is quite overthrowne Yet the endeavour to curry favour is more easily disliked as bearing with it an open note of servility and therefore Alexander when hee heard Aristobulus read many things that hee had written of him farre above truth as hee was sailing the floud Hidaspis he threw the booke into the River and said that hee was almost moved to send Aristobulus after for his servile dealing but envious carping carrieth a counterfeit shew of liberty and thereby findeth the better acceptance And since I am entred into this point it may seeme not impertinent to write of the stile of a History what beginning what continuance and what meane is bee used in all matter what things are to bee suppressed what lightly touched and what to bee treated at large how credite may bee wonne and suspition avoided what is to bee observed in the order of times and description of places and other such circumstances of weight whâ—t liberty a writer may use in framing speeches and in declaring the causes counsailes and events of things done how farre hee must bend himselfe to profit and when and how hee may play upon pleasure but this were too large a field to enter into therefore least I should runne into the fault of the Mindians who made their gates wider then their towne I will heere close up onely wishing that all our English Histories were drawne out of the drosse of rude and barbarous English that by pleasure in reading them the profit in knowing them might more easily bee attained THE HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF KING HENRY the fourth THe Noble and victorious Prince King Edward the third had his fortunate gift of a long and prosperous raigne over this Realme of England much strengthened and adorned by natures supply of seven goodly Sonnes Edward his eldest Sonne Prince of Wales commonly called the Black Prince William of Hatfield Lyonel Duke of Clarence Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaâ—â—er Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester and William of Windsore These Sonnes during the life of their renowned Father were such ornaments and such stayes to his estate as it seemed no greater could bee annexed thereunto For neither armies nor strong holds are so great defences to a Prince as the multitude of children Fortes may decay and forces decrease and both decline and fall away either by variety of fortune or inconstancy of mens desires but a mans owne bloud cleaveth close unto him not so much in the blisses of prosperity which are equally imparted to others as in the Crosses of calamity which touch none so neere as those that are neerest by nature But in succeeding times they became in their off-spring the seminary of division and discord to the utter ruine of their families and great wast and weakening of the whole Realme for they that have equall dignity of birth and bloud can hardly stoope to termes of soveraignty but upon every offer of occasion will aspire to endure rather no equall then any superiour and for the most part the hatred of those that are neerest in kind is most dispitefull and deadly if it once breake forth The feare of this humour caused Romulus to imbrew the foundations oâ— the City and Empire of Rome with the bloud of his brother Remus According to which example the Tyrants of Turkie those butchers of Sathan doe commonly at this day begin their raigne with the death and slaughter of all their brethren Prince Edward the thunderbolt of Warre in his time dyed during the life of his faâ—her And although hee was cut off in the middle course and principall strength of his age yet in respect of honour and fame hee lived with the longest having in all parts fulfilled the measure of true Nobility Hee left behind him a young Sonne called Richard who after the death of King Edward was crowned King in his stead and afterward dyed childlesse William of Hatfield King Edwards second Sonne dyed also without issue leaving no other memory of his name but the mention onely Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of King Edward was a man of comely personage of speech and pace stately in other qualities of a middle temperature neither to bee admitted nor contemned as rather void of ill parts then furnished with good Hee had issue Philip his onely Daughter who was joyned in marriage to Edmund Mortimer Earle of March Who in the Parliament holden in the eight yeare of the raigne of King Richard was in the right of his Wife declared Heire apparant to the Crowne in case the King should die without Children but not many yeares after hee dyed leaving issue by the said Philip Roger Mortimer Earle of March This Roger was slaine in the rude and tumultuous Warres of Ireland and had issue Edmund Anne and Elinor Edmund and Elinor died without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge Sonne to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke the fift Sonne of King Edward Of these two came Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke who by the right devolved to â—im from his Mother made open â—laime to the Crowne of England â—which was then possessed by the faâ—ily of Lancaster first by Law in the â—arliament holden the thirtieth yeare â—f the Raigne of King Henry the sixt where either by right or by favour â—is cause had such furtherance that afâ—er King Henry should die the Crown â—as entailed to him and to the Heires 〈◊〉 his bloud for ever But the Duke â—â—patient to linger in hope chose raâ—â—er to endure any danger then such 〈◊〉 Whereupon hee entred into 〈◊〉 soone after against King Henry 〈◊〉 the field But being carried further 〈◊〉 courage then by force hee could 〈◊〉 through hee was slaine at the battaile of Wakefield and left his title to Edward his eldest Sonne who with invincible persistance did prosecute the enterprise and after great variety of fortune at the last atchieved it Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Sonne of King Edward the third was a man of high and hardy Spirit but his fortune was many times not answerable either to his force or to his forecast Hee had two Sonnes Henry Earle of Derby of whom I suppose chiefly to treat and Iohn Earle of Somerset This Iohn was Father to Iohn Duke of Somerset who had issue Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother to the Noble Prince Henry the seventh Henry Plantagenâ—t Earle of Derby was likewise by his Mother Blanch extracted from the bloud of Kings being discended from Edmund the second Sonne of King Henry the third by which line the Dutchy oâ— Lancaster did accreve unto his house Hee was a man of meane stature well proportioned and formally compact of good strength and agility of body skilfull in armes and of a ready dispatch joyntly shewing himselfe both earnest and advised in all his actions Hee was quick and present in conceit forward in attempt couragious in execution and most times fortunate in event There was no
man within the Realme that was enobled with that title But as they grew in honour so did they in hate for many Noble-men did infinitely stomack their undeserved advancements and with these the favour of the People generally went but the Kings intemperate affection was peremptory and violent not regarding envy untill hee could not resist it The yeare next following Robert Veerâ— the new Marquesse was created Duke of Ireland This yeare the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament put up many complaints against the Earle of Suffolke upon which they desired his answers and triall namely how hee had abused the King in taking of him to farme all the profits and revenues of the Crowne how wantonly hee wasted the treasure of the land in riotous liberality and unnecessary charges how deepe hee had dived into the Kings debt how carelesse and corrupt hee was in his office how greatly hee had both deceived and discredited the King in certaine dealings and accounts particularly expressed with divers other imputations touching dishonour and dishonesty both in private action and in office This Earle was a Merchants Sonne in London and growing mighty on the sudden hee could not governe himselfe in the change but prosperity layed open the secret faults of his mind which were suppressed and cloaked before and serving a weake Ruler in great place with an ill mind hee made open sale of his Princes honour Yet the King was willing either secretly to dissemble or openly to remit these offences and so passed them over with a short audience as his manner was in matters of greatest weight and without examination shewing himselfe neither grieved at the faults nor well pleased with the complaint Afterwards a Subsidy was required but answer was made that this needed not since the Kings wants might bee furnished with the debts which were owing him from his Chancelour neither was it to any purpose so long as the money should bee ordered by such persons as before it had beene and that that time was like Then were the matters against the Lord Chancellour againe set on foote and the King perswaded that it was neither honorable nor safe to beare him out that to private men it was sufficient if themselves abstaine from wrong but a Prince must provide that none doe wrong under him for by maintaining or wincking at the vices of his Officers hee maketh them his owne and shall surely bee charged therewith when first occasion doth serve against him At the last upon instant importunity of both Houses the King did consent that a commission should goe forth to certaine Noble-men giving them authority to heare and determine all matters which were objected against the Lord Chancellour and then was a Subsidie granted with exception that the money should bee expended by the Lords to the benefit and behalfe of the Realme The King did further demand that the Heires of Charles Bloyes who made claime to the Dutchy of Britaine should bee sold to the French-men for thirty thousand markes and the money granted to the Duke of Ireland for recovery of those possessions which the King had given him in Ireland this was likewise assented unto upon condition that before Easter the next ensuing the Duke should depart into Ireland and there remaine at so high a price did they value the riddance of him out of the Realme The charge of the Subsidie money was committed to Richard Earle of Arundell Commissioners for the Earle of Suffolke were appointed Thomas Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle and the said Earle of Arundell but during the time of their proceeding the King kept all off in places farre distant either to manifest thereby the discent of his mind or to avoid the griefe which his neerenesse would encrease And now was the Chancellour left unto himselfe to answere to those demeanours wherein hee made the Kings blind favour his priviledge and protection supposing never to see the same either altered or over-ruled In the end being convict of many crimes and abuses hee was deposed from his office his goods were confiscated to the Kings Exchequer and himselfe was adjudged worthy of death Yet was execution submitted to the Kings pleasure and under sureties hee was permitted to goe at large At the same time Iohn Foorde Bishop of Duresme another of the Kings dainties was removed also from being Lord Treasurer of England hee was a man of little depth either in learning or wisedome but one that had the Art of seeming in making the best shew of whatsoever hee spake or did and rising from meane estate to so high a pitch of honour hee exercised the more excessively his riot avarice and ambition not able to moderate the lusts and desires which former want had kindled When this businesse was blowne over the King returned againe to London and did presently receive the Earle of Suffolke with the Duke of Ireland and the Archbishop of Yorke to greater grace and familiarity then at any time before These Triumvirs did not cease to stirre up the Kings stomack against those Noblemen whose speciall excellency had made matter of â—ame and regard partly for the disgraces which they had received partly upon malicious emulation to see the other so favoured and themselves so odious and that their private choller and ambition might beare some shew of publike respect they suggested unto the King that hee was but halfe yea not halfe a King in his owne Realme but rather the shadow and picture of a King for if wee respect said they matters of state you beare the sword but they sway it you have the shew but they the authority of a Prince using your name as a colour and countenance to their proceeding and your person as a cipher to make them great and bee your selfe nothing Looke to the duty of your Subjects and it is at their devotion so that you can neither command nor demand any thing but with such exceptions and limitations as they please to impose come now to your private actions your liberality the greatest vertue in a Prince is restrained your expences measured and your affections confined to frowne and favour as they doe prescribe What Ward is so much under government of his Gardian Wherein will they next or can they more abridge you Except they should take from you the place as they have done the power of a Prince and in this wee thinke they may justly bee feared having so great might joyned with so great aspiring minds For power is never safe when it doth exceed and ambition is like the Crocodile which groweth so long as hee liveth or like the Ivie which fastning on the foote of the tallest Tower by small yet continuall rising at length will climbe above the top it is already growne from a sparke to a flame from a twig to a tree and high time it is that the increase were stayed oftentimes such over-ruling of Princes have proceeded to their overthrowing and such cutting them short hath turned to cutting
in his stead these are not all and yet enough to cleare this action of rarenesse in other Countries and novelty in our The difficulty indeed is somewhat because the excellency is great but they that are afraid of every bush shall never take the bird and your selfe had once some triall hereof when without battaile without bloud or blowes you had the King at such a lift as hee held his Crowne at your courtesie even at that time when his grievances were neither for greatnesse nor continuance so intollerable as now they are growne and by reason of his tender yeares not out of all compasse both of excuse for the fault and of hope for amendment And as concerning the lawfulnesse Nay said the Duke where necessity doth inforce it is superfluous to use speech either of easinesse or of lawfulnesse necessity will beate thorow brasen walles and can bee limited by no lawes I have felt very deeply my part in these calamities and I would you knew with what griefe I have beheld yours for what other reward have I received of all my travailes and services but the death of my Vncle dearest friends my owne banishment the imprisonment of my Children and losse of my inheritance and what have beene returned to you for your bloud so often shed in his unfortunate warres but continuall tributes scourges gallowes and slavery I have made sufficient proofe both of patience in my owne miseries and of pitty in yours remedy them hitherto I could not If now I can I will not refuse to sustaine that part which your importunity doth impose upon mee if wee prevaile we shall recover againe our liberty if we loose our State shall bee worse then now it is and since we must needs perish either deservingly or without cause it is more honourable to put our selves upon the adventure either to winne our lives or to dye for desert and although our lives were safe which indeed are not yet to abandon the State and sleepe still in this slavery were a point of negligence and sloath It remaineth then that wee use both secrecy and celerity laying hold upon the oportunity which the Kings absence hath now presented unto us for in all enterprises which never are commended before they bee atchieved delayes are dangerous and more safe it is to bee found in action then in counsaile for they that deliberate onely to rebell have rebelled already So the Messengers departed into England to declare the Dukes acceptance and to make preparation against his arrivall both of armour and of subjection and desire to obey Presently after their departure the Duke signified to Chaâ—les King of France that hee had a desire to goe into Britaine to visite Iohn Duke of Britaine his friend and kinsman The King suspecting no further fetch sent letters of commendation in his favour to the Duke of Britaine but if hee had surmised any dangerous drift against King Richard who not long before had taken his Daughter to wife in stead of letters of safe conduct hee would have found letts to have kept him safe from disturbing his Sonne in lawes estate As soone as the Duke was come into Britaine hee waged certaine souldiers and presently departed to Calis and so committed to Sea for England giving forth that the onely cause of his voyage was to recover the Dutchy of Lancaster and the rest of his lawfull inheritance which the King wrongfully detained from him In this company was Thomas Arundel the Archbishop of Canterbury and Thomas the Sonne and Heire of Richard late Earle of Arundel who was very young and had a little before escaped out of prison and fled into France to the Duke The residue of his attendants were very few not exceeding the number of fifteene lances so that it is hard to esteeme whether it was greater marvaile either that he durst attempt or that he did prevaile with so small a company but his chiefest confidence was in the favour and assistance of the people within the Realme So he did beare with England yet not in a streight course but sloated along the shoare making head sometimes to one coast and sometime to another to discover what forces were in a readines either to resist or receive him As he was in this sort hovering on the Seas Lord Edmund Duke of Yorke the Kings Vnâ—le to whom the King had committed the custody of the Realme during the time of his absence called unto him Edmund Stafford Bishop of Chichester Lord Chancellour and William Soroupe Earle of Wiltshire Lord Treasurour of of the Realme also Sir Iohn Bushy Sir Henry Greene Sir William Bagot Sir Iohn Russell and certaine others of the Kings Privy Councell and entred into deliberation what was best to be done At the last it was concluded deceitfully by some unskilfully by others and by all perniciously for the King to leave the Sea coasts and to leave London the very Walles and Castle of the Realme and goe to S. Albons there to gather strength sufficient to encounter with the Duke It is most certain that the Dukes side was not any wayes â—oore furthered then by this dissembling and deceiveable dealing for open hostility and armes may openly and by armes be resisted but privy practises as they are hardly espied so are they seldome avoided And thus by this meanes the Duke landed about the feast of S. Martin without let or resistance at Ravenspur in Houldernesse as most Writers affirme Presently after his arrivall there resorted to him Lord Henry Pearcy Earle of Northumberland and Lord Henry his Sonne Earle of Westmerland Lord Radulph Nevil Lord Rose Lord Willoughby and many other personages of honour whose company encreased reputation to the cause and was a great countenance and strength to the Dukes further purposes And first they tooke of him an oath that he should neither procure nor permit any bodily harme to bee done unto King Richard whereupon they bound themselves upon their honours to prosecute all extremities against his mischievous Counsailors And this was one step further then that which the Duke pretended at the first when hee tooke shipping at Calis which was onely the recovery of his inheritance but that was as yet not determined nor treated and of some perhaps not thought upon which afterwards it did ensue and so was that place easily insinuated into by degrees which with maine and direct violence would hardlier have beene obtained Then the common people desperate upon new desires and without head head-long to matters of innovation flocked very fast to these Noble men the better sort for love to the Common-wealth some upon a wanton levity and vaine desire of change others in regard of their owne distressed and decayed estate who setting their chloâ—e hopes and devices upon a generall disturbance were then most safe when the common state was most unsure So betweene the one and the other the multitude did in short time increase to the number of threescore thousand able souldiers The Duke finding
by the Lords spirituall and temporall of the Realme of England and the Commons of the said Realme representing all the States of the said Kingdome specially deputed sitting in seate of judgement and considering the manifold iniuries and cruelties and many other crimes and offences by Richard late King of the said Realm committed and done contrary to good governement in the Realmes and Dominions aforesaid during the time of his Raigne also considering the articles which were openly exhibited and read before the said States which were so publike notorious manifest and famous that they could nor can by no avoydance and shift bee concealed also considering the confession of the said King acknowledging and reputing and truly upon his certaine knowledge judging himselfe to have beene and to be altogether insufficient and unskilfull for the rule and government of the Realmes and Dominions aforesaid and of any parts of them and not unworthy to bee deposed for the notorious demerits by the said Richard first acknowledged and afterward by his will and mandate before the said States published and to them opened and declared in the English tongue Vpon these and other matters which were done concerning the same busines before the said States and us by the diligent place name and authority to us in this part committed in abundance and for a cautele wee pronounce decree and declare the said Richard to have beene and to be unprofitable and unable and altogether unsufficient and unworthy for the rule and government of the said Realmes and of the Dominions Rights and parts of them and in regard and respect of the premises worthily to bee deposed from all kingly dignity and honour if any such dignity and honour remaineth in him and for the like cautele wee doe depose him by our sentence definitive in this writing inhibiting from henceforth expresly all and singular Lords Archbishops Bishops Prelates Dukes Marquesses and Earles Barons Knights Vassalles and all other persons whatsoever of the said Realmes and Dominions and other places to the said Realmes and Dominions appertaining the subjects and liege people of the same and every of them that from henceforth none obey or intend to obey the aforesaid Richard as King or Lord of the Realmes and Dominions aforesaid Then the same Commissioners were by the consent and suffrages of both houses constituted Procurators joyntly and severally for all the States of the Realme to resigne and surrender unto King Richard for them and all other homages of the Realme all the homages and fealties which were both due and done unto him as King and Soveraigne and also to declare unto him all the premises concerning his deposition Now Henry Duke of Lancaster that hee might bee reputed or reported at the least not to attaine the Kingdome by intrusion and wrong was counsailed by his friends to pretend some lawfull challenge and claime thereunto and being in power it was no sooner advised what was to bee done but it was presently devised how to doe it So a title was drawne from Edmund sonne to King Henry the third whom they surnamed Crouch-backe affirming that hee was the eldest sonne of King Henry and that for his deformity hee was put from his right of succession in the Kingdome which was for that cause given to his younger brother King Edward the third to this Edmund the Duke was next of blood by his mother Blanche sole daughter and heyre to Henry the first Duke of Lancaster and sonne to the said Edmund This cunning conceit was perceived of all men but seeming not to perceive it was a point of friendship in some and of obedience in the rest therefore the Kingdome of England being then thought vacant both by the resignation and also by the deposition of King Richard Duke Henry arose from his seat and standing in the view of the Lords crossed himselfe on the fore-head and on the brest and spake as followeth In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claime the realme of England and the Crown with all the appurtenances as I that am descended by right line of the blood royall comming from that good Lord K. Henry the third through the right that God of his grace hath sent me with the helpe of my kindred and of my friends to recover the same Which kingdome was in point to be undone for default of good government and due justice After these words it was demanded in both houses of the Nobility and of the Commons which were assembled whether they did consent that the Duke should raign who all with one voyce acknowledged and accepted him for their King then the Archbishop of Canterbury tooke him by the hand and placed him in the Throne of estate the Archbishop of Yorke assisting him and all the assembly testifying their owne joy and wishing his Then the Archbishop made an Oration and tooke for his theame this place of Scripture See this is the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall raigne over my people 1 Reg. 9.17 After all this hee was proclaymed King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland and the common people which is void of cares not searching into sequels but without difference of right or wrong inclinable to follow those that are mighty with shoutes and clamours gave their applause not all upon judgement or faithfull meaning but mostionly upon a received custome to flatter the Prince whatsoever he be Yet least the heat of this humour should allay by delay it was forthwith proclaimed in the great Hall that upon the 13. day of September next ensuing the Coronation of the King should be celebrated at Westminster These matters being thus dispatched the K. proclaimed arose from his seat and went to White-Hall where hee spent the rest of day in royall feasting and all other complements of joy notwithstanding there appeared in him no token of statelinesse or pride nor any change in so great a change Vpon Wednesday next following the Procurators before mentioned went to the presence of King Richard being within the Tower and declared unto him the admission of his resignation and also the order and forme of his deposition and in the name of all the States of the realm did surrender the homage and fealty which had bin due unto him so that no man from thenceforth would bear to him faith and obedience as to their King The King answered that he nothing regarded these titular circumstances but contented himselfe with hope that his cousen would be a gracious Lord and good friend unto him So upon the 13. day of October which was the day of the translation of Edward the Confessor the Duke was with all accustomed solemnities by the Archbishop of Canterbury sacred annoynted and crowned King at Westminster by the name of King Henry the fourth upon the very same day wherein the yeare before he had bin banished the Realme Hee was annoynted with an oyle which a certain religious man gave unto Henry the first Duke
Bishop of Salisburies servants named Romane meeting in Fleet-street with a Bakers man bearing horse-broad tooke a loafe out of his basket and by rude demand of the one and rough deniall of the other chollar so kindled betwixt them that Romane brake the Bakers head Hereupon the Neighbours came forth and would have arrested the Bishops lusty yeoman but hee escaped and fled to this Bishops house The Constable followed peaceably and demanded a quiet delivery of the Offendour but the Bishops men shut the gates against him that no man could come neere Then much people flocked together threatning to breake open the gates and fire the house unlesse Romane were brought forth unto them What said they are the Bishops men priviledged or is his house a Sanctuary or will hee protect those whom hee ought to punish if wee may bee shuffled off in this sort not onely our streets but our stops and our houses shall never bee free from violence and wrong This wee will not endure wee cannot it standeth not us in hand Herewith they approached the gates and beganne to use violence but the Major and Sheriffes of the City upon advertisement of this tumult came amongst them crying out that it was not courage but out-rage which they shewed whereby they would procure both danger to themselves and displeasure against the whole City that although wrong had beene received yet they were not in the men nor this the meanes to redresse the same So partly by their perswasions partly by their presence and authority they repressed the riot and sent every man away with streight charge to keepe the peace Here was yet no great harme done and the quarrell might have beene quieted without more adoe had not the Bishops stirred therein and kindled the coales of unkindnesse a fresh For the Londoners at that time were not onely suspected secretly but openly noted to bee favourers and followers of Wickliffes opinions for which cause they were much maliced of the Bishops and many of their actions interpreted to proceed from another mind and tend to a worse end then was outwardly borne in countenance and shew and some matters of chance were taken as done of purpose Therefore the Bishop of Salisbury called Iohn Waltham who was also Treasourer of England made a grievous complaint of this attempt to Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancellour affirming that if upon every light pretence the Citizens might bee suffered in this sort to insult upon the Bishops without punishment without reproofe and blame they would bring into a hazard not onely the dignity and state but the liberty also of the whole Church did they not lately take upon them the punishment of adulteries and other crimes appertaining to Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction maliciously alleaging that the Bishops and their Officers either being infamous for those vices themselves did winck at the same in others or else by covetous commutation did rather set them to sale then carefully represse them Did they not rudely and unreverently breake open the doores upon the Archbishop of Canterbury and interrupt his proceedings against Iohn Astone an open follower of Wickliffe and doe wee thinke that this is the last indignity that they will offer no surely nor yet the least and if this boldnesse bee not beaten downe our authority will fall into open contempt and scorne and bee made a common foote ball for every base Citizen to spurne at Hereupon they went together to the King and so incensed his displeasure against the Londoners being prepared thereto by former provocations that hee was in the mind to make spoile of the City and utterly to destroy it But being perswaded to some more moderation in revenge first hee caused the Major and Sheriffes and many of the chiefe Citizens to bee apprehended and committed to divers severall Prisons then hee ceazed all the liberties of the City into his hands and ordained that no Major should any more bee elected but that the King should at his pleasure appoint a Warden and Governour over the City This office was first committed to Sir Edward Darlington who for his gentlenesse towards the Citizens was shortly after removed and Sir Bauldwike Radington placed in his roome Also the King was induced or rather seduced by the Archbishop of Yorke Lord Chancellour to remove the Tearmes and Courts to wit the Chancery the Exchequer the Kings bench the hamper and the Common pleas from London to bee kept at Yorke where the same continued from Mid-sommer in the yeare 1393. untill Christmasse next following to the great hinderance and decay of the City of London At the last the King upon earnest intreaty of the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Glocester called the Londoners before him at Windsore where having first terrified them with the presence and shew of a great number of armed men hee caused all the priviledges of the City both old and new to bee brought forth whereof hee restored some and restrained the rest yet the Londoners were not fully restored to favour neither recovered they at that time either the person or dignity of their Major Shortly after the King went to London at whose comming the Citizens changed all their griefe into gladnesse as the common sort is without measure in both entertaining him with such joyfull triumphes and rich presents as if it had beene the day of his coronation They supposed with these great curtesies and costs to have satisfied his displeasure but they found themselves farre deceived for they were not fully restored to their liberties againe untill they had made fine to pay unto the King tenne thousand pounds Thus did the Londoners manifest in themselves a strange diversity of disposition both licentiously to commit offence and patiently to endure punishment having rashnesse and rage so tempered with obedience that they were easily punished who could not possibly be ruled Yet for this cause so soone as first occasion did serve against the King they shewed themselves either his earnest enemies or faint friends King Richard in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne passed the Seas to Calis the French King also came downe to Ard betweene which two Townes a place was appointed and tents erected for both the Kings to meet After large expences on both sides and great honour done by the one King to the other a surcease of armes was concluded betweene them for thirty years and King Richard tooke to wife Lady Isabel the French Kings Daughter being not above seven or eight yeares old The Duke of Glocester was so offended both with this friendship and affinity that hee lost all manner of patience exclaiming that it was more meet to bee in armes then in amity with the Frenchmen who being inferiour to the English in courage did alwayes over-reach them in craft and being too weake for Warre did many times prevaile by peace that now they had got into their hands many Townes and Holds appertaining to the Crowne of England they were willing to conclude
to robbe and spoile without correction and reproofe 6 Item that although the King flatteringly and with great dissimulation made proclamation throughout the Realme that the Lords aforenamed were not attached for any crime of treason but onely for extortions and oppressions done within the Realme yet hee laid to them in the Parliament rebellion with manifest treason 7 Item hee hath compelled divers of the said Lords servants by menace to make great fines and extreme payments to their utter undoing and notwithstanding his pardon to them granted he made them fine a new 8 Item where divers were appointed to commune of the estate of the Realme and the Common-wealth of the same the King caused all the roules and records to bee kept from them contrary to his promise made in Parliament to his open dishonour 9 Item hee uncharitably commanded that no man upon paine of losse of life and goods should once intreat him for the returne of Henry now Duke of Lancaster 10 Item where the Realme is houlden of God and not of the Pope or any other Prince the said King Richard after hee had obtained divers acts of Parliament for his owne peculiar profit and pleasure then hee procured Bulles and extreame censures from Rome to compell all men streightly to keepe the same contrary to the honour and ancient priviledges of this Realme 11 Item although the Duke of Lancaster had done his devoire against Thomas Duke of Norfolke in proofe of his quarrell yet the said King without reason or ground banished him the Realme for tenne yeares contrary to all equity 12 Item before the Dukes departure hee under his broad Seale licensed him to make Atturneyes to prosecute and defend his causes the said King after his departure would suffer none Atturney to appeare for him but did with his at his pleasure 13 Item the said King put out divers Sheriffes lawfully elected and put in their roomes divers others of his owne minions subverting the law contrary to his oath and honour 14 Item hee borrowed great summes of money and bound himselfe under his Letters patents for the repayment of the same and yet not one penny paid 15 Item he taxed men at the will of him and his unhappy Counsaile and the same Treasure spent in folly not paying poore men for their vittaile and viand 16 Item he said that the lawes of the Realme were in his head and sometimes in his breast by reason of which phantasticall opinion hee destroyed Noble men and impoverished the poore Commons 17 Item the Parliament setting and enacting divers notable Statutes for the profit and advancement of the Common wealth he by his privy friends and solicitours caused to bee enacted that no act then enacted should bee more prejudiciall to him then it was to his Predecessours thorow which proviso he did often as hee list and not as the law meant 18 Item for to serve his purpose he would suffer the Sheriffes of the Shires to remaine above one yeare or two in their office 19 Item at the summons of Parliament when the Knights and Burgesses should bee elected and the election had fully proceeded hee put out divers persons elected and put in others in their places to serve his will and appetite 20 Item hee had privy espials in every Shire to heare who had of him any communication and if hee communed of his lascivious living and outragious doing hee straightwayes was apprehended and made a grievous fine 21 Item the Spiritualty alledged against him that hee at his going into Ireland exacted many notable summes of money beside Plate and Iewels without law or custome contrary to his oath taken at his coronation 22 Item when divers Lords and Iustices were sworne to say the truth of divers things to them committed in charge both for the honour of the Realme and profit of the King the said King so menaced them with sore threatnings that no man would or durst say the right 23 Item that without the assent of the Nobility he carried the Iewels and Plate and Treasure over the Sea into Ireland to the great impoâ—verishing of the Realme and all the good Records of the Common-wealth against his extortions hee caused privily to bee embeasoled and carried away 24 Item in all leagues and letters to bee concluded and sent to the Sea of Rome and other Regions his writing was so subtill and darke that no other Prince durst once believe him not yet his owne Subjects 25 Item hee most tyrannously and unprincely said that the lives and goods of all his Subjects were in the Princes hands and at his disposition 26 Item that hee contrary to the great Charter of England caused divers lusty men to appeale divers old men upon matters determinable at the Common law in the Court Marciall because that in that Court is no triall but onely by battaile whereby the said aged persons fearing the sequell of the matter submitted themselves to his mercy whom hee fined and ransomed unreasonably at his pleasure 27 Item he craftily devised cercaine privy oathes contrary to Law and caused divers of his subjects first to be sworne to observe the same and after bound them in bands for surer keeping the same to the great undoing of many honest men 28 Item where the Chancellor according to law would in no wise grant a prohibition to a certaine person the King granted it unto the same person under his privie Seale with great threatnings if it should be disobeyed 29 Item he banished the Bishop of Canterbury without cause or judgement and kept him in the Parliament Chamber with men of armes 30 Item the Bishops goods hee granted to his successor upon condition that hee should maintaine all his statutes made at Shrewsbury Anno 21. and the statutes made Anno. 22. at Coventree 31 Item upon the accusation of the Archbishop the King craftily perswaded the said Bishop to make no answer for he would be his warrant and advised him not to come to the Parliament and so without answer hee was condemned and exiled and his goods seazed Foure other Articles were laid which particularly did concerne the said Archbishop by whose doing chiefly the King was utterly undone Then was demanded of the Nobility and Commons of the Realme what they judged both of the truth and desert of these Articles who all agreed that the crimes were notorious and that King Richard was worthy for the same to be deposed from his princely dignity The noble men gave their voyces part corrupted by favour part awed by feare and the Commons are commonly like a flocke of Cranes as one doth fly all will follow Hereupon Commissioners were appointed by both the Houses who pronounced sentence of deposition against King Richard in manner and forme as followeth In the name of God Amen Wee Iohn Bishop of S. Asses I. Abbot of Glastenbury Thomas Earle of Gloucester Thomas Lord Bekley Thomas Erpinghaime Thomas Gray Knights William Therning Iustice Commissioners for the matters hereafter specified