HENRY IV. ACT I. SCENE I, Northumberland's Castle. Enter Lord Bardolph; the Porter at the door. W BARDOLPH. HO keeps the gate here, hoa? where is the Port. What fhall I fay you are? The fecond Part of Henry IV, The Tranfactions comprized in this Hiftory take up about nine Years. The Action commences with the Account of Hot-fpur's being defeated and killed; and clofes with the Death of K. Henry IV, and the Coronation of K. Henry V. THEOBALD. Mr. Upton thinks these two plays improperly called the firft and fecond parts of Henry the fourth. The firft play ends, he fays, with the peaceful fettlement of Henry in the kingdom by the defeat of the rebels. This is hardly true, for the re bels are not yet finally fuppreffed. The fecond, he tells us, fhews Henry the fifth in the various lights of a good-natured rake, till, on his father's death, he affumes a more manly character. This is true; but this reprefentation gives us no idea of a dramatick action. These two plays will appear to every reader, who fhall perufe them without ambition of critical discoveries, to be fo connected that the fecond is merely a fequel to the firft; to be two only because they are too long to be one, That That the lord Bardolph doth attend him here. Enter Northumberland. Bard. Here's the Earl. North. What news, lord Bardolph? ev'ry minute now Should be the father of fome ftratagem. Bard. Noble Earl, I bring you certain news from Shrewsbury. Bard. As good as heart can wish. The King is almoft wounded to the death: Prince Harry flain outright; and both the Blunts North. How is this deriv'd? Saw you the field? came you from Shrewsbury? A gentleman well bred, and of good name; father of fome firatagem.] Stratagem, for vigorous action. WARBURTON. On On Tuesday laft to liften after news. Bard. My lord, I over-rode him on the way, SCENE II. Enter Travers. North. Now, Travers, what good tidings come with you? Tra. My lord, Sir John Umfrevil turn'd me back With joyful tidings; and, being better hors'd, Out-rode me. After him came fpurring hard A gentleman, almoft fore-fpent with speed, That stopp'd by me to breathe his bloodied horfe; He afk'd the way to Chefter; and of him I did demand what news from Shrewsbury. He told me, that Rebellion had ill luck; And that young Harry Percy's fpur was cold. With that he gave his able horfe the head, And, bending forward, ftruck his agile heels Against the panting fides of his poor jade Up to the rowel-head; and, ftarting fo, He feem'd in running to devour the way, Staying no longer queftion. North. Ha?-again Said he, young Harry Percy's fpur was cold? Bard. My lord, I'll tell you; If my young lord your fon have not the day, Rowel-head] I think that I have obferved in old prints the rowel of thofe times to have been 4 only a fingle spike. Silken point.] A point is a firing tagged, or lace. North. North. Why should the gentleman, that rode by Give then fuch inftances of lofs? Bard. Who he? He was fome hilding fellow, that had ftoll'n North. Yea, this man's brow, like to a title-leaf, Say, Morton, didit thou come from Shrewsbury? North. How doth my fon, and Brother? 2 So dull, fo dead in look, fo woe-be-gone, But in the end, to ftop mine ear indeed, North. Why, he is dead. See, what a ready tongue fufpicion hath. He, that but but fears the thing he would not know, And make thee rich for doing me fuch wrong. 3 Your Spirit.] The impref. fion upon your mind, by which you conceive the death of your fon. 4 Yet for all this, fay not, &c.] The contradiction in the first part of this fpeech might be imputed to the diftraction of Northumberland's mind, but the calmness of the reflection, contained in the laft lines, feems not much to countenance fuch a fuppofition. I will venture to diftribute this paffage in a manner which will, I hope, feem more commodious, but do not wish the reader to forget, that the most commodious is not always the true reading. Bard. Yet for all this, fay not |