ON THE CALMRNI HISTORICAL PLAYS OF SHAKSPEARE. BY THE RIGHT HON. THOMAS PEREGRINE COURTENAY. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. HENRY VI.—PART III. THIS play opens with the Yorkists* breaking into the parliament-house, and each chief boasting (how inaccurately I have already shown in the case of York's children) of his prowess in the battle of St. Alban's. At the suggestion of Warwick the duke takes possession of the regal throne. Henry enters with his followers,† to whose vows of revenge he appeals, but presently retires into "frowns, words, and threats." He then alternately boasts of the superiority of his title, and acknowledges its weakness: * Duke of York, his sons Edward and Richard, Norfolk, Montagu, Warwick, and others. Among these the only new character is Montagu. This was John Neville, third son of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and younger brother of Warwick. But he had not, at this time, received his first title of peerage, and was not created marquis until 1470, fifteen years later. Nicolas, ii. 434. ↑ John, Lord Clifford, and Henry, Earl of Northumberland, whose fathers were killed at St. Alban's; Ralph, second Earl of Westmoreland; Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter. VOL II. B |