OF TEE MIDDLE AGES. 61 



It has been tlie fate of this part of the story to meet with the 

 same amount of discredit which has assailed other portions of the 

 history of this renowned man ; first, on account of its alleged im- 

 probability, and secondly, because a similar stoiy has been related of 

 some other courtier, and of some other prince, in some other country; 

 as though courteous and loyal actions could never be repeated.* 



But, with regard to the probabilities or improbabilities of the case, 

 let us look to history and to documentary evidence still to be met 

 with. History would lose, I venture to say, half its charms 

 if we were to deprive it of all its romance ; it would then present 

 to us nothing but a lot of dry bones, without any marrow in them. 

 Eemove, for instance, sucli incidents as Queen Philippa's intercession 

 for the burghers of Calais, the gallantry of Sir Walter Ealeigh, and 

 hundreds of others too numerous to mention, and what docs history 

 become ? AYho has not read, not only in Shakespeare, but in legiti- 

 mate history also, of the wild pranks of Trince Hal, and who has not 

 been struck with the gravity of deportment and excellent qualities of 

 the same Prince when afterwards he succeeded to the throne of these 

 realms r AVhat Englishman is there who is not proud of that sovereign 

 when he reads the nan-ative of the battle of Agincourt, with the vast 

 disproportion of the combatants, and who docs not rejoice in the chival- 

 rous and heroic bearing of that king. But not less true is the account of 

 the great costliness of that war, and the drain upon England's revenues 

 to defray it ; not less true is the account of the resources from which 

 Henry was supplied, llapin ' says that " the Parliaments granted a 



q It is related, by Stow, of Henr)- Picard, vintner, who had heen Mayor of 

 London, that the King of C3'prus playing with him at dice, Picard won of him 

 fifty marks, which when tlie king began to take in ill part, although he dissembled 

 the same, Picard said to him, " My Lord and King, be not aggrieved, I covet not 

 your gold but your play ; for I have not bid you hither that I might grieve you, 

 but that amongst other things I might try yoiu- play, and gave him his money 

 again, plentifully bestowing of his o\vn amongst the retinue, besides which he 

 gave many rich gifts to the king and other nobles and knights which dined with 

 him, to the great glory of the citizens of London of those days." It would be sad 

 to discredit every tale of liberality because it surpasses our own niggardly feelings. 

 for a more liberal and chivalrous spirit, such as appears to have animated some, 

 at least, of our forefathers ! 



r Eapin's Hist. England, Henrj^V. p. 518. 



