hich the duke of Clarence presided: the evidence given before the jury
was read to them: the prisoners, though one of them was a prince of the
blood, were not examined, nor produced in court, nor heard in their own
defence; but received sentence of death upon this proof, which was
every way irregular and unsatisfactory; and the sentence was soon after
executed. The earl of Marche was accused of having given his approbation
to the conspiracy, and received a general pardon from the great offers
made by the court of France show that they had already entertained a
just idea of Henry's character, as well as of their own situation.

The successes which the arms of England have, in different ages,
obtained over those of France, have been much owing to the favorable
situation of the former kingdom. The English, happily seated in an
island, could make advantage of every misfortune which attended their
neighbors, and were little exposed to the danger of reprisals. They
never left their own country but when they were conducted by a king
of extraordinary genius, or found their enemy divided by intestine
factions, or were supported by a powerful alliance on the continent;
and as all these circumstances concurred at present to favor their
enterprise, they had reason to expect from it proportionable success.
The duke of Burgundy, expelled France by a combination of the princes,
had been secretly soliciting the alliance of England; [**] and
Henry knew that this prince, though he scrupled at first to join
the inveterate enemy of his country, would willingly, if he saw any
probability of success, both assist him with his Flemish subjects,
and draw over to the same side all his numerous partisans in France.
Trusting, therefore, to this circumstance, but without establishing any
concert with the duke, he put to sea, and landed near Harfleur, at the
head of an army of six thousand men at arms, and twenty-four thousand
foot, mostly archers. He immediately began the siege of that place,
which was valiantly defended by D'Estouteville, and under him by De
Guitri, De Gaucourt, and others of the French nobility; but as the
garrison was weak, and the fortifications in bad repair, the governor
was at last obliged to capitulate; and he promised to surrender the
place, if he received no succor before the eighteenth of September. The
day came, and there was no appearance of a French army to relieve him.
Henry, taking possession of the town, placed a ga