1377. the Tax granted the King, to be laid upon the Clergy. And fo far were the Commons and fome LayPeers offended therewith, that they petitioned the King to take away the Temporalities from Ecclefiaftical Perfons; which he denied, faying, That he would maintain the English Church in the Quality of the fame State, or better, in which himself had known it to be when he came to the Crown. The difplacing of Sir Richard Scrope, Chancellor, was difpleafing to moft Men. The Reafon of his difplacing was, because he refufed to pay fuch large Gifts under the Great Seal, as the King in his youthful Humour had granted to fome Courtiers. AlTo the King's Over-freeness to the Queen's Countrymen the Bohemians, difcontented many. The ancient Nobles envied that Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was created Marquis of Dublin, and Duke of Ireland; and Michael de la Pool, à Merchant's Son, Earl of Suffolk; and that the King had them in too great Favour. Thefe were held for great Grievances; nor would the Parliament grant the King any Aids against his Foreign Foes, unless thefe Lords were removed and degraded. This the King could not well digeft, but confulted the Learned in the Law, concerning certain Articles of Treafon, within the Compass of which he might take the popular Lords. And at Nottingham Robert Triflian, Chief Justiciar, Robert Belknap, Chief Juftice of the Common-Pleas, John Holt, Roger Filthrop, and William Burgh, Julticiars; John Lockton, the King's Serjeant at Law; all fubfcribed to certain Articles of Treafon made against the Lords, which afterwards coit them dear. Judge Belknap forefaw the Danger, therefore unwillingly confented, faying, There wants

but an Hurdle, Horse, and Halter, to carry me where I might suffer the Death deferved. For if I had not done this (quoth he) Ihould have died for it; and because I have done it, I deferve Death for betraying the Lords.

And now the King and Lords prepare themfelves for the Field; the Lords march up to London with an Army of about Forty Thoufand Men; against whofe coming, the King, not being able to match their Power, fhuts himself up in the Tower, where the Factious Lords, Gloucester, Derby, Arundel, Warwick, and Marshal, fend him Word, That if he come not quickly to Westmin fer according to Appointment, they would choose them another King, who both would and should obey the Counsel of the Peers. Hercupon the King, though with no Goodwill, attends their Lordships Pleafure at Westminster, where he yielded to remove from about his Perion Alexander Neville, Archbishop of York, the Bishops of Durbam and Chichester, the Lords Zouch and Beaumont, with divers others; and amongit them certain Ladies. O. thers of his Friends were made Prifoners. And at the Parliament, which was fhortly after, the Judges were arrested as they fat in Judgment, and most of them fent to the Tower. Trifilian that had fled, being apprehended, and brought to the Parliament in the Forenoon, had Sentence to be drawn to Tyburn in the Afternoon, and there to have his Throat cut, which was done açcordingly. Divers other Knights were alfo facrificed to their Revenge. The Duke of Ireland and others had their Eftates confifcated to the King's Ufe by Act of Parlia ment. This while the Scots invaded the North of England under the Conduct of Sir William Douglas,

whom

whom Henry Hot-four fighting with Hand to Hand, flew; but the Earl of Dunbar coming with an exceffive Number of Scots, took Hot-fpur and his Brother Prifoners.

A. D. 1396, Peace was concluded with the French, the Scots and Spaniards being included therein. And in September 1397, a Parlia. ment called The Great (for the extraordinary Number of Peers, and their Retinues which came thereunto) was held at London, wherein the Sanctuary of former Laws, and all particular Charters of Pardons were taken away from Thomas Duke of Gloucester, Earl of A rundel, and others, for their treasonable Practices, and all the Jufticiars who flood for the King were cleared from Difhonour, and fuch Articles as they had fubfcrib'd were publickly ratified, and the Offenders against them pronounced Traytors. Richard Earl of Arundel was beheaded on Tower Hill, where at his Death he utterly denied that he was a Traytor in Word or Deed. The Earl of Warwick confeffing himself a Traytor in open Court, was only banished to the life of Man.

The Duke of Gloucefer (whom as the Peoples Darling, it feemed not fafe to bring to a publick Trial) was fecretly fmothered with Pillows and Feather-beds at Calais. The King at this Parliament created himielf Prince of Chefer, and to his Efcutcheon Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confeffor; his Coufin Henry Earl of Derby he made Duke of Hereford, and advanced the Titles of many other Nobles. Not long after which Henry Duke of Hereford accufed Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, for fpeaking certain Words to the King's Difhonour, which Mowbray conftantly denying,

hould have come to a Combat within Lifts, but the King ended

the Controverfy otherwife, by bani- 1396. fhing Norfolk for ever, and Hereford firft for ten Years, then for fix only. Thomas In the Year following the Duke Arundel, of Lancafter died, when the King A. B. of unjuftly feized upon the Goods of Cant. that mighty Prince his Uncle, and determined to banish for ever his Son the Duke of Hereford, now Duke of Lancafter by his Father's Death. But whilft King Richard was in Ireland to qualify a Difturbance there, Henry Duke of Lancafer and Hereford lands in England with what Forces he had, pretending nothing but the Recovery of his Inheritance. To him there repaired Henry Piercy, the Earl of Northum berland, his Son Hot-fpur and Earl of Westmorland, with many others: Multitudes offering their Service to him, as pitying his Calamity, and exafperated against the King, becaufe to furnifh his Irib Voyage he had extorted Monies on all Hands, and had taken up Carriages, Victuals, and other Neceffaries, without any Recompence. The Duke of Lancaster, with an Army of about 60,000, marched to Brifial, befieged the Castle, and took it, and therein two Knights of the King's Council, Busby and Green, whole Heads were cut off at the Request of the Rabble.

The Duke of York, whom King Richard had left behind him to govern England, could gain but small Affiftance against Lancaster, nor could the King at his Return into Ergland find many Friends, therefore he betook himself to a Parly with his Enemies; the Sum of his Demands being, That if himself and Eight more whom he should name might have honourable Allowance, with the Affurance of a private quiet Life, he would refign the Crown. This was promifed him; whereupon he put himself into the Duke of Lan

cafler's

caffer's Hands, who conducted him out of the Weft to London, where he was lodged in the Tower. And now a Parliament was fummoned in the King's Name to be held at Weftminster, in which Parliament King Richard was charged with the breach of his Coronation Oath in Thirty two Articles: His abufe of the publick Treafure, Waste of the Crown Lands, Lofs of Honour abroad; and that at home he was guilty of Falfhood, Injuftice, Treafon against the Rights of the Crown, and what not, that Ambition and Envy could invent against him. The Refult whereof was, he refign'd his Crown to the Duke of Lancafter; which Refignation the whole Body of the Parliament did particularly accept, faving Tho. Merks, Bishop of Carlifle, A. D. 1399. Sept. 29. His firft Wife was Anne, Daughter to the Emperor Charles IV. His fecond Wife Ifabel, was Daughter to Charles VI. King of France.

In the very Beginning of this King's Reign, one John Philpot, a private Citizen of London, at his own Charge, manned out a Fleet to Sea, for the guarding of both Land and Sea from the Enemy; and was fo fuccefsful, that within a fhort Space, he took fifteen Ships of the Spaniards fraught with rich Merchandize.

By a Tempest were caft away at Sea, Four Knights, and above a Thoufand Englishmen, in their Paffage to Bretaigne in France.

In the Year 1392, the Londoners were fo unkind to the King, that they refused to fupply him with the Loan but of a Thousand Pounds; and because a certain Lombard offered to lend the fame, they abused and almoft killed him, for which the King took away their Charter.

over

The Year of Chrift 1394, was famous or notable for the Deaths of many great Ladies, and amongst the reft, of Queen Anne the King's first Wife, whom, it is faid, he loved to a kind of Madness. When fhe died at Shene, in Surry, he both curfed the Place, and alfo out of Madness overthrew the whole House, In the fame Year that the King was depofed, the Bay or Laurel-Trees withered all England, and afterwards re flourifhed; and on the first of January near Bedford Town, the River where it was deepest, did on the fudden ftand ftill, and fo divided it felf, that the Bottom remained dry for about three Miles. Now flou rifhed Sir John Harkwood, whofe Chivalry had made him renowned through the Chriftian World. Sir Jeoffry Chaucer, Poet-Laureat, now alfo lived.

Queen Anne, Wife to King Ri chard II. firft taught English Women to ride on Side-Saddles, when as before that time they rid aftride. She alfo brought in High-head Attire piked with Horns, and longtrained Gowns for Women.

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