men in the other are continually endaungered This then is our case but what is our remedy we haue endured we haue entreated but our pacience hath drawne on more heauie burthens and our complaints procured more bitter blowes by the one our liuings and our liues by the other are dayly deuoured And therfore we are now coÌ„pelled to shake off our shoulders this importable yoke and submit our selues to the soueraigntie of some more moderate and worthy person not so much for the griefe of our miseries which are past nor for the paine of our present distresses as for feare of such daungers as are most like to ensue for the King hath cut away the chiefe of the nobilitie and the commons hee hath pared to the quicke and still hee harrieth vs as a conquered countrie whereby we are layd bare to the hauocke of al our enemies vtterly disabled not onely to recouer that which is lost but also to retaine euen that which is left But to whom should we complaine what succour whose ayde should we desire you are the onely man who in right should and in wisedome can and in goodnesse will we hope relieue vs. For you are neerest to the King in bloud and therfore ought to haue the rule of that which his weakenesse cannot wielde Your yeares are wel stayed from the light conceits of youth and so spent that all your actions haue made proofe of abilitie in gouernment of greatest charge nothing past needeth excuse and feare is vaine for any thing to come The paines and perils which heretofore you haue vndertaken for the benefite of your countrie putteth vs also in good hope that in these extremities you will not forsake vs wee are all as in a ship that is ready to sinke as in a house that is ready to fall doe most humbly craue and call for your helpe now or else neuer shew your selfe in fauour of your countrymen to free vs to free your selfe to free the whole state from these daungers and decayes by taking into your hands the scepter and diademe of the Realme and reducing againe the gouernement thereof to a princely freedome in combining the soueraigntie of one with the libertie of all Omit not this occasion to set forth to the view of the world as in a large field at free scope your vertue and courage by relieuing miserable wretches from their oppressors which action hath beene so highly honoured that many heathen men for the same haue beene accompted as Gods This we are constrained to offer and entreate this is both honorable for you to accept and easie to be performed and so much the more in that no Prince by any people haue bene desired with greater affection nor shall be with more dutie obeyed The Duke entertained this speach with great moderation of mind shewing himselfe neither disturbed thereat nor excessiue in ioy His aunswere concerning the King was respectiue and wel tempered rather lamenting his weakenes then blaming his malice Concerning himselfe hee spake so modestly that he seemed rather worthy of a kingdome then desirous The life quoth he which hitherto I haue led hath alwaies bene free from ambitious attempts and the stayednesse of my yeares hath now setled my mind from aspiring thoughts and experience of former dangers hath bred in me a warie regard in such weightie proceedings for to cast a King out of state is an enterprise not hastely to bee resolued vpon nor easily effected but suppose that matter not impossible and perhaps not hard yet the rarenesse of the like precedents will make the action seeme iniurious to most men and he that shal attaine a kingdome vpon opinion of desert doth charge himselfe with great expectation and how honourably soeuer hee carried himselfe shall neuer want his deadly enuiers besides this in ciuill dissentions the faith of the whole people is fleeting and daunger is to bee doubted from euery particular person so that it is possible that al may fall away and impossible to beware of euery one Therefore I could rather wish to spend the course of my yeares which yet remaine in this obscure yet safe and certaine state then to thrust my selfe vpon the pikes of those perils which being once entred into are daungerous to follow deadly to forsake for in priuate attempts a man may step and stope when he please but he that aymeth at a kingdome hath no middle course betwene the life of a Prince the death of a traytor The Archbishop hearing this did as vainly persist in importuning the duke as he vainly seemed vnwilling straÌ„ge The state sayd he wherein now you stand is not so safe and certaine as you doe conceiue In deed by reiecting our request you shal auoid certaine dignity and therewith vncertaine contingent dangers but you shal procure most certaine destruction both to your selfe and vs. For this secret can not be kept long secret from the king and euen good princes are nice in points of soueraignty beare a nimble eare to the touch of that string and it more hurteth a subiect to be esteemed worthy of the kingdome then it will profit him to haue refused the offer What then will he do who putteth the chiefest surety of his reigne in the basenesse barenesse of his subiects whose head being possessed with eternall ielousy maketh euery presumption a proofe and euery light surmise a strong suspition against them Surely since the generall fauour loue which the people beareth you hath bereaued you of your liberty this their generall desire will not leaue your life vntouched As for vs if we either faint in our intent or faile in the enterprise actum est we shalbe as lambs among lions and no conquest can be so cruell as the Kings reigne will be ouer vs. Certainely we haue gone too far for to go backe and the time is past when you for ambition we for enuy might seeme to attempt against the King the attainment of the kingdome must now be a sanctuary refuge for vs both The like examples are not rare as you affirme nor long since put in practise nor far hence to be fetched The kings of Denmarke and of Sweueland are oftentimes banished by their subiects oftentimes imprisoned put to their fine The princes of Germany about an hundred yeres past deposed Adulphus the Emperour and are now in hand to depose their emperor Wencesâ—aus The earle of Flanders was a while since driuen out of his Dominion by his owne people for vsurping greater power then appertained to his estate The auncient Britaines chased away their owne King Carecious for the lewdnesse of his life and cruelty of his rule In the time of the Saxon Hâ—ptarchic Bernredus King of Mercia for his pride and stoutnes towardes his people was by them deposed Likewise Aldredus Ethelbertus Kinges of Northumberland were for their disorders expelled by their subiects Since the victorie of the Normaines the Lords endeauoured to expell King
some at this present and many hereafter will accompt my case lamentable either that I hane deserued this deiection if it be iust or if it be wrongfull that I could not auoide it Indeede I doe confesse that many times I haue shewed my selfe both lesse prouident and lesse painfull for the benefite of the common-wealth then I should or might or intended to doe hereafter and haue in many actions more respected the satisfying of my owne particular humour then either iustice to some priuate persons or the common good of al yet I did not at any time either omit dutie or coÌ„mit grieuance vpon natural dulnesse or set malice but partly by abuse of corrupt councellers partly by errour of my youthfull iudgement And now the remembrance of these ouer-sights is so vnpleasant to no man as to my selfe and the rather because I haue no meanes left either to recompence the iniuries which I haue done or to testifie to the world my reformed affections which experience and stayednesse of yeares had already corrected would dayly haue framed to more perfection But whether all the imputations wherewith I am charged be true either in substance or in such qualitie as they are layd or whether being true they be so heinous as to inforce these extremities or whether any other Prince especially in the heate of youth and in the space of two and twentie yeares the time of my vnfortunate raigne doth not sometimes either for aduantage or vppon displeasure in as deepe maner grieue some particular subiect I will not now examine it helpeth not to vse defence neither booteth it to make complaint there is left no place for the one nor pitie for the other and therefore I referre it to the iudgement of God and your lesse distempered considerations I accuse no man I blame no fortune I complaine of nothing I haue no pleasure in such vaine and needlesse comforts and if I listed to haue stood vpon tearmes I know I haue great fauourers abroad and some friends I hope at home who would haue beene ready yea forward on my behalfe to set vp a bloudy and doubtfull warre but I esteeme not my dignitie at so high a price as the hazard of so great valure the spilling of so much English bloud and the spoile and waste of so flourishing a Realme as thereby might haue bene occasioned Therefore that the Common-wealth may rather rise by my fall then I stand by the ruine thereof I willingly yeeld to your desires and am heere come to dispossesse my selfe of all publike authority and title and to make it free and lawfull for you to create for your King Henric Duke of Lancaster my cousin germaine whom I know to be as worthie to take that place as I see you willing to giue it to him Then he read openly and distinctly the forme of his cession wherein he did declare that he had discharged his subiectes from their oathes of fealtie and homage and all other oathes whatsoeuer and of his owne will free motion did abdicate the title dignitie and aucthoritie of a King and rendred vp the possession of the Realme with the vse and title thereof and all the rights thereunto appertaining To this the King subscribed and was sworne and then hee deliuered with his owne hands the Crowne the Septer and the Robe to the Duke of Lancaster wishing vnto him more happinesse therewith then had euer happened vnto himselfe Then he did constiture the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Hereford his procurators to intimate and declare this his resignation to all the states of the realme which should be assembled together in Parliament Lastly he gaue all his riches and goods to the summe of thee hundred thousand pounds in coyne besides his Iewels plate for satisfaction of the iniuryes that hee had done desiring the Duke al the rest that were present seuerally by their names not altogether to forget that he had beene their King nor yet too much to thinke vpon the same but to retaine of him amoderate remembrance and in recompence of the ease that hee had done them by his voluntarie yeelding to permit him to liue safely in a priuate and obscure life with the sweetenesse wherof he was so possessed that froÌ„ theneforth he would preferre it before any preferment in the world All this was deliuered and done by the King with voyce and countenance so agreeable to his present beauinesse that there was no man to vnmindefull of humane instabilitie which was not in some measure moued thereat insomuch as a fewe secrete teares melted from the eyes of many that were present in whose mindes a confessed and obscure alteration alreadie gâ—nne to beginne So proâ—e and inclinable are mento pitie miserie although they haue procured it and to enuie prosperitie euen that which they haue raysed Vpon Munday next following the Parlament began at Westminster and the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Hereford the Kings Atturneys for this purpose declared openly to the states there assembled the Kings voluntarie resignation and demaunded whether they would assent and agree therevnto the Barons of the realme by seuerall and particular consent the commons with one generall voyce did expreslye accept and admit the same Then it was thought meet that certaine defects and misdemeanures concerning matters of gouernment should be obiected against the King for which he should be adiâ—dged as vnworthy as he seemed vnwilling to reteine the kingdome To this purpose certaine articles were engrossed and openly read in which was conteyned how vnprofitable the King had bin to the realme how vniust and grieuous to the subiectes contrarie both to his honour and to his oath The chiefest of which articles are these that follow 1 FIrst that King Richard did wastefully spend the treasure of the realme and had giuen the possessions of the crowne to men vnworthy by reason whereof new charges were dayly laide on the neckes of the poore comminaltie 2 Item where diuers Lords as well spirituall as temporall were appointed by the high court of Parlament to commune and treate of matters concerning the state of the realme and the commonwealth of the same they being busied about the same commission he with others of his affinitie went about to impeache them of treason 3 Item that by force and menace he compelled the Iustices of the realme at Shrewsburie to condiscend to his opinion for the destruction of the said Lords Insomuch as he began to raise warre against Iohn Duke of Lancaster Thomas Earle of Arundell Richard Earle of Warwicke other Lords contrarie to his honor and promise 4 Item that he caused his vnckle the Duke of Gloucester to be arrested without lawe and sent him to Calice and there without iudgement murthered him and although the Earle of Arundell vpon his arraignement pleaded his charter of pardon he could not be heard but was in most vile and shamefull manner sodainly put to death 5 Item he assembled certaine
Berkley Thom. Erpinghame Thom. Graye Knights Will. Thirninge Iustice Commissioners for the matters hereafter specified by the Lords spirituall and temporall of the realme of England and the Commons of the said realme representing all the states of the saide Kingdome specially deputed sitting in seate of iudgement and considering the manifold periuries and cruelties and many other crimes and offerces by Richard late King of the saide realme committed and doone contrarie to good gouernement in the realmes and dominions aforesaide during the time of his reigne also considering the articles which were openly â—â—â—bibited and red before the said states which were so publicke notorious manifest and famous that they could nor can by no auoydance and shift be concealed also considering the confession of the saide King acknowledging and reputing and truly vpon his certaine knowledge iudging himselfe to haue been and to be altogether insufficient and vnskilfull for the rule and gouernment of the realmes and Dominions aforesaid and of any parts of them and not vnworthy to be deposed for the notorious demerites by the said Richard first acknowledged and afterward by his will and mandate before the said states published and to them opened and declared in the English tongue Vpon these and other matters which were done concerning the same busines before the said States and vs by the diligent place name and authority to vs in this part committed in aboundance and for a cautele we pronounce decree and declare the saide Richard to haue beene and to be vnprofitable and vnable and altogether insufficient and vnworthie for the rule and gouernement of the said realmes and of the dominions rights and parts of them and in regarde and respect of the premises worthily to be deposed from all kinglie dignitie and honour if any such dignitie and honour remaineth in him and for the like cautele wee doe depose him by our sentence definitiue in this writing inhibiting from hencefoorth expressely all and singular Lords Archbishops Bishops Prelates Dukes Marquesses and Earles Barons Knights Vassalles and all other persons whatsoeuer of the saide realmes and dominions and other places to the said realmes and dominions appertaining the subiects and liege people of the same and euery of them that from henceforth none obey or intend to obey the foresaid Richard as king or Lord of the realmes and dominions aforesaid Then the same Commissioners were by the consent and suffrages of both houses constituted procurators ioyntlye and seuerally for all the states of the realme to resigne and surrender vnto King Richard for them and all other homagers of the realme all the homages and fealties which were both due and doone vnto him as King and Soueraigne and also to declare vnto him al the premises concerning his deposition Now Henrie Duke of Lancaster that he might be reputed or reported at the least not to attaine the kingdom by intrusion and wrong was counsailed by his friends to pretend some lawfull challenge and claime therevnto and being in power it was no sooner aduised what was to bee doone but it was presently deuised how to doe it So a title was drawne from Edmund sonne to King Henrie the third whom they surnamed Crowch backe affirming that he was the eldest sonne of King Henrie and that for his deformitie he was put from his right of succession in the kingdome which was for that cause giuen to his yonger brother King Edward the third to this Edmund the Duke was next of bloud by his mother Blanche sole daughter and heyre to Henrie the first Duke of Lancaster and sonne to the saide Edmund This cunning conceit was perceiued of all men but seeming not to perceiue it was a point of friendship in some and of obedience in the rest therfore the kingdome of England being then thought vacant both by the resignation and also by the deposition of King Richard Duke Henrie arose from his seate and standing in the view of the Lords crossed himselfe on the forehead and on the brest and spake as followeth In the name of God Amen 〈◊〉 Henrie of Lancaster claime the realme of England â—â—â—â—owne with all the appurtenances 〈…〉 of the bloud royall comming from that good Lord K. Henrie the third and through the right that God of this grace hath sent mee with the helpe of my kindred and of my friendes to recouer the same Which kingdome was in point to be vndoone for default of good gouernment and due iustice After these wordes it was demaunded in both houses of the Nobility of the commons which were assembled whether they did consent that the Duke should raigne Who all with one voyce acknowledged and accepted him for their King then the Archbishop of Canterbury tooke him by the hand and placed him in the throane of estate the Archbishoppe of Yorke assisting him and all the assemblie testifying their owne ioy and wishing his Then the Archbishop made an oration and tooke for his theame this place of Scripture See this is the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall raigne ouer my people 1. Reg. 9. 17. After all this he was proclaimed King of England and of Fraunce and Lord of Ireland and the common people which is voide of cares not searching into sequels but without difference of right or wrong inclinable to follow those that are mighty with shoutes and clamours gaue their applause not all vpon iudgement or faithfull meaning but most onely vpon a receiued custome to flatter the Prince whatsoeuer he be Yet least the heate of this humour should allay by delay it was foorthwith proclaimed in the great Hall that vpon the 13. day of September next ensuing the Coronation of the King should be celebrated at Westminster These matters being thus dispatched the King proclaimed arose from his seate and went to White Hall where he spent the rest of the day in royall feasting and all other complementes of ioy notwithstanding there appeared in him no token of statelynesse or pride nor any change in so great a change Vpon Wednesday next following the procurators before mentioned went to the presence of King Richard being within the Tower and declared vnto him the admission of his resignation and also the order and forme of his deposition and in the name of all the states of the realme did surrender the homage and fealty which had been due vnto him so that no man from thence foorth would beare to him faith and obedience as to their King The King answered that he nothing reguarded these titulare circumstances but contented himselfe with hope that his cousen would be gracious Lord and good friend vnto him So vpon the 13. day of October which was the day of the translation of Edward the Confessour the Duke was with all accustomed solemnities by the Archbishoppe of Canterbury sacred annointed and Crowned King at Westminster by the name of king Henry the fourth vpon the very same day wherein the yeere before he had been banished the Realme
any should imagine that they meant of good Princes onely they speake generally of all and further to take away all doubt they make expresse mention of the euill For the power and authoritie of wicked princes is the ordinance of god and therfore Christ told Pilate that the power which he had was giuen him from aboue and the Prophet Esay calleth Cyrus being a prophane and heaâ—â—en Prince the Lords anoynted For God stirreth vp the spirit euen of wicked Princes to doe his will and as Iehoshaphat sayd to his rulers they execute not the iudgement of man but of the Lord in regard whereof Dauid calleth them Gods because they haue their rule and authority immedyatly from God which if they abuse they are not to bee adiudged by theyr subiects for no power within theyr dominionis superior to theirs but God reserueth them to the sorest tryall Horribly and sodainly saith the Wiseman will the Lord appeare vnto them and a hard iudgement shall they haue The law of God commaundeth that the Childe should be put to death for any contumely done vnto the parents but what if the Father be a robber if a murtherer if for all excesse of villanyes odious and execrable both to God and man surely he deserueth the highest degree of punishment and yet must not the Sonne lift vp his hand against him for no offence is so great as to be punished by parricide but our country is dearer vnto vs then our parentes and the Prince is pater patriae the Father of our Country and therefore more sacred and deere vnto vs then our parentes by nature and must not be violated how imperious how impious soeuer hee bee doth he commaund or demaund our persons or our purses we must not shunne for the one nor shrinke for the other for as Nehemiah saith Kinges haue dominion ouer the bodyes and ouer the cattle of their subiectes at their pleasure Doth he enioyne those actions which are contrary to the lawes of God we must neyther wholy obey nor violently resist but with a constant courage submit our selues to all manner of punishment and shewe our subiection by enduring and not performing yea the Church hath declared it to bee an heresie to holde that a Prince may be slaine or deposed by his subiectes for any disorder or default eyther in life or else in gouernment there will be faultes so long as there are men and as wee endure with patience a barren yeere if it happen and vnseasonable weather and such other defectes of nature so must wee tollerate the imperfections of rulers and quietlye expecte eyther reformation or else a change But alas good king Richard what such cruelty what such impiety hath he euer committed examine rightly those imputations which are layde against him without any false circumstance of aggrauation and you shall finde nothing obiected eyther of any truth or of great moment It may bee that many errours and ouersightes haue escaped him yet none so grieuous to be termed tyranny as proceeding rather from vnexperienced ignorance or corrupt counsaile then from any naturall and wilfull mallice Oh howe shall the world bee pestered with tirantes if subiectes may rebell vppon euery pretence of tyranny howe many good Princes shall daylye bee suppressed by those by whome they ought to bee supported if they leauy a subsedy or any other texation it shall be claymed oppression if they put any to death for trayterous attemptes against theyr persons it shall be exclaymed cruelty if they doe any thing against the lust and liking of the people it shall bee proclaymed tyrannie But let it be that without authority in vs or desert in him king Richard must be deposed yet what right had the Duke of Lancaster to the Crowne or what reason haue wee without his right to giue it to him if hee make title as heyre vnto king Richard then must he yet stay vntill king Richards death for no man can succeed as heyre to one that liueth But it is well knowne to all men who are not eyther wilfully blinde or grosely ignorant that there are some now aliue lineally descended from Lionell Duke of Clarence whose ofspring was by iudgement of the high Court of Parlament holden the viii yeere of the raigne of King Richard declared next successour to the Crowne in case King Richard should dye without issue Concerning the tytle from Edmund Crouchbacke I will passe it ouer seeing the authors thereof are become ashamed of so absurde abuse both of theyr owne knowledge and our credulity and therefore all the clayme is now made by right of conquest by the cession and graunt of King Richard and by the generall consent of all the people It is a bad wooll that can take no colour but what conquest can a subiecte pretend against his Soueraigne where the warre is insurrection and the victory high and heynous treason as for the resignation which king Richard made being a pent prisoner for the same cause it is an acte exacted by force and therefore of no force and validity to binde him and seeing that by the lawes of this land the king alone cannot alienate the auncient iewels and ornaments pertaining to the Crowne surely hee cannot giue away the Crowne it selfe and therewithall the kingdome Neyther haue we any custome that the people at pleasure should electe theyr king but they are alwayes bound vnto him who by right of bloud is next successour much lesse can they confirme and make good that title which is before by violence vsurped for nothing can then be freely doone when liberty is once restrained by feare So did Scilla by terrour of his legions obtayne the lawe of Velleia to bee made whereby hee was created dictator for fourescore yeeres and by like impression of feare Caesar caused the law Seruia to be promulged by which he was made perpetuall dictator but both these lawes were afterwardes adiudged void As for the deposing of king Edward the 2. is no more to be vrged then the poysoning of King Iohn or the murdering of any other good and lawfull Prince we must liue according to lawes and not to examples and yet the kingdome was not then taken from the lawfull successour But if we looke backe to times lately past we shall finde that these titles were more stronge in King Stephen then they are in the Duke of Lancaster for king Henry the first being at large liberty neyther restrained in body nor constrained in minde had appointed him to succeed as it was vppon good credite certainly affirmed The people assented to this designement and thereupon without feare and without force he was anoynted King and obtained full possession of the realme Yet Henry Sonne of the Earle of Aniowe hauing a neerer right by his mother to the Crowne notwithstanding his father was a stranger himselfe borne beyond the seas raysed such rough warres vppon King Stephen that there was noe end of
vgly was presented to the view and terrour of others bodies hewen in peeces heads and quarter of vnfortunate dismeÌ„bred wretches putrifâ—ing aboue ground not al for desert but many to satisfy either the mallice or want of King Henrieâ— friends insomuch as many graue men openly gaue forth that in short time there would be cause to wish King Richard again as being more tollerable to endure the cruelty of one then of many and to liue where nothing then where any thing might be permitted The Abbot of Westminster in whose house and in whose head this confederacy began hearing of these aduentures as he was going betweene his monastery and his mansion fell sodainly into a palsie and hardly after without speech ended his life and although in this enterprize fortune gaue policy the check and by a strange accedent which wisdome could not foresee ouerturned the deuise yet is it certainely affirmed that this Abbot first stirred the stone which rowling a long was like to haue turned king Henry out of his seate The bishop of Caerliel was condemned vpon this treason but the extreamity of his feare and griefe closed vp his daies and preuented the violence and shame of publicke execution And now king Richard after he had abdicated his dignity did but short time enioy that sweet security which he did vainely expect and first all his goods which hee did giue in satisfaction of the iniuries that hee had done were brought to deuision and share amongst his enemies shortly after he was remooued from the Tower to the Castle of Leedes in Kent and from thence to Pomfret to the ende that by often changing hee might eyther more secretly bee dispatched or more vncertainly found heere being kept in streight prison both innocent ignorant of this offence was notwithstanding made a party in the punishment For King Henry perceiuing that the Lords so far preuailed with their late strategeme that if their stomacke had bin answerable to their strength their bloud beginning had not ended in faintnes and sloath they might haue driuen him to a hard hazard caused King Richard to be put to death intending to make sure that no man should cloake open rebellion vnder the colour of following sides nor countenance his coÌ„spiracy either with the person or name of K. Richard whether hee did expressely commaund his death or no it is a question out of question he shewed some liking and desire to the action and gaue allowance thereto when it was doone The most current report at that time went that hee was princely serued euery day at the Table with aboundance of costlie meates according to the order prescribed by Parlament but was not suffered to tast or touche any one of them and so perished of famine being tormented with the presence of that whereof hee dyed for want but such horrible and vnnaturall crueltie both against a King and a kinseman should not proceed from King Henrie me thinke a man of a moderate and milde disposition not yet from any other minde which is not altogether both sauage in humanitie and in religion prophane One wrighter who would seeme to haue the perfect intelligence of these affayres maketh report that King Henrie sitting at his table sad and pensiue with a deepe sigh brake foorth into these wordes Haue I no faithfull friend that will deliuer me of him whose life will breed destruction to me and disturbance to the realme and whose death will bee a safetie and quiet to both for how can I be free from feare so long as the cause of my daunger dooth continue and what securitie what hope shall we haue of peace vnlesse the seede of sedition be vtterly rooted out Vppon this speech a certaine Knight called Sir Pierce of Extone presently departed from the Court accompanyed with eyght tall men and came to Pomfrete and there commaunded that the Esquire who was accustomed to sewe and take the assaye before King Richard should no more vse that manner of seruice and let him quoth he now eate wel for he shall not eate long King Richard sate downe to dinner and was serued without courtesie or assaye whereat he merueyled and demaunded of the Esquire why he did not his dutie the Esquire answered that he was otherwise commaunded by Sir Pierce of Extone who was latelye come from King Henry The King beeing somewhat mooued at this acte and answere tooke the caruing knife in his hand and strucke the Esquire therewith lightly on the head saying the deuill take Henry of Lancaster and thee together with that Sir Pierce entred the chamber with eight men in harneys euery one hauing a byll in his hand Wherevpon King Richard perceiuing their drift and his owne daunger put the table from him and stepping stoutlye to the formost man wrested the bill out of his hand wherewith although vnarmed and alone he manfully defended himselfe a good space and slew sowre of his assailants Sir Pierce lept to the chaire where king Richard was wonte to sit whilest the rest chased him about the chamber At the last being forced towards the place where Sir Pierce was he with a stroake of his Pollax felled him to the ground and foorthwith he was miserably rid out of his miserable life It is saide that at the pointe of his death hee gathered some spirit and with a fainte and feeble voyce groaned foorth these wordes My great grandfather King Edward the second was in this manner deposed imprisoned and murthered by which meanes my grandfather king Edward the third obteyned possession of the crowne and now is the punishment of that inâ—â—trie powred vpon his next successour Well this is right for mee to suffer but not for you to doe your King for a time may ioye at my death and enioye his desire but let him qualifie his pleasures with expectation of the like iustice for God who measureth all our actions by the malice of our mindes will not suffer this violence vnreuenged Whether these words proceeded from a distempered desire or from the iudgement of his foresight they were not altogether idle and vaine For Sir Pierce expecting great fauour and rewards for his vngracious seruice was frustrated of both and not onely missed that countenance for which he hoped but lost that which before he had so odious are vices euen where they are profitable Heerevpon hee grew at the first discontented and afterwardes mightely turmoyled and tormented in conscience and raging against himselfe would often exclaime that to pleasure one vnthankefull person he had made both himselfe and his posteritie hatefull and infamous to all the world King Henrie with great discontentment and disquiet held the kingdome during his life and so did his sonne King Henrie the fifth in whose time by continuall warres against the Frenchmen the malice of the humour was otherwise exercised and spent But his second successour King Henry the sixth was dispossessed thereof and together with his young sonne Henry imprisoned and put to death eyther
by the commaundement or conâ—iuence of King Edward the fourth And hee also escaped not free for hee dyed not without many 〈…〉 suspicions of poisonâ— and after his death his two sonnes were disinherited imprisoned and butchered by their cruell Vnckle the Duke of Gloucester who beeing a tyrant and vsurper was lawfully slaine in the field and so in his person hauing no issue the tragedie did end Which are most rare and excellent examples both of comfort to them that are oppressed and of terrour to violent dealers that God in his secret iudgement dooth not alwayes so certainely prouide for our safetie as reuenge our iniuries and harmes and that all our vniust actions haue a daye of payment and many times by waye of retaliation euen in the same manner and measure wherein they were committed And thus was King Richard brought to his death by violence and force as all wrighters agree although all agree not vppon the manner of the violence Hee was a man of personage rather well proportioned then tall of great beautie and grace and comlinesse in presence hee was of a good strength and no abiect spirit but the one by ease the other by flatterie were much abased He deserued many friends but found fewe because hee sought them more by liberalitye then vertuous dealing He 〈◊〉 merueilous 〈◊〉 in all his actions which may verye well bee 〈◊〉 to his negligence and sloath for hee that is not prouident can seldome prosper but by his loosenesse will loose whatsoeuer fortune or other mens 〈…〉 hee was driuen is such distresse that 〈…〉 it as a benefite to bee disburdened of his royall dignitie for which other men will not sticke to put theyr goods and liues and soules in hazarde Hee liued three and thirtie yeares and reigned two and twentie His dead body was embaulmed and 〈…〉 couered with Lead all saue his face and carryed 〈…〉 and in all the chiefe places by the waye his face was 〈…〉 that by viewe thereof no doubt should bee made concerning his death At London hee had a solemne obsequie kept in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paulâ— the King beeing present and all the chiefe 〈…〉 Then hee was conueyed to Langley Abbey in Bucking ham shire about 〈…〉 myle from London and there obscurely 〈◊〉 by the Bishop of Chester the Abbot of S. Albones and the Abbot of Waltham without presence of noble men without coâ—â—â—uence of the common people and without the charge of a dinner for celebrating the 〈…〉 but afterward on the commaundement of King Henry the fifth his body was taken vp and remooued to Westminster and honourably entombed amongst his auncesters with Queene Anne his wife in expiation as it is like of his Fathers violent and vnfaithfull dealing So hee whose life was alwaies tumultuous and vnquiet could not readily finde rest for his bones euen after death It was not amisse in regard of the common wealth that he was dead yet they who caused his death had small reason to reckon it among theyr good deedes And thus doe these and the like accidents dayly happen to such Princes as will be absolute in power resolute in will and dissolute in life This yeere Hunfrey the sonne and heyre of the Duke of Gloucester dyed of the plague as he returned out of Ireland where King Richard had 〈◊〉 him prisoner and shortly after the Duchesse his mother with violence of griefe ended her dayeâ— this yeere also dyed Thomas Moâ—bray the exiled duke of Norfolke whose death would much haue been lamented if he had not furthered so many lamentable deaths but he ouerliued his honour saw himselfe accounted a person infamed and of no estimation Likewise about this 〈…〉 Duke of Brittaine deceased who had taken to wife Mary daughter to King Edward the third and by her had no issue but by Ioan his second wife he left behinde him three sons Iohn Richard Arthur this Ioan was afterwards maried to K. Henrie as hereafter shall appeare Also this yeere Edmund Duke of Yorke departed this life his honour not stayrred his fame not touched he was a man very circumspect and wary in his cariage not carelesse of a good fame nor greedy after a great of other mens wealth not desirous liberall of his owne and of the common sparing he did not by obstinate opposing himselfe against the current of the time rashly hasten eyther his fame or his fall but by moderation attayned safely that degree of praise and honour which others aspiring vnto by desperate courses wanne with ambitious death without any other profit at all He left behinde him two noble sonnes expresse resemblencers of his integritie Edward who succeeded in his dignitie and before was called Duke of Aumerle and Richard Earle of Cambridge Edward in the change of the state neither constantlye kept his fidelitie nor stoutlie maintained his treason Richard tooke to wife the daughter and heyre of Roger Mortimer whose mother Phillip was sole daughter and heyre to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the thyrd by which title and discent his posteritie claimed the Crowne and kingdome of this realme from the successours of King Henrie as heereafter more at large shall be declared Charles King of Fraunce lost no time all this while in making preparation to inuade England and to that end had now raysed an armie royall which was brought downe into Picardie and in a readinesse to haue beene transported But it is verye like that this hast for the deliuerance of King Richard did the more hasten his death vppon newes whereof the Frenchmen perceiuing their purpose for his restitution to be to no purpose gaue ouer the enterprise some being grieued that the occasion was lost of making spoile of so plentifull a countrie others being well content to be discharged of that hope together with the hazard whervpon it depended Shortlie after the French King sent a solemne Embassage into England to treate or rather intreate that Lady Isabell his daughter who had bin espoused to King Richard might with her dowrie bee restored to him againe King Henrie most honourablie receiued these Embassadours and gaue in answere that he would speedelie send his Commissioners to Calice which should fullye commune and conclude with them both of this and other weightie affayres concerning both the realmes Not long after he sent Edward Duke of Yorke and Henrie Earle of Northumberland to Calice Also the French King sent the Duke of Burbone and certaine others to Bulleine These Commissioners did often meete sometimes at one place and sometimes at another the Frenchmen especially required that Lady Isabell should be restored shewing that King Charles her Father had giuen in charge that this before all matters and without this nothing should be concluded On the other side the Englishmen desired that she might be married to Henry Prince of Wales King Henries eldest Sonne a man answerable to her in equall degree both of bloud and of yeeres but the French King denyed that