others of that faction ran euery man like connies to their couerte Yea the king betooke himselfe to the Tower of London and there made prouision for his winter aboade hauing all his courses now crossed first rashnesse in taking armes and afterwards by cowardise in maintaining them The Earle of Darby signified this successe to his associates by letters yet without any vauÌ„ting or enlarging tearms his speaches also were moderate rather exstenuating his fact then extolling it but by stopping his fame it much increased when men esteemed his high thoughtes by his lowely wordes and his conceite in great exploites by his contempt of this Then the Lords met and marched together towards London whether they came vpon S. Stephens day hauing almost forty thousand men in their armie first they shewed themselues in battaile array in the fieldes neare vnto the Tower within the viewe of the King afterwardes they tooke vp their lodging in the suburbes the Maior and aldermen of the citty came forth and gaue liberall allowance of victuall to the souldiers offering vnto the Lordes entertainment within the Citty but they did not accept it Now this discord seemed to draw to a dangerous distraction of the common-wealth the vanquished parte being ful of malice and the conquerors of presumption the one wanting power the other right to command and rule The Archbishop of Canterbury and certaine others of the neutrality fearing the sequele perswaded the king to come to a treaty with the lordes but he made shewe of very light regarde of all these dealings let them stay saide hee vntill they haue wearied themselues with maintaining this multitude and then I will talke further with them When the lordes vnderstood the drift of his deuise they beset the thames all other passages and protested that they woulde not departe vntill they had talked with him to his face The king hauing neyther strength to resist nor scope to scape conseÌ„ted to a treaty and to that end desired the lordes to come to him into the Tower but they refused that place of meeting vpon feare of false measure vntill the king permitted them to search as diligently and come as strongly as they thought it meete So they came vnto the King well guarded and after a fewe colde kindnesses and strange salutations they laide before him his proceedings against them at Nottingham his letters which he sent to the duke of Ireland contrary to his worde for the raysing of armes against them his agreement with the French King for the yeelding vp of Callice and other strong holdes which he possessed in those parts with diuers other pointes of dishonourable dealing and negligent gouernment What should the King then haue said or done all these matters were so euident and so euill that there was no place left either for deniall or defence Therefore ingenuously first with silence and patience afterwardes with teares he confessed his errors And certainely the stiffe stomack of the lordes relented more to these luke warme drops then they would haue done to his cannon shot Then it was agreed that the next day the King shoulde meet with them at westminster and there treat further both of these and other necessarie affaires of the realme So the Duke and the rest of the lords departed except the earle of Darby who stayed supper with the king and all that time stayed him in his promised purpose but when hee was also gone some of the secrete counsailers or corrupters rather and abusers of the King whistled him in the eare that his going to Westminster was neither seemely nor safe and would cause not onely to his person present danger and contempt but also both abasement and abridgement to his authority afterwards The Kings minde was soone changed but the Lords being now stirred and feeling the Kings hand weake to gouerne the bridle became the more vehement and sent him worde that if hee did ieofaile with them and not come according to appointment they would chuse another King who shoulde haue his nobility in better regard This peremptorie message so terrified the King that he not onely went to Westminster but suffered the Lords to doe there euen what they woulde So they caused him much against his liking to remooue out of the courte Alexander Neuill Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Foorde Bishop of Durisme Frier Thomas Rushoke Bishop of Chichester the kings Confessor Likewise they remoued the Lord Souch the Lord Haringworth Lord Burnell Lord Beaumonte Sir Albred Vecre Sir Baldewine Bereford Sir Richard Alderburie Sir Iohn Worth Sir Thomas Clifford Sir Iohn Louell taking suerties for their appearaÌ„ce at the next Parliament Also certaine Ladies were expelled the Court and put vnder suerties to wit the Lady Mowen the Lady Moling and the Lady Ponings which was the wife of Sir Iohn Woorth Furthermore they arested Simon Burlye William Elinghame Iohn Salisburie Thomas Triuet Iames Berneis Nicholas Dagworth and Nicholas Brambre Knights Richard Clifforde Iohn Lincolne and Richard Motford Clearkes Iohn Beauchampe the Kings Steward Nicholas Lake Deane of the Kings Chappell and Iohn Blake counceller at the Law all these were committed to diuers Prisons where they were forth-comming but not comming foorth vntill the Parliament next following After the feast of the Purification the Parliament began at London and yet the King vsed many meanes either to dash or deferre the same to which the Lordes came attended with the number and strength of a full armie vpon colour to represse any ryote that might happen to arise but in truth that by this terrour they might draw the whole manage of affaires vnto themselues This assembly continued vntill Whitsontide next following with verie great feare of some men and hope of others and expectation of all Herein was Iustice Trisiliane by counsaile of the Lordes against the Kings minde condemned to bee drawne and hanged which iudgement was presently executed vpon him the like sentence and execution passed vpon Sir Nicholas Brambre Sir Iohn Salisburie Sir Iames Barneis Iohn Beauchampe the Kings steward and Iohn Blake Esquire who had framed the Articles which were exhibited against the Lordes at Nottingham Also the Iustices who gaue their iudgement concerning those Articles Robert Belkâ—ape Iohn Holte Roger Fulthorpe and William Burghe were condemned to perpetuall exile and yet they did not interpose themselues but intermeddle by constraint Sir Simon Burlye was also beheaded who was keeper of Douer Castle and had conspired to deliuer the same vnto the Frenchmen hee was infinitely haughtie and proude equall to the meanest in virtue and wisedome but in brauerie and traine inferiour to no Duke Diuers other were either put to death or banished and some as it happeneth when the reyne of furie is at large without any great cause The Earle of Derby furthered no mans death but laboured verie instantly for the life and libertie of many in so much as hoat speeches did arise betweene the Duke of Gloucester and him whereby he purchased a fauourable opinion
to the noble Prince Henrie the seuenth Henrie Plantagenet Earle of Derby was likwise by his mother Blaâ—ch extracted from the bloud of Kngs being discended from Edmund the second sonne of King Henrie the third by which line the Dâ—chie of Lancaster did â—â—creâ—e vnto his house Hee was a man of meane stature well proportioned and formally compact of good strength and agilitie of body skilfull in armes and of a ready dispatch ioyntly shewing himselfe both earnest and aduised in all his actions Hee was quicke and present in conceite forward in attempt couragious in execution and most times fortunate in euent There was no great place of imployment and charge which hee would not rather affect for glorie then refuse either for peril or for paines and in seruice hee often prooued himselfe not onely a skilfull commaunder by giuing directions but also a good Souldier in vsing his weapon aduenturing further in person sometimes then policie would permit his expences were liberall and honourable yet not exceeding the measure of his receiptes he was verie courteous and familiar respectiuely towards all men whereby hee procured great reputation and regarde especially with those of the meaner sort for high humilities take such deepe roote in the mindes of the multitude that they are more strongly drawne by vnprofitable curtesies then by 〈◊〉 benefits In all the changes of his estate he was almost one and the same man in aduersitie neuer daunted in prosperitie neuer secure reteining still his maiestie in the one and his mildnes in the other neither did the continuance of his Raigne bring him to a proude port and stately esteeming of himselfe but in his latter yeares he remained so gentle faire in cariage that therby chiefely hee did weare out the hatred that was borne him for the death of King Richard He could not lightly be drawne into any cause was stiffe constant in a good Yet more easie to be either corrupted or abused by flattering speeches then to be terrified by threats To some men he seemed too greedie of glorie making small difference of the meanes whereby he attained it and indeede this humour in noble minds is most hardly ouer-ruled and oftentimes it draweth euen the 〈…〉 But before I proceede any further in describing either the qualities or actes of this Earle I must write something of the Raigne of King Richard the second his cosin germaine so farre forth as the follies of the one were either caâ—fer or furtherances of the fortunes of the other Richard sonne to Edward Prince of Wales a little before deceased was after the death of King Edward the thirde Crowned King ouer this Realme of England in the eleuenth yeare of his age at which yeares the minde of man is like to the poâ—â—teis earth apt to bee wrought into any fashion and which way so euer it hardneth by custome it will sooner breake then bend from the same Now the gouernaunce of the King at the first was comitted to certaine Bishops Earles 〈◊〉 and Iustices But either vppon 〈…〉 the King or negligence to discharge their dutie 〈…〉 was more ready with pleasant 〈◊〉 to delight 〈◊〉 then with profitable counsaile to doe him good for smooth and pleasing speaches neede small endeauour and alwaies findeth fauour whereas to aduise that which is meete is a point of some paines and many timesâ— thanklesse office Herrâ— vpon two daungerous euils did 〈…〉 In and priuate respects did passe vnder publike 〈◊〉 In the thirde yeare of his Raigne it was thought meete that this charge should be committed to one man to auoide thereby the vnnecessarie wast of the treasure of the Realme by allowing yearely stipend vnto many So by the whole consent of the nobilitie and commons assembled together in Parliament this office was deputed to Lord Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke and a competent pension was assigned him out of the Kings Eschequer for his paines But the King being now plunged in pleasure did iâ—â—â—deratly bend himselfe to the fauouring and aduansing of certaine persons which were both reproueable in life and generally abhorred in all the Realme and this was the cause of two great inconueniences for many yong noble-men and braue Courtiers hauing a nimble eye to the 〈…〉 and dislikes of the King gave ouer themselues to a dissolute and dishonestlise which findeth some followers when it findeth deth no furtherancers much more when it doth flourish and thriue the King also by fauouring these was himselfe little fauoured and loued of many for it is oftentimes a daungerous to a Prince to haue euil and odious adherents as to bee euill and odious himselfe The names of these men were Alexander Neâ—ill Archbishop of Yorke Robert Veâ—â—â— Earle of Oxford Michael 〈◊〉 afterwards Earle of Suffolke Robert Triâ—iliane Lord chiefe Iustice Nicholas Brambre Alderman of London and certaine others of no eminencie either by birth or desert but obsequious and pliable to the Kings youthfull humour These were highly in credit with the King these were alwaies next vnto him both in companie and counsell by these he ordered his priuate actions by these he managed his affaires of state he spared neither the dignitie nor death of any man whose aucthoâ—â—ie and life withstoode their preferment In so much as in the fifth yeare of his Raigne he remooued Sir Richard Seroopâ— from being Lord Chauncellor of England to which office he was by aucthoritie of Parliament appointed because hee refused to set the great Seale to the graunt of certaine lands which had wantonly passed from the King alleaging for his denial the great debts of the King and small demerites of the parties vpon whome the King might cast away and confirme but spend in good order he could not aduertising him also to haue respect that ryote did not deceiue him vnder the tearme and shewe of liberalitie and that gifts well ordered procure not so much loue as placed without descretion they stirre 〈◊〉 This Chancellor was a man of notable integritâ— and diligence in his office not scornfully turning away from the ragged coat of a poore suppliant or pale face of a fickely feeble 〈…〉 holding vp their simple soiled billes of complaint not yet smothering 〈…〉 with partiall 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 mighty but being alike to all he was 〈◊〉 disliked of 〈…〉 In the eight yeere of this 〈◊〉 the destruction of the duke of Lancaster was extended likewise vpon the like dislike the plot was layed by Iustice 〈◊〉 offences were deuised appelloâ—s appointed and peâ—res named â—e should haue bene put vnder 〈◊〉 and foorthwith â—â—â—â—igned condemned and executed But the duke vpon 〈◊〉 intelligence of these continuances fled to his castle at Pomfret and there made preparation for his defence against the king So this matter began to grow to a head of diuision which the common people at that time very busily desired and sought but the kings mother trauelling 〈◊〉 betweene the king and the duke notwithstanding shee was both 〈…〉 〈◊〉 them both to are conâ—â—lement
These three Earles were the chiefest strength to the side but the Duke bare the most stroke because he was most bolde and his greatnesse almost obscured the names of the rest On the other side the king thinking separate dealing the onely way to weaken a confederacy endeuoured to preuent the lordes in ioyning of their forces and to that end he sent a strength of men with charge either to set vpon the earle of Arundell where he did lie or to intercept him in his passage towardes the Duke But the Earle had traueiled all the night before their comming and so happily escaped to Haringey parke where he found the Duke and the other Earles with a sufficient company as well to make attempt as to stand vpon resistance When the king heard hereof he was disturbed and distracted in minde being now in choise either to relent or to resist whereof he much disdained the one and distrusted the other His followers also were diuided in counsell some fretting at the disgrace and some fainting at the daunger The Archbishop of York perswaded the king that occasion was now offered to shew himselfe a King indeed if he would muster a royall armie and by maine might beat downe the boldnesse of this presumption NIHIL DICTV FACILIVS sayd another This is more readily deuised theÌ„ done the army against vs is mighty and the commanders are great men both for courage and skill and greatly fauoured of the common people whereby that which is accompted so ready pay may chaunce to prooue a desperate debt Therefore it were better with some yeelding to enter into conditions of quiet then by standing vpon high points of honour to hazard the issue of a battaile wherein the King cannot winne without his weakning not loose without daunger of his vndoing There was then in presence a certaine olde Knight called Sir Hugh Linne a good Souldier but a very mad-cap one that liued chiefely vpon the liberalitie of noble men by vaine iestes affecting the grace of a pleasant conceite of him the King demaunded in mirth what he thought best to be done Sir Hugh swore swownes and snayles let vs set vpon them and kill euery man and mothers childe and so we shall make riddaunce of the best friendes you haue in the Realme this giddie answere more weighed with the King then if it had beene spoken in graue and sober sport and thus it often happeneth that wisedome is the more sweetly swallowed when it is tempored with folly and earnest is the lesse offensiue if it bee deliuered in iest In the end the deuise of raysing armes was laide aside not as displeasing being so agreable to former proceedings but as despayring to preuaile thereby and the Archbishop of Canterburie with the Bishop of Ely being Lord Chaunceller were sent vnto the Lordes to vnderstand the cause of their assemblie answere was made that it was for the safetie of themselues the honour of the King and the ouerthrow of them which sought the ouerthrow of both At the last it was concluded by mediation of the Bishops that the Lordes should come before the King at Westminster vpon promise of his protection and there haue audience concerning their griefes the Bishop of Ely also making priuat faith that he would discouer any danger that he could discrie a little before the time they should come the Bishoppe of Ely sent word of an awaite that was purposed to be layed for them at a place called the Mewes neere London aduising theÌ„ either to make stay or to come prepared but rather to make stay least further prouocation might make reconcilement more hard hereupon they came not at the time appointed and the King maruailing at their failance enquired the cause of the Bishop of Ely who aunswered that the Lords found want of true meaning that they neither did nor durst repose assuraunce in the Kings word which they saw to bee vsed as a meanes to entrape them the King made the matter verie strange vnto him affirming with an oath that hee was free from deceite both in consent and knowledge and in a great rage he commaunded the Sherifes of London to goe to the place and slay all those whome they found there in a waite Whether this was but a countenance of his or whether he was not priuie to the practise it is not assuredly knowne and in deede the matter was not false but the place mistaken for Sir Thomas Triuet and Sir Nicholas Brambre had assembled many armed men at Westminster with direction to assault the Lordes at their best aduantage but perceiuing their deceite to be discouered they dissolued the companie and sent them secretely away to London Then the Lordes vpon new faith for their securitie came to the King at Westminster and yet in faith they brought securitie with them such troupes of men as in a place where they were so entirely fauoured was able to defend them in any suddaine tumult or daunger the King vpon their comming entred into Westminster Hall apparelled in his royall robes and when he was placed in his seate and had composed himselfe to maiestie and state the Bishop of Ely Lord Chaunceller made a long Oration to the Lordes in the Kings name Wherein he declared the heinousnesse of their offence the greatnesse of their perill how easie a matter it had beene for the King to haue leuied a power sufficient to distroy them and yet for the generall spare of his subiectes bloud and in particular fauour to the Duke and other Lords he made choyse to encounter and ouercome them rather by friendship then by force and therefore was willing not only to pardon their ryote but also to heare their griefes and in a peaceable and quiet manner to redresse them The Lordes alleaged for causes of their taking armes first the necessitie of their owne defence secondly the loue both of the King and of the Realme whose fame and fortune did dayly decline by meanes of certaine traytors who liued onely by the dishonours of the one and decayes of the other those whom they challenged for traytors were Robert Veere Duke of Ireland Alexander Neuill Archbishop of Yorke Michaell Delapoole Earle of Suffolke Robert Trisiliane Lord chiefe Iustice Sir Nicholâ—s Brambre and certaine others somewhat secreter but nothing better and to iustifie this appeale they threw downe their gloues and offered themselues to the triall by combate The king replied that often times the causes of actions being good yet if the meanes want moderation and iudgement the euents proue pernicious and therefore though these complaints were true yet were these courses not tollerable which did beare an open face of rebellion and by licentiousnesse of the multitude might soone haue sorted to such an end for it is more easie to raise the people then to rule them whose furie once stirred will commonly be discharged some wayes But sayd he since we haue broken this broile we will not by combatting giue occasion of a new but at
qualitie in high degrees of office and seruice then proclamations were made that if any man had been oppressed by these Lords or by any officers vnder them he should prooue his complaint and receiue recompence It was made a question whether it was not meete that these noble men should be put to death the importunitie of the people and the perswasion of many great men drew that way but policie was against it and especially the opinion of clemencie which seemed needfull to the setling of a new risen state In this parlament also the Lorde Fitzwater appealed the sayd Duke of Aumerle sonne to the Duke of Yorke vpon points of high treason likewise the Lord Morley appealed Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisburie and moe then twentie other appeilants waged battaile but the king purposing to laye the foundation of his realme by fauour and not by force gaue pardon and restitution alike to all vppon sureties and band for their alleageance and in a sweet and moderate oration he admonished and as it were intreated the one part that ould griefes and grudges should not be renued but buried together with the memorie of former times wherein men were forced to doe many things against their mindes the other part he desired to be more regardfull of their actions afterward and for the time past rather to forget that euer they were in fault then to remember that they were pardoned No punishment was laide vppon any saue onely the Earle of Salisburie and the Lord Morley who had beene in especiall grace and fauour with King Richard these two were committed to prison but at the sute of their friends they were soone released the rest the King receiued freelye to fauour but most especially the Duke of Aumerle and the Duke of Excester Lord Gouernour of Calice The Duke of Aumerle was cousen germane to both the kings Iohn Holland Duke of Exceâ—â—â— was halfe brother to King Richard and brother in lawe to King Henrie whose sister the Lady Elizabeth he had taken to wise The greatest matter that was enforced against them was their loyaltie vnto King Richard a grieuous crime among rebels because they did not onlie stomacke and storme at his deiection but stirre also more then others and assaye to raise forces on his behalfe The Dukes bouldly confessed the accusation that they were indeed vnfortunately faithfull to King Richard but as those who once are false doe seldome afterwards prooue soundly firme so they that haue shewed themselues true to one prince may the better be trusted by any other The King did rather admit this as a defence then remit it as a fault affirming that such examples were not to be misliked of Princes so he entred with them into great termes of friendship and put them in place neerest his person endeauouring by courtesie and liberalitie to make them fast and faithful vnto him this fact was diuerslie enterpreted according to mens seueral dispositions some admiring the kings moderation others disliking and disallowing his confidence and indeed although these meanes haue to this purpose preuailed with some yet the common course may mooue vs commonly to coniecture that there is little assurance in reconciled enemies whose affections for the most part are like vnto Glasse which beeing once cracked can neuer bee made otherwise then crazed and vnsound Furthermore to qualifie all preiudice and hard opinion which other princes might chaunce to conceiue King Henrie dispatched Embassadours to diuers countries neere vnto him to make it knowne by what title and by what fauour and desire of all the people he atteyned the kingdome To the court of Rome hee sent Iohn 〈◊〉 Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn Cheyney Knight and Iohn Cheyney Esquire into Fraunce hee sent Waker Shirlowe Bishop of Durham and Lord Thomas Pearcy Earle of Worcester into Spaine he sent Iohn Treuor Bishop of S. Assaphâ—â— and 〈◊〉 William Parrâ— and into Almaine he sent the Bishop of Bangor and certaine other Most of these Princes as in a matter which little concerned eyther their honour or their harme seemed eyther not to regarde what was doone or easely to bee perswaded that all was doone well But Charles King of Fraunce was so distempeâ—ed at this dishonourable dealing with his sonne in lawe King Richard that by violence of his passion he fell into his oulde panges of phrensie and at the last by helpe of Phisicke returning to the sobrietie of his sences he purposed to make sharpe warre vpon that disloyall people as he termed them for this iniurie against their lawfull and harmlesse Prince Many noble men of Fraunce shewed themselues verye forwarde to enter into the seruice but especially the Earle of Saint Paule who had maryed King Richards halfe Sister So letters of defiance were sent into England and great preparation was made for the warre Likewise the newes of these nouelties much abashed the Aquitanes who were at that time vnder the English subiection and plunged their thoughts in great perplexities Some were greiued at the infamous blemish of the English nation who had disteyned their honour with the spot of such disloyall dealing others feared the spoyle of their goods and oppression of their liberties by the Frenchmen against whose violence they suspected that the realme of England beeing distracted into ciuill factions eyther would not attend or should not be able to beare them out but the Citizens of Burdeaux were chiefely anguished in respect of King Richard partlie fretting at his iniurie and partlie lamenting his infortunitie because he was borne and brought vppe within theyr Cittie And thus in the violence some of theyâ— anger some of theyr griefe and some of their feare in this sort they did generally complaine O good God sayd they where is the world become saintes are turned to Serpents and Doues into diuels The English nation which hath been accompted fierce onely against theyr â—oes and alwayes faithfull to their friends are now become both fierce and faith lesse against their lawfull and louing Prince and haue most barbarouslie betrayed him Who would euer haue thought that Christians that ciuill people that any men would 〈◊〉 haue violated all religion all lawes and all honest and orderlie demeanure And although the heauens blush at the view and the earâ—â— sweat as the burthen of 〈…〉 and all man proclaime and exclaime open shame and confusion against them yet they neither feele the horrour nor shrinke at the shame nor feare the reuenge but stand vpon tearmes some of defence for the lawfulnesse of their dealing and some of excuse for the necessitie Well let them be able to blinde 〈◊〉 worlde and to resist 〈…〉 yet shall they neuer be able to escape 〈…〉 desire to be powred vpon them Alas good King Richard thy nature was too gentle and they gouernement too milde for so stiffe and stubborne a people what King wil euer repose any trust in such 〈…〉 them with lawes as theeues are with 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 hee 〈◊〉 can recouer theyr credite What time wyll