JAMES I.'S GROTESQUE MISHAP 217 



According to another chronicler, " there came 

 much water out of his mouth and body," yet 

 " His Majesty rid back to Theobald's, went into 

 a warme bed, and, as we heere, is well, which 

 God continue." 



That the king had a sense of humour is made 

 manifest by the statement that upon his recovery 

 he laughed heartily at the recollection of the 

 incident, while we are further told that his 

 gratitude to Sir Richard Young, his rescuer, 

 "did not stop short at the hearty grasp of the 

 hand he gave him." 



Mention has already been made of James's 

 strange literary work, " Religio Regis : or the 

 Faith and Duty of a Prince." This is said to 

 have been written during the King's temporary 

 residence at Newmarket "for the betterment of 

 his health " (sic). 



It was produced primarily for "the instruction 

 and edification " of his son, Henry, at that time 

 Prince of Wales, but it came to be read widely 

 by his nobles and all about the court. 



In this remarkable treatise we are told that 

 " the honourablest and most commendable Games 

 that a king can use are on Horseback, for it 

 becomes a Prince above all Men to be a good 

 Horseman. And use such Games on Horseback 

 as may teach you to handle your Arms thereon, 

 such as Tilt, Ring, and low-riding for handling 

 your sword. . . . 



