been; that to be crossed of his will by his subjects, was to be their subject, that he is no sovereign if he be not absolute.

By the instigation of such counsellors as these, the King in a parliament then assembled, fell to expostulate with the lords, asking them, what years they thought him to be of; who answering, that he was somewhat more than one and twenty; well then, (said he) I am out of your wardship, and expect to enjoy my kingdom, as freely as yourselves at the like years enjoy your patrimonies. But (saith our author) his flattering favourites should have remembered, that though the King may not be controuled where he can command, yet he may be opposed where he can but demand, as now indeed he was, for when he demanded a subsidy toward his wars, he was answered, that he needed no subsidy from his subjects, if he would but call in the debts that the chancellor owed him; and if he were so tender, that he could not do that work himself, they would do it for him; and thereupon charged him with such crimes, that all his goods were confiscated, and himself adjudged to die if the King pleased. Though others write, his sentence was only to pay twenty thousand marks as a fine, and a thousand pound besides yearly.

This chancellor was Michael de la Pool, a merchant's son, who was lately made Earl of Suffolk, and Lord Chancellor of England, who with Robert Vere Earl of Oxford and Marquiss of Dublin, and some others, were King Richard's bosom favourites; and upon this provocation given them, they presently study revenge; and thereupon contrive, that the Duke of Gloucester (the King's uncle) as principal, and other lords, who crossed the King's courses, should be invited to a supper in London, and be there murdered; in the execution of which plot, the late Lord Mayor, Sir Nicholas Brember, was deeply concerned, but the present Lord Mayor, Richard Exton, though moved thereto by the King himself, utterly refused to do it, and thereupon this design miscarried.

But notwithstanding these heats, and many more, which passed in this parliament, yet a subsidy was at last granted to the King of half a tenth, and half a fifteenth, but with this express condition, that it should not be paid out, but by order from the lords, and the Earl of Arundel was to receive it; but before this time, it was absolutely agreed between both houses of parliament, that unless the chancellor was removed, they would proceed no farther.

The King having notice hereof, sent a message to the House of Commons, that they should send to Eltham (where he then lay) forty

of their house, to declare their minds to him; but upon a conference between both houses, it was agreed, that the Duke of Gloucester, and Thomas Arundel Bishop of Ely, should in the name of the Parliament go to him; who coming to the King declared, that by an old statute the King once a year might lawfully summon his court of parliament for reformation of all enormities and corruptions within the realm; and further declared, that by an old ordinance, it was likewise enacted, that if the King should absent himself forty days, not being sick, the houses might lawfully break up, and return home; at which it is reported the King should say, well, we perceive our people go about to rise against us, and therefore I think we cannot do better than to ask aid of our cousin the King of France, and rather submit ourselves to him, than to our own subjects. To which the lords answered, they wondered at his majesty's opinion, since the French King was the antient enemy of the kingdom, and he might remember what mischiefs were brought upon the realm in King John's time by such courses. By these and the like persuasions, the King was induced to come to his parliament, wherein John Fordham Bishop of Durham, was discharged of his office as Treasurer, and Michael de la Pool of being Chancellor, and others by consent of Parliament put in their places; likewise by order of parliament, thirteen lords were appointed under the King to have oversight of the whole government of the realm, that is the Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellor; Bishop of Hereford Lord Treasurer, and Abbot of Waltham, Lord Privy Seal; the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Dukes of York and Gloucester, with others; but this division of the government was soon found inconvenient. This parliament also granted to Robert de Vere (lately created Duke of Ireland) thirty thousand marks, which the Frenchmen were to give to the heirs of Charles de Bloys, upon condition that before Easter following he should go over into Ireland; so desirous were the lords and commons to have him removed from the King's presence.

But though the King gave way to this torrent of the parliament at present, yet as soon as they were dissolved, he dissolved likewise all they had done against his favorites, and received them into more favor than before. Awhile after the Duke of Ireland puts away his lawful wife, who was near a kin to the Duke of Gloucester, and married one of the Queen's maids, a vintner's daughter, at which the Duke of Gloucester was very much offended; which the Duke of Ireland understanding, studied how by any means he might dispatch the Duke of Gloucester; and Easter being now past, which was the time appointed

R

for the Duke to go into Ireland, the King pretending to go with him to the sea side, went with him into Wales, being attended likewise with Michael de la Pool, Robert Tresillian, a prime favourite, who was Lord Chief Justice, and divers others, where they consulted how to dispatch the Duke of Gloucester; the Earls of Arundel, Warwick, Derby, Nottingham, with divers others of that party.

The King having remained some time in those parts, had quite forgot the voyage of the Duke of Ireland, and so brought him back with him again to Nottingham Castle. About the same time Robert Tresillian, Lord Chief Justice, came to Coventry, and there indicted two thousand persons; the King then called all the High Sheriffs of the counties before him, and demanded what strength they could make for him against the lords, if there should be occasion; to which they returned answer, that the common people did so favor the lords, as believing them to be loyal and true to the King, that it was not in their power to raise any great force against them. They were then commanded to take care, that no knight nor burgess should afterwards be chosen to any parliament, but those whom the King and his council should name; they replied, it was a hard matter in those times of jealousy and suspicion, to deprive the people of their antient liberties in choosing their representatives; after which they were dismissed.

And some of the judges of the realm being called, that is Robert Tresillian, Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, Robert Belknap, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, John Holt, Roger Fulthorpe, and William Borough, knights and judges, men learned chiefly in one point, that is, without considering truth or falshood to please those in high place; these were charged upon their allegiance to give true and full answers to the following questions:

I. Whether the statute and commission in the last parliament, (that is against Michael de la Pool) were against the King's preroga tiye or not. To which they all answered, it was.

H. How they were to be punished who procured that statute, &c. or who moved, or compelled the King to consent thereunto. They unanimously answered, they ought to be put to death as traitors, unless the King would please to pardon them.

III. When a parliament is assembled, and the cause of their meeting declared, and common articles limited by the King, upon which the lords and commons in that parliament should proceed, if the lords and commons will go upon other articles, and not those appointed by the King, till the King hath first answered their

desires, though enjoyned by the King to the contrary, whether the King in this case ought not to command the parliament, and oblige them to do his pleasure before they proceed further; they answered, that in this case, the King should over-rule, and if any presumed to do contrary, he was to be punished as a traitor. IV. Whether the King may at his pleasure dissolve the parliament, and command the lords and commons to depart? they answered, that the King at his pleasure may dissolve the parliament, and whoever shall after proceed against the King's mind, as in a par liament, he is worthy to be punished as a traitor.

V. Since the King may at his pleasure remove any of his officers and justices, and punish them for their offences, whether may the lords, and commons, without the King's will, accuse them in parliament? they replied, they cannot, and whoever doth the contrary deserves to be punished as a traitor.

VI. What punishment they deserve who moved in parliament that the statute whereby King Edward of Carnarvan was deposed in parliament, should be produced, whereby a new statute should be made it was answered, that as well he that moved it as he that brought the statute into the house were to be punished as traitors.

Lastly, Whether the judgment given in parliament against Michael de la Pool were erroneous and revocable, they answered it was erroneous and revocable, and that if the judgment were now to be given, the justices would not give the same.

At this time the Londoners incurred much obliquy, for having before been pardoned by the King of some crimes laid to their charge, they were now ready to comply with his desires, and a jury of them being impanneled, they indicted some lords of many crimes laid to their charge; and now the King, and the Duke of Ireland sent into all parts of the realm to raise men in this quarrel against the lords; and required the Mayor of London to give an account how many able men he could raise in the city, who answered, that he thought they could make fifty thousand men at an hour's warning; well, said the King, go and try what may be done: but when the Mayor went about it, the citizens answered, that they would never fight against the King's friends and the defenders of the realm. About this time the King intended to have apprehended the Duke of Gloucester, but he made his escape; and with other lords had got together a great power of men at Harringey Park; upon which the King commanded, that no citizen of

London should sell to the Duke of Glocester, the Earl of Arundel, or any of the lords any armour or furniture of war, under a great penalty. After this the King is persuaded to send to the lords to come to him at Westminster, upon oath given by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chancellor, that no fraud nor evil practice should be used against them, which the lords were content to do, but when they were ready to come, they understood there was an ambush laid to entrap them, of a thousand men in the Mews; which the King absolutely denied he had any knowledge of; yet the lords after this receiving a safe conduct from the King, came to Westminster, of whose coming when the King heard, he apparelled himself in his royal robes, and with his scepter in his hand came into the great hall, before whom the lords upon their knees presented themselves, the King bidding them welcome, and taking each of them by the hand.

Then the Lord Chancellor made a speech wherein he blamed them for raising arms, desiring to know the cause; who answered, that they had done it for the good of the kingdom, and to remove the traitors about the King; upon which the King himself spoke, and asked them whether they thought to compel him by strong hands? Have not I, said he, sufficient power to beat you down? truly in this behalf, I make no more account of you than of the basest skullion in my kitchen. Yet after these great words, he lifted up the Duke of Gloucester, who all this while was kneeling, and commanded the rest also to rise, and then led them courteously to his chamber, where they sat and drank together, and at last it was concluded they should all meet again, as well these lords as those they accused at the next parliament, which the King promised he would speedily call, and each party to receive there according to justice, and in the mean while all parties should be under the King's protection.

But when the favourite lords heard this, they told the King plainly, they neither durst nor would put themselves to the hazard of such a meeting, and therefore the Duke of Ireland, and the rest of that faction left the court to be out of the way; but the King not induring their absence, appointed Thomas Molineux, Constable of the Castle of Chester, to raise an army, and to safe conduct the Duke of Ireland to his presence; but they being come as far as Radcoat Bridge, were encountered by the Earl of Derby; and the Duke of Ireland not daring to join the battle with him, fled, and being to pass a river, cast away his gauntlets and sword to be more nimble, and spurring his horse leaped into the river and so escaped; though it was reported he was