To all the plains about him: childrens' children
Shall fee this, and blefs Heav'n.

King. Thou fpeakeft wonders.]

Cran. She fhall be, to the happiness of England,
An aged Princefs; many days fhall fee her,
And yet no day without a deed to crown it.
'Would I had known no more! but the muft die,
She must, the faints must have her yet a virgin;
A moft unfpotted lily the fhall pafs

To th' ground, and all th' world fhall mourn her.
King. O Lord Archbishop,

Thou it made me now a man; never, before
This happy child, did I get any thing.
This oracle of comfort has fo pleas'd me,

That when I am in heav'n I fhall defire

To fee what this child does, and praife my Maker.
I thank ye all.To you, my good Lord Mayor,
And your good brethren, I am much beholden :
I have receiv'd much honour by your prefence,
And ye fhall find me thankful. Lead the way,
Lords;

Ye must all fee the Queen, and she must thank ye,
She will be fick elfe. This day no man think
H' as bufines at his houfe, for all fhall fray;
This little-one fhall make it holy-day. [Exeunt *.

The play of Henry the Eighth is one of those which till keeps poffeffion of the tge, by the fplendor 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 the only merit of this play. The meek forrows and virtuous diftrefs of Ci tharine have furnished fome fcenes which may be juftly numbered among the greateft efforts of tragedy. But the genius of Shakespeare comes in and goes out with Catharine Every other part may be easily conceived, and easily written. Johnson.

EPILOGUE.

TIS

IS ten to one this Play can never please All that are here. Some come to take their eafe, And fleep an act or two; but those, we fear, We've frighted with our trumpets; fo'tis clear They'll fay it's naught: others, to hear the city Abus'd extremely, and to cry, That's witty! Which we have not done neither; that, I fear, All the expected good we're like to hear For this play at this time, is only in The merciful construction of good women ; For fuch a one we shew'd'em*. If they fmile And fay 'twill do, I know within a while All the best men are ours; for 'tis ill hap If they hold when their ladies bid'em clap.

* In the character of Catharine. Johnson.

Knights attending on the King, Officers, Mellenges,,

Soldiers and Attendants.

SCENE yes in Britain.

KING LEA R.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

The King's Palace.

Enter Kent, Glo'fter, and Edmund the Bastard.

Kent.

Thought the King had more affected the Duke. of Albany than Cornwall.

Glou. It did always feem fo to us: but now, in the divifion of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values moft; for qualities are fo weigh'd, that curiofity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.

Kent. Is not this your fon, my Lord?

-Glou. His breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge. I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that now I am braz❜d to't.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glou. Sir, this young fellow's mother could; whereupon fhe grew round-womb'd; and had, indeed, Sir, a fon for her cradle, ere fhe had a huf band for her bed. Do you fell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the iffue of it being fo proper.

Glou. But I have a fon, Sir, by order of law, fome year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account Though this knaye came fomewhat faucily to the world before he was fent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good fport at his making, and the whorefon must be acknowledged. Do you know this nobleman, Edmund ?