Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum decimum sextum.

HERE is to be noted that this kynge Harry the fyfthe was a moche noble prynce after he was kyng and crowned. How be

it to fore in his yongthe he hadde ben wylde, recheles, and spared nothyng of his lustes ne desyres, but accomplisshid them after his lykynge. But as soone as he was crowned, enoynted, and sacred, anone sodaynly he was chaunged into a new man, and set al his entente to lyve vertuously in mayntenynge of hooly chirche, destroyng of heretykes, kepynge iustyce, and defendynge his royamme and subgettis. And for as moche as his fader hadd deposyd by his labour the good kynge Rychard, and pytously made hym to deye, and for thoffence doo to hym ageynst his lyegeaunce he hadde sente to Rome to be assoylled therof. For whiche offence the pope oure hooly fader enioyned hym to make hym be prayd fore perpetuelly; and lyke as he had done to be taken from hym his naturell lyf, therfore he sholde doo founde four tapers to brenne perpetuelly aboute his body; that for the extynction of his bodyly lyf his sowle may ever be remembryd, and lyve in heven in spyrytuel lyf. And also that he sholde every weke on the daye as it cometh aboute of his dethe have a solempne masse of requiem, and on the even to fore a dirige with nyne lessons, and a dole to pour people alwaye on that daye of enleven schyllynges eyght pens, to be delyd penymele. And ones in the yere at his annyversarye his terment to be holden in the moost honest wyse, and to be deled that day twenty li in pens to pour peple, and to every monke to have twenty schillynges: whiche alle these thynges performed this noble kyng for his fader. For kynge Harry the fourth his fader performed hit not duryng his lyf, whome, as it is sayde God touchyd, and was a lepre er he deyde. Also thenne this noble Prynce leete doo calle alle thabbottes and pryours of saynt Benets ordre in Englond, & had them in the chapytre hous of Westmynstre for the reformacion of thordre, wherynne he had comynycacion, and also with Bisshoppes & men of the spyritualte, in soo ferforth that they doubted soore that he wold have had the temporaltees oute of their handes; wherfor by thadvis, labour and procuring of the spyrytualte encouraged the kynge to chalenge Normandy and his ryght that he hadde in Fraunce, to thende to sette hym a werke there that he sholde not seeke occasions to entre in to suche maters. And soo alle his lyf after he labouryd in the warrys in conquerynge grete parte of the royamme of Fraunce, that by thagrement of the kynge Charlys hadde alle the governaunce of the Royamme of Fraunce, And was proclamed regent and heyr of Fraunce. And soo notwithstandyng alle this grete warre that he had, yet he remembryd his soule, and also that he was mortal and must deye. For whiche he ordeyned by his lyf the place of his sepulcre where he is now buryed, and every day thre masses perpetuelly to be songen in a fayr chapel over his sepulcre. Of whiche the myddel masse and the fyrst and the laste masse

shal be as it is assygned by hym, as it appereth by thyse verses folowynge:—

Henrici misse quinti sunt hic tabulate, Que successive sunt per monachos celebrate.

Die dominica.

Prima sit assumpte de festo virginis alme Poscit postremam Cristus de morte resur|gens.

Feria ij.

Prima salutate de festo virginis extat. Nunciat angelicis laudem postrema choreis.

Feria 3.

Esse Deum natum de virgine prima fatetur, Commemorat natam sic vltima missa Mariam.

Feria 4.

Prima celebretur ad honorem neupmatis almi, Ultima conceptam denunciat esse Mariam.

Feria 5.

Semper prima coli debet de corpore Cristi, Ultima sit fata de virgine purificata.

Feria 6.

Condecet vt prima celebretur de cruce sancta, Atque salutate fiet postrema Marie.

Sabbato.

Omnes ad sanctos est prima colenda supernos, Vltima de requie pro defunctis petit esse; Semper erit media de proprietate Dei.

And yet this noble kyng Harry the fyfthe founded two howses of relygion: One callyd Syon, besyde Braynford, of the ordre of saynt Brygytte, both of men and wymmen; And on that other syde of the ryver of Tamyse an hows of monkes of the Chartre|hous, in whiche two places he is contynuelly prayd fore nyghte and day. For ever whanne they of Syon rest they of the Chartrehous done theyr servyce; And in lyke wyse whanne they of the Chartrous rest, the other goon to: and by the ryngyng of the bellys of eyther place, eche knoweth whanne they ende theyr servyse: whiche ben nobly endowed; and done dayely there grete almesse dedes, as in the Chartrehous certayne children ben founde to scole, and at Syon certayne almesse gyven dayly. And yet besyde all this he hath founded a recluse, whiche shal be alwey a preeste, to praye for hym by the sayde Chartrehous, whiche preeste is wel & sufficiently endowed for hym and a servaunt. Loo here maye all prynces take ensample by this noble prynce, that regnynge so lytel tyme, not fully x. yere, dyd so many noble actes, as wel for his sowle to be per|petuelly remembryd & prayde fore, as in his wordly conquestys; and he beynge in his moost lusty age despysed and eschewyd synne, and was vertuous and a grete iustyser, in soo moche that alle the prynces of Crystendom dradde hym, & also of hethenes. And had determyned in hym self, yf God wolde have sparyd hym, that he wold have warryd agayne the Sarasyns: and for to knowe the ayde of other prynces, & all the passages in

that iourney, he sent a knyght of Henawd, named syr Hugh de Lanoye, vnto Jerusalem, but er he retorned he deyd at Boys du Vincent in the xxxvj. yere of his age: on whos soule God have mercy.