gold very richly, having in it a cloak of fine scarlet. Thus passed he through London, and all the way of his journey, having his harbingers passing before to provide lodgings for his train." (2) Cavendish gives the following description of Wolsey proceeding to Westminster Hall :— "And after mass he would return in his privy chamber again, and being advertised of the furniture of his chambers without, with noblemen, gentlemen, and other persons, would issue out into them, appareled all in red, in the habit of a cardinal; which was either of fine scarlet, or else of crimson satin, taffety, damask, or caffa, the best that he could get for money: and upon his head a round pillion, with a noble of black velvet set to the same in the inner side; he had also a tippet of fine sables about his neck; holding in his hand a very fair orange, whereof the meat or substance within was taken out and filled up again with the part of a sponge, wherein was vinegar and other confections against the pestilent airs; the which he most commonly smelt unto, passing among the press, or else when he was pestered with many suitors. There was also borne before him first, the great seal of England, and then his cardinal's hat, by a nobleman or worthy gentleman, right solemnly, bareheaded. And as soon as he was entered into his chamber of presence, where there was attending his coming to await upon him to Westminster Hall, as well noblemen and other worthy gentlemen, as noblemen and gentlemen of his own family; thus passing forth with two great crosses of silver borne before him; with also two great pillars of silver, and his pursuivant at arms with a great mace of silver gilt. Then his gentlemen ushers cried, and said: 'On, my lords and masters, on before; make way for my Lord's Grace!' "The pulpit likewise occasionally raised its voice against him. Doctor Barnes, who was burnt in Smithfield in the year 1541, preached at St. Edward's Church in Cambridge, a sermon, for which he was called to appear before the cardinal. This was a part of their dialogue, as it is related in Fox : 'What Master Doctor (said the cardinal) had you not a sufficient scope in the Scriptures to teach the people, but that my golden shoes, my pol-axes, my pillars, my golden cushions, my cross did so sore offend you, that you must make us ridiculum caput amongst the people? We were jolily that day laughed to scorne. Verily it was a sermon more fitter to be preached on a stage than in a pulpit; for at the last you said I weare a paire of redde gloves, I should say bloudie gloves (quoth you) that I should not be cold in the midst of my ceremonies. And Barnes answered, I spake nothing but the truth out of the Scriptures, according to my conscience, and according to the old doctors.'"-Fox's Acts, p. 1088. W. |