Now, if the prologue which has always accompanied our author's drama from its first publication in 1623, manifestly and repeatedly allude 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 of King Henry the Eighth, can there be a stronger proof of their identity, or a more satisfactory reply to the query of Mr. Gifford, who asks, who would have recognised Henry the Eighth under the name of All is Truth? (or rather, as he should have said, All is True?) than what these intimations afford? That they have, indeed, been noticed both by Mr. Tyrwhitt and Mr. Malone, as alluding to the title in question, is true; but they appear to us so important and decisive, as to merit being brought forward more distinctly, especially as they have escaped Mr. Gifford's attention. We shall therefore transcribe them, being convinced that not accident but design dictated their insertion:—
—————————— "Such, as give
Their money out of hope they may believe,
May here find truth too."
——————————— "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."
That the play represented at the Globe in 1613, was merely a revived play, wants no other proof than the following:—In a MS. letter of Tho. Lorkin to Sir Tho. Puckering, dated London, this last of June, 1613, Lorkin tells his friend, that "No longer since than YESTERDAY, while Bourbage his companie were acting at the Globe THE play of Hen. VIII. and there shooting of certayne chambers in way of triumph, the fire catched," &c.[444:A]
We would now enquire if it were possible that any rational person writing from London to his friend in the country, concerning a new play which had been performed, for the first time, but the day before the date of his letter, could make use of language such as this? Must he not necessarily have said, A play, or A new play, called Hen. VIII.? And does not the phraseology which he has adopted, namely, "THE play of Hen. VIII.," evidently imply that the piece had been long known?