Henry IV, Part 2
Page 14
Q = First Quarto text of 1600
F = First Folio text of 1623
F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
SD = stage direction
SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)
List of parts: adapted from THE ACTORS NAMES at end of F text
Induction SH RUMOUR = Ed. Not in F 000 hold = Ed. F = Hole
1.1.142 hard = Q. F = head 68 Spoke = Q. F = Speake a venture = Q. F = aduenture 188 brought = F2. F = bring
1.2.6 clay, man spelled Clay-man in F 91 for = Q. Not in F
2.1.1 SH HOSTESS QUICKLY = Ed. F = Hostesse 149, 152 SH GOWER = Ed. F = Mes. 164 counties = Q. F = Countries
2.2.14 videlicet spelled Viz. in F 100 borrower’s = Ed. F = borrowed
2.3.5 SH LADY NORTHUMBERLAND = Ed. F = Wife. (throughout the scene)
2.4.132 With = Q. F = where 199 SD Musicians = Ed. F = Musique 227 avoirdupois spelled Haber-de-pois in F
3.2.138 SH FALSTAFF = Ed. F = Shal.
4.1.39 appeared = Ed. F = appeare 118 force = Ed. F = forc’d 252 th’imagined = Ed. F = th’imagine 435 My…report set as prose in F, but some eds set as verse because of rhyme on court/report 450 curdy spelled cruddie in F
4.2.262 will = Q. F = swill 277 moist = Q. F = most 372 swoon = Q. F = swoon’d
5.2.37 th’impartial = Q. F = th’Imperiall 45 SH KING HENRY V = Ed. F = Prince. 197 your = Q. F = you
5.3.22 Give = Q. F = Good 88 Cophetua = Q. F = Couitha 89 SH SILENCE = Ed. F = Shal.
5.4.4 SH FIRST BEADLE = Ed. F = Off.
5.5.16 SH PISTOL = F. Some eds reassign to SHALLOW 18 SH PISTOL = F. Some eds reassign to SHALLOW 107 Epilogue text follows F. Q divides into three paragraphs: (1) from First my feare to promise you infinitely: and so I kneele downe before you; but indeed, to pray for the Queene. (2) from If my tongue cannot to such as assemblie. (3) from One word more to wil bid you, good night. I.e. Fmoves prayer for the Queen to the end. The confusion may be caused by the conflation of two distinct epilogues, perhaps one for public and one for court performance
QUARTO PASSAGES THAT DO
NOT APPEAR IN THE FOLIO
Following 1.2.193:
but it was alway yet the trick of our English nation, if they have a good thing, to make it too common. If ye will needs say I am an old man, you should give me rest. I would to God my name were not so terrible to the enemy as it is: I were better to be eaten to death with a rust than to be scoured to nothing with perpetual motion.
Following 2.2.24:
and God knows, whether those that bawl out the ruins of thy linen shall inherit his kingdom: but the midwives say the children are not in the fault; whereupon the world increases, and kindreds are mightily strengthened.
Following 2.4.14:
Dispatch: the room where they supped is too hot; they’ll come in straight.
Following 2.4.58:
DOLL TEARSHEET Hang yourself, you muddy conger, hang
yourself!
Following 2.4.135:
FALSTAFF No more, Pistol; I would not have you discharge
yourself of our company, Pistol.
After “divers liquors!” in 3.1.53:
O, if this were seen,
The happiest youth, viewing his progress through,
What perils past, what crosses to ensue,
Would shut the book, and sit him down and die.
OATHS FROM THE QUARTO
The following oaths were altered in the Folio text as a result of the Parliamentary Act to Restrain the Abuses of Players (spelling has been modernized in this list):
QUARTO FOLIO
1.1.17 Good, and God will. Good, an heaven will!
1.1.117 I would to God I had I would to heaven I had
not seen not seen
1.2.20 a face-royal, God may a face-royal. Heaven
finish may finish
1.2.30 glutton, pray God his glutton! May his tongue
tongue
1.2.84 My good lord, God give My good lord! Give your
your lordship lordship
1.2.99 Well, God mend him. Well, heaven mend him!
1.2.179 Well, God send the Well, heaven send the
prince prince
1.2.181 God send the Heaven send the
companion companion
1.2.188 for, by the Lord, I take for if I take
1.2.194–5 and God bless your and heaven bless your
expedition expedition
1.3.19 Yea Mary, there’s the Ay, marry,* there’s the
point point
2.1.6 O Lord I, good Master Ay, ay, good Master
Snare Snare
2.1.104 Pray thee peace Prithee,* peace
2.1.122 Faith you said so Nay, you said so before
before
2.1.135 Pray thee, Sir John Prithee, Sir John
2.1.135–6 i’faith I am loath to I loath to pawn my
pawn my plate so plate, in good
God save me law earnest, la
2.2.1 Before God, I am Trust me, I am
2.2.4 Faith it does me It doth me,
2.2.26 Yes faith, and let it be Yes, and let it be
2.2.31 Mary I tell thee Why, I tell thee
2.2.52 By this light I am well Nay, I am well spoken
spoken on of.
2.2.55–6 help: by the mass here help. Look, look, here
comes … comes …
2.2.60 God save your grace Save your grace
2.2.119 God send the wench no May the wench have no
2.3.1 I pray thee I prithee
2.3.9 O yet for God’s sake O, yet, for heaven’s sake
2.3.17 For yours, the God of For yours, may
heaven brighten it heavenly glory …
2.4.1 What the devil hast thou What hast thou
2.4.3 Mass thou say’st true Thou say’st true
2.4.15 By the mass here will Then here will be
2.4.18 I’faith sweetheart Sweetheart
2.4.21 rose, in good truth law: rose. But, you have
but i’faith you have
2.4.31 yea, good faith. yea, good sooth.
2.4.34 A pox damn you, you You muddy rascal
muddy rascal
2.4.84–5 a tame cheater i’faith, a tame cheater he. You
2.4.95 God save you, Sir John. Save you, Sir John!
2.4.111 sir: God’s light, with sir? What, with
2.4.112 God let me not live, I will murder
but I will murder
2.4.121–2 a captain? God’s light A captain? These
these villains villains
2.4.136–7 ’tis very late i’faith, I It is very late. I beseek
beseek
2.4.152–3 her? For God’s sake be her? I pray be quiet
quiet
2.4.163 For God’s sake thrust Thrust him
him
2.4.178 I pray thee, Jack, I I prithee, Jack, I prithee
pray thee
2.4.204 I’faith and thou And thou
2.4.242 By my troth I kiss thee Nay truly, I kiss thee
2.4.251 By my troth thou’t Thou wilt set me
set me
2.4.264–6 by my troth welcome Welcome … Now,
… now the Lord heaven bless … thine!
bless … thine, What, are you
O Jesu, are you
2.4.275 God’s blessing of your Blessing on your
3.1.45 O God that one O, heaven! That one
3.1.68 Though then God Though then, heaven
knows, I knows, I
3.1.97 upon my soul, Upon my life,
3.2.15 By the mass I was I was called anything,
called anything:
3.2.29–30 Gray’s Inn: Jesu, Jesu, Gray’s Inn. O, the mad
the mad
3.2.33–4 death (as the Psalmist death is certain
saith) is certain
3.2.36 By my troth I was not Truly, cousin, I was not
there there
3.2.40 Jesu, Jesu, dead! A Dead? See, see, he drew
drew
3.2.56 tall gentleman, by tall gentleman, and
heaven, and
3.2.62 It is well said in faith It is well said, sir;
sir,
3.2.70 command, by heaven, command.
accommodated ‘Accommodated’
3.2.75–6 hand, by my troth: hand. Trust me
Trust me
3.2.99 excellent i’faith, things excellent! Things
3.2.100 good, in faith well said good. Well said
3.2.113 Yea Mary Ay, marry
3.2.160 Fore God a likely Trust me, a likely
3.2.162 O lord, good my lord O, good my lord captain
captain
3.2.164 O Lord sir, I am O, sir! I am
3.2.175 you, by my troth you, in good troth
3.2.186 By the mass I could I could
3.2.199 dinner, Jesus the days dinner. O, the days
3.2.214 By my troth I … owe God a death I … we owe a death
3.2.219 Faith, I’ll bear Nay, I will bear
3.2.249 Well said i’faith Wart, Well said, Wart.
3.2.259–60 Shallow, God keep you Shallow. Farewell,
Master Master
3.2.263–4 Sir John, the Lord bless Sir John, heaven bless
you, God prosper you and prosper your
your affairs, God affairs, and send us
send us peace at peace!
your return,
3.2.267 Fore God would you I would you would
would
3.2.268 word, God keep you. word. Fare you well.
3.2.272 Shallow, Lord, Lord, Shallow. How
how
4.1.182 peace, which God so peace, which heaven so
4.1.232 in God’s name then in heaven’s name then
forward forward
4.1.250 the books of God the books of heaven
4.1.252 voice of God himself voice of heaven itself
4.1.260 zeal of God zeal of heaven
4.1.295 Upon my soul they Upon my life, they
4.1.360 God, and not we Heaven, and not we,
4.1.403 or by the Lord, I will or, I swear, I will have it
have it
4.2.1 Now lords, if God Now, lords, if heaven
doth doth
4.2.182 Which God shall Which heaven shall
guard: guard.
4.2.287 God witness Heaven witness
4.2.312 Let God for ever Let heaven forever
4.2.316 God put it in Heaven put it in
4.2.321 God knows Heaven knows
4.2.356 O God forgive O heaven forgive
4.2.374 Laud be to God, Laud be to heaven!
5.1.37 yet God forbid yet, heaven forbid,
5.2.20 O God, I fear Alas, I fear
5.2.44 and God save and heaven save
5.2.51 For by my faith it For, to speak truth, it
5.2.144 And God consigning And, heaven consigning
5.2.146 God shorten Heaven shorten
5.3.5 Fore God you have You have here
here
5.3.12 Sir John: by the mass John. I have
I have
5.3.16 praise God for praise heaven for
5.3.56 By the mass you’ll You’ll crack
crack
5.3.59 By God’s liggens* I thank thee
I thank thee
5.3.74 Sir John, God save you. Sir John, save you,
5.3.78 By’r’lady** I think a be Indeed, I think he be
5.3.84 I pray thee now I prithee now
5.3.123–4 blessed are they that Happy are they which
5.4.1 I would to God that I would I might
I might
5.4.11 O the Lord that O, that
5.4.12 but I pray God the But I would the
5.4.22 O God that right O, that right
5.5.8 God bless thy lungs Bless thy lungs
5.5.41 God save thy grace Save thy grace
5.5.43 God save thee Save thee,
5.5.57 For God doth know For heaven doth know
5.5.73 Yea Mary Aye, marry
SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS
INDUCTION
The allegorical figure of Rumour opens the play, posing questions about the nature of truth and the power of language. Rumour’s speech emphasizes confusion and uncertainty, not just in battle, but in the whole kingdom, divided by civil war. Rumour has given deliberately misleading information as to the outcome of the battle of Shrewsbury (at the end of Henry IV Part I) claiming that the king and Prince Henry were defeated and Hotspur triumphant, whereas in fact the opposite is true. The significance of past to present is clear and the inability to come to terms with the past leads to conflict in the future.
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Lines 1–146: Lord Bardolph reports to Northumberland that King Henry has been mortally wounded at Shrewsbury and that Northumberland’s son, Hotspur, has killed Prince Henry. He compares their victory to “Caesar’s fortunes,” placing the events of the play in a wider historical context and raising the recurrent theme of time. It becomes clear, however, that he has not witnessed these events and is merely repeating what he has been told, reinforcing the arguments made by Rumour in the Induction. Travers and Morton bring different reports. Travers’ information is also based on rumor, but suggests that the rebels have not done as well as Lord Bardolph believes. Despite Bardolph’s attempts to reassure Northumberland, Morton reveals the truth: Hotspur is dead. Northumberland does not need to be told this, however, as he can see the truth in Morton’s appearance: “the whiteness in thy cheek / Is apter than thy tongue to tell thy errand.” When Bardolph refuses to believe him, Morton explains that he actually saw Prince Henry kill Hotspur. He describes how the death of Hotspur, “whose spirit lent a fire / Even to the dullest peasant in his camp,” caused the rebel soldiers to flee from the battle. Morton announces that the king’s forces, led by Prince John and Westmorland, are on their way to fight Northumberland.
Lines 147–225: Playing on the theme of oppositions, Northumberland announces that “In poison there is physic”: the death of his son has given him the strength to fight. “Enraged with grief,” he makes a rousing declaration, calling for an end to everything (“Let order die!”), using the meta-theatrical image of a play that has gone on too long, “a ling’ring act,” to describe the civil conflict. Bardolph and Morton urge him to be rational, arguing that they all knew the possible outcome, and that none of their apprehensions could have prevented Hotspur’s “stiff-borne action” and death. Bardolph declares that they must go into battle again, and Morton agrees, adding that he has heard that the Archbishop of York is prepared to join the rebels. He argues that the presence of the Archbishop “Turns insurrection to religion,” giving credence to their cause and fresh confidence to their troops.
ACT 1 SCENE 2
Lines 1–51: In direct contrast to the serious nature of the previous scene, Falstaff’s disreputable behavior generates comedy. He delivers a long complaint about how, although he is “witty,” he is also “the cause” of wit in others. He complains that his Page, a gift from Prince Henry, makes him look foolish, comparing himself to a “sow that hath o’erwhelmed all her litter but one.” He continues to joke about the disparity in their sizes, referring to his Page as an “agate” and threatening to return him to the prince as an ornament. He also comments humorously on the youthful nature of the prince. He is interrupted by the arrival of the Lord Chief Justice, and tries to sneak away.
Lines 52–220: The Lord Chief Justice recognizes Falstaff from his role in a robbery (see Henry IV Part I), but his Servant tells him that Falstaff did “good service” in the battle at Shrewsbury, another instance of rumor belying truth. The Lord Chief Justice sends his Servant to attract Falstaff’s attention, but Falstaff tells his Page to pretend that he is deaf. This episode generates comedy but also highlights the wider theme of miscommunication. The Lord Chief Justice reminds Falstaff that, before the
battle of Shrewsbury, he sent for him to answer to charges that might have resulted in the death penalty. Falstaff uses his military service as a defense, and the Lord Chief Justice concedes that this “hath a little gilded over” his part in the robbery. He warns Falstaff that he should stay out of trouble and suggests that he should act more appropriately, reinforcing the sustained images of opposing youth and age: Falstaff’s “white beard” contrasts with his earlier references to the prince’s youthful, beardless countenance. The Lord Chief Justice wishes the prince had a “better companion.” Falstaff continues to antagonize him until he leaves. Falstaff then expresses his intention to profit from the wars, ironically echoing Northumberland’s claim that “In poison there is physic” with his intention to “turn diseases to commodity.”
ACT 1 SCENE 3
The Archbishop of York, Hastings, Mowbray, and Lord Bardolph discuss the preparations of the rebels and the odds on their success. Mowbray sees the need to fight, but questions whether their numbers are strong enough. Hasting reports that they have “five and twenty thousand men,” and that they are in “hope” of Northumberland joining them. Lord Bardolph questions whether their army will be strong enough without Northumberland’s forces, and suggests that they wait until they are certain of his support, revealing his cautious nature as he warns against “Conjecture, expectation and surmise.” In contrast, Hastings is optimistic, insisting that the king must divide and therefore weaken his powers by fighting the French, the Welsh, and the rebels at the same time. York announces that they should proclaim their cause publicly, suggesting that the English people are “sick of their own choice” of king, and commenting scathingly that they are treating Henry in the same way as they treated Richard II. He concludes that “Past and to come seems best; things present worst,” again emphasizing the theme of time and its effects.
ACT 2 SCENE 1
Lines 1–117: Hostess Quickly has summoned two officers, Fang and Snare, to arrest Falstaff, who she claims has “stabbed” her in his refusal to pay the money he owes. In a long-winded speech, laden with unwitting sexual innuendo, she describes how Falstaff has wronged her, and how he “cares not what mischief he doth, if his weapon be out.” Falstaff arrives, accompanied by Bardolph (no relation to Lord Bardolph), whom he instructs to cut off Fang’s head, and throw the “quean” (whore), Hostess Quickly, into the gutter. A noisy fight breaks out, which is interrupted by the arrival of the Lord Chief Justice. He chastises Falstaff, who should be on his way to York by now. Hostess Quickly complains about his behavior and the money he owes her. Falstaff pretends that she is mad, but the Lord Chief Justice is unmoved, showing his understanding of Falstaff’s character and immunity to his fabrications and charm. He commands him to pay his debts, and Falstaff takes the Hostess aside as Gower enters.