_Articles de Monsr. de Warrewyk[34.3] touchant le bon regime du Roy,
etc._[34.4]
[Sidenote: 1432 / NOV. 9]
For the goode reule, demesnyng and seuretee of the Kynges persone, and
draught of him to vertue and connyng, and eschuyng of eny thing that
mighte yeve empeschement or let therto, or cause eny charge, defaulte,
or blame to be leyd upon the Erle of Warrewyk at eny tyme withouten his
desert, he, considering that perill and besinesse of his charge aboute
the Kinges persone groweth so that that auctoritee and power yeven to
him before suffiseth him nought without more therto, desireth therfor
thees thinges that folowen.
Furst, that considering that the charge of the reule, demesnyng, and
governance, and also of nourture of the Kinges persone resteth upon the
said Erle whiles it shal like the king, and the perille, daunger, and
blame if eny lak or defaulte, were in eny of thees, the whiche lak or
defaulte mighte be caused by ungodely or unvertuous men, if eny suche
were aboute his persone; he desireth therfore, for the goode of the
King, and for his owne seuretee, to have power and auctoritee to name,
ordeigne, and assigne, and for cause that shal be thought to him
resonable to remoeve thoo that [shal] be aboute the Kinges persone, of
what estate or condicion that thei be, not entending to comprehende in
this desir the Stuard, Chamberlein, Tresoror, Contrerollor, ne Sergeantz
of offices, save suche as serve aboute the Kinges persone and for his
mouth.
_Responsio._ As toward the namyng, ordeignance, and assignacion
beforesaid, it is agreed, so that he take in noon of the iiij. knightes
ne squyers for the body without th’advis of my Lord of Bedford,[35.1]
him being in England, and him being out, of my Lord of Gloucestre[35.2]
and of the remenant of the Kinges Counsail.
* * *
Item, the said Erle desireth that where he shal have eny persone in his
discrecion suspect of mysgovernance, and not behoveful nor expedient to
be aboute the King, except th’estates of the hous, that he may putte hem
from excercise and occupacion of the Kinges service till that he shal
mowe have speche with my Lordes of Bedford or of Gloucestre, and with
the other Lordes of the Kinges Counsaile, to that ende that, the
defaulte of eny suche persone knowen unto him, shal mowe ordeigne
therupon as theim shel thenke expedient and behoveful.
_Responsio._ It is agreed as it is desired.
* * *
Item, the said Erle desireth that, for sikenesse and other causes
necessaries and resonables, he may, by warnyng to my Lordes of Bedford
or Gloucestre and the Kinges Counsail, be and stande freely descharged
of the saide occupacion and besinesse about the Kinges persone, under
the favour and goode grace of the King, my Lordes of Bedford and
Gloucestre, and other Lordes of the Kinges Counsail.
_Responsio._ It is agreed as it is desired.
* * *
Item, that considering howe, blessed be God, the King is growen in
yeers, in stature of his persone, and also in conceite and knouleche of
his hiegh and royalle auctoritee and estat, the whiche naturelly causen
him, and from day to day as he groweth shul causen him, more and more to
grucche with chastising, and to lothe it, so that it may resonably be
doubted leste he wol conceive ayeins the said Erle, or eny other that
wol take upon him to chastise him for his defaultes, displesir, or
indignacion therfore, the whiche, without due assistence, is not easy to
be born: It like, therfore, to my Lord of Gloucestre, and to alle the
Lordes of the Kinges Counsail, to promitte to the said Erle, and assure
him, that thei shul fermely and trewely assisten him in the excercise of
the charge and occupacion that he hathe aboute the Kinges persone,
namely in chastising of him for his defaultes, and supporte the said
Erle therinne; and if the King at eny tyme wol conceyve for that cause
indignacion ayeins the said Erle, my said Lord of Gloucestre, and
Lordes, shul do alle her [_i.e._ their] trewe diligence and power to
remoeve the King therfro.
_Responsio._ It is agreed as it is desired.
* * *
Item, the said Erle desireth that for asmuche as it shal be necessarie
to remoeve the Kinges persone at diverse tymes into sundry places, as
the cases mowe require, that he may have power and auctoritee to remoeve
the King, by his discrecion, into what place him thenketh necessarie for
the helthe of his body and seuretee of his persone.
_Responsio._ It is agreed as it is desired.
* * *
Item, sith the said Erle hath take upon him the governance of the Kinges
persone, he desireth that alle th’estates, officers, and servantz of the
Kinges hous, of what estate and condicion thei be, have special
commandement and charge yeven by my Lordes of Bedford and Gloucestre,
and by the Lordes of the Kinges Counsail, that in alle manere thinges
seyn and advised by the said Erles descrecion, that is, for the Kinges
estate, worship, helthe, and profit, by his commandement and
ordeignance, thei be attendant and obeissant in accomplisshing therof.
_Responsio._ It is agreed as it is desired.
* * *
Item, for asmuche as the said Erle hath knouleche that in speche that
hath be had unto the King at part and in prive, not hering the said Erle
nor eny of the knightes set aboute his persone, nor assigned by the said
Erle, he hath be stured by summe from his lernyng, and spoken to of
diverse materes not behovefull, the seid Erle doubting the harme that
mighte falle to the King, and the inconvenientz that mighte ensue of
suche speche at part if it were suffred, desireth that in al speche to
be had with the King, he or oon of the iiij. knightes, or sum persone to
be assigned by the said Erle, be present and prive to it.
_Responsio_. This article is agreed, excepting suche persones as for
nieghnesse of blood, and for their estate, owe of reson to be suffred to
speke with the King.
* * *
Item, to th’entent that it may be knowen to the King that it procedeth
of th’assent, advis, and agreement of my Lord of Gloucestre, and alle my
Lordes of the Kinges Counsail, that the King be chastised for his
defaultes or trespasses, and that for awe therof he forbere the more to
do mys, and entende the more besily to vertu and to lernyng, the said
Erle desireth that my Lord of Gloucestre, and my said other Lords of the
Counsail, or great part of hem, that is to say, the Chanceller and
Tresorer, and of everych estate in the Counsail, spirituell and
temporell, summe come to the Kinges presence, and there to make to be
declared to him theire agreement in that behalve.
_Responsio._ Whan the King cometh next to London, all his Counsail shal
come to his presence, and there this shal be declared to him.
* * *
Item, the said Erle, that all his dayes hath, aboven alle other erthely
thinges, desired, and ever shal, to kepe his trouthe and worship
unblemysshed and unhurt, and maye not for all that lette malicious and
untrewe men to make informacions of his persone, suche as thei may not,
ne dare not, stand by, ne be not trewe, besecheth therfore my Lord of
Gloucestre, and alle my said Lords of the Counsail, that if thei, or eny
of hem, have be enformed of eny thing that may be or soune to his charge
or defaulte, and namely in his occupacion and reule aboute the Kinges
persone, that the said Erle may have knowleche therof, to th’entent that
he may answer therto, and not dwelle in hevy or synistre conceit or
opinion, withoute his desert and without answere.
_Responsio._ It is agreed.