against them, being farre stronger in number of people than the other, for as some write there were of the rebels at least twentie thousand men.' Shakespeare follows Holinshed closely in describing the 'subtill policie' whereby the rebels are disposed of; but he transfers the odium attaching to this action from the earl of Westmoreland to Lord John of Lancaster.
The events of the next eight years, as related by Holinshed, are unnoticed in the play. Shakespeare proceeds immediately to the death of the king, and again follows the Chronicle closely. '1413. The morrow after Candlemas daie began a parlement which the king had called at London, but he departed this life before the same parlement was ended; for now that his prouisions were readie and that he was furnished with sufficient treasure, soldiers, capteins, vittels, munitions, tall ships, strong gallies, and all things necessarie for such a roiall iournie as he pretended to take into the holie land, he was eftsoones taken with a sore sicknesse, which was not a leprosie striken by the hand of God, as foolish friars imagined, but a verie apoplexie. . . . During this sicknesse he caused his crowne to be set on a pillow at his bed's head, and suddenlie his pangs so sore troubled him that he laie as though all his vitall spirits had beene from him departed. Such as were about him couered his face with a linen cloth. The prince, his sonne, being hereof aduertised, entered into the chamber, tooke awaie the crowne, and departed. The father being suddenlie reuiued out of that trance quicklie perceiued the lacke of his crowne; and hauing knowledge that the prince his sonne had taken it awaie caused him to come before his presence requiring of him what he meant so to misuse himself. The prince with a good audacitie answered, Sir, to mine and all mens iudgements you seemed dead in this world, wherefore I as youre next heire apparent tooke
