King Henry to please the French
king, but only to the intent to exalt to the crown his brother-in-law
Edmund, Earl of March, as heir to Lionel, Duke of Clarence; after the
death of which Earl of March, for divers secret impediments not able to
have issue, the Earl of Cambridge was sure that the crown should come to
him by his wife, and to his children of her begotten; and therefore (as
was thought), he rather confessed himself for need of money to be
corrupted by the French king, than he would declare his inward mind,
&c., which if it were espied, he saw plainly that the Earl of March
should have tasted of the same cup that he had drunk, and what should
have come to his own children he merely doubted, &c."

A million of gold is stated to have been given by France to the
conspirators.

Historians have, however, generally expressed their utter inability to
explain upon what grounds the conspirators built their expectation of
success; and unless they had been promised powerful assistance from
France, the design seems to have been one of the most absurd and
hopeless upon record. The confession of the Earl of Cambridge, and his
supplication for mercy in his own hand writing, is in the British
Museum.

(C) _Touching our person, seek we no revenge;_] This speech is taken
from Holinshed:--

"Revenge herein touching my person, though I seek not; yet for the
safeguard of my dear friends, and for due preservation of all sorts,
I am by office to cause example to be showed: Get ye hence, therefore,
you poor miserable wretches, to the receiving of your just reward,
wherein God's majesty give you grace of his mercy, and repentance of
your heinous offences."

(D) _Cheerly to sea; the signs of war advance:_] "The king went from his
castle of Porchester in a small vessel to the sea, and embarking on
board his ship, called The Trinity, between the ports of Southampton and
Portsmouth, he immediately ordered that the sail should be set, to
signify his readiness to depart." "There were about fifteen hundred
vessels, including about a hundred which were left behind. After having
passed the Isle of Wight, swans were seen swimming in the midst of the
fleet, which, in the opinion of all, were said to be happy auspices of
the undertaking. On the next day, the king entered the mouth of the
Seine, and cast anchor before a place called Kidecaus, about three miles
from Harfleur, where he proposed landing." --_Nicolas's History of
Agincourt_.