ment, and the better
accomplish his voyage, to the pleasure of God, and
the singular comfort of all his faithful
lieges."--Acts of Privy Council, vol. ii. p. 148.]

[Footnote 80: A renewed charge of hypocrisy,
brought against Henry by the same pen, will call
for a renewed inquiry; and whatever further remarks
may be made on that topic, are reserved for the
page in which we shall shortly enter upon the
investigation of the charges.]

There remains the charge of impiety, which is made to rest on Henry
having called the Almighty to witness a falsehood, and quoted
Scripture in support of what he affirmed. It was undoubtedly too much
the practice then, as unhappily it is now, for Christians, on trivial
occasions, to appeal to Heaven, and to quote the sanction of Scripture
in very questionable matters of worldly policy. But Henry does not
appeal presumptuously, nor quote lightly; he appeals solemnly, and he
quotes reverently, in a matter of very great importance to both
kingdoms, and in a cause which he believed to be founded in right and
justice. He appealed to Heaven to witness what he regarded as true.
The page we have been examining accuses Henry of falsehood, hypocrisy,
and impiety: the evidence of facts, and the testimony of his
contemporaries, represent him to us in the character of an honest,
undisguised, and pious King.

On Tuesday, April 16, Henry held a council at Westminster, at (p. 104)
which the Chancellor, Henry Beaufort, briefly explained the
proceedings of the great council, enumerating the causes which induced
their King, in the name of God, to undertake in his own person an
expedition for the recovery of his inheritance. On the next day the
Chancellor informed the council that the King had appointed the Duke
of Bedford to be lieutenant of England[81] during his absence; with
the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester, and other
prelates and lay lords to form his council.

[Footnote 81: Hall says, that "he left for governor
behind him his mother-in-law, the Queen." And
Goodwin (referring for his authority to Hall and
Pat. 3 Hen. V. p. 2. m. 41.) states that he made
her regent, and the Duke of Bedford protector. But