KING HENRY VI. PARTS I, II, AND III. These Three Historical Plays are here condensed into One Reading: chiefly because their original authorship is doubtful, and because Shakespeare's share was only that of adapter or reviser: they having, however, been used by him as introductory to his own Series. It will be observed that, in Meres' list of 1598,* no mention is made of these plays: although, at that date, they were very popular performances. Probably it was then known that, with Shakespeare, they wanted originality-being, in fact, merely transcripts, (though with valuable additions and emendations,) of some previous anonymous compositions. 66 PART I. Of the First Part, nothing has been clearly ascertained; and it seems hopeless now to learn when or by whom it was originally composed. It may, however, have been used as a kind of dramatic patchwork for the 'prentice hand" of our yet unknown author. Shakespeare's first poem ("Venus and Adonis,") was not printed till 1593 and this, (the earliest play with which his name is associated,) bears little internal evidence of his genius, either in sentiment or style: being a confused series of English and French military incidents; balancing, almost alternately, success and defeat; containing little discrimination of character; and aiming at no well-defined catastrophe. The dramatic portraiture of Joan of Arc is as unworthy of the Maid of Orleans, as it is of the Bard of Avon: the dramatist does not indeed vituperate so coarsely as some of the old historians; but he has largely adopted their views, by depreciating the fame, and sullying the good name, of this high-minded and patriotic peasant girl. For these reasons, the character of "La Pucelle has been wholly eliminated from this Condensation. The First Part of King Henry the Sixth, though ascertained to have been performed in 1589, was not printed till in the folio of 1623; where it was admitted by the Editors,-probably because it had been recognized as a necessary introduction to the Second and Third Parts; and perhaps, because a few alterations, amendments, or additions may have been made in it by Shakespeare himself. PART II. The Second Part,-known to have been performed in 1591-was first printed in 1594, with the following title: "The First Part of the Contention of the Twoo famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, with the Deathe of the good Duke Humphrie, and the Banishment and Deathe of the Duke of Suffolke, and the Tragical ende of the proude Cardinall of Winchester, with the notable Rebellion of Jacke Cade, and the Duke of Yorke's first Claime unto the Crowne." You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate! there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of 'them, than in the tongues of the French council; and 'they should sooner persuade Harry of England, than a general petition of 'monarchs. Here comes your father. The French King and Queen re-enter, with all the other lords. Bur. My royal cousin, teach you our princess English? K. Hen. I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I 'love her;-and that is 'good English.-Shall Kate be my wife? Fr. King. So please you. Take her, fair son; Then the contending kingly opposites Of France and England,-whose very 'shores look pale May 'cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction In their sweet bosoms; that never War advance The Chorus again advances with an Epilogue. be! Our bending author hath pursued the story; [Exeunt. Mangling, by starts, the full course of their glory. Whose state so many had the managing, That they 'lost France, and made his England bleed: Which oft* our stage hath shown; and, for their sake, In your fair minds let this acceptance 'take. END OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH. [Exit The three plays of Henry VI were popular before Shakespeare began to write. KING HENRY VI. PARTS I, II, AND III. These Three Historical Plays are here condensed into One Reading: chiefly because their original authorship is doubtful, and because Shakespeare's share was only that of adapter or reviser: they having, however, been used by him as introductory to his own Series. It will be observed that, in Meres' list of 1598,* no mention is made of these plays: although, at that date, they were very popular performances. Probably it was then known that, with Shakespeare, they wanted originality-being, in fact, merely transcripts, (though with valuable additions and emendations,) of some previous anonymous compositions. PART I. Of the First Part, nothing has been clearly ascertained; and it seems hopeless now to learn when or by whom it was originally composed. It may, however, have been used as a kind of dramatic patchwork for the "prentice hand" of our yet unknown author. Shakespeare's first poem ("Venus and Adonis,") was not printed till 1593 and this, (the earliest play with which his name is associated,) bears little internal evidence of his genius, either in sentiment or style: being a confused series of English and French military incidents; balancing, almost alternately, success and defeat; containing little discrimination of character; and aiming at no well-defined catastrophe. The dramatic portraiture of Joan of Arc is as unworthy of the Maid of Orleans, as it is of the Bard of Avon the dramatist does not indeed vituperate so coarsely as some of the old historians; but he has largely adopted their views, by depreciating the fame, and sullying the good name, of this high-minded and patriotic peasant girl. For these reasons, the character of "La Pucelle " has been wholly eliminated from this Condensation. The First Part of King Henry the Sixth, though ascertained to have been performed in 1589, was not printed till in the folio of 1623; where it was admitted by the Editors,-probably because it had been recognized as a necessary introduction to the Second and Third Parts; and perhaps, because a few alterations, amendments, or additions may have been made in it by Shakespeare himself. PART II. The Second Part,-known to have been performed in 1591-was first printed in 1594, with the following title: "The First Part of the Contention of the Twoo famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, with the Deathe of the good Duke Humphrie, and the Banishment and Deathe of the Duke of Suffolke, and the Tragical ende of the proude Cardinall of Winchester, with the notable Rebellion of Jacke Cade, and the Duke of Yorke's first Claime unto the Crowne." * See page 8. PART III. The Second Part of the "Contention," now printed as the Third Part of Henry the Sixth, appeared in 1595 (but, like the preceding play, without the author's name)—entitled "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 of Lancaster and Yorke, as it was sundrie times acted by the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembrooke his servants." It appears probable that these Two Parts of the "Contention " were originally written, either separately or conjointly, by two subordinate authors, Robert Greene and George Peele. They were subsequently revised and rewritten by Shakespeare, and therefore admitted by the Editors of the folio (1623) into their collection. The First Part was retained, apparently because Shakespeare had used it as introductory to his version of the two later plays; while these, being a continuation of the story,-and known to have been rewritten, augmented and improved by him,-followed as the Second and Third Parts. As copies of these Two "Contentions" are in existence, we can compare these original forms-often feeble, injudicious, and unrhythmical-with the vigorous, poetical, and polished improvements of Shakespeare.-Briefly, the account stands thus :-In the Second and Third Parts of King Henry VI, there are, altogether, 6043 lines: of these, about 1770 lines are found in the "Contentions " unchanged, and are therefore the composition of the earlier dramatist: 2373 old lines are retained, but with variations, corrections, and improvements; and 1899 new lines are added:-these improved and new lines are therefore Shakespeare's.* The Principal Characters retained in this Triad of Condensations are: * At the end of the Third Part of this Condensation a Scene is reprinted, from the First Part of the " Contention," (1594,) which will give the Reader some idea of the original composition, as well as of the improvements introduced by Shakespeare. The Time of the Action of these Three Plays extends from the Death of King Henry V in 1422, to the Death of King Henry VI in 1471; thus developing the progress of the Wars with France, and of the Great Civil War in England. The Scene is in various parts of England and of France. The Scene opens on the funeral ceremonies of the late King, Henry V-who,- leaving the throne to his infant son, now only nine months old,-is about to be interred in Westminster Abbey. The royal corpse has been lying in state, attended by the Dukes of Gloster, Bedford, and Exeter, the Earl of Warwick, the Bishop of Winchester, and others. As soon as the solemn dirges of "earth to earth and dust to dust" have ceased rolling through "the longdrawn aisles and fretted vaults" of the splendid Cathedral, the Duke of Bedford, - uncle to the baby King, and now regent of France, thus speaks: Bed. Hung be the 'heavens with black! yield day to night! Gloster, the Lord Protector, adds: Glo. England ne'er 'had a King until his time. What should I say? his deeds exceed 'all speech; The Duke of Exeter, grand-uncle to the new King, says: Exe. 'We mourn in 'black: why mourn we not in 'blood? Henry is dead, and never shall revive: Upon a wooden coffin we attend; |