DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM
LORD ABERGAVENNY, Buckingham’s son-in-law
EARL OF SURREY, Buckingham’s son-in-law
SIR NICHOLAS VAUX
SURVEYOR to the Duke of Buckingham
BRANDON
SERGEANT-at-Arms
Three Gentlemen
ANNE BULLEN, her Maid of Honour, afterwards Queen
An OLD LADY, friend to Anne Bullen
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
LORD SANDYS (called also SIR WILLIAM SANDYS)
SIR THOMAS LOVELL
SIR HENRY GUILDFORD
BISHOP OF LINCOLN
CRANMER, archbishop of Canterbury
LORD CHANCELLOR
GARTER King-of-Arms
SIR ANTHONY DENNY
DOCTOR BUTTS, physician to the King
Door-KEEPER of the Council-chamber
PORTER, and his Man
A CRIER
PROLOGUE
EPILOGUE
Spirits, Several Lords and Ladies in the Dumb Shows; Women attending upon the Queen; Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attendants
SCENE: London; Westminster; Kimbolton
Enter Prologue.
THE PROLOGUE.
I come no more to make you laugh. Things now
That bear a weighty and a serious brow,
Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe,
Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow,
We now present. Those that can pity, here
May, if they think it well, let fall a tear;
The subject will deserve it. Such as give
Their money out of hope they may believe
May here find truth too. Those that come to see
Only a show or two, and so agree
The play may pass, if they be still and willing,
I’ll undertake may see away their shilling
Richly in two short hours. Only they
That come to hear a merry bawdy play,
A noise of targets, or to see a fellow
In a long motley coat guarded with yellow,
Will be deceived. For, gentle hearers, know
To rank our chosen truth with such a show
As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting
Our own brains and the opinion that we bring
To make that only true we now intend,
Will leave us never an understanding friend.
Therefore, for goodness’ sake, and as you are known
The first and happiest hearers of the town,
Be sad, as we would make ye. Think ye see
The very persons of our noble story
As they were living; think you see them great,
And followed with the general throng and sweat
Of thousand friends; then, in a moment, see
How soon this mightiness meets misery;
And if you can be merry then, I’ll say
A man may weep upon his wedding day.
[Exit.]