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THE SECOND PART OF

KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

"THE Second Part of Henry the Sixt, with the death of the Good Duke Hvmfrey," was first printed in its complete form, in the folio of 1623. In the brief notice prefixed to the foregoing drama, we have ventured an opinion that the two plays, or one play divided into two parts, called "The First Part of the Contention," &c.* and "The True Tragedie," &c.,† afterwards published by Pavier, under the title of "The Whole Contention," &c.,‡ were not, as Malone has laboured to prove, the production of a preceding writer, but were Shakespeare's first sketches (surreptitiously and inaccurately printed) of what he subsequently re-wrote, and entitled "The Second and Third Parts of Henry VI."

In expressing this opinion, we must not be understood to go the extreme length of ascribing the whole of these two pieces to Shakespeare. Much in them unquestionably belongs to another and a very different hand; but the greater portion, especially in "The First Part of the Contention," appears to our judgment far beyond the reach of any other writer of the age. Such, too, we are pleased to find, is the view entertained by Mr. Halliwell. In his Introduction to the excellent reprint of these two dramas for the Shakespeare Society, in 1843, after a careful revision of the evidence in opposition to the claims of Shakespeare to their authorship, this judicious authority well observes :-"There are so many passages in the two plays now reprinted, that seem almost beyond the power of any of Shakespeare's predecessors or contemporaries, perhaps even not excepting Marlowe, that, as one method of explaining away the difficulties which attend a belief in Malone's theory, my conjecture that when these plays were printed in 1594 and 1595, they included the first additions which Shakespeare made to the originals, does not seem improbable, borne out, as it is, by an examination of the early editions. If I am so far correct, we have yet to discover the originals of the two parts of the Contention,' as well as that of 1 Henry VI."

"The First part of the Contention betwixt the two famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, with the death of the good Duke Humphrey: And the banishment and death of the Duke of Suffolke, and the Tragicall end of the proud Cardinall of Winchester, with the notable Rebellion of Iacke Cade: And the Duke of Yorke's first claime vnto the Crowne. London, Printed by Thomas Creed, for Thomas Millington, and are to be sold at his shop vnder Saint Peters Church in Cornwall. 1594."

"The True Tragedie of Richard Duke of Yorke, and the death of good King Henrie the Sixt, with the whole contention

betweene the two Houses Lancaster and Yorke, as it was sundrie times acted by the Right Honourable the Earle of Pembrooke his seruants. Printed at London by P. S., for Thomas Millington, and are to be sold at his shoppe vnder Saint Peters Church in Cornwal. 1595."

"The Whole Contention betweene the two Famous Houses, Lancaster and Yorke. With the Tragicall ends of the good Duke Humfrey, Richard Duke of Yorke, and King Henrie the sixt. Diuided into two Parts: And newly corrected and enlarged. Written by William Shakespeare, Gent. Printed at London, for T. P."

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A Sea-Captain, Master, and Master's Mate, and WALTER WHITMORE.

Two Gentlemen, Prisoners with Suffolk.

VAUX.

HUME and SOUTHWELL, two Priests.

BOLINGBROKE, a Conjurer.

A Spirit raised by him.

THOMAS HORNER, an Armourer.

PETER, his man.

Clerk of Chatham.

Mayor of St. Alban's.

SIMPCOX, an Impostor.

Two Murderers.

JACK CADE, a Rebel.

GEORGE, JOHN, DICK, SMITH the Weaver, MICHAEL, &c. his followers.

ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish Gentleman.

MARGARET, Queen to King Henry.

ELEANOR, Duchess of Gloucester.

MARGERY JOURDAIN, a Witch.

Wife to Simpcox.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Petitioners, Aldermen, a Herald, a Beadle, Sheriffs, and Officers; Citizens, Prentices, Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, &c.

SCENE,-Disperscály in various parts of England.

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K. HEN. Her sight did ravish; but her grace Her words y-clad with wisdom's majesty, Makes me, from wondering, fall to weeping, joys; Such is the fulness of my heart's content.Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love. ALL. Long live queen Margaret, England's happiness!

Q. MAR. We thank you all.

[Flourish.

SUF. My lord protector, so it please your grace, Here are the articles of contracted peace, Between our sovereign and the French king Charles, For eighteen months, concluded by consent.

GLO. [Reads.] Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king, Charles, and William de la Poole, marquess of Suffolk, ambassador for Henry king of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier king of Naples, Sicilia, and Jerusalem ; and crown her queen of England, ere the thirtieth of May next ensuing.--Item, That the duchy of Anjou and the county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her fatherK. HEN. Uncle, how now! GLO. Pardon me, gracious lord; Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart, And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further. K. HEN. Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on. CAR. [Reads.] Item,-It is further agreed between them, that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered over to the

king her father; and she sent over of the king of England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry.

K. HEN. They please us well.-Lord marquess,
kneel down;

We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk,
And girt thee with the sword.-Cousin of York,
We here discharge your grace from being regent
I' the parts of France, till term of eighteen months
Be full expir'd.-Thanks, uncle Winchester,
Gloster, York, Buckingham, Somerset,
Salisbury, and Warwick;

We thank you all for this great favour done,
In entertainment to my princely queen.
Come, let us in; and with all speed provide
To see her coronation be perform'd.

[Exeunt KING, QUEEN, and Suffolk.
GLO. Brave peers of England, pillars of the state,
To
you duke Humphrey must unload his grief,-
Your grief, the common grief of all the land.
What did my brother Henry spend his youth,
His valour, coin, and people, in the wars?
Did he so often lodge in open field,

In winter's cold and summer's parching heat,
To conquer France, his true inheritance?
And did my brother Bedford toil his wits,
To keep by policy what Henry got?
Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,
Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious Warwick,
Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?
Or hath mine uncle Beaufort, and myself,
With all the learned council of the realm,
Studied so long, sat in the council-house
Early and late, debating to and fro

How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe?
And hath his highness in his infancy

c

Been crown'd in Paris, in despite of foes?
And shall these labours and these honours die?
Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance,
Your deeds of war, and all our counsel die?
O, peers of England, shameful is this league!
Fatal this marriage! cancelling your fame,
Blotting your names from books of memory,
Razing the characters of your renown,
Defacing monuments of conquer'd France,
Undoing all, as all had never been!

CAR. Nephew, what means this passionate dis

course,

This peroration with such circumstance?
For France, 'tis ours; and we will keep it still.
GLO. Ay, uncle, we will keep it, if we can;
But now it is impossible we should:
Suffolk, the new-made duke that rules the roast,

a Or at my beads,-] See note (c), p. 3, Vol. I.

b Alder-liefest-] All-dearest; dearest of all; a Saxon compound found in many of our early writers, from Chaucer to Shakespeare.

eBeen crown'd in Paris,-] The old text reads "Crowned in Paris," &c. Capell added "Been," as did also Mr. Collier's annotator.

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