2 December, 1595 - Harry V

Here's what the Admiral's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: y^e 2 of desembȝ 1595 ... R at harey the v ... xxxv^s 

In modern English: 2^nd December, 1595 ... Received at Harry V ... 35 shillings

King Henry V, posthumous portrait
(late 16th or early 17th century)

Today, the Admiral's Men returned to Harry V, their play about King Henry V of England, who, according to legend, gave up a dissolute lifestyle and led his country to victory against the French at the Battle of Agincourt before his untimely death. You can read more about this play in the entry for 28 November.

The players have rushed Harry V back to the stage, following its very successful premiere. Today the audience size is merely average, but that in itself is probably a relief, since the company's new plays have been quite disastrous of late.

Henslowe links

• Transcript of this page of the Diary (from W.W. Greg's 1904 edition)
• Facsimile of this page of the Diary (from the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project)

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