KING HENRY IV.

PART FIRST.

The Two Parts of King Henry the Fourth, as well as the subsequent play of King Henry the Fifth, were dramatic and poetic developments of an old play, very often performed, but not printed till 1598-entitled "The Chronicle Historie of Henry the fift, with his battell fought at Agin Court in France. Togither with Auncient Pistoll: As it was plaide by the Queenes Maiesties Players." This, however, is evidently a reprint of some earlier version, of which no trace can now be found. Of this second publication (of 1598) only one copy is known to exist in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Its chief peculiarities are, its unpoetic treatment of bare historical facts, and the introduction of an unimportant character (to whom are assigned only about thirty lines during the whole play,) named Sir John (or Jockey) Oldcastle.

Shakespeare's First Part of Henry the Fourth was written in 1597, and printed in 1598; entered in the Stationers' Register as "A booke entitled the Historie of Henry the Fourth, with his battle at Shrewsbury against Hottspurre of the North, with the conceipted Mirth of Sir John Falstaff." Of this play no fewer than five editions were printed before its appearance in the folio of 1623. In the first version given to the actors (in 1597) Shakespeare seems to have retained the name of Sir John Oldcastle; but, hearing that the historical Sir John-afterwards better known as Lord Cobham, and burnt at the stake (1417) for his liberal religious opinions-was a man of unblemished character, the dramatist changed the name to Falstaff. In the earlier portion of this play (page 96) it will be observed that the Prince addresses Sir John as "My old lad of the Castle "-the first reference which Shakespeare has made to the change of name; the second is found in the Epilogue, at the end of the Second Part of the play, when the dramatist thus announces his intention of producing another play: "If you be not too much cloyed with fat meat, our humble author will continue the story with Sir John in it * * where, for anything I know, Falstaff shall die of a sweat, unless already he be killed with your hard opinion; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man."-The quaint old "Worthy," Thomas Fuller, says in his "Church History," (1656): “Stage poets have themselves been very bold with, and others very merry at, the memory of Sir John Oldcastle, whom they have fancied a boon companion, a jovial royster, and a coward to boot. The best is, Sir John Falstaff hath relieved the memory of Sir John Oldcastle, and of late is substituted buffoon in his place."

*

Shakespeare's object was to give, by these dramatic reproductions of old plays, (aided by his own developments), a series of connected theatrical pictures, in the Historical Plays of King John, Richard the Second, Henry the Fourth, and Henry the Fifth.

The Action is in various parts of England and Wales, chiefly in or near London; and, later, at Shrewsbury, in Shropshire.

The Time extends over about ten months; beginning at the Battle of Holmedon (or Halidown) Hill in 1402, and ending with the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.

It will be remembered that, in consequence of the deposition of King Richard the Second-in 1399-Henry Hereford, or Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, ascended the throne by the title of Henry the Fourth; and that his fears, as a usurper, were speedily allayed by the assassination of the late King in 1400.

Notwithstanding his apparent security, Henry IV lived in constant dread of secret enemies;-being at war with the Scotsharassed by insurrectionary tumults in many parts of Englanduneasy at the irregularities of his son the Prince of Wales-infirm in health, and tortured with remorse: he resolved, therefore, to expiate his sins and make his peace with heaven, by a warlike pilgrimage to the Holy Land: for, although the Crusades were practically ended, there was still a restless desire, with many European princes, to recover Jerusalem-if not all the Holy Land-from the Infidels.

The First Scene is a Chamber of the Palace in London. King Henry is attended by the Earl of Westmoreland, Sir Walter Blunt, and others.

K. Hen. So shaken as we are, so wan with care,
Find we a time for frighted Peace to 'pant;2

2 To breathe after violent exercise.

Then, say, my gentle cousin Westmoreland, What yesternight our Council did decree. West. But yesternight, there came, my sovereign liege, A post from 'Wales, loaden with 'heavy news; Whose 'worst was,-that the noble Mortimer, (Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight Against the irregular and wild Glendower,) Was, by the rude hands of that Welshman, taken. K. Hen. It seems, then, that the 'tidings of this broil Brake off 'our business for the Holy Land? West. This, matched with other, did, my gracious lord; For, 'more uneven and unwelcome news Came from the 'North;

And he that brought them, in the very heat

And pride of their contention, did take horse,-
Uncertain of the 'issue any way.

K. Hen. Here is a dear and true-industrious friend,
Sir Walter Blunt, new-lighted from his horse;

And he hath brought us smooth and 'welcome news:—
The Earl of Douglas is 'discomfited

On Holmedon's plains: Of 'prisoners, Hotspur took
Mordake, the Earl of Fife, and eldest son

To beaten Douglas; and the Earls of Athol,
Of Murray, Angus, and Menteith.

And is not this an 'honourable spoil?

A gallant 'prize? Ha, cousin, is it not?

West. In faith, a conquest for a 'Prince to boast of.
K. Hen. . . . Yea, there thou mak'st me sad; and mak'st

me sin,

In 'envy, that my Lord Northumberland

Should be the 'father of so blest a son;

Whilst I, by looking on the praise of 'him,

See riot and 'dis-honour stain the brow

Of 'my young Harry.-But let him from my thoughts!-
What think you, coz,

Of this young Percy's 'pride? The prisoners,

Which he in this adventure hath surprised,

To his 'own use he keeps; and sends me word,
I shall have none,-but Mordake, Earl of Fife.
West. This is his 'uncle's teaching! this is 'Worcester !
K. Hen. But I have sent for him to 'answer this;

And, for this cause, awhile we must 'neglect
Our holy purpose to Jerusalem.

Cousin, on Wednesday next our council we

Will hold at Windsor,—so inform the lords. West. I will, my liege.

[Exeunt.

The Scene is now in the Council Chamber at Windsor. There are specially present the Earl of Northumberland and his Son Henry Percy, (now surnamed Hotspur.) The Earl of Worcester, brother to Northumberland, and deeply involved in the conduct of the Percies, stands in a prominent position. The scene is disclosed in the midst of an angry altercation : The King speaks:

K. Hen. My blood 'hath been too 'cold and temperate,
Unapt to 'stir at these indignities;

I will, from henceforth, rather be 'myself,-
Mighty, and to be feared,-than my condition
Which hath been smooth as oil, soft as young down,
And therefore 'lost that title of respect

Which the 'proud soul ne'er pays, but 'to the proud.

Worcester says:

Wor. Our House, my sovereign liege, little deserves
The scourge of greatness to be used on it;

And that 'same greatness, too, which our 'own hands
Have holp to make so portly.

K. Hen. Worcester, get thee gone! for I do see
Danger and disobedience in thine eye.

O, sir! Your presence is too peremptory;
And majesty might never yet endure

The moody frontier' of a 'servant-brow.

You have good leave to 'leave us; when we 'need Your use and counsel, we shall 'send for you.— [Exit Wor. My lord Northumberland, 'you were about to speak. North. Yea, my good lord. Those prisoners, in your highness' name demanded, Which Harry Percy here at Holmedon took, Were, as he says, not with such strength denied, As was delivered to your majesty.

Hotspur at once endeavors to justify himself.

Hot. My liege, I did deny 'no prisoners.

But, I remember, when the fight was done,
(When I was dry with rage and extreme toil,
Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword,)

Came there... a certain Lord,-neat, trimly dressed,
Fresh as a 'bridegroom; and his chin, new reaped,
Showed like a stubble-land at harvest home:

He was perfuméd like a 'milliner ;

2 Front or forehead.

And, twixt his finger and his thumb, he held
A pouncet 2-box, which ever and anon
He gave his nose, and took 't away again ;
And still he smiled, and talked ;

And, as the soldiers bore dead bodies by,
He called them-untaught knaves! unmannerly!
To bring a slovenly unhandsome corse
Betwixt the wind and his nobility.

With many holiday and 'lady terms

He questioned 'me; among the rest, 'demanded
My prisoners in your majesty's behalf.

I then, all smarting with my wounds, (being galled3
To be so pestered with a 'popinjay,*)

Out of my grief and my impatience

Answered, neglectingly,... I know not what,—
He should, or he should 'not; for he made me 'mad
To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet,
And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman,

Of guns, and drums, and wounds, (O, save the mark!)
And telling me-" the sovereign'st thing on earth
Was parmaciti3 for an inward bruise;
And "that it was great pity, so it was,
That villainous saltpetre should be digged
Out of the bowels of the harmless earth ;
Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed
So cowardly;" and, "but for these 'vile 'guns,
He would 'himself have been a 'soldier!"
This bald unjointed 'chat of his, my lord,
I answered 'indirectly, as I said;

And, I beseech you, let not 'his report
Come current for an 'accusation,

Betwixt my love and your high 'majesty.
Sir Walter Blunt interposes:

Blunt. The circumstance considered, good my lord,
Whatever Harry Percy 'then had said—
To 'such a person, and in such a 'place,
At such a 'time, with all the rest 're-told,—
May reasonably 'die; and never rise
To do him 'wrong, or 'any way impeach
What 'then he said, so he 'un-say it now.
K. Hen. Why, 'yet he doth deny his prisoners;
But with proviso and exception,

6

That we, at our own charge, shall ransom straight
His brother-in-law, the foolish Mortimer;

Perfume.

3 O. R. with my wounds being cold.
6 Conditional stipulation.

4 A parrot. 7 Cost, expense.

5 Spermaceti.