Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/317

[ 301 ] authority for uppoing the Second Part of K. Henry IV. to have been written in 1598.

“ Savi. What’s he, gentle Mon. Brik? Not that gentleman? “ Fat. No, Lady; this is a kinman to Jutice Silence.”

Mr. Pope thought that this hitorical drama was one of our author’s latet compoitions; but he was evidently mitaken; King Henry V. was entered on the Stationers’ books, Augut 14, 1600, and printed in the ame year. It was written after the Second Part of K. Henry IV. being promied in the epilogue of that play; and while the Earl of ESS undefinedex was in Ireland. Lord ESS undefinedex went to Ireland April 15, 1599, and returned to London on the 28th of September in the ame year. So that this play (unles the paSS undefinedage relative to him was inferted after the piece was finihed) mut have been compoed between April and September, 1599. Suppoing that paSS undefinedage a ubequent inertion, the play was probably not written long before; for it is not mentioned by Meres in 1598. The prologue to Ben Jonon’s Every Man in his Humour eems clearly to allude to this play; and, if we were ure that it was written at the ame time with the piece itelf, might induce us, notwithtanding she ilence of Meres, to place King Henry V. a year or two earlier; for Every Man in his Humour is aid to have been acted in 1598. But I upect that the prologue which now appears before it was not writ