APPENDIX A
VARIANTS
The text used in this edition is that of Craig's Oxford Shakespeare (Oxford University Press), which follows, almost invariably, the First Quarto, the best early text of Henry IV, Part I. The stage-directions are not those of the Oxford Shakespeare, but are for the most part from either the First Quarto or the First Folio; stage-directions which are bracketed are modern.
Occasionally the Oxford Shakespeare departs from the reading of the First Quarto, and substitutes an inferior reading from the First Folio. In such cases I have restored the Quarto readings, as noted below.
I have taken the title of the play from the First Folio. The First Quarto title, which omits the phrase 'The first part,' is as follows:
THE | HISTORY OF | HENRIE THE | FOURTH; | With the battell at Shrewsburie | betweene the King and Lord | Henry Percy, surnamed Henrie Hotspur of the North | With the humorous conceits of Sir | Iohn Falstaffe.
In the Dramatis Personæ, the Oxford Shakespeare omits the name of Francis, although in all stage-directions and before speeches it uses the name Francis instead of the word 'Drawer' which is used in Quartos and Folios.
The list of my departures from the Oxford text follows:
| Yale | Oxford |
|---|---|
| I. i. 28 now is twelve months Q1 | is a twelvemonth F1 |
| I. i. 42 A hundred Q1 | And a hundred F1 |
| I. i. 49 with other, did, Q1 | with other like F1 |
| I. iii. 71 Whate’er Lord Q1 | Whatever F1 |
| I. iii. 83 that Q1 | the F1 |
| I. iii. 124 you will Q1 | you'll F1 |
| II. i. 38 and 44 lantern Q1, F1 | lanthorn |
| II. ii. 57 Bardolph, what news? Q1 F1 | Bard. What news? |
| II. iv. 163 by the Lord, I’ll stab thee Q1 | I’ll stab thee F1 |
| II. iv. 379 O, Glendower Q1, F1 | Owen Glendower |
| II. iv. 499 an old fat man Q1 | a fat old man F1 |
| III. i. 10 wisheth Q1, F1 | wishes |
| III. iii. 18 not—above | not above Q1, F1 |
| III. iii. 21 borrowed—three | borrowed three Q1, F1 |
| III. iii. 29 lantern Q1, F1 | lanthorn |
| III. iii. 194 pacified still Q1, F1 | pacified. Still! |
| III. iii. 219 Peto Q1, F1 | Poins |
| IV. i. 98 with the wind Q1, F1 | wing the wind |
| V. iv. 100 ignominy Q1 | ignomy F1 |