Description of Henry V – page 1
A flattering description of the character and virtues of Henry V, written by a 16th century official and based on contemporary 15th century accounts.
King Henry V was admired by 16th century monarchs, like Henry VIII, as well as commentators, who saw him as the ideal monarch to emulate. This text formed part of a late 16th century draft treatise on military strategy, tactics and leadership.
See page two of this document.
Catalogue reference: SP 9/36 ff. 6-7
Translation
This king was a prince who[m] all men / loved and of no man disdained: he was / a Captaine against whom fortune never / frouned nor mischance once spurned: he / was a shepheard who[m] his flock loveingly obaid / Such a justicies that no offence was unpun / – ished nor anyt desertes unrewarded; he was / feaered for his justice that all rebellion / was banished and sedicion supressed; his / vertues wear more notable noe greate then his qualities / wear worthy of praise, for as strength and / agillitie of body from his youth few wear / to him comparable, for in wrestling leap / -inge and runeing casting the slege and bar… / he excelled many men: noe colde / made him slothfull noe heat caused him to / to loyter and when he most labored his head / was uncoverd; he was noe more weary of armor then of a light clocke; hunger and / thirst never not strange to him nor hurtful / he was never a feared of a wounds nor ne / – ver greaued and the paine: he nether turned / his nose from ill savor, nor close his eyes / from duste: noe man was more temporat / in eating and drinking, nether was his diett / too dillicat but mor like to a soldiers the[n] a virgi… / hone’st person was permitted to ? / to him sitting at his meale; and eythir secr / – ettely or openly to declare his mind and inte[n]t / light and weightie causes as well between / men of warre as othir he wold gladly hear