The purpose of this meeting was to receive the French ambassadors and these were brought in that Henry might tell them his will before all assembled.
He spoke clearly and witheringly: "I little esteem your French money" he said, "and less so your power and strength. I know full well my rights to the crown which has been usurped. The usurper, your master, may have loving subjects who will rally to his cause. I thank God I am not unstored with the same. And I tell you this, before a year has passed I shall make the highest crown of your country stoop before me and the proudest mitre to have his humiliation. In the meantime tell this to the usurper your master, that within three months I shall enter France as into mine own true and lawful patrimony, acquiring the same not with bray of words but with deeds of men and dint of sword by the aid of God in whom I put my trust and confidence. You may depart safely to your own country where I trust sooner to visit you than you shall have cause to bid me welcome."
The Frenchmen looked astounded by this speech; but they bowed and took their leave.
When they had gone all eyes were on the King.
"Bold words, my lord," said Bedford.
"Bold deeds should be preceded by bold words, brother. You will see that I meant every one of them. We shall now make our preparations."
"Charles will be shivering in his shoes," said Exeter. "I wonder what the Dauphin will have to say."
The Dauphin's reply came within a few weeks.
The King was in his ante-chamber with his brothers and counsellors when the ambassadors from France arrived. They brought with them a barrel which was carried in and placed at the King's feet.
"What is this?" asked the King.
"The Dauphin's gift to you, my lord."
The King laughed. Did the foolish fop think he could placate the King of England with gifts!
"He has sent these treasures to you, my lord, with the assurance that they will please you mightily. He knows your nature and he applied this knowledge when selecting a treasure which would be considered most suited to your taste."
"We should not be affected by it were it ever so much to our liking" said the King. "But let us see what my lord Dauphin knows of my tastes"
He was smiling when the barrel was opened. There was a gasp of astonishment when the King put in his hand and brought out a tennis ball.
"God's truth," he cried. "The barrel is full of them."
The ambassadors lowered their heads to hide their smiles.
"Our master believed these would please you, my lord," said one. "His message is that he is sure you will use them with more skill than you could bring to sword and lance."
Henry was silent for a few moments. His face was a deeper shade of pink than usual.
Then he said in a loud clear voice: "Go tell your master that when I have set my rackets against these balls I shall drive them so hard that they will batter open the gates of Paris."
"So be it," cried those standing by; and the ambassadors retired discomfited.
"My lord Dauphin has spoken," said the King. "Now we shall lose no more time. Let us prepare to carry the war into France."
Henry threw himself fervently into making ready to leave. The people were with him. He was popular. He was young; he was handsome; he had shown in his youth that he was no saint; he was a man of the people.
"We'll go with Harry," they said.
The rich men of the country rallied round. They brought him gifts which could be converted into money; the poor could only bring themselves which they did to join his army. They were all excited by the expedition into France. They had no doubt of its success and they talked of the spoils that would come their way. France was a rich country. It was not like making war on Wales or Scotland or Ireland. There would be rich profits for those who went foraging with Harry of England.
All the greatest nobles in the land pledged themselves to serve with their followers for a year. Henry announced that for their services they would be paid, for a Duke thirteen shillings and fourpence a day; for an Earl six shillings and eightpence; for a baron or baronet three shillings and four-pence, a knight two shillings, an esquire one shilling, and an archer sixpence. Any prisoners taken were to belong to their captors and to them would go the ransom demanded when it was paid. There were clearly pickings to be had.
With the expedition the King was taking his physician, Nicholas Colnet, and his surgeon, Thomas Morstede, and they were to be paid twelve pence a day and be given a guard of three archers.
The army was growing in strength; there were six thousand men at arms and twenty-four thousand archers.
During these preparations Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, had a stroke. He was unable to speak. It was said of him that this was God's punishment for having tied up the word of God in the mouths of preachers.
"Poor old man," said Henry. "He will not be sorry to go."
But he had no time to grieve for his Archbishop. His thoughts were with his army. Henry Chicheley was appointed in Arundel's place and Henry was pleased with his new Archbishop for he was a man who gave whole-hearted support to the prosecution of the war.
Henry, determined to make sure that no important detail should be missed, himself proceeded to Southampton to watch the loading of stores.
The expedition was ready to leave within a few days when a plot was revealed to him. It was the intention of the plotters to take over the country while he was away and set up in his place the Earl of March—whom many people believed to be the true heir to the throne.
One of the servants of Richard Earl of Cambridge was discovered with letters from his master to Lord Henry Scrope of Mersham.
When the King read these letters he was filled not only with rage but with horror because Henry Scrope had been one of his closest companions since his accession to the throne. He had trusted him with missions abroad; only recently he had travelled with Henry Chicheley before the latter had become Archbishop, on a very confidential mission to the Duke of Burgundy.
"Whom can one trust!" cried Henry. And to discover such duplicity just as he was about to set out for France was unnerving. Who will betray me next? he wondered. Is it safe to leave my kingdom when those I believed to be my truest friends are in truth my enemies?
This was the shadow which had pursued his father. Always he had feared that someone would try to set up the Earl of March in his place or discover that Richard still lived. He himself would refuse to be haunted by such fears. He would soon add the crown of France to that of England and no one was going to deny his rights.
He could see how Scrope had been drawn into this—Scrope and Cambridge! Scrope had married Cambridge's stepmother as his second wife; and Cambridge was married to the sister of the Earl of March. Cambridge, himself royal being the second son of Edmund Langley who was a son of Edward the Third, would reckon his son to be in line for the throne. These marriages ... these royal lines ... they gave people ideas !
Prompt action was needed to deal with the matter. Conspiracies were always dangerous but one could not have come at a worse time than this.
He sent for Scrope. Good honest Scrope; so he had thought —and all the time a traitor to him!
"Ah, Henry," he said. "I am glad you came so promptly."
"My lord, I am always at your service."
"Except," replied the King, "when you serve my enemies."
He was watching his one-time friend closely, hoping to detect in his face a sign of innocence.
But Scrope had flushed scarlet and Henry saw the fear leap into his eyes.
"Charming letters your friend Cambridge writes to you," said Henry.
"I understand you not, my lord."
"Enough, traitor. I have read the correspondence between you two. So you would put March on the throne, eh? But first you must rid yourselves of me. Who was to be the assassin? You, mayhap. You have gained yourself easy access to me with your false protestations of friendship."