reby;
And unnese [scarcely] they would grant any grace
To the poor people that out put was,
Save to two priests, and no more them with,
For to bring meat they granted therewith;
'But an there come with you and mo [more], (p. 424)
Truly we will shoot you too.'
All on a row the poor people were set,
The priests come and brought them meat;
They ate and drank, and were full fain,
And thanked our King with all their main;
And as they sate, their meat to fong,
Thus they talked them among:
'O Mightiful Jesu!' they said then,
'Of tender heart is the Englishmen;
For see how this excellent King,
That we have been ever again standing;
And never would we obey him to,
Nor no homage to him would we never do;
And yet he hath on us more compassion,
Than hath our own countrymen;
And therefore, Lord Jesu, as Thou art full of mercy,
Grant him grace to win his right in hey.'[310]
And thus the poor people that time spake,
And full good tent thereto was take;
But when they had eaten and went their way,
The truce adrew, and war took his way."

[Footnote 309: _Quede_, or quade,--evil, bad.--See
Glossary to Chaucer.]

[Footnote 310: _In hey_,--in haste, speedily.]

APPENDIX, No. III. (p. 425)

AUTHENTICITY OF THE MANUSCRIPTS

Sloane 1776, and Reg. 13, c. 1.

It will be borne in mind that the only document which contains the
charge brought against Henry of Monmouth of unfilial conduct and cruel
behaviour towards his afflicted father is a manuscript, two copies of
which are preserved in the British Museum; and that a thorough
examination of the authenticity of that manuscript was reserved for
the Appendix. Every right-minded person will agree that the magnitude
and dark character of a charge, so far from justifying a prejudice
against the accused, should induce us to sift with more scrutinizing
jealousy the evidence alleged in support of the accusation.

It will require but a very brief inspection of the two MSS., Sloane
1776, and Reg. 13, c. 1.,[311] to be assured that they are either both
transcripts from one document in that part of the volume which
contains the history of Henry IV, or that one of these is copied from
the other.[312] Unless, therefore, an intimation be given to the
contrary, it will be understood that reference is made to the