[Illustration: 29--Collection of Sixteenth-Century Tracts.]
_Collection of Sixteenth-Century Tracts._ Bound about 1610.
To Henry, Prince of Wales, we owe a great debt of gratitude, as he was
the first person of much consequence in our royal family to take any
real interest in the Old Royal Library.
Indeed it may be considered that the existence to-day of the splendid
'Old Royal' Library of the kings of England, which was presented to
the nation in 1759 by George II., is largely due to the
attention drawn to its interest and value by Prince Henry, who moreover
added considerably to it himself.
This Prince used as his favourite and personal badge the beautiful
design of three white ostrich feathers within a golden coronet, and with
the motto 'ICH DIEN' on a blue ribbon. With regard to the
origin of this badge there is unfortunately a good deal of obscurity.
The usual explanation is that it was the helmet-crest of the blind king
of Bohemia, who was killed at Crecy in 1346, and that in remembrance of
this it was adopted by the Black Prince as his badge. But, as a matter
of fact, the ostrich feather was used as a family badge by all the sons
of Edward III. and their descendants. It appears to have been
the cognisance of the province of Ostrevant, a district lying between
Artois and Hainault, and the appanage of the eldest sons of the house of
Hainault.
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