AN early production of Henry VIII, on 29 June 1613, sere the Globe Theatre up in flames. The next day Thomas Lorkin wrote to Sir Thomas Puckering - they were both men of affairs about court - and related how, whileBurhage's company the King's Men (the leading company of the time) were presenting the play, certain 'chambers'(stage cannon) were fired 'in way of triumph' and setalight the theatre's thatched roof, so that the whole placeburnt down in less than two hours……

INTRODUCTION

FURTHER READING

KING HENRY THE EIGHTH

COMMENTARY

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TEXT