Interea fractúmq; æstu nimióq; labore
Corripit Henricum languentem febris acuta,
Cœli intemperies, sextili Sirius ardens
Virus[4] pestiferi fecit ingrandescere[*4] morbi
[4] A pestilent feuer.
Lord Crumwell.
His bodie imbalmed and closed in lead, was laid in a chariot roiall, richlie apparelled with cloth of gold. Vpon his coffin was laid a representation of his person, adorned with robes, diadem, scepter, & ball, like a king; the which chariot, six horsses drew richlie trapped, with seuerall appointments; the first with the armes of S. George, the second with the armes of Normandie, the third of king Arthur, the fourth of saint Edward, the fift of France, and the sixt with the armes of England and France. On this same chariot gaue attendance Iames K. of Scots, the principall mourner, king Henries vncle Thomas duke of Excester, Richard earle of Warwike, the earle of March Edmund, the earle of Stafford Humfrie, the earle of Mortaigne Edmund Beaufort, the lord Fitz Hugh Henrie, the lord Hungerford Walter, sir Robert Robsert lord Bourchier, sir Iohn Cornwall lord Fanhope, and the lord Crumwell were the other mourners. The lord Louell, the lord Audeleie, the lord Morleie, the lord Sowch bare the baners of saints and auoouries, as then they were called; the baron of Dudleie bare the standard, and the earle of Longuile the baner. The hachments were caried onelie by capteins to the number of twelue; and round about the chariot rode fiue hundred men of armes all in blacke armour, their horsses barbed blacke, and they with the but ends of their speares vpwards.
The conduct of this dolorous funerall was committed to sir William Philip, treasuror of the kings houshold, and to sir William Porter, his chéefe caruer, and others. Beside this, on euerie side of the chariot went thrée hundred persons, holding long torches, & lords bearing baners, banerols, and penons. With this funerall appointment was he conueied from Bois de Vincennes, to Paris, and so to Rone, to Abuile, to Calis, to Douer, from thence thorough London to Westminster, where he was interred with such solemne ceremonies, mourning of lords, praier of priests and such lamenting of commons, as neuer before then the like was séene in England. Shortlie after this solemne buriall, his sorowfull quéene returned into England, and kept hir estate with the yoong king hir sonne.
W. P.
Abr. Fl. out of Angl. præl.
Thus ended this puissant prince his most noble and fortunate reigne, whose life (saith Hall) though cruell Atropos abbreuiated; yet neither fire, malice nor fretting time shall appall his honour, or blot out the glorie of him that in so small time had doone so manie and roiall acts. [In this yeare, the one and twentith of October deceassed the gentle and welbeloued Charles French king the sixt of that name, who was buried at S. Denis.] ¶ So that betwéene the death of these two kings, namelie the one of England, the other of France, there was no great space of time; sith Charles departed in October, and Henrie in August: by the priuation of whose liues, which of the two realmes susteined the greater losse, it is a question not to be discussed. Certeine it is that they were both souereigns tenderlie loued of their subiects, as they were princes greatlie fauouring their people. Finallie, in memorie of this Henrie the fift, a king of a roiall hart, and euerie waie indued with imperiall vertues, I find so fit a report conspiring in truth with his properties and disposition, that I thinke it verie conuenient here to be inserted in place of an epitaph:
Henrici illustris properans mors occupat artus,
Ille suæ patriæ decus immortale per æuum
Venturum, virtutis & indelebile lumen,
Celso animo prorsus, leni quoque pectore ciues
Non solùm, atiustos hostes fideíque probatæ
Dilexit, niueo rarò iracundior ore.