The following are characteristic selections:
Enter Henry the fourth, with the earle of Exeter and the earle of Oxford.
Oxf. Please your maiestie, heere is my Lord maior and the sheriffe of London.
King Hen. 4. Admit them to our presence.
Enter the Maior and the Sheriffe.
Now, my good Lord Maior of London, the cause of my sending to you at this time is to tel you of a matter which I have learned of my councell: Herein I understand that you haue committed my sonne to prison without our leaue and license. What although he be a rude youth and likely to give occa- sion, yet you might haue considered that he is a Prince and my sonne, and not to be hailed to prison by euery subiect.
Maior. May it please your maiestie to give us leaue to tell our tale.
King Hen. 4. Or else God forbid, otherwise you might think me an vnequall Iudge, hauing more affection to my sonne then to any rightfull iudgement.
Maior. Then if it please your Maiestie, this night betwixt two and three of the clocke of the morning, my Lord the young Prince with a very disordered companie, came to the olde Tauerne in Eastcheape, and whether it was that their Musicke liked them not, or whether they were ouercome with wine, I know not, but they drew their swords and into the street they went, and some toke my Lord the yong Princes part, and some tooke the other, but betwixt them there was such a bloodie fray for the space of half an houre, that neither watchmen nor any other could stay them, till my brother the Sheriffe of London and I were sent for, and at the laste with much adoo we staied them, but it was long first, which was a great disquieting to all your louing subiects there-
