The text exists in two states. A shorter version entitled
THE FIRST PART OF THE CONTENTION OF
THE TWOO FAMOUS HOUSES OF YORK AND LANCASTER
was first published in 1594 (Q1) and reprinted in 1600 (Q2) and 1619 (Q3). It apparently was set from a memorial reconstruction of performances (and so provides information on the play’s staging).
The longer (authorial) version of the play was first published in the First Folio. F was set from Shakespeare’s foul papers (perhaps annotated and revised). Like 3 HENRY VI, F may have also referred occasionally to Q3 (where foul papers might have been damaged).
__________
FOLIO gives no subdivisions of ACTS & SCENES. Standard division of ACTS was established by Pope (1728), and SCENES by Steevens and Johnson (1773 / 1778).
1.1: line 1 (reads “Scene begins at line 1”)
1.2: line 273
1.3: line 384
1.4: line 619
2.1: line 715
2.2: line 959
2.3: line 1051
2.4: line 1069
3.1: line 1292
3.2: line 1690
3.3: line 2132
4.1: line 2168
4.2: line 2319
4.3: line 2511
4.4: line 2530
4.5: line 2598
4.6: line 2613
4.7: line 2633
4.8: line 2773
4.9: line 2848
4.10: line 2905
5.1: line 2990
5.2: line 3218
5.3: line 3319
FINIS @ line 3356
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Entrances & exits of Characters
According to their order of appearance.
• (2,80) reads “enters at line 2, exits at line 80″.
• (3020 [rip 3051], 3131)
reads “enters at line 3020, dies at line 3051, corpse exits at line 3131). RIP at the end a character’s list indicates his/her decease (even if it occurs offstage).
• ([1051,1168])
reads “character is likely present onstage from line 1051 to line 1168”. These entries refer to such Folio stage directions as “Enter the King and State”, the “State” being the governing body composed of the various Lords.
• ([1081] 1119,1144)
reads “character is likely present from line 1081 though actual entrance is indicated at line 1119, at which point character moves to foreground until his exit at line 1144”.
• Conversely, (1136,1258 [1319])
reads “character enters at line 1136 and exits at line 1258 though he probably merely “retires” (i.e. remains onstage — in the background) until line 1319”.
• PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS are capitalized.
N.B. Where the Folio’s stage directions are ambiguous or too succinct, I have sometimes made use of Q1 (reproduced photographically in Ronald Knowles 3rd series’ ARDEN edition of 1999).
KING HENRY
(2,80) (488,618) (719,958) (1051,1168) (1292,1523) (1706,2013) (2132,2168) (2530,2597) (2848,2904) (3048,3217) (3296,3318)
GLOSTER (Duke Humfrey)
(2,153) (273,334) (488,528) (546,618) (715,958) (1051,1094) (1169,1266) (1390,1494) (RIP 1849)
SALISBURY
(2,225) (489,618) (959,1050) (1051,1168) (1292,1523) (1822,1836) (2132,2168) (3146,3217) (3336,3355)
WARWICK
(2,225) (489,618) (959,1050) ([1051,1168]) (1292,1623) (1822,1937) (1944,2013) (2132,2168) (3145,3217) (3218,3238) (3319,3355)
CARDINAL BEAUFORT (i.e. Winchester)
(2,178) (488,618) (715,958) (1051,1168) (1292,1535) (1707,1906) (2132 [rip 2152] 2168) RIP
QUEEN MARGARET
(2,80) (391,618) (715,958) (1051,1168) (1292,1635) (1706,2131) (2530,2597) (2848,2904) (3077,3217) (3296,3318)
SUFFOLK
(2,80) (391,618) (716,958) (1051,1168) (1292,1635) (1695,1712) (1721,1937) (1944,2131) (2169,2307) RIP
YORK (i.e. Richard Plantagenet)
(2,272) (489,618) (669,714) (959,1050) ([1051,1168]) (1292,1689) (2990,3217) (3226,3251) (3319,3355)
SOMERSET (2nd Duke)
(2,187) (1376,1635) (1707,1906) (2849,2904) (3077,3217) (3288, [rip] 3288) RIP
BUCKINGHAM
(2,187) (489,545) (669,714) (916,958) ([1051,1168]) (1292,1635) (2530,2597) (2781,2847) (2856,2904) (3002,3111 [3217])
DUCHESS OF GLOSTER
(273,362) (488,540) (632,684) (1051,1068) (1188,1291)
Hume (a priest)
(344,383) (619,629) ([1051,1061])
Peter (the armourer’s man)
(384,421) (572,618) (1118,1168)
The Armourer (Thomas Horner)
(572,618) (1118 [rip 1157] 1168) RIP
Margery Jordan (a witch)
(619,684) (1051,1061) RIP
Simpcox (an impostor)
(796,903)
Walter Whitmore (executioner of Suffolk)
(2169,2307) (2312,2314)
JACK CADE (a rebel)
(2350,2510) (2512,2529) (2613,2632) (2634,2771) (2772,2841) (2905 [rip 2980] 2989) RIP
Lord Say (victim of Cade)
(2530,2597) (2656,2751) RIP
Old Clifford
(2781,2847) (2856,2904) (3119,3217) (3232 [rip 3249], 3287) RIP
Alexander Iden (vanquisher of Cade)
(2990,2989) (3057,3217)
Edward (1st son of York)
(3117,3217)
Richard (3rd son of York)
(3117,3217) (3288,3295) (3319,3355)
Young Clifford
(3119,3217) (3252, 3287) (3311,3318)
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PRINCIPAL PLOT: THE WAR OF THE ROSES
The YORKISTS are:
YORK
SALISBURY
WARWICK
The ARMOURER
EDWARD
RICHARD.
The LANCASTRIANS are:
KING HENRY
QUEEN MARGARET
SUFFOLK
SOMERSET
CARDINAL BEAUFORT
BUCKINGHAM
HUME
PETER
Lord SAY
Old CLIFFORD
Young CLIFFORD
PLOT #2: THE MUDER OF DUKE HUMPHREY OF GLOSTER
As the Folio’s subtitle suggests, the subplot concerns the political undermining and the murder (by the Lancastrian faction) of GLOSTER. Though Gloster serves the King and should himself be accounted a Lancaster, he is (together with his wife the DUCHESS of GLOSTER) of neither faction.
PLOT #3: THE CADE REBELLION
Though this rebellion is fuelled by YORK, it is an independent unit of the play (almost a “play within the play”).
In a nutshell, the death of the popular Duke Humfrey (plot #2) leaves the realm open to rebellion (plot #3). Which rebellion sufficiently undermines HENRY for YORK to state his claim to the throne (plot #1).