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
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
his Valour and Conduct The Duke of Lancaster needed not the force of Eloquence to perswade him the loss of his Uncles his Banishment the Imprisonment of his Children and the loss of his Estate were powerful Exciters enough to lay hold on any Opportunity to revenge all his Wrongs To all which was added the perswasive Temptation of a Crown and sure there could be no more powerful Motives than by one way at once to satisfie both his Ambition and Revenge These Considerations and the depending on the Peoples Affections to a Change being wearied with Oppression made him venture to land with a very small Force in Yorkshire At first he gave out That he came only to recover his Inheritance and quickly found his utmost Expectation answer'd for his small Troop presently encreas'd to an Army Many of the Nobility that came in to him took an Oath of him That no bodily harm should be done to King Richard as if a Conquest and a Crown wou'd preserve that Sincerity that was inconsistent with it or that the Modesty profess'd when something was to be obtain'd should continue after the Acquisition The Duke finding every thing more successful than almost he could hope pursued that Fortune which so prosperously invited him and hasted with his still-encreasing Forces to London where he found a Reception suitable to usual Joy that discontented People shew in Alterations He was receiv'd in Triumph without Victory and with all the Testimonies of Zeal and Duty which flattering Crowds cou'd pay their lawful Prince and Soveraign Pageants and rich Presents entertain'd him and all the fulsome Praises that could be invented and as many contumelious Reproaches on their King All Testimonies of Allegiance seem'd lost the modest Mask was now taken off and War proclaim'd against King Richard and his Adherents The Duke of York in the mean time tried to raise Forces but found a general Resolution in all People not to be Enemies to the Duke of Lancaster The Favourites that were active and bold in Prosperity shew'd that neither their Skill nor their Duty was to struggle with Difficulties nor had they either Interest or Reputation if they had attempted it They were always dead Weights upon their Prince and like the nature of it hung heaviest upon weak Conditions Bushy and Greene were pursued to Bristol and there taken fatal place to hasty Favourites They were eagerly pursu'd by the flattering Fury of the People and perhaps there were some among them that before in the Prosperity of these Favourites made as passionate Professions of a contrary Devotion Bagott escap'd into Ireland and sav'd himself from the present Execution The Lord Scroop Lord Treasurer with Bushy and Greene that were taken lost their Heads These sudden Executions were but the usual Consequences of violent Changes All new-gotten Power is commonly endeavour'd to be preserv'd by Destruction and the Execution of the Unfortunate is call'd a Justice King Richard was at this time in Ireland where the news came to him of the Duke's landing in England and his successful Proceedings The news increas'd by coming and every Circumstance grew enlarg'd so that it appear'd the blackest and most portentous Storm that ever gather'd in the full Sun-shine of a Prince which his Favourites assur'd him cou'd be subject to no Eclipse The contrary appear'd to this unfortunate King who was then engag'd in Troubles in Ireland After some time he prepar'd for England having first imprison'd the Sons of the Dukes of Lancaster and Glocester in Trim-Castle and took with him the Dukes of Surrey Aumarl and Exeter and the Bishops of London Lincoln and Carlisle The Earl of Salisbury was sent before to raise an Army which he did in Cornwal but the King failing to come within the time he promis'd they all discourag'd went home This delay was attributed to the Counsel of the Duke of Aumarl who perhaps had more mind to see things determin'd by the Fortune of others than by hazarding his own After this the King Lands in Wales where he found the stream turning from him and every Place of strength submitting to the Duke of Lancaster He knew not what Course to steer but wandred to Conway-Castle where the Earl of Worcester Steward to the King's Houshold as if finding a fitting time to remember the proclaiming his Brother the Duke of Northumberland Traytor broke his Staff of Office openly in the Hall before the King's Servants and with Advice to them to be as base as himself went avowedly to the Duke The rest followed his Example and those that seem'd the most eagerly Loyal became now the most violently Rebellious And 't is improbable that those who with unlimited Flattery for their Interest and Ambition had perswaded their Prince into the dangerous Attempt of Absolute Power should in any turn of Fortune or shock of Danger retain any limited Principles The true Interest of a Prince retains the Interest of others but the Interest of private Men excludes the Prince's We have heard 't is true of some that have been successful in such unjust and dangerous Attempts but the Examples have been very few that have not been fatal at last and there are so many of the contrary that the Comparison would convince any That the just Limits within a Nation 's Constitution are much more safe as well as glorious King Richard had now cause to make such sad Reflections and by the want of Power instructed to lament the attempting of too much He saw himself forsaken by those whom he should have forsook before He now felt severely the want of that Trust and Confidence that he had destroy'd and seem'd not forsaken of his People but to have forsook them before He had forc'd them all to be in the nature of Traytors and compell'd them to purchase as it were the name of Subjects while there were none that seem'd so to him but those that needed Pardon the most such as had counsell'd him to the Ruin that now fell upon him He had been so long accustomed to follow the Counsel of others that he knew not now the way to use his own He had too long followed the mean and easie ways of Indirectness Virtuous and steddy Actions in the undisturbed part of Life give power in Extremity and the memory of what was Great and Good gives boldness to such a Mind to claim Success in the worst condition But the memory of Injuries and Injustice done to others shakes Hopes and Expectations in a dangerous Estate This he shewed by discharging his Army rather than bravely using them as if he believ'd it impossible to recover Power now since he had used it so ill before The next thing that seem'd best was to have retired till a better occasion was offered for nothing is more various or violent than the stream of Mens minds with greediness affecting Change and hurried by Expectations that are seldom answered to be eas'd from all former Grievances and Oppressions and every one that
danger of such powerful and enraged Enemies This Action of the King is question'd by some Historians whether done out of Apprehension or a better Temper But yet all this while that things bore this calm face the Duke of Ireland gathered Forces and was met and overthrown by the Earl of Derby near Burford But he that was so bold in Counsel shew'd little of Courage when 't was needful in Action and fled himself before the Fight scarce began Among many things that were taken of the Duke's in one of his Trunks were found Letters from the King to hasten his coming to London with what Power he could make where the King wou'd be ready to share Fortunes with him Upon the news of the Duke of Ireland's Defeat the Duke of Suffolk fled in a Disguise to Calice and never more returned It is a wonder that ever such a Man shou'd get the ascendant over a Prince a Man that was profuse of what he cou'd get and got it as willingly by the Spoils of others as by justifiable Ways He was unfit for Peace by his turbulent Nature and wanted Courage to be troublesome in War. In Peace he was furious in War calm never quiet but when afraid at all other times intemperate When he was not designing Mischief his Courage or Occasion fail'd him He never seem'd good but when necessity hindred him from appearing bad He had no Fits of a Disease but liv'd in a continual Leprosie But we have read of other Presidents how worthless Men have fcru'd themselves into Princes Favours by such Flatteries that generous Tempers cou'd not creep to For ill Men study the Nature of Princes good Men their Interest and that which is most pleasant sooner prevails than that which is most useful The Chief Justice Tresilian with others of that Faction fled from this Storm and the King retir'd to the Tower while the Lords with a great Army march'd towards London and shew'd themselves in a form of Battel to the King who lay with his Forces in the Suburbs The King at first seem'd to slight them but at last yielded a Treaty The Tower was the place appointed but the Lords first made what search they pleas'd and came with such Guards as they thought fit at once shewing the severe effects of Mistrust and Power the first seldom to be cured the last as seldom us'd with Modesty For when they came to the King they plainly charg'd him by way of Accusation of the Contrivances at Nottingham against them his Letters to the Duke of Ireland contrary to his Word to raise Forces the Agreement with the French to deliver up Calice and other Grievances which the ill Conduct of the King's Ministers had plentifully furnish'd them with At these Truths told by those that had Power enough to Revenge the King instead of a Defence sunk into a Confession of his Errours which seem'd at that time to make a great Impression on the Lords and produced the Agreement of a meeting at Westminster the next day But they were no sooner gone but the King's Mind was turn'd by Arguments of the common frame That by the Meeting he wou'd expose his Person to danger and his Authority to diminution Which presently chang'd the King and shew'd as if a fatal Mutability was to pursue him to his end To such dangerous Methods he must probably be led by the Counsels of those whose desperate Ambitions cou'd permit no directness to be us'd towards their Enemies the Publick Such Ministers are the Consulters of Moments shifting only for a present Preservation and dare not look towards the future but refer Things to come to the same Chance that rais'd them They live to no Rules but with an unlimited readiness wait upon Occasion This Alteration in the King rais'd the Lords to such a rage that they sent him word That if he us'd such Indirectness they wou'd choose a New King. At this being again shaken he not only went but submitted to those he had so enrag'd before and delivers up that Power which he was before counsell'd not to diminish So that his ill-tim'd Counsels made that Misfortune sure which they seem'd careful to prevent A Parliament was presently called where Tresilian the famous Chief Justice was condemn'd and presently executed as also the other Chief Justice Belknap and other Judges and some banish'd The Lords grew now so high by their Success that they exacted an Oath from their King to become a Subject to them and submit to their Government Thus when Errours provoke Force 't is hard for those Jealousies that urg'd the Attempt of Power to suffer it to be us'd modestly much less to be laid down when obtain'd And when once a State begins to be tost by such Commotions Parties in that Tempest like Waves in Storms pursue and dash out one another Within little more than a Year after this the King grew to be One and Twenty and upon that took an Occasion when all things seem'd a little compos'd to assume full Power I cannot but here remember the Character the Impartial and Judicious Mezeray gives Lewis the Eleventh upon his Entrance upon the Throne That he was the greatest Enemy to his own and his Kingdoms Quiet one that lov'd his own Irregular Fancies more than the wise Laws and thought the greatest Grandeur consisted in the greatest Oppression pulling down great ones to raise up the meanest from nothing This he says another calls putting their Kings Hors de Paye that is out of their Minority he should have said putting them out of their Sense and Reason No question the Ministers were ready to welcome him to that which they call'd the Exercise of his Power when it was rather to the Execution of theirs The first practice of it was taking the Great Seal from the Bishop of Ely as if remembring his former Carriages and gave it to Wickham Bishop of Winchester and displac'd many others as if by that he seem'd to take Seizin of his new Power suspending also Glocester and Warwick from the Privy-Council The Tide now turn'd to the King who began to return to follow those Advices that had brought him to so much hazard before And that Interest and Opinion which the French had work'd themselves into appear'd in all things to increase The Duke of Glocester and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury had formerly temper'd the King with their calm and sure Reasons when being enrag'd against the Lords he swore he wou'd more willingly submit and rely on the Protection of France than thus to be made servile to those he ought to command 'T is not unworthy of an Observation how frequently the French have been prevalent in England and always in such Princes Times as have given so much Power to Ministers and Favourites as made them considerable enough to be corrupted Philip de Comines says That in his Time all the Kings of England's Ministers and great Persons had Pensions from France and gave their Acquittances upon every