Date and text Henry VI, Part 2

title page of first quarto (1594)

on 12 march 1594, play entered in stationers register bookseller thomas millington , printed in quarto thomas creede later year first part of contention betwixt 2 famous houses of yorke , lancaster, death of duke humphrey: , banishment , death of duke of suffolke, , tragicall end of proud cardinall of vvinchester, vvith notable rebellion of jacke cade: , duke of yorkes first claime vnto crowne. has been theorised contention reported text of performance of today called henry vi, part ii. if so, play written no later 1594.

however, has been suggested play may have been written several years earlier. robert greene s pamphlet greene s groats-worth of wit (entered in stationers register on 20 september 1592) mocks shakespeare upstart crow, beautified our feathers, tiger s heart wrapped in player s hide , supposes able bombast out blank verse best of you. parody of 3 henry vi, 1.4.138, york refers margaret tiger s heart wrapped in woman s hide! , proves 3 henry vi known september 1592, means must have been staged before 23 june, when government closed theatres prevent spread of plague. known 3 henry vi sequel 2 henry vi, if 3 henry vi on stage june 1592, 2 henry vi , both written in 1591 or 1592.

for discussion of whether 3 parts of trilogy composed in chronological order, see 1 henry vi.

text

title page of whole contention (1619)

the 1594 quarto text of contention reprinted twice, in 1600 (in quarto) , 1619 (in folio). 1600 text printed valentine simmes millington. 1619 text part of william jaggard s false folio, printed thomas pavier. text printed version of 3 henry vi had been printed in octavo in 1595 under title true tragedie of richard duke of yorke, , death of king henrie sixt, whole contention betweene 2 houses, lancaster , yorke. in false folio, 2 plays grouped under general title whole contention betweene 2 famous houses, lancaster , yorke, tragicall ends of duke humfrey, richard duke of yorke, , king henrie sixt. printed whole contention pericles, prince of tyre. 1619 text of 2 henry vi not directly taken contention however. original text edited correct error in york s outline of genealogy in 2.2.

the text of play today forms 2 henry vi not published until 1623 first folio, under title second part of henry sixt, death of duke humfrey.

when play came called part 2 unclear, although critics tend assume invention of john heminges , henry condell, editors of first folio, there no references play under title part 2, or derivative thereof, before 1623.

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