Act V, Scene 2

Summary

The scene takes place at Westminster palace. Warwick greets the Lord Chief Justice of England. Coming to know that the King is dead, the Chief Justice wishes for his death also. When in the service of the King, he had made a number of enemies. Warwick knows that the Prince is strongly prejudiced against the Chief Justice. The Princes Lancester, Clarence, and Gloucester enter with Westmoreland. Warwick regrets that the new King has no similarity to his brothers and he expresses it openly. If Hal were like any one of his brothers, the nobles of the late King Henry IV would expect a bright future in England. The Chief Justice exclaims, “Oh, God, I fear all will be overturned.” They exchange greetings and then Gloucester and Lancaster express their sympathy for the Chief Justice. They say that the Chief Justice stands in coldest expectation. Clarence is sure that the Chief Justice can never approve of Falstaff and his ways. The Chief Justice says that he has done his duties as a legal official truthfully and impartially and that if the truth does not persist, he will join the King in death.

King Henry V enters with attendants. He notices that the brothers have an expression of fear and sorrow in their faces. He comforts them by saying that none should expect cruelty in his reign. He will be a father as well as a brother to them. They reply vaguely and he understands that they are not confident in him. He knows that the Chief Justice expects to be dismissed. When the Justice tells the King that he has not done anything to irritate or offend the latter, Henry reminds him how he, the heir to the throne of England, has been rebuked and imprisoned by the Chief Justice. The dignified and eloquent Chief Justice says that he has been a representative of the KingÂ’s Justice. When Prince Henry questioned it, he had no other choice but act accordingly so as to preserve justice, lawfully and honestly. If the new King wishes to reject him, he is welcome to do so; and with great dignity, the Chief Justice asks the King to bring the charges against him.

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