Many stories are related of his wit and his learning.

A joke at his expense was generally a dangerous adventure, for he always got the best at an exchange of wit.

Among his friends were some of the greatest and best men of the day, notably Raleigh; and in such society the lad could not fail to grow up imbued with principles of wisdom and honour, which would go far to qualify him for the position he expected to hold.
His ambition was to enter upon a military career, such as those in which so many of his predecessors had distinguished themselves.

In this he received more encouragement from the people than from his own timid father, who told him his brother Charles would make a better king than he, unless Henry spent more time at his books and less at his pike and his bow.

The people, on the other hand, were constantly comparing their young prince with the great Henry the Fifth, the hero of Agincourt, and predicting of him as famous deeds as those recorded of his illustrious namesake.