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
Whether this was true that so he spake, as one that gaue too much credit
to foolish prophesies & vaine tales, or whether it was fained, as in
such cases it commonlie happeneth, we leaue it to the aduised reader to
iudge. [Sidenote: He is buried at Canturburie.] His bodie with all
funerall pompe was conueied vnto Canturburie, [Sidenote: His issue.] and
there solemnlie buried, leauing behind him by the ladie Marie daughter
to the lord Humfrie Bohun earle of Hereford and Northampton, Henrie
prince of Wales, Thomas duke of Clarence, Iohn duke of Bedford, Humfrie
duke of Glocester, Blanch duchesse of Bauier, and Philip quéene of
Denmarke: by his last wife Iane, he had no children. [Sidenote: His
stature.] This king was of a meane stature, well proportioned, and
formallie compact, quicke and liuelie, and of a stout courage. In his
latter daies he shewed himselfe so gentle, that he gat more loue amongst
the nobles and people of this realme, than he had purchased malice and
euill will in the beginning.
But yet to speake a truth, by his proceedings, after he had atteined to
the crowne, what with such taxes, tallages, subsidies, and exactions as
he was constreined to charge the people with; and what by punishing such
as mooued with disdeine to see him vsurpe the crowne (contrarie to the
oth taken at his entring into this land, vpon his returne from exile)
did at sundrie times rebell against him, he wan himselfe more hatred,
than in all his life time (if it had beene longer by manie yeares than
it was) had beene possible for him to haue weeded out & remooued. And
yet doubtlesse, woorthie were his subiects to tast of that bitter cup,
sithens they were so readie to ioine and clappe hands with him, for the
deposing of their rightfull and naturall prince king Richard, whose
chéefe fault rested onlie in that, that he was too bountifull to his
fréends, and too mercifull to his foes; speciallie if he had not béene
drawne by others, to séeke reuenge of those that abused his good and
courteous nature. ¶ But now to returne to the matter present. The duke
of Clarence immediatlie vpon knowlege had of his father king Henrie the
fourth his death, returned out of Guien into England, with the earle of
Angolesme, and other prisoners.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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