Henry VI Poems

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Henry VI
Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471, and controversial King of France from 1422 to 1453. Henry was the only child of King Henry V of England and was his heir, and therefore great things were expected of him from birth. He was born on 6 December 1421 at Windsor, and he succeeded to the throne at the age of nine months on 31 August 1422, when his father died. His mother, Catherine of Valois, was then only twenty years old and as the daughter of King Charles VI of France was viewed with considerable suspicion and prevented from having a full role in her son's upbringing. Though not prevalent at the time of his birth, there were later rumours doubting his paternity that cannot entirely be attributed to Yorkist propaganda [citation needed]. On 28 September 1423, the nobles swore loyalty to Henry VI. They summoned Parliament in the King's name and established a regency council. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Henry IV's youngest son and Henry VI's uncle, was appointed Protector and Defender of the Realm and the Church until the King came of age, but his appointment was revocable by the Council at any time. His duties were limited to keeping the peace and summoning and dissolving Parliament. Bishop Henry Beaufort (Cardinal from 1426) who was Henry V's half-uncle, had an important place on the Council. Henry IV's elder surviving son, John, Duke of Bedford, was the senior regent, having been appointed Regent of France (in charge of running the ongoing war) as well as replacing Gloucester as Regent of England whenever Bedford was personally in the country. From 1428, Henry's tutor was the Earl of Warwick, whose father had been instrumental in the opposition to Richard II's reign. Henry was also influenced by Henry Beaufort, and later William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk. The young king came to favour a policy of peace in France. Henry's half-brothers, Edmund and Jasper, the sons of his widowed mother's relationship with Owen Tudor, were later given earldoms. Edmund Tudor was the father of Henry Tudor, later to gain the throne as Henry VII of England. Henry was eventually crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on 6 November 1429 a month before his eighth birthday, and King of France at Notre Dame in Paris on 16 December 1431. However, he did not assume the reins of government until he was declared of age in 1437—the year in which his mother died. As to his uncles, John, Duke of Bedford and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, who in the early part of the child king's reign were the most powerful of the regents, the former died in 1435; the latter was disgraced, and died in custody in 1447, probably of a heart attack, before he could be accused of treason.

passtime with good company
 
 
Pastime with good company
I love and shall unto I die.
Grudge whoso will, but none deny,... [read poem]
the time of youth is to be spent
 
 
The time of youth is to be spent
But vice in it should be forfent.

Pastimes there b... [read poem]
lusty youth should us ensue
 
 
Lusty Youth should us ensue,
His merry heart shall sure all rue.
For whatsoever they do hi... [read poem]
though some saith that youth ruleth me
 
 
Though some saith that youth ruleth me,
I trust in age to tarry.
God and my right and ... [read poem]
kingdomes are but cares (attributed)
 
 
Kingdomes are but cares;
State ys devoyd of staie;
Ryches are redy snares,
And hasten... [read poem]
if love now reigned as it hath been
 
 
If love now reigned as it hath been
And were rewarded as it hath sin,

Noble men the... [read poem]
though that men do call it dotage
 
 
Though that men do call it dotage,
Who loveth not wanteth courage;

And whosoever ma... [read poem]
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