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: _Fabian._] In this fourtéenth and last yeare of king Henries
reigne, [Sidenote: The K. meant to haue made a iournie against the
Infidels.] a councell was holden in the white friers in London, at the
which, among other things, order was taken for ships and gallies to be
builded and made readie, and all other things necessarie to be prouided
for a voiage which he meant to make into the holie land, there to
recouer the citie of Ierusalem from the Infidels. For it gréeued him to
consider the great malice of christian princes, that were bent vpon a
mischéefous purpose to destroie one another, to the perill of their owne
soules, rather than to make war against the enimies of the christian
faith, [Sidenote: The king is vexed with sicknesse.] as in conscience
(it séemed to him) they were bound. He held his Christmas this yeare at
Eltham, being sore vexed with sicknesse, so that it was thought
sometime, that he had beene dead; notwithstanding it pleased God that he
somwhat recouered his strength againe, and so passed that Christmasse
with as much ioy as he might.
[Sidenote: 1413.] The morrow after Candlemas daie began a parlement,
which he had called at London, [Sidenote: A parlement.] but he departed
this life before the same parlement was ended: for now that his
prouisions were readie, and that he was furnished with sufficient
treasure, soldiers, capteins, vittels, munitions, tall ships, strong
gallies, and all things necessarie for such a roiall iournie as he
pretended to take into the holie land, he was eftsoons taken with a sore
sicknesse, [Sidenote: The k. sick of an apoplexie. _Hall._] which was
not a leprosie, striken by the hand of God (saith maister Hall) as
foolish friers imagined; but a verie apoplexie, of the which he
languished till his appointed houre, and had none other gréefe nor
maladie; so that what man ordeineth, God altereth at his good will and
pleasure, not giuing place more to the prince, than to the poorest
creature liuing, when he séeth his time to dispose of him this waie or
that, as to his omnipotent power and diuine prouidence seemeth
expedient. [Sidenote: _Hall._] During this his last sicknesse, he caused
his crowne (as some write) to be set on a pillow at his beds head, and
suddenlie his pangs so sore troubled him, that he laie as though all his
vitall spirits had beene from him departed. Such as were about him,
thinking verelie that he had béene departed, couered his face with a
linnen cloth.
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