THE transactions comprized in this history take up about nine years. The 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 entered at Stationers' Hall, August 23. 1600. STEEVENS. The Second Part of King Henry IV. I suppose to have been written in 1598. 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- THOMAS, Duke of Clarence; Prince JOHN of Lancaster', afterwards his Sons. (2 Henry V.) Duke of Bedford; Prince HUMPHREY of Gloster, afterwards (2 Henry V.) Duke of Gloster; Earl of WARWICK ; } Earl of WESTMORELAND; of the King's party. 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 COLVILLE; 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, Recruits. FANG and SNARE, Sheriff's Officers. RUMOUR. A Porter. A Dancer, Speaker of the Epilogue. Lady NORTHUMBERLAND. Lady PERCY. Hostess QUICKLY. DOLL TEAR-SHEET. Lords and other Attendants; Officers, Soldiers, Messenger, Drawers, Beadles, Grooms, &c. SCENE, ENGLAND. 1 See note under the Persona Dramatis of the First Part of this Play. STEEVENS. INDUCTION. Warkworth. Before Northumberland's Castle. Enter RUMOUR', painted full of tongues. Rum. Open your ears; For which of you will stop That the blunt monster with uncounted heads, Enter RUMOUR.] This speech of Rumour is not inelegant or unpoetical, but it is wholly useless, since we are told nothing which the first scene does not clearly and naturally discover. The only end of such prologues is to inform the audience of some facts previous to the action, of which they can have no knowledge from the persons of the drama. JOHNSON. Among my houshold? Why is Rumour here? Who, in a bloody field by Shrewsbury, Hath beaten down young Hotspur, and his troops, Even with the rebels' blood. But what mean I To noise abroad, — that Harry Monmouth fell And not a man of them brings other news Than they have learn'd of me; From Rumour's tongues They bring smooth comforts false, worse than true wrongs. [Exit. |