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A.D. 1387. He was born in 1387, and was a very sickly infant, but he had a devoted mother, who took such good care of him that he soon grew strong. She gave him his first lessons in Latin, and he was afterwards blessed with an title of Shrewsbury, where he proved himself a brave prince. He advanced too rashly on the enemy, and received a serious wound in the face that left a scar to the end of his life. On being advised to retire that the point of the arrow might be taken out, "To what place?" he asked, "who will remain fighting, if I, the prince, a king's son, retire for fear at the first taste of steel? let my fellow-soldiers see that I bleed at the first onset; for deeds, not words, are the duties of princes who should set the example of boldness."
Henry V. was extremely poor while he was Prince of Wales; but that did not prevent his enjoying himself, even though his dissipations, and recklessness forced him into company far beneath him in rank. He was at times so pushed for money that he would disguise himself as a highwayman, and lie in wait for the collectors of the rents due the crown and rob them. Sometimes he got soundly beaten himself, but he always rewarded those officers who made the boldest fight. He knew how to appreciate faithfulness, even when it told against himself.
He performed some of the wildest pranks when he lived at a manor near Coventry. On one occasion he and some of his friends were arrested by the mayor of that town for raising a riot, and this was not the only time that he was locked up in jail. The young nobles found that they could have so much liberty and fun at "Prince Hal's" house that they preferred it to the king's court. This made Henry IV. quite jealous at times, but it did not prevent their flocking to the manor and enjoying their mad frolics. During one of these, a favorite servant of the prince was arrested and taken before Judge Gascoigne. No sooner did Henry hear of it than he rushed to the court of justice, where the servant stood awaiting his trial. Walking boldly up to the man he endeavored to remove his chains; the judge interfered, whereupon the prince boxed his ears soundly. Such an outrage caused great indignation on the part of Gascoigne; who not only reproved the young man as he deserved, but actually had him locked up in the prison of the King's Bench. No doubt the prince regretted that he had allowed his temper to get the better of his common sense; for, after he had taken time to reflect, he submitted with a good grace to his well-merited punishment. When Henry IV. heard of this occurrence, he said: "he was proud of having a son who would thus submit himself to the laws, and that he had a judge who could so fearlessly enforce them."
For a long time the king had been trying to get a wife for his wild son, no doubt with the hope that marriage would improve his bad behavior. Several ladies had been proposed, but in each case something happened to prevent an engagement. At last both father and son seemed determined on obtaining the fair Katherine for the lofty station of Princess of Wales. The Duke of York was sent on a private mission to demand her hand in marriage for Prince Henry, and while he was absent the king died.
A short but fierce civil war had to be fought before Henry V. could take possession of the throne, because somebody raised a report that Richard II., who would have succeeded, was still alive. In order to restore peace, Henry was obliged to have Richard's corpse paraded through the streets. It was carried in a chair of state adorned with regal ornaments, Henry walking by its side, and all the court following. After a solemn ceremony it was safely laid away in Westminster Abbey, and tranquillity returned.
Then the new king made another application for the hand of Princess Katherine, at the same time demanding the enormous dowry of two millions of crowns and all the southern provinces of France.
Charles VI. tried to compromise,—and offered 450,000 crowns. This the English lover refused with disdain. In fact, he wanted an excuse for invading France, so resolved to fight for Katherine the Fair, and to win her, as well as the gold and the provinces he had demanded, at the point of the sword. In order to raise money for this expedition he had to sell or pawn all the valuables he owned, but his ambition was aroused and he never doubted that "the game was worth the candle."