Pucelle hath bravely play’d her part in this And doth deserve a coronet of gold. III, 3, 88.
Tell false Edward, thy supposed king, That Lewis of France is sending over masquers To revel it with him and his new bride. III, 3, 224.
At my depart these were his very words: “Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king, That Lewis of France is sending over masquers To revel it with him and his new bride.”
Masquers were those performers who took part in a masque. As a rule they were gorgeously costumed. The performers were chiefly chosen for their agility and grace in dancing. In later years a dialogue was added to the masque, which the masquers took part in.
There are no theatrical allusions either in Part II or Part III of “Henry VI.”
I come no more to make you laugh, things now That bear a weighty and a serious brow, Sad, high and working, full of state and woe Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow We now present. Those that can pity, here May, if they think it well, let fall a tear: The subject will deserve it. Such as give Their money out of hope they may believe, May here find truth, too. Those that come to see Only a show or two, and so agree The play may pass, if they be still and calling I’ll undertake may see away their shilling Richly in two short hours. Only they That come to hear a merry play, A noise of targets or to see a fellow In a long motley coat guarded in yellow, Wil be deceived, for gentle heavens, know To rank our chosen truth with such a show As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting Our own brains and the opinion that we bring To make that only true we now intend Will leave us never an understanding friend. Therefore for goodness’ sake, and as you are known The first and happiest hearers of the town, Be sad as we would make ye, think ye see The very parsons of our noble story As they were living, think you see them great And followed with the general throng and sweat By thousand friends; then, in a moment see How soon this mightiness meets misery: And if you can be merry then, I’ll say A man may weep upon his wedding day.
I’ll undertake may see away their shilling Richly in two hours.
In commenting upon this play, the reader must bear in mind that this is one of the doubtful plays of Shakespeare. Much ingenuity has been displayed in endeavouring to unravel the mystery of its authorship. Most scholars discern the hand of Fletcher, together with that of Shakespeare. Others would award the entire play to Fletcher, while on the other hand, the entire play has been considered as fully Shakesperean. A great poet, Tennyson, was of the opinion that most of the play was written by Fletcher. Spedding, who has devoted much thought to this problem, would assign to Fletcher a great portion of the dialogue, including the famous “Farewell” speech of Wolsey, which I for one cannot for a moment allow, as this speech, above all others, has the true Shakesperean ring. Two very interesting items of theatrical history can be gathered from this prologue, namely, the price of admission to the best seats and the duration of a five act play of Shakespeare’s time. Spedding would give the Prologue and the Epilogue to Fletcher.