same was very expedient did each man singly by himself and in Common with the People unanimously Admit the said Cession and Renunciation After which Admission it was then and there publickly declared that besides such Cession and Renunciation so as aforesaid admitted It would be very expedient and profitable to the Kingdom for the removing of all Scruples and taking away sinister suspitions That very many Crimes and Defects by the said King about the ill Governance of his Kingdom very often committed reduced into writing by way of Articles by reason of which as himself affirmed in the Cession by him made he was deservedly to be deposed should be publickly read and declared to the People And so the greatest part of the said Articles were then and there read through The Tenour of all which Articles is such But yet in the Roll before the Articles there are first these words Here followeth the form of the Oath used and accustomed to be taken by the Kings of England at their Coronation which the Archbishop of Canterbury hath used to require and receive from the said Kings as in the Book of the Pontifical Archbishops and Bishops more fully is contained Which Oath Richard the Second after the Conquest of England did take at his Coronation and the same was administred by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the very same Oath the King afterwards repeated as in the Rolls of the Chancery may more fully be found of Record Thou shall keep to the Church of God and People Intire Peace and Concord in God according to thy power The King shall answer I will keep them Thou shalt in all thy Judgements cause to be done equal and right Justice and discretion in mercy and in Truth according to thy power He shall answer I will do so Thou dost grant the just Laws and Customes as shall be held and dost promise the same shall by thee be protected and for the Honour of God Corroborated quas vulgus elegerit which the People shall chuse to the utmost of thy power He shall answer I do so grant and promise To the aforesaid Questions such others are added as shall be just and all things being so pronounced the King by his own Oath on the Altar before all the Assembly Confirms and Promises that he will 〈◊〉 and observe the same Then follow THE OBJECTIONS or ARTICLES Against the King touching his Deposition IMprimis It is objected against King Richard that whereas by reason of his ill Government viz. His giving away the Goods and Possessions belonging to his Crown and that to Persons unworthy and his indiscreet squandering the same away otherwise adn to that end imposing without cause Collections and other grievous burthens on his People more than they were able to bear and also innumerable other Evils by his assent and Command perpetrated there were by the whole Parliament certain Prelates and others Temporal Lords Elected and Assigned who might with all their power and at their own Charges faithfully labour about the just Government of the Realm Yet the King causing a Conventicle to be held by him with his accomplices the said Lords as well Spiritual as Temporal so occupied about the safety and profit of the Kingdom did propose to impeach of High Treason and did violently draw the Judges of the Kingdom for fear of Death and Corporal Tortures to such his wicked purpose most vigorously striving to destroy the said Lords II. Item The said King lately at Shrâ—wsbury caused several and the greater part of the Judges to come before him and his Favourites privatly in a Chamber and by Menaces and Various Terrors as such affrightments as might fall even upon men of constant Resolutions did induce cause and compel them severally to answer certain Questions there propounded on the behalf of the King concerning the Laws of his Kingdom besides and against their will and otherwise than they would have answered had they been at Liberty and unforced By colour of which answers the said King purposed to have proceeded afterwards to the destruction of Thomas Duke of Glocester and the Earls of Arundel and VVarwick and other Lords against whose deeds and behaviour the said King was much incensed chiefly because they desired the said King to be under good Guidance But Providence withstanding it by the resistance and power of the said Lords the King was not able to bring such his design to effect III. Item When the Lords Temporal defending themselves had withstood his malice and fraud and the said King had prefix'd a day for holding his Parliament to do them and other Inhabitants of the Realm Justice in that behalf and the said Temporal Lords were quietly and peaceably gone home and at Rest in their houses in hope and confidence of the said Parliament the King secretly sent the Duke of Ireland with his Letters and Standard towards Chester and there gathered multitudes in Arms and caused them to rise against the said Lords the Nobles of the Kingdom and Servants of the State publickly erecting his Standard against the Peace which he had Sworn to keep From whence slaughters of men Captivities Dissentions and other infinite mischiefs did ensue throughout the whole Kingdom By which Act he became Guilty of Perjury IV. Item Although the said King had in full Parliament and by the assent thereof Pardoned the said Duke of Glocester and Earls of Arundel and Warwick and all their Assistants and others all offences and had for many years shown Signs of Peace and Love to the said Duke and Earls and to the rest appeared with a pleasant and benign Countenance Yet the said King always and continually bearing Gall in his Heart did at last taking an Opportunity cause the said Duke of Glocester the Uncle of him the said King and also the Son of Edward late King of England of happy memory and Constable of England then humbly going to meet the said King in solemn Procession and the said Earls of Arundel and Wâ—â—â—ick to be taken and Arrested and him the said Duke out of the Kingdom of England to the Town of Callice did cause to be led and there imprisoned and under the Custody of the Earl of Nottingham and of the Appellors of the said Duke detained and without answer or any lawful process whatsoever did inhumanely and cruelly cause to be suffocated strangled and murdered And the Earl of Arundel though he pleaded as well the General Pardon as a Pardon afterwards to him specially granted and desired justice to be done him yet in his Parliament encompassed with armed men and innumerable Archers of the People by him gathered to that purpose by Pressing did damnably cause to be Beheaded And the Earl of Warwick and Lord Cobham did commit to perpetual Imprisonment wickedly and against Justice and the Laws of his Kingdom and his express Oath confiscating their Lands and Tenements as well Fee-simple as Fee-tail from them and their Heirs and giving the same to their Appellors V.
Commons desire his Absence that they would rather want so much Treasure than have him here to Seduce and Infatuate the King As for Michael Pole he was committed to Windsor-castle Furthermore the Parliament observing that by the Covetousness of the King's Ministers the publick Revenue was vainly consumed the King insufferably defrauded and abused the Common People of the Realm by continual and grievous Burdens miserably impoverished the Rents and Profits of the Nobles and Great Men much impaired and their poor Tenants in many places forc'd to abandon their Husbandry and leave their Farms empty and desolate And yet still by all these things the Kings Officers only becoming unmeasurably Rich They therefore chose Fourteen Lords of the Realm and gave them leave and power to Inquire into Treat of and Determine all Affairs Causes and Complaints arising from the Death of King Edward the Third to that present time As also of the King's Expences and his Ministers and all other matters whatsoever happening within the time to them Assigned and caused the said Lords so chosen to be sworn on the Holy Evangelists well and truly to regulate all Burdens and other Affairs incumbent on the King and Kingdom and to do Justice to every one requiring the same according to the Grace and Understanding given them by God And also the King took an Oath to stand to their Ordination and to encourage them in their Actings and not to revoke any Article of their Power but to confirm and hold good and stable whatsoever the said Counsellors should do or order during such time of whom Six with the Three Officers of the King appointed by consent of Parliament viz. The Chancellor the Treasurer and the Lord Privy Seal should at any time make a Quorum And it was also Ordained by Act of Parliament That if any one should Advise the King to make any Revocation of their Power though the King should not Revoke it yet the Person probably Convicted only of such ill Counsel should for the same forfeit all his Lands and Goods and if he attempt it a second time be drawn and hang'd as a Traytor Whereupon the King issued forth his Commission under the Great Seal of England Confirming the said Lords in such power in the words following Translated from the Original French RIchard King c. To all those to whom these Letters shall come to be seen or heard Greeting We being duly Conscious of the grievous Complaints of the Lords and Commons of our Realm in this present Parliament Assembled That our Profits and Rents and the Revenues of our Realm by private and insufficient Council and the Ill-governance as well of certain our late Great Officers as of divers other persons being near Our Person are so much consumed wasted embeziled given away granted and aliened destroyed and evilly disposed of and expended That We are so much impoverished and stript of Treasure and Means and the Substance of Our Crown so diminished and destroyed that We are neither able to Sustain Honourably as We ought the State of Our Houshold nor maintain and manage those Wars wherewith Our Realm is Environ'd without great and outragious Oppressions and Charges on Our People greater than they can bear And also that the good Laws Statutes and Customs of Our said Realm to which we are bound by Oath and obliged to maintain are not nor have been duly observed nor executed nor full Justice or Right done to Our said People but many Disinherisons and other most great Mischiefs and and Damages have happened as well to Vs as to our People and whole Realm Now We for the Honour of God and for the good of Vs and our Realm and for the quiet and relief of Our People willing against the said Mischiefs to establish a good and meet Remedy as We have already of Our free Will at the Request of the Lords and Commons Ordained and Assigned such Persons for Our great Officers that is to say Our Chancellor Treasurer and Keeper of Our Privy Seal as We esteem good faithful and sufficient for the Honour and Profit of Vs and Our said Realm so also of Our real Authority certain knowledge good pleasure and free will and by the Advice and Assent of the Prelates Lords and Commons in full Parliament in Aid of the good Governance of Our Realm and the well and due execution of Our Laws for the Relief in time of that miserable Condition under which both We and Our Subjects have long labour'd having full confidence in the good Advice Sense and Discretion of the most Honourable Fathers in God William Archbishop of Canterbury Alexander Archibishop of York Our most dear Vncles Edmund Duke of York and Thomas Duke of Gloucester the Honourable Fathers in God William Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bishop of Exeter and Nicholas Abbot of Waltham Our beloved and faithful Richard Earl of Arundel John Lord Cobham Richard le Scroop and John Devereux Have Ordained Assigned and Deputed and do Ordain Assigne and Depute them to be of Our Great and Continual Council for One whole Year next after the Date hereof to Survey and Examine together with our said Great Officers as well the Estate Condition and Government of Our whole Realm and of all Our Officers and Ministers of whatever Estate Degree or Condition they be within Our Houshold or without and to Inquire and take Information by all such ways as they shall think meet of all Rents Revenues and Profits belonging to us or which are duâ— and ought to appertain to us either within the Realm or without And of all Gifts Grants Alienations and Confirmations by Vs made of any Lands Tenements Rents Annuities Profits Revenues Wards Marriages Escheats Forfeitures Franchises Liberties Voidances of Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbeys Priories Farms of Houses Possessions of Aliens c. And also of all Revenues and Profits as well of Our said Realm as of Our Lands Lordships Cities Villages and other Possessions beyond the Sea and of the Benefices and Possessions and other Revenues of all that are in Rebellion against the Pope And of the carrying Moneys out of the Realm by the Collectors of the Pope or the Procurators of Cardinals Lumbards or other persons And likewise of the Profits of Our Customs and all Subsidies granted to Vs by the Clergy and Laity since the day of Our Coronation to that time And of all Fees Wages and Rewards of Our Officers and Ministers great and small and of Annuities and other Rewards granted and Gifts made to any persons in Fee or term of Life or in any other manner And of Lands Tenements Rents Revenues and Forfeitures bargained or sold to the prejudice and damage of Our Crown And also touching the Jewels and Goods which were Our Grandfathers at the time of his Death and of Charters and General Pardon and how General Payments have been levied and expended how Garrisons and Forts have been maintained And of all Defaults and Misprisions as well in Our Houshold
his People that they might engross amongst themselves only the Government of the Realm whereby they have caused our Lord the King without the Assent of the Realm or any desert in them to have given away by their Abetment many Lordships Castles Towns and Mannors as well annexed to his Crown as others As particularly the Land of Ireland and Okam with the Forest and Lands which did belong to the Lord Dandelegh and great quantities of other Lands to the said Duke of Ireland and divers others whereby they unworthily are vastly inriched but the King rendred poor and unable to sustain and defray the Charges of the Government unless by Impositions heavy Taxes and Tributes laid upon his People to the disinherison of his Crown and the destruction of the Realm 5. Item By such Encroachment of the said Archbishop c. and by the Counsel of that false Justicer Tresylian and Brember the false Knight of London they have caused our Lord the King to have given away divers Mannors Lands Tenements Offices and Bailywicks to divers other persons their Creatures and such as they could confide in and to others of whom they have taken great Gifts by way of Brokage for that purpose and to stand by them in their false Suits and ill purposes to the great prejudice of the King and Realm such as Sir Robert Mansel Clerk John Blake Thomas Vsk and divers others 6. Item The said Duke c. Encroaching to themselves the Royal Power have caused the King to give very great Gifts of Gold and Silver as well of his proper Goods and Jewels as of the Goods and Treasure of the Realm as Tenths Fifteens and other Taxes granted by divers Parliaments to be expended for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom which yet to the value of One hundred thousand Marks have been lavisht away upon the said Duke of Ireland and others And though many good Ordinances and Laws have been made in Parliament as well for maintaining and carrying on of Wars as for the defence of the Realm yet they have been by them disturbed and defeated to the great dishonour and damage of the King and Realm 7. Item By such Encroachment and the great Gifts and Brokages taken by the said Duke of Ireland c. it came to pass that divers unfit and insufficient persons were preferred to and intrusted with the keeping and government of divers Garrisons Castles and Countries involved in War as in Guyen and elsewhere both beyond and on this side the Sea whereby the said Strong-holds have been lost the Countries wasted and the People faithful Subjects to the King destroyed and great Seigniories newly rendred into the hands and possessions of Enemies without the Assent of the Realm as the Marches of Scotland c. to the disinherison of the Kings Crown and the great loss of the Kingdom as in Harpeden and Craddock and divers others 8. By the same means the said Archbishop and his Fellow-Traytors have caused divers people to be disturbed and deprived of Right and the Common Law of England and put to intolerable delays losses and costs and the Statutes and Judgments which rightfully for necessary Causes have been made and given in Parliament have been reversed and annull'd by the procurement of the said Malefactors and Traytors and all this because of the great Gifts and Brokages by them received of Parties to the grand mischief of the King and Realm 9. Item The said Archbishop and other Traytors have caused and counselled our Lord the King to grant Charters of Pardon of horrible Felonies and Treasons as well against the State of the King as of the Person injured and prosecuting which thing is against the King and the Oath of the King 10. Item Whereas the said Seignories of the Land of Ireland are and time out of mind have been parcel of the Crown of England and the People of Ireland Liege Subjects to our Lord the King and his Royal Progenitors Kings of England who in all their Charters Writs Letters Patents and in their Seals have for the Augmentation of their Renown and Royalty been intituled Lords of Ireland yet the said Archbishop c. as false Traytors by their said Encroachment have caused and counselled our Lord the King as much as in him lies to have granted and fully assented and accorded that the said Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland should be made King of Ireland And to compleat such their ill purpose have advised and excited our said Lord the King to send his Letters to our Holy Father the Pope to grant ratifie and confirm this their trayterous Designe without the privity or assent of His Realm of England and of the said Land of Ireland to the dividing the Liegance of the King between his Realm of England and the said Land of Ireland in diminution of his Majesties honourable Stile and open disinherison of the Crown of England and full destruction of the lawful Liege Subjects of our Lord the King and of the said Land of Ireland 11. Item Whereas by the Great Charter and other good Laws and Vsages of the Realm of England No man is to be taken nor any Prisoner put to death without the due process of Law The said Nicholas Brember the false Knight of London did take by night certain Prisoners to the number of 22 out of the Gaol of Newgate some of them being Indicted and Appealed of Felony and some Approvers in cases of Felony and some on suspition of Felony and carried them out of London into Kent to a place called Foulhoke and there encroaching on the Royal Power and in Defiance of the said Laws as a Traytor to the King did without any Process of Law cause them all to be Beheaded except one who was Appealed of Felony by an Approver whom he set at large the same time 12. Item The aforesaid Archbishop and other Traytors have in small Causes taken great Gifts in the Name of the King of divers Parties to maintain and abet them in their Suits and Quarrels and sometimes have play'd the Ambo-dexters and taken Money of both sides 13. Item Whereas divers of the great Lords Loyal Subjects to the King in divers Parliaments seeing the dangers and apprehending the destruction threatning the King and Realm by means of the Mischiefs of these Malefactors have moved to have good Governance under the King to avoid the said Perils The forenamed Archbishop and other Traytors by their Encroachment and fatal Influences have so ordered Matters that the King has not onely been deaf to all such Perswasions but also has Commanded some of those that moved it to depart from his Council and to speak no more of such Matters Nor touching the good Governance of the King and Kingdom on pain of Death to the great prejudice of the King and Kingdom 14. Item Whereas in the last Parliament all the Lords and other Sages there assembled seeing the loss and destruction of the King and Realm and the
the most part subdu'd and dispers'd by the active valour of Hugh Spenser Bishop of Norwich who gathering an Army together set upon the Rebels with incredible fury pursuing them from place to place and giving no Quarter to any of them It is to be noted That these Rebels in several Shires held correspondence and their Leaders sent abroad their Epistles of Advice and encouragement some of which as they were afterwards taken and own'd I shall insert for the Readers diversion that he may admire the style of these popular Orators and observe what strength of perswasion there was in Non-sense A LETTER of John Ball to the COMNONS in Essex IOhn Sheep sometime S. Mary Priest of York and now of Colchester Greeteth well John Nameless and John the Miller and John Charter and biddeth them beware of Guil in Borough and stand together in Gods Name and biddeth Piers Plowman go to his werk and Chastise well Hob the Robber and take with you John Trewman and all his Fellows and no mo John the Miller hath yground small small small The Kings Son of heven shall pay for all Beware or ye be wo know your Frende fro your Foe have ynough and say No and do well and better and flee sinne and seek peace and hold you therein And so biddeth John Trewman and all his Fellows Another IOhn Ball gretyth you wele All and doth you to understand he hath rungen the Bell Now ryght andâ—myght wyll and skyll God spede every yee dele Now is time Lady help to Ihesu the Sone and thid Sone to his Fadur to make a gode end in the name of the Trinity of that is begun Amen Amen pur Charite Amen Another IOhn Bell S. Mary Prist gretes wele all manner men and byddes them in the Name of the Trinity Fadur and Son and Holy Ghost stond manlyche togedyr in trewthe and helps trewthe and trewthe shall helpe yowe Now regneth Pride in prise and Covetous is hold wise and Lechery without en shame and Glotony without en blame Envie regneth with treason and slouthe is take in grete sesone God do bote for now is the time Amen in Esex Southfolc aud Northfolc Jack the Millers Epistle JAKK Mylner asket help to turn his Mylne aright He hath Grounden small small The Kings Son of Heven he shall pay for all Look thy Mylne do a right with the four Sailes and the Post stand in stedfastnesse With right and with might with skill and with will lat might help right and skill go before will and right before might than goeth our Mylne aright And if might go before right and will before skill than is our Mylne mysadyght Jack the Carter's JAKK Carter pryes yow all that yee make a gode end of that yee have begunnen and doth wele and ay bettur and bettur for at the even men heryth the day for if the end be wele than is all we le Lat Peres the Plowman my Brother duele at home and dyght us Corn and I will so with yow and help that yee may so dyght your mete and your drynk that yee none fayle Lokke that Hobb Robbyoure be wele chastised for lesing of your Grace for yee have grete nede to take God with yow in all yowr dedes for now is time to beware Jack Trewman's Scroll JAkk Trewman doth yow to understand that falseness and gile havith regned to long and trewth hath been sett under a Lokke and falsneth and gile regneth in everylk Flokke No man may come trewth to both syng Si dedero Speke spend and speed quoth John of Bathon and therefore sinn fareth as wilde flode trew love is a way that was so gode and Clerks for welth worth hem wo. God do bote for nowze is time The Storm being thus happily over-blown the Rebels suddenly master'd and a competent Force raised to secure the Peace of the Kingdom it was quickly thought fit to revenge such an Affront and bring the Delinquents to justice In order to which the King as soon as he could do it with safety to Himself and the Publick revokes his former Charters of Manumission and Pardon by a Proclamation under His Great Seal in these Terms RICHARD by the Grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting Although in the late detestable Disturbance horribly made by divers of Our Liege People and Subjects rising up against Our Peace certain Letters Patent of Ours were made at the importunate Instance of the Rebels containing That We have freed all Our Leige People Common Subjects and others of the several Counties of Our Realm of England and them and every of them discharged and acquitted from all Bondage and Service And also That we have pardoned them all manner of Insurrections by them against Us made and all manner of Treasons Felonies Transgressions and Extortions by them or any of them committed As also all Outlawries Publisht against them or any of them on those Occasions Or that we have granted to them and every of them Our firm Peace And that Our Will was That Our said Liege People and Subjects should be free to buy and Sell in all Cities Burroughs Towns Markets and other Places within the Kingdom of England and that no Acre of Land which holds in Bondage or Villenage should be accounted higher than at Four Pence And if any were before held for less that it should not be raised for the future Yet for that such Our Letters did Issue without Mature Deliberation and unduly We well weighing that the Grant of the said Letters doth manifestly tend to the very great prejudice of Us and Our Crown and to the Disinherison as well of us and the Prelates and Nobility of Our said Realms as of the Holy Anglicane Church and also the the Damage and Incommodity of the Commonwealth Therefore by the Advice of Our Council We have Revoked made void and do utterly annul the said Letters and whatever hath been done or follow'd thereupon willing that none of what state or condition soever he be shall any way have or reap or enjoy any liberty or benefit whatsoever of or by the said Letters For We will and 't is our intention by the Advice of Our sound Council for the future to impart such Grace and Favour to all and singular although they have grievously forfeited their Allegiance as shall be well-pleasing and profitable to Our Realm and with which Our faithful Subjects may reasonably hold themselves contented And this we do notifie to all persons concern'd by these Presents Commanding the same to be Proclaimed in all Cities and Towns Villages c. And further We strictly require and command That all and singular as well Free as Bond-men shall without any contradiction murmuring resistance or difficulty do and perform the Works Customs and Services which to us or any other their Lords they ought to do and which before the said Disturbance were used to be done
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
this Vâ—rage 6. That all Curates on pain of Excommunication shall encourage and by all means they can especially in Confession press and engage their â—arishioners as well poor as rich to come into and contribute to this pious Expedition so much for the good of the Church and advantage of their own Souls 7. That every one that will go in person for the Absolution shall before such Absolution be given him swear to come to the said Bishop or his Deputy and make his Indentures touching the time that he purposes to serve in the Croisado 8. That if any will find a man that is hire another to go in his name and upon his costs and charges that he must either provide and able sufficient Souldier that shall nor refuse the Service or else allow so much for his Pay to the Bishop and let him provide one himself 9. That every one that sends such a Souldier in his own stead shall enroll in the Bishops Registry both his own and his Souldiers name before he takes Absolution otherwise to lose all benefit of the Pardon The form of the Absolution to be given to all that should serve in or contribute to this Croisado BY Apostolical Authority to me in this behalf committed We do Absolve thee from all thy sins confessed with thy mouth and for which thou art contrite in heart and of which thou wouldst be confessed it they did occur to thy memory and do grant unto thee full forgiveness of all thy sins and the Retribution of the Just and we do promise thee an increase of Eternal Life And we do also grant to thee as many Privileges as are granted to those that go to the Aid of the Holy Land And furthermore we do impart to thee the Suffrages and Advantages of the Prayers and Good works of the whole Catholick Church The business being thus published with all the zeal and art of the Clergy the Bishop thereupon collected an innumerable and incredible Summe of Money besides abundance of Plate both Gold and Silver Jewels Rings Dishes Spoons Bracelets they are all our Authors own words who lived at that time Necklaces and other ornaments especially of Ladies and others of the Female Sex for 't was said one Lady gave an hundred pounds and so others some more some less and many even beyond their ability as was believed so fond were they to obtain the imaginary benefit of Absolution for themselves or their Friends for by this they might not onely save their own Souls but free whom they pleas'd that were dead from pains of Purgatory or ensure the Salvation of any Child or Relation living And so all the secret Treasure of the Kingdom that was in the custody of these foolish weaker Vessels was endanger'd for otherwise they were not to be absolved if they did not contribute to their power and ability Many men went in person at their own charge others that were old or weak or timorous sent Souldiers and bore their expences For the Bishop had got most admirable Indulgences both for the quick and dead and could absolve à poena à culpa as well from the guilt or offence as from all punishment due for sin And 't was said that some of his Commissioners did assert That at their commands Angels would descend from Heaven and snatch Souls from out of the pains of Purgatory and without delay carry them to rights into heaven Whilest the warlike Bishop was making these Preparations comes a Parliament where it was Debated whether it where safe to hazard so considerable a strength of the Kingdom in such an impertinent Quarrel and under the Conduct of a rash unexperienced Priest Those that were for it besides the Interest of Religion urg'd Reason of State That now was the time for the King to recover his Right in France and weaken the French King when he lay under Pope Urban's Curse for siding with Pope Clement during which he could expect no Success on his Armes Thus for some time very doubtfull it was which way the Parliament would incline but at last upon hearing that Antiphone sung Ecce Crucem Domini fugite partes adversae Behold the Cross of our Lord fly ye Adversaries they where as with a Charm brought over to Decree in favour of the Expedition assigning the Fifteenth given in the last Parliament to be imployed herein And now the Project went on more vigorously then ever insomuch saith Walsingham That in all this spacious Kingdom there was scarce one person to be found that did not either â—ffer his person or bestow part of his goods for promoting the same About the middle oâ— May the Bishop was ready to put to Sea with his Army lying in Kent waiting for a Wind the King whether designing quite to forbid the Voyage or thinking the Bishop had got too much Money and willing to thare with him or what other reason I know not sent him a Writ to come back and speak with his Majesty and know his pleasure but the proud Prelate mistrusting the worse was so intent upon the Affair of his Lord and Master the Pope that he had no leisure to obey his King and therefore to avoid any stops presently hastned over to Calice leaving his Army to follow him which being arriv'd he set up the Standard of the Cross and besiges Graveling and takes it and several other places using great Cruelties and destroying all they could Master For as the Episcopal Generall was a person rash and daring and inflam'd with mad Zeal so his Soulders confiding in their Absolutions adventur'd upon the greatest dangers without fear esteeming says Walsingham it Glory to overcome but Gain to die in this Cause where they thought themselves sure to go directly to Heaven and to enjoy so much the greater Bliss the more they butcher'd of the Schismaticks But these first Fervours were quckly cool'd by hard Service and having in vain laid Siege to Ypres they are at last forc'd to quit it being all in Confusion amongst themselves and in great want of Provisions whence they come back to Graveling and therein are besieg'd by the French King with a powerfull Army In which Distress our Bishop wrote to King Richard That if ever he intended to try his Fortune against the French King now was the time or at least that he should send some Forces to give him Battle and force him to abandon the Siege King Richard was then at Daintry in Northamptonsheire and on the receipt of this News being at Supper instantly arose from Table and in mighty rage and fury took Horse riding Post with such speed that he came to Sant Albans at Midnight where having borrowed the Abbots Guelding which Walsingham a Monk of that Abbey complains he never restor'd he hastned to Westminster making shew as if he would never rest till he had Routed the French King and all his Host but being somewhat weary with Riding at Westminster he went to Bed and having taken council
Treasurer The Lord Michael de Pole Earl of Suffolk was with much disgrace turn'd out of the Office of Chancelor and Thomas de Arundel Bishop of Ely by Consent of Parliament put in his stead And sometime afterward the said Michael de Pole was Impeached of several High Crimes and Misdemeâ—â—ors by the Commons as follows The Impeachment or Articles made by the Commons in full Parliament against Michael de Pole Earl of Suffolk late Chancellor of England in the Term of S. Michael in the Tenth Year of the King and the Judgment upon them following from Point to Point IMprimis That the said Earl being Chancellor and Sworn to Act for the just Profit of the King hath Purchased of Our Lord the King Lands Tenements and Rents to a great Value as appears by the Record-Rolls of the Chancery And against his Oath not regarding the great Necessity of the King and Realm being Chancellor at the time of such Purchase made did cause the said Lands and Tenements to be Extended at a much smaller value than really they were worth by the year and thereby deceiv'd the King And for that he purchased the said Lands when he was Chancellor against his Oath the King shall have the said Lands again intirely and the said Earl shall make Fine and Ransom to the King with all Profits received since the Purchase 2. Item Whereas Nine Lords were Assigned by the last Parliament to View and Examine the Estate of the King and Realm and to deliver their Advice how the same might be Improved Amended and put into better Order Governance and thereupon such Examination to be delivered to the King as well by Word of Mouth as in Writing The said late Chancellor did say in full Parliament That the said Advice and Ordinance should be put in due Execution which yet was not done and that by the default of him who was the principal Officer To this Article and the Third and the Seventh the said Earl shall answer if he have any thing to say against the same in special 3. Item Whereas a Tax was granted by the Commons in the last Parliament to be laid out in a certain Form demanded by the Commons and assented to by the King and Lords and not otherwise yet the Moneys thence arising were expended in another manner so that the Sea was not Guarded as it was ordered to have been whence many Mischiefs already have happen'd and more are like to ensue to the Realm and all this by the default of the said late Chancellor 4. Item Whereas the Tydeman of Limbergh having to him and his Heirs of the Gift of the King's Grandfather Fifty pounds per annum out of the Customs of Kingstone upon Hull which the said Tydeman forfeited to the King and also the payment of the said Fifty pounds per annum was discontinued for Five and thirty years and upwards The said Chancellor knowing the Premisses purchased to him and his Heirs of the said Tydeman the said Fifty pounds per annum and prevailed with the King to confirm the said Purchase whereas the King ought to have had the whole Profit For this Purchase the said Earl was adjudged to Fine and Ranson and the said Fifty pounds to go to the King and his Heirs with the Mannor of Flaxâ—â—ete and Ten Marks of Rent which were exchang'd c. with the Issues c. 5. Whereas the high Master of S. Antony is a Schismatick and for that Cause the King ought to have the Profits which appertain to him in England the said late Chancellor who ought to advance and procure the Profit of the King took to Farm the said Profits of the King at Twenty Marks per annum and so got to his own use above a Thousand Marks And afterwards when the said Master in England which now is ought to have had the Possession and Livery of the said Profits he could not obtain the same till he and two persons with him became bound by Recognizance in Chancery of Three thousand pounds to pay yearly to the said Chancellor and his Son John One hundred pounds for the term of their two Lives For which it is adjudged That the King shall have all the Profits belonging to the said S. Anthony's at the time of the Purchase and that for the Recognizance so made the said Earl shall be Awarded to Prison and Fined and Ransom'd at the pleasure of the King 6. Item That in the time of the latâ— Chancellor there were granted and madâ— divers Charters and Patents of Pardoâ— for Murders Treasons Felonies c. against the Laws and before the Commencement of this present Parliament there was made and sealed a Charter of certain Franchises granted to the Castle of Dover in Disinherison of the Crown and to the subversion of the Pleas and Courts of the King and of his Laws The King Awards that those Charters be Repealed 7. Whereas by an Ordinance made in the last Parliament that Ten thousand Marks should be raised for the Relief of the City of Gaunt by the default of the said late Chancellor the said City of Gaunt was lost and also a Thousand Marks of the said Money Vpon all which Articles the Commons demand the Judgment of Parliament WAlsingham tells us That all these Articles were so fully proved that de Pole could not deny them insomuch that when he stood upon his Answer and had nothing to say for himself the King Blushing for him shook his Head and said Alas alas Michael see what thou hast done And when the King desired a Supply the Commons answered That he did not need the Tallage of his Subjects who might so easily furnish himself of so great a sum of Money from him who was his just Debtor But at last upon his Majesties yielding to have him turn'd out of the Chancellorship and admitting the Articles which he was very unwilling to suffer they freely gave him half a Tenth and half a Fifteenth only providing that it might be necessarily Expended To which purpose it was to be deposited in the hands of the Earl of Arundel who was then going to Sea with a Fleet to secure the Coasts They likewise gave the King on every Pipe of Wine Imported or Exported Three shillings and on every Twenty shillings worth of all sorts of Merchandize Foreign or Domestick brought in or carried out one shilling Wool Hides and Pelts onely excepted And also at the King's Instance granted that the Heirs of Charles de Bloys should for Thirty thousand Marks be permitted to sell Bretaigne in France to the French and that Robert de Vere the new Duke of Ireland the Kings most dangerous Favourite should have the said Thirty thousand Marks a prodigious sum of Money in those days wholly to his own use provided he would be gone before next Easter into Ireland and there make use of it to recover the Dominions that the King hath given him in that Kingdom so passionately did both Lords and
just is the Divine Nemesis not only in revenging ill actions but causing the punishment to be attended with such circumstances as may make the world take notice of it The Duke of Hereford took his leave of the King at Eltham behaving himself so respectfully that his Majesty was there pleased to declare he would abate 4 Years of his Exilement yet could not that pacify the Murmurs of the people who could not be perswaded that there was any cause for his being Banisht at all Exclaiming that it was against the Law of Arms the custome of the Realm and all Justice that he should be Exil'd who had so honourably offered to mantain his Appeal according to the Law of the Field He directed his course from England to Paris where he was nobly received by the French King and found such favour in that Court That he was offered in Marriage the only Daughter of the Duke of Berry the said Kings Uncle But King Richard having notice thereof used means to stop the prosecution of that Treaty He had not been gone many Months but his Father the Duke of Lancaster pays Nature her Debt his Death perhaps being hastened by those Impressions of grief which this disgrace of his Son might occasion on his Spirits The Character given this Duke by Historians speaks him a man well advised and wary an approver of safe Councils with reason rather than Fortunate Exploits with hazzard One that was neither negligent nor ambitiously tender of Glory and therefore deported himself towards the King his Nephew in terms honourable and respective enough for a moderate Prince and yet not so plausible as an uncollected greatness and the depravity of the Court might desire whereby little happened unto him Extraordinary either in Prejudice or Preferment By his Death the Dutchy of Lancaster did lineally descend to his Eldest Son the said Duke of Hereford But as the Nature of Man is very Prone to hate those whom he hath injured the King forthwith seizes all the Lands and Goods of the deceased Duke endeavoured to perpetuate the Banishment of the Young Duke and revoked the Letters Patent he had granted and consented unto for enabling the said Dukes Attornies to sue out his Ouster Le Main and Livery of those Lands which during his Exile should descend to him his Homage being formerly concluded upon to be Respited at a reasonable Fine And all this without any Crime alleadged that we can hear of against the Father whereby he should have forfeited his Estate or new Provocation given by the Son whereby a Cloud might arise for his being deprived of it This severity could not but enrage the Duke who was already sufficiently discontented at his Banishment nor were the People sparing to Exclaim where they durst against these proceedings as unjust and thence to contract first a Pity and afterwards an high esteem for this Exil'd Noble-man who though not the Immediate Heir presumptive to the Crown for Edmund Mortimer Earl of March was therein before him the Right having by Parliament the common Arbitrator in that case in those daies been formerly declared to be in his Father as being Son of Phillipa the Daughter of Lionel the Third Son of King Edward the Third whereas the late Duke of Lancaster was but the Fourth Son of that King Yet being so near it and thus exasperated they thought he might step over that Obstacle Si jus violandum Regni causâ violandum est They knew him to be an active Prince and of great Courage and therefore generally fixt their Eyes on him as the man that must be their deliverer from those grievances and pressures under which they lay gasping And indeed their condition could not but be very uneasie for the King having got rid of two of his Uncles viz. Glocester and Lancaster one murdred the other naturally deceased and the Third which was York either in disdain for the Indignity offered to his Nephew Hereford or in distrust of his own safety being retired with his Son the Duke of Albemarle to his House at Langley look't upon himself as absolutely Hors de Page free from any Controul with which their unwelcome gravity was wont somtimes to check his irregular Appetite and therefore now took a greater Liberty than before to disoblige and harass his People For thus we find the condition of those times described That the King abandoned himself to sloth and lay plunged in the soft but destructive Charms of pleasure by whose example the Nobility too much gave themselves up to Ease and Luxury whereby Cowardice and Effeminacy crept in and Shipwrack was made both of Manhood and Reputation The chief Affairs of State had long been Bias'd by private respects which made the Nation decline as well in Riches as Honour and all things being out of due Motion the Common-weal seem'd not so much by degrees as with a main Course and at once precipating into inevitable Ruine The Northern parts by frequent losses almost consumed by the Scots who had taken several important Posts and defaced all the Countrey with Slaughter and Devastations Towards the South the Merchant Ships were daily surprized by the French who likewise frequently pillaged the Sea-coasts And of the Kings Hereditary Dominions in France many strong holds were lost by negligence or sold by ill advise and Treachery Forces sometimes were often pretended to be sent over for their defence but so scatteringly at such unseasonable times so ill accommodated or under such indiscreet conduct that they were occasions rather of loss than help Affairs were managed by such as neither Nature had design'd nor Education prepared nor Experience qualified for Politicians but corrupt or ignorant Ministers by flatteries and base Arts swai'd in the Kings affections and disposed of all things at their pleasure keeping him as it were beseiged from any better advise The profits and revenues of the Crown nay the whole Kingdome was let to farm the King making himself only ◠Landlord and challenging no greater priviledge by his Reign than a dissolute and uncontroled Life Great Sums of Money were by new-found and unwonted means every day rather extorted from than voluntarily granted by the subject whereof no advantage accrew'd to the Kingdom only private pleasures were maintain'd at an extravagant Rate and unworthy Favourites advanced To these the King was so excessively Liberal that he was forced to borrow begg and extort in many places to supply this vain lavish humour undoing many without cause to Inrich a few without desert Over and above the Tenths and Fifteenths and such usual Taxes which were many times gathered double in one Year strange Impositions were devised and put in practise sometimes exacting 12d per poll of every Subject 6s 8d of every Priest and Religious Person great Sums drawn from the People under the favourable Term of Benevolence and so much borrowed upon Privy-Seals that no Man of Ability could escape his Loan though very seldom any repayment was made And to add to
or in lieu thereof great Sums of Money in the said Letters expressed By which manner of Writing he forced many of such Religious out of fear to fulfil his Will and Command whereby they were heavily impoverisht and opprest in manifest derogation of Ecclesiastical Liberty by which Pretext the said King Richard did incur Perjury XXIII Item In most of the great Royal Councils when the Lords of the Realm the Judges and others being charg'd that they would faithfully Council the King in Matters relating to his State and that of his Kingdom The said Lords Justices and others very often in giving Counsel according to their best Discretion have been by the King suddenly and so fiercely chidden and reproved that they have not dared to speak the Truth in giving their Advice for the State of the King and Kingdom XXIV Item The Treasures Crowns Reliques and other Jewels viz. The Goods of the Kingdom which time out of mind have been Reposited in the Treasury of the Kingdom for the Honour of the King and preservation of his Kingdom against any sudden Event or Exigency the said King Going out of his Kingdom into Ireland did take away and caused the same to be carried with him without the consent of the States of the Kingdom Whereby this Kingdom had been vastly impoverisht if God by the retaking of the said Goods against the said Kings Will had not otherwise provided And furthermore the said King did cause the Rolls of Records touching the State and Government of his Kingdom uo be destroyed and rased to the great prejudice of his People and disinheriting the Crown of the said Kingdom And all this as 't is probably believed in favour and support of his evil Governance XXV Item The said King was wont as it were perpetually to be so variable and dissembling in his Words and Writings and so contrary to himself and especially in writing to the Pope and to Kings and other Lords out of the Kingdom and within it and also to others his Subjects that no man living that knew his Conditions could or would confide in him nay he was reputed so unfaithful and unconstant that it became scandalous not only to his own person but also to the whole Kingdom and especially amongst Foreigners of all the World that came to know the same XXVI Item Although The Land and Tenements the Goods and Chattels of every Freeman by the Laws of the Realm used from all time heretofore ought not to be taken from him unless they be forfeited Yet the said King purposing and longing to weaken such Laws in the pretence of very many Lords and others of the commonalty of the Kingdom hath frequently said and affirmed That the Life of every one of his Svbjects and his Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels are his the said Kings at his will and pleasure without any forfeiture Which is utterly against the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom aforesaid XXVII Item Although it was Fnacted and Ordained and is hitherto Confirmed That no Freeman shall be taken c. nor any way destroyed and that the King shall not pass nor send any to pass upon him but by the Lawful Judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land Yet by the Will Command and Order of the said King very many of his Liege People being maliciously accused for having publickly or secretly said something that might tend to the disyraise scandal or disgrace of the person of the said King have been taken and Imprisoned and brought before the Constable and Marshal of England in the Court Military in which Court the said Liege People being accused would not be admitted to make any other Answer than that they were no way guilty and would justifie the same and defend themselves by their Bodies and not otherwise notwithstanding their Appellors were young men stout and lusty and those so accused antient and impotent maim'd or infirm Whereby not only destruction of the Lords and grandees of the Kingdom but also of all and singular persons of the Commonalty of the same may probably ensue Since therefore the said King hath wilfully acted contrary to such a Statute of his Kingdom 't is not to be doubted but he hath thereby incurred the Crime of Perjury XXVIII Item Although the People of the Realm of England by vertue of their Leigeance are fully enough bound to their King and the said King by the Laws and Customs of his Kingdom is enabled to Correct and punish his People if in any kind they Transgress yet the said King desiring to trample on and too much oppress his People that he might the more freely execute and follow the Humour of his foolish and unlawful Will by his Letters to all the Counties of his Kingdom did Injoyn and Command That all his Subjects as well Spiritual as Tempâ—ral should make certain Oaths in general which were too grievous to them and which might probably cause the final destruction of his People and that they should confirm such their Oaths under their Letters and Seals To which Royal Command the People of his Kingdom did submit and pay Obedience that they might not incur his Indignation or Displeasure and also for fear of Death XXIX Item When Parties contending in the Ecclesiastical Court in Causes meerly Ecclesiastical and Spiritual had endeavoured to obtain from the Chancellor of England Prohibitions to hinder the lawful Process in the said Courts and the said Chancellor had justly refused to grant the same yet the said King by Letters under his Signet has frequently prohibited the Ecclesiastical judges to proceed in such Causes thereby evilly infringing the Liberties of the Câ—urch in the Grand Charter approved to the Conservation whereof he was sworn and damnably incurring Perjury and the Sentence of Excommunication against such Violators thereof by the Holy Fathers pronouâ—ced XXX Item The said King without any reasonable or lawful cause whatsoever or any other process of Law did in his Parliament encompass'd in warlike manner by armed men adjudge Thomas of Arundel Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England his Spiritual Father absenting himself by the Treacherous Counsell of the said King to Banishment against the Laws of his Kingdom so by him sworn to as aforesaid XXXI Item By inspection of the Testament of the said King Sealed with the Great and Privy Seal and also with his Signet among other things there is contained this clause or Article Item we will that the residue of our Gold the true debts of our House-hold Chamber and Wardrobe being paid for payment whereof we bequeath Twenty Thousand Marks reserving to our Executors Five or Six Thousand Marks which wee will by them to be expended towards the more plentiful maintainance of the Lepers and Chaplains to celebrate before them by us founded at Westminster and Bâ—rmondeseye shall remain to our Successor provided alwaies that he approve ratify and confirm and hold and cause to be holden and firmly observed all and singular