"Hot youth," said he, with dignity, "a future age may judge
differently of what thou deemest trivial fables, and may rate high
this poor invention when the brawls of York and Lancaster are
forgotten."

"Hear him," said Henry, with a soft smile, and laying his hand on the
shoulder of the young man, who was about to utter a passionate and
scornful retort,--"hear him, sir. Have I not often and ever said
this same thing to thee? We children of a day imagine our contests
are the sole things that move the world. Alack! our fathers thought
the same; and they and their turmoils sleep forgotten! Nay, Master
Warner,"--for here Adam, poor man, awed by Henry's mildness into shame
at his discourteous vaunting, began to apologize,--"nay, sir, nay--
thou art right to contemn our bloody and futile struggles for a crown
of thorns; for--"

'Kingdoms are but cares,
State is devoid of stay
Riches are ready snares,
And hasten to decay.'

[Lines ascribed to Henry VI., with commendation "as a prettie verse,"
by Sir John Harrington, in the "Nugae Antiquate." They are also given,
with little alteration, to the unhappy king by Baldwin, in his tragedy
of "King Henry VI."]

"And yet, sir, believe me, thou hast no cause for vain glory in thine
own craft and labours; for to wit and to lere there are the same
vanity and vexation of spirit as to war and empire. Only, O would-be