ANECDOTE OF PRINCE HENRY.-1412.

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most arbitrary manner, and even imprisoned and starved to death the elder of the king's two sons.

3. The youngest son, James, was then ten years old, and the king, being anxious to save him from falling into the hands of his cruel uncle, resolved to send him into France, in charge of the Earl of Orkney. They accordingly embarked, and set sail; but their vessel was taken by an English ship.

4. The prince and his attendants were conveyed to Henry, who, on being told by the Earl of Orkney that the young prince was going to France to learn French, said, "I understand French, and therefore ought to be intrusted with his education.' He then committed James and his attendants close prisoners to the Tower.

5. The poor old father was thrown into such agonies of grief by the news, that he died in three days. The Duke of Albany then assumed the government of Scotland as regent, but would do nothing to procure the release of James, who, by the death of his father, had become king. It was not until eighteen years afterwards, at the death of the Duke of Albany, that James obtained his liberty, being then ransomed by the people of Scotland.

6. But Henry made some amends for his unjust and cruel conduct, by giving the young prince the best education the times afforded. He excelled in tilting, wrestling, archery, and all the exercises then practised by young men of rank; as well as in the more refined studies of oratory, law, and the philosophy of those times.

7. He had also an extraordinary talent for music and poetry; indeed, some say that he was the inventor of that sweet and plaintive style of music which is peculiar to Scotland. His poetry is quite extraordinary, considering the time in which it was written, and some of his ballads continue to be popular to the present day. In one of his poems he describes very touchingly his manner of life when he was a prisoner.

8. When restored to his kingdom, he proved the best king that ever sat on the Scottish throne. He made excellent laws, and reformed many abuses. The name of James I. of Scotland is still held in reverence by his countrymen.

CHAPTER XCVI.

Anecdotes of Prince Henry.-Death of Henry IV.

1. HENRY had now some respite from his enemies, but he had none from the bitter reflections of his own mind, which was a perpetual prey to remorse and fear. He also suffered greatly from ill health. To add to his unhappiness, his son, the "Madcap Harry,"

3. Why did Robert wish to send his son to France? Did he reach there? 4. What was done with the prince by Henry? 5. How long did the prince remain a prisoner? 6. What amends did Henry make for his conduct? 7. What is said of James's poetry and music? 8. What of his character as king?

XCVI.-1. What is said of the condition of Henry? 2, 3. Relate the story of Prince

170

DEATH OF HENRY IV.-1413.

when not engaged in war, in which he displayed great courage and ability, led a most disorderly life.

2. One of his companions was arrested for a highway robbery, and brought before the chief justice, Gascoigne, for examination; the evidence was strong against him, but the prince, who was present, required that he should be released. Gascoigne refused to comply with this demand; whereupon the prince became so much exasperated as to forget for the moment where he was, and he actually struck the judge as he sat upon the bench.

3. The judge forthwith vindicated the dignity of his office, by sending the prince to prison; and he, at once acknowledging the impropriety of his own conduct, submitted to the punishment. When this incident was related to the king, he exclaimed, "Happy the monarch who possesses a judge so resolute in the discharge of his duty, and a son so willing to submit to the law!"

4. The king's health now rapidly failed. As his strength declined, his fears of rebellions, and of being deposed, increased even to childish anxiety; he could not sleep unless the crown itself was laid upon his pillow. He became subject to dreadful fits, which would cause him to fall down apparently dead.

5. One day, when he was in one of these fits, the prince, who believed him to be actually dead, took the crown from his pillow, and carried it away. When the king came to his senses he instantly missed it, and sternly asked who had dared to remove it.

6. The prince made a dutiful apology, which pacified the king,

5, 6, 7. Relate the

What was his age?

Henry and the chief justice. 4. What is said of Henry's fears?
anecdote of the king and the price. When did Henry die?
long had he reigned?

How

PRINCE HENRY AND THE LOLLARD.

171

who said, with a sigh, Alas, fair son, what right have you to the crown, when you know your father has none?" "My liege," answered the prince, "with your sword you won it, and with the sword I will keep it."

7. "Well," said the king, "do as you please; I leave the issue to God, and hope he will have mercy on my soul." Not long afterwards, on the 20th of March, 1413, while he was at church, he was seized with a fit, and soon expired. This happened in the fortyзeventh year of his age, and the fourteenth of his reign.

TABLE OF THE FAMILY OF HENRY IV.

John, Duke of Bedford, afterwards Regent of France.
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Regent of England.

DAUGHTERS.

Blanche, who married the Duke of Bavaria.
Philippa, who married the King of Denmark.

CHAPTER XCVII.

Story of Prince Henry and the Lollard.-Dress of the Ladies.

1. FROM the anecdotes we have already related, the_reader has doubtless formed an opinion of the character of Prince Henry; but we may mention another, illustrative of a different trait. We must first state, however, that the Lollards were subjected to grievous inflictions in the reign of Henry IV.

2. Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, was the chief persecutor, and caused many of them to be put to death. One of these, named Badby, was sentenced to be burned at Smithfield. He was accordingly tied to a stake, and fagots were piled around him.

3. Just as they were about to set fire to these, the prince rode up to him, and besought him to renounce his opinions, and save his life, promising to provide him with the means of living comfortably, if he would do so.

4. The poor man thanked the prince with many expressions of gratitude, but said that, as he firmly believed his opinions to be true, he would not sacrifice his conscience to save his life.

5. The prince had no power to protect him from the fury of the churchmen upon any other terms. When the fagots were, therefore,

XCVII.-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relate the story of Prince Henry and the Lollard. 6, 7 What is

set on fire, he came again, and entreated the sufferer to recant; but he continued steadfast as before, and was accordingly burned to death.

6. As a relief to this horrible story, we may now give a few details of a different character. The fantastic dress of the gentlemen of a preceding reign will be recollected; that of the ladies now was not less extraordinary. Their head-dresses were the most preposterous structures that can be imagined.

7. Some of them were like steeples, with long streamers hanging down from the top; others were so immensely broad, as well as high, that the head appeared like a loaded wagon. This fashion was carried to such an extreme by the Queen of France, that the door-ways of some of the royal palaces had to be made wider and higher, that she might be able to pass through them.

8. Some ladies fastened two great projecting towers of rolled lawn and riband on their heads, which looked like enormous horns. The rest of the dress was not ungraceful. The waist was worn short, and the petticoat very full and flowing, and adorned with broad borders of fur, or with other ornaments.

9. At one time there was a fashion of wearing immoderately large sleeves, ending in a pouch, which answered the purposes of a pocket; but this awkward contrivance did not last long, for in most of the pictures of the fifteenth century, both ladies and gentlemen are drawn with bags hanging from the girdle, instead of these sleeve pouches. 10. The dresses of the higher ranks were chiefly made of silk or cloth, with richly embroidered girdles. The gentlemen did not wear tight coats, as they do now; but a tight waistcoat, with a loose robe over it. On one occasion, Prince Henry is described as having been dressed in a blue satin robe, full of eyelet-holes, and from each hole hung the needle it was worked with. The laborers and poor people were forbidden to wear anything but coarse flannel or fustian clothes, with linen girdles.

CHAPTER XCVIII.

Henry V.-His good Qualities and great Popularity.-Persecution of the Lollards.-Lord Cobham.

1. As soon as Prince Henry heard that his father was dead, he went to his own chamber, and spent the remainder of the day in retirement and prayer. The next morning he sent for the companions of his youthful follies, and told them that he was now going to lead an altered life, and to enter upon new and important duties.

2. At the same time he forbade them to appear in his presence till they, like himself, should have reformed their conduct. He then sent for the wise ministers of his father who had checked his extravagant conduct, and received them with marks of favor and confidence,

said of the ladies' head-dresses? 8, 9. What of the rest of the dress? 10. What was the material of the dress?

XCVIII.-1. Wha: d'd Prince Henry do when he heard of his father's death? 2. How

INVASION OF FRANCE.-
-1413.

173

Chief Justice Gascoigne, who trembled to approach the royal presence, met with the praises he merited, instead of the reproaches he feared.

3. The young king possessed in an eminent degree the qualities which were inost calculated to make him a favorite with tl e people. Even in the midst of the wildest excesses he had given proof of a good and feeling heart. His person was tall and slender, his hair dark, and his features exceedingly beautiful. His accession to the throne was received with general joy.

4. Henry, trusting in this his general popularity, set at liberty Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, who had been kept in close confinement during the whole of the preceding reign. Mortimer showed his sense of the king's kindness by discovering to him a conspiracy which the nobles had entered into to place him upon the throne.

5. He also recalled the son of Hotspur, and restored to him all the estates and honors of his family. In short, his conduct fully justified the high opinion the nation had formed of him. Almost the only blemish upon it was his permitting the persecution of the Lollards, and here we may suppose that he was actuated by a mistaken zeal for what he considered the true religion.

6. One of the most distinguished followers of the new doctrines was Lord Cobham. He had formerly led a very wicked life; but from the time that he adopted the reformed opinions, he had lived a moral and religious one. The king, thinking highly of him as a wise and virtuous man, attempted to reason with him on what he himself thought the fallacy of his new opinions.

7. Henry, after a long conversation, became so much shocked at Cobham's obstinacy in defence of his faith, that he turned him over to the bishops, who condemned him to death as a confirmed heretic. He contrived, however, to escape from the Tower before the day appointed for his execution; but engaging afterwards in a plot against the king, he was seized and executed.

CHAPTER XCIX.

Henry V. invades France. Is involved in many Dangers, but extricates himself by the Victory of Agincourt.

1. FEW of the kings of England have been able to resist the temptation of making war upon France, whenever a favorable opportunity has offered. At this time that country was torn in pieces by furious factions among the nobles, and seemed to offer itself an easy prey to the invader.

2. It is not surprising, therefore, that the military ardor of Henry

did he treat his late companions? How his father's ministers? 3. What is said of his character and personal appearance? 4, 5. What generous acts did he do? 6, 7. What blemish upon his character? What is said of Lord Cobham?

XCIX.-1. What is said of the state of France? 2. What was Henry IV.'s dying