as in our Courts and all other places of Our Realm And by what persons Our Revenues and the substance of Our Crown have been withdrawn or diminished or the Common Law interrupted or delayed or any other Damage that hath happened to Vs. Giving and by these Presents Granting of Our Authority and by the Advice and Assent of Our said Subjects unto Our said Counsellors or any Six of them and to Our Great Officers aforesaid full Power and Authority General and Special to enter Our Palace and Houshold and to call before them all Our Officers and to command all Rolls Records and other Minuments and Evidences and all Defaults Wastes and Excesses found in Our said Houshold and in other Courts and Places and all Deceits Extortions Oppressions Damages and Grievances whatsoever that are to the prejudice damage and distress of Vs and Our Crown and the Estate of Our said Realm in general though not herein particularly expressed or specified To Amend Correct Repair Redress Reform and put into good and due Order and Establishment And also to hear and receive the Complaints of all Our Liege People as well for Vs and themselves against our said Officers and Counsellors And all Oppressions Wrongs and Injuries which cannot so well be amended and determined in the Courts of the Common Law And to discuss and finally determine all the Matters aforesaid and full Execution thereof to Award as to them shall seem most meet for the Honour and Profits of Vs Our Estate and the Redintegration of the Rights and Profits of Our Crown and the better Governance of the Peace and Laws of Our Kingdom and the Relief of Our said People In which Proceedings if difference of Opinion happen amongst Our said Counsellors the same shall be concluded by Majority of Votes And We Command and Charge all Prelates Dukes Earls Barons Sheriffs the Treasurer and Controller and all other Officers of Our Houshold Justices de Banco and other Officers Ministers and Liege Subjects whatsoever That to Our said Counsellors and Officers in manner aforesaid they be Obedient Aiding and Assisting In Witness whereof c. Given under Our Great Seal the 19th day of November BUT notwithstanding all these Provisions no sooner was the Parliament Dissolv'd but the King look'd upon all they had done to be Dissolved likewise or at least De facto he esteem'd as nothing all their Complaints against de Pole the Duke of Ireland the Archbishop of York and the rest for he soon received them into greater Favour and Confidence if it might be than ever before Who being full of Revenge themselves were not wanting to blow their Poyson into his Royal Breast for thus their fatal Whispers and Suggestions are exprest by Trussel in his Continuation of Daniel's History of England Fol. 9. These Triumvirs saith he incensed the King against the Nobles that were best deserving partly upon Disgraces desertfully done unto them partly upon malicious Emulation to see others so generally Belov'd except of the King and themselves so Contemptible And that their private Spleen might carry some shew of Publick Respect they suggested to the King he was but half yea not half a King For said they If we respect matters of State you bear the Sword but they sway it you have the Shew but they have the Authority of a Prince using your Name as a colourable Pretext to their Proceedings and your Person as a Cypher to make their Number the greater by the Addition thereof without which they could be nothing neither are you any thing more by being so placed Look to the Duty of your Subjects and you shall finde it is at their Devotion For you cannot Command nor Demand but with such Limitations and Exceptions as they please to propose And for your private Actions your Bounty the most to be Celebrated Vertue in a Prince is restrained your Expences measured and your Affections confined to Frown or Favour as they shall please to prescribe you What Ward is so much under Government of his Guardian Wherein will or can they more abridge you except they should take from you the Place as they have done the Power of a Prince c. Thus these Scycophants whisper'd their venomous Suggestions to exasperate the King against his best Subjects whose Youth and Weakness rendred him too much disposed for such Impressions and framed his conscious Mind to a full but needless fear He was much incensed at the Removal of his Chancellor and Treasurer out of their Offices and that the Duke of Ireland rather than part with whom he would hazard All must go out of the Realm supposing it a Restraint to his Regal Authority not to have Absolute Power in all things to give and forgive at his pleasure Now when these private Incendiaries perceived the King's Humour once sharpned they so ply'd him with plausible perswasions that though naturally he was not of any cruel Disposition yet they drew him into many violent and indirect courses partly through negligence to search out the Truth partly through delight to be flattered and a vain resolute humour to support those beyond Reason whom he had Advanced without Merit In the beginning of March 1387. the Earls of Arundel and Nottingham pursuant to the Order of the late Parliament put to Sea with a Fleet which they manag'd with such Courage and Conduct that before Midsummer-day besides other famous Exploits they had taken about One hundred and sixty French Ships richly laden But the Court-Ear-wigs the Duke of Ireland and the rest enviously misrepresented all their Services unto the King whispering That they had onely undone a few Merchants which it would have been more for our Honour and Interest to have let alone so that at their Return instead of Respect and Thanks the King whose equal unhappiness it was to grace undeserving men and disgrace the deserving lookt upon them but ill and the Duke of Ireland would not look upon them at all Whereupon the Earls in discontent retir'd from Court to their own Country-houses And still more to exasperate both Nobles and People the said Duke of Ireland would now needs be divorced from his Wife Philippa Grand-daughter to King Edward the Third by his Daughter Isabel and the Arch-Duke of Austria a Lady of sufficient Beauty and irreproachable Vertue and in her stead preferred to his Bed one Lancerona a mean Bohemian that waited on the Queen Daughter some say of a Vintner or as others will have it of a Joyner The King took no notice of this Affront offered to his Cousin-german but the Duke of Gloucester her Uncle resented it highly and waited for an opportunity to Revenge it which the other well perceived and was resolved to strike first Easter was now come and past the time limitted by Parliament for the Duke of Ireland's being gone but he though so largely hired to it as aforesaid cared not for that Voyage Onely to wheadle the People the King went down with him into Wales on
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
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
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
same was very expedient did each man singly by himself and in Common with the People unanimously Admit the said Cession and Renunciation After which Admission it was then and there publickly declared that besides such Cession and Renunciation so as aforesaid admitted It would be very expedient and profitable to the Kingdom for the removing of all Scruples and taking away sinister suspitions That very many Crimes and Defects by the said King about the ill Governance of his Kingdom very often committed reduced into writing by way of Articles by reason of which as himself affirmed in the Cession by him made he was deservedly to be deposed should be publickly read and declared to the People And so the greatest part of the said Articles were then and there read through The Tenour of all which Articles is such But yet in the Roll before the Articles there are first these words Here followeth the form of the Oath used and accustomed to be taken by the Kings of England at their Coronation which the Archbishop of Canterbury hath used to require and receive from the said Kings as in the Book of the Pontifical Archbishops and Bishops more fully is contained Which Oath Richard the Second after the Conquest of England did take at his Coronation and the same was administred by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the very same Oath the King afterwards repeated as in the Rolls of the Chancery may more fully be found of Record Thou shall keep to the Church of God and People Intire Peace and Concord in God according to thy power The King shall answer I will keep them Thou shalt in all thy Judgements cause to be done equal and right Justice and discretion in mercy and in Truth according to thy power He shall answer I will do so Thou dost grant the just Laws and Customes as shall be held and dost promise the same shall by thee be protected and for the Honour of God Corroborated quas vulgus elegerit which the People shall chuse to the utmost of thy power He shall answer I do so grant and promise To the aforesaid Questions such others are added as shall be just and all things being so pronounced the King by his own Oath on the Altar before all the Assembly Confirms and Promises that he will 〈◊〉 and observe the same Then follow THE OBJECTIONS or ARTICLES Against the King touching his Deposition IMprimis It is objected against King Richard that whereas by reason of his ill Government viz. His giving away the Goods and Possessions belonging to his Crown and that to Persons unworthy and his indiscreet squandering the same away otherwise adn to that end imposing without cause Collections and other grievous burthens on his People more than they were able to bear and also innumerable other Evils by his assent and Command perpetrated there were by the whole Parliament certain Prelates and others Temporal Lords Elected and Assigned who might with all their power and at their own Charges faithfully labour about the just Government of the Realm Yet the King causing a Conventicle to be held by him with his accomplices the said Lords as well Spiritual as Temporal so occupied about the safety and profit of the Kingdom did propose to impeach of High Treason and did violently draw the Judges of the Kingdom for fear of Death and Corporal Tortures to such his wicked purpose most vigorously striving to destroy the said Lords II. Item The said King lately at Shrâ—wsbury caused several and the greater part of the Judges to come before him and his Favourites privatly in a Chamber and by Menaces and Various Terrors as such affrightments as might fall even upon men of constant Resolutions did induce cause and compel them severally to answer certain Questions there propounded on the behalf of the King concerning the Laws of his Kingdom besides and against their will and otherwise than they would have answered had they been at Liberty and unforced By colour of which answers the said King purposed to have proceeded afterwards to the destruction of Thomas Duke of Glocester and the Earls of Arundel and VVarwick and other Lords against whose deeds and behaviour the said King was much incensed chiefly because they desired the said King to be under good Guidance But Providence withstanding it by the resistance and power of the said Lords the King was not able to bring such his design to effect III. Item When the Lords Temporal defending themselves had withstood his malice and fraud and the said King had prefix'd a day for holding his Parliament to do them and other Inhabitants of the Realm Justice in that behalf and the said Temporal Lords were quietly and peaceably gone home and at Rest in their houses in hope and confidence of the said Parliament the King secretly sent the Duke of Ireland with his Letters and Standard towards Chester and there gathered multitudes in Arms and caused them to rise against the said Lords the Nobles of the Kingdom and Servants of the State publickly erecting his Standard against the Peace which he had Sworn to keep From whence slaughters of men Captivities Dissentions and other infinite mischiefs did ensue throughout the whole Kingdom By which Act he became Guilty of Perjury IV. Item Although the said King had in full Parliament and by the assent thereof Pardoned the said Duke of Glocester and Earls of Arundel and Warwick and all their Assistants and others all offences and had for many years shown Signs of Peace and Love to the said Duke and Earls and to the rest appeared with a pleasant and benign Countenance Yet the said King always and continually bearing Gall in his Heart did at last taking an Opportunity cause the said Duke of Glocester the Uncle of him the said King and also the Son of Edward late King of England of happy memory and Constable of England then humbly going to meet the said King in solemn Procession and the said Earls of Arundel and Wâ—â—â—ick to be taken and Arrested and him the said Duke out of the Kingdom of England to the Town of Callice did cause to be led and there imprisoned and under the Custody of the Earl of Nottingham and of the Appellors of the said Duke detained and without answer or any lawful process whatsoever did inhumanely and cruelly cause to be suffocated strangled and murdered And the Earl of Arundel though he pleaded as well the General Pardon as a Pardon afterwards to him specially granted and desired justice to be done him yet in his Parliament encompassed with armed men and innumerable Archers of the People by him gathered to that purpose by Pressing did damnably cause to be Beheaded And the Earl of Warwick and Lord Cobham did commit to perpetual Imprisonment wickedly and against Justice and the Laws of his Kingdom and his express Oath confiscating their Lands and Tenements as well Fee-simple as Fee-tail from them and their Heirs and giving the same to their Appellors V.
Item At the same time that the King in his Parliament caused the Duke of Glocester and Earls of Arundel and Warwick to be adjudged that he might more freely exercise his Cruelty upon them and accomplish his injurious will in other matters he gathered to himself a great multitude of Malefactors of the County of Chester of whom some passing with the King through the Kingdom as well within the Kings Pallace as without did cruelly kill the Liege Subjects of the Kingdom and some they beat and wounded and did plunder the Goods of the People and refuse to pay for their Victuals and did Ravish and Violate their Wives and other Women and though their were grievous Complaints of such their excesses brought to the hearing of the said King Yet the said King did not regard to cause Justice to be done or any Remedy thereuponâ— but did favour the said Troops in such their evil doings trusting in them and their Guard against all others of his Kingdom for which cause the faithful People of his Kingdom had great matter of Commotion and Indignation VI. Item Although the said King by his writs caused Proclamation to be made throughout the whole Kingdom that he had caused his Uncle the Duke of Glocester and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick to be taken and Arrested not for any Assemblings or Troopings by them formerly made within the Kingdom of England but for very many Extortions Oppressions and other things by them afterwards done and perpetrated against his Royalty and Kingly Majesty And that it was not his Intention that any of the Family of the said Duke and Earls or of their followers at the time of such Assembling and Trooping should for that occasion be molested or aggrieved Yet the said King at last in his Parliament did not Impeach the said Lords for Extortions Oppressions or any such matters but for the Assemblings and Troopings aforesaid did adjudge them to Death and very many of the Family of the said Lords and others who were following them at the time of such their Assembling and Trooping he did for fear of Death force to make Fine and Ransom as Traytors or Rebels to the great destruction of a great Number of his People And so he did subtily fraudulently and maliciously deceive the said Lords and their familiars and the People of his Kingdom VII Item After very many of those Persons so making Fine and Ransom had obtained of the King his Letters Patent of full Pardon in the Premises they could not reap any Commodity by such Letters of Pardon till they had made new Fine and Ransoms for saving of their Life whereby very many were Impoverished which was a great Derogation and dishonour to the Name and State of a King VIII Item In the Last Parliament held at Shrewsbury the said King purposing to oppress his People subtily procured and caused it to be granted that the power of the Parliament by the consent of the States of his Kingdom shall remain in certain Persons to determine after the dissolution of the Parliament certain Petitions in the said Parliament exhibited but then not dispatched By Colour of which grant the Persons so deputed proceeded to other things generally touching that Parliament And this with the will of the King in Derogation of the state of Parliament the great dammage of the whole Kingdom and pernitious Example And that they might seem to have some Colour and Authority for such their doings the King called the Parliament Rolls to be altered and blotted at his pleasure against the Effect of the said Grant IX Item Notwithstanding the said King in his Coronation had sworn that in all his Judgments he would cause to be done equal and right Justice and discretion in mercy and truth according to his power Yet the said King rigorously without all mercy did amongst other things Ordain under grievous penalties that none should sue for any favour or intercede with the said King for Henry Duke of Lancaster being Banished whereby the said King did act against the Bond of Charity rashly violating his Oath aforesaid X. Item Although the Crown of the Kingdom of England and the Rights of the said Crown and that Kingdom it self have in all time past been so free that our Lord the Pope nor any other without the Kingdom ought to concern himself about the same Yet the aforesaid King for the Corroboration of such his erroneous statutes did make supplication to our Lord the Pope that he would confirm the statutes ordained his last Parliament whereupon our Lord the King obtained the Apostolick Letters in which grievous Censures are denounced against any that should presume in any thing to act contrary to the said statutes all which are well known to tend against the Crown and Royal dignity and against the Statutes and Liberties of the said Kingdom XI Item Although the Lord Henry now Duke of Lancaster by the Kings Command had preferred his Bill touching the State and Honour of the King against the Duke of Norfolk and the same had duely prosecuted so that according to the Kings Order he had exhibited himself in all Points prepared for the Combate And the said King had declared that the said Duke of Lancaster had honourably performed his Devoir as much as in him lay and this by a Decree publickly Proclaimed before all the people Assembled at the said Combate Yet the said King without any Legal Reason whatsoever did cause and command the said Duke to be Banisht for ten Years against all Justice and Laws and Customs of his Kingdom and the Law of War in that behalf thereby damnably incurring Perjury XII Item After the said King had graciously granted by his Letters Patents to the Lord Henry now Duke of Lancaster that in his absence whilst he was banisht his General Attorneys might prosecute for Livery to him to be made of all manner of Inheritances or Successions belonging unto him and that his Homage should be respited paying a certain reasonable Fine he injuriously did revoke the said Letters Patent against the Laws of the Land thereby incurring the Crime of Perjury XIII Item Notwithstanding that it was Enacted that every Year the Officers of the King with his Justices and others of the Kings Council should choose Sheriffs for all the Counties of England and name them to our Lord the King according as to their Discretion and Conscience should seem expedient for the good and utility of the Kingdom the said King hath caused persons to be made Sheriffs not so nominated or elected but other according to the Capricio's of his pleasure sometimes his Favourites or Creatures and sometimes such as he knew would not oppose his humour for his own and others private advantage to the great grievance of his People and against the Laws of his Kingdom thereby notoriously incurring Perjury XIV Item At such time as the aforesaid King requested and had of very many Lords and others of his Kingdom divers Sums
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
the Statutes Ordinances and Judgments made given and render'd in our Parliament begun at Westminster the 17th day of the Month September in the one and Twentieth Year of our Reign and in the same Parliament continued at Shrewsbury and there holden and also all the Ordinances Judgments and Establishments the 16th day of September in the 22th Year of our Reign at Coventry and afterwards at Westminster the 18th day of March in the Year aforesaid by the Authority of the said Parliament And likewise all other Ordinances and Judgments which shall hereafter happen to be made by Authority of the said Parliament But otherwise if our said Successor shall refuse to do the Premises which we do not believe Then we will that Thomas Duke of Surry Edward Duke d' Auamale John Duke of Exeter and William le Scrope Earl of Wiltshire paying first the Debts of our Houshould our Chamber and our Wardâ—obe and reserving Five or Six Thousand Marks as abovesaid shall have and hold all the said Residue above mentioned for to support and defend the said Statutes Establishments Ordinances and Judgments to their utmost power even unto Death if it be necessary Upon all which and every part we do hereby charge and burden their Consciences as they will answer in the day of Judgment By which Article it may evidently enough appear That the said King did obstinately strive to maintain and desend those Statutes and Ordinances which are erroneous and unjust and repugnant to all Law and Reason And this not only during his Life but after his Death too neither regarding the Peril of his own Soul nor yet the utter destruction of his said Kingdom or Leige People XXXII Item in the 11th Year of the said King Richard he the said King in the Chappel of his Mannor of Langley in the presence of the Dukes of Lancaster and York and very many other Lords desiring as it hath appeared that is Uncle the Duke of Glocester then there present should fully confide in the Good will of him the said King did voluntarily and of his own accord swear before the venerable Sacrament of the Lords Body there placed upon the Altar that thenceforwards he would never endammage trouble or grieve him the said Duke of Glocester for any of his deeds which are said to have been committed against the Person of him the said King But did cheerfully and totally forgive him all his offence if any were Yet afterwards notwithstanding such Oath the said King did horribly and cruelly cause the said Duke to be murdered for such the before pretended offences thereby incurring the Guilt of damnable Perjury XXXIII Item After one of the Knigots of the Shires of the said Kingdom having a voice in Parliament had Impeached the said Lord Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury upon certain defaults committed against the Kings Majesty as was untruely suggested And the said Archbishop presently then and there offered himself ready to answer the matters charged upon him and desired that he might be thereunto admitted by the King not doubting as he said but he shall be able sufficiently to shew his Innocence Yet the said King contriving by all the ways and means he could to oppress the said Bishop of Canterbury and ruin his Estate as the Event of the matter has declared speaking graciously and with a cheerfull countenance of the said Archbishop from his Royal Seat did advise and very earnestly request him that at that time he would hold his Peace and expect a better and more fit time to make his defence which day being passed the said King from day to day for Five days or more did fraudulently and treacherously deceive the said Archbishop counselling him and perswading him that he would not come to the Parliament but wait at home without any fear because as the said King faithfully did promise him there should not in his absence any loss or prejudice be done or happen to him Notwithstanding all which the said King in his Parliament aforesaid did in the mean time adjudge the said Archbishop to be banished during the Kings pleasure though absent and never any way called to answer and without any resaonable cause whatsoever and also voluntarily against the Laws of the Kingdom and all Justice Confiscated all his Goods whereby he likewise became Guilty of Perjury But furthermore the said King being willing to Palliate his Malice and Subtilty by flattering discourses which he oft-times had with the said Arch-bishop did endeavour to clear himself of such injury done and make as if it were the doings of others insomuch that the Arch-bishop discoursing with the King and with the Duke of Nâ—rfolk and other Lords and great men of the Kingdom And happening to say by way of Lamenting his own Condition That he was not the first that had suffered Banishment nor should he be the last For he thought in a short time the Duke of Norfolk and other Lords would follow him and confidently aâ—erred to the King That all the Rigour of these Proceedings would finally be returned back on his own Head To which the said King as astonished incontinently replied that he verily thought it might so happen and that he himself might and indeed ought to be expell'd his Kingdom by his Leige People And further the King said that if the same should happen He would convey himself to the same place where the said Archbishop should be And that the Archbishop might the rather Credit his words He shewed him a certain great Jewel Mâ—nile a Brooch or Tablet Curiously formed underneath the skirt of his outward â—estment Intimating for certain to the said Archbishop that when ever he should send that Jewel for a Token he would not delay to come thither where the said Arch-bishop should be resident And that the said Arch-bishop might more confide in him the said King sent to him advising him that he should Privately send all his Jewels and other things of value belonging to his Chappel unto him the said King For the safe keeping thereof lest by colour of the before mentioned Judgment any one should wrongfully seize the same Which under the greatest confidence in the World being done the said King caused him to reposite the said Goods in certain Coffers and the said Coffers to be locked up and sealed by one of the Archbishops Clerks and keeping the said Coffers by him returned the Keys thereof by the said Clerk to the Archbishop Yet afterwards unknown to the said Archbishop caused the said Coffers to be broken open and disposed of the goods therein at his will and pleasure Furthermore the said King faithfully promised the said Archbishop that if he would but repair to the Port of Hampton in order to go out of the Realm he would at least by the Intercession of the Queen get him Recalled And if it should happen that he the said Archbishop should go out of the Realm he should without fail return into England before Easter next following nor should
of Money by way of Loan to be paid again at a certain term notwithstanding the said King faithfully promised by his several Letters Patent to the several persons of whom he borrowed the said Moneys that at the term limited as aforesaid he would repay the same yet he did not fulfill such his Promise nor are they yet satisfied the said Moneys whereby such Creditors are much agrieved and not only they but many others of the Kingdom repute the King unfaithfull XV. Item Whereas the King of England by the Revenue of his Kingdom and the Patrimony belonging to his Crown is able to live honestly without the oppression of his People as long as the Kingdom is not burthen'd with the Charge of Wars yet the said King in a manner for his whole time during the Truces between the Kingdom of England and its Adversaries hath not only given away a great yea indeed the greatest part of his said Patrimony and this to unworthy Persons But also hath further imposed on his Subjects so many Burdens of Monies granted as it were every year of his Reign that thereby he hath extreamly and too excessively oppressed his People to the Impoverishment of his Kingdom Not converting the Goods so levied to the Commodity and profit of the Kingdom of England but prodigally squandering it away for the Ostentation of his Name and in Pomp and Vain-glory Whilst great Sums of Money are owing in his Kingdom for the Victuals of his Houshould and other things bought though he hath abounded with Riches and Treasures more than any of his Progenitors XVI Item The said King not willing to keep or Protect the just Laws and Customs of his Kingdom but according to his Arbitrary Will to do whatsoever should occur to his Desires sometimes and very often when the Laws of his Kingdom have been expounded and declared to him by the Judges and others of his Council and that they have desired that he would do Justice according to those Laws hath expresly and with an angry and haughty Countenance said That his Laws were in his Mouth and sometimes That they were in his Breast And that he himself alone could make and change the Laws of his Kingdom And being seduced with that Opinion did not suffer Justice to be done to very many of his Leige People but by Threats and Terrors hath forced very many to cease from the prosecution of Common Justice XVII Item That after certain Statutes had been made in Parliament which always bind till they are specially revok'd by the Authority of another Parliament The said King desiring to enjoy such Liberty that no such Statutes should so bind him but that he might do and execute his pleasure subtily procured a Petition to be preferred in his Parliament on the behalf of the Commonalty of his Kingdom and to be granted to him in general That he might be as free as any of his Progenitors were before him By colour of which Petition and Concession the said King hath very often commanded very many things to be done against such Statutes unrepealed acting therein expresly and knowingly against his Oath taken in his Coronation as aforesaid XVIII Item Although it was Enacted and Ordained that no Sheriff should hold his Office above one year together but that three years should pass before he should be again admitted to that Office The said King Richard sometimes for his own single Commodity and sometimes at the instance of others for their advantage hath permitted and caused certain Sheriffs to stand and remain continually in their Offices sometimes two sometimes three Years against the Tenor and effect of the Statute aforesaid thereby incurring Perjury and this is notorious publick and generally ill spoken of XIX Item Although by the Statuteâ— and Custom of his Realm in the calling together of every Parliament his People in several Countries of the Kingdom ought to be free in choosing and deputing two Knights to be present in such Parliament for each respective County and to declare their Grievances and to prosecute such Remedies thereupon as to them shall seem expedient Yet the aforesaid King that in his Parliaments he might be able more freely to accomplish the effects of his head-strong will did very often direct his Command to his Sheriffs that they should cause to come to his Parliaments as Knights of the Shire certain Persons by the said King named which Knights being his Favourites he might lead as often as he has done sometimes by various Menaces and Terrors and sometimes by Gifts to consent to those things as were prejudicial to the Kingdom and exceeding burthensom to the People And especially to grant to the said King a Subsidy on Wooll for the term of his Life and another Subsidy for certain Years thereby too grievously oppressed his People XX. Item the said King that he might more freely fulfil and follow in every thing his own Arbitrary Will did unlawfully cause and command That the Sheriffs throughout his whole Realm besides their ancient accustomed Oath should swear that they would obey his commands as often as they should be directed to them under his Great and Privy Seal and also his Letters under his Signet And that in case the said Sheriffs could come to know that any within their Bailiwicks of whatsoever condition they were had publickly or secretly said or spoken any ill that might tend to the disgrace or scandal of his Royal Person they should Arrest and imprison them there safely to be kept till they should receive Command from the King to the contrary as may be found in the Record which Fact may probably tend to the destruction of many of the Liege People to the said Kingdom XXI Item The said King striving to trample under foot his People and subtily to acquire their Goods to himself that he might abound in superfluous Riches did cause the People of Seventeen Counties of the Realm to submit themselves to the King as Traitors by Letters under their Seals By colour whereof he got mighty Sums of Money to be granted him by the Clergy and People of those Counties for obtaining his Royal good Will and Favour And though to please the People the King had caused those Obligatory Letters to be restored yet the Procurators of the People having full Power granted them to oblige themselves and their Heirs to the said King he the said King caused them under their Seals to be bound to him in the Name of the said People and so deceived his people and Subtily extorted from them their Goods XXII Item Although the said King in his Corâ—nation had sworn to keep the Liberties granted to the Arglicane Church yet the said King by reason of his Voyage into Ireland did by his Letters command very many Religious Persons viz. Abbots and Priors of his Kingdom strictly requiring that some of them should send to him certain Horses and some of them not only Horses but also Waggons and Carriages for his said Voyage
place the said King and cause him to sit in the said Royal Seat All the people wonderfully shouting for joy and by and by the said Archbishop of Canterbury having with much ado procured silence from the over joy'd multitude made a short discourse or Oration in these words Vir Dominabitur populo A man shall Reign over my people 1 Sam. 9. 17. These are the words of the King of Kings speaking to Samuel and teaching him how a person should be qualified to Rule since the people desired to have a King given And not unfitly may they be said of our Lord the King whom we behold this day and if we but intimately consider these words they afford us matter of great Consolation for God does not threaten us as he did formerly his people by Isaiah saying Isa. 3. I will make Children to rule over them But according to his Compassion who in his wrath remembreth mercy he hath visited his people and now no more Children as heretofore shall Lord it over them For the Lord saith to them A man shall Rule Of the late Rulers of this Kingdom or any of them one might have fitly said that of the Apostle Cor. 13. I spake as a Child I understood as a Child I thought as a Child The Apostle repeats it thrice As a Child I spake I understood and thought As to speech 't is certain that a Child is unconstant in speaking he easily speaks true and as easily false is 〈◊〉 inwards to promise but what he promiâ—â—â— presâ—ntly forgets Now these are things very 〈◊〉 and dangerous in a King nor is it possible that any Realm shall stand long in happiness where these Conditions bear sway But from such mischiefs a Kingdom is freed whese Scepter is sway'dly a Man for it belongs to a Man to sâ—t a watch before his Tongue and such is our present happiness over whom not a Child but a Man is set and such an one as I hope we may say of him That in Eccles 9 Blessed is the man that hath not erred with his Tongue Thâ—n saith the Apostle I understood as a Child Now a Child 〈◊〉 nothing but flatteries and pleasing things and understands only Bawbles and 〈◊〉 and loves not 〈◊〉 that argues according 〈…〉 hates him beyond all 〈…〉 amongst us Truth 〈…〉 under foot so that none durst 〈◊〉 and therefore 't is plain and apparâ—â—â— enough that He that thâ—n Reign'd understood as a Child For a Man is not addiâ—â—â— to such things but understands wisdom so that by the Grace of God it may be said of him 〈◊〉 is written Eccles. 9. Blessed is the man that abideth in wisdom For as a Child is delighted in Vanity so a man has regard to Truth and Wisdâ—m Truth therefore shall enter and Vanity depart which has done so much mischiâ—f in our Nation for now a Man shall Rule who seeks after Truth and not Vanity or Flattery Thirdly It is said I thought as a Child for a Child thinks and studies only how to have his humour and do things according to his own will and not according to Reason Thereforâ— when a Child Reigns there only Self-will Reigns and Reason is banisht and Constancy is put to flight and great danger ensues from which danger wâ— are dâ—lâ—verâ—d for a Man shall rule over us to wit One that speaks not like a Child but thus as one that has the perfection of Reason I come not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me to wit of God And thâ—râ—fore of such a man we will say not only that he will abide in wisdom but also that as a Man not a Child he will meditate on the Circumspection of God that is he will every way dâ—lâ—gently observe that Gods will not his own be done and so in the stead of a Child wantoning in foâ—lish stubborn humors a Man shall Râ—ign and such a Man that it shall be said of him A King shall Reign in wisdom and he shâ—ll eâ—â—ente Judgment and do Justice in the Earth Which Harrangue being ended the said Lord King Henry to appease the minds of his Subjects did then and there utter these words Sirs I thank God and Èowe Spiritual and Temporel and all the Astates of the Lond and do Èowe to wyte it es noght my will that no man thynke that be way of Conquest I wold disherit any man of his Heritage Franches or other Ryghts that hym aght to have no put hym out of that that he has and has had by the gude Laws and Customs of the Rewme Except those persons that has ben agan the gude purpose and the commune profit of the Rewme And forthwith considering that by the former vacancy of the Royal Throne by the Cession and Deposâ—â—ion aforesaid all power of Justices Sheriffs and other Officers throughout the Kingdom was ceased therefore to the end that there might be â—â—â—failure nor delay in the administration of Justice to the grievance of the People he caused principal Officers and Justices to be made and sworn to him with the usual Oaths And it was immediately proclaimed by the Kings Command that on Monday next after the said Feast of S. Michael a Parliament should be held and celebrated And that on the Monday following that that is to say on the Feast of S. Edward should be the Coronation of the said King at Westminster and that all those that could claim any service in the said Coronation should come to the White hall of the Palace before the Steward Constable and Marshall of England on Saturday next before the day of the said Parliament to make their just demands in that behalf and receive right therein But as for the shortning the day assigned to the Parliament there was a Protestation made by the King That it was not his intent that thereby any prejudice should be brought upon the States of his Kingdom nor that the same for the future should be drawn into Example but that such Abbreviation of Time was only made for the benefit and profit of the Kingdom and especially to save the Labour and Expences of several of his people and that the Grievances of the people might be the sooner remedied After which the King arising from his Royal Throne and beholding the people with a cheerful and benign Countenance retired himself from thence all the people rejoycing And the same day in the White-hall aforesaid made a solemn Feast to the Nobles and Gentry there in a vast multitude assembled And afterwards viz. On Wednesday next following the before named Procurators so deputed as aforesaid did according as they were commanded repair into the Presence of the said laâ—e King Richard being within the Tower aforesaid and the said Sir William Thirnyng the Justice for himself and his Companions and Fellow-Proâ—urators in the Name of all the States and People aforesaid did notifie and fully declare unto the said Richard their admission of his said Renunciation and the Manner Cause and