pretence of seeing him take Shipping but in truth that being there remote they might more securely consult how to circumvent and destroy the Duke of Gloucester the Earls of Arundel Warwick Derby Nottingham and other faithful Subjects of the Kingdom For there were with the King Michael de la Pole Tresylian the Chief Justice and many others that were conscious of their own Deserts and feared to be brought to Justice as well as the said Duke of Ireland and therefore readily conspired with him against the Lords Having thus laid their Plot and agreed the manner of putting it in execution back comes the King to Nottingham and as if Ireland's Voyage had been quite forgot brings him and the rest of the Cabal with him Thither they summon divers Citizens of London the Sheriffs of the several Counties and all the Judges of England The Londoners because several of them having lately confessed themselves guilty of Treason had been pardoned by the King were call'd that in return of that Favour they might accuse the Lords of such Crimes as the King with his Counsellors in Wales and contrived against them The Sheriffs were advised with what Forces they could raise for the Kings Service against the Barons and also commanded that they should not permit any to be returned as Knights of the Shire or Burgesses for the next Parliament but such as the King and his Council should direct or nominate To which the Sheriffs reply'd That the Commons generally favoured the said Lords so that it was not in their power to raise an Army in this Case and as for Parliament-men the People would hold their ancient Customs which require that they be freely chosen by the Commons Nor could the same be hindered These Answers were not very agreeable to the Court-designes But the Judges were more compliant for not onely Tresylian the Chief Justice had about the same time indicted two thousand persons at Coventry and he and John Blake an Apprentice of the Law perused and approved under their Seals the Indictment against the Lords but also the better to colour Proceedings with a Form of Law several Questions were propounded to them touching the late Act of Parliament giving the fourteen Lords power to inspect and punish miscarriages of the Kings Ministers as aforesaid To the end as modern Author observes That what the Duke of Ireland and the rest thought fit might pass for Law out of the Judges mouths the Questions being so fram'd and propos'd as it was easier to understand what the King would have to be Law than what in truth was so For it seems they proceeded against their Consciences in that several of them and particularly Belknapp Chief Justice of the Common Pleas did as Knyghton Col. 2694. assures us very earnestly refuse to signe the Resolutions till Ireland and de Pole forced him to it by threatning him to kill him if he refused Whereupon having put to his Seal he burst forth into these words before them Now want I nothing but a Ship or a nimble Horse or an Halter to bring me to that death I deserve If I had not done this I should have been kill'd by your hands and now I have gratified the Kings pleasure and yours in doing it I have well deserv'd to die for Treason against the Nobles of the Land Which last words were like to have prov'd fatally Prophetick for not long after in the next Parliament he was indeed condemned to die though not executed for the same Some Authors say That all the Judges of England except William Skipwith absent by reason of sickness joyn'd in answering these Questions which seems probable because they were afterwards all question'd and punish'd for the same yet in the Record there are but five named possibly the others might consent though only these set their Seals to it The Questions so proposed to the Judges and their Answers were as follow BE it remembered That on the 25th day of August in the 11th year of the Reign of King Richard the Second at the Castle of Nottingham before our said Lord the King Robert Tresylian Chief Justice of England and Robert Belknappe Chief Justice of the Common Bench of our said Lord the King John Holt Roger Fulthorp and William de Burgh Knights Justices and Associates of the said Rob. Belknappe and John de Lokton the Kings Serjeant at Law in the presence of the Lords and other Witnesses under written were personally required by our said Lord the King on the Faith and Allegiance wherein to him the said King they are bound to answer faithfully unto certain Questions here-under specified and to them then and there truly recited and upon the same to declare the Law according to their discretion Viz. 1. Imprimis It was demanded of them Whether that new Statute and Ordination and Commission made and published in the last Parliament held at Westminster be not derogatory to the Royalty and Prerogative of our said Lord the King To which they unanimously answered That the same are derogatory thereunto especially because they were against his will 2. Quaery of them How those are to be punished who procured that Statute and Commission To which they unanimously answered That they were to be punished with Death except the King would pardon them 3. Quaery of them How those are to be punished who moved the King to consent to the making of the said Statute Whereunto they answered with one accord That they ought to lose their Lives unless his Majesty would pardon them 4. It was askt them What punishment they deserved who compell'd streightned or necessitated the King to consent to the making of the said Statute and Commission To which they all answered That they ought to suffer as Traytors 5. Quaery of them How those are to be punished who hindered the King from exercising those things which appertain to his Royalty and Prerogative To which Question they unanimously answered That they are to be punished as Traytors 6. Quaery of them Whether after in a Parliament assembled the Affairs of the Kingdom and the cause of calling that Parliament are by the Kings Command declared and certain Articles limited by the King upon which the Lords and Commons in that Parliament ought to proceed if yet the said Lords and Commons will proceed altogether upon other Articles and Affairs and not at all upon those limited and proposed to them by the King until the King shall have first answered them upon the Articles and Matters so by them started and express'd although the Kings Command be to the contrary whether in such case the King ought not to have the Governance of the Parliament and effectually over-rule them so as that they ought to proceed first on the Matters proposed by the King or whether on the contrary the Lords and Commons ought first to have the Kings Answer upon their Proposals before they proceeded further To which Question they answered unanimously that the King in that behalf his
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
his People that they might engross amongst themselves only the Government of the Realm whereby they have caused our Lord the King without the Assent of the Realm or any desert in them to have given away by their Abetment many Lordships Castles Towns and Mannors as well annexed to his Crown as others As particularly the Land of Ireland and Okam with the Forest and Lands which did belong to the Lord Dandelegh and great quantities of other Lands to the said Duke of Ireland and divers others whereby they unworthily are vastly inriched but the King rendred poor and unable to sustain and defray the Charges of the Government unless by Impositions heavy Taxes and Tributes laid upon his People to the disinherison of his Crown and the destruction of the Realm 5. Item By such Encroachment of the said Archbishop c. and by the Counsel of that false Justicer Tresylian and Brember the false Knight of London they have caused our Lord the King to have given away divers Mannors Lands Tenements Offices and Bailywicks to divers other persons their Creatures and such as they could confide in and to others of whom they have taken great Gifts by way of Brokage for that purpose and to stand by them in their false Suits and ill purposes to the great prejudice of the King and Realm such as Sir Robert Mansel Clerk John Blake Thomas Vsk and divers others 6. Item The said Duke c. Encroaching to themselves the Royal Power have caused the King to give very great Gifts of Gold and Silver as well of his proper Goods and Jewels as of the Goods and Treasure of the Realm as Tenths Fifteens and other Taxes granted by divers Parliaments to be expended for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom which yet to the value of One hundred thousand Marks have been lavisht away upon the said Duke of Ireland and others And though many good Ordinances and Laws have been made in Parliament as well for maintaining and carrying on of Wars as for the defence of the Realm yet they have been by them disturbed and defeated to the great dishonour and damage of the King and Realm 7. Item By such Encroachment and the great Gifts and Brokages taken by the said Duke of Ireland c. it came to pass that divers unfit and insufficient persons were preferred to and intrusted with the keeping and government of divers Garrisons Castles and Countries involved in War as in Guyen and elsewhere both beyond and on this side the Sea whereby the said Strong-holds have been lost the Countries wasted and the People faithful Subjects to the King destroyed and great Seigniories newly rendred into the hands and possessions of Enemies without the Assent of the Realm as the Marches of Scotland c. to the disinherison of the Kings Crown and the great loss of the Kingdom as in Harpeden and Craddock and divers others 8. By the same means the said Archbishop and his Fellow-Traytors have caused divers people to be disturbed and deprived of Right and the Common Law of England and put to intolerable delays losses and costs and the Statutes and Judgments which rightfully for necessary Causes have been made and given in Parliament have been reversed and annull'd by the procurement of the said Malefactors and Traytors and all this because of the great Gifts and Brokages by them received of Parties to the grand mischief of the King and Realm 9. Item The said Archbishop and other Traytors have caused and counselled our Lord the King to grant Charters of Pardon of horrible Felonies and Treasons as well against the State of the King as of the Person injured and prosecuting which thing is against the King and the Oath of the King 10. Item Whereas the said Seignories of the Land of Ireland are and time out of mind have been parcel of the Crown of England and the People of Ireland Liege Subjects to our Lord the King and his Royal Progenitors Kings of England who in all their Charters Writs Letters Patents and in their Seals have for the Augmentation of their Renown and Royalty been intituled Lords of Ireland yet the said Archbishop c. as false Traytors by their said Encroachment have caused and counselled our Lord the King as much as in him lies to have granted and fully assented and accorded that the said Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland should be made King of Ireland And to compleat such their ill purpose have advised and excited our said Lord the King to send his Letters to our Holy Father the Pope to grant ratifie and confirm this their trayterous Designe without the privity or assent of His Realm of England and of the said Land of Ireland to the dividing the Liegance of the King between his Realm of England and the said Land of Ireland in diminution of his Majesties honourable Stile and open disinherison of the Crown of England and full destruction of the lawful Liege Subjects of our Lord the King and of the said Land of Ireland 11. Item Whereas by the Great Charter and other good Laws and Vsages of the Realm of England No man is to be taken nor any Prisoner put to death without the due process of Law The said Nicholas Brember the false Knight of London did take by night certain Prisoners to the number of 22 out of the Gaol of Newgate some of them being Indicted and Appealed of Felony and some Approvers in cases of Felony and some on suspition of Felony and carried them out of London into Kent to a place called Foulhoke and there encroaching on the Royal Power and in Defiance of the said Laws as a Traytor to the King did without any Process of Law cause them all to be Beheaded except one who was Appealed of Felony by an Approver whom he set at large the same time 12. Item The aforesaid Archbishop and other Traytors have in small Causes taken great Gifts in the Name of the King of divers Parties to maintain and abet them in their Suits and Quarrels and sometimes have play'd the Ambo-dexters and taken Money of both sides 13. Item Whereas divers of the great Lords Loyal Subjects to the King in divers Parliaments seeing the dangers and apprehending the destruction threatning the King and Realm by means of the Mischiefs of these Malefactors have moved to have good Governance under the King to avoid the said Perils The forenamed Archbishop and other Traytors by their Encroachment and fatal Influences have so ordered Matters that the King has not onely been deaf to all such Perswasions but also has Commanded some of those that moved it to depart from his Council and to speak no more of such Matters Nor touching the good Governance of the King and Kingdom on pain of Death to the great prejudice of the King and Kingdom 14. Item Whereas in the last Parliament all the Lords and other Sages there assembled seeing the loss and destruction of the King and Realm and the
or in lieu thereof great Sums of Money in the said Letters expressed By which manner of Writing he forced many of such Religious out of fear to fulfil his Will and Command whereby they were heavily impoverisht and opprest in manifest derogation of Ecclesiastical Liberty by which Pretext the said King Richard did incur Perjury XXIII Item In most of the great Royal Councils when the Lords of the Realm the Judges and others being charg'd that they would faithfully Council the King in Matters relating to his State and that of his Kingdom The said Lords Justices and others very often in giving Counsel according to their best Discretion have been by the King suddenly and so fiercely chidden and reproved that they have not dared to speak the Truth in giving their Advice for the State of the King and Kingdom XXIV Item The Treasures Crowns Reliques and other Jewels viz. The Goods of the Kingdom which time out of mind have been Reposited in the Treasury of the Kingdom for the Honour of the King and preservation of his Kingdom against any sudden Event or Exigency the said King Going out of his Kingdom into Ireland did take away and caused the same to be carried with him without the consent of the States of the Kingdom Whereby this Kingdom had been vastly impoverisht if God by the retaking of the said Goods against the said Kings Will had not otherwise provided And furthermore the said King did cause the Rolls of Records touching the State and Government of his Kingdom uo be destroyed and rased to the great prejudice of his People and disinheriting the Crown of the said Kingdom And all this as 't is probably believed in favour and support of his evil Governance XXV Item The said King was wont as it were perpetually to be so variable and dissembling in his Words and Writings and so contrary to himself and especially in writing to the Pope and to Kings and other Lords out of the Kingdom and within it and also to others his Subjects that no man living that knew his Conditions could or would confide in him nay he was reputed so unfaithful and unconstant that it became scandalous not only to his own person but also to the whole Kingdom and especially amongst Foreigners of all the World that came to know the same XXVI Item Although The Land and Tenements the Goods and Chattels of every Freeman by the Laws of the Realm used from all time heretofore ought not to be taken from him unless they be forfeited Yet the said King purposing and longing to weaken such Laws in the pretence of very many Lords and others of the commonalty of the Kingdom hath frequently said and affirmed That the Life of every one of his Svbjects and his Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels are his the said Kings at his will and pleasure without any forfeiture Which is utterly against the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom aforesaid XXVII Item Although it was Fnacted and Ordained and is hitherto Confirmed That no Freeman shall be taken c. nor any way destroyed and that the King shall not pass nor send any to pass upon him but by the Lawful Judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land Yet by the Will Command and Order of the said King very many of his Liege People being maliciously accused for having publickly or secretly said something that might tend to the disyraise scandal or disgrace of the person of the said King have been taken and Imprisoned and brought before the Constable and Marshal of England in the Court Military in which Court the said Liege People being accused would not be admitted to make any other Answer than that they were no way guilty and would justifie the same and defend themselves by their Bodies and not otherwise notwithstanding their Appellors were young men stout and lusty and those so accused antient and impotent maim'd or infirm Whereby not only destruction of the Lords and grandees of the Kingdom but also of all and singular persons of the Commonalty of the same may probably ensue Since therefore the said King hath wilfully acted contrary to such a Statute of his Kingdom 't is not to be doubted but he hath thereby incurred the Crime of Perjury XXVIII Item Although the People of the Realm of England by vertue of their Leigeance are fully enough bound to their King and the said King by the Laws and Customs of his Kingdom is enabled to Correct and punish his People if in any kind they Transgress yet the said King desiring to trample on and too much oppress his People that he might the more freely execute and follow the Humour of his foolish and unlawful Will by his Letters to all the Counties of his Kingdom did Injoyn and Command That all his Subjects as well Spiritual as Tempâ—ral should make certain Oaths in general which were too grievous to them and which might probably cause the final destruction of his People and that they should confirm such their Oaths under their Letters and Seals To which Royal Command the People of his Kingdom did submit and pay Obedience that they might not incur his Indignation or Displeasure and also for fear of Death XXIX Item When Parties contending in the Ecclesiastical Court in Causes meerly Ecclesiastical and Spiritual had endeavoured to obtain from the Chancellor of England Prohibitions to hinder the lawful Process in the said Courts and the said Chancellor had justly refused to grant the same yet the said King by Letters under his Signet has frequently prohibited the Ecclesiastical judges to proceed in such Causes thereby evilly infringing the Liberties of the Câ—urch in the Grand Charter approved to the Conservation whereof he was sworn and damnably incurring Perjury and the Sentence of Excommunication against such Violators thereof by the Holy Fathers pronouâ—ced XXX Item The said King without any reasonable or lawful cause whatsoever or any other process of Law did in his Parliament encompass'd in warlike manner by armed men adjudge Thomas of Arundel Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England his Spiritual Father absenting himself by the Treacherous Counsell of the said King to Banishment against the Laws of his Kingdom so by him sworn to as aforesaid XXXI Item By inspection of the Testament of the said King Sealed with the Great and Privy Seal and also with his Signet among other things there is contained this clause or Article Item we will that the residue of our Gold the true debts of our House-hold Chamber and Wardrobe being paid for payment whereof we bequeath Twenty Thousand Marks reserving to our Executors Five or Six Thousand Marks which wee will by them to be expended towards the more plentiful maintainance of the Lepers and Chaplains to celebrate before them by us founded at Westminster and Bâ—rmondeseye shall remain to our Successor provided alwaies that he approve ratify and confirm and hold and cause to be holden and firmly observed all and singular
of Ireland against the said three Lords now Appealing suddenly to make War upon and destroy them 30. Item During the time of the same Protection they caused the King by His Royal Letters to signifie to the said Duke of Ireland Not onely that he and others were Appelled of Treason as aforesaid but also that he should have sufficient Power to guard him and come with him to the King And afterwards caused Him to write again to the said Duke of Ireland That he should take the Field with all the Forces he could assemble And that the King would meet him with all his Troops and would expose and venture his Royal Person And that the King was in great peril for Himself and his Realm unless succor'd and aided by the said Duke And that the said Duke should shew and declare to all the people assembled with him That the King would bear and pay all Debts and Costs of the said Duke of Ireland and all that joyn'd with him By vertue of which Letters and the evil and trayterous Instigation as well of the said Duke as of his Adherents and other Traytors The said Duke of Ireland did actually Levy and Assemble great numbers of Men at Arms and Archers as well of the Counties of Lancaster Cheshire and Wales as of other places of the Realm in Warlike manner to destroy and put to death the said Lords who had consented to the making the said Ordinance Act of Parliament and Commission in Defence of the King and Realm 31. Item That having thus Trayterously Levied Forces the said Duke marched with them through the midst of England and usurping the Royal Power did cause the Kings Banner to be Displayed before him contrary to the Estate of the King and of his Crown In which March the said Duke and his Accomplices were by the Grace of God disturbed and prevented from their evil purposes 32. Item That the said Duke of Ireland by the Counsel and Abetment of the rest of the fore-named Traytors encroaching to himself the Royal Power without the usual Commission of the King or other sufficient Warrant Did make himself Justice of Chester by him and his Deputies to hold there all manner of Pleas of the Crown and thereupon to give Judgment and Award Execution And also caused divers Original and Judicial Writs to be Sealed with the Great Seal of the King in that behalf used And thereby compelled a great part of the people of those Counties to joyn with him or otherwise put some of them to grievous and tormenting Death Imprisoned others and Seized the Lands of others c. And all this to make War and destroy the said Lords and other Loyal Subjects of the King and against the Defence of the Realm 33. Item That the said Traytors have caused the King to grant great Retinues to divers people and give them Badges and Ensigns otherwise than ever was used in the time of any of his Progenitors and this with design to gain greater power to accomplish their Treasons 34. Item Fully to compleat all such their before-mentioned and other Treasons and to make the King wholly confide in and relie upon them and their Councels they caused the King to call before him divers Justices and People of the Law that is to say Robert Tresylian Robert Belknap John Care John Holt Reger Fulthorp William Burgh six Justices John Lockton Serjeant at Law and John Blake Of whom he did by the contrivance of the said Traytors demand Whether the before-mentioned Act of Parliament and Commission were made in derogation of his Royalty and Prerogative or not and several other Questions to which they Answered in manner and form before set forth c. These were the Articles Exhibited but the prime Delinquents as the Duke of Ireland the Archbishop of York and the Earl of Suffolk were fled and the rest absconded The Chief Justice Tresylian having disguis'd himself lay hid at an Apothecaries House near the Gate going into the Old-Palace at Westminster But on Wednesday the 11th Calends of March being discovered by his Servant he was taken and brought by the Duke of Glocester to the Parliament who immediately Awarded Execution against him so that he was the same day drawn from the Tower through the midst of the City of London to Tyburn and there hang'd That Judgment having formerly been pass'd upon him when ever he could be found in the same Parliament The very next day they met with Sir Nicholas Brember whom the King had often before preferred to be Mayor of London against the will of the Citizens and who had been the occasion of many Oppressions and Seditions in that City It was reported of him that whilst he was in power he had caused a common Hatchet to be made wherewith to cut off the Heads of all that opposed his Exorbitant doings and caused a List to be made of a vast number of the Citizens Names whom he designed for destruction of whom he had procured Eight thousand five hundred and upwards to be already Indicted But was now before he could bring to pass such his malicious bloody purpose Himself Beheaded with the very same Instrument the King interceding for him with the Parliament that he might not be Hang'd This Gentleman if he had lived was to have been made Duke of Troy meaning thereby London which anciently was said to have sometimes been called by that Name Shortly after Vske the under Sheriff of London and the before-mentioned John Blake the Lawyer were likewise drawn from the Tower to Tyburn and there Hang'd and Beheaded and the Head of the said Vske placed upon Newgate In the beginning of May Sir Simon de Burlee was Condemned for High-Treason but the King dispensing with his Drawing and Hanging he was Beheaded on Tower-hill This person by his ill Practises had in few years increas'd his small Patrimony of 20 Marks to an Estate of above Three thousand Marks per annum and was grown to that excess of pride that at a Christmass he would give Liveries to a great number of Knights and Squires of the Court and others bestowing therein sometimes an hundred and forty or an hundred and sixty nay sometimes two hundred and twenty Broad Cloaths and these of great price as being Embroidered with Gold and some of Scarlet About the same time Sir John Beauehamp was Condemned to be Drawn Hang'd and Quarter'd but by the Kings Mercy he had only his Head sever'd from his Body on Tower-hill The same punishment was inflicted on Sir John Berneys a Knight belonging to the Court Condemned for Treason and Sedition but Sir John Salisbury was drawn from the Tower and Hang'd at Tyburn And now the Judges are brought to Judgment which in the beginning of the Parliament were taken into Custody viz. Sir Robert Belknappe Sir John Care Sir John Holte Sir Roger de Fulthorp Sir William de Burgh and John Locton Serjeant at Law who were all condemn'd to be Drawn Hanged and Quartered But
and had some private discourse with the Archbishop After a small space the Duke of Lancaster himself all Arm'd approached the Castle and being within the first Gate he there reposed himself till the King attended with the Bishop of Carlile the Earl of Salisbury and Sir Stephen Scroop who bore the Sword before him came forth and sate down in a place prepared for him As soon as the Duke saw his Majesty he came toward him bowing his Knee and advancing forward did so a second and a third time and then the King took him by the hand and lift him up saying Dear Cousin thou art welcome the Duke humbly thanking him answered My Soveraign Lord and King the Cause of my coming at this present is your Honour saved to have Restitution of my Person my Land and Inheritance To which the King replyed Dear Cousin I am ready to accomplish your will so that you may enjoy all that is yours without exception After this coming forth of the Castle the King called for Wine and having drank they mounted and rod to Chester and so by several Stages he was carried directly and with great Expedition to London and lodged on pretence of State but in truth for better security in the Tower having not in all that Journey changed his Apparel but wore only one Sute and that but an ordinary one whereas he was wont to be extraordinary profuse in his Cloaths having one Coat valued at Thirty thousand Marks The King yielded himself the Thirtieth day of August being but the Seven and fortieth day after the Dukes Arrival in England so that he might well assume Caesars Motto Veni Vidi Vici For considering his Marches from Holderness in the North up to London and from thence to Bristol and so into Wales and back again to Chester a man can scarce travel over so much ground in the space that he Conquered it Nay so indulgent was Fortune to him that all the Kings Jewels and Treasure amounting as a late Author asserts to Seven hundred thousand pounds with his Horses and Baggage fell into his hands The King being thus safely lodg'd in the Tower the Duke of Lancaster but in King Richards Name caused Writs to be issued forth for summoning and choosing a Parliament to be held at Westminster on the last day of September following And in the mean time consults with his nearest Kindred and Friends how to steer his Proceedings so as to bring his Affairs by prudence to a lucky end which had hitherto even beyond his hopes been favoured by Fortune In order to which the Duke of York who but a little before had been Governour of the Realm for the King but now his the said Lancasters great Director must be his best Oracle who after divers Debates proposed it as very expedient that King Richard should both voluntarily Resign and also be solemnly Deposed by the Estates of the Realm For otherwise Resignation would be imputed only to his Fear and Deprivation only to their Force whereof the one is always apt to move Pity and the other stir up Envy But if both concur and his desire be combined with his deserts being willing to forsake that which he is adjudged worthy to forfeit then it will appear that he is neither expelled his Kingdom by meer Constraint nor leave it without just Cause This Advice was generally approved and accordingly pursued a Solemn Renunciation being tendred unto the King and by him Signed on Michaelmas Day then next following being the day before the Parliament was to meet The Words Order and Ceremony whereof and of the Articles exhibited against Him and his Deposition thereupon following in Parliament appear in the Records thereof remaining in the Tower Authentick and Attested Copies wherefore are Printed in the Book Intituled Historiae Anglicanae scriptores decem beginning Col. 2743. From whence the same are word for word Translated as follow The Roll of Parliament Summoned and Holden at Westminster in the Feast of S. Fide the Virgin in the first year of the Reign of King Henry the Fourth after the Conquest Membrane the 20th The Record and Process of the Renunciation of King Richard the Second after the Conquest and likewise the Acceptance of the same Renunciation with the Deposition of the same King Richard afterwards ensuing BE it remembred that on Munday the Feast of S. Michael the Archangel in the Three and twentieth year of the Reign of King Richard the Second the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and other Persons of note that is to say the Lord Richard le Scroop Archbishop of York John bishop of Hereford Henry Earl of Northumberland and Ralph Earl of Westmor land the Lord Hugh le Burnel Thomas Lord de Berkley Prior of Canterbury and Abbot of Westminster William Thyrning Knight and John Markham Justices Thomas Stow and John Burbache Doctors of Laws Thomas de Erpingham and Thomas Gray Knights William de Feryby and Dionisius Lapham Publick Notaries first deputed to the Act under written by the Assent and Advice of several of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and of the Judges and others skilful as well in the Civil and Canon Law as in the Law of the Realm Assembled at Westminster in the usual place of Council did about Nine of the Clock come to the Presence of the said King being within the Tower of London And it being Recited before the said King by the said Earl of Northumberland in the behalf of all the rest before named so as aforesaid joyned with him How the said King heretofore at Coneway in North-VVales being at Liberty did promise unto the Lord Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Northumberland that he would yield up and renounce the Crown of England and France and his Regal Majesty for Causes of his Inability and Insufficiency there by the said King himself confessed and that in the best manner and form as the same could be done as Councel learned should best order The said King before the said Lords and others above named hereunto benignly answering That he would with Effect accomplish what before in that behalf he had promised But desired to have some discourse with his Cousins Henry Duke of Lancaster and the said Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury before he fulfilled such his promise Afterwards the same day after Dinner the said King much affecting the coming of the said Duke of Lancaster and having long waited for him at last the said Duke of Lancaster the Lords and others above named and also the said Archbishop of Canterbury did come to the Presence of The said King in the Tower aforesaid The Lords de Roos de Willougby and de Abergeny and very many others being then there present and after the said King had had discourse with the said Duke of Lancaster and Archbishop exhibiting a merry Countenance here and there amongst them to part thereof as appeared to those that stood round about at last the said King calling to him all that were
Mothers Handsomness being celebrated for the goodliest Personage and most amiable Countenance of any King that had been before him since the Conquest His Father after he had filled both France and Spain with terrible Trophies of his Valour having taken the King of the former Prisoner and in the latter generously by his Arms restored Peter King of Castile and Leon when injuriously driven out of those Realms by the Arragonians and French was in the Forty sixth year of his Age snatcht away by death some say hastened by Poyson during the Life of his Father King Edward who having then three other Sons still surviving viz. John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley afterwards Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York and Thomas of Woodstock afterwards Duke of Gloucester For preventing any Quarrels after his own decease and all Pretensions which any of them might make to the Crown to the prejudice of his Grandchild this our Prince Richard to whom as Son of the eldest Brother it was adjudged to belong He resolves to see his Right declared and settled in Parliament Creating likewise the said Richard first Earl of Chester and Cornwall and then Prince of Wales and taking an Oath of all the Lords of the Realm to accept him for their King as his lawful Heir when ever himself should expire Being thus put into the immediate Prospect of a Crown the over-burdensom Glory came too fast upon his tender head for King Edward having over-liv'd his Fortune and the better part of himself his Conquests abroad being daily ravisht back and Alice Price his Concubine shamefully ruling both Him and most Affairs at home oppressed with Grief and Age though some say much more debilitated by the Caresses of that petulant Strumpet resign'd his last Breath at Richmond the One and twentieth of June Anno Dom. 1377 in the Sixty fourth Year of his Age having Reigned Fifty Years four Months and odd Days Upon the first notice of his Death the City of London sent Deputies to Prince Richard who with the Princess his Mother lay then at Kingstone to acknowledge him their lawfull Sovereign and request that he would please to honour them with his Presence and nearer Residence Which Message was kindly received and the young King soon after came to his Palace at Westminster and on the Sixteenth day of July was solemnly Crowned the Citizens sparing no Cost to express their Loyalty and zealous Affection to his Person both in his Passage through the Town and at his Coronation As by several Triumphant Arches Conduits running with Wine and all other Demonstrations of a transporting Joy Insomuch that by some of the Nobility he was Ironically caled The Londoner's King His tender Age being at his Grandfathers Death but eleven years old required some Protector or chief Managers of Publick Affairs but to whom to commit so weighty a Trust is the Difficulty If to One Ambition joyned with Power may tempt to Vsurpation Nor wanted they a Precedent at home whilst they remembred how King John justled out his Nephew Prince Arthur If to several then it might be feared that different private Interests Factions and By-ends from which scarce any of the Grandees were free might intangle or retard their Proceedings so as to obstruct their acting unanimously and chearfully for the Publick Weal At last hoping to please all Pretenders and considering that from a multitude of Councellors most safety might be expected They intrusted first the Kings Three Vncles but Lancaster whether discontented to have any Partners or that he cared not much to intermeddle because he had contracted both the Enmity of the Clergy and the dissatisfaction of the Londoners Or whether having a pretence to the Crown of Castile by the Marriage of Constance Daughter of the before-mentioned King Peter that he might better pursue his Claim thereunto warily withdrawing himself from that Charge several other Lords both Spiritual and Temporal were added till at last being found too many the same was Conferr'd wholly upon the Earl of Warwick who discharged the Office with good satisfaction The Scotch and French promising themselves Advantages from the Kings Minority began to make Attempts upon his Territories almost before he was in possession of the Crown The first surprized the Castle of Berwick the second the Isle of Wight and burnt and pillag'd several Towns and Villages on the Coasts but were both quickly repuls'd and beaten out again About two Months after the Coronation a Parliament is called which sate from Michaelmas to S. Andrew's Day and Banished Alice Price King Edward's Mistress for that whereas formerly being complained of as a Grievance in Parliament she had sworn never to come again into the Kings Court or Presence which the King had likewise confirmed with his Oath yet after the death of the Black Prince she had returned and misgovern'd the King presuming to fit in judicial Courts and by her Presence and Influence to wrest Justice and in his sickness flattered him with hopes of Life so that he neglected making Provision for his Soul till he was quite speechless whilst she in the mean time purloyned away the choicest things in the Palace and stole even the very Rings off his Fingers and then like a Right Harlot left him gasping for Life and unable to speak one word in the Company only of one poor Priest My Author says when she came now to be questioned she had with Money corrupted many of the Lords and all the Lawyers of England who did not only secretly but publickly plead and use all their Interest in her behalf yet she was so vigorously prosecuted by the Knights in Parliament that being by her own Mouth Convicted she was Banisht the Land and all her Estate moveable and immoveable forfeited to the Exchequer from whence by the late Kings Favour or rather Dotage it had unduly been obtain'd There was also by this Parliament given to the King Two Tenths of the Clergy and Two Fifteenths of the Temporalty to be paid the same year but on this Condition viz. That the King for the future should not burden them with more Requests of that kind to draw away his Subjects Money but would live on his Demeasns and continue his War for that as it was there answer'd His proper Royal Revenues were sufficient both to maintain his Court and carry on his Wars if the same were but manag'd by fit and trusty Ministers And therefore it was agreed that this Money so given should as it was raised be deposited in the hands of two Citizens of London William Waller and John Philpot who were to see it bestow'd for the Defence of the Realm 1378. This John Philpot was an Alderman of London a Person of no less Courage than Prudence as appears by the following Exploit Sometime after the Parliament broke up and the Money collected the Duke of Lancaster to whom nothing almost could be denied was very Importunate to have the same delivered to his Dispose promising therewith
Simon of Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England Robert Hales Prior of the Hospital and Treasurer of England he the before-mentioned John Legg and and John a Minorite being a Crony of Lancaster's and 3 others all which 7 last they forthwith Beheaded carrying their Heads on Poles as in Triumph And now being heated with both Wine and Blood they march to the Savoy and burn the Duke of Lancaster's stately Palace the best House in England with all its rich Furniture to Ashes breaking in pieces all his Plate and Jewels of inestimable value and flinging them into the Thames and when one of their Fellows was spy'd to thrust a piece of Plate into his Bosom they presently flung it and him into the fire to be destroy'd together saying They came not like Thieves to enrich themselves But of Liquors they were not so scrupulous for two and thirty of them being got ito the Dukes Wine-Cellar Tippled so long till the Rafters of the House on fire fell down and stopt the passage that they could not get out but were heard to cry seven days after and so perished From the Savoy they came back to the Temple and burnt the Lawyers Lodgings Books Papers and all Records they could meet with The house of S. John's by Smithfield they set fire to so that it burnt seven days Nor had they any regard to Churches but forc'd out such as fled thither for Sanctuary and Beheaded them for they used no other manner of Execution to high or low That Night wearied with spoil and generally Drunk they lay sleeping like Swine in the open Streets and under the Walls and the next day being routed together again the King with a small Guard coming to Smithfield offered a Pardon to all such as yet after all these Outrages would cease from the like for the future and go quickly home Whereupon Wat Tyler declared That he was for Peace very willingly provided it were on such Terms as he should approve of Therefore to understand what he would have one Sir John Newton is sent to Invite and desire for so they were glad in that Juncture of Affairs to compliment his Sawciness Wat to come and Treat thereof with the King and when the Knight urged him to make haste he answered with some Indignation If thou art in such haste go back to thy Master the King I 'le come when I see mine own time However he soon followed him on Horse back but slowly for the greater State and being come near the King the same Knight was commanded to go to him and receive and bring back his Proposals Tyler offended because this Messenger came to him mounted told him it became him to alight from his Horse in his Presence and therewith drew out his Dagger to strike him But the King to pacifie him made him alight The Demands which Tyler made besides a general Enfranchisement of the Bond men which the King had already granted were That all Warrens Parks and Chases should be made common and free to all so that as well the Poor as the Rich should have liberty to Fish Fowl and Hunt in all places throughout the Kingdom with several other the like extravagant Demands In which Tyler behaved himself so insolently that the Kings Attendants could not but represent to his Majesty that it was insufferable and the before celebrated John Philpot according to his usual Courage told the King That if his Majesty would but command his Lieutenant viz. The Mayor to Arrest the Traytor he would lose his Life if it were not happily accomplisht Whereupon the King was prevailed with to give such a Command or rather leave to William Walworth then Mayor of London who waiting an Opportunity and observing Tyler to play with his Dagger tossing it from hand to hand as if he meant some mischief and that at last to what intent is not known whether out of rudeness or design he laid one of his hands upon the Kings Bridle fearing the Ruffian might attempt his Royal Person instantly executed his Arrest by giving him a Blow on his Head with a Dagger which was seconded with Philpot's Sword and anothers in his Body so that immediately he fell down dead on the ground When the Rabble saw this they began furiously to cry out O our Captain is slain our Captain is murdered Let 's revenge the Death of our Captain c. But the King with a Courage and Ingenuity beyond any thing could be expected from his Years for he was not yet above Fifteen Clapt Spurs to his Horse and rod to the Head of them crying aloud What mean you my Men Or what do you do Will you shoot your King You shall have no cause to grieve for the Death of that Traytor and Ribauld I that am the King will be your Captain and your Leader Follow me into the Field and you shall have whatever you will Upon which words amaz'd and not certainly resolv'd either of one anothers minds nor indeed each man of his own they followed awhile till Sir Richard Knolls with a Thousand armed men raised in the mean time by the Mayor came upon them out of the City at whose approach being now headless and all in confusion they were so terrifi'd that they forthwith flung down what Arms they had and begg'd for Mercy which the King granted and withal gave them a Charter of Freedom in form as before recited but proclaim'd that no Citizen should have any Correspondence with any of them nor suffer them to come within the Liberties And so this dreadful rout from the height of Insolence was in a moment scattered and reduced to the depth of misery and fear sneaking back by stealth into the Country many in their passage slain or perishing for want and multitudes of them soon after Executed For this good Service the King upon the place conferr'd the Honour of Knighthood upon the said John Walworth Mayor and John Philpot as likewise on Nichol. Brembre John Land and Nicholas Twyford Citizens of London And in memory of so Honourable an Exploit perform'd by the Mayor the Dagger hath 't is said ever since that time been added in the City-Arms which before bore only the Cross. But though things were thus appeas'd at London there was still no less Hurley-burley in several Counties At St. Albans they committed many Out-rages and Cancell'd the Ancient Charter of the Abbot and Monks In Suffolk there were swarm'd together Fifty thousand Villains under the Conduct of one John Straw a lewd Priest who beheaded Sir John Cavendish Lord Chief Justice of England and â—et his Head on the Pillory in S. Edmundsbury The like Commotions also there were at the same time in Norfolk Cambridge-shire and the Isle of Ely at the Instigation of one Littester a Dyer who called himself King of the Commons and forc'd several Lords and Persons of Quality to be sworn to them and ride along with them to countenance their Proceedings but these were for
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 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
where finding but cold Entertainment he went to Vtrecht and after two or three years rambling up and down as a Fugitive died at Lovâ—â—n in Brabant Though his War-horse and Armour being found on the Brink of the River raised a general Report that he was Drown'd which probably might facilitate his escape Amongst his Baggage was taken a very considerable sum of Gold and what was of greater value the Kings Letters ordering his present Repair to London and promising to live and die with him against all Opposers But this Disaster Thunder-struck the whole Cabal The Earl of Suffolk in disguise flies to Calice where his own Brother being Governour of the Castle refused to harbour him without the consent of the Lord William Beauchamp Governour of the Town who return'd him back as a Prisoner into England to the King But the King not onely let him go at large but sent for over and for some time Committed the said Beauchamp for such his honest diligence The rather 't is supposed because he had formerly for the Kings Interest thwarted his pleasure for on the late Bargains and private Intrigues with France King Richard having as aforesaid sold Calice to the French King sent a Knight with Letters under his Privy-Signet commanding Beauchamp to deliver up the Town to him and one Sir John Golofre with other Letters to the French King but he knowing the vast Importance of the place and believing the King imposed upon by wicked Councel resolutely answered That the Custody and Government of the Town was committed to him in the Presence and by the Authority of the King and the Nobles of the Realm openly and publickly and he would not surrender it in Hugger-mugger nor part with his Command but in their presence And also he took Golofre's Letters to the French King from him and privately transmitted them to the Duke of Gloucester For which Affronts fronts the King waited an opportunity to be reveng'd and had proceeded 't is thought more severely but that the said Beauchamp was a person extreamly beloved and the King was not at present in a condition to use rigours and so by the Mediation of Friends he was quickly discharg'd The rest of the hated Faction as the Archbishop of York Justice Tresylian and others ran every man like Coneys to their Covert and were not to be heard of Nay the King betook himself to the Tower of London and there made Provision for his Winter-Quarters all his Designes being frustrated first by Rashness in taking Arms and afterwards by Cowardise in using them And to adde to his Confusion about the same time an Envoy from the French King was taken with Letters whereby the French King Licens'd King Richard the Duke of Ireland and some others with Attendants to such a number to come into Boloign where he would be ready to receive them with great Pomp and from them receive the Possession of Calice and other strong Holds for which he had says Walsingham fol. 332. already paid King Richard The Lords therefore perceiving such considerable Territories ready to be lost abroad as well as Extravagancies practised at home hasten'd their March first to S. Albans and next to London where with an Army of Forty thousand men they Arrived on S. Stephen's day the Citizens furnishing them with Victuals and whether more out of Fear or Love I cannot say offered to let them into the City but they chose rather to quarter in the Suburbs proâ—â—sting not to depart without personal Conference with the King which at last he granted permitting them first to search the Tower to prevent any Surprize The Duke and Earls then waited upon him and after a few cold Complements laid before him the Confederacy against their Lives at Nottingham his Letters to the Duke of Ireland contrary to his Royal Word together with his dishonourable Treaty to deliver up Calice to the French King c. The King heard them at first with silence and patience and afterwards with a dejected Countenance and not without some Tears seemed to acknowledge that he could neither deny or justifie what they complain'd of and certainly the Stomachs of the Lords must needs more Relent to those luke-warm drops than they would to his greatest violence So agreed it was that he would meet them next day at Westminster there to treat of these and other necessary Affairs of the Realm But no sooner were they gone but some Abusers of the Royal Ear suggested that his going thither would be neither Honourable nor safe but bring both his Person into present danger and contempt and occasion a future Abridgment of his Authority Whereupon the Kings Mind turned and began to Retract his promise This heated the Lords so much that being flusht with opportunity and power they sent him peremptory word That if he did thus faulter with them and would not appear to Consult the good of the Realm they would take other measures Intimating no less than the Election of another This so work'd upon the King that he was pleased to meet them and to consent though not without some Reluctancy that several of his Minions should be banisht the Court as Nevil Archbishop of York the Bishop of Durham Friar Rushok the Kings Confessor and Bishop of Chichester but both he and York had already shewed them a fair pair of Heels The Lords Souch Harmyworth Burnel and Beamont and several Knights as Sir Alberick Vere Sir Balwyne Bereford Sir John Worth Sir Thomas Clifford Sir John Lovel c. Together with certain Ladies Quae non tantum inutiles sed infames Who were saith Walsingham not only unnecessary useless and unprofitable at Court but likewise scandalous and infamous And these were the Lady Mowen the Lady de Molyng and the Lady Ponyngs Wife to the said Sir John Worth who all were obliged to appear next Parliament There were likewise actually taken into Custody Sir Simon Burley Sir Thomas Trivet Sir Nicholas Brember and divers other Knights Clifford Lincoln and Motford Clerks John Beauchamp de Holt the Kings Steward or Privy-Purse Nicholas Lake Dean of the Chappel and John Blake Barrister at Law who were all disposed in several Castles After Candlemas 1388 the Parliament began at London though the King used many means to dash or defer the same The Lords came attended with sufficient Strength to suppress any Rebelliâ—n or Tumult that might happen and continâ—â—d their Sitting till Whitsuntide to the great Fear of some Hope of others and Expectation of all Part of their first Work was for several days to Summon the Duke of Ireland the Archbishop of York Michael de Pole Earl of Suffolk Tresylian the Chief-Justice and Sir Nicholas Brember Citizen of London to answer to the Treasons wherewith they stood charged but none of them appearing they were all Out-law'd and their Lands and Goods forfeited and seized into the Kings hands with a provision by common consent in Parliament that they should never be pardon'd or permitted to appear
perils and mischiefs aforesaid and that the King was departed from the Council of the Realm and wholly abandon'd himself to the Counsels of the said Malefactors and Traytors By means whereof the French King had Ships and a Royal Power on the Sea ready to have arrived in England and the said Realm and the very Language of England to destroy And yet no Provision was made or good Governance taken for the safety of the King nor of the Realm Finding no other Remedy did Remonstrate to the King very fully how he was Ill-advised and Affairs most perniciously manag'd by the aforesaid Traytors and Malefactors declaring to him their wicked Conditions and most humbly beseeching him for the safety of himself and of all his Realm avoiding the said impending dangers to forsake and turn these Traytors from his Presence and Company and no longer to conduct himself after their evil Counsel but to hearken to the sage loyal and discreet persons of his Realm Whereupon the said Archbishop and other Traytors to defeat this wholsom Advice of the Parliament by their false Counsel did then cause the King to command the Mayor of London suddenly to levy a great Power of the People of that City to attaque and put to death all the said Lords and Commons except such as were of their Cabal At the Execution of which Villany the said great Malefactors and Traytors should be present and Parties to the scandal and great disservice of the King and his Realm 15. Item When the said Archbishop and other Traytors perceived that the said Mayor and good People of London had openly refused in the presence of the King to accomplish such their Treachery and lewd purposes touching the Murder of the saids Lords and Commons They then by such their trayterous Encroachment falsly Advised the King and so far prevailed that our Lord the King did absent himself from his Parliament for many days and did certifie them That he would never Approach the said Parliament nor Commune with the said Lords and Commons touching the Affairs of the Realm for any danger loss or mischief that might happen to him or his Realm unless he were first assured by the said Lords and Commons that they would not say or act any thing in that Parliament against any of the said Malefactors save only in the Process which was began against Michael de la Pole All which was to the great disservice of the King and of his Realm and contrary to the Ancient Ordinance and Liberties of Parliament 16. Item The said Lords and Commons of the Realm after they found the Kings Will by the malignant Counsel and excitement of the said Arch-Bishop and other Traytors to be such that he would not suffer any thing to be commenced prosecuted or done against the said Malefactors and Traytors were pleased to acquiesce and not proceed therein any further against his pleasure And afterwards in the said Parliament taking the Advice and Counsel of all the Lords Judges and other sage Commons of the said Parliament how the Estate of the King and his Royalty might best be preserved from the Perils and Mischiefs aforesaid could not find any apter Expedient than to ordain that Twelve of the Loyal and sage Lords of the land should be of Council to the King for one year then next ensuing And that there should be made during that time a 〈◊〉 and Commission whereby they should hav◠〈◊〉 and sufficient Power to order Matters for 〈◊〉 Government of the King and of the Realm and what appertained to the King as well on this side as beyond the Seas And to repel repair and redress what ever should have been ill done against the Estate Honour and Profit of the King and Kingdom and to do divers other things necessary for the King and Realm as in the Commission thereupon issued and remaining of Record in Chancery is contained And that no person should presume to Counsel the King or any way move him against the said Ordinance and Statute on pain of forfeiting for the first Offence all their Goods and Chattels and pain of Death for the second such Expedient and Ordinance to be made if it would so please the King and not otherwise To which Ordinance or Statute all the Judges of the Land agreed and gave their consent unto and Advice for the same as well in presence of the King as of the Lords And also our Lord the King did fully give his Assent to the same and thereupon the said Ordinance Statute and Commission were made and accorded unto by the Assent of the King and of the said Lords and Judges and other Sages and Commons Assembled in that Parliament for the Safâ—â—y of the King his Royalty and Realm And yet after the end of the said Parliament the aforesaid Trâ—yâ—â—rs and Malefactor by such their evil 〈◊〉 falsly and trayterously did inform the King That 〈…〉 Statute and Commission were made in Derogation of his Royalty and that all those who procured or advised the making thereof or counselled the King to assent thereunto were worthy of Death as Traytors to the King 17. Item That after this the said Traytors the Archbishop c. caused the King to Assemble a Council of certain of the Lord-Justices and others without the Assent or Presence of the said Lords of the great Council to whom they made many Demands and very much suspicious touching divers Matters whereby the King the Lords and the Common-people have been involved in most grievous trouble the whole Realm disquieted and the Hearts of many withdrawn from the King saving their Allegiance 18. Item To accomplish their said High-Treasons the said Traytors the Archbishop c. caused the King to go with some of them throughout the midst of his Realm and to make the Lords Knights Esquires and other good people as well in Cities and Boroughs as in other Places to come before him and there to become bound by some Obligations others by their Oaths to our said Lord the King to be with him against all people and to accomplish the purpose of the King which at that time was to accomplish the will and purposes of the said Malefactors and Traytors drawn in thereunto by their false Contrivances Flatteries and Deceits Which Securities and Oaths were made against the good Laws and Vsages of the Land and contrary to the Oath of the King to the great dishonour of the King and Kingdom By means of which Oaths so inforced the whole Realm was Embroil'd in great Murmurs and trouble by the said Traytors and in danger to have suffered divers important Mischiefs 19. Item To inforce their purposes the said Traytors caused the King to absent himself in the furthest parts of this Realm to the intent that the Lords appointed by the said Ordination Statute and Commission might not Confer and Advise with Him touching the Affairs of the Realm to the interruption and hindrance of the purport and effect of the said
Statute and Commission and great prejudice of the King and Realm 20. Item The said Malefactors and Traytors after they had Estranged both the Person and good will of the King from the said Lords so Commissioned and that he esteem'd them Traytors and Enemies and that they had obtain'd the Opinions of the Judges suited to their wicked purposes did agree and design That several of the said Lords and also divers Loyal Commons should be first Arrested and then Indicted in London and in Middlesex and by false Inquests Attainted of certain Treasons falsly imagined against them and so put to shameful Death To which purpose they had procured an evil and false person of their Conspiracy called Thomas Vsk to be Vnder-Sheriff by whose means the said false Inquests were to be taken and the wicked Design accomplished by colour of Law And for the more compleat effecting thereof they caused the King to send his Letters of Credence by John Rypon a false Clerk and one of their Crâ—w directed to the Mayor of London That he should seize the said Duke of Gloucester and others therein named to be Indicted for certain Treasons in such manner as the said Nicholas Brember the false Knight and John Blake who were thereof fully informed should direct By vertue of which Letters of Credence Brember and Blake carried to the Mayor the said false Indictment commanding him on behalf of the King that to his power he should promote the same And also they ordered that a strong Watch should be set to seize my Lord Duke of Lancaster upon his first Arrival 21. Item The said Traytors having trayterously informed the King that he should believe that the said Ordination Statute and Commission were made in derogation of his Royalty and Prerogative did further perswade him that the same was made with an intention to degrade and finally to depose our Lord the King And perceiving that thereby he lookt upon his Loyal Lords as Traytors and Enemies They yet further advised Him that by all means possible as well by the power of his own Liege People as by the force of his Enemies the French and others he should destroy and put to death the said Lords and others that assented to the making of the said Ordinance and that the same might be done so privily that none should know of it till it was done 22. Item In order to these Treasons by their Counsels they caused the King to send Letters to his Enemy the French King some by Nicholas Southwell Groom of his Chamber and others by other persons of base condition as well Aliens as Denizons requiring and praying the said French King that he would with all his Power and Counsel Aid and assist our Lord the King to destroy and put to Death the said Lords and others whom they had so falsly represented as Traytors to the great Disturbance of the whole Realm 23. Item That usurping to themselves Royal Power they caused the King to promise the French King by his Letters Patents and Messages for such his Assistance to accomplish the said Treason and Murder to give and surrender to the said French King the Town and Castle of Calice and divers other Forts and Places as Brest Chirburgh and others c. to the great dishonour trouble and prejudice of the Realm 24. Item That after this trayterous Contrivance it was agreed between our Lord the King and the French King by the instigation and influence of these Traytors that a Parley or Interview should be had in the Marches of Calice and a Truce of five years between the Realms of England and France At which Interview by Treachery the said Lords and others whom the King took for Traytors attending him thither should there by Treachery be slain In order to which they procured several Letters of safe Conduct from the said French King for the said Duke of Ireland's going into France to accomplish this ill purpose and Treason which Letters are ready to be shewn 25. Item That the said Brember by the Assent and Counsel of the said other Traytors did come into London and without the Assent or knowledge of the King did cause all the Companies of the City to be sworn to hold and perform divers Matters as they are contained in the said Oath which is of Record in Chancery And amongst other things That they should hold with and maintain the Will and purpose of the King to their power against all that are or shall be Rebels or contrary to his Person or Royal pleasure And that they should be ready to destroy all those which do or shall purpose Treason against our said Lord the King in any manner and be ready with their Mayor to resist during life all such Traytors c. At which time the King by the Mis-information of the said Evil-doers and Traytors and by the false Answers of the Justices did firmly hold the said Lords and others who assented to the making of the said Ordinances Statute and Commission to be Rebels Traytors and Enemies unto him By all which the said Traytors endeavoured to stir up the said People of London to destroy the said Lords and other Loyal Subjects 26. Item The said Brember and other Traytors to the King and Realm usurping to themselves Royal Power Did of their own Authority without any Warrant from the King or his great Council cause Proclamation to be made through the City of London That none of the Liege Subjects of our Lord the King should Sustain Comfort or Aid Richard Earl of Arundel and Surrey one of the Lords of the Kings Great Council during the said Commission nor sell him any Armour Victuals or other Necessaries on pain of being preceeded against as Rebels carrying about and shewing a Patent of the Kings but of another Tenor the better to compass such their false Proclamation 27. Item They also caused it to be Cryed and Proclaimed in the said City of London That no person should be so hardy as to presume to speak any ill or utter any word or expression against them the said Malefactors and Traytors or any of them on pain of forfeiting all they had Which was an Encroachment on the Royal Power 8. Item The said Archbishop Chief Justice and other Traytors caused the King to command his Council to make certain persons throughout England Sheriffs who were named or recommended to him by them the said Traytors with an intent to get such persons as they should name returned for Knights of the Shire to serve in Parliament And to keep out from thence Gentlemen good and loyal against the good Laws and Customs of the Land 29. Item The said Traytors during the time that the King had so taken both Parties into His Protection as aforesaid did falsly counsel and prevail with the King to command by His Letters divers Knights and Squires Sheriffs and other Ministers of several Counties to Levy Men and assemble all their Power to joyn with the said Duke
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