by the Mediation of the Queen the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Bishops the King by the consent of the Lords against whom they had offended pardon'd the Sentence of Death But they were Out-law'd and Banisht for ever into Ireland Two and two to be kept in a place limited within certain Bounds which if they should presume to go out of they were immediately to be Executed on their former Judgment And for their Maintenance were allowed out of the Kings Exchequer as follows viz. To Fulthorp 40 l. per annum to Burgh 40 Marks to Belknappe 30 l. to Holt 40 Marks and to Care and Locton 20 l. per annum apiece This being done a General Pardon is pass'd for all Treasons and Seditions whatsoever and an Oath saith Walsingham exacted not only of all the Inhabitants of the Land but of the King too to stand to the Regulation of the Lords meaning as I conceive those so Commissioned and Authorized for one years space by King and Parliament as aforesaid And then the Parliament broke up in the Month of July After Whitsontide the Earl of Arundel again puts to Sea and burns-sinks and takes Fourscore French Ships And likewise Seizes the Isles of Ree and Oleroon the latter famous for the Laws Marine there said to be Compos'd and agreed upon with the City of Rochel and divers other places About the same time the Scots entred England as far as Newcastle in which young Peircy Son of the Earl of Northumberland and for his Valour and Fury in Arms Surnamed Hot-spur being them Ingarrison'd he with a small Party fought with them and with his own hand slew W. Douglass their Commander in Chief but being at last over-powr'd by the coming in of the Earl of Dunbar was himself taken Prisoner though at the same time he set free his Countrey For he had first so weakned them by the destruction of their Men that they durst not stay longer but in hast and disorder retreated into Scotland After Harvest a Parliament was again held at Cambridge in which many wholsome Laws pass'd As against Beggars Riding Arm'd giving Liveries to excessive Retinues Touching Labourers and Apparel suitable to peoples Ranks And especially That none should go out of the Realm to the Pope to procure the Grant of any Benefices in England without the Kings leave on penalty of being put out of the Kings protection Also a Tax was granted to the King being a Tenth of the Clergy and a Fifteenth of the Laity In the Year 1389 a grievous Discord happen'd at Oxford between the Welsh and the Northern Scholars wherein several were slain and further mischief threatned but by the Mediation of the Duke of Glocester the Broil was composed and divers of the Welshmen dismiss'd the Vniversity In May the King held a Great Council at Westminster and on Holy-Road-day being led by the Advice of certain Whisperers entred suddenly into the Council-Chamber and taking his Seat Demanded How old they took him to be Being answered Somewhat upwards of One and twenty years Then replyed He I am of full Age and capable to manage my Inheritance my self for sure 't is unjust that I should be in a worse condition than any other in my Kingdom for every Heir after the death of his Ancestor comes to his Estate and takes it into his own hand at one and twenty years of age This the Lords perhaps might be unwilling to Grant but more unable and afraid to deny And therefore the King went on with his Speech 'T is well known that for many years I have lived under your Tutelage and Governance and for the pains therein We thank you but now having attained to Our Legal Age We are resolved to be no longer in Ward but to take into Our hands the Government of Our Realm and to appoint such Officers and Ministers as We think fit and remove others at Our pleasure Accordingly he forthwith commanded the Bishop of York then Lord Chancellour to Resign the Seal which being done the King put it up in his Bosom and went away but soon after returned and gave it to William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester making him Lord Chancellor He likewise turn'd out the Bishop of Hereford from the Office of Treasurer and put in another in his room and chang'd several other chief Ministers of State partly to shew his Authority partly to satisfie his Displeasure As particularly he suspended his Vncle the Duke of Glocester and the Earl of Warwick and others from his Privy Council and admitted others in their stead that Humour'd him more but Honour'd him less The Earl of Arundel likewise was removed from the Admiralty of the Sea wherewith he had been entrusted by the Parliament and the same given to the Earl of Huntington Soon after this certain Detractors circumventing the King had so far prevail'd as to make him believe That the Duke of Glocester was contriving some Designs against him But upon the Dukes Examination the falshood and Malice of those Reports did appear And the King blusht to consider his own Credulity against so near and eminent a Relation yet though some of the Spreaders thereof were there present when the Duke would have questioned them for the same the King charged him as he lov'd him not to stir farther in the matter This Summer the King being at his Mannor of Sheen in July on a sudden there appeared such innumerable Swarms of Gnats that all the Air was darkned with them who skirmisht and fought one with another till the Slain fell down in heaps and being swept together with Brooms amounted to the quantity of many Bushels-full and the rest who seem'd to come off and were reckoned about a third part of the whole flew away which was by many esteem'd as an ill-boding Prodigy About the same time the Disciples of Wickliff in those days called Lollards being very numerous their Presbyters took upon them after the manner of Bishops to confer Holy Orders Asserting that every Priest had as much power of Binding and Loosing and Administring other Ecclesiastical Functims as the Pope himself either had or could bestow And though the Prelates had notice hereof yet out of negligence or rather fear they did not much concern themselves to suppress them save only the stout Bishop of Norwich who swore That if any of that Sect should presume to Preach in his Diocess he would either Burn or Behead them In November the Duke of Lanâ—aster after three years absence return'd into England from Spain having matcht his Daughter to the King of Castile's Son And the King of England having summon'd a Council at Reading the said Duke understanding that his Majesty had conceived Displeasure against divers great Lords to prevent the Mischiefs that might thereby arise immediately after his Arrival posted thither by whose good Offices the King's Resentments were diverted and Matters for the present pacified In the Year 1390 being the 13 year of King Richard's Reign on Munday after
just is the Divine Nemesis not only in revenging ill actions but causing the punishment to be attended with such circumstances as may make the world take notice of it The Duke of Hereford took his leave of the King at Eltham behaving himself so respectfully that his Majesty was there pleased to declare he would abate 4 Years of his Exilement yet could not that pacify the Murmurs of the people who could not be perswaded that there was any cause for his being Banisht at all Exclaiming that it was against the Law of Arms the custome of the Realm and all Justice that he should be Exil'd who had so honourably offered to mantain his Appeal according to the Law of the Field He directed his course from England to Paris where he was nobly received by the French King and found such favour in that Court That he was offered in Marriage the only Daughter of the Duke of Berry the said Kings Uncle But King Richard having notice thereof used means to stop the prosecution of that Treaty He had not been gone many Months but his Father the Duke of Lancaster pays Nature her Debt his Death perhaps being hastened by those Impressions of grief which this disgrace of his Son might occasion on his Spirits The Character given this Duke by Historians speaks him a man well advised and wary an approver of safe Councils with reason rather than Fortunate Exploits with hazzard One that was neither negligent nor ambitiously tender of Glory and therefore deported himself towards the King his Nephew in terms honourable and respective enough for a moderate Prince and yet not so plausible as an uncollected greatness and the depravity of the Court might desire whereby little happened unto him Extraordinary either in Prejudice or Preferment By his Death the Dutchy of Lancaster did lineally descend to his Eldest Son the said Duke of Hereford But as the Nature of Man is very Prone to hate those whom he hath injured the King forthwith seizes all the Lands and Goods of the deceased Duke endeavoured to perpetuate the Banishment of the Young Duke and revoked the Letters Patent he had granted and consented unto for enabling the said Dukes Attornies to sue out his Ouster Le Main and Livery of those Lands which during his Exile should descend to him his Homage being formerly concluded upon to be Respited at a reasonable Fine And all this without any Crime alleadged that we can hear of against the Father whereby he should have forfeited his Estate or new Provocation given by the Son whereby a Cloud might arise for his being deprived of it This severity could not but enrage the Duke who was already sufficiently discontented at his Banishment nor were the People sparing to Exclaim where they durst against these proceedings as unjust and thence to contract first a Pity and afterwards an high esteem for this Exil'd Noble-man who though not the Immediate Heir presumptive to the Crown for Edmund Mortimer Earl of March was therein before him the Right having by Parliament the common Arbitrator in that case in those daies been formerly declared to be in his Father as being Son of Phillipa the Daughter of Lionel the Third Son of King Edward the Third whereas the late Duke of Lancaster was but the Fourth Son of that King Yet being so near it and thus exasperated they thought he might step over that Obstacle Si jus violandum Regni causâ violandum est They knew him to be an active Prince and of great Courage and therefore generally fixt their Eyes on him as the man that must be their deliverer from those grievances and pressures under which they lay gasping And indeed their condition could not but be very uneasie for the King having got rid of two of his Uncles viz. Glocester and Lancaster one murdred the other naturally deceased and the Third which was York either in disdain for the Indignity offered to his Nephew Hereford or in distrust of his own safety being retired with his Son the Duke of Albemarle to his House at Langley look't upon himself as absolutely Hors de Page free from any Controul with which their unwelcome gravity was wont somtimes to check his irregular Appetite and therefore now took a greater Liberty than before to disoblige and harass his People For thus we find the condition of those times described That the King abandoned himself to sloth and lay plunged in the soft but destructive Charms of pleasure by whose example the Nobility too much gave themselves up to Ease and Luxury whereby Cowardice and Effeminacy crept in and Shipwrack was made both of Manhood and Reputation The chief Affairs of State had long been Bias'd by private respects which made the Nation decline as well in Riches as Honour and all things being out of due Motion the Common-weal seem'd not so much by degrees as with a main Course and at once precipating into inevitable Ruine The Northern parts by frequent losses almost consumed by the Scots who had taken several important Posts and defaced all the Countrey with Slaughter and Devastations Towards the South the Merchant Ships were daily surprized by the French who likewise frequently pillaged the Sea-coasts And of the Kings Hereditary Dominions in France many strong holds were lost by negligence or sold by ill advise and Treachery Forces sometimes were often pretended to be sent over for their defence but so scatteringly at such unseasonable times so ill accommodated or under such indiscreet conduct that they were occasions rather of loss than help Affairs were managed by such as neither Nature had design'd nor Education prepared nor Experience qualified for Politicians but corrupt or ignorant Ministers by flatteries and base Arts swai'd in the Kings affections and disposed of all things at their pleasure keeping him as it were beseiged from any better advise The profits and revenues of the Crown nay the whole Kingdome was let to farm the King making himself only ◠Landlord and challenging no greater priviledge by his Reign than a dissolute and uncontroled Life Great Sums of Money were by new-found and unwonted means every day rather extorted from than voluntarily granted by the subject whereof no advantage accrew'd to the Kingdom only private pleasures were maintain'd at an extravagant Rate and unworthy Favourites advanced To these the King was so excessively Liberal that he was forced to borrow begg and extort in many places to supply this vain lavish humour undoing many without cause to Inrich a few without desert Over and above the Tenths and Fifteenths and such usual Taxes which were many times gathered double in one Year strange Impositions were devised and put in practise sometimes exacting 12d per poll of every Subject 6s 8d of every Priest and Religious Person great Sums drawn from the People under the favourable Term of Benevolence and so much borrowed upon Privy-Seals that no Man of Ability could escape his Loan though very seldom any repayment was made And to add to
THE Life and Reign OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND By a Person of Quality LONDON Printed for M. L. and L. C. and Sold by Langly Curtis on Ludgate-hill 1681. TO THE READERS Gentlemen YOU are here presented with the Life and Reign of a Prince whose Misfortunes render his Story perhaps as Remarkable as any in our English Annals Concerning which I shall only assure you that the Compiler for he as little affects as deserves the Title of an Author has made it his Business truly to set down naked Matters of Fact as he finds them Related by the best Authors without obtruding his own Fancies or Dreams under the Notion of History Which that it may more evidently appear he thinks fit to give you an Account of Two of the Authors whom he hath principally followed Because One of them living in that very time and the other either then or not long after they may rationally be supposed to have the most certain knowledge of those Transactions The first is Henricus Knighton whose Work De Eventibus Angliae in Latin is Printed amongst divers other ancient Histories in that large and accurate Collection Intituled Historiae Anglicanae Scriptores Decem First brought into Publick Light from Authentick Manuscripts by those two learned Antiquaries Sir Roger Twysden Knight and Baronet and the Famous John Selden Esquire who both prefixt their Epistles thereunto Nor was that Miraculous Treasury of all solid Learning the most Reverend Usher Primate of Armaugh wanting in Advising and Promoting that Edition The Great Selden in his Preface Fol. 46. tells us That this Knighton was a Canon of the Abbey of Leicester and that he flourisht in the time of this King Richard the Second the most part of whose Reign he wrote deducing his History from William the Conquerour until within Four years before the Deposition of the said King Richard viz. To the year 1395. At which time we may suppose that Author was himself snatcht away by Death or disabled by some Disease for else he would not so abruptly have discontinued his Book Which Conjecture is confirmed by what Sir Roger Twysden in his Epistle tells us That in the Manuscript in the Renowned Cotton's Library which he conceives to be the very Autographon or Original Hand-writing of the Author and from which the same was exactly Printed there is in the first Page an Inscription Intituled Lamentum Compilatoris The Compilers Complaint beginning thus Sum Caecus factus subitâ Caligine tactus Blind I am grown with sudden darkness struck And thus concluding Me Deus allisit cum vult sanare valebit In Domino semper stat quod relevabitur Aeger Smitten I am by God who when he please Can help me and alone cure each Disease And so much for Knighton The other is Thomas Walsingham a Benedictine Monk belonging to the Abbey of S. Albans who for ought appears might likewise live in King Richard's days for he is said to have flourisht that is to be grown famous by his Labours about the year 1440. And Leland gives this Character of him In Historiis Colligendis studiosus atque diligens â—hat he was a Person very studious and diligent in Collecting or Compiling of Histories His History herein made use of begins An. Dom. 1273 and ends Anno 1432. To these cheifly is the present work Indebted and in most material passages they are Cited and their very words strictly Translated yet still not omitting to consult other the most credible Historians that have wrote of those times And as for the Process touching the Deposition of King Richard the Articles against him c. The same are punctually Translated from the words of the Record as the same Examined and attested are Printed in the said Volum called Hist. Anglicanae Scriptores decem from Col. 2743. to Col. 2762. Some of the Principal Contents KIng Richard so entertain'd by the City at his coming to the Crown that he was call'd the Londoners King Pag. 3 Alice Price her Insolence and Banishment 5 A Parliament tell the King his Demeasns were sufficient to maintain his Court and carry on his Wars 5 Philpots brave Exploits at Sea 6 A rare Example of Fidelity in a Spaniard 8 An odd Scotch Charm against the Plague 12 A very severe Poll-Bill granted 14 The Relation of Wat Tylers Rebellion which thereupon ensued 15 The Kings Charter of Freedom to the Bondmen and Pardon 18 His Revocation thereof 27 Scroop Lord Chancellor turn'd out for refusing to Seal an unlawful Grant 32 Articles against Wicliff and a brief account of his Life 34 The Vniversity of Oxfords Testimonial of his Piety and Learning 44 We do not find Christ ever Converted a Priest 47 The first pretended Act against the true Professors of Religion Complain'd of as Surreptitious and Repeal'd 47 Notable Railing Letters between the Cardinals 51 The Bishop of Norwich's Croisado against Schismaticks the Indulgences and Cheats thereof and his ill success at last 59. Sharp Messages between King Richard and his Parliament A Copy of the Impeachment of Michael Pole 81 Fourteen Lords appointed by Parliament to inspect past management of affairs and redress grievances 87 The King Commands Sheriffs to return such as he should Name to serve in Parliament the Sheriffs Answer The People would hold their Antient Customs of free choice 97 Questions to the Judges and their Answers 99 The shrewd Repartee of Sir Huge de Lyn a Natural to King Richard 105 The Lords in Arms treat with the King are promised redress in Parliament 107 The Duke of Ireland routed 110 The Answer of the Governour of Calice when Commanded by the King to deliver it up to the French to whom he had sold it 111 The Articles against the Duke of Ireland the Lord Chief Justice c. 115 The Lord Chief Justice Tresilian Hang'd at Tyburn the other Judges Banisht 135 The King not to Pardon Murder 141 The Kings severities to the Londoners 146 An interview between K. R. and the French K. 154 The Duke of Gloucester surpriz'd and basely Murder'd 159 The Earl of Arundel beheaded 161 All Bay-trees wither and the Current of a River dry'd up 166 A Combate appointed between the Duke of Hereford and Norfolk and they both Banisht 167 The Duke of Lancaster Lands in England 182 King Richard surrenders his Person 190 The Record of his Resignation and Deposition 192 The Articles against him 201 Touching the manner of his Death 239 THE Life and Reign OF KING RICHARD The Second KIng Richard the Second was born at Burdeaux in France in the Year 1366. His Father was that Renowned Hero Edward commonly called The Black Prince eldest Son of the Great and Victorious King Edward the Third His Mother Joan Daughter of the Earl of Kent for her exquisite Beauty styled The fair Maid of Kent And if he were so unhappy as not altogether to Inherit his Grandfathers Prudence and his Fathers Spirit and Conduct yet it cannot be denied but he retained something of his
that pretence committing horrible Oppressions Exactions and Insolencies in divers parts especially in Kent Norfolk and the adjacent Counties Hence immediately after viz. In the Spring of the Year 1381 arose one of the most formidable and mischievous Insurrections that had been heard of almost in any Age the old Bellum servile of the Romans was acted in England but with greater Impudence and mischief the Slaves are in Arms and the very Dregs of the people will be Lords and Masters The true Causes or Occasions of this unexpected Confusion are very differently related some Monkish Historians followed blindfold by some later Authors out of hatred to Wickliffe and his Tenets which now began to be much disseminated and of which we shall by and by give a further account attributed it chiefly to his Doctrine for 't is an ordinary thing to proclaim all Evils concurring with any Attempts of Reformation in Religion to be proper fruits thereof as the Heathens of old imputed all their Calamities to the then new and rising Sect of the Christians But as we find nothing in that good mans real Positions for several of his Works are yet extant to foment such a lewd Rebellion so neither do the more impartial Authors of that Age lay it at his Door though 't is agreed one Ball a factious Clergyâ—man was an Incendiary of that Combustion which seems in its Original ascribable to the natural desire of Liberty and pride of Humane Nature impatient of Superiority since the Villains or Bondmen were chief in the Tumult and partly to the heavy Taxes and Insolencies of the Collectors and especially of these New Farmers of the Subsidy or Commissioners which exasperated the common people into a Mutiny But whatever were the Provocations dismal were the Effects and might have prov'd fatal to the utter ruine of the Kingdom had not the Providence of God wonderfully prevented it Nor is it less disputable where the Uproar began some say in Essex some in Kent for the Flame wâ—s so suddenly spread into divers places that they could scarce tell where the Fire broke forth and who first headed them is also uncertain some speak of one Thomas a Baker of Fobhyngges others of Walter Tyler at Deptford in Kent to be the Ringleader but the most received Tradition is thus That one of the said Collectors of Poll-money coming to the house of the said Tyler so called from his Trade and requiring of his Wife to pay for a Daughter of hers whom she affirmed was not of age to pay the rude Fellow told her he would presently see whether she were so or not and forceably turn'd up her Coats whereupon the Mother made such an Out-cry that her Husband being at work hard by heard her and came running with his Lathing Staff in his hand wherewith he beat out the Collectors Brains and knowing that for the same he must be hang'd endeavoured to secure himself by greater Crimes drawing together the Rabble and incensing them who of themselves were but too ready unto a Rebellion Thus Multitudes flockt together broke open the Goal at Maidstone where the before-mentioned Ball the Priest was then a Prisoner who having gain'd his Liberty marched along with them and they growing still more numerous some write an Hundred thousand strong came to Blackheath where he made a seditious Preachment to them taking for his Text or Theme the old Proverb When Adam Delv'd and Eve Span Who was then a Gentleman From thence telling them That by Descent from Adam all men were of one Condition That the Laws of the Realm were injurious to Christian Liberty and unjust by making such difference of mens Estates preferring some to be Peers and Potentates with great Authority and large Possessions whereby they took advantage of the humble plyable Condition of others to keep them in slavery hardly affording them Sustenance whereas there ought to be an equal sharing of all things and that in common c. This Doctrine was extreamly pleasing to these Raggamuffins who animated thus with Multitudes and holding Correspondence with others as mad as themselves in other Counties they Arrested all Strangers that they met with making them swear to be true to King Richard and to the Commons and never to own any King that should be called John which they did out of spight to the Duke of Lancaster against whom they had an implacable Malice They likewise beheaded all Lawyers they could catch saying Till they were rooted out the Land would never enjoy free liberty At Black-heath they sent for the King to hear their Grievances but the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Treasurer disswaded him from venturing his Royal Person amongst them which being understood by the Commons they were thereupon more enraged against those two calling them Traytors and to be revenged immediately march towards London in Southwark they discharge all Prisoners and when the Mayor of London would have pull'd up the Draw-bridge and shut the Gates against them the Rabble of the City would not suffer him so that all that Night they came in and out at their pleasure being the more favoured because hitherto they spoiled no man but honestly paid for all they had saying They came not as Robbers but to bring Malefactors to justice The King to prevent Mischief sent them word to meet Him at Mile-end where he would hear their Complaints and part of them accordingly went thither where the King gave them a Câ—arter under the Great Seal of England That thenceforth all the Men of England should be free and discharged from the Tenour of Villenage and all Bondage of that kind The Tenour of which Charter of Manumission as it was given to them and within few days sent into several Counties was as follows RICHARD By the Grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland to all his Bailiffs and faithfull Subjects to whom these Presents shall come Greeting Know yee that of our special Grace we have Manumiss'd or set free all and singular our Liege Subjects and other of the County of E. and them and every of them from all Bondage do Release and Acquit by these Presents And also we pardon to our said Liege-men and Subjects all manner of Felonies Treasons Transgressions and Extortions by them or any of them in any manner whatsoever done or committed And also all and every Outlawry or Outlawries if any be or shall be Published against them or any of them for or by occasion of the Premisses and do thereof to them and every of them grant Our highest Peace In witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Our self at London the Fifteenth of June in the Fourth Year of Our Reign Upon this Concession most of the Essex-men that met at Mile-end went home but while this was doing others that staid behind in London enter'd the Tower and dragg'd out thence Hen. Earl of Derby the Duke of Lancaster's Son and but a youth
on Braibrook Bishop of London To this last mentioned Parliament John Wickliff exhibited a certain Complaint or Articles chiefly against the Abuses of Monks Fryars c. An Abstract of the substance whereof is as follows 1. Article That all Persons of what Kind Order Sect or singular Religion soever made or instituted by men may freely without any let or punishment leave the same at their pleasure and are only bound stably to hold the Rule of Jesus Christ taken and given by him and his Apostles and far more profitable than such new Religions founded by sinful men 2. Art That those things which men have unreasonably and wrongfully condemned As That the King cannot take away the Goods of Prelates Monks c. misbehaving themselves or the like may be vindicated and asserted and the contrary Errour condemning them Exposed For that nothing ought to be condemned unless it savour of Errour or unrighteousness against Gods Law 3. Art That both Tythes and Offerings be given paid and received with and to the same intent only as by Gods Law they ought that is that what is more than sufficient to serve the Priests c. with Necessaries be given to the Poor And that if they be abused to luxury or covetousness then they may lawfully be taken away 4. Art That Christs Doctrine and the Belief touching the Sacrament plainly delivered by him and his Apostles be openly taught in Churches and the contrary Teaching and false Belief brought up by cursed Hypocrites and worldy Priests exploded Wickliff's preferring these Articles which he at large Confirmed both by Authorities and Reason stirred up fresh hatred against him in the Ecclesiasticks and procured him much trouble Wherefore because all Papists so furiously condemn him to this day as a wicked Heretick and we justly own him as one of the first and most eminent Authors of the Reformation in Doctrine by his painful Writing and Preaching his Tenets being generally the same with those professed at this day by the Protestant Churches bating some few Errours intermixt which are as less material so likewise more excusable considering the Ignorance and Blindness of the Age he lived in And since his Story is one of the Remarkables of this King Richard's Reign it will not be impertinent briefly to relate the same Wickliff is said to be descended of an ancient Family in the North but the exact year of his Birth we do not find Recorded he was Educated in Merton Colledge in Oxford became first Divinity Reader in that Famous University and afterwards Rector of Lutterworth in Leicester shire Touching his Parts his Contemporary Henry de Knyghton Cannon of Leicester and by consequence none of his Friends does yet give this Honorable Character That he was the most eminent Doctor of Divinity of those times second to none in Philosophy incomparable for School learning and transcending most both in subtilty of Science and profoundness of Wit These great Abilities enabled him quickly to discover the Falsity of the Doctrines and the Cheat of the Practices then in vogue in the Church For in his Studies he had run through the whole Course of the School-men and amongst them was a professed Follower of Occham by reading whose Works and others that lived about the same time or not long before such as Bradwardine Marsilius Gulielmus de Sancto Amore Abelardus Armachanus and the Learned Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln God gave him Grace to see the Truth of his Gospel and by seeing it to loath Superstition and Popery By Occham and Marsilius he was informed of the Popes Intrusions and Usurpations upon Kings their Crowns and Dignities Of Gul. de S. Amore and Armachanus he learned the sundry Abuses of the Monks and Fryars in upholding this Usurped Power By Abelard and others he got a Prospect of the Right Faith touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper By Bradwardine he was instructed in the nature of a true Sole Justifying Faith against Merit-mongers and Pardoners Pelagians c. Finally by perusing Grosthead's Works in which he seemed to be most conversant he descryed the Pope to be Antichrist by hindring the Preaching of the Gospel and placing unfit men in the Church only to support his own Tyranny And being thus enlightned his Zeal to Truth would not suffer him to Conceal his Candle under a Bushel And therefore those that assign'd his being depriv'd of a Benefice in Oxford to be the occasion of first spreading his Opinions and would attribute all to Resentment and Revenge speak either rashly or maliciously no such provocation being so much as mentioned by Authors of best Credit to occasion his preaching against the Corruptious of the Times nor is it likely that he would have so inveighed against Clergy-covetousness and Pride if they could have retorted on him any such cause of his Discontent or how can we but imagine that if he had affected any such small Business as the Headship of Canterbury Colledge the Duke of Lancaster who was his Great Patron could have helpt him to it For indeed the Fame of his Learning his unwearied diligence in Preaching and Writing together with his pious exemplary Life procured him many Disciples amongst the People and several Favorers of the first Rank The rather for that he justly opposed the Ambition and Avarice of the Clergy a Theme no less grateful than necessary for the Temporal States-men already found it to be an insufferable Grievance though they wanted Skill or Courage to abate it King Edward the Third though a great Doter on Ecclesiasticks is supposed not to have been his Enemy and 't is certain the pious Duke of Lancaster so our Author Knyghton always calls him and several of the Nobles were much his Friends and Protectors against the Rage of the Prelates for Wickliff being in King Edward's days Cited to Answer before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London and others in Pauls the said Duke and Sir Henry Piercy Lord Marshal were pleased to attend him thither and would needs have him sit in presence of the Court alleaging he had much to answer and therefore needed convenient ease which favor the Bishop of London refusing to grant hard words arose between the Temporal and Spiritual Lords insomuch that the Duke threatned he would pull down the pride of all the Bishops of England And by reason of their Contest Wickliff for the present got off and little was done against him But in the beginning of King Richards Reign the Pope sent a Bull to the University of Oxford upbraiding them with suffering and countenancing Wickliff and his Doctrine and charging them on pain of being deprived of all their Priviledges and Indulgences that they should no longer tolerate the same But the Heads of the University were so well satisfied with Wickliffe's Integrity that they were at a stand whether they should receive the said Bull or reject it with Contempt However the Pope plyed both the King and the Arch-bishop and Bishop of London
of Premunice against Provisors and the abuses of Begging Fryars which so bridled and restrained the Popes Rampant Usurpations that he could but little prevail here in England during the Reign of King Edward the Third and King Richard the Second Towards making of which Laws Wickliffe's Doctrine struck a great stroak he maintaining very learnedly and stoutly the Kings jurisdiction Crown and Dignity against Papal and all kind of Encroachments by the Laws Civil Cannon and Common of which last especially he made great use and was well skill'd therein But for full satisfaction concerning this famous Man I shall here add the Testimonial of the University given in his behalf after his Death as follows viz. TO all singular the Children of our holy Mother the Church to whom these presents shall come the Vice-Chancellor of the Vniversity of Oxford with the whole Congregation of the Masters wish perpetual health in the Lord Forasmuch as it is not commonly seen â—hat the Acts and Monuments of Valiant men nor the praise and merits of good men should be pass'd over and hidden with perpetual silence but that true report and fame should continually spread abroad the same in strange and far distant places both in Testimony thereof and for the example of others Forasmuch also as the provident discretion of Mans nature hath devised this defence against slander that when ever Witnesses by Word of Mouth cannot be present the Pen by Writing may supply the same Therefore the special good will and care which we bare unto John Wickliff sometime Child of this our Vniversity and Professor of Divinity moving and exciting our minds as his manners and conditions required no less with one Mind Voice and Testimony we do witness all his conditions and doings throughout his whole life to have been most sincere and commendable whose honest manners good disposition profoundness of learning and most redolent fame we desire the more earnestly to be notified to and celebrated by all the faithful for that we understand the maturity and ripeness of his Conversation his diligent Labors and Travels tend much to the Praise of God the help and safeguard of others and the profit of truth Wherefore we signify unto you by these presents that his Conversation even from his youth upwards unto the time of his death was so praise-worthy and honest that never at any time was there any note or spot of suspicion noised of him but in his answering reading preaching and determining he behaved himself laudably and as a stout Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of the Scriptures all such who by their wilful Beggary Blasphemed and slandered Christ's Religion Neither was this said Doctor Convict of any Heresie or burned by our Prelates Note his Bones were not yet but long after ordered to be taken up and burnt by the Council of Constance after his Burial For God forbid thaâ— our Prelates should have condemned a man of such honesty 〈◊〉 an Heretick who amongst all the rest of the Vniversity had Written in Logick Philosophy Divinity Morality and the Speculative Art beyond comparison the knowledg of all which things we desire to testifie that the fame and renown of this said Doctor may be more evident and had in repute amongst those into whose hands these present Letters Testimonial shall come In Witness whereof we have caused these our Letters Testimonial to be Sealed with our Common Seal dated at Oxford in our Congregation House the 15. of October in the Year of our Lord 1406. About the same time several of Wickliffs followers as Nicholas of Hartford John Aston John Purney and other Priests were much troubled for the same and the like Opinions among the rest our Author Henry de Knyghton tells us that on Palm Sunday he heard one at Leicester Preaching these horrible Heresies and Errors in his Opinion following viz. That to Blabber with the Lipps and multiply Words in Prayer signified nothing That to give Money for Celebrating of Masses would not avail any body unless he led a good Life That Christ never commanded any Body to Begg That no Man is bound to give Almes to any that has better Clâ—athes and outward accomodation than himself That none is truly a Prelate nor capable of a Bishoprick unless he be a Teacher and Preacher That Money got by Confessions is accursed and as well the giver as receiver Excommunicate That Preachers carrying about Baggs and Scripps are false Teachers since Christ in his Gospel Commands the contrary and the true Disciples of Christ never practised it That for those to Begg who are able to work is Condemned by the Law Civil and no where approved by the Law Evangelical That Christ Converted many of divers States and Conditions to the Faith but we do not find in the Holy Scripture that ever he converted a Priest These Opinions spreading so fast and the Bishops perceiving that yet they had not sufficient Authority by any Law or Statute of this Realm to proceed unto Death or Imprisonment against any for matters of Religion they therefore solicited the King for the power of the Temporal Sword who overcome with their importunity or perhaps incited by hopes of some Subsidy to be given him by the Clergy was content to give his Assent to an Ordinance bearing the name of an Act made in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno Quint. R. 2. Ca. 5. in these Words ITem forasmuch as it is openly known that there be divers evil Persons within the Realm going from Country to Country and from Town to Town in certain Habits under dissimulation of great Holiness and without the License of the Ordinaries of the places or other sufficient Authority Preaching daily not only in Churches and Church-yards but also in Markets Fairs and open Places where a great Congregation of People is divers Sermons containing Heresies and notorious Errors to the great emblemishing of Christian Faith and Destruction of thr Laws and of the Estate of Holy Church to the great Peril of the Souls of the People and of all the Realm of England as more plainly is found and sufficiently proved before the Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishops and other Prelates Masters of Divinity and Doctors of the Canon and of Civil Law and a great part of the Clergy of the said Realm specially assembled for this great cause which Persons do also Preach divers matters of slaunder to ingender discord and dissention betwixt divers Estates of the said Realm as well Spiritual as Temporal in exciting of the People to the great Peril of all the Realm which Preachers cited or summoned before the Ordinaries of the places there to answer to that whereof they be impeached they will not obey their Summons and Commands nor care not for their Monitions nor Censures of the Holy Church but expresly despise them And moreover by their subtil and ingenious words do draw the People to hear their Sermons and do
may be ready to hang your selves that that of the Prophet may be verified of you Let their habitation be desolate and let none be left to dwell in their tents As also it is written further of each of you Let his days be few and his Bishoprick let another take Furthermore you do but blacken the clear fâ—â—me of the Count of Fundi a Town in Italy whose â—arl harbour'd the Cardinals when you so load him with your Commendations throughout Christendom since as the Poet saith Idem est laudari à turpibus ob turpia To be prais'd by bad men is all one as to be prais'd for bad things Consider therefore O Count that whereas heretofore thou wast unknown in divers Christian Countries which thou thoughtest an unhappiness now thou hast gain'd not a Name but Shame throughout the World for inviting to thy self the Enemies of Christ the Breakers of the Churches Unity and the Disturbers of the peace and tranquillity of all Christendom and cherishing their detestable perfidiousness so that thou seemest to have built an Asylum against Christ and all Catholick people Arise therefore O Count throw these Mice out of thy Budget chase these Serpents from thy Tabernacle and shake these coals of Brimstone out of thy Bosom lest they bring thee to everlasting burnings so shalt thou obtain the grace of God the blessings of all Christians and the commendation of all the World and shalt merit to escape the Divine Vengeance Dated at Rome c. Both Parties being thus hot and Christendom divided between two Popes at once each damning the other for a Schismatick and Villain France Flanders Scotland and several other Countries joyn'd with Pope Clement insomuch that the French King proclaim'd throughout all his Realm that none should own or obey Vrban on pain of being Beheaded and all his Goods forfeited to the Kings use But by means of Vrban's Complemental Letters to King Richard and the Parliament and his honouring our Bishop of London with a Cardinals Cap England was altogether at his devotion for in the second year of King Richard an Act was made declaring him to be lawful Pope and that the Livings of all Cardinals and others that were Rebels to him should be seized into the Kings hands and the King to be answered of the profits thereof and that whosoever within this Realm should procure or obtain any Provision or other Instrument from any other Pope than the same Vrban should be out of the Kings Protection And this year 1382 the said Vrban sent over his Bull to Henry Spencer Bishop of Norwich a young bold Prelate to raise a Croisado that is to levy Forces who should be all mark'd with the Cross as engag'd in an Holy War to fight with and subdue his Enemy the said Clement the Anti-Pope and all his Followers and Favourers whom thereby he did excommunicate and depose from all Honours and forbid any Conversation with them living and burial of their bodies when dead c. In which Bull were amongst other things granted the Powers and Privileges following 1. That the said Bishop of Norwich may use the Sword against the Anti-Pope and all his Adherents Favourers and Counsellors and with violence put them to death 2. That he hath full power to inquire of all and singular such Schismaticks and put them in prison and to confiscate all their Goods moveable and immoveable 3. That he hath Power and Authority to deprive all Laymen that are such Schismaticks of all manner of Secular Offices whatsoever and to give their Offices to other fit and convenient Persons 4. To deprive all such Schismatick Clerks and bestow their Benefices either with or without Cure their Dignities Parsonages or Offices to other Persons more meet for the same having power over Lay-persons that are exempt Clerks both Secular and Regular yea though they be Fryars Mendicants 5. That he may dispense with any Dignified or Beneficed Clerks so that they may be absent from their Cures or Benefices under the â—tandard of the Cross without leave of any of their Prelates and yet take and receive the entire Profits as though personally resident 6. There is granted to all that pass the Seas in this Cause either at their own Expences or at the Expences of any others Full Remission of all their Sins and besides as large Priviledges as to any that pay their Money or go to Fight for the Holy Land 7. That all such as shall with their proper Goods and Substance give sufficient Stipend to able Souldiers at the discretion of the aforesaid Bishop mustred or by any other his Deputy although themselves be not personally engaged yet shall they have the like Remission and Indulgence as they which in person go to the Expedition 8. That all they shall be Partakers of this Remission who shall give any part of their Goods to the said Bishop to Fight against the said Schismaticks 9. That if any shall chance to die in the Journey or be kill'd that are Souldiers under the said Standard of the Cross they shall fully and wholly receive the said Grace and shall be Partakers of the aforesaid Forgiveness and Indulgence 10. The said Bishop hath Power to Excommunicate Suspend and Interdict all persons whatsoever that shall be Rebellious or Disturbers of him in the Execution of the Powers and Authority hereby committed unto him of whatsoever Dignity or Condition they be whether Kings Queens Emperors or of any other Quality Ecclesiastical or Temporal Lastly That he may compel and inforce any Religious Persons whatsoever to go in this Expedition and send them over Sea if he think good so to do and this although they be Professors of the Fryars Mendicants Being thus furnisht the Bishop to spread his Authority and the more effectually carry on the Work publisht the Ordinances following 1. IT is Ordained for the Honour the Establishment of Holy Church and the Salvation of the Realm that sufficient Preachers be sent into all the Country to Declare and Publish the Croisado and the Right Estate of Holy Church and of our most Holy Father Pope Urban whom God of his benign Grace pity and redress according to his good pleasure 2. That to every such Preacher or Confessor throughout England there shall be joyned a Clerk who shall receive and register the Names of all such as shall offer their persons to this Holy War and also all money that shall be given over whom the said Confessors shall be Controllers 3. That no Woman shall presume to go this voyage without special Licence from the Bishop of Norwich under his Seal 4. That no man by the way shall rob or by any kind of Extortion take the goods of any till they come upon the Enemies where they may do it by right of War on pain of losing all share in the said Pardon 5. That the said Preachers shall press the people to say Prayers and make Processions for the safety of the Church and the prosperity of
of his Pillow was nothing so fierce next Morning but resolv'd to lay aside the thoughts of going himself and to send some body else To which purpose the Duke of Lancaster was nominated but so tedious in making Preparations that the Bishop in the mean time was glad to leave Graveling having first dismantled and destroyed it and so return'd home to England after a vast Treasure dissipated and many thousand Lives lost and more Souls cheated with as little Glory as he set forth with mighty Expectation the Success of his Armes being suitable to the ridiculous occasion of them And what was yet worse for the haughty Prelate soon after his coming home in a Parliament held at London about Alhallontide all his Temporalities were seized into the Kings hands for his Contempt in disobeying the Kings Writ when His Majesty sent to him to come back just as he was putting to Sea on this piece of Ecclesiastical Knight-Errantry and he refused to come as aforesaid In this Parliament also was granted to the King half a Fifteenth by the Laity and half a Tenth by the Clergy In the Year 1384 a Truce was made with France and the Duke of Lancaster and his Brother Thomas of Woodstock entred Scotland with a mighty Army but the Scots wholly declining to fight and many of the English being destroyed with Want and cold Weather they return'd making very small Advantages by that expensive Expedition Soon after which an Irish Carmelite Fryer made a discovery in Writing to the King of a Design the Duke of Lancaster had to destroy His Majesty and usurp the Crown but the King advising about the same only with certain young Favourites the Duke obtained notice of the Charge and cleared or seemed to clear himself so much to the Kings satisfaction that the poor Fryer was committed to Custody and 't is said on the Evening before the Hearing should have been was most cruely murdered Whose Information if real shews what aâ— Opportunity the King slipt of preventing his after misfortune and that some times it proves even more dangerous to discover Treasons than to act them which yet should discourage no good Subject from the discharge of his Duty But possibly this whole Accusation or the Relation of such a thing might be a Contrivance of the Duke's Enemies to render him suspected to the King and odious to the People for it 't is certain they entred not many Months after into a formal-Design against his Life the occasion whereof I do not find mentioned by Authors but only that the King by the Instigation of his young Cabal-Council had conceiv'd displeasure against him and that they had conspired to take away the said Duke's Life In order whereunto certain Crimes were suggested Appellors prepared and t was agreed that he should be suddenly Arrested and brought before the Lord Chief Justice Trysilian who had boldly untertaken to pronounce Sentence upon him according to the quality of the matters to be objected though by Law he could not be tryed but by his Peers and so Execution should immediately have followed But the Duke being fore warn'd of these Contrivances hastned to his Castle of Pomfret and there stood upon his Guard And the King's Mother considering the Dangers that would ensue such a Rupture took great pains by riding notwithstanding her Age and corpulency to and fro between the King and him to pacifie each side and at last brought them to such a Reconcilement that all appearance of Displeasure on the one part and Distrust on the other was for that time removed About the Feast of S. Martin was held a Parliament at London wherein the Earl of Nothumberland was Condemn'd for the loss of the Castle of Barwick Surprised by the Scots through the Treachery of one that he had put in there as his Deputy But the King after Judgment was pleased to Pardon him who went forthwith down and retook the said Castle In the Year 1385 the French made great Preparations for the Invading of England and to facilitate the Attempt by a Diversion â—end the Admiral of France with a considerable Force into Scotland the Common Back-door at which they were wont to Infest us Of which King Richard having notice raises a mighty Army and by speedy Marches pierces into the Heart of Scotland and reduc'd their chief City Edenburgh into Ashes as a Bonfire to give the whole Kingdom notice of his Arrival and Challenge them to Battel But they declined it and Victuals growing very scarce the King thought fit to return homewards the rather for that the Scots in the mean time had entred Nothumberland and besieg'd Carlile but hearing of the Kings approach fled back into Scotland During this Expedition the Lord John Holland the Kings Brother by the Mother side near York Killed the eldest Son of the Earl of Stafford for which he fled and the King was so highly incensed that he caused all his goods to be Confiscated the King's Mother interceded for him but could not be heard and resented the denial so heavily that soon after she died At a Parliament the latter end of this Year the Laity granted the King one Fifteenth and an half upon condition that the Clergy would give a Tenth and an half who took this Articulating of the Commons in grievous dudgeon protesting that the Laity should not Charge them and the Archbishop of Canterbury was so hot as to declare he would rather venture his Head in this Cause than that the Holy Church of England should thus Truckle whereupon the Commons and many of the Temporal Lords began to bid Battel to the Clergies Temporalities saying they were grown to that excess of Pride that it would be a Work of Piety and Charity to clip their Wings and reduce them to an Humility suitable to their Profession The Clergy at this were not a little Alarm'd and to prevent the worst make a voluntary offer of a Tenth to the King and so the Dispute is rock'd to sleep Also during this Parliament the King Conferred several Honours Creating his Uncle Thomas of Woodstock who before was Earl of Buckingham Duke of Gloucester and his other Uncle Edmund of Langley before the Earl of Cambridge Duke of York With whom too he prefer'd his pernicious Favorites as Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford to be Marquess of Dublin in Ireland the first man within the Realm that was Enobled with that Title and Sir Michael de la Pole the Son of a Merchant in London was made Earl of Suffolk and Lord Chancelor of England But these last grew in Hatred faster then they did in Honour the Ancient Nobility disdainfully resenting their undeserved as they deemed Advancement Nor were the People better satisfied but grumbled heavily for they durst not speak out against these Court Ear-wigs as Seducers of the King and occasion of all misadministrations of Affairs In this Parliament likewise the Duke of Lancaster desired Leave of the King Lords and Commons to go into Spain
to recover that Kingdom belonging to him in the Right of his Wife which was granted and Forty thousand Marks promised him for his aid therein and accordingly on Easter-Day he came to take his Leave of their Majesties The King commanding that he should be styled King of Spain presented him with a Crown of Gold as the Quen did anoâ—her to her Sister A great number of the Youthfull Nobility and Gentry attended the Duke in this Voyage who having Matcht one of his Daughters to the King of Portugal with joynt Forces Invaded Castile and took many strong Towns but at last on a Treaty it was agreed that the King of Spains Eldest Son should marry Katherine another of the Dukes Daughters and the Duke receive Two hundâ—red thousand Nobles in hand and the Sâ—m of Ten thousand Marks yearly during the Lives of him and his Dutchess and in consideration thereof all Claims should cease Walsingham tells us the Duke had such Favour from the Pope as to be Arm'd for the Recovery of this Kingdom with a Grant of Remission of Sins to all that should adventure with him or aid him with money towards the Voyage and had got as as large Indulgences as the Bishop of Norwich lately had as aforesaid but he well observes That the frequency of granting such Pardons and Relaxations had now rendered them vile and contemptible to the People so that there was scarce any body regarded them or would give Two pence to this last Croisadâ— though they were so extravagantly fond of the former whence is taught this Lesson That a Cheat though never so religious is not to be plaid over twice in one Age. The Year 1386 â—illed England with great Consternations and frequent Aâ—arms by means of an Invasion threatned by the French who had prepared above Twelve hundred Sail of Ships and a mighty Army on that Design which lay â—overing on the Coasts daily waiting an opportunity to pass the Channel and the better to secure their men at their first Landing in England they had framed a wonderful Wall of Wood three Miles in length of great thickness and twenty Foot high with which they would have inclosed their Camp But it happned that the Lord Beauchamp Captain of Calice took three of their Ships laden with part of the said Inclosure which King Richard caused to be set up about Whinchelsea for securing that Town and also he took another Ship full of Guns Gunpowder and other Instruments of War With which Losses and especialy by the adversness of the Winds which from the beginning of August to Alhallontide stood full in their Teeth so that their Ships could not come out and their Victuals and provisions by lying all that time being spent they were discouraged from prosecuting the Enterprize and nothing was effected And now King Richard every day more and more entring upon the Confines of his Destiny as if he had not done enough in making his Minion Marquess of Dublin Creates him Duke of Ireland and would says Walsingham had Fortune favor'd his Wishes have gone on to make him a King so strangely was he bewitch'd to him and so excessively he doted on him Non sina nota utfertur fami iaritatis obscoenae which I forbear to english out of Respect to Royal Majesty as being willing to think it a fulsom Imagination of that Monk that writes it rather than charge an English Prince with such a detestable suspicion But this undeserved Honour together with the Exorbitancies of Michael ae Pole and other Publick Miscarriages had made no small Impressions on the Minds of many of the Peers of the Land as well as the Commons On Monday the morrow after the Feast of S Jerom the King held a Parliament at Westminister which ended on the Feast of S. Andrew the Proceedings whereof Henry Knyghton who lived at that very time Relates as follows P. 2680. The King saith he for the most part staid lingering at Eltham whilest the Parliament sate the nobles therefore of the Realm and the Commons with joynt Assent sent this Message to the King That the Chancelor and Treasurer ought to be removed from their Offices because they were not for the good of the King and Kingdom and because also they had such matters to treat of with Michael de Pole as could not be treated of whilest he remain'd in the Office of Chancellor The King hereat incensed return'd his Command That they should mention no more those things but that they should proceed to the Business of Parliament aud hasten to a conclusion adding That he would not for them or at their instance remove the meanest Scullion boy in his Kitchin out of his place For the Chancelor in the Name of the King had desired of the Commons Four Fifteenths to be paid in one year and as many Tenths from the Clergy alledging that the King was so much in debt that he could not otherwise be freed from his Debts and other Burdens lying upon him as well upon the account of war as of his Houshold and other Charges But they by joynt Assent of Lords and Commons returned this Answer to the King That they neiher could nor by any means would proceed in any Business of Parliament nor dispatch somuch as the least Article till the King should come and shew himself in his own Person amongst them and remove the said Michael de Pole from his office Upon which the King sent back this Command to them That they should order Forty Knights of the most substantial and wisest of the Commons to come unto him and declare the Votes of all the rest But then were they more afraid every man for his own safety For a secret Rumor had privately come to their Ears That the death of these Forty was design'd by Treachery For it was said as appeared afterwards unto them That as these should be going to speak with the King a multitude of Armed Men should set upon and murther them Or that being invited to a Feast by the King some Armed Ruffians should rush in upon them and kill them or that they should be murther'd in an instant in their Lodgings in London But Nieolas de Exon Mayor of that City refusing and by no meanes consenting to so great a wickedness the Villany was deferr'd and the cursed Contrivance by degrees brought to light Making use therefore of wholsom Advice they by common consent of the whole Parliament sent the Lord Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester and Thomas de Arundel Bishop of Ely to the King at Eltham That they should on the behalf of the Lords and Commons of his Parliament Salute him and deliver their Votes or desires to him under such a Form or Sense of words Sir King The Prelates Lords and whole People of the Commons in Parliament with most humble submission recommend themselves to the most Excellent the word is wanting in our Author of your Royal Dignity wishing you a successful Course of Honour and
Commons desire his Absence that they would rather want so much Treasure than have him here to Seduce and Infatuate the King As for Michael Pole he was committed to Windsor-castle Furthermore the Parliament observing that by the Covetousness of the King's Ministers the publick Revenue was vainly consumed the King insufferably defrauded and abused the Common People of the Realm by continual and grievous Burdens miserably impoverished the Rents and Profits of the Nobles and Great Men much impaired and their poor Tenants in many places forc'd to abandon their Husbandry and leave their Farms empty and desolate And yet still by all these things the Kings Officers only becoming unmeasurably Rich They therefore chose Fourteen Lords of the Realm and gave them leave and power to Inquire into Treat of and Determine all Affairs Causes and Complaints arising from the Death of King Edward the Third to that present time As also of the King's Expences and his Ministers and all other matters whatsoever happening within the time to them Assigned and caused the said Lords so chosen to be sworn on the Holy Evangelists well and truly to regulate all Burdens and other Affairs incumbent on the King and Kingdom and to do Justice to every one requiring the same according to the Grace and Understanding given them by God And also the King took an Oath to stand to their Ordination and to encourage them in their Actings and not to revoke any Article of their Power but to confirm and hold good and stable whatsoever the said Counsellors should do or order during such time of whom Six with the Three Officers of the King appointed by consent of Parliament viz. The Chancellor the Treasurer and the Lord Privy Seal should at any time make a Quorum And it was also Ordained by Act of Parliament That if any one should Advise the King to make any Revocation of their Power though the King should not Revoke it yet the Person probably Convicted only of such ill Counsel should for the same forfeit all his Lands and Goods and if he attempt it a second time be drawn and hang'd as a Traytor Whereupon the King issued forth his Commission under the Great Seal of England Confirming the said Lords in such power in the words following Translated from the Original French RIchard King c. To all those to whom these Letters shall come to be seen or heard Greeting We being duly Conscious of the grievous Complaints of the Lords and Commons of our Realm in this present Parliament Assembled That our Profits and Rents and the Revenues of our Realm by private and insufficient Council and the Ill-governance as well of certain our late Great Officers as of divers other persons being near Our Person are so much consumed wasted embeziled given away granted and aliened destroyed and evilly disposed of and expended That We are so much impoverished and stript of Treasure and Means and the Substance of Our Crown so diminished and destroyed that We are neither able to Sustain Honourably as We ought the State of Our Houshold nor maintain and manage those Wars wherewith Our Realm is Environ'd without great and outragious Oppressions and Charges on Our People greater than they can bear And also that the good Laws Statutes and Customs of Our said Realm to which we are bound by Oath and obliged to maintain are not nor have been duly observed nor executed nor full Justice or Right done to Our said People but many Disinherisons and other most great Mischiefs and and Damages have happened as well to Vs as to our People and whole Realm Now We for the Honour of God and for the good of Vs and our Realm and for the quiet and relief of Our People willing against the said Mischiefs to establish a good and meet Remedy as We have already of Our free Will at the Request of the Lords and Commons Ordained and Assigned such Persons for Our great Officers that is to say Our Chancellor Treasurer and Keeper of Our Privy Seal as We esteem good faithful and sufficient for the Honour and Profit of Vs and Our said Realm so also of Our real Authority certain knowledge good pleasure and free will and by the Advice and Assent of the Prelates Lords and Commons in full Parliament in Aid of the good Governance of Our Realm and the well and due execution of Our Laws for the Relief in time of that miserable Condition under which both We and Our Subjects have long labour'd having full confidence in the good Advice Sense and Discretion of the most Honourable Fathers in God William Archbishop of Canterbury Alexander Archibishop of York Our most dear Vncles Edmund Duke of York and Thomas Duke of Gloucester the Honourable Fathers in God William Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bishop of Exeter and Nicholas Abbot of Waltham Our beloved and faithful Richard Earl of Arundel John Lord Cobham Richard le Scroop and John Devereux Have Ordained Assigned and Deputed and do Ordain Assigne and Depute them to be of Our Great and Continual Council for One whole Year next after the Date hereof to Survey and Examine together with our said Great Officers as well the Estate Condition and Government of Our whole Realm and of all Our Officers and Ministers of whatever Estate Degree or Condition they be within Our Houshold or without and to Inquire and take Information by all such ways as they shall think meet of all Rents Revenues and Profits belonging to us or which are duâ— and ought to appertain to us either within the Realm or without And of all Gifts Grants Alienations and Confirmations by Vs made of any Lands Tenements Rents Annuities Profits Revenues Wards Marriages Escheats Forfeitures Franchises Liberties Voidances of Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbeys Priories Farms of Houses Possessions of Aliens c. And also of all Revenues and Profits as well of Our said Realm as of Our Lands Lordships Cities Villages and other Possessions beyond the Sea and of the Benefices and Possessions and other Revenues of all that are in Rebellion against the Pope And of the carrying Moneys out of the Realm by the Collectors of the Pope or the Procurators of Cardinals Lumbards or other persons And likewise of the Profits of Our Customs and all Subsidies granted to Vs by the Clergy and Laity since the day of Our Coronation to that time And of all Fees Wages and Rewards of Our Officers and Ministers great and small and of Annuities and other Rewards granted and Gifts made to any persons in Fee or term of Life or in any other manner And of Lands Tenements Rents Revenues and Forfeitures bargained or sold to the prejudice and damage of Our Crown And also touching the Jewels and Goods which were Our Grandfathers at the time of his Death and of Charters and General Pardon and how General Payments have been levied and expended how Garrisons and Forts have been maintained And of all Defaults and Misprisions as well in Our Houshold
again in England The Appeal or Charge exhibited against them in Parliament tho' long is yet remarkable and not being extant in English I shall so far presume on the Reader 's Patience as to insert it Translated from the Original as we find it in Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae Col. 2713. as follows viz. TO our Most Excellent and redoubted Lord the King and his Council in this present Parliament do shew Tho. Duke of Glocester Constable of England Henry Earl of Derby Richard Earl of Arundel and Surry Thomas Earl of Warwick and Tho. Earl Marshal That whereas they the said Duke and Earls as Loyal Subjects of our Lord the King for the profit of the King and Realm on the Fourteenth day of November last past at Waltham-Cross in the County of Hertford did before the most Reverend Fathers in God William Bishop of Winchâ—ster Thomas Bishop of Ely late Chancellour of England John Waltham then Lord Privy Seal John Lord Cobham the Lords Richard le Scrope and John Denross then Commissioners of our Lord the King Ordain'd and made in the last Parliament Appeal Accuse or Charge Alexander Archbishop of York Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland Michael de Pole Earl of Suffok Robert Tresylian the false Justice and Nicholas Brember the false Knight of London of several High Treasons by them committed against the King and his Realm and did offer to prosecute and maintain the same and sufficient Sureties to find praying the said Lords to certifie the same to their said Soveraign Lord which the same day the said Commissioners did accordingly certifie to the King at Westminster where most of the said persons so Appealed being present were fully informed and certified of such Appeal And whereas shortly after by the Assent of the King and his Council the said Thomas Duke of Glocester c. coming to Westminster in presence of the King and of his Council there for the profit of the King and his Realm did again Appeal the said Arch-bishop of York and other false Traytors his Companions appealed of High Treasons by them committed against the King and his Realm as Traytors and Enemies to the King and Realm in affirmance of their former Appeal offering to pursue and maintain it as aforesaid Which Appeal our Lord the King did accept and thereupon assigned a day to the said Parties at his first Parliament which should be holden on the Morrow after Candlemass next insuing then to have receive full Justice upon the said Appeal and in the mean time took into his safe and most special protection the said Parties with all their people Goods and Chattels and caused the same to be then proclaimed and published And whereas also on Monday next after the day of the Nativity of our Lord Christ next after the said Duke of Gloucester c. in the presence of the King in the Tower of London as Loyal Subjects of the King and his Realm did appeal the said Archbishop of York c. as false Traytors c. Whereupon the King assign'd them a day in the next Parliament to pursue and declare their Appeal and by the advice of his Council did cause Proclamation to be made in all the Counties of England by Writs under his great Seal That all the said persons so Appealed should be at the said Parliament to answer thereunto Which Appeal the said Duke of Gloucester c. the Appealors are now ready to pursue maintain and declare and do by these Presents as loyal Subjects of our Lord the King for the profit of the King and Realm Appeal the said Archbishop c. of High Treasons by them committed against our Lord the King and his Realm as Traytors and Enemies of both King and Kingdom which Treasons are declared and fully specified in certain Schedules hereunto annexed and they do pray that the said persons Appealed may be called and Right and Justice done in this present Parliament Imprimis Thomas Duke of Gloucester Constable of England Henry Earl of Derby c. do Appeal and say that Alexander Archbishop of York Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pole Earl of Suffolk false Traytors to the King and Realm seeing the tender Age of our said Lord the King and the Innocency of his Royal Person have by many false Contrivances by them without Loyalty or Good Faith imagined and suggested endeavoured wholly to Ingross his Majesties Affection and to make him intirely give Faith and Credence to what they should say though never so pernicious to himself and his Realm and to hate his Loyal Lords and People by whom he would more faithfully have been served Encroaching and assuming to themselves a power to the endefranchising our Lord the King of his Soveraignty and imparing his Royal Prerogative and Dignity making him so far obey them that he hath been sworn to be govern'd and counsel'd only by them by means of which Oath and the power they have so trayterously usurped great inconveniencies mischiefs and destructions have hapned as by the subsequent Articles will appear 2. Item Whereas the King is not bound to make any Oath to any of his Subjects but on the day of his Câ—ronation or for the common profit of him and his Realm the said Bishop Duke and Earl false Traytors to the King and Realm have made him swear and assent to them that he will maintain and defend them and live and die with them And so whereas the King ought to be of a free condition above any other in his Realm they have brought him more into Servitude and Bondage against his Honour Estate and Royalty contrary to their Allegiance and as Traytors unto him 3. Item The said Traytors by the Assent and Councel of Robert Tresylian the false Justice and Nicholas Brember the false Knight of London by their false Covin would not at all suffer the great Persons of the Realm nor the good Subjects of the King to speak to or approach the King to give him wholsome advice nor the King to speak to them unless in the presence and hearing of them the said Duke of Ireland c. or two of them at their will and pleasure or about such things as they thought fit to the great disgrace of the Nobles and good Counsellors of the King and to the preventing of their good will and service towards the King thereby encroaching to themselves the Royal power and a Lordship and Soveraignty over the person of the King to the great dishonour and peril of the King his Crown and Realm 4. Item The said Archbishop c. by such their false devices and pernicious Councels have diverted the King from shewing due countenance to his great Lords and Liege People so that they could not be answered in their Suits and Rights without the leave of them the said Archbishop c. Thereby putting the King besides his Devoir contrary to his Oath contriving to alienate the Heart of our Lord the King from
themselves appear more like those Savages which they were to represent had got on strait Garments close to their Bodies cover'd over with Tâ—we which was fixt on with Rosin and Pitch to make it stick the faster Now when they were busie in the midst of their Dance by Torch-light a Villain suborn'd by the Duke clapt a Flambeau amongst them as if done by Accident whereby in an instant the Tow and other Combustibles took fire but a Lady seeing the danger snatcht away the King before the flames seiz'd him whilst Four of the other Maskers notwithstanding all the help imaginable was used were immediately burnt to Death In England the Lord Tho. Pierey is made the King's Steward and Sir William Scroop Chamberlain a Person saith our Author than whom in all Mankind there could not be found one more wicked or cruel The year following 1394 was chiefly remarkable for Funerals First the Dutchess of Lancaster Daughter to the King of Castile was snatcht away then the Countess of Derby her Daughter-in-Law next Queen Anne her self whose Obsequies were magnificently and at vast Expences Celebrated by the King and soon after died Isabella Dutchess of York Nor was Death onely content to Triumph over the Ladies but also mowed down the Noble Sir John Hawkwood a Knight whose Valour had rendred him Famous in many foreign Nations and no less dear to his own About August issâ—ed a Proclamation throughout England That all the Irish should forthwith return home and wait the Kings coming thither at Lady-day next following on pain of death And indeed it was but time to send them packing for such multitudes were come over in hopes of gain that they had left the English Pale in Ireland almost quite desolate So that the natural wilde Irish not yet Conquer'd taking thereby an advantage destroy'd or pillaged the few Subjects the King of England had remaining there at their pleasure And whereas King Edward the Third when he settled his Courts of Justice c. in that Country received from thence to his Exchequer Thirty thousand pounds per annum the same by reason of the want of Inhabitants was not only lost but on the contrary the King forc'd to be out of Pocket Thirty thousand Marks every year in the necessary defence of his Territories there Effectually to redress which the King in Person about Michaelmas sail'd into Ireland attended with the Duke of Glocester the Earls of March Nottingham Rutland c. The Irish unable to Cope with so great a Force endeavoured onely to weary him with Alarms Ambuscades and Skirmishes but at last divers of their petty Princes were glad to submit to King Richard of whom some he kept as Hostages for security others he dismist upon Parole And for the better settlement of Affairs Assembled a Parliament for Ireland at Dublin and continued in that Kingdom till after Easter In the mean time Anno 1395 the Duke of York Guardian of England during the Kings absence called a Parliament at London eight days after Twelfth-tide unto which was sent from Ireland the Duke of Gloucester who so zealously represented the Kings Necessities by reason of the vast Expence he had been at in this necessary and no less advantageous than honourable Expedition into Ireland that the Clergy were content to present his Majesty with a Tenth and the Commonalty with a Fifteenth But not without a Protestation first made That they were not bound to grant the same De stricto jure but did it purely out of their Affection to their King The Lollards so call'd as Tritemius says from Walter Lollard a German who flourisht about the year 1315. Or as others think from Lolium signifying Darnel or Tares for being Followers and Disciples of Wickeliff the Clergy and especially the Monks and Fryars were not wanting to brand them with ill Names and reputed them as the Tares sown by the evil One in the Field of Gods Church did about this time publickly affix on the Doors of S. Paul's Church Accusations of the Clergy charging them with sundry Abominations and also divers Conclusions touching Ecclesiastical Persons and the Sacraments of the Church At which the Bishops were much disturb'd and according to their usual Method instead of clearing themselves and confuting their Adversaries by Scripture or Reason endeavoured to silence them by Club-law dispatching away the Archbishop of York and Bishop of London into Ireland to the King intreating him to hasten his return to succour Faith and Holy Church that were both like to be undone by the Hereticks who were contriving how to take away the Possessions of the whole Church and overthrow all the Canonical Sanctions Upon this News back comes the King from Ireland and takes several of the Chief Favourites of the Lollards to task threatning most terribly if they shew'd them any Countenance for the future But the Hereticks were not the onely Afflicters of the Clergy at this time but Birds of their own Nests began to pluck their feathers too for William Archbishop of Canterbury got a Bull from the Pope Impowering him to levy throughout all the Diocesses of his Province Four pence in the pound of all Ecclesiastical Goods and Revenues as well of those Exempt as not Exempt and this without so much as pretending any true or lawful Cause for the same However the Execution of this Bull being committed unto the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of London though many of the inferiour Clergy grumbled not a little and complained thereof as unreasonable yet they were generally forced to submit unto it Anno Domini 1396 the Duke of Lancaster to whom the King had given the Dutchy of Aquitain and who had been at inestimable Charges in those Parts to Conciliate to himself the Affections of the Inhabitants no sooner had obtained the same but he was suddenly recall'd from thence by the Kings Command To which though it seemed no less hard than unexpected the Duke paid a punctual Obedience and was received if not with love yet at least with a shew of honour by the King from whom having obtain'd License to depart the Court he hastened to Lincoln and there to the admiration of all the World by reason of the disparity of their Qualities was married to Katherine Swinford who for divers years before had been his Mistress This year also the Pope wrote to the King intreating him to assist the Prelates of the Church in the Cause of God and of him the said King and his Kingdom against the Lollards whom he declared to be Traytors not onely to the Church but likewise to the King and therefore did most earnestly press him That whomsoever the Bishops should declare to be Hereticks he would forthwith Condemn by his Royal Authority But it seems the King was too busie otherwise to attend his Holiness's Commands and to do his Prelates drudgery in butchering of Hereticks for he was making mighty Preparations for a Voyage not of War but of Galiantry into France where
Affections of the People it was not thought safe to bring him to a publick Tryal but concluded with more Policy than Justice to put him to death secretly without either Conviction or Examination And therefore being a close Prisoner as aforesaid at Callice he was by certain Ruffians ordered thereunto by Nottingam Earl Marshal suddenly one Night strangled or stifled to death between two Feather Beds Thus fell this Great and for ought we find in Writers of those times Good Prince the Son of One and Vncle of another King and so beloved of the People that with him saith Walsingham the general Hope and Comfort of the Commonalty of the Land expired And now the King caused the Parliament to be Ajourn'd till after Christmas and then to sit again at Shrewsbury Where in the beginning of the Year 1398 they met accordingly and the King by the Interest he had made amongst them caused not only all the Proceedings of the Parliament in the Tenth Year of his Reign to be Condemned and Annulled But also obtained a Concession from them That after the present Parliament should break up It s whole Power should yet be Conferred upon and remain in certain Persons by them particularly named or any Seven or Eight of them Who by vertue of such Power granted did afterwards proceed to Act and determine many things concerning the Publick State of the Nation and properly the Work of a Parliament to the great prejudice of the Realm And to six himself more firm with Friends or Illustrate his Triumphs over those he thought his Enemies The King about this time was most liberal in Conferring of Honours Creating no less than Five new Dukes of whom one was the Earl of Derby made Duke of Hereford and an other the Earl of Nottingham probably for his good Service in dispatching the Duke of Glocester raised to the Title of Duke of Norfolk One Dutchess One Marquess and Four Earls Amongst whom he made a Distribution of a great part of the Lands of the Duke of Glocester and of the Earls of Arundel and Warwick imagining by this double Bounty of Honour and Estate to support it to have tyed them with a double Obligation of Duty and Affection Not considering that hired Friends for the most part are seldom either satisfied or sure but rather like some Ravens that Naturalists tell of in Arabia which being full-gorg'd have very sweet tuneable Notes but empty scriech most horribly Furthermore to gratifie the Cheshire-men who had chieflly assisted him and his late Favorites he qualified that County with the Name and Dignity of a Principality and added to the rest of his own Titles that of Prince of Chester A General Pardon was also granted for all Offences to all the Kings Subjects but clogg'd with a strange Clause of Exception exempting Fifty Persons in number from the Benefit thereof whose Names were not expressed but left to the Kings own knowledge and pleasure to the end that if any of the Nobility should happen any way to displease he might nominate him or them to be of the Number excepted and so still keep them within his danger By which Reservation the General Pardon became no Pardon at all since no man in England could assure himself that he was included in it Lastly To Corroborate and add the greater esteem to the Acts and Proceedings of this Parliament King Richard purchased the Popes Bulls containing grievous Censures and Curses on all that should presume to break or oppose them Which were solemly published at Pauls Cross and other places throughout England All things succeeding thus suitable to the Kings pleasure the Heads of the Party that opposed his Will having lost their Heads the Nobles afraid and the Commons unable to express their Resentments any otherwise than in Sighs or whisper'd Murmurs and Complaints His Officers of State His Laws nay His very Parliament all modell'd to His Designs He could not but sing Requiems to His Soul and look upon himself in a Condition altogether happy and secure When yet to shew that there is still an over-ruling Providence that can blast all Projects though never so subtlely laid if not sounded on Equity and carried on with Justice A Monarch Paramount who confoundeth the Councils of Princes and is terrible to the Kings of the Earth when once they become disobedient unto and forgetful of him Behold on a sudden all his Affairs by unexpected Means and unlikely Instruments are embroil'd more than ever and this great Prince left so destitute of Power or Friends as to be forced without striking one stroke to surrender his Crown and which was yet more greivous to a generous Mind acknowledge himself both unworthy and unfit to wear it any longer This Wonderful Catastrophe has since been thought to have been fore-shewn by some prodigious Tokens that happened about this time As that in this Year 1398 when almost throughout all England all the Bay-trees withered and afterwards beyond all expectation grew green again And another perhaps more remarkable on New-Years Day following When a very deep River running between the Villages of Suelleston and Haâ—â—wod near Bedford on a sudden stopt its Course and divided it self so as that for three Miles space the Channel remain'd dry But waving such uncertain Presages if we consider the several Steps that led to this grand Mutation The first both in order of time and Influence may be reckon'd that of the Banishment of the Duke of Hereford Son of the Duke of Lancaster This was occasioned by means of a Quarrel between Him and Moubray Duke of Norfolk but what the grounds were of that Quarrel is somewhat differently reported by Authors for though all agree 't was about certain words spoken to the Kings dishonour yet of what nature those words were is not so certainly related But the best that is most probable account thereof that I can meet with is as follows The Duke of Hereford either disdaining the undesâ—rved Favours and Advancement of some Persons about the King or disliking that his Sovereign should be abused and his Countrey opprest by such ill Instruments or perhaps to shew his owm skill and sufficiency in the Art of Government happened one day in familiar Conference with the Duke of Norfolk to complain that the King too much undervalued the Princes of the Blood and much discouraged the rest of the Ancient Nobility from intermedling in Publick Affairs That instead of using their able Advice and Service He was engrossed by a few Vpstart Favourites of base Birth and baser Qualities having no sufficiency either for Council in Peace or Courage in War And whose dishonest Conditions had deservedly contracted an Odium and Contempt of the whole Realm whereby the Honour of the Kings Person was much obscured the safety of his Estate endanger'd and the Dignity of the English Nation not a little impaired And that it was high time that the King should provide some Redress herein And all this â—e protested he mention'd
all former burdens this present Year 1399. He charged 17 whole Counties with taking part against him heretofore with the Duke of Glocester and the rest of the Lords and threatned with Armed force to spoil and destroy them as publick Enemies And having thus affrighted them sent certain Commissioners Bishops and Lords Temporal to all the said several Shires to let them know his heavy displeasue And that without due acknowledgment of the Offence and Submission to his mercy he could not receive them into his Grace and Favour whereby they were prevailed upon to own themselves Traytors under their Hands and Seals Which was no sooner obtained but they were compell'd to pay insupportable Sums of Money for the Redemption of their Lives and Estates and procuring their Peace whereby they were all so impoverisht that few were able to subsist none at present to resist And yet further to make Conscience it self accessary to slavery New Oaths were imposed not warranted by any Law and the People constrained to Seal Blank Charters and Obligations and deliver them to the Kings use wherein whatsoever he pleased might afterwads be inserted The King bearing so heavy an hand over his People 't is no wonder if they bear an hard Heart towards him who being shallow in Judgment and not able to cover his Vices but with a Cloak of seeming terrible and powerful became first hated and afterwards contemptible and drove many of his Subjects to an Inclination to Revolt as resolved rather to run the hazzard of a speedy ruine by Rebellion than to perish by such a lingring Death of slavery In order hereunto there had been some overtures very privately made by Letters to the Duke of Hereford importuning his speedy return into England remonstrating that as well for the publick good of the Realm as for their own particular safeties they should be forced to use force for their deliverance from these intollerable oppressions and therefore solliciting him to be pleased but to make the Head and they would furnish the Body with an able Army and not only help him in bare wishes and advice but would joyn Hearts and Hands to adventure their Lives and Fortunes in his Quarrel which was also their own so that the danger should be common to all the Glory only his The Duke entertained these Adresses with great wariness and such moderation that he seem'd rather worthy of a Kingdom than desirous of it But to Whet him to an Edge and settle his Resolutions for the Enterprize there wanted not an apt and politick Instrument This was Thomas Arundel late Archbishop of Canterbury who being with the other Bishops in the Parliament when his Brother the Earl of Arundel together with the Earl of Warwick c. were called into question because Clergy-men by the Canons are commanded not to be present at any Judgment of Blood He and the rest of that Order departed the House Upon which occasion being absent not only his Brother was condemned for high Treason and Executed as you have heard but he himself Banish't the Realm his goods seized as forfeit and his Archbishoprick conferr'd on another This Prelate after this Disaster did with divers of his Confederates by several ways and in strange disguises come to Paris and in the House of one Clomigey where the Duke had taken Lodgings had frequent Conferences with his Grace touching the Affairs of England Their debates you may Imagine were managed with the strictest secrecy And I have alwaies been of Opinion that it better becomes a Romance than a serious History for the Author to forge set Speeches on such occasions wherin though he may please he does but deceive the Reader for how suitable soever he may contrive them yet 't is forty to one but the parties themselves might make use of very different Topicks Without guessing therefore at their word let it suffice to say their Consultations terminated in a Result that the Duke should adventure himself over into England and try his Fortune upon the first convenient opportunity Which soon presented it self the most invitingly that could be imagined The Earl of March appointed by the King to be his Lieutenant in Ireland exposing his person too adventurously was slain by the Wild Irish which so exasperated King Richard that he resolved in person to revenge his Death In order to which he raised a great Army but not without grievous Charge to his Subjects and about Whitsontide set forwards accompanied with the Dukes of Albemarle and Exeter divers of the Nobles and many Mitred Prelates amongst whom was the Abbot of Westminster a chief Favourite and taking with him not only the Sons of the Duke of Glocester and Hereford whom he pretended to instruct by that expedition in the Rudiments of War but indeed secured them as Hostages to prevent any attempts that might be made in his Absence by their Relations of whom he was most apprehensive But also all his Treasure Jewels Plate and Royal Robes as if he had design'd as in the event it effectually prov'd to have taken a final leave of his Kingdom and Dignity here in Enland Besides these general discontents of the People occasioned by the former ill-conduct and oppressions of Corrupt Ministers of state he just upon his departure stumbled upon another Error in Politicks for being at Bristol it was suggested to him That Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland with others his Partisans intended some disloyal attempt and therefore did not tender their service in this Expedition whereupon by a pursevant he commanded the said Earl with all the Forces he could raise forthwith to repair to him whereunto the Earl by a Letter returned an excuse instead of Compliance intreating his Majesty to consider how little necessary it would be for the Irish Service and indeed dangerous to the whole Realm to draw men from such remote places in regard those Rebels were neither so many nor so mighty but that the King had already sufficient Forces to reduce them to Obedience and to disfurnish the Northern parts of their strength would but give an opportunity to the Scots to Invade us And therefore begg'd his Majesty that he would be pleased in such a juncture to Excuse him from attending This Answer the King interprets as an Affront to his Authority and in an unadvised Heat proclaims the Earl and all that should take his part Traytors and orders all their Lands and Goods to be seiz'd to his Use. The Earl resenting this disgrace and forced as it were by necessity does then in earnest make good the Original Information by standing upon his Guard or rather in a posture of open Hostility In the mean time the King pursues his voyage for Ireland whose Arrival Fortune courted with some treacherous smiles for the petty Irish Kings terrified with the Fame of his Power and not daring to trust each other in a joynt Defence endeavoured rather singly to make each one the best Bargain for himself by being the first that
now been Six Weeks in England and the whole Land in effect had submitted to him during all which time there was no news of King Richard whether it were that by reason of contrary Winds he had no Intelligence as some write or that on the first advice he slighted it according to the Humour of some weak Spirits who contemn dangers remote but are astonished at them when they approach too nigh However at last upon certain news in what an hazardous condition his affairs stood he caused the Sons of the Dukes of Glocester and Lancaster to be imprisoned in Trim Castle and determined forthwith for England but the Duke of Aumerle his Principal Counsellor perswaded him to stay till all his preparations were ready Which fatal Council it was King Richard's ill Destiny to follow yet presently sent over the Earl of Salisbury to raise him an Army in Wales and Cheshire against his own coming which he solemnly promised should be withing six days at furthest The Earl imployed his pains so well that he had soon gotten together Forty thousand men but the six days and more being elaps'd and the King not appearing made them murmur and suspect he was dead or come to some disaster but the Earl perswaded them to have patience some few days longer which being likwise expired and no tidings of him they then in discontent broke up and retired to their respective homes At length eighteen days after he had sent away the Earl the King took Shipping attended with Aumerl Exeter Surry the Bishop of London Exeter and Carlile and others of the Nobility and landed in Wales having about him a Competent number of Cheshire men But when he understood that the other Forces he expected to joyn with him were baulk'd and disbanded that most of his Fortresses from Scotland to Bristol had surrendred to Lancaster that the Londoners espoused his Interest that the greatest number of the Nobility and Commons almost in general took part with him and especially that his principal Councellors had lost their Heads at Bristol he was so far from retaining the Magnanimity of a King that he almost left off to be a Man and totally abandoned himself to despair Perplext in uncertainties either where to stay or whither to stir destitute both of Knowledge and Resolution in himself for such amazing Difficulties and obnoxious to weak wavering and unfaithful Counsels from others some advised him to march further into the Land before those Forces he had fell from him alledging that Fortune seconds Valour That in all places he should find some who out of duty or affection or for hire would follow his Standard which was illustrated with Majesty and guarded with Right Others perswaded him to go back into Ireland or over to his Father-in-law of France and thence to return when the Paroxism was a little over and himself better strengthned But the King unacquainted with Marshal Affairs rejected both Counsels and taking a middle course which always in Extreams of that kind is the worst resolved to stay in Wales to attend to what Head this Humour would rise His Souldiers Endeavourd to encourage him to venture a Battel vowing they would live and die with him but this could not at all raise his drooping Spirits but in the Night he stole away from his Army and with the Dukes of Exeter and Surry The Bishop of Carlile Sir Stephen Scroop and half a score more retired to the Castle of Conway where the Earl of Worcester Steward of His Majesties Houshold seeing his Masters Affairs in that desperate state or to revenge the Proclaiming of his Brother the Earl of Northumberland Traytor as before was mentioned at the Kings going for Ireland did openly in the Hall before all the Kings Servants break his white Staff of Office and forthwith repaired to the Duke of Lancaster and the rest of the Royal Retinue by his Example scattered and shifted every one for himself Such Court-flies and treacherous Attendants being but like Crows to a dead Carcass who flock to it not to defend it but to devour it for no sooner have they pickt off the flesh to the bones and find no more sustenance but they are upon the wing to be gone The Duke of Lancaster upon Advice of King Richards Arrival out of Ireland left the Duke of York who was now joyned with him at Bristol and marched in the Head of his Troops to Glocester then to Ross afterwards to Hereford where repaired to him the Bishop of that See and Sir Edmund Mortimer on the Sunday following he went to Leymster and there the Lord Carleton came to him from thence he went to Ludlow and the next day to Shrewsbury and thither came to him Sir Robert and Sir John Leigh and other persons of quality being sent from Chester to offer him their Service as also the Lord Scales and the Lord Bardolph out of Ireland From Shrewsbury he repaired to Chester where he dispatcht an Express into Ireland to fetch over his Son and Heir and likewise the Duke of Glocester's Son and Heir both whom King Richard had left in Custody there but it seems their Keepers durst no longer detain them after Lancaster commanded them thence for his Son soon after arrived here but the other young Gentleman was unfortunately cast away at Sea About this time the King seeing himself so beset and straitned that he could neither Resist nor Escape desired a Conference with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Northumberland from whose Negotiation he could certainly hope for little good since the one he had formerly banisht and proclaimed the other a Traytor however they upon safe Conduct coming to him declared That if it might please his Majesty to promise that a Parliament should be Assembled and in the same Justice done and the Duke of Lancaster and his followers receive a General Pardon since what they had done was for the publick Weal of the Realm the Duke would be ready to cast himself at his feet and as an humble Subject obey him in all dutiful Services But the King whether perceiving that all this was but Complement and thinking more to oblige them by an early Voluntary offer of what he saw he must be forc'd to part with or whether confounded in himself he grew weary of wearing a Crown that he was not able to support required only that himself and eight more whom he would name might have an honourable Allowance with Assurance of a private quiet Life and then he would Resign the Crown which was readily condescended unto and the King also desiring to speak with the Duke was removed to Flint Castle Soon after the Duke arriving there with his Army the Archbishop of Canterbury the Duke of Aumerle and the Earl of Worcester were sent before to the King who spying them from the Walls where he stood went down to meet them and observing that they did their accustomed Reverence to him upon their knees courteously took them up
same was very expedient did each man singly by himself and in Common with the People unanimously Admit the said Cession and Renunciation After which Admission it was then and there publickly declared that besides such Cession and Renunciation so as aforesaid admitted It would be very expedient and profitable to the Kingdom for the removing of all Scruples and taking away sinister suspitions That very many Crimes and Defects by the said King about the ill Governance of his Kingdom very often committed reduced into writing by way of Articles by reason of which as himself affirmed in the Cession by him made he was deservedly to be deposed should be publickly read and declared to the People And so the greatest part of the said Articles were then and there read through The Tenour of all which Articles is such But yet in the Roll before the Articles there are first these words Here followeth the form of the Oath used and accustomed to be taken by the Kings of England at their Coronation which the Archbishop of Canterbury hath used to require and receive from the said Kings as in the Book of the Pontifical Archbishops and Bishops more fully is contained Which Oath Richard the Second after the Conquest of England did take at his Coronation and the same was administred by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the very same Oath the King afterwards repeated as in the Rolls of the Chancery may more fully be found of Record Thou shall keep to the Church of God and People Intire Peace and Concord in God according to thy power The King shall answer I will keep them Thou shalt in all thy Judgements cause to be done equal and right Justice and discretion in mercy and in Truth according to thy power He shall answer I will do so Thou dost grant the just Laws and Customes as shall be held and dost promise the same shall by thee be protected and for the Honour of God Corroborated quas vulgus elegerit which the People shall chuse to the utmost of thy power He shall answer I do so grant and promise To the aforesaid Questions such others are added as shall be just and all things being so pronounced the King by his own Oath on the Altar before all the Assembly Confirms and Promises that he will 〈◊〉 and observe the same Then follow THE OBJECTIONS or ARTICLES Against the King touching his Deposition IMprimis It is objected against King Richard that whereas by reason of his ill Government viz. His giving away the Goods and Possessions belonging to his Crown and that to Persons unworthy and his indiscreet squandering the same away otherwise adn to that end imposing without cause Collections and other grievous burthens on his People more than they were able to bear and also innumerable other Evils by his assent and Command perpetrated there were by the whole Parliament certain Prelates and others Temporal Lords Elected and Assigned who might with all their power and at their own Charges faithfully labour about the just Government of the Realm Yet the King causing a Conventicle to be held by him with his accomplices the said Lords as well Spiritual as Temporal so occupied about the safety and profit of the Kingdom did propose to impeach of High Treason and did violently draw the Judges of the Kingdom for fear of Death and Corporal Tortures to such his wicked purpose most vigorously striving to destroy the said Lords II. Item The said King lately at Shrâ—wsbury caused several and the greater part of the Judges to come before him and his Favourites privatly in a Chamber and by Menaces and Various Terrors as such affrightments as might fall even upon men of constant Resolutions did induce cause and compel them severally to answer certain Questions there propounded on the behalf of the King concerning the Laws of his Kingdom besides and against their will and otherwise than they would have answered had they been at Liberty and unforced By colour of which answers the said King purposed to have proceeded afterwards to the destruction of Thomas Duke of Glocester and the Earls of Arundel and VVarwick and other Lords against whose deeds and behaviour the said King was much incensed chiefly because they desired the said King to be under good Guidance But Providence withstanding it by the resistance and power of the said Lords the King was not able to bring such his design to effect III. Item When the Lords Temporal defending themselves had withstood his malice and fraud and the said King had prefix'd a day for holding his Parliament to do them and other Inhabitants of the Realm Justice in that behalf and the said Temporal Lords were quietly and peaceably gone home and at Rest in their houses in hope and confidence of the said Parliament the King secretly sent the Duke of Ireland with his Letters and Standard towards Chester and there gathered multitudes in Arms and caused them to rise against the said Lords the Nobles of the Kingdom and Servants of the State publickly erecting his Standard against the Peace which he had Sworn to keep From whence slaughters of men Captivities Dissentions and other infinite mischiefs did ensue throughout the whole Kingdom By which Act he became Guilty of Perjury IV. Item Although the said King had in full Parliament and by the assent thereof Pardoned the said Duke of Glocester and Earls of Arundel and Warwick and all their Assistants and others all offences and had for many years shown Signs of Peace and Love to the said Duke and Earls and to the rest appeared with a pleasant and benign Countenance Yet the said King always and continually bearing Gall in his Heart did at last taking an Opportunity cause the said Duke of Glocester the Uncle of him the said King and also the Son of Edward late King of England of happy memory and Constable of England then humbly going to meet the said King in solemn Procession and the said Earls of Arundel and Wâ—â—â—ick to be taken and Arrested and him the said Duke out of the Kingdom of England to the Town of Callice did cause to be led and there imprisoned and under the Custody of the Earl of Nottingham and of the Appellors of the said Duke detained and without answer or any lawful process whatsoever did inhumanely and cruelly cause to be suffocated strangled and murdered And the Earl of Arundel though he pleaded as well the General Pardon as a Pardon afterwards to him specially granted and desired justice to be done him yet in his Parliament encompassed with armed men and innumerable Archers of the People by him gathered to that purpose by Pressing did damnably cause to be Beheaded And the Earl of Warwick and Lord Cobham did commit to perpetual Imprisonment wickedly and against Justice and the Laws of his Kingdom and his express Oath confiscating their Lands and Tenements as well Fee-simple as Fee-tail from them and their Heirs and giving the same to their Appellors V.
should submit to the disproportionate force of the Invader But these Triumphs cost King Richard dear in the sequel for whilst he is thus engaged and absent from his discontented Kingdom of England the Duke of Lancaster thinks it the only proper time to put in execution what he and others his Confederates had been consulting of Wherefore dispatching some of his trusty Emissaries over to acquaint his Friends and provide Arms and all necessaries for his Arrival He addresses himself to the French King with a Complement That he intended to pay a Visit to his Kinsman John Duke of Britain and therefore desired his Majesties Royal Letters of safe Conduct which being granted he there very privately levied a few Souldiers with whom hiring three Ships of the Duke of Britain he put to Sea for England accompanied with the forementioned Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Heir to Richard late Earl of Arundel the Lord Cobham Sir Thomas Erpington and Sir Thomas Ramstone Knights John Norbury Robert Waterton and Francis Coynt Esquires having not in all above twenty Lances and his whole Retinue besides consisting not of above sixty persons so that 't is hard to judge which was the greatest wonder that he durst attempt or that he did succeed in the Conquest of a Kingdom with so inconsiderable a Company But his Confidence was not so much in the People he brought with him as in the strength he should find here relying altogether on the favour and assistance of the people of the Realm whom he knew to be generally male-contented and eager to change their present Governours for any that would but promise them a Melioration of their Condition for the future Yet being wary not to push things on beyound Possibility of a Retreat As he did not presently Land but lay cruising up and down sometimes appearing on one Coast and sometimes on another that he might the better discover how the Inclinations of the people stood and what Forces were ready either to receive or resist him till at last being satisfied therein he put on shore without any opposition about the biginning of June at Ravenspurre in Yorkshire So did he not then make any pretensions to the Crown but gave out very solemnly that he came only to regain possession of the Dutchy of Lancaster and the rest of his lawful Inheritance which all the Nation knew was wrongfully detained from him and so were the more ready to pity and favour him in a Cause notoriously just and against which there was no objection His Arrival was no sooner known but there repaired to him the Lords Willoughby Ross Darcy and Beaumout and shorly after at Doncaster the Earl of Northumberland and his Son Sir Henry Piercy with the Earl of Westmorland and great numbers of the Gentry and common people Intelligence hereof being soon conveied to the Duke of York the Kings eldest Uncle and with whom during his absence he had intrusted the Governance of the Realm He calls together the Bishop of Chichester Lord Chancellor Scroop Earl of Wiltshire Lord Treasurer Sir John Bushy Sir Henry Green Sir William Bagot and Sir John Russel chief Favourites of the Kings Privy Council to consult what was to be done in this Exigency of Affairs Amongst whom whether designedly by some or ignorantly by others I cannot say but I am sure by all perniciously for King Richards Interest It was concluded to abandon London and appoint the Rendezvous for levying Forces against the Duke at S. Albans But when the people out of sundry Counties were drawn thither to be mustered they declared They would not act any thing to the prejudice of the said Duke who they affirmed was unjustly expelled his Country and unlawfully kept from his Inheritance This Refusal of the Commons to serve being looked upon as a very ill Omen to the Kings Cause The Earl of Wiltshire Sir John Bushy Sir William Bagot and Sir Henry Green forsook the Duke of York and fled to Bristol intending to pass the Seas into Ireland to the King And time it was especially for them to take their Heels for these Four were those that were said to have taken of the King his Kingdom to Farm and on that account and other Greivances and Oppressions which they had occasioned were become so odious to the People that their very presence turned away many of the Subjects hearts from their Soveraign it being the displeasure against them rather than any disatisfaction to the Kings Person that caused this general Revolt The Duke of York seeing their flight and the Humour of the Generality favouring Lancaster and loath to run the adventure of an improbable Resistance gave over the Cause and thereupou the rest of the Counsellors either openly declared for the said Duke or secretly held Correspondence with hm resolving to swim with the general Torrent in hopes of greater safety thereby than by stemming that impetuous Tide which bore down all before it For never did Snow-ball encrease so fast by rolling as the Duke of Lancaster's Forces were augmented by his March so that they were quickly grown sixty thousand strong and he resolving to â—ollow the Channel whilst the Current was fierce hastned with his Troops to London that possessing himself thereof being the chief place within the Kingdom for Strength and Store he might best there make the Seat of War and be easiest accommodated both with Provision and Ammunition In his whole March no Opposition was seen no Hostility shewn but all along Gentlemen of the best quality out of Affection or Fear or hope of Reward resorted to his Tents and where ever he stayed rich Presents were mad him and his Army supplyed with necessaries even to superfluity and particularly at London he was received with Triumphant Pageants and Shews solemn Processions of the Clergy and loud Acclamations of the People But he was more regardful of his Affairs than to stay long there and therefore having fix'd the Citizens firm to his Interest and knowing all the danger that could threaten him must be from King Richard's return out of Ireland To obviate that and overtake the fugitive Favourites who were fled to Bristol he with speedy Marches pursued them thither where finding the Castle fortified against him he assaults it so briskly that in Four daies time he forc'd it to a surrender and taking therein the Earl of Wiltshire Lord Treasurer Sir John Bushy and Sir Henry Green he the very next day Sacrificed them to the importunate rage of the incensed People causing them all Three to be beheaded But as for Sir William Bagot he was got to Chester and from thence shifting over into Ireland alone escaped the present vengeance This Execution if it had not been just must yet be accounted Politick for partly because it was so grateful to the People and partly because it excluded all hope of the Kings Pardon It became a great ingagement to all the Dukes followers to adhere more firmly to him for the future The Duke had
in any kind lose his Archbishoprick And this he faithfully promised swearing upon the Cross of the late Martyr S. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury by him the said King corporally touched all which promises notwithstanding the said King forced the said Archbishop to depart the Realm And forthwith transmitted special Letters to the Apostolical See to have him Translated And so and by other Frauds and deceitful Tricks of the said King the said Archbishop being a well-meaning believing man was subtily circumvented AND because it seemed to all the Estates of the Realm being asked their Judgments thereupon as well severally as jointly That these causes of Crimes and Defaults were sufficient and notorious to depose the said King Considering also his own Confession of his insufficiency and other things contained in his said Renunciation and Cession openly delivered all the said States did unanimously consent that ex abundanti that they should proceed unto a Deposition of the said King for the great security and tranquillity of the People and benefit of the Kingdom Whereupon the said States and Commons unanimously constituted and publickly deputed certain Commissioners viz. The Bishop of S Asaph the Abbot of Glassenbury the Earl of Glocester the Lord Berkley Sir Thomas Erpyngham and Sir Shomas Grey Knights and William Thirnyng one of the Justices to pass such sentence of Deposition And to depose the said King Richard from all Kingly dignity Majesty and Honour on the behalf and in the name and by the Authority of all the said States as in like Cases from the Antient Custom of the said Kingdom had been observed And forthwith the said Commissioners taking upon themselves the burthen of the said Commission and sitting on a Tribunal before the said Royal Chair of State having first had some debate of the matter did on the behalf and in the name and by the authority aforesaid pass the said Sentence of Deposition being reduced into writing and caused such their Sentence to be read and recited by the said Bishop ef S. Asaph their Collegue by the Will and Command of the rest of the said Commissioners In these words IN the Name of God Amen We John Bishop of Asaph John Abbot of Glassenbury Thomas Earl of Glocester Thomas Lord Berkley Thomas de Erpingham and Thomas Gray Knights and William Thirnyng Justice Commissioners specially deputed to the matters under written by the Peers and Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the Kingdom of England and the Commons of the said Kingdom Representing all Estates or Conditions of the said Realm sitting in Tribunal and having considered the multiplyed Perjuries Cruelty and very many other Crimes of the said Richard touching his government conmitted and perpetrated in his Kingdomes and Dominions aforesaid during the time of his Governance and before the said States openly and publickly propounded exhibited and recited Which have been and are so publick notorious manifest and scandalous that they could not nor can be concealed with denial or excuse And considering likewise the confession of the said Richard acknowledging and reputing and truly and of his own certain knowledge judging himself to have been and to be utterly insufficient and unmeet for the rule and Government of the said Kingdoms and Dominions and their Appurtenances and for such his notorious demerits worthy to be deposed as by him the said Richard was before declared and by his Will and Command published before the said States and made known and exposed to them in the vulgar Tongue having already had diligent deliberation upon these things and all others transacted in this Affair before the said States and us We do on the behalf and in the name and by the Authority to us in this matter committed ex abundanti and for Caution Pronounce decree and declare him the said Richard to have been and to be unfit unable and utterly in sufficient for and unworthy of the Rule and Government of the said Kingdoms and the Dominion and Rights and Appurtenances of the same and for any by reason of the Premisses to be deservedly deposed of and from all Royal Dignity and Honour if any thing of such Dignity and Honour were yet remaining in him And with the same Caution we do Depose him by this our deffinitive sentence in writing Expresly forbiding all and singular the Lords Archbishops Bishops and Prelates Dukes Marquesses Earls Barons Knights Vassals and Valvassors and other Subjects and Leige people of tbe said Kingdoms and Dominion and other places to the said Kingdoms and Dominion belonging that henceforth none of them shall any way obey or Regard the said Richard as King or Lord of the said Kingdom and Dominion Furthermore the said States willing that nothing should be wanting which might be of value or ought to be required touching the Premisses being severally interrogated thereupon did constitute the same Persons that were before nominated Commissioners to be their Procurators joyntly and severally to resign and give back to the said King Richard the Homage and Fealty to him before made and to intimate to him if it should be requisite all the Premises touching such his Deposition and Renunciation And then presently as soon as it appeared by the Premises and the occasion of them That the Crown of England with its Appurtenances was vacant the aforesaid Henry Duke of Lancaster rising up from his place and standing so erected as he might conveniently be seen by the People and humbly fortifying himself with the Sign of the Cross on his Forehead and on his Breast having also first called upon the name of Christ did claim the said Kingdom so vacant as aforesaid with its Crown and all its Members and Appurtenances In this form of words in his Mother Tongue IN the name of Fader Son and Holy Gost I Henry of Lancaster chalenge this Rewine of Yndlonde and the Croun with all the Members and the Appurtenances al 's I that am descendit be Right Line of the Blode comyng fro the Gude Lord King Henry Therde and thorghe that right that God of eis Grace hath sent mee with helpe of my Kyn and of my Frendes to recover it The which Rewme was in poynt to be ondone for defaut of Governance and undoyng of the Gude Lawes After which Claim and Challenge as well the Lords Spiritual as Temporal and all the States 〈◊〉 present being severally and joyntly interrogated what they thought of that Claim The said 〈◊〉 with the whole People without any difficulty or delay did unanimoâ—sly consent that the said Duke should Reign over them And forthwith as the said King shewed to the States of the Kingdom the Signet of King Richard delivered to him as a token of his will that he should succeed him as aforesaid the said Archbishop taking the said King Henry by the Right Hand led him to the Royal Chair of State And after the said King kneeling down before it had prayed a little while the said Archbishop of Canterbury assisted by the Archbishop of York did
the Feast of St. Hillary a Parliament was called at London wherein amongst other things it was Enacted That the King should not extend his Pardon to any persons convicted of Murder and a Penalty Awarded against any that should importune the King thereunto viz. That if it were a Duke or Archbishop he should forfeit to the King 100 l. If an Earl or Bishop 100 Marks c. There was also granted to the King 40s of every Sack of Wool of which 10s to go to the Kings present occasions and the other 30s to be reserv'd in the hands of Commissioners appointed by Parliament Not to be expended unless necessity of War required About St. Jamesâ—yde Henry Earl of Derby eldest Son to the Duke of Lancaster with a choice Company of a thousand Knights and Squires and their Servants went into Prussia where they signalized themselves by several brave and valorous Actions and return'd again with Honour in April following In the Year 1391 the French Courted King Richard very earnestly to a Treaty of Peace and in order thereunto desired that there might be an Amicable Interview of the two Kings neer Calice To which King Richard seem'd inclinable and that he might appear more splendid on such an occasion sent to most of the Abbeys to furnish him with the best Horses they had Amongst whom the Abbot of S. Albans sent him One which Walsingham tells us was worth Four and twenty Marks no small price in those days and yet not content he demanded 50 Marks besides in Money Likewise from most of the Cities and Burroughs of England he got divers considerable Sums to Equip him for this Voyage But about the same time by order of the King and Council there was a Proclamation set forth Requiring all those that had any Benefices in England and were then beyond the Seas as in the Roman Court it being a thing not infrequent in those days for the Pope to gratifie his Favourites and Followers with the best Preferments though perhaps never in England in their lives immediately to repair into England to live upon such their Benefices and not suck away the Treasure of the Realm by expending their Revenues in other Nations on pain of forfeiting all their said Benefices This together with the late Statute of Provisors and Praemunire and the Overture of a Peace like to advance with the French King who at that time joyned with the Antipape Benedict the 13th much troubled Pope Boniface the 9th For now and for neer the space of forty years together there were two Popes in being at once each Cursing the other and part of Christendom acknowledging One and part his Adversary Therefore the said Boniface whom the English own'd for their Ghostly Father forthwith sent a Nuncio to King Richard with great Complements to commend his Devotion and that of his Predecessors towards Holy Church but withal to complain of these Invasions as he was pleased to call them of the Ecclesiastical Liberties and to urge him as well to Repeal the said Laws as by no means to make Peace with the French King unless he would disown and no longer assist the Anti-Pope c. The King received the Nuncio kindly and heard his Tale but for Answer put him off to the Meeting of the Parliament which was in November and then the Business was bandied about and though the King and Duke of Lancaster seem'd willing to gratifie the Pope the Commons would by no means consent that people should go to Rome to acquire any Benefices in England only that they might not seem too much to slight his Holiness they yielded that it might be suffered but not without the Kings License and no longer than till the next Parliament But though they held their Pope to hard Meat they were not wanting in expressing their kindness to their King giving him a Half-tenth and an Half-fifteenth which they offered to make whole Ones on condition the King would next Summer make an Expedition against the Scots Anno 1392. The Duke of Lancaster is sent over into France and most magnificently entertain'd by the French King But instead of a Peace brought back only a Truce for a year to the intent saith Walsingham That during that time the collected wisdom of England might consider whether it were more expedient to conclude a final Peace or prosecute the War About this time a certain Matron in London having one onely Daughter had instructed her to Celeâ—rate the Mass and built an Altar with all its Furniture in a private Room and there for many days caused her to Accouter herself in Priestly Habit and Officiate onely when she came to the words of the Sacrament she Prostrated herself and durst not Consecrate but rising again would go on with the rest of the Mass to the end her Mother helping her and encouraging her Devotion But at last a Neighbouring Gossip whom she had call'd to this private Mass discovering her Practice the Bishop of London heard of it and being much grieved as he had reason to see his Trade usurp'd by the other Sex call'd her before him and made her shew her Crown shaven exactly like a Priest before all the people and caused both her and her Mother to do Penance The Duke of Guelderland a most active Prince and related to King Richard sent him a Letter full of great Complements but in one expression too profane stirring him up to War and Military Actions becoming his Royal Dignity and particularly dehorting him from the designed dishonourable Amity with France The Tenor whereof was as followeth MAgnificent Prince Both your Innate Generosity and the prudent Counsels of your Ministers will we conceive effectually provide that all your Hereditary Rights which by your Birth render your Royal Majesty Great and Glorious may by the foresight of your deep Wisdom be preserved Inviolable And that if any unjust Force does Invade or offer to Diminish them your Kingly Industry will valiantly defend the same with the Shield of Military Prowess And since we have the Honour to be Related to your Royal Person by Affinity God himself cannot hinder but that we will ever be ready to assist you in defending such your Rights with Two thousand Launces when and as oft-soever as you shall be disposed to engage in a War Nor ought you to decline the same to your prejudice for any Words or Promises that may be made you from the restless subtilty of the French 'T is certain most Serene Prince your Fame is spread throughout the World Nor is it doubted but for your great plenty of Wool and innumerable other Commodities without which neither the East or South can subsist all Kingdoms daily salute you with their Treasures so that God himself has conferr'd upon you Wealth an hundred fold more in comparison than on other Kings Besides the tried Valour of your people and the sharpness of their Victorious Bowes have so far advanced the Fame of your Magnanimous Nation above any of