Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/53

Rh (which, indeed, during all his life he avoided, using always few words, except such as were edifying and useful to others). But on these days he spent much time in treating of the necessary business of the country with his Council, or in reading no less diligently the Scriptures, or such serious writings like the Chronicles of various countries. As to this matter an honourable knight, once his devoted Chamberlain, named Richard Tunstall, has testified both by word and in writing that "in lege Domini juit voluntas ejus die ac nocte." In proof of this he declared that "the Lord King complained to me once in his room at Eltham, when I was alone with him and working with him over his holy books, and hearing his serious admonitions and his devout ejaculations, one of the most powerful of the English dukes knocked at the door. The King said: ’See how they disturb me!' I can hardly find time in the day or the night to refresh myself by the reading of sacred teachings because of these disturbances." The same thing, says the Chaplain Blackman, happened to me once at Windsor Castle.

In proof of King Henry's devotion to God, Blackman declares that there are many still