sons, in whome he had most confidence, he commanded the prince to shew what he had to saie concerning the cause of his comming.

"The prince kneeling downe before his father said: Most redoubted and souereigne lord and father, I am at this time come to your presence as your liege man, and as your naturall sonne, in all things to be at your commandement. And where I vnderstand you haue in suspicion my demeanour against your grace, you know verie well, that if I knew any man. within this realme, of whome you should stand in feare, my duetie were to punish that person, thereby to remooue that greefe from your heart. Then how much more ought I to suffer death, to ease your grace of that greefe which you haue of me, being your naturall sonne and liege man: and to that end I haue this daie made my selfe readie by confession and receiuing of the sacrament. And therefore I beseech you most redoubted lord and deare father, for the honour of God, to ease your heart of all such suspicion as you haue of me, and to dispatch me heere before your knees, with this same dagger, [and withall he deliuered vnto the king his dagger, in all humble reuerence; adding further, that his life was not so deare to him, that he wished to liue one daie with his displeasure] and therefore in thus ridding me out of life, and your selfe from all suspicion, here in presence of these lords, and before God at the daie of the generall iudgement, I faithfullie protest clearlie to forgiue you.

"The king mooued herewith, cast from him the dagger, and imbracing the prince kissed him, and with shedding teares confessed, that in deed he had him partlie in suspicion, though now (as he perceiued) not with iust cause, and therefore from thencefoorth no misreport should cause him to haue him in mistrust, and this he promised of his honour. So by his great wisedome was the wrongfull suspicion which his father had conceiued against him remooued, and he restored to his fauour. And further, where he could not but greeuouslie complaine of them that had slandered him so greatlie, to the defacing not onelie of his honor, but also putting him in danger of his life, he humblie besought the king that they might answer their vniust accusation; and in case they were found to haue forged such matters vpon a malicious purpose, that then they might suffer some punishment for their faults, though not to the full of that they had deserued. The king seeming to grant his resonable desire, yet told him that he must tarrie a

parlement, that such offendors might be punished by iudgement of their peeres: and so for that time he was dismissed, with great loue and signes of fatherlie affection.

"Thus were the father and the sonne reconciled, betwixt whom the said pickthanks had sowne diuision, insomuch that the sonne vpon a vehement conceit of vnkindnesse sproong in the father, was in the waie to be worne out of fauour. Which was the more likelie to come to passe, by their informations that priuilie charged him with riot and other vnciuill demeanor vnseemelie for a prince. Indeed he was youthfullie giuen, growne to audacitie, and had chosen him companions agreeable to his age; with whome he spent the time in such recreations, exercises, and delights as he fansied. But yet (it should seeme by the report of some writers) that his behauiour was not offensiue or at least tending to the damage of anie bodie; sith he had a care to auoid dooing of wrong, and to tedder his affections within the tract of vertue, whereby he opened vnto himselfe a redie passage of good liking among the prudent sort, and was beloued of such as could discerne his disposition, which was in no degree so excessiue, as that he deserued in such vehement maner to be suspected. In whose dispraise I find little, but to his praise verie much, parcell whereof I will deliuer by the waie as a metyard whereby the residue may be measured. The late poet that versified the warres of the valorous Englishmen, speaking of the issue of Henrie the fourth saith of, this prince (among other things) as followeth :

-procero qui natu maximus hæres

Corpore, progressus cum pubertatis ad annos
Esset, res gessit multas iuueniliter audax,
Asciscens comites quos par sibi iunxerat ætas,
Nil tamen iniuste commisit, nil tamen vnquam
Extra virtutis normam, sapientibus æque
Ac aliis charus."

PASSAGES FROM THE FAMOUS Victories of HenRY THE FIFTH UTILISED FOR THE FIRST PART of Henry IV.

(I) Highway Robbery Scene.

Enter the yoong Prince, Ned, and Tom.

Henry V. Come away Ned and Tom.

Both. Here my Lord.

Hen. V. Come away my Lads:

Tell me sirs, how much gold haue you got? Ned. Faith my Lord, I haue got fiue hundred pound. Hen. V. But tell me Tom, how much hast thou got? Tom. Faith my Lord, some foure hundred pound. Hen. V. Foure hundred pounds, brauely spoken Lads.

But tell me sirs, thinke you not that it was a villainous part of me to rob my fathers Receiuers? Ned. Why no my Lord, it was but a tricke of youth. Hen. V. Faith Ned, thou sayest true.

But tell me sirs, whereabouts are we?

Tom. My Lord, we are now about a mile off London. Hen. V. But sirs, I maruell that Sir Iohn Old-Castle Comes not away: Sounds see where he comes.

Enters IOCKEY.

How now Iockey, what newes with thee?
Iockey. Faith my Lord, such newes as passeth,
For the Towne of Detfort is risen,
With hue and crie after your man,

Which parted from vs the last night,

And has set vpon, and hath robd a poore Carrier. Hen. V. Sownes, the vilaine that was wont to spie Out our booties.

Iock. I my Lord, euen the very same.

Hen. V. Now base minded rascal to rob a poore carrier,
Wel it skils not, ile saue the base vilaines life:

I, I may but tel me Iockey, wherabout be the
Receiuers?

Iock. Faith my Lord, they are hard by,

But the best is, we are a horse backe and they be a foote,

So we may escape them.

Hen. V. Wel, I the vilaines come, let me alone with

them.

But tel me Iockey, how much gots thou from the knaues?

For I am sure I got something, for one of the vilaines

So belamd me about the shoulders,

As I shal feele it this moneth.

lock. Faith my Lord, I haue got a hundred pound.

Hen. V. A hundred pound, now brauely spoken Iockey :
But come sirs, laie al your money before me,
Now by heauen here is a braue shewe:

But as I am true Gentleman, I will haue the halfe
Of this spent to night, but sirs take vp your bags,
Here comes the Receiuers, let me alone.

Enters two Receivers.

One. Alas good fellow, what shal we do?

I dare neuer go home to the Court, for I shall be hangd.

But looke, here is the yong Prince, what shal we doo?

Hen V. How now you vilaines, what are you?

One Recei. Speake you to him.

Other. No I pray, speake you to him.

Hen. V. Why how now you rascals, why speak you not? One. Forsooth we be. Pray speake you to him.

Hen. V. Sowns, vilains speak, or ile cut off your heads. Other. Forsooth he can tel the tale better then I.

One. Forsooth we be your fathers Receiuers.

Hen. V. Are you my fathers Receiuers?

Then I hope ye haue brought me some money.

One. Money, Alas sir we be robd.

Hen. V. Robd, how many were there of them?

One. Marry sir, there were foure of them:

And one of them had sir Iohn Old-Castles bay
Hobbie,

And your blacke Nag.

Hen. V. Gogs wounds how like you this Iockey? Blood you vilaines: my father robd of his money abroad,

And we robd in our stables.

But tell me, how many were of them?

One Recei. If it please you, there were foure of them,
And there was one about the bignesse of you:
But I am sure I so belambd him about the shoulders,
That he wil feele it this month.

Hen. V. Gogs wounds you lamd them faierly,

So that they haue carried away your money.

But come sirs, what shall we do with the vilaines?

Both Recei. I beseech your grace, be good to vs,

d

Ned. I pray you my Lord forgiue them this once.
Well stand vp and get you gone,

And looke that you speake not a word of it,

For if there be, sownes ile hang you and all your
kin.

Hen. V. Now sirs, how like you this?

Was not this brauely done?

[Exit Purseuant.

For now the vilaines dare not speake a word of it,

I haue so feared them with words.

Now whither shall we goe?

All. Why my Lord, you know our old hostes

At Feuersham.

Hen. V. Our hostes at Feuersham, blood what shal we do there?

We haue a thousand pound about vs,

And we shall go to a pettie Ale-house.

No, no you know the olde Tauerne in Eastcheape,
There is good wine: besides, there is a pretie
wench

That can talke well, for I delight as much in their
toongs,

As any part about them.

All. We are readie to waite vpon your grace.
Hen. V. Gogs wounds wait, we will go altogither,

We are all fellowes, I tell you sirs, and the King
My father were dead, we would be all Kings,
Therefore come away.

Ned. Gogs wounds, brauely spoken Harry.

(II) Prince Henry Strikes the Chief Justice.

Enter Lord chiefe Iustice, Clarke of the Office, Iayler, Iohn Cobler, Dericke, and the Theefe.

Iudge. Well, what sayest thou, art thou guiltie, or not guiltie?

Theefe. Not guiltie, my Lord.

Iudge. By whom wilt thou be tride?

Theefe. By my Lord the young Prince, or by my selfe whether you will,