The chorus tells the audience that, "the youth of England are on fire," (2.0.1) and that men throughout the land are preparing for a war with France. The French, afraid of the threat which Henry poses, have bribed three men to become traitors. The Earl of Cambridge, Lord Scrope, and Sir Thomas Gray of Northumberland have accepted French money and conspire to kill Henry before he can depart for France.
Act Two, Scene One
Corporal Nim and Lieutenant Bardolph are waiting for Pistol and his wife the Hostess to arrive. Nim was formerly betrothed to the Hostess, and is upset that Pistol has married her. Pistol arrives and soon he and Nim have drawn their swords and are ready to fight over the Hostess. She makes them put the swords away, but they again draw on each other only a few lines later.
Bardolph, upset by this, draws his own sword and threatens to kill the first man that dares to injure the other man. Before anything serious happens, the Boy who serves Falstaff appears and tells the men that his master is very sick. Nim tells Pistol that he will forget about the fight provided Pistol pays him the eight shillings he won gambling. Pistol agrees to give him a "noble", equivalent to six shillings and eight pence. Nim agrees to this arrangement and the men leave to go see how Falstaff is doing.
Act Two, Scene Two
Westmorland, Gloucester and Exeter arrive and discuss the fact that Henry knows that Scrope, Grey and Cambridge have become traitors. They remark that the traitors are able to pretend to be so loyal to Henry in spite of the fact that they accepted French money to kill him. They cannot believe that these men would sell their king's life for such a small amount of money.
Henry arrives accompanied by Scrope, Cambridge and Grey. He first asks them if they think he will be victorious against the French forces. They all tell him there is no doubt that he will win. Henry then decides to play a game with them. He orders Exeter to free a man accused of treason from the prison. Scrope objects, saying that it will set a bad example for the rest of the people. Henry replies, "O let us yet be merciful" (2.2.47). The other two traitors also object and tell him to put the man to death.
Henry nonetheless orders the man to be set free. He then changes topics and asks who the commissioners are (the commissioners are the men who will rule England in his absence). All three of the traitors inform him that he bade them come in order to receive a commission. Henry hands them letters of commission and tells Exeter and Westmorland to that the army will leave that night for France. He then turns back to the traitors and remarks that they appear quite pale.
The traitors have read the documents, which clearly implicate them in a plot to kill Henry. They beg for mercy, but he refuses to grant them any since they themselves would not pardon the accused man whom he wanted to free. He sends them away to be executed, and tells the assembled lords to prepare for war with France.
Act Two, Scene Three
Hostess Quickly, Nim, Pistol and Bardolph return from visiting Falstaff who has died. They discuss whether he went to heaven or hell, and Hostess Quickly argues that he cannot be in hell. Nim says that Falstaff swore off wine at the end, which was formerly one of his great indulgences. Falstaff's Boy also tells them that Falstaff swore off women, calling them "devils incarnate" (2.3.28). Nim then tells them it is time to leave. They all kiss the Hostess goodbye except for Nim and leave to join Henry's army.
Act Two, Scene Four
King Charles the Sixth of France tells his dukes Berri and Bourbon, as well as his son the Dauphin, to go to the garrisons and make sure France is well defended against Henry. The Dauphin says it is a good idea, but that it is also unnecessary because Henry is an idle king who acts more like a capricious youth. The Constable tells the Dauphin to be quiet because he is mistaken about Henry's real personality.
Charles decides that it is safer to prepare a strong defense rather than risk Henry being too strong. He is afraid of repeating the battle of Crecy, where Prince Edward of Wales defeated the French on their own territory. A messenger interrupts Charles' speech and informs him that Exeter has arrived as an ambassador from King Henry. King Charles orders Exeter to be brought before him.
Exeter informs Charles that Henry demands the throne of France, and wants Charles to willingly give up the crown or be responsible for the bloodshed that will occur. Charles tells Exeter that he will give him a response the next day. Exeter also has a message for the Dauphin, and tells the young prince that Henry scorns him for his joke and will make him pay for it. Exeter lastly informs the court that Henry has already landed on French soil and that Charles should give him a response immediately.