King Henry IV has won the battle of Shrewsbury. He gloats to Worcester and Vernon, captured as prisoners of war, causing Worcester to mouth off, and Henry to sentence them both to death.

Hal says that “The noble Percy [is] slain”, and Douglas has been captured. He asks the King if he can decide Douglas’s fate– the King consents, and Hal says that Douglas should be freed, since he battled with valour.

The King says what must still be done, setting the scene for Henry IV, Part 2. The King and Prince will go to Mortimer and Glendower in Wales, while Prince John and Westmoreland will head to Northumberland to sort out Henry Percy and the Archbishop of York, Richard Scroop.

The battle continues. Hal is wounded but still fighting; the King urges him to take some time to recover, but Hal refuses, and praises his brother John’s performance in the battle. Douglas sees Henry, and wonders if he’s another imposter. Henry announces that he isn’t, and a duel ensues, with Henry coming off worse. Hal wades in to save him, and in doing so, gains redemption from Henry: “Thou hast redeem’d thy lost opinion”.

Hotspur enters, and immediately challenges Hal: “for the hour is come / To end the one of us.” They fight, and at the same time, Falstaff fights Douglas. Douglas gains the advantage, so Falstaff plays possum and feigns death. Hal strikes Hotspur with a mortal blow, and Hotspur claims he’s not as bothered by dying “Than those proud titles thou hast won of me”.

Hal is magnanimous in victory and pays respects Hotspur’s martial prowess. Hal sees Falstaff’s apparently lifeless body, and continues to joke around with him: he says he would miss him “If I were much in love with vanity!”

Falstaff then gets up, and spies Hotspur, worrying he might not be dead. He stabs him in the thigh, and picks up his body. Falstaff bumps into Hal at the camp. Hal expresses surprise that he’s still alive, and Falstaf boasts that he was the one to finish off Hotspur– Hal lets him have it.

The death of Henry Percy, from a 1910 illustration by Richard Caton Woodville, Jr., via.

The battle has begun! Walter Blunt is disguised as the King– he encounters Douglas, they duel, and Douglas is victorious. He claims “all’s done, all’s won”, before Hotspur informs him that he’s actually only killed Blunt– Henry has dressed a number of people as him as a distraction tactic. Hotspur and Douglas leave to continue the battle.

Falstaff arrives, sees the corpse of Blunt, and reiterates his speech about honor from 5.1: “Sir Walter Blunt, there’s honour for you!”

Hal turns up, asking Falstaff for his weapon, but all Falstaff has is a bottle of sack (wine). Hal scolds him, and Falstaff claims he could still “pierce” Percy.

Back at the rebel camp, Vernon and Worcester discuss the King’s offer of peace. They agree to keep it hidden from Hotspur, since they fear that if accepted, it will result in Hotspur escaping punishment (out of his youth and impetuousness), and the older Worcester and Vernon being punished.

Hotspur and Douglas arrive, and Worcester claims “The king will bid you battle presently.” He also passes on Hal’s challenge of single combat. Vernon commends Hal, saying he’s not heard “a challenge urged more modestly”, giving Hotspur a chance to accuse Vernon of being “enamoured” with Hal.

A messenger arrives, but Hotspur’s got no time for him. A second messenger says the King’s troops are on the march– the rebels embrace, and the scene ends.

The Archbishop of York gives Michael Scroop a letter for the attention of Thomas Mowbray. York talks about the rebels' chances at the Battle of Shrewsbury– he’s heard about Northumberland’s absence, and Glendower’s failure to mobilize his troops in time (these problems were relayed to Hotspur in IV.i.) He also mentions Mortimer’s absence, and the King’s powerful-sounding army.

York thinks the king will come after the other rebels when he’s quashed the rebellion at Shrewsbury.

Hotspur, always impetuous, wants to fight the King’s loyalist forces “to-night”. Vernon and Worcester object, but Douglas is keen, and accuses them of cowardice.

Walter Blunt brings a peace offering to the camp, offering to spare the rebels if they apologize and desist. This prompts Hotspur to give a long speech about his grievances with the King, but Blunt cuts him off, and recommends he take the deal. Hotspur says “it may be so we shall” accept.

We get an idea of Falstaff’s military skills, as his soliders take a break at Coventry (en route to Shrewsbury). He’s taken bribes from his fittest soldiers so they can skip service, leaving him with, as Westmoreland puts it, men who are “too beggarly”. Hal questions him about them, but Falstaff replies that they will fill a grave as well as any other men.

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Hotspur and the Earl of Douglas praise each other at the rebel camp near Shrewsbury. A messenger arrives from Northumberland (Hotspur’s father), saying he’s “grievous sick”, and won’t be able to join the battle. Worcester feels that they should wait for Northumberland, but Hotspur sees the chance to win extra glory, defeating the King without his father’s guidance. Worcester remains skeptical, but Douglas assents.

Vernon arrives, with news not only of the King’s 7000-strong host, but of the Prince, “gallantly arm’d”, who is riding with them. Hotspur says he will relish the chance to fight Hal, before Vernon delivers a killer blow: Glendower’s army won’t be mobilized in time. Undaunted, Hotspur presses on regardless.

Back at the Eastcheap tavern, Falstaff and Bardolph are talking rubbish again. Falstaff says that throughout the week, he only went to the brothel every fifteen minutes. He asks Mistress Quickly if she’s found out who stole from him while he was passed out drunk. Quickly brings up the money Falstaff owes her, and they argue until Hal shows up.

Hal reveals he was the one who went through Falstaff’s pockets, but there was nothing of value in them. He informs Falstaff that he’s paid back the money they stole in 2.2, and that Falstaff will serve as a Captain, for which Hal will give him funds to recruit troops.