Dramatis Personæ. King Henry the Fourth. Prince Henry. Prince John of Lancaster. Humphry of Gloucester [Prince Humphrey of Gloucester]. Thomas of Clarence [Thomas]. Northumberland [Earl of Northumberland], against the King. The Archbishop of York [Scroop], against the King. Mowbray [Lord Mowbray], against the King. Hastings [Lord Hastings], against the King. Lord Bardolph, against the King. Travers, against the King. Morton, against the King. Colevile [Sir John Colville], against the King. Warwick [Earl of Warwick], of the King's Party. Westmorland [Earl of Westmoreland], of the King's Party. Surrey [Earl of Surrey], of the King's Party. Gower, of the King's Party. Harcourt, of the King's Party. Lord Chief Justice, of the King's Party. Falstaff [Sir John Falstaff], Poins, Bardolph, Pistol, Peto, and Page. Shallow, Country Justice. Silence, Country Justice. Davy, Servant to Shallow. Phang [Fang], a Serjeant. Snare, a Serjeant. Mouldy, Country Soldier. Shadow, Country Soldier. Wart, Country Soldier. Feeble, Country Soldier. Bulcalf [Bullcalf], Country Soldier. Lady Northumberland. Lady Percy. Hostess Quickly [Mrs. Quickly]. Doll Tear-sheet [Doll Tearsheet]. Drawers, Beadles, Grooms, &c. [Porter], [Servant], [Drawer 1], [Drawer 2], [Drawer], [Messenger], [Beadle], [Groom 1], [Groom 2] ^note

5 ^noteThe Second Part of HENRY IV^{6 note}.

INDUCTION. ^{1 note}Enter Rumour, ^{2 note}painted full of Tongues.
Open your ears; for which of you will stop
The Vent of Hearing, when loud Rumour speaks?
I from the Orient to the drooping West,
Making the wind my post-horse, still unfold
The Acts commenced on this Ball of Earth.
Upon my tongues continual slanders ride,
The which in every language I pronounce;
Stuffing the ears of men with false reports.
I speak of Peace, while covert enmity,
Under the smile of safety, wounds the world;
And who but Rumour, who but only, I,
Make fearful musters and prepar'd defence,
Whilst the big year, swoll'n with some other griefs,
Is thought with child by the stern tyrant War,
And no such matter? Rumour^{3 note} is a pipe
Blown by surmises, jealousies, conjectures;
And, of so easy and so plain a stop,
That the blunt monster with uncounted heads,
The still discordant wavering multitude,
Can play upon it. But what need I thus

My well-known body to anatomize
Among my houshold? Why is Rumour here?
I run before King Harry's victory;
Who in a bloody field by Shrewsbury
Hath beaten down young Hot-spur and his troops;
Quenching the flame of bold rebellion
Ev'n with the Rebels' blood. But what mean I
To speak so true at first? my office is
To noise abroad, that Harry Monmouth fell
Under the Wrath of noble Hot-spur's sword;
And that the King before the Dowglas' rage
Stoop'd his anointed head as low as death.
This have I rumour'd through the peasant towns,
Between that royal field of Shrewsbury,
And this worm-eaten Hold of ragged stone;^{4 note}

Where Hot-spur's father, old Northumberland,
Lies crafty sick. The Posts come tiring on;
And not a man of them brings other news
Than they have learn'd of me. From Rumour's tongues,
They bring smooth comforts false, worse than true wrongs. [Exit.

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