the Feast of St. Hillary a Parliament was called at London wherein amongst other things it was Enacted That the King should not extend his Pardon to any persons convicted of Murder and a Penalty Awarded against any that should importune the King thereunto viz. That if it were a Duke or Archbishop he should forfeit to the King 100 l. If an Earl or Bishop 100 Marks c. There was also granted to the King 40s of every Sack of Wool of which 10s to go to the Kings present occasions and the other 30s to be reserv'd in the hands of Commissioners appointed by Parliament Not to be expended unless necessity of War required About St. Jamesâ—yde Henry Earl of Derby eldest Son to the Duke of Lancaster with a choice Company of a thousand Knights and Squires and their Servants went into Prussia where they signalized themselves by several brave and valorous Actions and return'd again with Honour in April following In the Year 1391 the French Courted King Richard very earnestly to a Treaty of Peace and in order thereunto desired that there might be an Amicable Interview of the two Kings neer Calice To which King Richard seem'd inclinable and that he might appear more splendid on such an occasion sent to most of the Abbeys to furnish him with the best Horses they had Amongst whom the Abbot of S. Albans sent him One which Walsingham tells us was worth Four and twenty Marks no small price in those days and yet not content he demanded 50 Marks besides in Money Likewise from most of the Cities and Burroughs of England he got divers considerable Sums to Equip him for this Voyage But about the same time by order of the King and Council there was a Proclamation set forth Requiring all those that had any Benefices in England and were then beyond the Seas as in the Roman Court it being a thing not infrequent in those days for the Pope to gratifie his Favourites and Followers with the best Preferments though perhaps never in England in their lives immediately to repair into England to live upon such their Benefices and not suck away the Treasure of the Realm by expending their Revenues in other Nations on pain of forfeiting all their said Benefices This together with the late Statute of Provisors and Praemunire and the Overture of a Peace like to advance with the French King who at that time joyned with the Antipape Benedict the 13th much troubled Pope Boniface the 9th For now and for neer the space of forty years together there were two Popes in being at once each Cursing the other and part of Christendom acknowledging One and part his Adversary Therefore the said Boniface whom the English own'd for their Ghostly Father forthwith sent a Nuncio to King Richard with great Complements to commend his Devotion and that of his Predecessors towards Holy Church but withal to complain of these Invasions as he was pleased to call them of the Ecclesiastical Liberties and to urge him as well to Repeal the said Laws as by no means to make Peace with the French King unless he would disown and no longer assist the Anti-Pope c. The King received the Nuncio kindly and heard his Tale but for Answer put him off to the Meeting of the Parliament which was in November and then the Business was bandied about and though the King and Duke of Lancaster seem'd willing to gratifie the Pope the Commons would by no means consent that people should go to Rome to acquire any Benefices in England only that they might not seem too much to slight his Holiness they yielded that it might be suffered but not without the Kings License and no longer than till the next Parliament But though they held their Pope to hard Meat they were not wanting in expressing their kindness to their King giving him a Half-tenth and an Half-fifteenth which they offered to make whole Ones on condition the King would next Summer make an Expedition against the Scots Anno 1392. The Duke of Lancaster is sent over into France and most magnificently entertain'd by the French King But instead of a Peace brought back only a Truce for a year to the intent saith Walsingham That during that time the collected wisdom of England might consider whether it were more expedient to conclude a final Peace or prosecute the War About this time a certain Matron in London having one onely Daughter had instructed her to Celeâ—rate the Mass and built an Altar with all its Furniture in a private Room and there for many days caused her to Accouter herself in Priestly Habit and Officiate onely when she came to the words of the Sacrament she Prostrated herself and durst not Consecrate but rising again would go on with the rest of the Mass to the end her Mother helping her and encouraging her Devotion But at last a Neighbouring Gossip whom she had call'd to this private Mass discovering her Practice the Bishop of London heard of it and being much grieved as he had reason to see his Trade usurp'd by the other Sex call'd her before him and made her shew her Crown shaven exactly like a Priest before all the people and caused both her and her Mother to do Penance The Duke of Guelderland a most active Prince and related to King Richard sent him a Letter full of great Complements but in one expression too profane stirring him up to War and Military Actions becoming his Royal Dignity and particularly dehorting him from the designed dishonourable Amity with France The Tenor whereof was as followeth MAgnificent Prince Both your Innate Generosity and the prudent Counsels of your Ministers will we conceive effectually provide that all your Hereditary Rights which by your Birth render your Royal Majesty Great and Glorious may by the foresight of your deep Wisdom be preserved Inviolable And that if any unjust Force does Invade or offer to Diminish them your Kingly Industry will valiantly defend the same with the Shield of Military Prowess And since we have the Honour to be Related to your Royal Person by Affinity God himself cannot hinder but that we will ever be ready to assist you in defending such your Rights with Two thousand Launces when and as oft-soever as you shall be disposed to engage in a War Nor ought you to decline the same to your prejudice for any Words or Promises that may be made you from the restless subtilty of the French 'T is certain most Serene Prince your Fame is spread throughout the World Nor is it doubted but for your great plenty of Wool and innumerable other Commodities without which neither the East or South can subsist all Kingdoms daily salute you with their Treasures so that God himself has conferr'd upon you Wealth an hundred fold more in comparison than on other Kings Besides the tried Valour of your people and the sharpness of their Victorious Bowes have so far advanced the Fame of your Magnanimous Nation above any of
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
may be ready to hang your selves that that of the Prophet may be verified of you Let their habitation be desolate and let none be left to dwell in their tents As also it is written further of each of you Let his days be few and his Bishoprick let another take Furthermore you do but blacken the clear fâ—â—me of the Count of Fundi a Town in Italy whose â—arl harbour'd the Cardinals when you so load him with your Commendations throughout Christendom since as the Poet saith Idem est laudari à turpibus ob turpia To be prais'd by bad men is all one as to be prais'd for bad things Consider therefore O Count that whereas heretofore thou wast unknown in divers Christian Countries which thou thoughtest an unhappiness now thou hast gain'd not a Name but Shame throughout the World for inviting to thy self the Enemies of Christ the Breakers of the Churches Unity and the Disturbers of the peace and tranquillity of all Christendom and cherishing their detestable perfidiousness so that thou seemest to have built an Asylum against Christ and all Catholick people Arise therefore O Count throw these Mice out of thy Budget chase these Serpents from thy Tabernacle and shake these coals of Brimstone out of thy Bosom lest they bring thee to everlasting burnings so shalt thou obtain the grace of God the blessings of all Christians and the commendation of all the World and shalt merit to escape the Divine Vengeance Dated at Rome c. Both Parties being thus hot and Christendom divided between two Popes at once each damning the other for a Schismatick and Villain France Flanders Scotland and several other Countries joyn'd with Pope Clement insomuch that the French King proclaim'd throughout all his Realm that none should own or obey Vrban on pain of being Beheaded and all his Goods forfeited to the Kings use But by means of Vrban's Complemental Letters to King Richard and the Parliament and his honouring our Bishop of London with a Cardinals Cap England was altogether at his devotion for in the second year of King Richard an Act was made declaring him to be lawful Pope and that the Livings of all Cardinals and others that were Rebels to him should be seized into the Kings hands and the King to be answered of the profits thereof and that whosoever within this Realm should procure or obtain any Provision or other Instrument from any other Pope than the same Vrban should be out of the Kings Protection And this year 1382 the said Vrban sent over his Bull to Henry Spencer Bishop of Norwich a young bold Prelate to raise a Croisado that is to levy Forces who should be all mark'd with the Cross as engag'd in an Holy War to fight with and subdue his Enemy the said Clement the Anti-Pope and all his Followers and Favourers whom thereby he did excommunicate and depose from all Honours and forbid any Conversation with them living and burial of their bodies when dead c. In which Bull were amongst other things granted the Powers and Privileges following 1. That the said Bishop of Norwich may use the Sword against the Anti-Pope and all his Adherents Favourers and Counsellors and with violence put them to death 2. That he hath full power to inquire of all and singular such Schismaticks and put them in prison and to confiscate all their Goods moveable and immoveable 3. That he hath Power and Authority to deprive all Laymen that are such Schismaticks of all manner of Secular Offices whatsoever and to give their Offices to other fit and convenient Persons 4. To deprive all such Schismatick Clerks and bestow their Benefices either with or without Cure their Dignities Parsonages or Offices to other Persons more meet for the same having power over Lay-persons that are exempt Clerks both Secular and Regular yea though they be Fryars Mendicants 5. That he may dispense with any Dignified or Beneficed Clerks so that they may be absent from their Cures or Benefices under the â—tandard of the Cross without leave of any of their Prelates and yet take and receive the entire Profits as though personally resident 6. There is granted to all that pass the Seas in this Cause either at their own Expences or at the Expences of any others Full Remission of all their Sins and besides as large Priviledges as to any that pay their Money or go to Fight for the Holy Land 7. That all such as shall with their proper Goods and Substance give sufficient Stipend to able Souldiers at the discretion of the aforesaid Bishop mustred or by any other his Deputy although themselves be not personally engaged yet shall they have the like Remission and Indulgence as they which in person go to the Expedition 8. That all they shall be Partakers of this Remission who shall give any part of their Goods to the said Bishop to Fight against the said Schismaticks 9. That if any shall chance to die in the Journey or be kill'd that are Souldiers under the said Standard of the Cross they shall fully and wholly receive the said Grace and shall be Partakers of the aforesaid Forgiveness and Indulgence 10. The said Bishop hath Power to Excommunicate Suspend and Interdict all persons whatsoever that shall be Rebellious or Disturbers of him in the Execution of the Powers and Authority hereby committed unto him of whatsoever Dignity or Condition they be whether Kings Queens Emperors or of any other Quality Ecclesiastical or Temporal Lastly That he may compel and inforce any Religious Persons whatsoever to go in this Expedition and send them over Sea if he think good so to do and this although they be Professors of the Fryars Mendicants Being thus furnisht the Bishop to spread his Authority and the more effectually carry on the Work publisht the Ordinances following 1. IT is Ordained for the Honour the Establishment of Holy Church and the Salvation of the Realm that sufficient Preachers be sent into all the Country to Declare and Publish the Croisado and the Right Estate of Holy Church and of our most Holy Father Pope Urban whom God of his benign Grace pity and redress according to his good pleasure 2. That to every such Preacher or Confessor throughout England there shall be joyned a Clerk who shall receive and register the Names of all such as shall offer their persons to this Holy War and also all money that shall be given over whom the said Confessors shall be Controllers 3. That no Woman shall presume to go this voyage without special Licence from the Bishop of Norwich under his Seal 4. That no man by the way shall rob or by any kind of Extortion take the goods of any till they come upon the Enemies where they may do it by right of War on pain of losing all share in the said Pardon 5. That the said Preachers shall press the people to say Prayers and make Processions for the safety of the Church and the prosperity of
not out of a Picque to ary perticular person but out of Compassion for so publick Grievance and zealous Duty to his Soveraign And therefore desired the said Duke that he being one of the Kings Cabinet-Council would be pleased to discover unto His Majesty these Enormities and Dangers that by removing the One he might happily prevent the Other To these or some such discourses the Duke of Norfolk seemed much to adhere assuring Hereford that in these Apprehensions he had but Copied his own Thoughts and seemed not only to approve of what he said but promised to improve his Interest towards a Regulation of the Matters Complained of And perhaps had the words been afterwards by him but as faithfully related and by the King as candidly taken as they were freely and 〈◊〉 intended many Mischiefs might have been avoided But on the contrary they were maliciously mis-recited and much mis-construed For the Duke of Norfolk had formerly sided with the Lords yet it seems Preferment had taken him off and he was now become wholly addicted to humour the King And therefore to sâ—rue himself yet further into favour acquaints him with these Complaints of the Duke of Hereford but so exaggreated and intermixt with reflective Additions that the King was highly incensed and calling Hereford before him charged him therewith who denying a great part thereof and Nâ—rfolk as stoutly asserting it the former challenged the latter to the Combate who readily accepted thereof which at last the King allows assigning Coventry the place and August following for the time of decision And though it be not much material to our History yet to gratify the vulgar Readers Curiosity it will perhaps be no unwelcome digression to relate the Formality of the intended Duel between these two Puissant Peers On the day therefore appointed each of them attended with a splendid and numerous Retinue appears The Duke of Albemâ—rlâ— was pro Tempore made High Constable and the Duke of Surry High Marshal who came to the Lists Honourably attended with Rich Liveries suitable to their greatness each of their Servants carrying Tipstaves for clearing the Field Where first the Duke of Hereford as Challenger mounted on a White Courser in Caparisons of Green and Blew Velvet Embroidered thick with Swans and Antilopes armed Cap-a-pe with his Sword drawn approached the Lists of whom the Marshal demanding who he was received this Answer I am Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford that am come hither to do my Devoir against Thomas Moubray Duke of Norfolk as a false Traytor to God the King the Realm and me And then taking his Oath that his Qurrel was true and just desired liberty to enter the Lists which being granted he put up his Sword pull'd down his Beaver sign'd himself on the Fore-head with the Cross took his Spear and passing the Barriers dismounted and sat down in a Chair of Green Velvet placed in a Travers of Green and Blew Velvet at one end of the Lists Then King Richard enters the Field with great Pomp accompanied with the Earl of S. Paul who came out of France on purpose to be a Spectator of the Combat and attended with most of the Nobles of England and a Guard of Ten Thousand men in Arms to prevent any sudden Tumult or disorders His Majesty being seated in a Chair of State one of the Kings at Arms made Proclamation That none but such as were appointed to Marshall the Field should touch any part of the Lists upon pain of Death Which ended another Herald cryeth Behold here Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford Appellant who is entred into the Royal Lists to do his devoir against Thomas Moubray Duke of Norfolk upon pain of being counted false and Reâ—reant Immediatly upon this appeared the Duke of Norfolk bravely mounted his Horse barbed with Crimson-velvet embroydered with Lions of Silver and Mulberry Trees proper and having taken a like Oath before the Constable and Marshal that his Quarrel was Right and Just entred the Field crying aloud God aid the Right and then lighted from his Horse placing himself in a Chair of Crimson Velvet opposite to Hereford at the other end of the Lists the Marshal viewed their Spears to see that they were of equal length and carried the one himself to the Duke of Hereford and sent the other by a Knight to the Duke of Norfolk This done Proclamation was made to mount and address themselves to the Combat Upon which the Dukes instantly mount their Horses closed their Beavers casting their Spears into their Rest when the Trumpet sounded and the Duke of Hereford put his Horse forward but before Norfolk stirred the King cast down his Warder and the Heralds cryed stay stay Then the King causing the Spears to be taken from them they returned to their Chairs whilst he retired to Council to debate what was fit to be done in so weighty a cause where after two Hours debate their doom was agreed upon without fighting and one Sir John Bouray by the Kings Command after silence proclaim'd read their Sentence which was thus That forasmuch as the Dukes Appellant and Defendant had honourably appeared in the List Royal and were not only ready but forward to entertain the Combat therefore it being an Affair of great consequence for avoiding the Effusion of Christian Blood the King by the advice of his Council had decreed That Henry Duke of Hereford should within 15 days depart the Realm not to return within the space of Ten Years on pain of Death without the Kings special Licence and after a Second Proclamation Sentence of Banishment was also read against the Duke of Norfolk but with these several aggravations First that the same was for Life Secondly that the Cause thereof was expressed to be for having urtered Seditious words whereof he could not produce any proof And Thirdly it was added as part of his further punishment That the â—ing should receive the Revenues of his Lands until he were satisfied all such Sums of Money as the said Duke had taken out of the King's Coffers on pretence of paying the Garrison of Callice And further it was proclaimed That no person from thenceforth should presume to Petition or Intercede with the King in the behalf of either of these Dukes to alter this sentence on pain of his Majesties high displeasure which being so declared the King called them both before him and took of them a Solemn Oath That they should never Converse together beyond the Seas nor willingly come into each other's Company The Duke of Norfolk soon after in great grief and trouble of mind departed into Germany and from thence to Venice where in a short time he died with sorrow leaving this cautionary Lesson to all Courtiers That greatness abused by whispering untruths draweth if discovered certainty of destruction And observable it is that his Banishment was pronunced on the very day Twelve Month on which the Duke of Glocester had by his order been Murdered at Calice so
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
invincible against the power of your Enemies and the most firm Band of Peace and hearty Love towards your Subjects as well for the increase of your owu good and advantage in respect of God and the Salvation of your Soul as for the unspeakable comfort of all the People which you govern On whose behalf we intimate these things anto you That we have it Settled Granted or Confirmed by ancient Constitution by a Custom laudable and approved and which none can gain-say or contradict That the King can Assemble the Lords Nobles and Commons of the Kingdom once a year unto his Parliament as the highest Court of the Realm in which all Equity ought to shine bright without any scrupâ—e or spot clear as the Sun when ascending to the Meridian where as well Poor as Rich may find a never failing Shelter for their Refreshment by restoring Tranquility and Peace and removing all Kind of injuries where publick Grievances or Errors are to be redress'd where with the most prudent Councill the state and Goverment of the Kingdom is to be treated of That the King and Nations Foes within and their Enemies abroad may be discovered and repulsed by such means as most conveniently and honourably it may be done and also with wholsom deliberation therein to fore see and order how the necessary Burdens of the King and Kingdom may with most ease the publick Want â—onsidered be supplied And they conceive also that since they are to support publick Charges incumbent they should have the Supervisal too how and by whom their Goods and Fortunes are expended They say moreover that this is their Priviledge by ancient Constitusion that if the King wilfully estrange himself fram his Parliament no Infirmisy or necessary Cause disabling him but obstinately by his ungovernable Will shall withdrow himself and be absent from them the time of Forty days as not regarding the vexation of his People 〈◊〉 nor their grievous Expences That then from that time it shall be or is lawfull for all and every of them without any damage from the King to go home and every one return into his own Country And Now You for a longer time have absented Your Self and for what Cause they know not have refus'd to come amonst them To this the King Now do We plainly discover that our People and the Commons intend to resist and are endeavouring to make Insurrections against us and in such case nothing seems better to us than to call in our Kinsman the King of France and from him to ask Advice and Aid nay even to submit Our Self to him rather than to Truckle to our own Subjects To which they answered thus THis Council is not sase for You but rather tends to inevitable destruction For the King of France is your Capital Enemy and the much greatest Adversary to your Kingdom and if be should once get footing on your Land would sooner endeavour to dispoil you of it to invade your Kingdom and to drive you from your Throne than in the lest to lend you his assisting hand if at any time which God forbid you should stand in need thereof Rather therefore recall to your Memory how your Grandfather King Edward the Third and in like manner your Father a Prince of the same Name and Renown with Sweat and Hazards during their whole Lives through innumerable Labors indefatigably contended for the conquest of the Kingdom of France which by hereditary Right appertained to them and after them to you by Succession Remember how many of the Nobles what innumerable Troops of the Commons of England as well as those of France lost their Lives and underwent the peril of Death in that Quarrel Remember the inestimable Treasures the People of England freely parted with for the maintanance of that War And yet what is more to be lamented they have in your time sustained so many Taxes for the support of your Wars as that now they are reduced to such incredible Poverty that they can neither pay their Rents for their Livings nor assist their King nor afford themselves even the Necessaries of Life Thus The Royal Power is impoverished and an unhappy condition brought upon all Great Men and Nobles of the Kingdom as well as the Commons weakned and undone For a King cannot be poor that has a rich People nor that King be rich whose Subjects are Poor Nor do these Ills redound alone to the King but to all the Nobility and Great Men every one in his Rank and degree And all this is brought to pass by the evil Ministers of the King who have ill-Governed both King and Kingdom to this day and unless we do quickly set our helping hands to the Work and raise the healing Prop the Kingdom of England will in less time then we think of be miserably subverted But there is yet one part more of our Message remaining on the behalf of your People to be imparted to you That we have an ancient Constitution and it was not many Ages since experimented it grieves us that we must mention it That if the King through any evil Council whatever or through a weak Obstinacy or Contempt of his People a perverse froward Will or irregular Course shall alienate himself from his People and refuse to Govern by the Laws and Statutes of the Realm by the laudable Ordinances and and faithful Advice If he shall throw himself headlong into wild Designs and stubbornly exercise his own singular Arbitrary Will That from that time it shall be lawful for his People by their full and free Assent and Consent to Depose that King from his Throne and to establish some other of the Royal Stock upon the same in his stead Which grievous and unhappy Dissention That it may never spring up amongst your People That your People by no such lamentable Divisions pleasing only to your Enemies may ever through your evil Counsellors be subvered That this Kingdom so honourable and above all the Nations in the World from your Fathers days hitherto most famious in War may not now in your time through the Distractions of ill Goverment he miserably laid waste That the Title and Inscription of these Miseries may never be placed as a scandalous Mark upon your Reign and this unhappy Age. Recal we beseech you your Royal Mind from such foolish and pernicious Councils and whatsoever they are that suggest such matters to you do not only not hearken to them but totaly remove them from you for in a time of danger it will be found that they can no ways effectual serve you c. By these and such kind of Speeches the King laying aside his Anger was reduced to a better Temper and being pacified promised That after Three days he would come to the Parliament and with Mature Advice willingly Acquiesce to their Petitions The King then came as he had promised and John de Fortham Bishop of Durham was removed from the Office of Treasurer and the Bishop of Hereford made