Affections of the People it was not thought safe to bring him to a publick Tryal but concluded with more Policy than Justice to put him to death secretly without either Conviction or Examination And therefore being a close Prisoner as aforesaid at Callice he was by certain Ruffians ordered thereunto by Nottingam Earl Marshal suddenly one Night strangled or stifled to death between two Feather Beds Thus fell this Great and for ought we find in Writers of those times Good Prince the Son of One and Vncle of another King and so beloved of the People that with him saith Walsingham the general Hope and Comfort of the Commonalty of the Land expired And now the King caused the Parliament to be Ajourn'd till after Christmas and then to sit again at Shrewsbury Where in the beginning of the Year 1398 they met accordingly and the King by the Interest he had made amongst them caused not only all the Proceedings of the Parliament in the Tenth Year of his Reign to be Condemned and Annulled But also obtained a Concession from them That after the present Parliament should break up It s whole Power should yet be Conferred upon and remain in certain Persons by them particularly named or any Seven or Eight of them Who by vertue of such Power granted did afterwards proceed to Act and determine many things concerning the Publick State of the Nation and properly the Work of a Parliament to the great prejudice of the Realm And to six himself more firm with Friends or Illustrate his Triumphs over those he thought his Enemies The King about this time was most liberal in Conferring of Honours Creating no less than Five new Dukes of whom one was the Earl of Derby made Duke of Hereford and an other the Earl of Nottingham probably for his good Service in dispatching the Duke of Glocester raised to the Title of Duke of Norfolk One Dutchess One Marquess and Four Earls Amongst whom he made a Distribution of a great part of the Lands of the Duke of Glocester and of the Earls of Arundel and Warwick imagining by this double Bounty of Honour and Estate to support it to have tyed them with a double Obligation of Duty and Affection Not considering that hired Friends for the most part are seldom either satisfied or sure but rather like some Ravens that Naturalists tell of in Arabia which being full-gorg'd have very sweet tuneable Notes but empty scriech most horribly Furthermore to gratifie the Cheshire-men who had chieflly assisted him and his late Favorites he qualified that County with the Name and Dignity of a Principality and added to the rest of his own Titles that of Prince of Chester A General Pardon was also granted for all Offences to all the Kings Subjects but clogg'd with a strange Clause of Exception exempting Fifty Persons in number from the Benefit thereof whose Names were not expressed but left to the Kings own knowledge and pleasure to the end that if any of the Nobility should happen any way to displease he might nominate him or them to be of the Number excepted and so still keep them within his danger By which Reservation the General Pardon became no Pardon at all since no man in England could assure himself that he was included in it Lastly To Corroborate and add the greater esteem to the Acts and Proceedings of this Parliament King Richard purchased the Popes Bulls containing grievous Censures and Curses on all that should presume to break or oppose them Which were solemly published at Pauls Cross and other places throughout England All things succeeding thus suitable to the Kings pleasure the Heads of the Party that opposed his Will having lost their Heads the Nobles afraid and the Commons unable to express their Resentments any otherwise than in Sighs or whisper'd Murmurs and Complaints His Officers of State His Laws nay His very Parliament all modell'd to His Designs He could not but sing Requiems to His Soul and look upon himself in a Condition altogether happy and secure When yet to shew that there is still an over-ruling Providence that can blast all Projects though never so subtlely laid if not sounded on Equity and carried on with Justice A Monarch Paramount who confoundeth the Councils of Princes and is terrible to the Kings of the Earth when once they become disobedient unto and forgetful of him Behold on a sudden all his Affairs by unexpected Means and unlikely Instruments are embroil'd more than ever and this great Prince left so destitute of Power or Friends as to be forced without striking one stroke to surrender his Crown and which was yet more greivous to a generous Mind acknowledge himself both unworthy and unfit to wear it any longer This Wonderful Catastrophe has since been thought to have been fore-shewn by some prodigious Tokens that happened about this time As that in this Year 1398 when almost throughout all England all the Bay-trees withered and afterwards beyond all expectation grew green again And another perhaps more remarkable on New-Years Day following When a very deep River running between the Villages of Suelleston and Haâ—â—wod near Bedford on a sudden stopt its Course and divided it self so as that for three Miles space the Channel remain'd dry But waving such uncertain Presages if we consider the several Steps that led to this grand Mutation The first both in order of time and Influence may be reckon'd that of the Banishment of the Duke of Hereford Son of the Duke of Lancaster This was occasioned by means of a Quarrel between Him and Moubray Duke of Norfolk but what the grounds were of that Quarrel is somewhat differently reported by Authors for though all agree 't was about certain words spoken to the Kings dishonour yet of what nature those words were is not so certainly related But the best that is most probable account thereof that I can meet with is as follows The Duke of Hereford either disdaining the undesâ—rved Favours and Advancement of some Persons about the King or disliking that his Sovereign should be abused and his Countrey opprest by such ill Instruments or perhaps to shew his owm skill and sufficiency in the Art of Government happened one day in familiar Conference with the Duke of Norfolk to complain that the King too much undervalued the Princes of the Blood and much discouraged the rest of the Ancient Nobility from intermedling in Publick Affairs That instead of using their able Advice and Service He was engrossed by a few Vpstart Favourites of base Birth and baser Qualities having no sufficiency either for Council in Peace or Courage in War And whose dishonest Conditions had deservedly contracted an Odium and Contempt of the whole Realm whereby the Honour of the Kings Person was much obscured the safety of his Estate endanger'd and the Dignity of the English Nation not a little impaired And that it was high time that the King should provide some Redress herein And all this â—e protested he mention'd
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.
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
to free the Nation from all Invasions and Pyracies wherewith it was lamentably infested and to perform other very advantageous Services for the Publick Whereupon he obtained an Order for the same notwithstanding the Proviso in the Act so impossible it is de facto to bind up the Hands of Power But though some Naval Preparations were made yet little was effected to repel or prevent those Injuries and Depredations which the Nation suffered by Sea from the French on the one side and the Scottish Pickaroons on the other so that by the common neglect of securing the Coasts and scowring the Seas our Merchants durst not Traffick abroad for fear of Pyrates who hovered in every Corner but especially of one Mercer a bold and potent Scottish Rover who having drawn together a considerable Fleet of French Scots and Spaniards daily committed insufferable Outrages spoiling all they met Hereupon the said Alderman Philpot first complained of these Grievances to the Kings Council humbly Remonstrating the Damages sustained and imploring Redress But receiving from them only fair Promises and no Relief full of grief and disdain to see his Country-men thus devoured by those insolent Water-vermin He at length Provided Victualled and Man'd forth at his own proper Costs and Charges a competent Fleet of tall Ships himself in person putting forth with them to Sea where he soon encountred the Pyrates took the said Mercer destroyed his Ships and recovered most of the Prizes formerly taken with Fifteen Spanish Bottoms well fraught with Riches besides many French and Scottish Ships and so return'd with Triumph and the general Acclamations of the People But Envy is always the Attendant of extraordinary Vertue instead of Thanks or Reward several of the Nobles from whom he seemed to have snatcht by this his fortunate Attempt the Glory of that Service which their Country justly though in vain expected from them passed harsh Censures on his forwardness and particularly the Earl of Stafford called him in question at the Council-Table for presuming being but a private man for to levy Arms and equip a Fleet without Authority But Philpot with a prudent Gallantry composed of an undaunted Innocency and an humble Merit gave such a justifiable Account of the Act as satisfied the Board or at least silenc'd his Accusers For thus in particular to that Lord he is said to have answered I would have your Honour undoubtedly know that I did not adventure my Money my Person and my Men to the dangers of the Sea and hazards of War with any design to Rob your Lordship and your Collegues of the Glory of Chivalry or Fame of Military Atchievements and gain it to my self But condoling the losses of my fellow Citizens and misery of my Country which by your sloth from a most noble Kingdom giving Laws to all her Neighbours is sunk into so deplored a state as to ly open to the Insolencies and Pillagings of the vilest of Nations and men whilst yet not one of you lent a hand her defence I freely exposed my self and mine for her deliverance and the publick safety to which the Earl had nothing to reply About the same time viz. in the Second Year of the King there happened a Fray which not so much for the importance of the Quarrel as a rare Example of Fidelity and honesty attending it I cannot but Relate Though even the thing it self in those ignorantly zealous times wanted not its ill Influence on the Publick and the Monkish Historians cry out about it as Tragically as if Heaven and Earth were ingag'd all Christianity at Stake and the Pillars of Religion in danger The business thus Two valiant Squires Robert Haule and John Schakel in the late Wars in Spain under Prince Edward chanc'd to take the Count de Dena a Spanish Don of great Quality and Estate who was fairly by the Law of Arms adjudg'd their Prisoner and brought into England where he left his Eldest Son with them as a Pledge whilst he went home to raise his ransome the Son swearing to continue with them till it came but the Father being got into Spain never regarded to send the Money but in little time dies whereby the Honour and Estate devolves to the Young Hostage which being understood by King Edward for in his days happened this first part of the Story both he and Prince Edward's Son were very importunate with these two Gentlemen to release the Spanish Cavaleir which they desired either in favour to the Duke of Lancaster who thought by the help of this Nobleman to faciliate his pretentions to the Crown of Castile or else with an intent to Match him to Mathilda Relict of the Lord Courtney the Kings Sister but no matter what their Design was the Squires were so far from parting with him that they would not discover where he was and so were sent to the Tower whence making their escape they took Sanctuary in Westminster Abbey and there continued till now the Duke of Lancaster resolved to ferret them out to which purpose Fifty men at Arms were sent thither who entring the Sanctuary put a trick upon John Schakel and soon got him out and hurried him to the Tower but as for Haule he was more strongly Ensconc'd in the Church amongst the Monks and at Mass however thither they went and after a little expostulation why he would so refractorily disobey the Kings Command when even Majesty had condescended to a request they tell him he must go with them which he peremtorily refuses and draws a short Sword and makes at them whereupon they resolve to force him away who still making resistance was at last knockt on the Head amongst them which our Author calls Crown'd with Martyrdom the Monks would fain have rescued him but drust not because they saw the Souldiers too strong for them however the Archbishop of Canterbury presently thundred out an Excommunication against these Violaters of the Sanctuary and all their abettors the King and his Mother and his Uncle Lancaster only excepted And the Bishop of London did the like for several days together but about a Year after by the mediation of divers grave and venerable Persons the matter was composed on these terms that the said Schakel who was so sent to the Tower should discover and deliver up the said Count de Dena aud so be set at liberty upon consideration that the King should settle upon him Lands to the value of an Hundred Marks per annum and pay him down Five hundred Marks ready Money in lieu of the expected Ransom and also that his Majesty for satisfaction to the Church should at his proper Charges erect a Chauntry of Five Priests for ever to pray for the Soul of him whom his Officers had so slain though one would have thought dying in their Opinion a Martyr he might have had no great need of such everlasting Orisons But still the more surprizing Intrigue of the Tragedy is behind when Schakel came to produce his