Mortimer, Hotspur and the Earl of Worcester set off to meet the Earl of Northumberland and the Scottish forces at Shrewsbury. Hotspur and Mortimer’s wives bid farewell to their husbands.
Glendower refuses to respond to Hotspur’s provocations. Hotspur quibbles that his share is not fair and threatens to divert the course of the River Trent to make his portion more profitable. Hotspur, Mortimer and Glendower examine a map showing the potential division of the kingdom after Henry’s defeat. Glendower hosts a meeting of the rebels in Wales but Hotspur is exasperated by his boasts about his magical powers and nativity. Glendower, Hotspur and Mortimer plan to divide the kingdom (Act 3, Scene 1) They swap roles and Hal ‘becomes’ the king and verbally abuses Falstaff. Initially, Falstaff plays the chastising father and tells his ‘son’ that he should banish all the others but always keep ‘Falstaff’ by him. Falstaff and Hal act out an imaginary scene between the King and his wayward son. A message arrives from the king summoning Hal to the court because Hotspur with his Welsh and Scottish allies has rebelled but Falstaff rudely sends the messenger packing. Falstaff’s exaggerated account is ridiculous but when Hal reveals that Poins and himself were the ‘robbers’, Falstaff shamefacedly claims that knew it was them all along. Falstaff and his party arrive and complain that they were attacked after the robbery. In the tavern, Hal and Poins tease the young bartender, Francis by calling out his name repeatedly. Falstaff and Hal play the king (Act 2, Scene 4) The Earl of Northumberland will apply to the Archbishop of York for assistance while the Earl of Worcester will contact Glendower and Mortimer in Wales.
Eventually, he is advised by his uncle to release his Scottish prisoners without ransom and become their ally. The Earl of Worcester tells Hotspur of a plan to join with the Scottish and Welsh rebels against Henry but Hotspur is initially too passionate to listen. He accuses Henry of being ungrateful to his family who helped to make him king. After Henry leaves, Hotspur’s rage explodes and he refuses to hand over the prisoners. Henry regards Mortimer as a traitor because the latter has married Glendower’s daughter so refuses to ransom him, ordering Hotspur to deliver the prisoners immediately. Henry is angry that Hotspur is retaining the prisoners until he, the King, ransoms Mortimer, Hotspur’s brother-in-law, from Owen Glendower. The king is not swayed by Hotspur’s explanation that a dandyish courtier caught him at a bad moment when he was battle-weary and that is why he was churlish about handing over the prisoners. Hotspur obeys Henry IV’s summons to appear at court and is accompanied by his father, the Earl of Northumberland and his uncle, the Earl of Worcester. Hotspur and the King clash over prisoners and Mortimer’s ransom (Act 1, Scene 3) He is deceiving his family and friends but remains conscious of his status and obligations. Once alone, Hal reveals that he is only pretending to be base and that he is hiding his real character to make his eventual ‘reformation’ the greater. Hal refuses to take part in the robbery but is persuaded by Poins to join him in a scam where they disguise themselves and steal the booty from Falstaff, Bardolph and Peto after they have robbed the travellers. One of Falstaff’s cronies, Poins, tells them that he is planning to rob a party of travelling pilgrims and wealthy traders the following morning. Falstaff banters in a fatherly way with ‘Hal’, Henry IV’s son. In stark contrast to the formality of Henry IV’s court, the ‘fat knight’ Falstaff’s realm consists of petty criminals and tavern lowlifes. Crime and distraction in a London tavern (Act 1, Scene 2) However, Henry is displeased by Hotspur’s haughty behaviour in sending him just one noble prisoner so he summons him to explain in person. Henry wishes that his son, Harry, was more like the brave Harry ‘Hotspur’ and spent less time indulging in dissolute pastimes. Meanwhile the Earl of Northumberland’s son Harry Percy, nicknamed Hotspur, has defeated Scottish insurgents and taken many prisoners. Henry IV abandons his intended crusade to the Holy Land when he learns that his forces have been defeated by Welsh rebels lead by Owen Glendower. Henry IV abandons his crusade to tackle civil strife at home (Act 1, Scene 1)