| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| I Come no more to make you laugh, Things now, | I come no more to make you laugh. Things now | H8 prologue.1 |
| That beare a Weighty, and a Serious Brow, | That bear a weighty and a serious brow, | H8 prologue.2 |
| Sad, high, and working, full of State and Woe: | Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe, | H8 prologue.3 |
| Such Noble Scoenes, as draw the Eye to flow | Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow, | H8 prologue.4 |
| We now present. Those that can Pitty, heere | We now present. Those that can pity here | H8 prologue.5 |
| May (if they thinke it well) let fall a Teare, | May, if they think it well, let fall a tear; | H8 prologue.6 |
| The Subiect will deserue it. Such as giue | The subject will deserve it. Such as give | H8 prologue.7 |
| Their Money out of hope they may beleeue, | Their money out of hope they may believe | H8 prologue.8 |
| May heere finde Truth too. Those that come to see | May here find truth too. Those that come to see | H8 prologue.9 |
| Onely a show or two, and so agree, | Only a show or two, and so agree | H8 prologue.10 |
| The Play may passe: If they be still, and willing, | The play may pass, if they be still, and willing, | H8 prologue.11 |
| Ile vndertake may see away their shilling | I'll undertake may see away their shilling | H8 prologue.12 |
| Richly in two short houres. Onely they | Richly in two short hours. Only they | H8 prologue.13 |
| That come to heare a Merry, Bawdy Play, | That come to hear a merry, bawdy play, | H8 prologue.14 |
| A noyse of Targets: Or to see a Fellow | A noise of targets, or to see a fellow | H8 prologue.15 |
| In a long Motley Coate, garded with Yellow, | In a long motley coat guarded with yellow, | H8 prologue.16 |
| Will be deceyu'd. For gentle Hearers, know | Will be deceived; for, gentle hearers, know | H8 prologue.17 |
| To ranke our chosen Truth with such a show | To rank our chosen truth with such a show | H8 prologue.18 |
| As Foole, and Fight is, beside forfeyting | As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting | H8 prologue.19 |
| Our owne Braines, and the Opinion that we bring | Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring | H8 prologue.20 |
| To make that onely true, we now intend, | To make that only true we now intend, | H8 prologue.21 |
| Will leaue vs neuer an vnderstanding Friend | Will leave us never an understanding friend. | H8 prologue.22 |
| Therefore, for Goodnesse sake, and as you are knowne | Therefore, for goodness' sake, and as you are known | H8 prologue.23 |
| The First and Happiest Hearers of the Towne, | The first and happiest hearers of the town, | H8 prologue.24 |
| Be sad, as we would make ye. Thinke ye see | Be sad, as we would make ye. Think ye see | H8 prologue.25 |
| The very Persons of our Noble Story, | The very persons of our noble story | H8 prologue.26 |
| As they were Liuing: Thinke you see them Great, | As they were living; think you see them great, | H8 prologue.27 |
| And follow'd with the generall throng, and sweat | And followed with the general throng and sweat | H8 prologue.28 |
| Of thousand Friends: Then, in a moment, see | Of thousand friends: then, in a moment, see | H8 prologue.29 |
| How soone this Mightinesse, meets Misery: | How soon this mightiness meets misery. | H8 prologue.30 |
| And if you can be merry then, Ile say, | And if you can be merry then, I'll say | H8 prologue.31 |
| A Man may weepe vpon his Wedding day. | A man may weep upon his wedding-day. | H8 prologue.32 |