king was not able to bring such his design to effect.-3. When the lords temporal defending themselves, had withstood his malice and fraud, and the said king had prefixed a day for holding his parliament to do them and other inhabitants of the realm, justice in that behalf, and the said temporal lords were quietly and peaceably gone home, and at rest in their houses, inhope and confidence of the said parliament, the king secretly sent the duke of Ireland with his letters and standard towards Chester, and there gathered multitudes in arms, and caused them to rise against the said lords, the nobles of the kingdom, and servants of the state, publicly erecting his standard against the peace which he had sworn to keep. From whence slaughters of men, captivities, dissentions, and other infinite mischiefs, did ensue throughout the whole kingdom; by which act he became guilty of perjury.-4. Although the said king had in full parliament and by the assent thereof, pardoned the said duke of Gloucester, and earls of Arundel and Warwick, and all their assistants, and others, all offences; and had for many years shewn signs of peace and love, to the said duke and earls, and to the rest appeared with a pleasant and benign countenance. Yet the said king always and continually bearing gall in his heart, did at last, taking an opportunity, cause the said duke of Gloucester, the uncle of him, the said king, and also the son of Edward the late king of England, of happy memory, and constable of England, then humbly going to meet the said king, in solemn procession; and the said earls of Arundel, and Warwick, to be taken and arrested; and him the said duke out of the kingdom of England, to the town of Calais, did cause to be led, and there imprisoned, and under the custody of the earl of Nottingham, one of the appellors of the said duke, detained, and without answer, or any lawful process whatsoever, did inhumanly and cruelly cause to be suffocated, strangled, and murdered. And the carl of Arundel, though he pleaded as well the general pardon, as a pardon afterwards to him specially granted, and desired justice to be done him, yet in his parliament encompassed with armed men, and innumerable archers of the people by him gathered to that purpose by pressing, did damnably cause to be beheaded. And the earl of Warwick, and lord Cobham, did commit to perpetual imprisonment; wickedly and against justice, and the laws of his kingdom, and his express oath, confiscating their lands and tenements, as well fee-simple, as fee-tail, from them and their heirs, and giving the same to their appellors.-5. At the same time, that the king in his parliament caused the duke of Gloucester, and earls of Arundel and Warwick, to be adjudged, that he might more freely exercise his cruelty upon them, and accomplish his injurious will in other matters, he gathered to himself a great multitude of malefactors of the County of Chester; of whom some passing with the king through the kingdom, as well within the king's palace as without, did cruelly kill the liege subjects of the kingdom, and some they | beat and wounded, and did plunder the goods of the people, and refuse to pay for their victuals, and did ravish and violate their wives, and other women; and though there were grievous complaints, of such their excesses, brought to the hearing of the said king, yet the said king did not regard to cause justice to be done, or any remedy thereupon, but did favour the said troops in such their evil-doings, trusting in them and their guard, against all others of his kingdom; for which cause, the faithful people of his kingdom had great matter of commotion and indignation.-6. Although the said king by his writs, caused proclamation to be made throughout the whole kingdom, that he had caused his uncle the duke of Gloucester, and the earls of Arundel and Warwick, to be taken and arrested, not for any assemblings or troopings by them formerly made within the kingdom of England, but for very many extortions, oppressions, and other things by them afterwards done, and perpetrated, against his royalty, and kingly majesty; and that it was not his intention, that any of the family of the said duke, and earls, or of their followers at the time of such assembling, and trooping, should for that occasion be molested, or aggrieved; yet the said king, at last, in his parliament, did not impeach the said lords for extortions, oppressions, or any such matters, but for the assemblings and troopings aforesaid did adjudge them to death; and very many of the family of the said lords, and others, who were following them at the time of such their assembling, and trooping, he did, for fear of death, force to make fine and ransom, as traitors or rebels, to the great destruction of a great number of his people. And so he did subtlely, fraudulently, and maliciously deceive the said lords, and their domestics, and the people of his kingdom.— 7. After very many of those persons so making fine and ransom, had obtained of the king his letters patent of full pardon in the premises, they could not reap any commodity by such letters of pardon, till they had made new fines, and ransoms, for saving of their life, whereby very many were impoverished; which was a great derogation and dishonour to the name and state of a king.-8. In the last parliament held at Shrewsbury, the said king purposing to oppress his people, subtlely procured, and caused it to be granted, "that the power of the parliament by the consent of the states of this kingdom, should remain in certain persons, to determine, after the dissolution of the parliament, certain petitions in the said parliament exhibited, but then not dispatched." By colour of which grant, the persons so deputed proceeded to other things generally touching that parliament. And this with the will of the king; in derogation of the state of parliament and the great damage of the whole kingdom, and pernicious example. And that they might seem to have some colour and authority for such their doings, the king caused the Parliament Rolls to be altered and blotted at his pleasere, against the effect of the said grant.-9. Notwithstanding the said king at his coronation had sworn, "that in all his judgments, he would cause to be done equal and right justice and discretion, in mercy and truth, according to his power;" yet the said king, rigorously, without all mercy, did, amongst other things, ordain, under grievous penalties, that none should sue for any favour, or intercede with the said king, for Henry duke of Lancaster being banished, whereby the said king did act against the bond of charity, rashly violating his oath aforesaid. 10. Although the crown of the kingdom of England, and the rights of the said crown, and the kingdom itself, have in all time past been so free, that our lord the pope, nor any other without the kingdom, ought to concern himself about the same; yet the aforesaid king, for the corroboration of such his erroneous statutes, did make supplication to our lord the pope, that he would confirm the statutes ordained in his last parliament; whereupon Our lord the pope granted his Apostolic Letters, in which grievous censures are denounced against any that should presume in any thing to act contrary to the said statutes; all which are well known to tend against the crown and royal dignity, and against the statutes and liberties of the said kingdom.-11. Although the lord Henry, now duke of Lancaster, by the king's command, had preferred his bill touching the "State and Honour of the King" against the duke of Norfolk, and the same had duly prosecuted; so that, according to the king's order, he had exhibited himself in all points prepared for the combat; and the said king had declared, that the said duke of Lancaster had honourably performed his devoir as much as in him lay; and this by a decree publickly proclaimed before all the people assembled at the said combat: yet the said king, without any legal reason whatsoever, did cause and command the said duke to be banished for ten years, against all justice, and the laws and customs of this kingdom, and the law of war in that behalf, thereby damnably incurring perjury.-12. After the said king had graciously granted by his letters patent, to the lord Henry, now duke of Lancaster, that in his absence, whilst he was banished, his general attornies might prosecute for livery to him to be made of all manner of inheritance or successions belonging unto him; and that his homage should be respited, paying a certain reasonable fine; he injuriously did revoke the said letters patent, against the laws of the land, thereby incurring the crime of perjury.13. Notwithstanding that it was enacted, that every year the officers of the king, with his justices, and others of the king's council, should choose sheriffs for all the counties of England, and name them to our lord the king, according as to their discretion and conscience should seem expedient, for the good and utility of the kingdom, the said king hath caused persons to be made sheriffs, not so nominated or elected; but others, according to the caprices of his pleasure, sometimes his favourites or creatures, and sometimes such as he knew would not oppose his humour, for his own and others private advantage, to the great grievance of his people, and against the laws of his kingdom, thereby notoriously incurring perjury.-14 At such time as the aforesaid king requested, and had of very inany lords and others of his kingdom, divers sums of money by way of loan, to be paid against a certain term, notwithstanding the said king faithfully promised by his several letters patent to the several persons of whom he borrowed the said monies, that at the term limited as aforesaid, he would repay the same; yet he did not fulfil such his promise, nor are they yet satisfied the said monies, whereby such creditors are much aggrieved; and not only they, but many others of the kingdom, repute the king unfaithful.-15. Whereas the king of England, by the revenue of his kingdom, and the patrimony belonging to his crown, is able to live honestly, without the oppression of his people, as long as the kingdom is not burdened with the charge of wars; yet the said king, in a manner, for his whole time, during the truces between the kingdom of England and its adversaries, hath not only given away a great, yea indeed the greatest part of the said patrimony, and this to unworthy persons; but also hath further imposed on his subjects so many burdens of money granted, as it were, every year of his reign, that thereby he hath extremely and too excessively oppressed his people, to the impoverishment of his kingdom; not converting the goods so levied to the commodity and profit of the kingdom of England, but prodigally squandering it away for the ostentation of his name, and in pomp and vain-glory; whilst great sums of money are owing in his kingdom, for the victuals of his household, and other things bought, though he hath abounded with riches and treasures more than any of his progenitors.--16. The said king, not willing to keep or protect the just laws and customs of his kingdom, but according to his arbitrary will to do whatsoever should occur to his desires; sometimes, and very often, when the laws of his kingdom have been expounded and declared to him by the judges and others of his council, and that they have desired that he would do justice according to those laws, hath expressly and with an angry and haughty countenance said, "that his laws were in his mouth," and sometimes, "that they were in his breast,” and that "he himself alone could make and change the laws of his kingdom." and being seduced with that opinion, did not suffer justice to be done to very many of his liege people, but by threats and terrors hath forced very many to cease from the prosecution of common justice. 17. That after certain statutes had been made in parliament, which always bind till they are specially revoked by the authority of another parliament, the said king, desiring to enjoy such liberty that no such sta tutes should so bind him, but that he might do and execute his pleasure, subtilly procured a | petition to be preferred in parliament on behalf of the commonalty of his kingdom, and to be granted to him in general, “ that he might be as free as any of his progenitors were before him." By colour of which petition and concession, the said king hath very often commanded very many things to be done against such statutes unrepealed; acting therein expressly and knowingly against his oath taken in coronation, as aforesaid -18. Although it was enacted and ordained, that no sheriff should hold his office above one year together, but that 3 years should pass before he should be again admitted to that office; the said king Rd. sometimes for his own single commodity, and sometimes at the instance of others for their advantage, hath permitted and caused certain sheriffs to stand and remain continually in thei offices, sometimes two, sometimes three years, against the tenor and effect of the statute aforesaid, thereby incurring perjury; and this is notorious, public, and generally ill spoken of-19. Although by the statute and custom of his realm, in the calling together of every parliament, his people in the several counties of the kingdom ought to be free in choosing and deputing two knights to be present in such parHament, for each respective county, and to declare their grievances, and to prosecute such remedies thereupon, as to them shall seem expedient; yet the aforesaid king, that in his parliaments he might be able more freely to accomplish the effects of his head-strong will, did very often direct his commands to his sheriffs, that they should cause to come to his parliaments, as knights of the shire, certain persons by the said king named; which knights, being his favourites, he might lead, as often he had done, sometimes by various menaces and terrors, and sometimes by gifts, to consent to those things as were prejudicial to the kingdom, and exceedingly burdensome to the people; and especially to grant to the said king a subsidy on wool for the "term of his life," and another subsidy for certain years, thereby too grievously oppressing his people.-20. The said king, that he might more freely fulfil and follow in every thing his own arbitrary will, did unlawfully cause and command, that the sheriffs, throughout his whole realm, besides their ancient accustomed oath, should swear that they would obey all his commands, as often as they should be directed to them, under his great and privy seal, and also his letters under his signet; and that in case the said sheriffs should come to know that any within their bailiwicks, of whatsoever condition they were, had publicly or secretly said or spoken any ill, that might tend to the disgrace or scandal of his royal person, they should arrest and imprison them, there safely to be kept till they should receive command from the king to the contrary, as may be found in the record; which fact may probably tend to the destruction of many of the liege people of the said kingdom.-21. The said king, striving to trample under foot his people, and subtlely to acquire their goods to himself, VOL. I. that he might abound in superfluous riches, did cause the people of seventeen counties of the realm to submit themselves to the king as traitors, by letters under their seals; by colour whereof he got mighty sums of money to be granted him, by the clergy and people of those counties, for obtaining his royal good-will and favour: and though, to please the people, the king had caused those obligatory letters to be restored; yet the procurators of the people, having full power granted them to oblige themselves and their heirs to the said king; he, the said king, caused them under their seals, to be bound to him in the name of the said people; and so deceived his people, and subtlely extorted from them their goods.-22. Although the said king, at his coronation, had sworn to keep the liberties granted to the Church of England; yet the said king, by reason of his voyage into Ireland, did by his letters command very many religious persons, viz. abbots and priors of his kingdom, strictly requiring that some of them should send to him certain horses; and some of them not only horses, but also waggons and carriages for his said voyage, or in lieu thereof great sums of money in the said letters expressed: by which manner of writing, he forced many of such religious out of fear to fulfil his will and command; whereby they were heavily impoverished and oppressed, in manifest derogation of ecclesiastical liberty; by which pretext the said king did incur perjury.— 23. In most of the great royal councils, when the lords of the realm, the judges and others, being charged that they would faithfully counsel the king in matters relating to his state and that of his kingdom; the said lords, justices, and others, very often in giving counsel, according to their best discretion, have been by the king suddenly and so fiercely chidden and reproved, that they have not dared to speak the truth, in giving their advice for the state of the king and kingdom.-24. The treasure, crowns, reliques, and other jewels, viz. the goods of the kingdom, which time out of mind have been reposited in the treasury of the kingdom, for the honour of the king, and preservation of his kingdom against any sudden event or exigency; the said king going out of his kingdom into Ireland, did take away, and caused the same to be carried with him without the consent of the states of the kingdom:" whereby this kingdom had been vastly impoverished, if God by the retaking of the said goods against the said king's will had not otherwise provided. And furthermore the said king did cause the Rolls of Records touching the state and government of his kingdom to be destroyed and rased, to the great prejudice of his people, and disinheriting of the crown of the said kingdom: and all this, as it is probably believed, in favour and support of his evil governance.-25. The said king was wont, as it were perpetually, to be so variable and dissembling in his words and writings, and so contrary to himself, and especially in writing to the pope, and to kings, and other lords out of the kingdom, and within it, L of his kingdom did submit and pay obedience, that they might not incur his indignation or displeasure, and also for fear of death.-29. When parties contending in the ecclesiastical court in causes merely ecclesiastical and spiritual, had endeavoured to obtain from the chancellor of England, prohibitions to hinder the lawful process in the said courts, and the said and also to others his subjects, that no man living that knew his conditions could or would confide in him; nay, he was reputed so unfaithful and unconstant, that it became scandalous not only to his own person, but also to the whole kingdom, and especially amongst foreigners of all the world who came to know the same.-26. Although the lands and tenements, the goods and chattels of every free-chancellor had justly refused to grant the man, by the laws of the realm used from all time heretofore, ought not to be taken from him, unless they be forfeited: yet the said king purposing and longing to weaken such laws, in the presence of very many lords, and others of the commonalty of the kingdom, hath frequently said and athrmed, "That the life of every one of his subjects, and his lands, tenements, goods, and chattels, are his, the said king's, at his will and pleasure, without any forfeiture."--Which is utterly against the laws and customs of the kingdom aforesaid.27. Although it was enacted and ordained, and is hitherto confirmed, that no freeman shall be taken, nor any way destroyed; and that the king shall not pass, nor send any to pass upon him, but by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the laws of the land yet by the will, command and order of the said king, very many of his liege people being maliciously accused for having publicly or secretly said something that might tend to the dispraise, scandal, or disgrace of the person of the said king, have been taken and imprisoned, and brought before the constable and marshal of England in the court military, in which court the said liege people being accused would not be admitted to make any other answer, than that they were no way guilty, and would justify the same, and defend themselves by their bodies, and not otherwise; notwithstanding their appellors were young men, stout and Justy, and those so accused, ancient and impotent, maimed or infirm; whereby not only destruction of the lords and grandees of the kingdom, but also of all and singular persons of the commonalty of the same may probably ensue: since therefore the said king hath wilfully acted contrary to such a statute of this kingdom, 'tis not to be doubted but he hath thereby incurred the crime of perjury.-28. Although the people of the realm of England, by virtue of their legiance, are fully enough bound to their king; and the said king, by the laws and customs of his kingdom, is enabled to correct and punish his people, if in any kind they transgress; yet the said king desiring to trample on, and too much oppress his people, that he might the more freely execute and follow the humour of his foolish and unlawful will, by his letters to all the counties of his kingdom, did enjoin and command, that all his subjects, as well spiritual as temporal, should take certain oaths in general, which were too grievous to them, and which might probably cause the final destruction of his people; and that they should confirm such their oaths under their letters and seals. To which royal command, the people same: yet the said king by letters under his signet, has frequently prohibited the ecclesiastical judges to proceed in such causes, thereby evilly infringing the liberties of the church in the Grand Charter approved, to the conservation whereof he was sworn, and damnably incurring perjury, and the sentence of excommunication against such violaters thereof by the holy fathers pronounced.-30. The said king without any reasonable or lawful cause whatsoever, or any other process of law, did in his parliament encompassed in warlike manner by armed men, adjudge Thomas of Arundel, lord archbishop of Canterbury, (primate of all England, his spiritual father, absenting himself by the treacherous counsel of the said king) to banishment, against the laws of his kingdom, so by him sworn to as aforesaid.-31. By inspection of the testament of the said king, sealed with the great and privy seal, and also with his signet, among other things there is contained this clause or article. "Item, we will that the residue of our gold, (the true debts of our houshold, chamber and wardrobe, being paid, for payment whereof we bequeath 20,000 marks, reserving to our executors, 5 or 6000 marks; which we will by them to be expended towards the more plentiful maintenance of the lepers, and chaplains, to celebrate before them, by us founded at Westminster and Bermondsey,) shall remain to our successor, provided always that he approve, ratify and confirm, and hold, and cause to be holden, and firmly observed, all and singular the statutes, ordinances, and judgments, made, given, and rendered in our parliament begun at Westminster the 17th of Sept. in the 21st year of our reign, and in the same parliament continued at Shrewsbury, and there holden; and also all the ordinances, judg ments, and establishments, of the 16th Sept. in the 22d of our reign, at Coventry; and afterwards at Westminster, the 8th of March, in the year aforesaid, by the authority of the said parliament, and likewise all other ordinances and judgments, which shall hereafter happen to be made by authority of the said parliament. But otherwise, if our said successor shall refuse to perform the premises, (which we do not believe) then we will that Thomas duke of Surrey, Edward duke of Albemarle, John duke of Exeter, and William le Scroop earl of Wiltshire, paying first the debts of our household, our chamber, and our wardrobe, and reserving 5 or 6000 marks, as aforesaid, shall have and hold all the said residue abovementioned; for to support and defend the said statutes, establishments, ordinances and judgments, to their utmost power, even unto death, if it be neces sary; upon all which, and every part, we do against the laws of the kingdom and all justice, hereby charge and burden their consciences as confiscated all his goods, whereby he likewise bethey will answer in the day of judgment." By came guilty of perjury. But furthermore, the which article it may evidently enough appear, said king being willing to palliate his malice and that the said king did obstinately strive to subtilty, by flattering discourses which he oftmaintain and defend those statutes and ordi- times had with the said archbishop, did endeanances, which are erroneous and unjust, and vour to clear himself of such injury done, and repugnant to all law and reason. And this make as if it were the doings of others; insomuch not only during his life, but after his death too; that the archbishop discoursing with the king, neither regarding the peril of his own soul, nor and with the duke of Norfolk, and other lords, yet the utter destruction of his said kingdom or and great men of the kingdom; happened to say, Liege people.-32. In the 11th year of the by way of lamenting his own condition, "That said king Richard he the said king, in the chapel he was not the first that had suffered banishof his manor of Langley, in the presence of the inent, nor should be be the last; for he thought dukes of Lancaster and York, and very many in a short time the duke of Norfolk, and other other lords, desiring, as it hath appeared, that lords would follow him; and confidently averred his uncle the duke of Gloucester, then there to the king, that all the rigour of these propresent, should fully confide in the good will of ceedings would finally be returned back on his him the said king; did voluntarily and of his own head." To which the said king, as asown accord, swear before the venerable Sa- tonished, hastily replied, "That be verily crament of the Lord's body there placed, upon thought it might so happen; and that he the altar, that thenceforwards he would never himself might and indeed ought to be exendamage, trouble, or grieve him, the said duke pelled his kingdom by his liege people." And of Gloucester, for any of his deeds which were further, the said king said, "That if the same said to have been committed against the per- should happen, he would convey himself to the son of him the said king, but did cheerfully same place, where the said archbishop should and totally forgive him all his offences, if be." And that the archbishop might the any were. Yet afterwards, notwithstanding rather credit his words, he shewed him a such oath, the said king did horribly and cru- certain great jewel, curiously formed, unelly cause the said duke to be murdered, for derneath the skirt of his outward vestment; such the before pretended offences, thereby intimating for certain, to the said archbiincurring the guilt of damnable perjury. shop, that whenever he should send that jewel 33. After one of the knights of the shires for a token, he would not delay to come thiof the said kingdom, having a voice in par- ther, where the said archbishop should be reliament, had impeached the said Thomas arch-sident: and that the said archbishop might bishop of Canterbury, upon certain defaults, more confide in him, the said king sent to committed against the king's majesty, as was him, advising him, that he should privately untruly suggested; and the said archbishop send all his jewels, and other things of value, presently then and there offered himself ready belonging to his chapel, unto him the said to answer the matters charged upon him; and king, for the safe keeping thereof; lest by desired that he might be thereunto admitted colour of the before-mentioned judgment, any by the king, not doubting, as he said, but he one should wrongfully seize the same. Which, should be able sufficiently to shew his inno- under the greatest confidence in the world, becence: yet the said king, contriving by all the ing done, the said king caused him to reposite ways and means he could, to oppress the said the said goods in certain coffers; and the said archbishop of Canterbury, and ruin his estate, coffers to be locked up, and sealed by one of as the event of the matter has declared, speak- the archbishop's clerks; and keeping the ing graciously, and with a chearful countenance, said coffers by him, returned the keys thereof to the said archbishop, from his royal seat, did by the said clerk to the archbishop: yet advise, and very earnestly request him, that afterwards, unknown to the said archbishop at that time, he would hold his peace, and caused the said coffers to be broken open, expect a better and more fit time to make and disposed of the goods therein, at his his defence; which day being passed, the will and pleasure. Furthermore, the said said king from day to day, for five days or more, king faithfully promised the said archbishop did fraudulently and treacherously deceive that if he would but repair to the port of the said archbishop, counselling him, and per- Hampton, in order to go out of the realm, he suading him, that he should not come to the would at last, by the intercession of the queen, parliament but wait at home without any fear; get him recalled. And if it should happen, because, as the said king faithfully did promise that he the said archbishop should go out of the him, there should not in his absence any loss or realm, he should without fail return into Engprejudice be done or happen to him. Notwith-land, before Easter next following; nor should standing all which, the said king, in his parliament aforesaid, did in the mean time, adjudge the said archbishop to be banished, during the king's pleasure, though absent, and never any way called to answer, and without any reasonable cause whatsoever; and also voluntarily, in any kind lose his archbishopric: and this he faithfully promised, swearing upon the cross of the late martyr St. Thomas, archbishop of Canterbury, by him the said king corporally touched: all which promises notwithstanding, the said king forced the said archbishop to de |