Chronicles (3 of 6): Historie of England (1 of 9): Henrie IVHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (3 of 6): Historie of England (1 of 9): Henrie IV
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Henry IV, 1399-1413; Middle Ages
[Sidenote: His words to his father.] The prince knéeling 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 gréefe 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 héere 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.”
[Sidenote: The kings wordes to the prince his son.] The king mooued
herewith, cast from him the dagger, and imbracing the prince kissed him,
and with shedding teares confessed, that in déed 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. [Sidenote: _Exton._] And
further, where he could not but gréeuouslie complaine of them that had
slandered him so greatlie, to the defacing not onelie of his honor,
[Sidenote: The princes request to haue his accusors to answer their
wrōgful slanders.] 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
séeming to grant his resonable desire, yet told him that he must tarrie
a parlement, that such offenders might be punished by iudgement of their
péeres: and so for that time he was dismissed, with great loue and
signes of fatherlie affection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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