I was greatly satisfied to find this view confirmed by Grant White. He says, "The First Part of King Henry the Sixth, though primitively nude and puerile in its structure and stage effect, is much less antiquated in its fashioning, and more polished in its diction and versification, than The First Part of the Contention and The True Tragedy, and is very far superior to any other surviving play that was produced before 1590 or 1592." Nor does Part I. (in my opinion) present any appearance what ever of having been a twice written, or a re-written play. For a continuation of this line of argument, see Introduction to Part III., on Soliman and Perseda. And again on the parallels found in Marlowe's Tamburlaine. The following is P. A. Daniel's summary of his Timeanalysis of this play (New Shaks. Soc., 1879): "The interval between the First and the Second Part of Henry VI., is supposed to be occupied by Suffolk's negotiations for the marriage of the King with Margaret of Anjou. . . . Time of this play, fourteen days represented on the stage: with intervals, suggesting a period in all of say, at the outside, a couple of years. Day 1. Act I. Scene i., interval (?) eighteen months: Day 2. Act I. Scenes ii.-iv. Day 3. Act II. Scenes i. and ii., interval, a month at least. Day 4. Act II. Scene iii., interval, at least two days. Day 5. Act II. Scene iv., interval, about twentyseven days. Day 6. Act III. Scene i., interval, a few days. Day 7. Act III. Scenes ii. and iii., interval, three days or more. Day 8. Act III. Scene i. Day 9. Act IV. Scenes ii, and iii. Day 10. Act IV. Scenes iv. to vii. Day 11. Act IV. Scene viii. Day 12. Act IV. Scene ix., interval, three or four days. Day 13. Act IV. Scene x. Day 14. Act v. Historic Period, 22 April, 1445, to 23 May, 1455. The interval between The Second Part and The Third Part of Henry VI., is to be supposed no greater than would be required for the flight and pursuit from St. Albans to London. Richard makes his appearance in Scene i. with the head of Somerset, cut off in the battle. In conclusion, I have to mention that my Introductions to each of these three plays cannot be judged separately. They form a continuous whole in many ways, and I have distributed my matter among them in the way that seemed feasible, according as it accumulated. I must refer to the last (3rd) Introduction for one section, my "Table of Continued Expressions" which covers all three plays as well as the Quartos, and appeared to me a useful and desirable piece of work. Whether my conclusions find supporters or not, I have at least placed an armoury of weapons for use to demolish them in the hands of those who wish to do so. A determined believer in Marlowe's authorship will point triumphantly to the schedule of Tamburlaine parallels in the same Introduction as the very thing that was needed. I take another meaning from it. DRAMATIS PERSONE KING HENRY THE SIXTH. HUMPHREY, Duke of Gloucester, his Uncle. CARDINAL BEAUFORT, Bishop of Winchester, Great-uncle to the King. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York. EDWARD and RICHARD, his Sons. DUKE OF Somerset. DUKE OF SUFFOLK. DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. LORD CLIFFORD. Young Clifford, his Son. EARL OF SAlisbury. EARL OF WARWICK. LORD SCALES, Governor of the Tower. LORD SAY. SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD and WILLIAM STAFFORD, his Brother. SIR JOHN STANLEY. VAUX. MATTHEW GOFFE.2 WALTER WHITMORE. A Sea Captain, Master, and Master's-Mate. Two Gentlemen, Prisoners with Suffolk. JOHN HUME and JOHN SOUTHWELL, Priests. THOMAS HORNER, an Armourer. PETER, his Man. Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of Saint Alban's. SIMPCOX, an Impostor. JACK CADE, a Rebel. GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK the Butcher, SMITH the Weaver, MICHAEL, etc., Followers of CADE. ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish Gentleman. Two Murderers. MARGARET, Queen to King Henry. ELEANOR, Duchess of Gloucester. MARGERY JOURDAIN, a Witch. Wife to Simpcox. Lords, Ladies, and Attendants; Herald; Petitioners, Aldermen, a Beadle, Sheriff, and Officers; Citizens, 'Prentices, Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, etc. A Spirit. SCENE: In various Parts of England. 1 Dramatis Persona] Cambridge (first given imperfectly by Rowe). THE SECOND PART OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH ACT I SCENE I.-London. The palace. Flourish of trumpets: then hautboys. Enter the KING, Duke HUMPHREY, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and Cardinal BEAUFORT on the one side; the QUEEN, led in by SUFFOLK; YORK, SOMERSET, and BUCKINGHAM, on the other. Suf. As by your high imperial majesty I had in charge at my depart for France, NOTE COLLATION: The text being that of the First Folio, notice is taken only of variations from it, in order to save space to present the parallel lines in THE CONTENTION to the reader. THE CONTENTION, first printed in 1594, is the foundation of the present play. It is styled here Q 1. A second edition (Q_2) appeared in 1600; and a third (Q 3) in 1619. All preceded the Folio, 1623. Q 2 contains a few important corrections. Q3 has only trifling literal variations from Q 2. The text of QI is that printed in Cambridge Shakespeare, vol. ix. 1. majesty] Maiesties command Q 1. 1-3. As by ... procurator] The opening of this play is a direct continuation from Part I. In the last speech, Suffolk announces his departure to procure Lady Margaret; he has now returned to present her to the king. The espousals are thus told in Grafton (The XXIIJ Yere): "This noble company came to the Citie of Toures in Tourayne, where they were honorably receyued both of the French King, and of the King of Sicile. Where the Marques of Suffolke, as procurator to King Henry, espoused the sayde Lady, in the Church of saint Martins. At which mariage were prethe Dukes of Orleaunce, of Calaber, of Alaunson, and of Britayne, Seauen Erles, xij Barons, xx Bishops, beside knightes and gentlemen. There were triumphant Iustes, costly feastes, and delicate banquets... these honor sent... 3 able ceremonies ended, the Marques had the Lady Margaret to him delyuered, which in great estate, he conueyed through Normandy to Deepe, and so transported her into Englande, where she landed at Portesmouth, in the Moneth of Aprill." She was "coupled in matrimonie" at "the toun of Southwike in Hamshire," after which "she was . . . conveyed to London, and so to Westminster, where upon the xxx day of May, she... was crowned Queene" (p. 625). I. your high imperial majesty] Shakespeare uses this expression "your most imperial majesties "in Henry V. v. ii. 26. Compare Greene, James the Fourth (xiii. 219): "Most gratious and imperiall Maiestie." Marlowe preferred "imperious"; Shakespeare is about equally divided. 2. at my depart] Compare Greene, |