Page:Henry IV Part 2 (1921) Yale.djvu/149

 

The principal source of the main plot of this play is the 1587 edition of The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by Raphael Holinshed. Samuel Daniel's poem, The Civill Wars of England (1595), or its source, may well have had some influence. Several incidents in the comic plot are taken, apparently, from the play The Famous Victories of Henry V, first acted in 1588, licensed in 1594, and published in 1598.

According to Holinshed, the Earl of Northumberland was pardoned by the king after the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. But in 1405 when 'the king was minded to haue gone into Wales against the rebels that vnder their cheeftane Owen Glendower ceassed not to doo much mischeef against the English subiects,' he was 'further disquieted' by a 'conspiracie put in practise against him at home by the Earle of Northumberland who had conspired with Richard Scroope, Archbishop of Yorke, Thomas Mowbraie earle marshall,' and others. 'The King aduertised of these matters left his iournie into Wales and marched with all speed toward the north parts. Also Rafe Neuill earl of Westmerland, that was not farre off, together with the lord Iohn of Lancaster, the king's sonne, being informed of this rebellious attempt, assembled togither such power as they might make made forward against the rebels, and coming into a plaine within the forrest of Galtree caused their standards to be pitched downe in the like sort as the Archbishop had pitched his ouer