Lesson 1: Review Questions: Question 9.

The Dauphin of France sent Henry tennis balls, along with several mocking remarks regarding the wild days of his youth, his inexperience on the throne, and his bold claim to ownership of various dukedoms. As for the significance of said tennis balls, it's most likely a reference to Henry's youth and immaturity (he calls the tennis balls "meeter for your spirit", or, in modern English, "more suited for your character"), but some suggest that the Dauphin is saying that England is no match for the military might of France, that Henry is simply playing at war, and should not be taken seriously. Perhaps the Dauphin's joke was in good humor, but it seemed to me that his message was designed to provoke Henry into war. Whatever the case, the Dauphin's disrespect for Henry was one of several factors that led to mass loss of life in a war between England and France.