there was a day appointed about a sixe weekes after, for the K. to come vnto Winsor to hear and to take some order betwixte the twoo dukes, which had thus appealed eche other. There was a greate skaffold erected within the castell of Windsore for the king to sit with the Lordes and Prelates of his realme and so at the day apointed, he with the saide lords and prelats being come thither and set in their places, the duke of Herford appellant, and the duke of Norfolke defendant, were sent for to come and apeare before the K. sitting ther in his seate of Iustice. And then began to speak sir Io. Bushy for the K. declaring to the lords how they shuld vnderstand that where the duke of Hereford had presented a supplication to the K. that was there set to minister iustice vnto al men that wold demaund the same, as apperteined to his roiall Maiesty, he therfore wold now heare what the parties could say one against an other, and withall the K. commaunded the dukes of Aumarle and Surrey, the one beyng constable, and the other marshall to go vnto the two dukes, appellant and defendant, requiring them on his behalf, to grow to some agreement: and for hys parte, hee woulde be readye to pardon all that hadde bene sayde or done amisse betwixte them, touching any harme or dishonour to him or hys realme: but they aunswered bothe assuredly that it was not possible to haue any peace or agreement made betwixt them. When hee hearde what they hadde aunswered, hee commaunded that they shoulde bee broughte forthwith before his presence, to heare what they woulde saye.

'Herewith an Herauld in the Kings name with loude voice commaunded the Dukes to come before the King, either of them to shewe his reason, or else to make peace togither without more delay.

'When they were come before the King and Lordes, the King spake himselfe to them, willing them to agree, and make peace togither: for it is (saide he) the best way ye can take.

'The Duke of Norfolke with due reuerence herevnto aunswered, that it coulde not bee so brought to passe, his honour saued.

'Then the King asked of the Duke of Hereforde, what it was that hee demaunded of the Duke of Norfolke, and what is the matter that ye cannot make peace togyther, and beecome friendes?

'Then stoode forth a Knight that asking and obteining licence to speake for the duke of Herford, said, Right dere and soueraigne Lorde, here is Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereforde and Erle of Darbie, who saith, and I for hym likewise say, that Thomas Moubray Duke of Norfolke is a false and disloyall traytour to you, and your royall Maiestie, and to your whole realme: and likewise the duke of Hereford saith and I for him, that Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke hath receyued .viij. M. nobles to paye the souldiores that keepe your Towne of Callais, whiche he hath not done as he oughte: and furthermore the saide Duke of Norfolke hath bin the occasion of all the treason that hath bin contriued in your Realme for the space of these .xviij. yeres, and by his false suggestions and malicious counsell, hath caused to dye and to be murthered your right dere vncle, the duke of Gloucester, sonne to king Edwarde.

'Moreouer, the Duke of Hereforde saith and I for hym, that he will proue this with his bodye, against the body of the said duke of Norfolke within listes.

'The king herewith waxed angry, and asked the Duke of Hereford, if these were his words, who aunswered, Right deare Lord, they are my wordes, and hereof I require right, and the battell against hym.

'There was a Knight also that asked licence to speake for the Duke of Norfolke, and obteining it, began to answere thus: Right deare soueraigne Lorde, here is Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke, who aunswereth and saith, and I for him, that all that Henry of Lancaster hath sayde and declared (sauing the reuerence due to the king and his counsell) is a bye, and the saide Henrye of Lancaster hath falsely and wickedly lyed as a false and disloyall Knyght, and bothe hath bene, and is a traitour againste you, your Crowne, royall Maiestye, and Realme.

'This will I proue and defende as becommeth a loyalt Knyghte to doe wyth my body againste his: Right deare Lord, I beseeche you therefore, and your counsell, that it maye please you in your royal discretion, to consider and marke, what Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereforde suche a one as he is, hath saide.

'The King then demaunded of the duke of Norfolk, if these were his words, and whether he had any more to say. The Duke of Norfolk then answered for himself. Right deare sir, true it is, that I haue receyued so much golde to pay your people of the town of Callaice, which I haue done, and I do auouche that your towne of Callais is aswell kept at your commaundemente as euer it was at any time before, and that there neuer hathe bene by any of Callais any complaint made vnto you of me. Ryghte deare and my soueraigne Lorde for the voiage that I made into Fraunce, aboute your mariage I neuer receyued eyther golde or siluer of you, nor yet for the voyage that the Duke of Aumarle, and I made into Almaigne, where wee spente great treasure: mary true it is, that once I laid an ambushe to haue slaine the duke of Lancaster, that there sitteth: but neuerthelesse hee hathe pardoned mee thereof, and there was good peace made betwixt us, for the whiche I yelde hym harty thankes.

'This is that whiche I haue to aunswere, and am ready to defende my selfe against mine aduersarie, I beeseeche you therefore of righte and to haue the bataile against him, in vpright iudgement.

'After this, when the King had communed with his counsell a little, hee commaunded the two Dukes to stande forth, that their answers might bee hearde. The kyng then caused them once againe to bee asked if they woulde agree, and make peace togither, and they bothe flatly aunswered that they woulde not: and wythall the duke of Herford caste downe his gage, and the duke of Norfolk tooke it vp. The king perceyuing this demeanor betwixte them, sware by S. Iohn Baptist, that he wold neuer seeke to make peace betwixt them againe. And therwith sir Io. Bushy in name of the K. and

his counsell, declared, that the king and his counsell had commaunded, and ordeined, that they shold haue a day of battell, appoynted them, at Couentrie. Here writers disagree about the day that was appointed: for some say, it was vpon a Monday in August: other vpon S. Lambertes daye, being the .xvij. of September: other on the .xj. of September: But true it is, that the K. assigned them not only the day, but also apoynted them lists and place for the combate, and therevppon greate preparation was made, as to suche a matter apperteined.' (pp. 1098-1100.)

Holinshed's narrative is here continuous, and supplies the material for

Act I. Scene III. 'At the time appointed the King came to Couentrye, where the two Dukes were readye, according to the order prescribed therin, comming thither in greate arraye, accompanied with the Lords and gentlemen of their linages. The king had caused a sumptuous scaffolde or theatre, and royall listes there to be erected and prepared: The Sundaye beefore they shoulde fight, after diner the duke of Hereforde came to the Kyng (being lodged like a quarter of a mile without the towne in a tower that belonged to sir Wil. Bagot) to take his leaue of him. The morrow after, being the day apointed for the combat about the spring of the day came ye duke of Norfolke to the Court to take leaue likewise of the King.

'The Duke of Hereforde armed hym in his tent, that was set vp nere to the lists, and the duke of Norfolke putte on his armour, betwixte the gate and the barrier of the towne, in a beautifull house, hauing a faire perclois of wood towardes the gate, that none might see what was done within the house.

'The duke of Aumerle that daye being highe Constable of Englande, and the duke of Surrey Marshall, placed themselues betwixt them, well armed and apointed, and when they sawe their time, they first entred into the listes with a greate company of men apparelled in silke sendall, embroudered with siluer, both richely, and curiously, euery man hauing a tipped staffe to keepe the fielde in order.

'Aboute the houre of Prime came to the barriers of the lists, the duke of Hereford, mounted on a white courser, barded wyth greene and blewe veluet embroydered sumptuouslye wyth Swans and Antelops of gooldsmithes worke, armed at all points. The Constable and Marshall came to the barriers, demaunding of hym what hee was, hee aunswered I am Henry of Lancaster duke of Hereforde, whiche am come hither to do my deuoir against Thomas Moubray duke of Norfolke, as a traitor vntrue to god, the K. his realme, and me. Then incontinently hee sware vpon the holy Euangelistes, that his quarrell was true and iuste, and vpon that point hee required to enter the lists.

'Then hee put vp his sworde, which before hee helde naked in his hand, and putting down his viser, made a crosse on his horse, and with speare in hande, entred into the listes, and discended from his horse, and set hym downe in a chaire of greene veluet, at the one end of the lists, and there reposed hymselfe, abiding the comming of his aduersary. Soon after him, entred into the field with greate triumph, King Richarde accompanied with all the peares of the realme, and in his company was the earle of sainct Paule, whiche was come out of Fraunce in post to see this chalenge performed. The King had there aboue tenne thousande men in armour, least some fray or tumult might rise amongst his nobles, by quarrelling or partaking. When the K. was set in his seate, which was richely hanged and adorned: a king at armes made open proclamation, prohibiting all men in the name of the king, and of the high constable, and Marshal, to enterprise or attempte, to approche or touche any parte of the listes, vpon paine of death, excepte suche as were appointed to order or marshall the fielde.

'The proclamation ended, an other Herault cried, beholde here Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereforde appellant, whiche is entred into the listes royall to do his deuoir againste Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke defendant, vpon paine to be founde false and recreant.

'The duke of Norfolke houered on horseback at the entrie