The effort to rule England without civil war is a dream which must be left to Henry's son Hal. However, this utopian dream of his fails immediately, and within a few lines we receive reports of war in Wales and Scotland. His words at the beginning allude to an England with no more civil wars. Henry IV, Part One begins with King Henry trying to make England peaceful again. Together they plan to unite their armies in Scotland and York with Glyndwr's forces in Wales, and then overthrow the king by splitting England into three portions. He then tells Northumberland to make friends with the Archbishop of York, whose distant cousin Lord Scrope was killed by Henry. Finally he calms down, and Worcester recommends that Hotspur deliver his prisoners to Henry, but make the son of Douglas his main ally in Scotland. Hotspur works himself into a frenzy about the injustices he is suffering, refusing to listen to Worcester or his father. He even refers to Bolingbroke, King Henry's family name, implying that he does not recognize the legitimacy of Henry's claim to the throne. Hotspur tells his father that he will never release the prisoners, and that he will die trying to defend Mortimer's reputation. Hotspur and Northumberland remain on stage after everyone exits. After a final demand for Hotspur to release the prisoners into his custody, King Henry allows Hotspur and Northumberland to return home together. However, there is a complication because Mortimer was also named by Richard II as his heir to the throne, which Henry IV usurped when he defeated Richard. Henry believes that Mortimer is a traitor, a charge which Hotspur denies. King Henry does not accept Hotspur's argument concerning the prisoners, and is equally upset that Hotspur's brother-in-law Mortimer lost the battle in Wales to Glyndwr. Hotspur, in his defense, says that he previously refused to hand over the prisoners because he was still on the battlefield, and disliked the young man who demanded them in the king's name. Henry is furious about the fact that Hotspur has refused to hand over the prisoners he captured in Scotland. King Henry, Hotspur and Northumberland meet together. Thus Hal is hiding himself underground for now, but through his speech the audience knows that he will soon assume his rightful position as heir to the throne. "My reformation, glitt'ring o'er my fault, / Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes" (1.2.191-192). He claims that he is friends with the thieves in order to mask his true identity, which is that of a future king. This soliloquy unmasks Hal, who tells the audience that he is only pretending to be a madcap prince. Hal ends the scene with a brilliant soliloquy, saying, "I know you all, and will a while uphold / The unyoked humour of your idleness" (1.2.173-174). Hal finally agrees to this, mostly for the anticipated fun of seeing Falstaff try to explain how he got robbed after committing his own crime. After the robbery is complete, Hal and Poins will descend upon the robbers and rob them in return. They plot to allow the other men, including Falstaff, to rob their target. After Falstaff leaves, Poins tells him that they will play a trick on Falstaff. Hal reluctantly agrees, saying, "Well then, once in my days I'll be a madcap" (1.2.127). Hal jokingly offers Falstaff the job of hangman for the thieves.Ī thief named Poins enters, and soon he and Falstaff try to coax Prince Harry to join them in thievery. Their conversation turns to thieves, and Falstaff tells Hal that when he becomes the king he had better not hang a thief. In dialogue laced with sexual innuendo, they speak about a tavern where both men like to flirt with the hostess. Hal, who is the Prince of Wales, and his good friend Falstaff are in an apartment drinking and having fun. "Then would I have his Harry, and he mine" (1.1.89). He compares Hotspur, the son of Northumberland, with his son, and wonders whether they were switched at birth. King Henry, although overjoyed by the news of the victory, is sad that his own son Harry, known affectionately as Hal, is a prodigal, spending time in taverns rather than fighting. This news is followed by positive news that Hotspur has defeated the Earl of Douglas up near Scotland and taken prisoners. Westmorland, however, has news that Mortimer has been captured by the Welsh nobleman Glyndwr, and that he has married Glyndwr's daughter. He vows to end the civil wars within England. King Henry speaks with Westmorland about the fact that he has tried to lead a crusade to the Holy Land for over a year, but cannot due to the civil strife at home.