INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. SCENES IN PARTS I. AND II. OF KING HENRY IV. PART I.-Gadshill, is from a somewhat distant sketch of this spot. Ancient Inn Yard. The open galleries and the external stair, of the Inn Yard of this period, require no description. Room in the Boar's Head. This, of course, is an imaginary representation, but illustrative of the archi tecture of the period. Bangor, Coventry, York, and Shrewsbury, are from the earliest authorities that could be found. PART II. The general view of Warkworth Castle is from several old prints. The Entrance Tower of this Castle is from an original sketch, and represents no more than actually exists, except the restoration of the battlements. The Street View (Act I.) is illustrative of the architecture of the period; and the scene being supposed to be in the immediate neighbourhood of East-Cheap, the Church of St. Michael, Cornhill, is introduced, as it existed at the period represented, on the authority of an old drawing engraved in the "Londina Illustrata." This tower was taken down in 1421. The other street-views in London are also strictly illustrative of the time. The view "near Westminster Abbey" represents the North Transept of the Church, which was the principal entrance at this period, the western portion of the church being unfinished. From the reign of Edward I., when the nave was advanced to the third arch beyond the transept, little was done until the reign of Henry V., and the west front was only completed by Abbot Esteney, who died in 1480. Like most of our ancient churches situated in towns, Westminster Abbey was closely pressed upon by the surrounding houses, until cleared by the hand of modern improvement. The view of Windsor (Act IV.) is from Fox's Acts and Monuments, 1562. Gualtree Forest is imaginary. The Hall in Shallow's house is a composition following the domestic architecture of the period. The vent of hearing when loud Rumour speaks? Is thought with child by the stern tyrant war, a Painted full of tongues. This direction for the appearance of Rumour is found only in the quarto of 1600. The direction explains the sixth line: "Upon my tongues continual slanders ride." Rumour appears to have been exhibited in a similar manner in the Masques preceding Shakspere's time, and subsequently. Of the speech of Rumour Dr. Johnson says " it is wholly useless." The object of the poet was evidently to connect this Part of Henry IV. with the first Part. And of so easy and so plain a stop That the blunt monster with uncounted heads, Quenching the flame of bold rebellion They bring smooth comforts false, worse than The. So the folio. Quarto, that. |