Two “beadles” (sort of equivalent to police officers) are arresting Doll Tearsheet and Mistress Quickly for murder. Tearsheet claims she’s pregnant, the first beadle claims she’s stuffed her clothes with “cushions”, and the scond says they’ve beaten a man to death along with Pistol.

Falstaff is, once again, getting drunk and over-eating, this time with Justices Shallow and Silence. He admires the food provided, and Justice Silence, having had one too many, singing the praises of where “flesh is cheap”. Falstaff admires the song, more wine is poured, and Silence sings again, leading Falstaff to remark that he didn’t consider Silence to be a “man of this mettle”.

Pistol arrives and announces Falstaff’s upgrade in prestige, since his friend Hal is now the King: Henry V. Falstaff immediately heads for London, thinking he’ll have free reign, especially over the Lord Chief Justice.

Warwick tells the Lord Chief Justice of Henry IV’s passing. The Justice says he wishes he could have “gone with him”, due to his previous beefs with Prince Hal. Warwick, Lancaster and Gloucester enter, with Warwick expressing worry about what will become of the kingdom with Hal on the throne– he’s also worried for the Justice. Gloucester rubs salt in the wounds by saying the Justice will have to treat Falstaff well now; the Justice would rather die.

Hal arrives, comforts his brother and turns to the Justice, whom he notices is looking a bit panicked. The Justice claims Hal has “no just cause” to hate him, but Hal brings up the time the Justice threw him into jail. He then swerves and says he lauds the Justice’s impartiality, and tat he hopes he would throw one of Hal’s sons in jail in the same circumstances. He says the Justice will be his closest counsel, and announces that his blood will now “flow henceforth in formal majesty,” as he sheds his old behavior patterns– a plan which he announced all the way back in scene 2 of the first part of the play:

We’re at Justice Shallow’s house in Gloucestershire– Falstaff is visiting, as he planned in 4.3. Shallow insists Falstaff stay over and rest, and Sir John claims he doesn’t want to be a burden. Davy, one of Shallow’s men, arrives, and asks Shallow to be lenient to one of his friends, William Visor of Woncot.

Falstaff, Shallow, Bardolph and Page, along with Justice Silence, head inside to Shallow’s house. Falstaff lingers awhile, claiming Shallow has been turned into a “justice-like serving man”, and how he can’t wait to tell Hal about the trick he’s going to pull, then follows the others.

The King is resting as Hal enters. Clarence and Warwick leave so that he can be alone with his father. Hal comments on the grief the crown (which Henry took off at the beginning of the scene) has caused his father, before noticing a feather that has landed on his lips– it’s stopped moving, indicating that Henry has died. Hal expresses his grief, takes the crown, and promises to guard it, then leaves.

Henry wakes up. He summons Westmoreland and the other princes. Warwick says he’s found Hal, sobbing, and he’s brought to Henry’s room, where he berates Hal for his haste and power-lust. He claims the kingdom would be run by a thief and a murderer if Hal were to have taken the crown– Hal argues (untruthfully) that he only wore the crown to see if it made him think evil things.

Henry forgives him, and advises him to start a foreign war; in order to distract everyone and make his reign a smoother one than his father’s. Henry then asks to be taken back to “Jerusalem Chamber”, since a long time ago he heard it “prophesised” that he would die in Jerusalem– not the Holy Land, it seems, but the chamber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx6mEMnNK4A

Henry hopes for better health, and mentions his crusade again. Warwick comforts him, before Henry asks Gloucester where Hal is (hunting at Windsor), and then Clarence why the brothers aren’t together. He advises Clarence how to deal with Hal and his moods, before Clarence admits that Hal’s in London with his commoner friends. This drives Henry into a rage, before Warwick sticks up for Hal, claiming he’s studying the common people, and will leave them when the time is right. Henry disagrees.

Westmoreland enters, and announces the defeat of the rebels. Harcourt then arrives, proclaiming that Northumberland and Lord Bardolph have been toppled in Yorkshire. Henry says he’s too ill to enjoy the victories, and passes out. The princes panic as Westmoreland tries to calm them down.

Clarence and Warwick mention some strange omens, like the Thames flooding three times, children being unnaturally conceived, and being born with deformities. Henry wakes up and asks to be taken to another room.

We join Falstaff at Gaultree Forest. He’s fighting Colevile, a rebel soldier. Colevile is cowed by the legend of Falstaff and surrenders to him, before Lancaster turns up, berating Falstaff for his “tardy tricks”. Falstaff claims he came to the forest as soon as he could (recall his shenanigans in 2.4, before overstating Colevile’s abilities and parodically quoting Caesar.

Lancaster’s having none of it, but Falstaff continues, claiming his military exploits should be published. Lancaster orders Colevile’s execution, and tells Westmoreland to bring word of the victory to the King, in the hope it will buoy his spirits. Falstaff is left alone on stage to extol the virtues of wine.

Bardolph arrives to escort Falstaff back to London, but they agree to stop off in Gloucestershire to deal with Justices Shallow and Silence, first.

We carry straight on from the previous scene. Lancaster scolds York for using his position to inspire rebellion against the King. York says his hand was forced by the King’s refusal to hear their demands. Mowbray and Hastings remind Lancaster that they’re ready to go to war.

Lancaster agrees to York’s demands, claiming “these griefs shall be with speed redress’d”, and offers to disband his troops if York will do the same. The rebel troops are heard cheering, a toast is poured, and Westmoreland says that the King’s troops will only disband after a speech from Lancaster–the rebel troops have already done so.

Westmoreland then swerves and announces that the rebels are all under arrest for treason. As Mowbray protests, Lancaster says that he will redress their grievances, but first, they’re all going to “the block of death”.

We come to the rebel encampment, at Gaultree Forest in Yorkshire. York asks for a survey of the King’s army’s strength, and Hastings says one is coming. York announces the letter from Northumberland, saying he’s retreating to Scotland for the time being (he went in 2.3) A messenger says the King’s army is 30,000 strong.

Westmoreland praises York’s peaceful diocese, before asking why he’s abusing his power to rebel against the King– York won’t be any more specific than “we are all sick”. Mowbray and Westmoreland then argue about an old grievance (brought by King Henry IV, then known as Henry Bolingbroke, in the first scene of Richard II), when Henry accused Norfolk (Mowbray’s father) of conspiring to kill the Duke of Gloucester. Both were exiled; Norfolk died but Henry came back and conquered England.

They go back and forth, Mowbray saying Henry has hurt the kingdom, and that Norfolk would’ve beaten him in a duel, Westmoreland reminding Richard’s seizure of Norfolk’s land and Henry returning it. He then says Prince John, who speaks for the King, will negotiate peace with the rebels. York gives Westmoreland a list of demands, and he and Hastings reassure Mowbray, who feels uneasy. Westmoreland returns, and says Prince John will meet the rebels.

We go to Gloucestershire. where two judges, Shallow and Silence, discuss their wives, ageing, and all the regular topics. Falstaff arrives– he’s here to recruit soldiers. He signs up a motley crew of hilariously-named soldiers: Mouldy, Shadow, Wart, Feeble and Bullcalf.

Falstaff drinks with Shallow and they share stories from their youth. The recruits all bribe Falstaff and are excused from service. while Falstaff plans to rob Shallow and Silence on his way back from war, claiming their stories are rubbish: “how subject we old men are to this vice of lying!”