e of Bedford held both parties in check as long as the duke
lived. At length, however, when the young king was about fourteen
years old, the Duke of Bedford died. He was in France at the time of
his death. He was buried with great pomp and ceremony in the city of
Rouen, which had been in some sense the head-quarters of his dominion
in that country, and a splendid monument was erected over his tomb.

[Sidenote: Anecdote.]

A curious anecdote is related of the King of France in relation to
this tomb. Some time after the tomb was built Rouen fell into the
hands of the French, and some persons proposed to break down the
monument which had been built in memory of their old enemy; but the
King of France would not listen to the proposal.

[Sidenote: Generosity of the French king.]

"What honor shall it be to us," said he, "or to you, to break down the
monument, or to pull out of the ground the dead bones of him whom, in
his life, neither my father nor your progenitors, with all their
power, influence, and friends, were ever able to make flee one foot
backward, but who, by his strength, wit, and policy, kept them all at
bay. Wherefore I say, let God have his soul; and for his body, let it
rest in peace where they have laid it."

[Sidenote: Coronation of the young king in France.]

When King Henry was old enough to be crowned, in addition to the
English part of the ceremony, he went to France to receive the crown
of that country too. The ceremony, as is usual with the French kings,
was performed at the town of St. Denis, near Paris, where is an
ancient royal chapel, in which all the great religious ceremonies
connected with the French monarchy have been performed. A very curious
account is given by the ancient chroniclers of the pageants and
ceremonies which were enacted on this occasion. The king proceeded
into France and journeyed to St. Denis at the head of a grand
cavalcade of knights, nobles, and men-at-arms, amounting to many
thousand men, all of whom were adorned with dresses and trappings of
the most gorgeous description. At St. Denis the authorities came out
to meet the king, dressed in robes of vermilion, and bearing splendid
banners. The king was presented, as he passed through the gates, "with
three crimson hearts, in one of which were two doves; in another,
several small birds, which were let fly over his head; while the third
was filled with violets and flowers, which were thrown over the lords
that attended