time

gave the publick those plays not fuch as the authour defigned, but fuch as they could get them. That this play was written before the two others is indubitally collected from the series of events; that it was written and played before Henry the fifth is apparent, because in the epilogue there is mention made of this play, and not of the other parts.

Henry the fixth in fwaddling bands crown'd king,
Whofe ftate fo many had i'th' managing,

That they loft France, and made all England rue,
Which oft our ftage bath fhewn.

France is loft in this play. The two following contain, as the old title imports, the contention of the houses of York and Lancaster.

The two firft parts of Henry VI. were printed in 1600. When Henry V. was written we know not, but it was printed likewife in 1600, and therefore before the publication of the firft and fecond parts, the first part of Henry VI. had been often shown on the stage, and would certainly have appeared in its place had the authour been the publisher.

THE

SECOND PART

OF

HENRY VI.

KING Henry the Sixth.

Humphry Duke of Gloucefter, Uncle to the King. Cardinal Beauford, Bishop of Winchester, great Uncle to the King:

Duke of York pretending to the Crown.

Duke of Buckingham,

Duke of Somerfet,

Duke of Suffolk,

Earl of Salisbury,

Earl of Warwick,

Of the King's Party.

of the York Faction.

Lord Clifford, of the King's Party.

Lord Say.

Lord Scales, Governor of the Tower.

Sir Humphry Stafford.

Young Stafford, his Brother.

Alexander Iden, a Kentish Gentleman.

Young Clifford, Son to the Lord Clifford.

Edward Plantagenet,}

Richard Plantagenet,

Sons to the Duke of York.

Vaux, a Sea Captain, and Walter Whitmore, Pirates.

A Herald. Hume and Southwel, two Priests.

Bolingbrook, an Aftrologer.

A Spirit attending on Jordan the Witch.

Thomas Horner, an Armourer. Peter, his Man.
Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of St. Albans.

Simpcox, an Impoftor.

Jack Cade, Bevis, Michael, John Holland, Dick the Butcher, Smith the Weaver, and feveral others, Rebels.

Margaret, Queen to King Henry VI. fecretly in love with the Duke of Suffolk.

Dame Eleanor, Wife to the Duke of Gloucefter.
Mother Jordan, a Witch employed by the Dutchess of
Gloucefter.

Wife to Simpcox.

Petitioners, Aldermen, a Beadle, Sheriff and Officers, Citizens, with Faulconers, Guards, Messengers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE is laid very difperfedly in feveral Parts of England.

King HENRY VI.

A CT. I. SCENE I.

The PALACE.

Flourish of Trumpets: then, Hautboys.

Enter King

Henry, Duke Humphry, Salisbury, Warwick, and
Beauford on the one fide: The Queen, Suffolk, York,
Somerfet, and Buckingham on the other.

AR

SUFFOLK.

S by your high imperial Majefty (2)

I had in charge at my depart from France,
As procurator for your Excellence,

K 4

Το

(1) The fecond part, &c.] This and the third part were firft written under the title of the Contention of York and Lancaster, printed in 1600, but fince vaftly improved by the author. PoPE.

The fecond Part of K. Henry VI.] This and the Third part of King Henry VI. contain that trouble fome Period of this Prince's Reign, which took in the whole Contention betwixt the two Houses of York and Lancaster: And under that Title were these two Plays first acted and published. The prefent Scene opens with K. Henry's Marriage, which was in the the 23d Year of his Reign; and clofes with the firft Battle fought at St. Albans, and won by the York Faction, in the 33d Year of his Reign. So that it comprizes the Hiftory and Tranfactions of 10 Years.

(2) As by your high, &c.] Vide Hall's Chronicle, Fol. 66. Year 23. Init.

It is apparent that this play begins where the former ends, and continues the feries of transactions, of which it prefappofes

the

To marry Princess Marg❜ret for your Grace;
So in the famous ancient city, Tours,

In prefence of the kings of France and Sicil,
The dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretaigne, Alanfon,
Seven Earls, twelve Barons, twenty reverend Bishops,
I have perform'd my tafk, and was efpous'd:
And humbly now upon my bended knee,

In fight of England and her lordly peers

Deliver up my title in the Queen

[Prefenting the Queen to the King.

To your moft gracious hand; that are the fubftance
Of that great fhadow I did reprefent;

The happiest gift that ever Marquefs gave,
The faireft Queen that ever King receiv'd.

K. Henry. Sufolk, arife. Welcome, Queen Margaret, I can exprefs no kinder fign of love,

Than this kind kifs. O Lord, that lend'ft me life,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!

For thou haft giv'n me, in this beauteous face,
A world of earthly bleflings to my foul; budno
If fympathy of love unite our thoughts..

Q. Mar. Great King of England, and my gracious

Lord,

The mutual conf'rence that my mind hath had, (3)
By day, by night, waking and in my dreams,
In courtly company, or at my beads,

With you, mine alder-liefeft Sovereign, (4)
Makes me the bolder to falute my King
With ruder terms, fuch as my wit affords,

the first part already known. This is a fufficient proof that the fecond and third parts were not written without dependance on the first, tho' they were printed as containing a complete period of history.

(3) The mutual conf'rence] I am the bolder to address you, having already familiarifed you to my imagination.

(4) mine alder-lievest Sovereign,] Alder-lieveft is an old English word given to him to whom the fpeaker is fupremely attached: Lieveft being the fuperlative of the comparative, levar, rather, from lief. So Hall in his Chronicle, Henry VI. Folio 12. Ryght byghe and mighty Prince, and my right noble, and, after one, leveft Lord.

WARBURTON.

With you mine alder-liefeft fovereign,] Alderliefeft, moft dèar. Aldirlevift in Chaucer.

"Mine aldirlevift lorde, and brothir dere." Troilus and Greffeide, lib. ii. 240.

Dr. GRAY.

And