King Henry IV, Part I

King Henry IV, Part I Summary | Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

At the palace in London, King Henry enters with Lord John of Lancaster, the Earl of Lancaster, Sir Walter Blunt and various other nobles and attendants. The King is tired of civil war and hopes to end the strife by uniting the country in a crusade to the Holy Land. Sadly, the crusade has been his plan for the past year, but thus far, the plan has not been realized, due to the conflicts at home.

Westmoreland reports on the events of the past night's council. There is bad news from Wales, where Mortimer has been defeated by Glendower, culminating in a massacre of a thousand of his men. This news prompts King Henry to break off all business with the Holy Land.

Westmoreland continues with more bad news. In the north, Henry Percy, also called Hotspur, fought with the Scottish Archibald. Sir Henry Blunt has just come from the battle and has already given news to King Henry. Hotspur has defeated the Earl of Douglas and taken Mordrake the Earl of Fife and the Earls of Athol, Murray, Angus and Menteith, as prisoners.

King Henry expresses his envy of Northumberland, Henry Percy's father. He wishes that he could trade his own son, Prince Henry, for Northumberland's Henry Percy. He is also angered by Henry Percy's pride. Percy is keeping the prisoners and has sent word that the Earl of Fife is the only one he intends to send to the King to be ransomed. Westmoreland blames Worcester, Hotspur's uncle, for encouraging his pride. King Henry says that he has sent for Henry Percy, so that he may answer the charges on his own.