inciples of justice, his character, firmly established by undeniable
proofs of a private as well as a public nature, forbids us to admit.
It must never be forgotten that those persons who were then
universally regarded as the best and safest interpreters of law, human
and divine, assured him, on his solemn appeal to them for their
judgment,[65] that the cause in which he was embarking was just; (p. 073)
and, as many incidents in the sequel establish, he did embark in
it without any doubts or misgivings, without the slightest scruple of
conscience; on the contrary, with a full confidence in the entire
righteousness of his cause, and a most unbounded reliance on the arm
of the God of Justice for success.

[Footnote 65: The "Chronicles of England" record,
that, "in the second year of King Henry's reign, he
held a council of all the lords of his realm at
Westminster; and there he put to them this demand,
and prayed and besought them of their goodness, and
of their good counsel and good-will, as touching
the right and title that he had to Normandy,
Gascony, and Guienne--the which the King of France
withheld wrongfully and unrightfully--the which his
ancestors before him had by true title of conquest
and right heritage--the which Normandy, Gascony,
and Guienne the good King Edward of Windsor, and
his ancestors before him, had holden all their
life's time. And his lords gave him counsel to send
ambassadors unto the King of France and his
council, demanding that he should give up to him
his right heritage,--that is to say, Normandy,
Gascony, and Guienne,--the which his predecessors
had holden before him, or else he would win it with
dint of sword in short time with the help of
Almighty God."]

The facts which laid the groundwork for his enterprising spirit to
build upon are very interesting; and, though they may perhaps belong
rather to general history than to Memoirs of Henry of Monmouth, yet a
brief review of them might seem altogether indispensable in this
place.

"The preference given by the States-General to Philip of Valois a