with his dagger in a quarrel the eldest Son of the Earl of Stafford relying on the favour of the King, to whom he was fo nearly allied by blood, he fled to a fanctuary at Beverly, and doubted not of receiving a speedy pardon; but the King, exafperated at a murder which robbed him of a person for whom he had a great regard, delivered him into the hands of juftice, without interesting himself in his favour. The Princess was no fooner informed of her Son's fituation, than, incited by parental tenderness, fhe immediately fent to implore for him his Majesty's forgiveness: fhe conjured the King by that intereft which she had in both, and by the duty he owed to a fond Mother, to spare a person so dear to her; but Richard remained inexorable, On the return of her meffenger to Wallingford, her fummer refidence, finding that her fupplications were ineffectual, fhe was fo depreffed, that fhe died the fifth day after receiving the fatal intelligence. Thus fell a prey to grief the worthy Confort of the most excellent of Princes: united by affection, they lived an inftance that conjugal happinefs is not incompatible with royalty, though in the alliances of Princes inclination is too often obliged to yield to reasons of ftate. Thrice happy they who, like the princely pair I celebrate, or the royal pair we ferve, find the bleffings of true love twisted in their bands, to foften thofe cares from which the moft exalted condition is not entirely free, Their fon Richard had mounted the English throne on the decease of his royal Grandfather; but his reign was far from being happy to himself, or advantageous to his people; his prudent and intrepid conduct during the infurrection of Wat Tyler gave the people hopes that he inherited the fpirit of his great Father, and that he would in the course of his life acquire an equal degree of glory; but in proportion as he advanced in years thefe hopes were blafted, and his want of folid judgment appeared in every enterprize. This deficiency in penetration and folidity threw him into the hands of favourites, as it had before fatally done his predeceffor Edward the Second, an error which the good fenfe and noble fpirit of his Father and Grandfather had led them particularly to avoid. Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a young gentleman of an agreeable figure, and poffeffed of many fplendid qualifications, but of diffolute manners, acquired an entire afcendant over him, and ruled him with the most abfolute authority: Richard fet no bounds to his affection for this young Lord; he first created him Marquis of Dublin and then Duke of Ireland, titles unknown before in England: all favours paffed through his hands, and accefs to the King could only be obtained through his mediation ; this confequently produced great animofity between the Minion and his Creatures on the one hand, and the Princes of the Blood and the chief Nobility on the other; till the Nobles, Nobles, unawed by the perfonal character of Richard, difpoffeffing him of all power, banifhed fome of his favourites, and put others to death the King however at length : recovered his authority, and reigned with tolerable tranquillity for feveral years. During this period, though his public government appeared unexceptionable, in private life he was indolent, expensive, and addicted to low pleafures: he spent his time in feafting and jollity, and forgot his rank by admitting all degrees of men to his fa miliarity. Towards the latter part of his reign, a difpute arifing between the Duke of Hereford, eldest Son of the Duke of Lancaster, and the Duke of Norfolk, a day was appointed by the King for the decision of it by single combat, according to the custom of the times: the whole nation feemed interested in the event, and all the Nobility divided themselves into different parties on the occafion. But when the two champions appeared peared in the field, accoutered for the fight, the King by the advice of his Council interpofed, and prevented the effufion of fuch noble blood however to fhew his impartiality, he ordered both the combatants to leave the kingdom and retire to different countries, The Duke of Norfolk's banifhment he declared perpetual; that of the Duke of Hereford he limited to ten years; and afterwards, on fome circumstances appearing in his favour, the term was shortened to fix years, During the absence of the latter his Father the old Duke of Lancafter died, and he fucceeded to the title; but Richard, afraid that his immenfe poffeffions would give too great weight to the Lancaftrian faction, already become formidable to his crown, he retained them for his own use, Henry, the new Duke of Lancaster, had long acquired by his conduct and abilities the efteem of the public: he had served with diftinction against the Infidels, and |