shall die of a sweat, unless already he be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man.9 My tongue is weary; when my legs are too, I

evident from this passage that he had at this time formed the plan of that play; and how was fair Katharine to make the audience merry, but by speaking broken English? The conversation and courtship of a great princess, in the usual style of the drama, was not likely to afford any merriment. Tyrwhitt.

9

where, for any thing I know, Falstafi shall die of a sweat, unless already he be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man.] “This (says Mr. Pope) alludes to a play in which Sir John Oldcastle was put for Falstaff;" and "the word martyr," (says another commentator) "hints at this miserable performance, and its fate, which was damnation." The play which these commentators suppose to be alluded to, is entitled The History of the famous Victories of King Henry V, printed in 1598. In this play there is a buffoon character called Oldcastle. I have already shown, as I conceive, that there is no ground whatsoever for supposing that Falstaff was ever called Oldcastle. See Vol. VIII, p. 157, n. 2. The assertion that the anonymous King Henry V was damned, is equally unfounded. On the contrary, for ten or twelve years before our Henries were produced, I make no doubt that it was a very popular performance. Tarleton, the celebrated comedian, who died in 1588, we know, was much admired in the parts both of the Clown and the Chief Justice in that play.

The allusion in the passage before us is undoubtedly not to any play, nor to any character in any play, but to the real Sir John Oldcastle. In 1559 Bale published an account of his trial and condemnation, under the title of A brief Chronycle concernyng the Examination and Death of the blessed Martyr of Christ, Syr Johan Oldcastell, &c. a book that was probably much read in the reign of Elizabeth. In 1601 was published The Mirror of Martyrs, or, the Life and Death of that thrice valiant captaine and most goodly Martyr, Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham.

Shakspeare, I think, meant only to say, that "Falstaff may perhaps die of his debaucheries in France,"-(having mentioned Falstaff's death, he then, with his usual licence, uses the word in a metaphorical sense, adding,)—" unless he be already killed by the hard and unjust opinions" of those who imagined that the knight's character (like his predecessor) was intended as a ridicule on Sir John Oldcastle, the good Lord Cobham. This our author disclaims, reminding the audience that there can be no ground for such a supposition. I call them (says he) hard and unjust opinions, "for Sir John Oldcastle was no debauchee, but a Protestant martyr, and our Falstaff is not the man;" i. e. is no representation of him, has no allusion whatsoever to him.

Shakspeare seems to have been pained by some report that his inimitable character, like the despicable buffoon of the old play

will bid you good night: and so kneel down before you;— but, indeed, to pray for the queen.1

already mentioned, whose dress and figure resembled that of Falstaff, (see a note on King Henry IV, P. I, Vol. VIII, p. 157,) was meant to throw an imputation on the memory of Lord Cobham; which, in the reign of so zealous a friend in the Protestant cause as Elizabeth, would not have been easily pardoned at court. Our author, had he been so inclined, (which we have no ground for supposing) was much too wise to have ever directed any ridicule at the great martyr for that cause, which was so warmly espoused by his queen and patroness. The former ridiculous representations of Sir John Oldcastle on the stage were undoubtedly produced by papists, and probably often exhibited, in inferior theatres, to crowded audiences, between the years 1580 and 1590. Malone.

1

to pray for the queen.] I wonder no one has remarked, at the conclusion of the epilogue, that it was the custom of the old players, at the end of their performance, to pray for their patrons. Thus, at the end of New Custom:

"Preserve our noble Queen Elizabeth, and her councell all."

Again, 'in Locrine:

"So let us pray for that renowned maid," &c.

And in Middleton's Mad World my Masters: "This shows like kneeling after the play; I praying for my lord Owemuch and his good countess, our honourable lady and mistress." Farmer. Thus, at the end of Preston's Cambyses:

"As duty binds us, for our noble queene let us pray,
"And for her honourable councel, the truth that they

may use,

"To practise justice, and defend her grace eche day;
"To maintaine God's word they may not refuse,
"To correct all those that would her grace and grace's
laws abuse:

"Beseeching God over us she may reign long,

"To be guided by trueth and defended from wrong."
"Amen, q. Thomas Preston."

So, at the end of All for Money, a morality, by T. Lupton, 1578: "Let us pray for the queen's majesty, our sovereign go

vernour,

"That she may raign quietly according to God's will," &c. Again, at the end of Lusty Juventus, a morality, 1561:

"Now let us make supplications together,

"For the prosperous estate of our noble and virtuous king," &c.

Again, at the end of The Disobedient Child, an interlude, by Thomas Ingeland, bl. 1. no date:

"Here the rest of the players come in, and kneel down all togyther, eche of them sayinge one of these verses:"

"And last of all, to make an end,

"O God to the we most humblye praye

"That to Queen Elizabeth thou do sende

Thy lyvely pathe and perfect waye," &c. &c. Again, at the conclusion of Tom Tyler and his Wife, 1661: "Which God preserve our noble queen,

"From perilous chance which hath been seene;
"And send her subjects grace, say I,

"To serve her highness patiently!"

Again, at the conclusion of a comedy called ♬ Knack to know a Knave, 1594:

"And may her days of blisse never have an end,

"Upon whose lyfe so many lyves depend."

Again, at the end of Apius and Virginia, 1575:

66

Beseeching God, as duty is, our gracious queene to save, "The nobles and the commons eke, with prosperous life I

crave."

Lastly, Sir John Harrington's Metamorphosis of Ajax, 1596, finishes with these words: "But I will neither end with sermon nor prayer, lest some wags liken me to my L. (

players, who when they have ended a baudie comedy, as though that were a preparative to devotion, kneele down solemnly, and pray all the companie to pray with them for their good lord and maister."

Almost all the ancient interludes I have met with conclude with some solemn prayer for the king or queen, house of commons, &c. Hence, perhaps, the Vivant Rex & Regina, at the bottom of our modern play-bills. Steevens.

KING HENRY V.

1413

THIS play was writ (as appears from a passage in the chorus to the fifth Act) at the time of the Earl of Essex's commanding the forces in Ireland in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and not till after Henry the Sixth had been played, as may be seen by the conclusion of this play. Pope.

The transactions comprised in this historical play commence about the latter end of the first, and terminate in the eighth year of this king's reign: when he married Katharine princess of France, and closed up the differences betwixt England and that crown. Theobald.

This play in the quarto edition, 1608, is styled The Chronicle History of Henry &c. which seems to have been the title anciently appropriated to all Shakspeare's historical dramas. So, in The Antipodes, a comedy, by R. Brome, 1638:

"These lads can act the emperors' lives all over,

"And Shakspeare's Chronicled Histories to boot."

The players likewise, in the folio edition, 1623, rank these pieces under the title of Histories.

It is evident that a play on this subject had been performed before the year 1592. Nash, in Pierce Penniless his Supplication to the Devil, dated 1592, says: 66 - what a glorious thing it is to have Henry the Fift represented on the stage, leading the French king prisoner, and forcing both him and the Dolphin to sweare fealtie."

A

Perhaps this is the same play as was thus entered in the books of the Stationers' company: "Tho. Strode] May 2, 1594. booke entituled The famous Victories of Henry the Fift, containing the honorable Battle of Agincourt." There are two more entries of a play of Henry V, viz. between 1596, and 1615, and one August 14th, 1600. I have two copies of it in my possession; one without date, (which seems much the elder of the two) and another, (apparently printed from it) dated 1617, though printed by Bernard Alsop, (who was printer of the other edition) and sold by the same person, and at the same place. I believe, however, this piece to have been prior to that of Shakspeare, for several reasons. First, because it is highly probable that it is the very "displeasing play" alluded to in the epilogue to The Second Part of King Henry IV,-for Oldcastle died a martyr. Oldcastle is the Falstaff of the piece, which is despicable, and full of ribaldry and impiety from the first scene to the last.-Secondly, because Shakspeare seems to have taken not a few hints from it; for it comprehends, in some measure, the story of the two Parts of Henry IV, as well as of Henry V and no ignorance, I think, could debase the gold of Shakspeare into such dross; though no chemistry but that of Shakspeare could exalt such base metal into gold.-When the Prince of Wales, in Henry IV, calls Falstaff my old lad of the Castle, it is probably but a sneering allusion to the deserved fate which this performance met with; for there is no proof that our poet was ever obliged to change the name of Oldcastle into that