HENRY

IV.

PART I
T

KING HENRY THE FOURTH.

HENRY, Prince of Wales,

JOHN of LANCASTER,

EARL of WORCESTER.

}

Sons to the King.

EARL of NORTHUMBERLAND.
HENRY PERCY, furnamed HOTSPUR.
EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March.
SCROOP, Archbishop of York.
ARCHIBALD, Earl of Douglas.
OWEN GLENDOWER.
SIR RICHARD VERNON.
EARL of WESTMORELAND.
SIR WALTER BLUNT.
SIR JOHN FALSTAFF.

LADY PERCY, Wife to HOTSPUR, Sifter to MORTIMER. LADY MORTIMER, Daughter to GLENDOWER, and Wife to MORTIMER.

QUICKLY, Hoftefs of a Tavern in Eastcheap.

Sheriff, Vintner, Chamberlain, Drawers, two Carriers, Travellers, and Attendants, &c.

SCENE-ENGLAND.

THIS PLAY, confifting of two parts, was written in the years 1597-8, and founded in fome degree upon an old performance, entitled, "The famous Victories of Henry the Fifth." This first part commences with the news of Hotspur's conqueft gained in Scotland on Holy-rood day (Sept. 14th) 1402; and concludes with his defeat and death at Shrewsbury, July 21ft, 1403, forming an interesting, though small portion of that regular series of historical events, which Shakspeare hath purfued from the reign of Richard IId. to that of Henry V. deduced principally from the collections of our British Chroniclers.

Enter King Henry, Earl of Westmoreland, Sir Walter Blunt, and others.

K. Henry. So fhaken as we are, so wan with care,
Find we a time for frighted peace to pant,
And breathe fhort-winded accents of new broils
To be commenc'd in ftronds afar remote ?

b

No more the thirsty entrance of this foil

Shall daub her lips with her own children's blood;
No more shall trenching war channel her fields,
Nor bruife her flowrets with the armed hoofs
Of hoftile paces: thofe oppofed eyes,

Which, like the meteors of a troubled heaven,

to pant, and breathe short-winded accents of new broils]-to repose herself a while, and recover fufficient breath to propofe new, but dif tant wars?

thirfiy entrance]-parched, or porous furface (those lips through which moisture paffes, or is thirftily drank, or foaked up) fhall no more be ftained with the blood of its inhabitants.

• oppofed eyes, &c.]-opponents, which like clouds representing armies in the air.

VOL. III.

Hh

All

All of one nature, of one fubftance bred,-
Did lately meet in the inteftine shock
And furious clofe of civil butchery,
Shall now, in mutual, well-befeeming ranks,
March all one way; and be no more oppos'd
Against acquaintance, kindred, and allies:
The edge of war, like an ill-fheathed knife,
No more fhall cut his master. Therefore, friends,
As far as to the fepulchre of Christ,

(Whofe foldier now, under whofe bleffed crofs
We are impreffed and engag'd to fight)

d

Forthwith a power of Englifh fhall we lead;
Whole arms were moulded in their mothers' wombs
To chase these pagans, in those holy fields,

Over whofe acres walk'd those bleffed feet,

Which, fourteen hundred years ago, were nail'd,
For our advantage, on the bitter cross.

But this our purpose is a twelve-month old,
And bootlefs 'tis to tell you-we will go:
Therefore we meet not now.-Then let me hear
Of you, my gentle coufin Weltmoreland,
What yefternight our council did decree,
In forwarding this dear expedience.

Weft. My liege, this hafte was hot in queflion,
And many
f limits of the charge fet down
But yesternight: when, all athwart, there came
A poft from Wales, loaden with heavy news;
Whole 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 Welfhman taken;
A thousand of his people butchered,

d Levy.

• dear expedience.]-favourite expedition.

limits-outlines, eftimates.

Upon

Upon whofe dead corps there was such misuse,
Such beaftly, fhameless transformation,
By thofe Welshwomen done, as may not be,
Without much shame, retold or spoken of.

K. Henry. It feems then, that the tidings of this broil Brake off our business from the Holy land.

Weft. This, match'd with other, did, my gracious lord; For more uneven and unwelcome news

Came from the north, and thus it did import.
On Holy-rood day, the gallant Hotspur there,
Young Harry Percy, and brave Archibald,
That ever-valiant and approved Scot,

At Holmedon met,

Where they did fpend a fad and bloody hour;
As by discharge of their artillery,

And shape of likelihood, the news was told;
For he that brought it, in the very heat
And pride of their contention did take horse,
Uncertain of the iffue any way.

K. Henry. Here is a dear and true-induftrious friend,
Sir Walter Blunt, new lighted from his horse,
Stain'd with the variation of each foil

Betwixt that Holmedon and this feat of ours;

And he hath brought us smooth and welcome news.
The earl of Douglas is difcomfited;

Ten thousand bold Scots, two and twenty knights,
'Balk'd in their own blood, did fir Walter fee
On Holmedon's plains: Of prifoners, Hotspur took
Mordake the earl of Fife, the regent's fon,

Archibald,]-Douglas, Earl of Douglas.

in the very beat]-during the fury of the battle, and whilft both fides feemed to be equally match'd.

i Balk'd]-Lying in heaps, or ridges—Bak'd, Bath'd.

the regent's fon,]-fon of the Duke of Albany, regent of Scotland. -and eldest fon-Ta.

Hh 2

The