INTRODUCTION.

This “history” is an alteration of a play printed in 1594, under the following title: “The First part of the Contention betwixt the two famous houses of Yorke and Lancaster, with the death of the good Duke Humphrey: And the banishment and death of the Duke of Suffolke, and the Tragicall end of the proud Cardinall of Winchester, with the notable Rebellion of Iacke Cade: And the Duke of Yorkes first claime unto the Crowne. London Printed by Thomas Creed, for Thomas Millington, and are to be sold at his shop under Saint Peter's Church in Cornwall. 1594.” By whom it was written we have no information; but it was entered on the Stationers' Registers on the 12th March, 1593. Millington published a second edition of it in 1600: on the 19th April, 1602, it was assigned by Millington to Tho. Pavier, and we hear of it again, in the Stationers' Register, merely as “Yorke and Lancaster,” on the 8th November, 1630.

The name of Shakespeare was not connected with “the first part of the Contention” until about the year 1619, when T. P. (Thomas Pavier) printed a new edition of the first, and what he called “the second, part” of the same play, with the name of “William Shakespeare, Gent.” upon the general title-page. The object of Pavier was no doubt fraudulent: he wished to have it believed, that the old play was the production of our great dramatist.

Shakespeare's property, according to our present notions, was only in the additions and improvements he introduced, which are included in the folio of 1623. In Act iv. sc. 1, is a line necessarily taken from “the first part of the Contention,” as the sense, without it, is incomplete; but the old play has many passages which Shakespeare rejected, and the murder of Duke Humphrey is somewhat differently managed. In general, however, Shakespeare adopted the whole conduct of the story, and did not think it necessary to correct the obvious historical errors of the original.

It is impossible to assign a date to this play excepting by conjecture. Its success, perhaps, led to the entry at Stationers' Hall of the older play in March, 1593, and to its appearance from the press in 1594.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. KING HENRY THE SIXTH. HUMPHREY, DUKE OF GLOSTER [Gloucester], his Uncle. CARDINAL BEAUFORT [Winchester], Bishop of Winchester. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York. EDWARD, Son of Richard Plantagenet. RICHARD, Son of Richard Plantagenet. DUKE OF SOMERSET, of the King's Party. DUKE OF SUFFOLK, of the King's Party. DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, of the King's Party. LORD CLIFFORD, of the King's Party. Lord Clifford's Son [Young Clifford], of the King's Party. EARL OF SALISBURY, of the York Faction. EARL OF WARWICK, of the York Faction. LORD SCALES, Governor of the Tower. LORD SAY. SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, His Brother [William Stafford]. SIR JOHN STANLEY. WALTER WHITMORE. A Sea-captain, Master, Master's Mate. Two Gentlemen [Gentleman 1], [Gentleman 2], Prisoners with SUFFOLK. VAUX. HUME, a Priest. SOUTHWELL, a Priest. BOLINGBROKE, a Conjurer. A Spirit raised by him. THOMAS HORNER, an Armourer. PETER, his Man. Clerk of Chatham. Mayor of St. Alban's. SIMPCOX, an Impostor. Two Murderers [Murderer 1], [Murderer 2]. JACK CADE. GEORGE, a Follower of Cade. JOHN, a Follower of Cade. DICK, a Follower of Cade. SMITH, the Weaver, a Follower of Cade. MICHAEL, a Follower of Cade. ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish Gentleman. MARGARET, Queen to King Henry. ELEANOR, DUCHESS OF GLOSTER. 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, &c. [Petitioner 1], [Petitioner 2], [Petittioners], [Neighbour 1], [Neighbour 2], [Neighbour 3], [Prentice 1], [Prentice 2], [Servant], [Commons], [Messenger], [Messenger 2], [Citizen 1], [Soldier], [Townsman] SCENE, in various Parts of England.

SECOND PART OF KING HENRY VI.

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