Page 44, l. 17 [Stz. 124]. “_A Route of tatter’d Rascalls starued so._” --Holinshed’s description of the condition of the English army is most graphic: “The English men were brought into great misery in this journey, their victuall was in maner spent, and nowe coulde they get none: for their enemies had destroied all the corne before they came: reste could they none take, for their enemies were ever at hande to give them alarmes: dayly it rained, and nightly it freesed: of fewell there was great scarsitie, but of fluxes greate plenty: money they hadde enoughe, but of wares to bestowe it uppon for their reliefe or comforte, hadde they little or none. And yet in this great necessitye the poore people of the countrey were not spoiled, nor any thyng taken of them wythout payment, neyther was any outrage or offence done by the Englishemenne of warre, except one, whiche was, that a folish souldiour stale a pixe out of a churche.” Shakespeare’s use of this incident is well known. Page 46, l. 28 [Stz. 133]. “_Spirits._” --Must here be pronounced as a monosyllable, as at p. 67, l. 18. Page 48, l. 6 [Stz. 138]. “_Till their foule noyse doth all the ayre infest._” --Drayton probably stands alone among English poets in disliking the music of the rookery. Page 49, l. 15 [Stz. 143]. “_Quoyts, Lots, and Dice for Englishmen to cast._” --“The captaines had determined before howe to devide the spoile, and the souldiours the night before had plaid the englishemen at dice” (Holinshed). Page 50, l. 9 [Stz. 147]. “_And cast to make a Chariot for the King._” --This circumstance also is mentioned by Holinshed, and is authenticated by the anonymous priest. Page 50, ll. 31, 32 [Stz. 149]. “_Some pointing Stakes to stick into the ground, To guard the Bow-men._” --Henry had ordered the archers to provide themselves with stakes even before the passage of the Somme. Page 51, l. 25 [Stz. 153]. “_King Richards wrongs, to minde, Lord doe not call._” --Drayton evidently follows Shakespeare, but remains a long way behind: “Not to-day, O Lord, O, not to-day, think not upon the fault My father made in compassing the crown! I Richard’s body have interred new: And on it have bestowed more contrite tears Than from it issued forced drops of blood: Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay, Who twice a day their withered hands hold up Toward heaven, to pardon blood; and I have built Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests Sing still for Richard’s soul. More will I do; Though all that I can do is nothing worth, Since that my penitence comes after all, Imploring pardon.” _Henry V._, act iv., sc. 1. Shakespeare’s infinite superiority in moral delicacy, not merely to his imitator, but to all poets except the very best, is forcibly shown by his causing Henry to abstain from all attempts to excuse his father and himself at the expense of Richard, so natural in the mouth of an ordinary person, so unbecoming a hero.