This yeare in August, was a proclamation set foorth, that all Irishmen
should auoid this land, and returne home into their owne countrie,
before the feast of the Natiuitie of our ladie, on paine of death.
The occasion of which proclamation was, for that such multitudes of
Irishmen were come ouer into this region, in hope of gaine, that the
countries in Ireland, subiect to England, were in manner left void of
people, so that the |824| enimies spoiled and wasted those countries
at their pleasure, finding few or none to withstand them. And where
king Edward the third had placed in Ireland his bench and iudges,
with his excheker for the good administration of iustice and politike
gouernement to be vsed there, he receiued from thence yearelie in
reuenues and profits, comming to his owne cofers, the sum of thirtie
thousand pounds: the king now laid foorth no lesse a summe to repell
the enimies, which by absence of those that were come ouer hither,
could not otherwise be resisted, sith the power of the rebels was so
increased, and the force of the countries subiect, thorough lacke
of the former inhabitants, so diminished. ¶ About the feast of the
Natiuitie of our ladie, the king set forward to passe into Ireland,
hauing made such preparation for that iournie, as the like for Ireland
had not béene heard of at anie time before. There went out with him
the duke of Glocester, the earles of March, Notingham, and Rutland,
the lord Thomas Persie lord steward, and diuerse other of the English
nobilitie.
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster saileth into Aquitaine with an armie.
The Gascoignes flatlie refuse to accept the duke of Lancaster for their
souereigne.]
The duke of Lancaster, that in the thirteenth yeare of king Richards
reigne had beene created by authoritie of parlement, duke of Aquitaine,
was about this present time sent thither, with fiue hundred men of
armes, & a thousand archers, to take possession of that duchie,
according to the kings grant, by his letters patents thereof had, made,
and confirmed with his seale, in presence of the most part of all the
nobles and great lords of England, to hold all that countrie to the
said duke and his heires for euer in as large manner and forme, as his
father king Edward the third, or anie other kings of England, or dukes
of Aquitaine before time had holden, and as king Richard at that season
had & held the same, the homage alwaies yet reserued to the kings of
England for euer. But all this notwithstanding, at his comming thither,
so farre were the Gascoignes, and other people of those marches from
receiuing him with ioy and triumph, that they plainelie told him, they
would not atturne to him, nor be vnder his iurisdiction at anie hand,
although he had brought ouer with him commissioners sufficientlie
authorised, both to discharge them of their former allegiance to the
king, and to inuest him in possession of that duchie, in maner and
forme as before is said.
[Sidenote: K. Richard passeth ouer into Ireland with a mightie armie.
_Froissard._ Foure Irish kings submit themselues to K. Richard.
1395.