21 July, 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 15 of July 1596 ... R at hary the v ... xxij^s 

In modern English: [21^st] July, 1596 ... Received at Harry V ... 22 shillings

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

Today, for the last time, 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.

Harry V is back after less than a week, but this is its final appearance in Henslowe's Diary. The play debuted back in November and has been staged thirteen times in total. For the first half of its run, it was a solidly reliable performer, but in recent months it has been less successful, and the company must have decided to put it to rest. Farewell, madcap prince!

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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