<p><span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_42" id="Page_42"></SPAN></span></p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i-042.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="313" alt="Henry the Fifth and the Baby King" title="" /></div>
<div class="sidenote"><span class="smcap">a.d. 1399.</span></div>
<div class='cap'>HENRY the Fourth was the Black Prince's nephew, and he came
to be king of England. His son was Henry the Fifth, the
greatest of the Plantagenet kings. When he was a young man, and
only Prince of Wales, he was very wild and fond of games and jokes.
They used to call him Harry Madcap.</div>
<p>Once, when he got into some trouble or other, his father, who was ill,
sent for him, and he went at once in a fine dress that he had had made
for a fancy dress party. It was of light blue satin with odd puckers in
the sleeves, and at every pucker the tailor had left a little bit of blue
thread and a tag like a needle. The king was very angry with the prince
for daring to come into the royal presence in such a silly coat. Then
Prince Harry said—</p>
<p>"Dear father, as soon as I heard that you wanted me, I was in such a
hurry to come to you that I had no time to even think of my coat, much
less change it."</p>
<p>And so the king forgave him.</p>
<p>Another time one of his servants got into trouble and was taken
before the Chief Judge Sir William Gascoyne. The Prince went directly
to the Court where the judge was and said<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_43" id="Page_43"></SPAN></span>—</p>
<p>"Lord Judge, this is my servant, and you must let him go, for I am
the king's son."</p>
<p>"No," said the judge, "I sit here in the place of the king himself, to
do justice to all his subjects, and were this man the Prince of Wales himself,
instead of being his servant, he should be punished in that he has
offended against the law."</p>
<p>The prince was so angry that he actually forgot himself so far as
to strike Sir William Gascoyne. The good judge did not hesitate a
minute.</p>
<p>"You have insulted the king himself," he said, "in my person, since
I sit here in his place to do justice. The common folks who offend
against the law offend merely against the king; but you, young man, are
a double traitor to your king and your father."</p>
<p>And he sent the prince to prison.</p>
<p>Henry begged the good judge's pardon afterwards, and when he came
to the throne he thanked him for having behaved so justly and wisely,
and gave him great honour because he had not been afraid to do his duty
without respect of rank, and Henry behaved to the judge like a good son
to a good father.</p>
<p>No king of England was ever more wise or brave or just than Henry
the Fifth; and even now he is remembered with affection. One of
Shakespeare's most splendid plays is written about him, and, when you
have once read that, you will always remember and love Henry the Fifth
as all Englishmen should do.</p>
<div class="sidenote"><span class="smcap">a.d. 1413.</span></div>
<p>At the very beginning of his reign the wars with France began
again. The king sent to France and claimed some lands that had
belonged to Edward the Third; and the young prince of France sent
back the message—"There is nothing in France that can be won with a
dance or a song. You cannot get dukedoms in France by playing and
feasting, and the prince sends you something that will suit you better
than lands in France. He has sent you a barrel of tennis balls, and bids
you play with them and let serious matters be." Then King Henry was
very angry, and said—"We thank him for his present.</p>
<div class='poem'>
When we have matched our rackets to these balls,<br/>
We will in France, by God's grace, play a set<br/>
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.<br/></div>
<p><span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_44" id="Page_44"></SPAN></span></p>
<div class='unindent'>Before I was King of England I was wild and merry because I knew not
how great and solemn a state waited for me. I have played in my
youth like a common man because I was only Prince of Wales; but now
that I am King of England I will rise up with so full of glory that I will
dazzle all the eyes of France."</div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i-044.png" width-obs="600" height-obs="277" alt="King explains" title="" /></div>
<p>Henry sailed over to France and besieged a town called Harfleur.
He spoke to the soldiers before they attacked the town.</p>
<p>"Break down the wall and go through," he said, "or close the wall
up with our English dead.</p>
<div class='poem'>
<span style="margin-left: 8em;">Bend every spirit</span><br/>
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English,<br/>
Whose blood is fetched from fathers of war proof.<br/>
Be copy now to men of grosser blood<br/>
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen,<br/>
Whose limbs were made in England, let us swear<br/>
That you are worth your breeding, which I doubt not;<br/>
Cry God for Harry, England and Saint George."<br/></div>
<p>The Englishmen answered nobly to his appeal, and Harfleur was taken.</p>
<p>Then the English advanced to a place called Agincourt, a name
fated to be linked with splendid glory for ever in the hearts of all
English folk. The French had a very large army, and the English
soldiers were tired with their long march. Many of them were ill and
many were hungry; but they loved the king, and for his sake, and for<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_45" id="Page_45"></SPAN></span>
the sake of their country, they were brave in spite of hunger and cold.
Though they were in a strange country and many times outnumbered by
their foes, they kept up a brave heart as Englishmen have done, thank
God, many's the good time, all the world over. So few were they that
the Earl of Westmoreland said, just before the battle,—</p>
<div class='poem'>
"Oh, that we now had here<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">But one ten thousand of those men in England</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That do no work to-day!"</span><br/></div>
<p>The king came in just as he was saying this, and said—</p>
<p>"No, if we are marked to die, we are enough for our country to lose.
If we are to live, the fewer there are of us the greater share of honour. I
do not covet gold or feasting, or fine garments, but honour I do covet.
Wish not another man from England. I would not lose the honour of
this fight by sharing it with more men than are here, and if any among
our soldiers has no desire to fight, let him go. He shall have a passport
and money to take him away. I should be ashamed to die in such a
man's company. We need not wish for men from England. It is the
men in England who will envy us when they hear of the great crown of
honour and glory that we have won this day. This is Saint Crispin's
day. Every man who fights on this day will remember it and be honoured
to the last hour of his life. Crispin's day shall ne'er go by from this day
to the ending of the world,</p>
<div class='poem'>
But we in it shall be remembered,<br/>
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,<br/>
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me<br/>
Shall be my brother, be he ne'er so vile.<br/>
And gentlemen in England now abed<br/>
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,<br/>
And hold their manhood cheap while any speaks<br/>
That fought with us upon St. Crispin's day."<br/></div>
<div class="figright"> <ANTIMG src="images/i-045.png" width-obs="250" height-obs="130" alt="Lying down" title="" /></div>
<p>Lord Salisbury came in as the king
was saying this.
"The French are
in battle order," he
said, "and ready to
charge upon our
men."<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_46" id="Page_46"></SPAN></span></p>
<p>"All things are ready," said the king quietly, "if our minds are
ready."</p>
<p>"Perish the man whose mind is backward now," said Westmoreland.</p>
<p>"You wish no more for men from England then," said the king smiling.</p>
<p>And Westmoreland, inspired with courage and confidence by the
king's brave speech, answered—"I would to God, my king, that you and
I alone without more help might fight this battle out to-day."</p>
<p>"Why, now you have unwished five thousand men," said the king
laughing, "and that pleases me more than to wish us one more. God be
with you all."</p>
<div class="sidenote"><span class="smcap">a.d. 1415.</span></div>
<p>So they went into battle tired as they were. The brave English let
loose such a shower of arrows that, as at Creçy, the white feathers of the
arrows filled the air like snow, and the French fled before them.</p>
<p>The Earl of Suffolk was wounded, and as he lay dying, the Duke of
York, his great friend, wounded to death, dragged himself to Suffolk's
side and took him by the beard and kissed his wounds, and cried aloud—</p>
<div class='poem'>
"Tarry, dear Cousin Suffolk,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">My soul shall keep thine company to heaven.</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Tarry, sweet soul, for mine, then fly abreast,</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As in this glorious and well-foughten field</span><br/>
<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">We kept together in our chivalry."</span><br/></div>
<div class="figleft"> <ANTIMG src="images/i-046.png" width-obs="400" height-obs="273" alt="Lying abed with baby king" title="" /></div>
<p>Then he turned to the king's
uncle, the Duke of Exeter, and
took his hand and
said: "Dear my lord,
commend my service
to my sovereign."</p>
<p>Then he put his
two arms
round Suffolk's
neck,
and the two
friends died
together.
But the battle
was won.<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_47" id="Page_47"></SPAN></span></p>
<p>Peace was made with France, and to seal the peace Henry married
the French princess, Katherine. A little son was born to them at
Windsor, and was called Henry of Windsor, Prince of Wales; he was
afterwards Henry the Sixth. When Henry the Fifth knew he was going
to die, he called his brothers together and gave them good advice about
ruling England and France, and begged them to take great care of his
little son. Henry the Sixth was not a year old when his father died, and
he was crowned at once.</p>
<p>One of the finest English poems we have, was written about the
Battle of Agincourt.</p>
<div class='center'><br/>I.</div>
<div class='poem'>
Fair stood the wind for France<br/>
When we our sails advance,<br/>
Nor now to prove our chance<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Longer will tarry;</span><br/>
But putting to the main<br/>
At Caux, the mouth of Seine,<br/>
With all his martial train,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Landed King Harry.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>II.</div>
<div class='poem'>
And turning to his men,<br/>
Quoth our brave Harry then,<br/>
Though they be one to ten,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Be not amazed.</span><br/>
Yet have we well begun;<br/>
Battles so bravely won<br/>
Have ever to the sun<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">By fame been raised.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>III.</div>
<div class='poem'>
And for myself (quoth he)<br/>
This my full rest shall be,<br/>
England ne'er mourn for me,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Nor more esteem me.</span><br/>
Victor I will remain,<br/>
Or on this earth lie slain,<br/>
Never shall she sustain<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Loss to redeem me.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>IV.</div>
<div class='poem'>
Poitiers and Cressy tell<br/>
When most their pride did swell,<br/>
Under our swords they fell;<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">No less our skill is</span><br/>
Then when our grandsire great,<br/>
Claiming the regal seat,<br/>
By many a warlike feat<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Lopped the French lilies.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>V.</div>
<div class='poem'>
They now to fight are gone,<br/>
Armour on armour shone,<br/>
Drum now to drum did groan,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">To hear was wonder;</span><br/>
That with the cries they make,<br/>
The very earth did shake,<br/>
Trumpet to trumpet spake,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Thunder to thunder.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>VI.</div>
<div class='poem'>
With Spanish yew so strong,<br/>
Arrows a cloth-yard long<br/>
That like to serpents stung,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Piercing the weather;</span><br/>
None from his fellow starts,<br/>
But playing manly parts,<br/>
And like true English hearts,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Stuck close together.</span><br/>
<span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_48" id="Page_48"></SPAN></span></div>
<div class='center'><br/>VII.</div>
<div class='poem'>
When down their bows they threw<br/>
And forth their bilbos drew,<br/>
And on the French they flew,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Not one was tardy;</span><br/>
Arms were from shoulders sent,<br/>
Scalps to the teeth were rent,<br/>
Down the French peasants went—<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Our men were hardy.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>VIII.</div>
<div class='poem'>
This while our noble king,<br/>
His broadsword brandishing,<br/>
Down the French host did ding,<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">As to o'erwhelm it.</span><br/>
And many a deep wound lent<br/>
His arms with blood besprent.<br/>
And many a cruel dent<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Bruised his helmet.</span><br/></div>
<div class='center'><br/>IX.</div>
<div class='poem'>
Upon Saint Crispin' day<br/>
Fought was this noble fray.<br/>
Which fame did not delay<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To England to carry.</span><br/>
O when shall Englishmen<br/>
With such acts fill a pen,<br/>
Or England breed again<br/>
<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Such a King Harry?</span><br/><br/><br/></div>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i-048.png" width-obs="195" height-obs="213" alt="Henry VI" title="" /></div>
<p><span class='pagenum'><SPAN name="Page_49" id="Page_49"></SPAN></span></p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/backcover.jpg" width-obs="450" height-obs="600" alt="Father Tuck's "Golden Gift" AND "Little Lesson" Series" title="" /></div>
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