what merchandise meaneth, nor they live but grossly and rudely like unto beasts;) yet such as liveth in the marches of England, and by the sea coast, use feat of merchandise with us, and into other places. King Edward of noble memory, in his time had to answer so many wars, what in France, Brittany, Gascony, and Scotland, so that his people were divided in divers places, and sore occupied, wherefore he could not send no great number into Ireland; but when the Irishmen saw the great number of men of war that king Richard had in Ireland this last journey, the Irishmen advised themself and came to obeisance; and indeed of old time there was a king in England named Edward, who is a saint and canonised, and honoured through all this realm: in his time he subdued the Danes, and discomfited them by battle on the sea three times and this saint Edward king of England, Lord of Ireland, and of Aquitaine, the Irishmen loved and dread him much more than any other king of England that had been before: and therefore our sovereign lord king Richard this year past, when he was in Ireland, in all his armories and devices; he left the bearing of the arms of England, as the libards and fleur de lises quarterly, and bare the arms of this saint Edward, that is a cross patent, gold and goules, with four white martinets in the field: whereof it was said the Irishmen were well pleased, and the sooner they enclined to him; for, of truth the predecessors of these four kings obeyed with faith and homage to the said king Edward, and they repute king Richard a good man and of good conscience, and so they have done to him faith and homage, as they ought to do, and in like manner as their predecessors sometime did to saint Edward. Thus I have shewed you the manner how the king our sovereign lord hath this year accomplished and furnished his voyage in Ireland; put it in your memorial, to the extent that when ye shall return into your own country, ye may write it in your chronicle, with many other histories that depend to the same matter. Then I thanked him, and said it should be done. So I took leave of him. Then I met with March the herald, and I demanded of him what arms this Henry Cristall bare; and I shewed the herald how this Sir Henry had shewed me the manner of the king's journey in Ireland, and the state of the four kings, who had been, (as he said,) in his governing, more than fifteen days at Duvelin. The herald answered me and said: sir, he beareth in his arms silver, a chevern goules, three besans goules. All these things I did put in writing, because I would not forget them.

119. THE DISCONTENTS IN ENGLAND.

FROISSART.

The state generally of all men in England began to murmur and to rise one against another, and ministering of justice was clean stopped up in all courts of England, whereof the valiant men and prelates, who loved rest and peace, and were glad to pay their duties, were greatly abashed; for there rose in the realm companies in divers routs, keeping the fields and highways, so that merchants durst not ride abroad to exercise their merchandise for doubt of robbing: and no man knew to whom to complain to do them right, reason, and justice, which things were right prejudicial and displeasant to the good people of England, for it was contrary to their accustomable usage; for all people, labourers and merchants in England were wont to live in rest and peace, and to occupy their merchandise peaceably, and the labourers to labour their lands quietly; and then it was contrary, for when merchants rode from town to town with their merchandise, and had other gold or silver in their purses, it was taken from them, and from other men, and labourers out of their houses: these companions would take wheat, oats, beefs, muttons, porks, and

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the poor men durst speak no word. These evil deeds daily multiplied so, tha great complaints and lamentations were made thereof throughout the realm, and the good people said, the time is changed upon us from good to evil, ever sith the death of good king Edward the Third, in whose days justice was well kept and ministered in his days there was no man so hardy in England to take a hen or a chicken, or a sheep, without he had paid truly for it; and now-a-days all that we have is taken from us, and yet we dare not speak; these things cannot long endure, but that England is likely to be lost without recovery; we have a king now that will do nothing; he entendeth but to idleness and to accomplish his pleasure, and by that he sheweth, he careth not how every thing goeth, so he may have his will. It were time to provide for remedy, or else our enemies will rejoice and mock us.

Thus the Londoners communed together, and not all only they, but also in livers other places of the realm; but the chief insurrection that the people were in, was by the first setting on of them of London, for the commons of London were as chief, and by them lightly all other commons would be ruled; and upon the mischief that they saw apparent in England, they had divers secret counsels together, and with them certain prelates and other knights of the realm, and they concluded to send into France for the earl of Derby, and were determined when he were come to shew him the evil governing of king Richard, and to put to him the crown and governing of the realm of England, and so to make him king and his heirs for ever, so that he will keep the realm in all good usages. Then it was thought that he that should go on that message must be a wise man and of good credence, for they thought it should be a great matter to get the earl of Derby out of France for they said that for any simple words of a mean messenger, or for any letters, he would give no faith thereto, but rather think it should be to betray him. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury, a man of honour and prudence, was desired to do that message, who for the common profit of the realm accorded to go at their desires, and ordained for his departure so wisely that none knew thereof but such as ought to know it; and so he took a ship at London, and but seven all only with him, and so past without any peril, and came to Sluse in Flanders, and from thence to Ardenburg, and so to Gaunt, to Andwarpe,* to Athe in Brabant, and to Conde, and so to Valencennes, and there took his lodging at the sign of the Swan, in the market-place, and there tarried a three days, and refreshed himself; he rode not like no bishop, but like a monk pilgrim, and discovered to no man what he was nor what he entended to do: the fourth day he departed, and took a man to be his guide to Paris, saying how he would go a pilgrimage to Saint More: he did so much that he came thither where as the earl of Derby was, at a place called Vincetour,† beside Paris. When the Earl of Derby saw the bishop of Canterbury coming to him, his heart and spirits rejoiced, and so did all such as were about him, for he thought well then to hear some news out of England. The bishop shewed not as then the cause of his coming, but dissimuled because every man should not know his entent, and therefore to cover his business, he said openly, he was come on pilgrimage to Saint More. All such as were about the earl thought it had been so. When the bishop saw his time he took apart the earl of Derby alone into a chamber, and closed the door to them; then the bishop shewed the earl the debility of the reaim of England, and of the desolation thereof, and how justice had no place to reign for fault of a good king, and how certain valiant men and prelates, with the Londoners and other in general, had devised a remedy, and for that cause he

was sent thither to him, to desire him to return into England, and they would make him king, because that Richard of Bourdeaux had done, and consented to be done so many evil deeds, that all the people sorrowed it, and are ready to rise against him; and therefore, sir, now is the time or never for you to seek for your deliverance and profit, and for the wealth of your children: for if ye entend not to help yourself and them also none other will; for Richard of Bourdeaux giveth to them of his chamber and to other daily part of your inheritance and of your children, of the which many valiant men and the Londoners were sore displeased therewith, if they could amended it, but they durst never speak till now; but because the king hath evil used himself against you and against your uncle the duke of Gloucester, who was taken by night and conveyed to Calais and there murdered, and the earl of Arundel beheaded without title of any good reason, and the earl of Warwick exiled, and you banished, and thus the realm of England is near disherited of all noble men, by whom the realm should be sustained and also the king hath banished the earl of Northumberland and the lord Percy his son, because they spake somewhat against the king's governance and his council. Thus they daily increase in doing evil, and none dare speak against it; great part of the realm have pity thereof, and therefore they desire you to sleep no longer, but to take leave of the French king and return into England, there shall you be received with joy and all this that I have said they will firmly uphold, for they desire to have none other king but you, ye are so well beloved in the realm.

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When the earl had heard the bishop's words at length, he was not hasty in giving of answer, but leaned out of a window looking down into a garden, and studied a certain space and had many imaginations; at last he turned him to the archbishop and said: Sir, your words causeth me to study. Loath I would be to take on me this enterprise, and loath I would be to leave it, for I know well that it will be long or I cannot return into England, without it be by the same means that ye have declared. Loath I would be to encline to your words, for the French king here and the Frenchmen do to me, and have done, and will do (if I list here to tarry), all the honour and courtesy that I can desire: and if so be by reason of your words, and promise of the Londoners, my good friends, that I should apply aud agree to their wills and desire, and that thereby king Richard should be taken and destroyed, I should in that case bear great blame, whereof I would be right loath, if any other means might be found. Sir, quoth the bishop, I am sent hither to you in hope of all goodness; call to you your council, and shew them what I have said, and I shall also shew them the cause of my coming, and I think they will not counsel you to the contrary. That shall I do, quoth the earl, for such a weighty matter requireth counsel. Then the earl called to him his council such as he trusted best. When they were before him, then the earl caused the bishop to shew them all the matter, and the cause of his coming thither. Then the earl demanded counsel what was best for him to do. They all answered with one voice: sir, God hath taken pity of you: howsoever ye do, refuse not this bargain, for ye shall never have a better and surely whosoever will enquire of your lineage, and from whence ye descended, ye are of the right stock and generation of Saint Edward, sometime king of England. Sir, thank the Londoners your good friends, who will help to deliver you out of danger, and have pity on your children, and of the desolation of the realm of England; and sir, remember well what wrongs and injuries this Kichard of Bourdeaux hath done to you and doth daily; for when the marriage between you and the Countess of Ewe was near at a point, did not the earl of Salisbury break it, and called you traitor in the presence of the French king and other lords? which words are not to be pardoned, but ye ought to desire how to be

revenged. Sir, if ye will not help yourself, who should help you? Sir, take good advice herein.

When the earl heard his councillors so earnestly counsel him, his spirits opened and said: Sirs, I will do as ye will have me, for to have your counsel was the entent that I sent for you. Sir, quoth they, ye say well; and sir, we counsel you truly to our power, and as the matter requireth. Then as secretly as they could they ordained for their departure; then it was devised how they might pass the sea, or any knowledge thereof should come into England.

120.-THE CAPTIVITY OF RICHARD.

FROISSART.

It was said to the king, when the matter could no longer be hid: Sir, advise you well; ye have need of good counsel shortly, for the Londoners and other cometh against you with great puissance, and hath made the earl of Derby your cousin their chief captain; they have got him out of France; this hath not been done without great treaty. When the king heard that, he was sore abashed, and wist not what to say, for all his spirits trembled; for then he saw well the matters were likely to go evil against him, without he could get puissance to resist them. Then the king said: Sirs, make all our men ready, and send throughout my realm for aid, for I will not fly before my subjects. Sir, quoth they, the matter goeth evil, for your men do leave you, and fly away; ye have lost the one half, and all the rest are sore abashed, and loseth countenance. Why? quoth the king; what will ye that I shall do ? Sir, leave the field, for ye are not able to keep it, and get you into some strong castle till sir John Holland your brother come, who is advertised of all this matter; and when he is come he shall find some remedy, either by force of arms or else by treaty, at least to bring you into some better case than ye be in at this present time, for if ye keep the field, peradventure some will forsake you and go to him. To this counsel the king agreed. At that time the earl of Salisbury was not with the king; he was in his country. When he heard how the earl of Derby with the Londoners and great puissance rode against the king, he imagined that the matter was in peril for him and for the king, and for such as the king had been counselled by; so he sat still to hear other tidings; also the Duke of York was not with the king, but his son the earl of Rutland was always with the king, for two causes; the one was, king Richard loved him entirely; and another was, because he was constable of England; therefore by right he ought to be with the king. When the king had supped, new tidings came again to him, saying: sir, it is time to take advice how ye will order yourself; your puissance is not sufficient against them that cometh against you; it cannot avail you to make battle against them; it behoveth you to pass this danger by sad advice and good counsel, and by wisdom appease them that be your evil willers, as ye have done or this time, and then correct them after at leisure. There is a castle a twelve mile hence, called the castle of Flint, which is strong; we counsel you to go thither, and close you within it till ye hear other news from the earl of Huntingdon your brother, and from other of your friends, and send into Ireland for succours; and the French king your father-in-law, when he knoweth of your need, he will comfort you. The king followed that counsel, and appointed them that should ride with him to the castle of Flint; and he ordained his cousin earl of Rutland to tarry still at Bristow, and that they should be ready to set forward when he sent to them, and that he was of power to fight with his enemies. The next day the king, with such as were of his household, rode to the castle of Flint, and entered in the castle without making

any semblant to make any war, but to abide there and to defend the castle if they were assailed.

The earl of Derby and the Londoners had their spies going and coming, who reported to them all the state of the king; and also the earl knew it by such knights and squires as daily came from the king's part to the earl, who had sure knowledge that the king was gone to the castle of Flint, and had no company with him but such as were of his own household, and seemed that he would no war, but to scape that danger by treaty. Then the earl determined to ride thither, and to do so much to have the king either by force or by treaty. Then the earl and all his company rode thither, and within two mile of the castle they found a great village; there the earl tarried and drank, and determined in himself to ride to the castle of Flint with two hundred horse, and to leave the rest of his company still there and he said he would do what he could by fair treaty to enter into the castle by love and not perforce, and to bring out the king with fair words, and to assure him from all peril, except going to London, and to promise him that he should have no hurt of his body, and to be mean for him to the Londoners, who were not content with him. The earl's devise seemed good to them that heard it, and they said to him: Sir, beware of dissimulation; this Richard of Bourdeaux must be taken either quick or dead, and all the other traitors that be about him and of his counsel, and so to be brought to London and set in the tower; the Londoners will not suffer you to do the contrary. Then the earl said: Sirs, fear not, for all that is enterprised shail be accomplished; but if I can get him out of the castle with fair words, I will do it; and if I can not, I shall send you word thereof, and then ye shall come and lay siege about the castle, and then we will do so much by force or by assault, that we will have him quick or dead, for the castle is well pregnable. To those words accorded well the Londoners. So the earl departed from the army, and rode with two hundred men to the castle, where as the king was among his men right sore abashed. The earl came riding to the castle gate, which was fast closed, as the case required: the earl knocked at the gate; the porters demanded who was there; the earl answered, I am Henry of Lancaster; I come to the king to demand mine heritage of the Duchy of Lancaster; shew the king this from me. Sir, quoth they within, we shall do it. Incontinent they went into the hall and into the dungeon where as the king was, and such knights about him as had long time counselled him. Then these news were shewed to the king, and said: Sir, your cousin of Derby is at the gate, who demandeth of you to be set in possession of the Duchy of Lancaster his inheritance. The king then regarded such as were about him, and demanded what was best to do. They said: Sir, in this request is none evil; ye may let him come into you with twelve* persons in his company, and hear what he will say; he is your cousin, and a great lord of the realm; he may well make your peace and he will, for he is greatly beloved in the realm, and specially with the Londoners, who sent for him into France; they be as now the chief that be against you. Sir, ye must dissimule till the matter be appeased, and till the earl of Huntingdon your brother be with you; and it cometh now evil to pass for you that he is at Calais, for there be many now in England that be risen against you, that and they knew that your brother were about you, they would sit still and durst not displease you: and yet he hath to his wife the earl of Derby's sister by his means we suppose ye should come to peace and concord. The king agreed to those words, and said: go and let him come in with twelvet with him and no more. Two knights went down to the gate, and opened the wicket and issued out and made reverence to the earl, and received him with gracious words,