The SECOND PART OF KING HENRY IV.] The transactions comprized in this history take up about nine years. action commences with the account of Hotspur's being defeated and killed [1403;] and closes with the death of King Henry IV. and the coronation of King Henry V. [1412-13.] THEOBALD. This play was first entered at Stationers' Hall, August 23, 1600. STEEVENS. The Second Part of King Henry IV. I suppose to have been written in 1598. See An Attempt to ascertain the Order of Shakespeare's Plays, Vol. II. MALONE. Mr. Upton thinks these two plays improperly called The First and Second Parts of Henry the Fourth. The first play ends, he says, with the peaceful settlement of Henry in the kingdom by the defeat of the rebels. This is hardly true; for the rebels are not yet finally suppressed. The second, he tells us, shows Henry the Fifth in the various lights of a good-natured rake, till, on his father's death, he assumes a more manly character. This is true; but this representation gives us no idea of a dramatick action. These two plays will appear to every reader, who shall peruse them without ambition of critical discoveries, to be so connected, that the second is merely a sequel to the first; to be two only because they are too long to be one. JOHNSON. King HENRY the Fourth: HENRY, prince of Wales, afterwards King Henry V.; THOMAS, duke of Clarence; Prince JOHN of Lancaster, afterwards (2 Henry V.) Duke of Bedford; Prince HUMPHREY of Gloster, afterwards (2 Henry V.) Duke of Gloster; Earl of WARWICK; Earl of WESTMORELAND; GOWER; HARCOURT; Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. A Gentleman attending on the chief justice. Earl of NORTHUMBERLAND; SCROOP, archbishop of York; Lord MOWBRAY; Lord HASTINGS; Lord BARDOLPH; Sir JOHN COLEVILE; his sons. enemies to the king. TRAVERS and MORTON, domesticks of Northumberland. FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, Pistol, and Page. POINS and PETO, attendants on Prince Henry. SHALLOW and SILENCE, country justices. DAVY, servant to Shallow. MOULDY, SHADOW, WART, FEEBLE, and BULLCALF, Lords and other Attendants; Officers, Soldiers, Messenger, Drawers, Beadles, Grooms, &c. SCENE, England. INDUCTION. Warkworth. Before Northumberland's castle. Enter Rumour, painted full of tongues. Rum. Open your ears; For which of you will stop Make fearful musters, and prepar'd defence; That the blunt monster with uncounted heads, Can play upon it. But what need I thus Among my houshold? Why is Rumour here? Hath beaten down young Hotspur, and his troops, Even with the rebels' blood. But what mean I To noise abroad,—that Harry Monmouth fell Than they have learn'd of me; From Rumour's tonguès wrongs. [Exit, SECOND PART OF KING HENRY IV. ACT I. SCENE I. The same. The Porter before the gate; Enter Lord BARDOLPH. Bard. Who keeps the gate here, ho? Where is the earl? Port. What shall I say you are? Bard. Tell thou the earl, That the lord Bardolph doth attend him here. Port. His lordship is walk'd forth into the orchard; Please it your honour, knock but at the gate, And he himself will answer. Bard. Enter NORTHUMBERLAND. Here comes the earl. North. What news, lord Bardolph? every minute now Should be the father of some stratagem: The times are wild; contention, like a horse |