before this new power was used by the clergy. William Sawtré, a clergyman, was the first victim. He was burned alive in Smithfield, in 1401, for being a Lollard, and his death was followed nine years later by that of Thomas Badby, a smith, who denied the doctrine of the Real Presence. This unfortunate man cried aloud for mercy when the flames were lit around him, and Prince Henry, who was present, had the faggots removed, and urged him to recant,3 promising him, at the same time, a pension for life if he would do so. Badby's courage returned. He refused to recant, was again enclosed with faggots, and burned to death.

3. Notwithstanding these acts of persecution, a strong feeling against the Church existed in the minds of the people, and more than once Parliament proposed to the King to confiscate the property of the Church. The King, however, found the support of the clergy so necessary to him, that he always opposed all such proposals.

4. The constant anxiety in which he lived at last undermined Henry's health. He was subject to fits for many years, and an attack, which proved fatal, overtook him one day in Westminster Abbey. He was carried to the Jerusalem Chamber, where he died-in fulfilment, it was said, of an old prophecy, which declared that he should die at Jerusalem.

5. Henry's last years had been made bitter by constant attempts upon his life. Pointed irons were laid in his bed, and attempts were made to put poison in his food or on his clothes. By the end of his life, the popularity with which he had been received when he first came to the throne had almost entirely died away. He died March 20, 1413, in

the 46th year of his age and the 13th of his reign. The qualities of courage and prudence cannot be denied to Henry, and he possessed a talent for statesmanship which made his rule in many respects a very beneficial one for England. By his first wife, Henry had six children-Henry, who succeeded him; Thomas, Duke of Clarence; John, Duke of Bedford; Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and two daughters.

39.-HENRY V. 1413-1422.

1. Henry V. was but twenty-six years old when he succeeded his father as King of England. Latterly, Henry IV. had grown so suspicious, that he had been afraid to give his son any share in public business. On his death-bed he is said to have called young Henry to him, and to have asked him how he would defend the ill-gotten crown. The young Prince replied that he would use his sword to keep the crown, as his father had used his to win it. The reply was a characteristic1 one. Henry was chiefly distinguished as a soldier, and his feats of arms were so great that he deserves to rank high among great commanders. Besides his genius2 for war, he had not a little talent for statesmanship, and the occasion

soon arose on which he was called to exercise it. What his character was may be judged from what was said of him in the preceding reign. As soon as Henry came to the throne, he abandoned all his former companions, and retained in their places the ministers of his father. On the authority of our great dramatist, Shakspere, it is frequently stated that Sir William Gascoigne was permitted to continue in office as Chief Justice. But recent researches have thrown some doubt on the correctness of this statement.

40.-THE LOLLARD RISING.

1. Henry had in his household one Sir John Oldcastle, who, through his wife, bore the title of Lord Cobham. Oldcastle was the leader of the Lollards, and he was much in the confidence of Henry, who respected him for his high character. Hoping much from this connexion of their leader with the King, the Lollards became very active. The clergy became alarmed, and found on enquiry that the Lollards were acting under the protection of Sir John Oldcastle. Accordingly, the Archbishop of Canterbury brought the matter under the notice of Henry, who used all his personal influence with Oldcastle to induce him to give up his opposition to the Church.

2. Henry's pleading was useless, and Oldcastle was arrested and sent to the Tower. He was brought before a spiritual court, and fully declared his opinions, which were pronounced heretical by the court, and Oldcastle was handed over to the "secular arm" to be burnt to death in the usual way. He succeeded, however, in escaping from the Tower, and soon after, the country was agitated by rumours of a great Lollard plot to seize the King, and make Oldcastle Regent. It was discovered that thousands of the Lollards were to meet at St. Giles's Fields on the Sunday night after Twelfth Day.2 Henry acted quickly. He set out for the meeting-place with a band of armed men, commanding the city gates to be closed, so that none could go out to join the rebels.

3. At the King's approach, the rebels were seized with fear. Numbers fled, many were killed or made prisoners. Nothing, however, was then heard of Oldcastle, and it was not known whether he had been present. Nearly three years after, he was captured while hiding from the King's officers. He was brought to London, carried thence to St. Giles's Fields, the spot where the rising of the Lollards was to have been begun, and was there hung from a gibbet by an iron chain, while a fire was lighted under his feet. By those stern and prompt measures the Lollard agitation was checked.

41. THE FIRST FRENCH CAMPAIGN.

1. One of the chief reasons for the barons' discontent with Richard II. was that he was too peaceful, and they looked to Henry V. to renew the wars of Edward III. The disturbed state of France afforded Henry an excellent opportunity of interfering in the politics1 of that country, and of gratifying2 the strong war party among the barons.

2. The King of France, Charles VI., was hopelessly mad, and the country was divided into two parties, called the Burgundians and the Armagnacs, after their leaders, the Duke of Burgundy and the Count of Armagnac. Both parties sought the alliance of England. After some delay, Henry suddenly revived the claim of Edward III. to the throne of France, and called on Charles at once to give up his kingdom, or, at any rate, to give to England all the possessions allotted by the treaty of Bretigny, together with Normandy, Anjou, and Maine! As has been already seen, the claim of Edward to the crown of France was doubtful enough; that of Henry was simply childish. Nevertheless, to buy him off, the French offered Guienne to Henry, together with the hand of Catherine, the French King's daughter. The offer was rejected, and Henry prepared for war. His departure for France was delayed by the discovery of a conspiracy to dethrone him, and to make the Earl of March King in his stead. Henry took steps to suppress the plot with his usual promptness. The leaders were beheaded, and the throne of the Lancasters was safe for the rest of