RICHARDUS II ANGLIAE ET FRANCIAE REX DOMINUS HIBERNIAE ETC. The true pourtraieture of Richard the 2. King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Prince of Chester he raigned 22 yeres was deposed and murther'd at Pomfraict Cast at the age of 33 yeares Buried first at Langley and 14 yeares after by K Henry the â—th 〈◊〉 to Westminster and their was honourably interred A TRVE RELATION OF THAT MEMORABLE PARLIAMENT which wrought Wonders Begun at Westminster in the tenth yeare of the Reigne of K. RICHARD the second Whereunto is added an Abstract of those Memorable matters before and since the said Kings Reigne done by Parliaments TOGETHER With a Character of the said amiable but unhappy King and a briefe Story of his Life and lamentable Death Printed in the Yeare 1641. AN HISTOIRCAL NARRATION of that Memorable Parliament begun at Westminster 1386 in the tenth year of the Reigne of King RICHARD the Second THis present occasion so opportunely be fitting me I am resolved to treat of that which hath beene omitted and slipped out of memory long since concerning divers and sundry changes and alterations in England in former times Nor will it be any way burthensome to write of that whereby every good and carefull Reader may learne to avoid diversities of miseries and the danger and feare of cruell death I will therefore speake of that which hath laine hid in the darksome shade of forgetfulnesse concerning men who have been led away by the deceitfull path of Covetousnesse and have come to a most shamefull and ignominious death a famous example to deter all men from practising those or the like courses ABout the yeere of Christ 1386 at such time as Richard the second of that name then in prime of his youth swayed the Imperiall Scepter of our Realme there flourished famous in his Court certain Peeres though some of them not of any honourable descent yet favoured by fortune by name Alexander Nevill Archbishop of Yorke Robert Vere D. of Ireland Michael de la Pool Earle of Suffolk then Lord Chancelor Robert Tresilian Lord Chiefe Justice of England and Nicholas Brambre sometimes Major of London These men being raised from meane estates by the speciall favour of the King and advanced to the degree of Privie Counsellors were the men who had the onely rule of the Common-wealth which they under the King governed for some small space with careful diligence meriting thereby deserved commendations But not long did they thus steere the Ship of the Kingdome for many of them being of inferiour ranke by birth not having their veines dignified with the streams of noble blood they were the sooner enticed with the libidinous baits of voluptuousnesse and infected with insatiable itch of avarice insomuch that despising the authority of the King and neglecting the commoditie of the Realme but onely desiring to keepe up the Revenues of the Kingdome so wrought that by their policie the King is impoverished the Treasure exhausted the Commons murmure at the multiplicity of Tenths Levies and Subsidies the Peeres repine to see themselves disgraced and their inferiors honoured and in a word the whole Kingdome endures an universall miserie The nobility seeing the miserable estate wherein the Kingdome lay bleeding as it were to death urged their King to summon a Parliament which was done shortly after In which amongst many other acts the afore-named Michaell de la Poole is dismist of his Chancelourship and being accused of divers and many points of injustice as briberie Extortion and the like he was sone after cast into the Castle of Windsor and all his Lands which were of no small Revenue were confiscated to the King Neither did the Parliament here give over but provided further for the whole state by the mutuall consent of the King and Prelates Barons and Commons with an unanimous conjunction they constitute and give plenarie and absolute power to certain Commissioners as well of the Spiritualty as of the Temporalty for the ordering and disposing of the publique affaires according as shall seeme best and most necessary for the desperate estate of the Commonwealth to depresse civill dissentions and to pacifie and appease the grudgings of the people Of the Spiritualty were chosen the Arch Bishop of Canterbury the afore-named Bishop of Yorke the Bishop of Ely lately made Chancelor of England the Bishop of Winchester Bishop of Hereford Lord Treasurer Bishop of Exeter Abbot of Waleham and the Lord John of Waltham Of the Layty were elected the Duke of Yorke the Earle of Arundel the Lord Coltham the Lord scroope and John Devoureux Knight these as men eminent in vertue were chosen by the generall Suffrage and sworne to carry themselves as dutifull and obedient subjects in all their actions And it was further enacted That if any should refuse or disobey the Ordinances so made for publique good the punishment of his first offence should be the confiscation of his goods and for the second the losse of life Thus disposing all things for the best the Parliament being dissolved every man returned to his own house Soone after the afore-named Chancelor with others of their Confederates being moved with implacable fury against the Statute of the late Parliament they buzzed into the Kings eares That the Statutes lately enacted were very prejudiciall to the honour of his Crowne and much derogatory to his Princely Prerogative insomuch that he should not have power without the consent of the new appointed Commissioners to doe any thing befitting a King no not so much as to bestow a Largesse a principal means to gain the peoples love upon any though never so well deserving By these and other the like impious instigations with which the Devil as never unmindfull of the end of those who by their lives doe prove themselves did continually supply them they practised to annihilate and disanull these Acts of the Parliament which seemed any wayes to abbreviate or curbe their usurped authority And first by their serpentine tongues ambitious projects flattery painted out with glosing discourses and covered over with the shadow of vigilancie for the good of the Kingdome they so bewitched the Noble inclination of the youthfull King whom they induced to beleeve that all the ill they did was a generall good that hee began to distaste and at last to abhorre the last passed Acts as treacherous Plots and most wicked Devices Next they studied how to ingrosse all or the most part of the Wealth and Riches of the Kingdome into their owne Coffers and to the same end dealt so cunningly yet pleasingly with the King that hee gave to the D. of Ireland John of Bloys the Heire of the Duchie of Britaine and his Ransome to others Townes to others Cities to others Lands to others Mony amounting to the summe of 100000 Marks to the great impoverishment both of King and Kingdome Neither did these King-eaters and Realme-devourers any thing regard it but setting unskilfull and insufficient Captaines and
Governours over Townes and Forts so obtained gave occasion to the Enemies of the Crowne to surprize them and dispossesse the King of them Thirdly vilifying the dignity of the King contrary to their allegeance they drew the King to sweare That with all his power during his life he should maintaine and defend them from all their Enemies whether foraine or domestick Fourthly whereas it was enacted by the last Parliament That the King at certaine seasonable times and when his leysure would permit him should sit at Westminster with his Councell there to consult of the publique Affaires through the perswasions of the aforesaid Conspirators hee was drawne into the most remotest parts of the Realme to the great disparagement of the fidelity of those Honourable grave and faithfull Peeres late made joynt Commissioners in whose hands the whole safety and prosperity of the Common-wealth did reside And when as the Lord Chancellor the Lord Treasurer Keeper of the Privie Seale or any other of the Privie Councell came to relate any of their owne actions or the state of the Realme they could not be granted accesse unlesse they related the businesse in the presence and hearing of the Conspirators who were alwayes ready to upbraid them if they uttered any thing that displeased them and to commend them for any thing though most nefarious that did content them for thus could they the sooner learne and dive into the acts of the Commissioners and the better finde evasions for their accusations Furthermore when as the King in company of the Conspirators went in progresse towards the parts of Cheshire Wales and Lancashire they made Proclamation in the Kings Name throughout the Shires as they journyed That all Barons Knights Esquires with the greatest part of the Commonalty able to beare Armes should speedily repaire to the King for his defence against the power of the Commissioners chiefly of the Duke of Gloucester and the Earle of Arundell because they above the rest did with their chiefest endevours study to suppresse and quell the devices of the Conspirators Fifthly contrary to the aforesaid Acts they caused the D. of Ireland to bee created Chiefe Justice of Chester thereby selling Justice as they listed condemning the guiltlesse and remitting the guilty never respecting or looking unto the equall ballance of Justice but poyzing downe the Scales with heaps of Bribery Sixthly by the procurement of the Confederates they caused certaine honest persons who would not consent to their extortions to be called and summoned to their Court and there to answer to certaine false accusations wherewith they were unjustly charged by perjured hirelings of which men so accused some were put to death some cast into prison all were vexed and troubled with delayes length of their iourney to and fro and excessive charges neither were they eased of any of these burthens unlesse they would part with round summes of money to the D. and his Complices Seventhly they gave pardons under the broad Scale to Felons Murtherers and such like only with this condition that they should murther any whomsoever they thought did mislike their Exaction Eightly they taught the Country of Ireland to looke to its pristine estate I meane of having a King for they plotted to have the Duke created King of Ireland and for the confirmation of which their designed they allured the King to send his Letters to the Pope Ninthly the aforesaid Nicholas Brambre in the time of his Maioraltie caused two and twenty to be falsly accused of Felonies and layd into Newgate under pretext and colour of divers Crimes and in the silent and dead time of the night to be fast bound and by a strong hand to be carried into Kent to a place commonly called Fawlocks and then to have their heads struck off except one who being favoured by the murtherers safely escaped the bloud of the rest dyed the streames of a small Rivelet adjoyning Tenthly soone after to adde one mischiefe to another they sent Letters under the Kings Signet to the Maior of London by John Rippon Clerke with a certaine Libell or Schedule inclosed in the said Letters the tenor of which is as followeth That the afore-named three Cōmissioners viz. the Duke of Gloucester the Earles of Arundel and Warwick and other of the Councell were to be arrested indicted condemned put to lamentable death as being such as had conspired against the King against his Prerogative and against his Crowne and Imperiall Dignity and to this they did in a manner constrain the King to assent unto Upon receit of these Letters the Major and Aldermen of the City of London called a Common Councell wherein they consulted what course were best to be taken in this matter and after long debate pro con it was on all sides agreed to deny and not to suffer that cruell and unheard of Tragicall Complot to be executed It ever happeneth one wicked Act drawes on a second and that second a third and so forwards till the weight cracks the Supporter Therefore the said Conspiratours being blinded with rashnesse principally sent Letters by John Godfrey knight to the King of France the Kings adversary to conclude a five yeares Truce should come over to Callis and from thence should send for the Duke of Gloucester the Earles of Arundel and Warwick and for some other of the Commissioners as though the King were unwilling to determine of any thing without their advice and being thus circumvented should be condemned as Traitors and so put to an ignominious and cruell death And for the doing and performing of these things the King of France was to recover all the Castles Townes and Lands lying in these Countreys and belonging to the King of England To prove these things to be true there were certaine Writings produced by the Commissioners wherein were contained Letters from the King of France to the King of England and from the Conspirators in the King of Englands Name to the King of France Moreover there were other Letters intercepted directed to the said King of France the substance whereof was to incite the King of France to levie a puissant power both horse and foot and to draw them down to Bulloigne and thence to transport them into England against the Duke of Gloucester the Earls of Arundel and Warwick and the rest of the Commissioners and all those that did either countenance or favour the said Statute and Commissioners which as they falsly alleaged was made in derogation of the Kings Prerogative and the aforesaid Commissioners to vanquish oppresse and put to death and consequently the whole Nation and Language utterly to ruine Not here concluding their devillish Conspiracy the five aforesaid Conspiratours departed from Westminster to the Castle of Nottingham and sent a writ for Robert Beale Lord chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthorp and William Burleigh Judges of the said court and for John Locton the Kings Sergeant at Law who being come into the Councel Chamber
to put in baile provided they were sufficient and to goe into a place of England where they listed without any let or hindrance of any of the Kings Officers Moreover the six Iustices with the Bishop of Chichester who stood condemned with them were sent into Ireland there to remaine for tearme of life and thus they were to be divided viz. Robert Belknap and John Holt in the Village of Dromore in Ireland not to remaine as Iustices or any officers but to live as banished offenders not to be out of Towne above the space of two miles upon paine of death but the King out of his gracious bounty was pleased to give a yearly annuity of 40. pound to Robert Belknap of 20. markes to John Holt during their lives and to Roger Fulthorpe the King allowed 40. pound and to William Burleigh 40. pound during life confining them to the City of Dublin granting Burleigh the liberty of two miles and to Fulthorpe three miles for their recreation John Carey and John Locton with the yearely allowance of 20. pound during life are confined to the Tower of Waterford with the like liberty and the like penaltie and the Bishop of Chichester is likewise sent to Corke there to remaine with some allowance and the like penaltie Behold these men who feared not God nor regarded men but having the Lawes in their owne hands wrested them now this way now that way as pleased best their appetites wresting them at their pleasures for their owne commoditie were at the last brought downe to the depth of miserie from whence they were never able to free themselves On the third day of Iune which was the last day of the Parliament the King the Queene the Peeres of both Estates with the Commons came to the Abbey at Westminster whereas the Bishop of London because it was in his Diocesse sung Masse and the Masse being ended the Archbishop of Canterbury made an Oration concerning the former danger of the Oath which being although the Peeres and Commons had taken the Oath of Allegeance and homage to the King yet because the King was young when they tooke the Oath a new as at the first at his Coronation These Ceremonies being performed the Metropolitan of England with all his Suffragans there present having lighted a Candle and putting it under a stoole put it out thereby excommunicating all such as should seeme to distaste dislike or contradict any of the fore-passed Acts in the last Parliament And the Lord Chancellor by the Kings appointment caused all that were present to sweare to keepe the said Statutes inviolably whole and undissolved as good and faithfull Liege-people of the Kings and the forme of the Parliament was observed throughout all the Realme On the morrow which was the fourth day of June many courteous salutations and congratulations having passed betweene the King the Nobility and Comminalty the Parliament was dissolved and every man returned home And now let England rejoyce in Christ for that the net which was laid so cunningly for our destruction is broken asunder and wee are delivered To God be the praise for all FINIS THE Names of such as were charged and condemned of high Treason in this aforesaid Memorable Parliament Alexander Nevile Archbishop of Yorke-â—â—â—â— de Vere Duke of Ireland who was 〈…〉 into France where he was kil 〈…〉 le Earle of Suffolke and Lord 〈…〉 Robert Tressilian Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench Sir Nichola Bramber sometimes Lord Major of London made a Privie Counsellour John Blake a Serjeant at Armes Thomas Vske an Intelligencer of Tressilians All these except the Duke of Ireland were drawne and hanged at the Elmes now called Tyburne Robert Belknap John Holt. Roger Falthorp William Burleigh Iohn Locton Iohn Carey Baron of the Exchequer All these former 6. named men were as it seemes Iudges and although condemned yet their lives were saved at the intercession of some of the guiltlesse Peeres and they afterward were banished into Ireland Sir Symon de Burleigh was also condemned and beheaded he was a Knight Banneret and of the Garter a great and gallant Courtier and his body lyeth honourably buried and intombed in Pauls Church Sir John Branchamp Steward of the Houshold to the King and Sir Iames Beverous were also condemned beheaded at Tower-hill Sir Iohn Salisbury was condemned drawne from Tower-hill to Tiburne and then hanged There were also detected and condemned of the aforesaid Treason The Bishop of Chichester the Kings Confessor Sir Thomas Trinet Knight Sir William Ellingham Knight Sir Nicholas Nagworth Knight Richard Metford Clerke Iohn Slake Clerke Iohn Lincoln Clerke An Abstract of many memorable matters done by PARLIAMENTS in this Kingdome of ENGLAND BY Parliament Sir Thomas Wayland chiefe Justice of the Common-Pleas 17. Ed. 1. was attainted of Felony for taking bribes and his lands and good forfeited as appeares in the Pleas of Parliaments 18. Edward 1. and he was banished the Kingdome as unworthy to live in that state against which he had so much offended By Parliament Sir William Thorpe chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench in Ed. 3. times having of five persons received five severall bribes which in all amounted to but one hundred pounds was for this alone adjudged to bee hanged and all his goods and lands forfeited The reason of the Iudgement is entred in the Roll in these vvords Because that as much as in him lay he had broken the Kings Oath made to the people which the King had intrusted him withall By Parliament holden Anno. 22. Hen. the second assembled at Nottingham and by advise thereof the King caused the Kingdome to be divided into 6 parts and Justices Itinerants appointed for every part with an Oath by them to be taken for themselves to observe and cause inviolablie to be observed of all his subjects of England the Assises made at Claringdon and renued at Northton By Parliament In the 11. of Edw. the first the Dominion of Wales was united to the Crowne of England in the Parliament in Anno 16. of Edw. the first 1289 upon the generall compes made of the ill administration of Iustice in the Kings absence by divers great Officers and Ministers of Iustices these penalties were inflicted upon the chiefe Ministers thereof whose manifest corruptions the batred of the people to men of that profession apt to abuse their science and authority the necessity of reforming so grievous a mischiefe in the Kingdome gave easie thereunto by the Parliament then assembled wherein upon due examinations of their offences they are fined to pay to the King these sums following First Sir Ralph Hengham chiefe Justice of the higher Bench seaven thousand markes Sir Iohn Loveton Justice of the Lower Bench three thousand markes Sir William Bromton Iustice sixe thousand markes Sir Soloman Rochester foure thousand markes Sir Richard Boyland foure thousand markes Sir Thomas Sadington two thousand markes Sir Walter Hopton two thousand markes These foure last were Justices Itenerants Sir William
that for the appeasing of all private discontents if any were the King and the rest of the Appellants with the rest of the commissioners should dine together in the great Hall which they did and there was great joy at this reconciliation through all the Kingdome When these things were concluded they then began againe this araignment of the Traytors whereupon John Blake and Thomas Vske were indicted on the 4. day of March who although they were men of inferiour quality yet were they found to bee parties in the said Treason Vske was a Sergeant at Armes and was indicted amongst the Conspirators so that bâ—â—â—â— late made Sheriffe of Middlesex hee had indicted the five Appellants and the Commissioners as Traytors and Blake was an Intelligencer of Tressilians one that used to goe and come betweeue the Conspirators and relate the state and successe of the treason from one to another And when they could say nothing to prove themselves cleare sentence was pronounced upon them as their Masters were before them they were carried to the Tower and from thence were dragged at the Horse taile to Tyborne and there hanged But Vske obtained this favour that his head was cut off after hee was hanged and set aloft upon Newgate for Fowles of the aire to take repast On the sixth day of March there were called to answer Robert Belknap John Holt Roger Falthorp William Burleigh Iohn Locton and Iohn Carey Baron of the Exchequer for their conspiracy against the Commissioners at Nottingham but because it is not needfull to rehearse every part of their indictment they were all condemned like as the rest Whilst the Peeres were trying them the Clergie were retired into the Kings Chambers but when word was brought to them of the condemnation of the Judges the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Winchester the Chancellor the Treasurer Lord Keeper of the Privie Seale arose hastily and went into the Parliament house powring forth their complaints before the King and the Peeres humbly upon their knees beseeching them that for the love of God the Virgin Mary and of all the Saints even as they hoped to have mercy at the day of Judgement they should shew favour and not put to death the said Judges then present and bitterly bewayling their iniquities in whose hearts the very life soule and spirit of our English Lawes lived flourished and appeared and there appeared great sorrow both on the one part of the Complainants and also of the Defendants The Duke of Gloucester likewise with the Earles of Arundel Warwick Nottingham and Derby whose hearts began to be mollified and joyned with them in their lamentable Petition At length by intercession of the Clergy the execution upon the persons was ceased and their lives were granted them but were sent to the Tower to be kept close prisoners On the 12. of March being thursday it hapned that the afore-said Knights Simon de Burleigh Iohn de Beauchamp Iames Baroverse and Iohn Salisbury were brought into the Parliament house where their accusations were read proved they found guilty and not any way able to cleare themselves From this day almost till the Ascension of our Lord the Parliament house was only taken up with the tryall of Sir Symon Burleugh for three Appellants viz. The Duke of Glocester the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke with the whole house of Commons vrged that execution might be performed according to the Law And on the other side the King and Queene the Earles of Darby and Nottingham and the Prior of Saint John his Vncle with the major part of the uper House did labour to have him saved But because the Commons were tyred with so long delayes and excuses in the Parliament and fearing as it was most like that all their paines would be to little or no purpose they humbly craved leave of the King to goe to their habitations There was also some muttering amongst the Common people and it was reported to the Parliament that the Commons did rise in diverse parts of the Realme but especially about Kent in favour of the said Sir Simon Burleigh which when they heard those that before spake and stood for him now flew cleane from him and by joynt consent on the fifth day of May sentence was pronounced only against the said Sir Symon that hee should be drawne from the Tower to Tyborne and then to be hanged till hee were dead and then to have his head strooke from his body But because he was a knight of the Garter a gallant Courtier powerfull and once a Favourite of the Kings and much respected of all the Court the King of his speciall Grace was pleased to mittigate his doome that he should only be led to Tower-hill and ther be beheaded On the twelfe of May the Thursday before Whitsontyde in like manner were condemned John Beauchamp Steward of the houshold to the King Iames Bereverous and Iohn Salsbury knights Gentlemen of the privie Chamber whereof the two first viz. Iohn Beauchamp and Iames Bereverous were beheaded on Tower-hill but Iohn Salsbury was drawn from Tower-hill to Tyborne and there was hanged On the same day also was condemned the Bishop of Chichester the Kings Confessor but because of his great dignitie he was pardoned Now they began to loath the shedding of so much Christian blood they tooke into consideration other more weighty affaires for the good of the Realme concerning the Wars with the Scots and French concerning Loanes and Subsidues and of the customes of Wine and Wooll And also concerning the translation of some Bishops because Pope Vrban the sixth after it came to his eares that the Archbishop of Yorke was condemned to avoyd all hope of Irregularity he created him Archbishop of Saint Andrewes in Scotland which Archbishop was under the power of Scots enemies to the Crown and in the gift of the Arch-Pope and because the Pope did chalenge halfe the title of all England to maintaine his Wars but although he craved it yet he was denyed therefore hee dealt warily and craftily hoping to make up his mouth by the translation of Bishops the Bishop of Ely then Lord Chancellor was made Arch-Bishop of Yorke the Bishop of Dublyn succeeded in his place the Bishop of Bathan-Wells in his place the Bishop of Sarum in his place and the Lord Iohn of Waltham Lord-keeper of the privie Seale in his place And this by his translation of Bishops he gained himselfe much money according to the Lawes of the Canon and when this came to the eares of the Parliament that such a summe of money should be transported out of the Land they strove what they could to hinder it but could not because the Clergie gave their consent On the last day of May the King appointed both houses to meet at Keemington whereas they made a conclusion of all the tryalls of the said treason granting license to Thomas Trenet William Ellingham and Nicholas Nagworth Knights Richard Metford Iohn Slake Iohn Lincolne Clerkes