Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/134

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108
THE BOOK OF

seemed best to me to take only those which manifest clearly the King's renown. The rest I do not intend to put altogether aside or reject, but to leave them for some other time."

The writer then turns for help in his work "to the sweet Father and Soldier of Christ, the most noble King Henry, the hope of so many and the consoler of those in trouble. Intercede to supply my deficiency with those authorities of the great Mother Church that they may recognize the common opinion of thy Sanctity. This belief is not founded on any silly popular superstition, but is proved by God's mercy and proclaimed publicly by the frequency of the miracles." The writer's hope and belief was, without prejudice to the ecclesiastical judgement, that the sancity of the holy King would be recognized. In his prologue to the miracles the author again expresses his wish to carry out the task the Dean of Windsor had asked him to undertake. One reason for this desire is that he "may give pleasure to the great and indeed the enormous number of pilgrims to Windsor, who crowd along the public roads and lanes in the belief that they will receive more abundant grace