Lords, I próteft, my foul is full of woe,

That blood fhould fprinkle me, to make me grow.
Come, mourn with me for what I do lament,
And put on fullen Black, incontinnet :
I'll make a voyage to the Holy-land,
To wash this blood off from my guilty hand.
March fadly after, grace my Mourning here,
In weeping over this untimely Bier.

This play is extracted from the Chronicle of Holling head, in which many paffages may be found which Shakespeare has, with very little alteration, tranfplanted into his fcenes; particularly a fpeech of the bishop of Carlisle in defence of King Richard's unalienable right, and immunity from human jurifhuman jurifdiction.

Johnson, who, in his Catiline and Sejanus, has inferted many fpeeches from the Roman hiftorians, was, perhaps, induced to that practice by the example of Shakespeare, who had condefcended fometimes to copy more

[Exeunt omnes.*

ignoble writers. But Shakespeare had more of his own than Johnfon, and, if he fometimes was willing to fpare his labour, shewed by what he performed at other times, that his extracts were made by choice or idleness rather than neceffity.

This play is one of those which Shakespeare has apparently revifed; but as fuccefs in works of invention is not always proportionate to labour, it is not finifhed at lalt with the happy force of fome other of his tragedies, nor can be said much to affect the paffions, or enlarge the understanding.

THE

KING Henry the Fourth.

Henry, Prince of Wales, Sons to the King.
John, Duke of Lancaster,
}

Worcester.

Northumberland.

Hot-fpur.
Mortimer.

Archbishop of York.
Dowglafs.

Owen Glendower.
Sir Richard Vernon.
Sir Michell.
Westmorland.

Sir Walter Blunt.

Sir John Falftaff.

Poins.

Gads-hill.

Peto.

Bardolph.

Lady Percy, Wife to Hot-fpur.

Lady Mortimer, Daughter to Glendower, and Wife to

Mortimer.

Hoflefs Quickly.

Sheriff, Vintner, Chamberlain, Drawers, two Carriers, Travellers, and Attendants.

The perfons of the drama were first collected by Rowe.

SCENE, ENGLAND.

Of this play the Editions are,
I. 1599, S. S. for And. Wife.
II. 1604.

III. 1608, for Matthew Law.
IV. 1613, W. W. for Matt.
Larv.

V. 1622, T. P. fold by Mat

thew Law. All in quarto.

VI. Folio 1623.

VII. 4to 1639, John Norton, fold by Hugh Perry.

VIII. Folio 1632, &c.

Of thefe Editions I have the I. V. VI. VII. VMI.

HENRY

ACT I. SCENE I.

The Court in London.

Enter King Henry, Lord John of Lancaster, Earl of Weftmorland, and others.

King HENRY.

O fhaken as we are, fo wan with Care,

Find we a time for frighted peace to pant 2, And breathe short-winded accents of new Broils To be commenc'd in ftronds a-far remote.