without lessening or delaying the same And that they do not presume to require pretend or claim any other Liberties or Priviledges than what they reasonably had before the said Tumults And that all such as have any of Our said Letters of Manumission and Pardon in their Custody shall immediately bring and restore the same to Us and our Council to be Cancelled upon the Faith and Allegiance in which to Us they are bound and upon pain of forfeiting All that to Us they can forfeit for the future In testimony whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Our Self at Chelmsford the Second Day of July in the Fifth Year of Our Reign By this Revocation all Pretensions of pleading a Pardon being cut off procedings were next made against the principal Offenders several of them being convicted before the Mayor and beheaded as John Straw John Kickby Alane Tradder and John Sterling which last boasted that he was the man that slew the Archbishop Also Sir Robert Tresilian Chief Justice was impowr'd by special Commission to judge others of the Rebels before whom in sundry places above Fifteen hundred were found Guilty and put to death and amongst them the before mentioned Incendiary Ball the Priest who being taken at Coventry was brought before the King at S. Albanâ— and theâ—e drawn hang'd and quartered During these Uproars the Duke of Lancaster very happily for the preservation of his Person against whom the Commons had so great a spite was gone into the North against the Scots but having Tidings of the Insurrection thought fit to clap up a Truce for Two years which he got ratified upon Oath some days before the Scots had any notice of the Troubles in England but conceiving himself in danger for the general though false report was that the King to pacifie the Rebels had consented to abandon him to their pleasure when ever they could seize him and having receiceived some Affronts in that distress from the Earl of Northumberland he desired of the Scots a safe Conduct and to reside for a time amongst them who honourably entertain'd him till he was sent for by the King and then a new cause of grudge hapned between him and the Earl of Northumberland for in his return he was denied passage through the Town of Barwick by the Captain Sir Matthew Redman by vertue of a Command from the said Earl Lord Warden of the Marches not to suffer any from Scotland to enter the same which indeed the King had specially ordered forgetting the Dukes being then in that Kingdom However this bred such an Animosity in the Duke against the Earl that being come home he charged him with several things which the Earl as stoutly answered and great numbers of armed men followed each of them but the King taking their Differences into his own haâ—ds workt a Reconciliation About All-hallontide began a Parliament but had not accomplisht any thing of moment before they were adjourn'd till after Christmas by reason of the arrival of the new Queen Sister of Wyncelaus King of Bohemia and elected Emperor an Alliance of some honour but little profit to the Realm she being followed with a multitude of insatiate Bohemians who by the Kings facility drain'd abundance of Wealth out of the Kingdom It was observed that as soon as ever she set foot on shore at Dover an horrible Storm arose at Sea which so tossed the Ships in the Harbour that the same which her Majesty came in was immediately dasht to pieces which some then lookt upon as Ominous presaging Tempests of State to follow her 1382. The Nuptial Solemnities which were very splendid and costly being over the Parliament meets again to begin the New Year in which several wholsom Laws were ordain'd as to admit Merchant-strangers freely to sell their Merchandizes here to regulate Excesses in in the Apparel of inferiour people to settle the price of Wines and many other matters But what saith our Author Thomas Walsingham condemning such Practices signifie Acts of Parliaments when after they are made they take no effect or are nothing regarded for the King with his Privy Council took upon them to alter or wholly seâ— aside all things that by general consent had in Parliament been established Of the truth whereof there were too many unhappy Instances as amongst the rest in this very Parliament upon the request of the Lords and Commons Sir R. Scroop was by the King appointed Lord Chancellor as being a Person of known Judgment Learning and inflexible Integrity but within few Months he was turn'd out of that Office which he had laudably and prudently administred meerly because to do the King faithful Service he had displeased some of his unworthy Mâ—nors the Relation of which I shall set down in Walsinghams own Words Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and several other Lords being lately dead certain greedy and ambitious Knights and Squires and others of inferior Rank that were Servants to the King had begged of him Grants of divers Lands and Lordships lately belonging to the deceased that they might have the profits thereof for so long time as the King by the Custom of the Realm was to hold them in his Hands which the King not minding the value nor considering any reason they had to desire or merit to deserve such Revenues presently consents to ordering them to the Chancellor to have their Grants confirm'd under the great Seal but the prudent and honest Chancellor who zealously desired the prosperity of the Kingdom and just profit of the King absolutely refused to do it telling them the King was much in debt and 't was most necessary he should reserve such Contingencies to himself therewith in part to satisfy his Creditors and that since they well knew such the Kings urgent occasions they could be no good Subjects to his Majesty that consulting their own advantages more than his service and preferring private lucre before publick necessities should go about to circumvent and further impoverish him by such prejudicial Requests from which they should do well to desist and be content with his Majesties former Largesses which were sufficient for them Nettled with this repulse these Courtiers resort back to the King grievously complaining of the Chancellors Obstinacy that he contemned his Majesties Command and that it concerned his Majesty suddenly and with due severity to Chastise such an affronted disobedience for otherwise the Royal Authority would become contemptible to all his People and his Command be accounted of no value c. The young King therefore more regarding the false suggestions of these self-designing flatterers than the faithful allegations and advice of his Chancellor sends in his fury messengers to demand the Seal of him but the Chancellor would deliver it to no hands but the Kings To whom having surrendered it he was pleased to retain it for many days in his own Custody Sealing Grants therewith himself c. Till at length the keeping of it was conferr'd
again in England The Appeal or Charge exhibited against them in Parliament tho' long is yet remarkable and not being extant in English I shall so far presume on the Reader 's Patience as to insert it Translated from the Original as we find it in Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae Col. 2713. as follows viz. TO our Most Excellent and redoubted Lord the King and his Council in this present Parliament do shew Tho. Duke of Glocester Constable of England Henry Earl of Derby Richard Earl of Arundel and Surry Thomas Earl of Warwick and Tho. Earl Marshal That whereas they the said Duke and Earls as Loyal Subjects of our Lord the King for the profit of the King and Realm on the Fourteenth day of November last past at Waltham-Cross in the County of Hertford did before the most Reverend Fathers in God William Bishop of Winchâ—ster Thomas Bishop of Ely late Chancellour of England John Waltham then Lord Privy Seal John Lord Cobham the Lords Richard le Scrope and John Denross then Commissioners of our Lord the King Ordain'd and made in the last Parliament Appeal Accuse or Charge Alexander Archbishop of York Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland Michael de Pole Earl of Suffok Robert Tresylian the false Justice and Nicholas Brember the false Knight of London of several High Treasons by them committed against the King and his Realm and did offer to prosecute and maintain the same and sufficient Sureties to find praying the said Lords to certifie the same to their said Soveraign Lord which the same day the said Commissioners did accordingly certifie to the King at Westminster where most of the said persons so Appealed being present were fully informed and certified of such Appeal And whereas shortly after by the Assent of the King and his Council the said Thomas Duke of Glocester c. coming to Westminster in presence of the King and of his Council there for the profit of the King and his Realm did again Appeal the said Arch-bishop of York and other false Traytors his Companions appealed of High Treasons by them committed against the King and his Realm as Traytors and Enemies to the King and Realm in affirmance of their former Appeal offering to pursue and maintain it as aforesaid Which Appeal our Lord the King did accept and thereupon assigned a day to the said Parties at his first Parliament which should be holden on the Morrow after Candlemass next insuing then to have receive full Justice upon the said Appeal and in the mean time took into his safe and most special protection the said Parties with all their people Goods and Chattels and caused the same to be then proclaimed and published And whereas also on Monday next after the day of the Nativity of our Lord Christ next after the said Duke of Gloucester c. in the presence of the King in the Tower of London as Loyal Subjects of the King and his Realm did appeal the said Archbishop of York c. as false Traytors c. Whereupon the King assign'd them a day in the next Parliament to pursue and declare their Appeal and by the advice of his Council did cause Proclamation to be made in all the Counties of England by Writs under his great Seal That all the said persons so Appealed should be at the said Parliament to answer thereunto Which Appeal the said Duke of Gloucester c. the Appealors are now ready to pursue maintain and declare and do by these Presents as loyal Subjects of our Lord the King for the profit of the King and Realm Appeal the said Archbishop c. of High Treasons by them committed against our Lord the King and his Realm as Traytors and Enemies of both King and Kingdom which Treasons are declared and fully specified in certain Schedules hereunto annexed and they do pray that the said persons Appealed may be called and Right and Justice done in this present Parliament Imprimis Thomas Duke of Gloucester Constable of England Henry Earl of Derby c. do Appeal and say that Alexander Archbishop of York Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pole Earl of Suffolk false Traytors to the King and Realm seeing the tender Age of our said Lord the King and the Innocency of his Royal Person have by many false Contrivances by them without Loyalty or Good Faith imagined and suggested endeavoured wholly to Ingross his Majesties Affection and to make him intirely give Faith and Credence to what they should say though never so pernicious to himself and his Realm and to hate his Loyal Lords and People by whom he would more faithfully have been served Encroaching and assuming to themselves a power to the endefranchising our Lord the King of his Soveraignty and imparing his Royal Prerogative and Dignity making him so far obey them that he hath been sworn to be govern'd and counsel'd only by them by means of which Oath and the power they have so trayterously usurped great inconveniencies mischiefs and destructions have hapned as by the subsequent Articles will appear 2. Item Whereas the King is not bound to make any Oath to any of his Subjects but on the day of his Câ—ronation or for the common profit of him and his Realm the said Bishop Duke and Earl false Traytors to the King and Realm have made him swear and assent to them that he will maintain and defend them and live and die with them And so whereas the King ought to be of a free condition above any other in his Realm they have brought him more into Servitude and Bondage against his Honour Estate and Royalty contrary to their Allegiance and as Traytors unto him 3. Item The said Traytors by the Assent and Councel of Robert Tresylian the false Justice and Nicholas Brember the false Knight of London by their false Covin would not at all suffer the great Persons of the Realm nor the good Subjects of the King to speak to or approach the King to give him wholsome advice nor the King to speak to them unless in the presence and hearing of them the said Duke of Ireland c. or two of them at their will and pleasure or about such things as they thought fit to the great disgrace of the Nobles and good Counsellors of the King and to the preventing of their good will and service towards the King thereby encroaching to themselves the Royal power and a Lordship and Soveraignty over the person of the King to the great dishonour and peril of the King his Crown and Realm 4. Item The said Archbishop c. by such their false devices and pernicious Councels have diverted the King from shewing due countenance to his great Lords and Liege People so that they could not be answered in their Suits and Rights without the leave of them the said Archbishop c. Thereby putting the King besides his Devoir contrary to his Oath contriving to alienate the Heart of our Lord the King from
the West that Terror and Dread cannot but Invade your Adversaries for evermore to this day as oft as the Gallant English have fought the French so oft have they carried Victory with them from the Field Let not therefore most Potent Prince the Heart of the Lion slumber longer against Nature in Pusillanimity But vouchsafe to apply that matchless Strength which Nature has conferr'd upon you to warlike Actions in defence of your Commonwealth the maintenance of your Hereditary Rights the encrease of your Merit and perpetuating the Renown of so incomparable great and Magnanimous a King Walsingham says That this Prince came also in person into England to perswade the King against making Peace either with the French or Scots and that he was very honourably entertain'd But it seems his motion was not much regarded for the time was spun out in further Truces and nothing done And now the Citizens of London fall into the Kings grievous displeasure the Causes whereof are said to be Two The first Their not only denying to lend the King a thousand pounds which he desired themselves but also affronting a certain Lombard who was willing to accommodate him and abusing him some Authors say they beat and half kill'd him for his forwardness The other an Accident which hapning just in the neck of this seem'd or perhaps was made a far greater Offence than otherwise it need have been reputed viz. A Baker carrying his Bread along the Street one of the Bishop of Salisbury's Servants took a loaf out of his Basket which the Baker demanded to be restored but the Bishop's man instead thereof broke his head for which Injury the people would have seized him but he fled into his Masters house Thither the Constable came and peaceably desired he might be surrendred up to Justice But the Bishop's Servants shut the Gates and made resistance This more exasperated the people who though sometimes they may be deceived bâ— Fiâ—â—sses and Craft are yet generally shrewd Guessers at Right and Wrong in Matters of Fact and 〈◊〉 of common life insomuch that many threatned to fire their way and began to use violence Of which the Mayor and chief Officers having notice they immediately repaired thither and by their Presence and Authority suppressed the Multitude and preserved the Kings Peace so that hitherto the harm was but small and all this Combustion might easily have been quenched and forgot had not the Bishop whose ill-govern'd Servant was the Beginner and Cause of all the Broil kindled the Fuel afresh And 't is said he the rather stirr'd in it out of an old grudge which he had against the Citizens because they were generally lookt upon to be Favourers of Wickliffs Doctrine But whatever the Motive was a loud Complaint was made by him and other Prelates to the King affirming That if upon every paultry pretence the Citizens should be suffered thus to Affront the Bishops without Chastisement they would endanger not only the Dignity but the Liberty of the whole Church The King was so incens'd hereat being prepared by former Provocations that he was once resolv'd to have raised an Army and utterly destroyed the City and made spoil thereof But being perswaded by more moderate Councils he only sent for the Mayor and two Sheriffs and Four and twenty Aldermen and Four and twenty others of the ablest Citizens to his Court then held at Nottingham where the said Tumult and divers other Offences were laid to their Charge As that they had forfeited their Obligations formerly given to the King c. They at first resolv'd to justifie their Innocency and faithfully engaged to stand by one another But it seems there was falshood in Fellowship and as it often happens in such Cases some timorous persons hoping to curry favour Impeach'd the rest who again recriminated upon them and so all were liable to be undone and therefore left themselves wholly to the Kings Mercy who committed the Mayor to Windsor Castle and the rest to several other places of Confinement seizes the Liberties of the City into his own hands and Annuls all their Priviledges commands there should be no more any Major be chosen but that he would himself appoint one who should be called Keeper of the City and accordingly did qualifie one Sir Edward Dalyngrygge other Authors call him Balerygge with that Title who being thought too favourable to the Citizens was quickly removed and Sir Baldwin Radington a person of a rougher temper put in his place And also the Terms and Courts of Justice were removed to York In the mean time the Duke of Glocester and others were not wanting to Intercede with the King on behalf of the Londoners of whom the Principal on Sunday next after the Assumption of S. Mary waited on him at Windsor and submitted to him Themselves and their Fortunes With which he seemed somewhat well pacified and on the Wednesday following came towards London being met from the City with four hundred Men on Horse-back clad all in one Livery an innumerable multitude on foot a solemn Procession of the Clergy and Five hundred Boys in Surplices The Fronts of the Houses adorned with Tapestry and Pictures the Conduits freely running Wine c. Besides they presented the King with a Crown of Gold of great value and another of the same Metal to the Queen together with a Picture of the Trinity worth 800 l. and several other great Gifts And so they obtained their Priviledges restored and confirmed to them the Election of a Mayor and all things as before And having been at all this Charge doubted not but to be quiet and free from further Fine or Penalty But herein they were deceived for notwithstanding all their Presents the King yet upon such submission before made demanded and forced them to pay after all this Ten thousand pounds or else they must have ventured the Effects of his new Displeasure The Duke of Glocester having been furnisht with Money to raise an Army for an Expedition into Ireland of which the King had lately created him Duke when his Troops were now just ready to march and all things prepared was on a sudden without any cause Recall'd and the Voyage Countermanded to the great Detriment as well of England as Ireland For upon the Report of his Coming almost all the petty Irish Kings had advised one with another and resolved to submit themselves to the English The Year 1393 a Parliament at Winchester gave the King half a Tenth for the Clergy and half a Fifteenth for the Laiety towards the Expences of the Dukes of Lancaster and Glocester who were going into France to Treat of a Peace between the two Crowns The French King sometime before had lost his Senses but was now pretty well recovered yet at this time narrowly escaped with his life from the Treachery of the Duke his Brother who over-greedily Aspired to the Crown For the King and several other Persons of Quality dancing a Rural Mask to make
themselves appear more like those Savages which they were to represent had got on strait Garments close to their Bodies cover'd over with Tâ—we which was fixt on with Rosin and Pitch to make it stick the faster Now when they were busie in the midst of their Dance by Torch-light a Villain suborn'd by the Duke clapt a Flambeau amongst them as if done by Accident whereby in an instant the Tow and other Combustibles took fire but a Lady seeing the danger snatcht away the King before the flames seiz'd him whilst Four of the other Maskers notwithstanding all the help imaginable was used were immediately burnt to Death In England the Lord Tho. Pierey is made the King's Steward and Sir William Scroop Chamberlain a Person saith our Author than whom in all Mankind there could not be found one more wicked or cruel The year following 1394 was chiefly remarkable for Funerals First the Dutchess of Lancaster Daughter to the King of Castile was snatcht away then the Countess of Derby her Daughter-in-Law next Queen Anne her self whose Obsequies were magnificently and at vast Expences Celebrated by the King and soon after died Isabella Dutchess of York Nor was Death onely content to Triumph over the Ladies but also mowed down the Noble Sir John Hawkwood a Knight whose Valour had rendred him Famous in many foreign Nations and no less dear to his own About August issâ—ed a Proclamation throughout England That all the Irish should forthwith return home and wait the Kings coming thither at Lady-day next following on pain of death And indeed it was but time to send them packing for such multitudes were come over in hopes of gain that they had left the English Pale in Ireland almost quite desolate So that the natural wilde Irish not yet Conquer'd taking thereby an advantage destroy'd or pillaged the few Subjects the King of England had remaining there at their pleasure And whereas King Edward the Third when he settled his Courts of Justice c. in that Country received from thence to his Exchequer Thirty thousand pounds per annum the same by reason of the want of Inhabitants was not only lost but on the contrary the King forc'd to be out of Pocket Thirty thousand Marks every year in the necessary defence of his Territories there Effectually to redress which the King in Person about Michaelmas sail'd into Ireland attended with the Duke of Glocester the Earls of March Nottingham Rutland c. The Irish unable to Cope with so great a Force endeavoured onely to weary him with Alarms Ambuscades and Skirmishes but at last divers of their petty Princes were glad to submit to King Richard of whom some he kept as Hostages for security others he dismist upon Parole And for the better settlement of Affairs Assembled a Parliament for Ireland at Dublin and continued in that Kingdom till after Easter In the mean time Anno 1395 the Duke of York Guardian of England during the Kings absence called a Parliament at London eight days after Twelfth-tide unto which was sent from Ireland the Duke of Gloucester who so zealously represented the Kings Necessities by reason of the vast Expence he had been at in this necessary and no less advantageous than honourable Expedition into Ireland that the Clergy were content to present his Majesty with a Tenth and the Commonalty with a Fifteenth But not without a Protestation first made That they were not bound to grant the same De stricto jure but did it purely out of their Affection to their King The Lollards so call'd as Tritemius says from Walter Lollard a German who flourisht about the year 1315. Or as others think from Lolium signifying Darnel or Tares for being Followers and Disciples of Wickeliff the Clergy and especially the Monks and Fryars were not wanting to brand them with ill Names and reputed them as the Tares sown by the evil One in the Field of Gods Church did about this time publickly affix on the Doors of S. Paul's Church Accusations of the Clergy charging them with sundry Abominations and also divers Conclusions touching Ecclesiastical Persons and the Sacraments of the Church At which the Bishops were much disturb'd and according to their usual Method instead of clearing themselves and confuting their Adversaries by Scripture or Reason endeavoured to silence them by Club-law dispatching away the Archbishop of York and Bishop of London into Ireland to the King intreating him to hasten his return to succour Faith and Holy Church that were both like to be undone by the Hereticks who were contriving how to take away the Possessions of the whole Church and overthrow all the Canonical Sanctions Upon this News back comes the King from Ireland and takes several of the Chief Favourites of the Lollards to task threatning most terribly if they shew'd them any Countenance for the future But the Hereticks were not the onely Afflicters of the Clergy at this time but Birds of their own Nests began to pluck their feathers too for William Archbishop of Canterbury got a Bull from the Pope Impowering him to levy throughout all the Diocesses of his Province Four pence in the pound of all Ecclesiastical Goods and Revenues as well of those Exempt as not Exempt and this without so much as pretending any true or lawful Cause for the same However the Execution of this Bull being committed unto the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of London though many of the inferiour Clergy grumbled not a little and complained thereof as unreasonable yet they were generally forced to submit unto it Anno Domini 1396 the Duke of Lancaster to whom the King had given the Dutchy of Aquitain and who had been at inestimable Charges in those Parts to Conciliate to himself the Affections of the Inhabitants no sooner had obtained the same but he was suddenly recall'd from thence by the Kings Command To which though it seemed no less hard than unexpected the Duke paid a punctual Obedience and was received if not with love yet at least with a shew of honour by the King from whom having obtain'd License to depart the Court he hastened to Lincoln and there to the admiration of all the World by reason of the disparity of their Qualities was married to Katherine Swinford who for divers years before had been his Mistress This year also the Pope wrote to the King intreating him to assist the Prelates of the Church in the Cause of God and of him the said King and his Kingdom against the Lollards whom he declared to be Traytors not onely to the Church but likewise to the King and therefore did most earnestly press him That whomsoever the Bishops should declare to be Hereticks he would forthwith Condemn by his Royal Authority But it seems the King was too busie otherwise to attend his Holiness's Commands and to do his Prelates drudgery in butchering of Hereticks for he was making mighty Preparations for a Voyage not of War but of Galiantry into France where
by agreement the two Kings were to have a Personal Conference In order to which King Richard passes over to Calice and the French King came down to Arde between which two Towns was the place appointed for their Interview and Mâ—gnificent Tents erected for their Entertainment But first they interchangeably took an Oath truly and religiously to observe the Sacred Laws of Amity at this Congress and that neither by themselves or any of their Subjects Friends Allies or any other to their privity or with their Allowance there should be contrived or practised any Hostility Surprize Damage or Disturbance by the one Party to the other And for further security the Space between the two Royal Tents was Guarded on either side with Knights Armed and drawn Swords in their hands Four hundred English on the one hand and Four hundred French on the other The Twenty seventh of October the two Kings met Four French Dukes waiting on the King of England and Five English Noblemen viz. the Dukes of Lancaster and Gloucester and the Earls of Derby Rutland and Northumberland attending the French King After an Enterchange of Complements between their Majesties it was first by mutual consent order'd That a Chappel at both their equal Charge should in the place of their Interview be Erected which should be called The Chappel of our Lady of Peace And on Saturday the Feast of S. Simon and Jude on further Treaty it was accorded That there should be a Cessation of Arms between the Two Crowns for the term of Thirty years and that King Richard should Espouse Isabel the French Kings Daughter then not above Eight years old On Sunday the two Kings dined together in King Richard's Tent and on the Munday the French King brought thither the young Lady who was entrusted to the Tuition of the Dutchesses of Lancaster and Gloucester and other English Ladies who conveyed her with a Glorious Retinue to Calice And soon after the two Kings in a most amicable manner took their Leaves of each other Walsingham tells us That besides the Presents made by King Richard to the French King and his Nobles amounting to the value of Ten thousand Marks and upwards he spent in this Amorous Voyage above Three hundred thousand Marks And Trussel relates That the Duke of Gloucester was not a little offended both with the Match and the Truce alledging That it was more meet to be in Arms than Amity with the French who being inferiour to the English in Courage did ever over-reach them in Craft and being too weak for War did oft-times prevail and get Advantages by Treaties of Peace That the French Lady being but a Child was a very unfit Match for King Richard as well by reason of the Disparity of their Years as for that he had no Issue by his first Wife and was not like to have any by this unless perhaps in his old Age. But these Arguments not prevailing the Londoners however took the Confidence to petition the King That seeing there was Peace with France he would Release them of the Subsidy granted in the last Parliament towards maintaining the Wars against that Crown This Suit being by them so importunately followed as much perplexed the King untill at length the Duke of Lancaster assured them That the procuring this Peace had spent and lost the King Three hundred thousand pounds wherewith they were pacified though 't is probable not very well pleased The King being returned safe into England with his Baby-Bride though not without the loss of his Tents and a great part of his riâ—h Furniture cast away by a Tempest in crossing the Channel The Earl of S. Paul was soon after sent by the French King to Complement the young Queen who having understood how earnestly Glocester had inveigh'd against this French Alliance was 't is said an eminent Instrument in contriving and occasioning the destruction of that Duke advising the King that he was too dangerous a Subject to be suffered and that it concern'd His Majesty both in Honour to revenge the Disgrâ—ces which he had by him formerly received and in Policy to prevent the Dangers which he had cause to fear Hereupon the King grows jealous of the Duke and as that passion is restless and apt to be fed with the slightest Imaginations so he began to pry more narrowly into his Deportment watch his Words and interpret both Them and his Actions to the worst framing to himself many vain Apprehensions and needless Disquiets To which another Accident not a little contributed viz. the King having been paid the Money lent the Duke of Britain upon Brest Redelivered the Town and thereupon the English Souldiers that were there in Garrison were sent home who at a Feast which the King kept at Westminster coming in great numbers into the Hall As soon as the King had Dined the Duke of Glocester askt him If he observed those men that stood in such Troops in the Hall Yes marry said the King Who were they They were said the Duke those Souldiers who by your Surrendring up of Brest are sent home and must now either steal or starve And so went on to tax the King of an unadvised Deed with words much mere unadvised Insomuch that the King in great anger replyed Why Vncle Do you think me either a Merchant or a Foâ—l to sell my Lands By S. John Baptist No but could I refuse to render the Town when I was tendred the Money lent upon it And certainly it shews either great weakness in the Duke if Brest were but a Mortgage and he did not know it or much Injustice if knowing it he would yet have had the King to detain it against manifest Equity Upon thâ—s and the before-mentioned Provocations there was â—â—dled in the King such a Displeasure against the 〈◊〉 as could never afterwards be quench'd but by â—his Blood And first he would often complain to the Dukes of Lancaster and York of the Duke of Glocesters perverseness in Actions and crosness in Speech who endeavoured to excuse him and pacifie His Majesty alledging That their Brother indeed was more vehement than they could commend but they durst assure His Majesty That his Heart was dutiful and faithful and that such his vehemency proceeded from a zealous regard lest His Majesty and his Kingdom should suffer either in Honour or Revenue and therefore His Majesty had no cause either to fear or be offended with him The King herewith seem'd to be satisfied but however the said two Dukes not knowing how far they might be involv'd in that Displeasure which they still perceived he retain'd against their Brother thought fit for avoiding the worst to retire from Court thereby giving the Duke of Glocester's Enemies the greater opportunities to incense the King against him Nor was it long before this black swelling Cloud of Royal Indignaâ—â— bâ—rst forth into actual Thunder But first In the Year 1397 a Parliament being summon'd at London the Duke of Lancaster caused the
Captive he shew'd them his man that waited on him for the brave Spaniard had that regard to his Word which he had passed that he scorn'd to discover himself without his leave but on the contrary had all along both in the Sanctuary and in the Tower faithfully and submissively serv'd him in disguise neglecting both his Quality and Interest when they stood in competition with his Honour a piece of Gallantry and generous Honesty scarce to be parallel'd in Story About the Feast of S. Luke a Parliament was held at Glocester with an intent as was thought to have alipp'd the Wings of the Towering Church-men but finding their Interest too strong nothing of that kind was offered but for the Kings further supply it was granted that he should have of the Merchants for every Sack of Wool Exported a Mark and for every Twenty shillings of Wares or Merchandizes whatsoever Imported from beyound the Seas Six pence to be paid by the Buyer 1379. The next year another Parliament was called at London where the Priviledges of the Sanctuary at Westminster were regulated for whereas before great numbers of Persons when they were got in Debt would shelter themselves and waste in Revelling and Debauchery their Revenues which could not be touched for their just Debts to the grievous prejudice of their Creditors it was now Ordained That if upon Proclamation made they should not surrender themselves them their Goods should be sold and their Lands extended where-ever found till their Debts satisfied There was also a new Tax granted but because the Commons were already much impoverisht it was laid only on the Nobility Gentry and Clergy by way of Poll Viz. Dukes and Archbishops Ten Marks apiece every Earl Bishop and Mitred Abbot Six Marks besides each Abbot to pay Forty Pence per Head for all his Monks and so Justices Sheriffs Knights Esquires Rectors Vicars and even down to simple Chaplains every one his Allotment This Summer there was a most dreadful Pestilence in England especially in the Northern parts insomuch that whole Families were swept away Nay Towns and Villages left without Inhabitants During the Heat of which Calamity the Scots took their Advantage to enter the Land and committed great Spoils in small Parties but durst not stay for fear of the Infection and yet as our Author relates they had got a wonderful Preservative against it for asking some English the reason of so great a Mortality amongst them and being told it came by the Grace of God they therefore every Morning with great solemnity used this Charm or if any body will call it so Prayer God and Saint Mango Saint Roman and Saint Andrew shield us this day from God's Grace and the foul Death that English men die upon 1380. The next Year in Jan. the Parliament was again Assembled at London and continued till March wherein to avoid unnecessary Charge it was agreed that the Tutelage of the King should be committed but to one and by unanimous consent Thomas Beuchamp Earl of Warwick was pitch'd upon for the Man an Honourable allowance being assign'd to him out of the Royal Exchequer for his pains and care therein to be taken but the Young King though a Minor as to the Publick Affairs thought himself of Age sufficient at least to conduct himself in his private and personal concerns for though for want of ripening experience his Wisdom had not time to Bud yet his Will was grown to full Strength being already Plunged in the Gulf of pleasure and Vanities of Youth he set himself to Promote such as most pleased him with Flatteries rather than such as were truly qualified to serve him with solid Council and able conduct whence arose Three fatal mischiefs for First his Affairs were indiscreetly managed and without success by reason unfit Ministers were imploy'd about them Secondly debauchery was increased First in the Court and next throughout the Kingdom for many of the Young Nobility observing the secret favours and distastes of the King studying in all things to gratifie his pleasure gave up themselves to dissolute and dishonourable courses which ill precedents descended like an Infection amongst the Gentry and Commonalty for Vice always finds too many followers even when it hath no incouragers but much more doth it increase when flusht with Great Examples and made the Scale or perferment And lastly the King by thus misplaceing his favours impaired the Veneration due to Majesty became Cheap in the Eyes of his Subjects and less respected for it is almost as dangerous to a Prince to have evil and despised Favourites and Adherents as to be evil or despicable himself In this Parliament was granted a Tenth from the Clergy and a Fifteenth from the Laiety but on condition that from thence which was March 1380. to Michaelmas 1381. there should be no more Parliaments that is no more Money rais'd This Summer the King and Council sent a strong Army to assist the Duke of Bretaigne under the Command of his Unckle Thomas of Woodstock Sir Thomas Peircy c. who landing at Calice forced their passage through the Body of France leading their Troops to and fro and laying the Countrey waste at their pleasure without any resistance till they came to the Borders of Bretaign where they were joyfully received but the very Terror of their March had disposed the French to an accomodation so that they made peace with the Duke of Bretaign whereupon our Army without any other advantages but those of Renown and Glory returned home Notwithstanding it was agreed in the last Parliament to the contrary yet by the too great prevalency of some Counsellors a Parliament against the will and consent of almost all the Great Men of the Land was this same Year about the Feast of S. Martin which is Novemb. 10th Conven'd at Northampton a place most unfit for such an Assembly as well for that it was Winter and scarce any Fewel for Firing there to be procured as also because it afforded not Lodgings enow to entertain those that should have resorted thither but perhaps so much the more fit for the design of the small Politicians for here they got past a very severe Tax or Poll bill Whereby every Priest Secular or Religious was to pay a Noble and every Nun as much and every Man and Woman Married or unmarried being of the age of Sixteen years Twelve Pence Beggars onely excepted the paying whereof was esteem'd very grievous by the People especially of the poorer sort And that which aggravated their misery was that when it came into the Exchequer it was so handled by those imploied about it that it amounted not to so much as some former Taxes which were given in less proportion whereupon some of the Kings Ministers complained that it had not been duly Collected and one John Legg and three of his Associates obtained a Commission to inspect and review the Levy bargaining to give the King a great Sum of Money for the same But indeed on