john-fletcher

I have never seen Henry VIII, which William Shakespeare (1564-1616) cowrote with John Fletcher (1579-1626). It is rarely performed, but I encountered some of this speech delivered by Ralph Fiennes playing the great 19th century actor Henry Irving in Grace Pervades, a play by David Hare. https://richardswsmith.wordpress.com/2026/07/14/an-enjoyable-play-that-centres-on-the-great-theatre-that-came-from-the-contrast-between-henry-irving-and-ellen-terry/ The speech is made by Cardinal Wolsey, Henry…