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REMARKS

ON THE

PLOT, THE FABLE, AND CONSTRUCTION

OF

KING HENRY V.

KING HENRY V.] This play was writ (as appears from a passage in the chorus to the fifth Act) at the time of the earl of Essex's commanding the forces in Ireland in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and not till after Henry the Sixth had been played, as may be seen by the conclusion of this play.

POPE.

The transactions comprised in this historical drama commence about the latter end of the first, and terminate in the eighth year of this king's reign: when he married Katharine princess of France, and closed up the differences betwixt England and that crown.

THEOBALD.

There are two more entries of a play of Henry V. viz. between 1596 and 1615, and one August 14th, 1600. I have two copies of it in my possession: one without date (which seems much the elder of the two) and another (apparently printed from it) dated 1617, though printed by Bernard Alsop (who was printer of the other edition) and sold by the same person and at the same place. Alsop appears to have been a printer before the year 1600, and was afterwards one

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of the twenty appointed by decree of the star-chamber to print for this kingdom. I believe, however, this piece to have been prior to that of Shakspeare for several reasons. First, because it is highly probable that it is the very " displeasing play" alluded to in the epilogue to the Second Part of King Henry IV.— for Oldcastle died a martyr. Oldcastle is the Falstaff of the piece, which is despicable, and full of ribaldry and impiety from the first scene to the last.

-Secondly, because Shakspeare seems to have taken not a few hints from it; for it comprehends in some measure the story of the two parts of Henry IV. as well as of Henry V: and no ignorance, I think, could debase the gold of Shakspeare into such dross; though no chemistry but that of Shakspeare could exalt such base metal into gold.- -When the Prince of Wales in Henry IV. calls Falstaff my old lad of the Castle, it is probably but a sneering allusion to the deserved fate which this performance met with; for there is no proof that our poet was ever obliged to change the name of Oldcastle into that of Falstaff, though there is an absolute certainty that this piece must have been condemned by any audience before whom it was ever represented.

Lastly, because it appears (as Dr. Farmer has observed) from the Jests of the famous comedian Tarlton, 4to. 1611, that he had been particularly celebrated in the part of the Clown in Henry V. and though this character does not exist in our play, we find it in the other, which, for the reasons al

523

ready enumerated, I suppose to have been prior to this.

This anonymous play of Henry V. is neither divided into acts or scenes, is uncommonly short, and has all the appearance of having been imperfectly taken down during the representation. As much of it appears to have been omitted, we may suppose that the author did not think it convenient for his reputation to publish a more ample copy. STEEVENS.

This play has many scenes of high dignity, and many of easy merriment. The character of the king is well supported, except in his courtship, where he has neither the vivacity of Hal, nor the grandeur of Henry. The humour of Pistol is very happily continued: his character has perhaps been the model of all the bullies that have yet appeared on the English stage.

The lines given to the Chorus have many admirers; but the truth is, that in them a little may be praised, and much must be forgiven; nor can it be easily discovered why the intelligence given by the Chorus is more necessary in this play than in many others where it is omitted. The great defect of this play is the emptiness and narrowness of the last act, which a very little diligence might have easily avoided.

JOHNSON.

KING HENRY THE FIFTH.

Duke of GLOSTER, Brothers to the King.
Duke of BEDFORD,

Duke of EXETER, Uncle to the King.

Duke of YORK, Cousin to the King.

Earls of SALISBURY, WESTMORELAND, and WAR

WICK.

Archbishop of CANTERBURY.

Bishop of ELY.

Earl of CAMBRIDGE,

Lord SCROOP,

Sir THOMAS GREY,

Conspirators against the King.

Sir THOMAS ERPINGHAM, GOWER, FLUELLEN, MACMORRIS, JAMY, Officers in King HENRY'S

Army.

BATES, COURT, WILLIAMS, Soldiers in the same.
NYM, BARDOLPH, PISTOL, formerly Servants to FAL-
STAFF, now Soldiers in the same.

Boy, Servant to them. A Herald. Chorus.
CHARLES the Sixth, King of France.

LEWIS, the Dauphin.

Dukes of BURGUNDY, ORLEANS, and BOURBON.

The Constable of FRANCE.

RAMBURES, and GRANDPREE, French Lords.

Governor of HARFLEUR. MONTJOY, a French Herald.

Ambassadors to the King of ENGLAND.

ISABEL, Queen of France.

KATHARINE, Daughter of CHARLES and ISABEL. ALICE, a Lady attending on the Princess KATHARINE.

QUICKLY, PISTOL's Wife, and Hostess.

Lords, Ladies, Officers, French and English Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants.

The SCENE, at the Beginning of the Play, lies in England; but afterwards, wholly in France.

Enter CHORUS.

O, for a muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention!

A kingdom for a stage, princes to act,
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,
Assume the port of Mars; and, at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire,
Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all,
The flat unraised spirit, that hath dar'd,
On this unworthy scaffold, to bring forth
So great an object: Can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram,
Within this wooden O1, the very casques 2,
That did affright the air at Agincourt?
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest, in little place, a million;
And let us, cyphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work 3:
Suppose, within the girdle of these walls
Are now confin'd two mighty monarchies,
Whose high upreared and abutting fronts
The perilous, narrow ocean parts asunder.
Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;
Into a thousand parts divide one man,
And make imaginary puissance+:

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