be suitable to his Nature and their Ambitious Designs The three chief Favourites and Ministers were Robert Vere Earl of Oxford afterwards Marquiss of Dublin and Duke of Ireland Michael Delapool Earl of Suffolk and Robert Tresilian Lord Chief Justice The Duke of Ireland seem'd the best as hardly he cou'd do otherwise being set with two such Foils but he wanted Vertue and Courage without the excess of Vices of the other two Michael Delapoole was a model of complicated Vices in Peace the most odiously Insolent in War the most dejectedly Contemptible He despised all methods of Quietness and yet was frighted with the least Disturbance Tresilian the Chief Justice was one that never shew'd his Place or Title by any practice but ready to prostrate all Law to Occasion and Justice to Designs His Knowledg was Lewdness and his Vertue Violence what others design'd he was ready to execute and being kept up in this Darkness he grew fierce on all things that were cast to him This King was called Richard of Burdeaux because born there the only Son of the Black Prince By his Grandfather Edward the Third he was in his Life time declared his Successor And after his Death was Crowned at Westminster in the year 1377 by Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury with great Solemnity The King being then eleven years old The Duke of Lancaster and Edmund Earl of Cambridge the King's Uncles with other Lords and Bishops were joyned in Commission to manage the State. The Minority of the King gave foreign Princes an Opinion that it was a proper time to attempt upon England the French first laid hold on the Occasion and landed Forces and did some mischief and burnt some places near the Sea As about Rye Portsmouth Dartmouth and Plimouth as also Hastings and Winchelsea The Scots also assaulted the Castle of Berwick and won it but it was taken again by the Earls of Northumberland and Nottingham and all put to the Sword but Ramsey who took it by a bold and desperate attempt with a few Men. These troubles occasion'd a Parliament to be called at Westminster where Alice Pearce the Concubine to the late King Edward the Third was banish'd and all her Goods confiscated A Tax was then given of two Tenths of the Clergy and two Fifteenths of the Temporalty Others write the Tax was a Poll of four Pence upon every Head but which way soever it was either the Levying it or the Tax it self caused a sudden and strange Insurrection begun by the infusion of one Wiat a Factious Priest using these Common Notions against great Men who had power to oppress others and ruine the meaner sort to support their Greatness and Luxuries This spread to the City who gave intelligence that they were ready to join with the Rabble that appeared gather'd from many adjacent Countries This confused Body chose one Wat Tyler for their Captain whose Assistants or Privy-Councellers were John Ball Jack Straw and Jack Shepherd Blackheath as they marched to London was their Rendezvous where they appeared to be above Threescore Thousand From thence they marched to London declaring themselves for the King and People When they came to London they were received either for Fear or Love with all freedom and treated as if they strove who shou'd express themselves best to the flatter'd Rebels who like such a Mass of Giddiness got together committed nothing but Murther and Violence They burnt the Savoy the Duke of Lancaster's House they rifled the Temple and destroyed the Law-Books expressing a Spleen against any thing of that Nature Nor were Churches or Religious Houses spared the good they punished the ill they cherished setting all Prisoners at Liberty their Chief Leader Tyler remembring some Punishment that his old Master Richard Lyon had inflicted on him for some Crime he had committed without any more Tryal or Judgment than what his Revenge allowed caused his Head to be stricken off and carried before him on a Spear Their Numbers were now so great that the King durst not resist their Entrance into the Tower where they abused his Mother and took the Archbishop of Canterbury the Chancellor and Lord Treasurer and dragging them to Tower-Hill there beheaded them In the midst of all these Outrages the King proclaim'd a Pardon to all that wouâ—d go quietly home which the Essex men and some others accepted but the Kentish and others stayed with their Captain Tyler So that it seem'd as if part of this Rabble were not in the secret intention to subvert the Government and throw down all above themselves from Oppression About 20000. continued with their Captain The King looking upon this as a good beginning presented himself in Person before the Rebels and spoke to them with all sweetness promising them Pardon and Favour but had so rude a return from Tyler that instead of Submission he demanded the King's Sword at which the Mayor of London drew his and struck him to the ground where he was presently killed The Rabble seem'd to threaten Revenge But the City hearing this and thinking it high time to free their King and themselves from Ruine and Destruction came to his Relief with a body of men at which sight the affrighted Rebels yielded and some fled and deliver'd up their Ringleader a Sacrifice that seldom fails to be made by such Tumults Jack Straw at his Execution confessed their Design of destroying all that were above them in Name or Fortune The King 's chief Favourites now appeared to be Michael Delapoole made Chancellor of England and after Earl and Duke of Suffolk Robert de Vere Marquess of Dublin and after Earl of Ireland Alexander Archbishop of York and Tresilian the Chief Justice The first Testimony that these shewed of their Animosities against the Methods of a just Minister was the displacing Sir Richard Scroope Lord Chancellor who in all things used an impartial uprightness which was an Offence to their loose and partial Designs But they did not only sharpen the King's Nature against men in point of Offices and Employments but against their Lives The first appearance of this was by the Duke of Lancaster whose Offences were likewise from his Vertues and his Ruine therefore contrived by them and resolv'd by Tresilian to be done by Form of Law the worst sort of destroying when violated but when truly observ'd the best defence against destruction There are seldom any extream Proceedings in a Government but there are depraved persons enough in all Conditions ready to swim with the stream and take the benefit of any Tide of Fortune For when Mischief is to be practised Corruption is the Consequence and there are always those ready whom no Consideration ballances in their Natures with Honour and Benefit Tresilian was one of those thus prepared and cou'd hardly want as well-condition'd Informers and Juries Occasions preserved from men is the surest Cause of their Vertue but offered from those that should depress it is the Cause and Temptation of Villany
Receipt which were to be seen in the Chamber of Paris Hastings the Lord great Chamberlain was the only great Person that was hardly perswaded to become a Pensioner of France and that refus'd to give any Acquittance for what he receiv'd The same Historian says That he was the only man that perswaded him to it and had first perswaded him to be so to Charles Duke of Burgundy and when Cleret was sent by King Lewis with a Present of 2000 Crowns and desired his Acquittance for his Discharge as he had receiv'd it from the Chancellor and the Admiral He answer'd the Gift proceeded from his Master's Liberality not his Request If he desired he shou'd receive it he might put it in his Sleeve other Testimonial he shou'd get none of him for he wou'd not that any shou'd say That the Lord Chamberlain was Pensioner to the French King nor that his Acquittance shou'd be found in the Chamber of Accounts The King of France was angry with Cleret for bringing no Acquittance but ever after preferr'd the Lord Chamberlain in his Esteem before all the King of England's other Servants I cannot discern much Reason for it There seems little Difference to me between one that is carelesly and another that is cautiously dishonest And those Ministers equally forgot the Interest of England for their own to let them share in our Affairs and Councils The People judgâ—â— right in this and Parliaments as Cemines observes were never corrupted in themselves and Judgments and alwayâ— perceiv'd the Dissimulation of the French and in another place says they were always willing to grant Aids against France for they cou'd not be deceiv'd by Demonstration which shew'd the Difference in our Methods and Constitution from theirs Our Laws are suitable to our Interest and our Interest secur'd by our Laws Our Fashions and manner of Expences shou'd be applicable to the Consumption of our own Productions The French differ from the first and their Fancies are the only Measures of the last They are not capable to live after the Methods of our Interest but we may quit ours to assist theirs France can be but of little use to us but we may be of too much to them They may receive but can bring no advantage They have reason then to be always active to keep an Interest here by private means since 't were vain to hope it by publick ones and Gardinal Richelieu well understood these Truths when he call'd England their Indies About this time Guido Earl of St. Paul was sent by Charles the French King to visit and complement King Richard and his Queen The Earl according to the ready Confidence of the French became Counsellor For one day the King discoursing with him he complain'd of the Duke of Glocester and in particular that he did passionately endeavour to disturb the Peace between England and France The Earl presently gave Seutence against the Duke and told the King plainly he was not fit to live For when a Subject was grown so great a Prince was no longer safe and if he meant to secure himself against Danger the surest way was to destroy those from whence it might so easily come This Advice blew the King's Anger into a Flame and he began to express to some of his great men his Displeasure against the Duke of Glocester but he found in them all an high Opinion of the Duke's Honour and Vertue So that the King began to calm again and shew'd as if Cruelty had not its full spring from his own Nature but swell'd as it was nourish'd by the Streams of other Councils For after this he was again rais'd by the Advices of the Earls of Holland and Nottingham to contrive the Destruction of the Duke of Glocester And commonly as the Advice of ill men tends to the worst things so generally they suggest the worst way of doing them The Duke of Glocester was then at his House in Plashy in Essex whither the King was invited or rather invited himself and with all Testimonies of Respect and Kindness most splendidly feasted This was judg'd a proper time for the Design and as the Duke waited upon the King to bring him going he was seiz'd by a Company of arm'd men laid secretly for him and so hurried blindfold to the Thames and in a Vessel ready prepar'd carried to Calice and there shortly after strangled Either thought too Guilty and Popular or not Guilty enough to be brought to a publick Tryal And as the wicked Advisers perswaded his taking by the breach of Hospitality the basest way of Treachery so they continued in the peculiar Methods of Mischief to contrive his Death by the most hated way of private Murther Within a Day or two after the King invited the Earl of Warwick to Dinner and in the midst of all shews of Kindness sent him to Prison and also the Earl of Arundel and his Son. The Dukes of Lancaster and York being thus alarm'd gather'd Forces together but upon the Promise of a Parliament and Legal Proceedings with many Excuses for what had been done they dismiss'd their Forces and came up to attend at Parliament where Sir John Bushy Sir William Bagott and Sir Henry Green appear'd busie Ministers for the King Sir Bushy was made Speaker and by his and their assiduous Endeavours corrupting some by Fears and others by Benefits the Charters of Pardon formerly granted by the King were annull'd and made void The Prelates perceiving what way was made for taking away of Lives constituted Sir Henry Percy their Procurator and absented themselves that they might not be present at any Sentence of Blood a President ever to be remembred for the Honour of their Calling Then follow'd as was expected the Death of the Earl of Arundel the perpetual Imprisonment of the Earl of Warwick in the Isle of Man the Death of the Duke of Glocester above-mention'd the Archbishop of Canterbury arraign'd for Executing the Commission against Michael Delapoole the Lord Cobham banished into the Isle of Wight Sir Reginald Cobham condemn'd to Death for being formerly appointed by the Lords in the King's Minority to be one of his Governours These Cruel Successes furnished Arguments to those new Upstart Ministers Bushy Bagott and Green to infuse into the King how much more safe he was by Cruelty than gentle means and how much more secure by Fear than Love. Nor are other Counsels to be expected from such Men equally low and mean in their Minds as in their Extractions made greedy from their Poverty and ambitious from their Meanness neither endued with their Minds and Fortunes to think of Principles Power was their Justice Violence their Prudence and Opportunity the Providence The King was now possess'd with the Opinion That he was in a Condition to dispose as he pleas'd of those that durst dislike his Actions and that his Will might now become the Law. But the present Prospect of Things commonly deceives those that are willing onely to believe the
Whisperers of their own Inclinations and because they see nothing at the present spring up they forget that the Roots grow undiscern'd And no Questioâ—â— the King in that Conjuncture of Time thought every Cloud dispers'd and pursued all those fatal ways that mistaken Flattery cou'd guide him in But a particular Accident made way for a general and fatal Revolution The Duke of Hereford one day discoursing with the Duke of Norfolk complain'd how much the King was misguided by mean and base Counsellors such as fought their own private Interest and not the publick Good and fear'd that the King following such Councels would so lose the Hearts of his People that it might prove dangerous to him Assuring him that no private displeasure urg'd him to say this but meerly his love to his King and Country and therefore desir'd the Duke being one of the King's Cabinet-Council to lay these things before him which might prove of ill Consequence if continued The Duke of Norfolk seemed not to dislike what had been said but so represented it to the King that he turn'd it rather to an Accusation than a Counsel The King that could not endure to hear unpleasant Truths and at that Instant looking upon himself as above the mean Consideration of publick Notions so resented the boldness of the Duke of Hereford that he summon'd him to answer this that now became his Charge before the Council where the Duke confirmed his Information which was deny'd by the Duke of Hereford owning all that he had said but the Duke of Norfolk maintaining the Accusation the Combat was demanded and assented to and the day appointed by the King At which time both the Dukes appear'd arm'd and being just ready to be engag'd they were stopt by the King and Banishment pronounced against both the Dukes The Duke of Norfolk dyed suddenly after at Venice having enjoy'd no great Benefit by those Violences he so precipitately engaged in A little after dyed John of of Gaunt Father to the Duke of Hereford and fourth Son of Edward the Third after whose death the Dutchy of Lancaster fell to this Dukes being his eldest Son. But the King in his deceiv'd opinion of Power and Security acted the most probale means to shake both seizing all the Duke's New-descended Estate into his own hands and endeavour'd to make his Banishment perpetual Revoking all his Letters Patents to prevent the suing out the Livery for those Lands during his Banishment If this be well consider'd 't is impossible a King should do it purely from his own advice First he enrag'd a Person that could only be a considerable Enemy his Popularity gave him an Interest in Power and his Descent from a King the Pretence to use it This could be no Motive from right Reason to urge the King to do such an imprudent Injustice he was above the Temptation of a private Estate but his Ministers were tempted by it following the usual Methods of their Counsels by no Considerations but Revenge and Interest as if their Safeties were grounded upon nothing so much as their Princes Hazard and their Advantages upon his Prejudice As the Testimony of the prevalency of these Counsellors the King left all the Business to them and gave himself up wholly to Sloth and Pleasure The imitation spread into Luxury and Effeminacy and the King thought it was the Testimony of Arbitrary Power to live uncontrolled to such a loose Condition all Power but this shadow of it was exercis'd by his Ministers who now depress'd all Persons of either Courage or Honour A Valiant Man was counted dangerous and a Wise Man Mutinous and every one was made perceive that 't was easier to prosper by following their Princes Humour than to pursue his Interest and Honour The Ministers being grown into Absolute power thought of nothing but how to satisfie their greedy Ambitions They pretended to get all for the King the sure way to convey it to themselves And indeed his Gifts were so large to them that they brought him into more wants than ever the Wars of his brave Ancestors could reduce them to and us'd more unjust Inventions to supply his private use than they needed publick Assistances to support the Interest and Honour of it But Edward the First and Edward the Third had a less Burthen and Charge to support They had a Kingdom and no Favourites the first was not capable to satisfie the latter For at this time without any publick occasion strange ways were us'd to levy Money sometimes Pole-money was exacted of every Religious Person and Secular Priest sometimes sums were drawn from the People under the name of Benevolence sometimes Money borrow'd by Privy Seals Then Commissioners sent to all Sheriffs and Corporations declaring the King 's High Displeasure for the kindness they testified to the Duke of Glocester the Earls of Arundel and Warwick and for this affection shew'd to the King's Enemies his Pardon was to be obtain'd by heavy Fines or rather Taxes laid upon them The Commons were bound by new-invented Oaths to perform what they engag'd to and black Charters Sealed and Deliver'd to the King's use whereby their Liberty might be as well taken away as their Properties had been By such Counsels as these the Subjects were turn'd to Slaves and made waiters upon any Opportunities to shake off their Fetters The King made believe he govern'd most when he had none to Govern For Slaves are not in the Business of Mankind their Thoughts are fix'd upon Revenge and Freedom and like distemper'd Men seldom return to their former Composures The first occasion that prov'd this true was a Rebellion that broke out in Ireland the opportunity of which Diversion favour'd the Earl of Northumberland to gather Forces in the North. And others of the Nobility and People weary of their Oppressions resolv'd in the King's absence to attempt some relief and fixt upon the Duke of Hereford as the proper Instrument to act by His Banishment that the King design'd to make perpetual was the Cause of that mischief which he believ'd he should prevent by it He now became the Center to which all other Discontents tended to whom now resorted many of his former Friends and others whom Oppression now made so Among these the Archbishop of Canterbury was the Chief who in Speech to the Duke of Hereford laid open their Grievances and Desires summing up all the Mischiefs and Misfortunes of an unsteady Government the Contempt it spread abroad and Oppression at home not Slaves to their Prince but to his Favourites and that Peace under their Extortions was more chargeable than War The Expence of their Riots and Ambitions needed more Projects and Taxes to maintain them than the Defence and Support of the Government it self requir'd By their Cruelties most of the Nobility were destroyed and the Commonalty wasted concluding with imploring the Duke to pity the Oppression of his Countrey and to animate those that were ready to redeem themselves from Slavery by
ill Intention and this unlimited Confidence confirm'd the Opinion of it both betray'd what he design'd both shou'd conceal and by the Extreams taught the fatal Lesson of Jealousie and those perhaps that advis'd the ill Designs wanting power to bring them forth from their own Fears gave Councils contrary to their former Advices in a better Condition For men without Principles are guided by those Opinions that unequal Fears or unsteddy Ambition gives them and receive no Council from even Principles or unshaken Vertue These Mistakes provok'd the Banishment of Gaveston and the King became liable to Perjury whenever they pleased But after he had committed this Error he pursues it with a greater and though he banish'd Gaveston to keep his Oath he violates again by re-calling him and gives him his Neece in Marriage and so much Rules that it justly merited the Censure of wasting the publicâ— Treasure The Barrons enrag'd at this Breach of Faith in the King and to see the Fortune of the Nation thrown into a Stranger 's Hands threaten Force against their Perjur'd Prince and by this means obtain again the Banishment of Gaveston with a Clause of Death if ever he returned Gaveston having not been long in Banishment and finding or at least believing he was not safe abroad thought it less hazardous to trust to the former extravagant Affection of the King than Enemies and Strangers in another Countrey and upon this consideration comes back into England and immediately repairs to him The King according to his expectation receiv'd him with such an Excess of inconsiderate Joy and Kindness that it seem'd as if Gaveston brought always Charms more powerful than any Divine or Hamane Obligation Upon this the Lords again took Arms and petition in the Name of the whole Commonalty That Gaveston may be banish'd The King more fond of Gaveston than sensible of what he had done or of their Force or Petition takes as it were a Flight with him and puts him with Forces into Scarborough-Castle and as Gaveston seem'd to aim at security by weaving the King's Fortunes with his so the King seem'd to make his Fortunes as desperate as Gaveston's by sharing his Condition The Lords eagerly pursu'd him to Scarborough which they besieg'd and took together with Gaveston whom they immediately beheaded Thus this unhappy Prince neglecting his own Faith gave others the Opinion that theirs was discharg'd and the fondness of a Favourite above the People lessen'd their Duty as he lessen'd his Consideration of them and 't is too visible a truth that a Prince who so much resigns himself to Favourites must also resign his Fortune to theirs The Lords swell'd with this Success the usual Effects of Ravish't Power march with an Army towards London where the King then was where Necessity and not Choice seem'd to be the means that a Parliament was call'd where the King complain'd of the Barons who justified their unlawful Actions by the Errors of their Prince and plead Merit for having purchas'd the Banishment of Strangers to quiet the People Thus unsteddy Actions beget wild Arguments and false Pretensions are too much supported by Power However a Composure for the present was made by the Queen the Bishops and the Earl of Glocester who calm'd the Barons into a Temper of asking the King's Pardon and several Articles were agreed on for present satisfaction which seem'd as if the Lords had more Inclinations to Obedience than Rebellion and wanted but the prudent Justice of a Prince to be applied to cure these Wounds that Jealous Discontents had made But the Mischief of former ill Humours and Councils remain'd and began to shew themselves by the dealy of performing what was agreed on which was the Cause that the Earls of Arundel Warwick and Warren refus'd to go with the King against the Scots It seems strange that Vnsteddiness and Injustice Two of the weakest Errors of Mankind shou'd become Rules for Princes to act by which could hardly be possible were they not resign'd to the Councils of others and consequently to their Interests such who cannot by National Methods pursue their Ambitious Designs and protect what they obtain the pursuit of Honour and Riches are seldom limited and putting a Distance between King and People is the only means to keep them remote from Examination and Justice and at least involve their Interest so with his that to question them is to attack his Dignity To foment Differences between the King and others was now acted by little Artifices one Instance of which was the taking away the Earl of Lancaster's Wife by one Richard St. Martin claiming her as his and that he had formerly lain with her and claim'd by her the Two Earldoms of Lincoln and Salisbury This was an Action that seem'd to shew the Encouragement and Assistance of great Power nor did they that contriv'd it omit their chief aim of having the King thought a Party at once to engage him in their Designs and Animosities and to revenge himself and them by particular Injuries For 't is not to be presum'd that such a man as the Duke of Lancaster could have such a violence committed in his House by an inconsiderable Fellow without great assistance of Force and Power and the Two Earldoms that seems rested in her were Arguments that the Design was to affront the Duke of Lancaster in the Diminution of his Honour and to make an irreconcilable Difference between the King and him who being related to the King and a man of great Quality and Interest might perhaps be an Obstacle to those Designs which were contriving by the new Favourites and it was an improper consideration for such to consider whether the King's Interest and Honour were best served by this but only whether their own Designs were not best pursu'd And now the same Fatal Humour began to shew it self and Hugh Spencer the Younger who Mezeray says had been bred up with him in an unbecoming Familiarity and had absolute Empire over him succeeded Caveston in an almost unlimited Favour and Power The first Difference that this caused appeared at the Siege of Berwick which being near taken by the Scots the King declared to make his Design to make the Younger Spencer Governour of it upon which the Earl of Lancaster withdrew his Forces with whom the Lords presently took Arms and declared the Cause to be for the removing the Spencers the Father being now got into joynt Commission of Favour with his Son who govern'd with as much Insolence and Absoluteness as ever Gaveston had done With these Forces they advance towards the King and boldly demand the Banishment of the Spencers The King not being strong enough at present to oppose them gives a Temperate Answer only seeming averse to punish any but by Form of Law and therefore wou'd not banish them unheard but promises them they shou'd answer to any Charge and swore he wou'd never pardon Offences prov'd This Answer did not yet satisfie the Lords who
and Lord Treasurer but the City to shew their good will to the Queen among the many Testimonies she received gave a bloody one of their Devotion to her increasing Success and struck off the Bishop's Head and seiz'd the Tower of London killing many in their Fury and acting those Lawless Cruelties that they before Condem'd These strange Revolutions evidently shew'd the various Powers of Adversity and Prosperity how it depresses some below themselves and lifts up others beyond their Reason and Consciences The Queen that had been before the repairer of her Husband's Errors now makes use of them to her Husband's ruin She that us'd to bring Peace to heal those Wounds Ill Councels had made brought War now to make them wider and whilst she Condemn'd those Diseases that made the Nation sick she made Rebellion the Cure. But success as it was us'd to do made her not only act worse than her self but worse than those she had so Condemn'd At first she only declared against the Favourites and perhaps then only design'd their ruins but she ought not with the loss of her own Vertue to try to Cure what the want of it in others had caused But had not the rapidness of her Good Fortune hurried her so fast from her self she might have discern'd she was expos'd upon so violent a Stream as wou'd carry her by its own Force and not by her Direction and others at last wou'd use that Power which in such Cases as these are is seldom retain'd long by the Raisers of it Mighty Causes that bring Disorders like Temples raise up things first and toss up unthought of Ruines upon them and a Succession of mischief lasts till the Storm ceases No Age but this afforded these Examples and yet we see it not powerful enough to teach those who would be safe in Vertue not to hazard being Corrupted by Power violently obtain'd The Queen now with still encreasing Forces pursues her flying King and Husband and from Oxford marches to Glocester and from thence to Bristol where the King had put the Earl of Arundel and Spencer the Father to defend the Place which was fortified as well as the time wou'd give them leave But this Place quickly yielded to that success which seem'd to deny all hopes to the King 's declining Condition Spencer was there taken and executed with all the Rigour that Revenge and Conquest cou'd invent and with as much Contempt of Law as he and his Son had formerly shewed They Condemn'd him without any Tryal and prevented his natural Determination which cou'd not have been long being then Fourscore years old Proclamation was about this time made That if the King wou'd come in and conform himself to the Laws and Government he should be restor'd by the General Consent of the People But the King either durst not or his Favourite Spencer durst not let him trust this Declaration Such Ministers made desperate hold their King the safer the more sinking their Condition is and rather chose that the Hazard of their Prince may save them than their Ruin save their Prince Though perhaps in his Prosperous Condition they flatter'd him that their Lives and Fortunes shou'd be always Sacrifices for him But 't is equally strange that Princes in great Power and Prosperity shou'd with pleasure believe Flatterers and that those Interested Flatterers should hope to be believed it shews a fatal Weakness in the one and loose Designs in the other Those also that put forth this Proclamation to call the King to his own Government did perhaps as little desire he shou'd embrace it For this was but once done and seem'd a thing rather us'd to covâ—â— what was intended than a clear intention in it self For the eager pursuit of the King was still continued who as some say seeking to Land in Lundy was driven by Tempest into Wales and in the Abby of Nethe in Glamorganshire lay some time conceal'd From Hereford the Queen divided part of her Army under the Command of Henry Earl of Lancaster into Wales in pursuit of the King who by the means of one Ryce ap Powel who was well acquainted in the Country took the King in a Monastery This Earl of Lancaster was Brother to him that was beheaded at Pomfret and seem'd to shew a Powerful pursuit of Blood to bring the King into the Mercy of a Family where he had shew'd so little Others say that the King and and the younger Spencer were in the Castle of Bristol when it was besieged from whence fearing the Event he with the younger Spencer stole away by night and endeavouring to escape by Sea his Boat was beaten back and trying to put out again it was discover'd by the Lord Beaumont who chas'd them with a small Vessel and took the King and Spencer in it However they all agree that Spencer was taken with him as if the King must always appear inseparably from the Cause of his Misfortunes The Earl of Arundel that was taken at Bristol with others were beheaded at the Instance of Mortimer who now Govern'd the Queen's Affections and Affairs This Earl of Arundell was generally allowed a brave Character and seem'd to be Guilty of no Fault but Loyalty to an unfortunate King unless his Relation to the younger Spencer who marryed his Daughter The same thing that creates a prosperous Interest in one Condition brings Ruine in another or else it seem'd improbable that so brave a Gentleman shou'd dye like a Traytor only for being Loyal The younger Spencer was carryed along only to Grace the Queen's marching Triumph and as the chief Cause of her taking Arms he was render'd as Contemptible a Spectacle as was possible and expos'd in a fitting Posture to increase the Storms and Reproaches that use to attend such miserable Objects And perhaps some were mingled in the Crowd that had formerly in his prosperous Greatness saluted him with fawning Acclamations At last he was eased of all his Sufferings though by a Death as full of Torments as cou'd be imagin'd which yet he endur'd with much seeming calmness perhaps wearied with so much shame and misery he might be willing any way to find an undisturbed Quietness A Parliament was presently called where it was agreed the King shou'd be Depos'd and his Son placed in his Throne who hearing of it refus'd such an untimely Succession without the Consent and Resignation of his Father Commissioners were immediately Deputed consisting of Lords and Bishops to go to the King But before they came the ready Bishops of Hereford and Lincoln had pressed the King to yield to the powerful Decrees of the Nation and added â—no question specious Petences how well he shou'd be provided for and live more happily than the various Cares of a Crown wou'd ever permit him Yet mingled Threatnings That if he refus'd quietly to resign to his Son the Fury of the Incens'd Nation wou'd not only Destroy Him but perhaps his Posterity The King seem'd quietly to submit and