28 May, 1596 - Harry V

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

Henslowe writes: y^e 26 of maye 1596 ... R at hary the 5 ... xxiij^s 

In modern English: [28^th] May, 1596 ... Received at Harry V ... 23 shillings

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

Today, the Admiral's Men performed 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.

Although not particularly impressive in its own right, the box office for Harry V is higher than its last outing a month ago. There have been signs this week that audiences are growing for some plays, perhaps as the weather gets warmer.


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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