4John Stow, The Chronicles of England, from Brute unto this Present Year of Christ (excerpts)

London: Henry Bynneman for Ralph Newberie, 1580

Upon the eve of St. John Baptist, the Kingʼs son being in Eastcheap at supper after midnight, betwixt two or three of the clock a great debate happened between his men and men of the Court, lasting an hour till the Mayor and Sheriffs with other citizens ceased the same, for the which the said Mayor, Sheriffs, and twelve Aldermen were sent after by writ to appear before the King there for to answer; at which the King with his sons, and divers other lords, were highly moved against the city. William Gascoigne, Chief Justice, inquired of the Mayor and the Aldermen, for the citizens, whether they would put them in the Kingʼs grace. Whereunto they answered, they had not offended the King nor his sons, but according to law staunched the debates. Then the King, seeing it would be none otherwise, forgave altogether, and they departed. (573)

[King Henry IV] was taken with sickness, of the which he languished till his appointed hour, during which sickness some evilly disposed people labored to make dissension between the King and the Prince his son. By reason whereof, and by the act of youth, which he exercised more than meanly, and for the great recourse of people unto him, of whom his court was at all times more abundant than [that of] the King his father, the King suspected that he would presume to usurp the crown, he being alive. Which suspicious jealousy was occasion that he in part withdrew his affection and singular love from the Prince. But when this noble Prince was advertised of his fatherʼs jealousy, he disguised himself in a gown of blue satin, made full of small eyelets, and at every eyelet the needle wherewith it was made hanging still by a thread of silk. . . [T]hus appareled, with a great company of lords and other noblemen of his court, he came to the King his father, who at that time lay at Westminster, where at his coming (by his own commandment) not one of his company advanced himself further than the fire in the hall, notwithstanding that they were greatly and oft desired to the contrary by the lords and great estates of the Kingʼs court. And that the Prince had commanded, to give the less occasion of mistrust to the King his father, but he himself, only accompanied by the Kingʼs house, passed forth to the King his father, to whom after due salutation he desired to show the intent of his mind in secret manner. Then the King caused himself to be borne in his chair into his secret chamber (because he was desired and might not go), where in the presence of there or four persons in whom the King had most confidence, he commanded the Prince to show the effect of his mind. Then the Prince, kneeling down before his father, said to him these words: “Most redoubted Lord and father, I am this time come to your presence as your liegeman, and as your natural son, in all things to obey your Grace as my sovereign Lord and father. And whereas I understand you have me suspect of my behavior against your Grace, and that you fear I would usurp your crown against the pleasure of your Highness, from my conversation your Grace knoweth that if you were in fear of any man, of what estate soever he were, my duty were to the endangering of my life to punish that person, thereby to raze that sore from your heart. And then how much rather ought I to suffer death to bring your Grace from the fear that you have of me that am your natural son and your liegeman. And to that intent I have this day by confession and receiving the sacrament, prepared myself, and therefore most redoubted Lord and father, I beseech you in the honor of God, for the easing of your heart, here before your knees to slay me with this dagger.” And at that word with all reverence he delivered to the King his dagger, saying, “My Lord and father, my life is not so desirous to me that I would live one day that should be to your displeasure, nor I covet so much my life as I do your pleasure and welfare, and in your thus doing, here in the presence of these lords and before God at the day of judgement, I clearly forgive you my death.” At these words of the Prince, the King, taken with compassion of heart, cast from him the dagger, and embracing the prince, kissed him, and with effusion of tears said unto him, “My right dear and heartily beloved son, it is true that I had you partly suspect, and as I now perceive, undeserved on your part. But seeing this your humility and faithfulness, I shall neither slay you, nor from henceforth have you any more in mistrust, for no report that shall be made to me, and thereof I assure you upon mine honor.” Thus by his great wisdom was the wrongful imagination of his fatherʼs hate utterly avoided, and himself restored to the Kingʼs former grace and favor. (576-78)

[Henry the Fifth] delighted in songs and musical instruments, insomuch that in his chapel amongst other his private papers, he used certain Psalms of David translated into heroical English meter by John Lydgate, Monk of Bury.

Whilst his father lived, being accompanied with some of his young lords and gentlemen, he would wait in disguised array for his own receivers, and distress them of their money. And sometimes at such enterprises both he and is company were surely beaten. And when his receivers made to him their complaints, how they were robbed in their coming unto him, he would give them discharge of so much money as they had lost. And besides that they should not depart from him without great rewards for their trouble and vexation, especially he should be rewarded that had best resisted him and his company, and of whom he had received the greatest and most strokes. But after the decease of his father there was never any youth or wildness that might have place in him, but all his acts were suddenly changed into gravity and discretion. (582-3)

The night before this cruel battle, by the advice and counsel (as it is said) of the Duke of York, the King had given commandment through his host, that every man should purvey him a stake sharp at both ends, which the Englishmen fixed in the ground before them in the field, to defend them from the oppression of the horsemen. (594)