be your general; follow me into the field, and you shall have whatever you desire." The awed multitude immediately desisted; they followed the king as if mechanically into the field, and there he granted them the same charter which he had before given to their companions, but which he soon after revoked in parliament.

Hitherto the king had acted under the control of the regen. cy, who did all they could devise to abridge his power; how ever, in an extraordinary council of the nobility, assembled after Easter, he, to the astonishment of all present, desired to know his age; and being told that he was turned of two-andtwenty, he alleged, that it was time then for him to govern without help; and that there was no reason that he should be deprived of those rights which the meanest of his subjects enjoyed.

Being thus set at liberty to conduct the business of government at discretion, it quickly appeared that he wanted those arts which are usually found to procure a lasting respect; he was fond of luxurious pleasures, and idle ostentation; he admitted the meanest ranks to his familiarity; and his conversation was not adapted to impress them with a reverence for his morals or abilities. The cruelty shown to the duke of Glou cester, who, upon slight suspicions, was sent to confinement in Calais, and there murdered in prison, with some other acts equally arbitrary, did not fail to increase those animosities which had already taken deep root in the kingdom. The aggrandisement of some new favourites contributed still more to make the king odious; but though he seemed resolved, by all his actions, to set his subjects against him, it was accident which gave the occasion for his overthrow. The duke of Hereford, only son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and afterwards Henry IV., appeared in parliament, and accused the duke of Norfolk of having spoken seditious words against his majesty in a private conversation. Norfolk denied the charge, gave Hereford the lie, and offered to prove his innocence by single combat. As proofs were wanting for legal trial, the lords readily acquiesced in that mode of determination; the time and place were appointed; and the whole nation waited with anxious suspense for the event. At length the day arrived on which this duel was to be fought, and the champions having just begun their career, the king stopped the combat, and ordered both the combatants to leave the kingdom. The duke of Norfolk he banished for life, but the duke of Hereford only for ten years. Thus the one was condemned to exile without being charged

with any offence, and the other without being convicted of any crime. The duke of Norfolk was overwhelmed with grief and despondence at the judgment awarded against him; he retired to Venice, where, in a little time after, he died of a broken heart. Hereford's behaviour on this occasion was resigned and submissive, which so pleased the king, that he consented to shorten the date of his banishment four years; and he also granted him letters patent, ensuring him the enjoyment of any inheritance which should fall to him during his absence. But upon the death of his father, the duke of Lancaster, which happened shortly after, Richard revoked those letters, and retained the possession of the Lancaster estate to himself.

Such complicated injuries served to inflame the resentment of Hereford against the king; and although he had hitherto concealed it, he now set no bounds to his indignation, but even conceived a desire of dethroning a person who had shown himself so unworthy of power. Indeed, no man could be better qualified for an enterprise of this nature than the earl of Hereford; he was cool, cautious, discerning, and resolute. He had served with distinction against the infidels of Lithuania; and he had thus joined to his other merits those of piety and valour. He was stimulated by private injuries; and had alliances and fortune sufficient to give weight to his measures. He only waited the absence of the king from England to put his schemes into execution; and Richard's going over into Ireland to quell an insurrection there, was the opportunity for which he long had looked.

Accordingly, he instantly embarked at Nantz, with a retinue of sixty persons, in three small vessels, and landed at Ravenspur, in Yorkshire. The earl of Northumberland, who had long been a malecontent, together with Henry Percy, his son, who, from his ardent valour, was surnamed Hotspur, immediately joined him with their forces. After this junction, the concourse of people coming to list under his banner was so great, that in a few days his army amounted to threescore thousand

men.

Whilst these things were transacting in England, Richard continued in Ireland in perfect security. Contrary winds, for three weeks together, prevented his receiving any news of the rebellion which was begun in his native dominions; wherefore, upon landing at Milford-haven with a body of twenty thousand men, he saw himself in a dreadful situation, in the midst of an enraged people, without any friend on whom to rely; and for

saken by those, who, in the sun-shine of his power, had only contributed to fan his follies. His little army gradually began to desert him, till at last he found that he had not above six thousand men, who followed his standard. Thus, not knowing whom to trust, or where to turn, he saw no other hopes of safety, but to throw himself upon the generosity of his enemy, and to gain from pity what he could not obtain by arms. He therefore sent Hereford, now duke of Lancaster, word, that he was ready to submit to whatever terms he thought proper to prescribe, and that he earnestly desired a conference. For this purpose, the earl appointed him to meet at a castle within about ten miles of Chester, where he came the next day with his army. Richard, who the day before had been brought thither by the duke of Northumberland, descrying his rival's approach from the walls, went down to receive him; while Lancaster, after some ceremony, entered the castle in complete armour, only his head was bare, in compliment to the fallen king. Richard received him with that open air for which he had been remarkable, and kindly bade him welcome. My lord, the king, (returned the earl, with a cool respectful bow,) I am come sooner than you appointed, because your people say, that for one-and-twenty years you have governed with rigour and indiscretion. They are very ill-satisfied with your conduct; but, if it please God, I will help you to govern better for the time to come."-To this declaration the king made no other answer, but-" Fair cousin, since it pleases you, it pleases us likewise."

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But Lancaster's haughty answer was not the only mortification which the unfortunate Richard was to endure. After a short conversation with some of the king's attendants, Lancaster ordered the king's horses to be brought out of the stable; and two wretched animals being produced, Richard was placed upon one, and his favourite, the earl of Salisbury, upon the other. In this mean equipage they rode to Chester; and were conveyed to the castle with a great noise of trumpets, and through a vast concourse of people, who were no way moved at the sight. In this manner he was led triumphantly along from town to town, amidst multitudes, who scoffed at him, and extolled his rival. Long live the good duke of Lancaster, our deliverer! was the general cry; but as for the king, to use the pathetic words of the poet," None cried God bless him." Thus, after repeated indignities, he was confined a close prisoner in the Tower; there, if possible, to undergo a still greater variety of studied insolence, and flagrant contempt. The

wretched monarch, humbled in this manner, began to lose the pride of a king with the splendours of royalty, and his spirit sunk to his circumstances. There was no great difficulty, therefore, in inducing him to sign a deed, by which he renounced his crown, as being unqualified for governing the kingdom. Upon this resignation, Lancaster founded his principal claim; but willing to fortify his pretensions with every appearance of justice, he called a parliament, which was readily brought to approve and confirm his claims. A frivolous charge of thirty-three articles was drawn up, and found valid against the king; upon which he was solemnly deposed, and the Duke of Lancaster elected in his stead, by the title of Henry the fourth. Thus began the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster; which, for several years after, deluged the kingdom with blood; and yet, in the end, contributed to settle and confirm the constitution.

When Richard was deposed, the earl of Northumberland mrade a motion in the house of peers, demanding the advice of parliament with regard to the future treatment of the deposed king. To this they replied, that he should be imprisoned in some secure place, where his friends and partizans should not be able to find him. This was accordingly put in practice; but while he still continued alive, the usurper could not remain in safety. Indeed, some conspiracies and commotions, which followed soon after, induced Henry to wish for Fichard's death; in consequence of which, one of those assassins that are found in every court, ready to commit the most horrid crimes for reward, went down to the place of this unfortunate monarch's confinement, in the castle of Pomfret, and, with eight of his followers, rushed into his apartment. The king, concluding their design was to take away his life, resolved not to fall unrevenged, but to sell it as dearly as he could; wherefore, wresting a pole-ax from one of the murderers, he soon laid four of their number dead at his feet. But he was at length overpowered, and struck dead by the blow of a pole-ax; although some assert that he was starved in prison. Thus died the imprudent and unfortunate Richard, in the thirty-fourth year of his age, and the twenty-third of his reign, leaving neither son nor daughter to bewail his tragical end. Though his conduct was blameable, yet the punishment which he suffered was greater than his offences; and in the end his sufferings made more converts to his family and cause, than ever his most meritorious actions could have procured them.

EXERCISES.

In what years did the reign of Richard II. begin and terminate? In what state did he find the people and nobles? In whom was the government vested during his minority? What tax kindled the resentment of the people into a flame? Where did the rebellion begin? What was the name of the leader? After his appointment how did the insurgents act? What was their number? With whom did Wat Tyler hold a conference? What were his demands? What was the fate of Tyler? How did the king save his life? What did he grant to the insurgents? What did he afterwards revoke in parliament? At what age did he put an end to the regency? On his obtaining the full reins of government, what soon appeared? What act of cruelty did he commit? What contributed to render him odious? Whom did the Duke of Hereford accuse of sedition? What proof of his innocence did the Duke of Norfolk offer to give? Why did parliament acquiesce in that mode of decision? Did the king interfere in that business? Did he pronounce a just judgment? What was the fate of Norfolk ? What advantage accrued to Hereford from his submissive behaviour? How did the king inflame the resentment of that nobleman? What plan did Hereford devise, and what qualified him for its execution? Who joined Hereford on his landing in Yorkshire? Where was the king at that periodi What was the conduct of his army? What passed at their meeting? How did Lancaster now treat the king? What effect on the king had his con finement in the tower? On what did Lancaster found his claim to the crown? What contest resulted from the dethronement of Richard and the usurpation of Lancaster? What did parliament determine with respect to Richard? Why did Lancaster wish his death? Where was Richard con fined? Relate the manner in which he was deprived of life. In what year of his age and reign was he murdered?

Proclaimed hing in the year 1399, and died in 1413.

HENRY soon found that the of an oleout

bed of thorns. Such violent animosities broke out among