Shortlie after, he procured them to be indicted at Notingham, suborning
such as should appeale them in parlement, to wit, Edward earle of
Rutland, Thomas Mowbraie earle marshall, Thomas Holland earle of Kent,
Iohn Holland earle of Huntington, Thomas Beaufort erle of Summerset,
Iohn Montacute earle of Salisburie, Thomas lord Spenser, and the
lord William Scroope lord chamberleine. In the meane time, the king
fearing what might be attempted against him by those that fauoured
these noblemen that were in durance, sent for a power of Cheshire men,
that might day and night keepe watch and ward about his person. They
were about two thousand archers, paid wéekelie, as by the annales
of Britaine it appeareth. The king had little trust in any of the
nobilitie, except in his brother the earle of Huntington, and the earle
of Rutland sonne to the duke of Yorke, and in the earle of Salisburie:
in these onelie he reposed a confidence, and not in any other, except
in certeine knights and gentlemen of his priuie chamber.
[Sidenote: The lords appointed to come in warlike manner to the
parlemēt.
_Polydor._
The dukes of Lancaster & Yorke assemble their powers to resist the
kings dealings.]
In the meane time, whiles things were thus in broile, before the
beginning of the parlement, diuers other, beside them of whom we haue
spoken, were apprehended and put in sundrie prisons. The parlement
was summoned to begin at Westminster the 17 of September, and writs
therevpon directed to euerie of the lords to appeare, and to bring with
them a sufficient number of armed men and archers in their best arraie:
for it was not knowen how the dukes of Lancaster and Yorke would take
the death of their brother, nor how other péeres of the realme would
take the apprehension and imprisonment of their kinsemen, the earls of
Arundell and Warwike, and of the other prisoners. Suerlie the two dukes
when they heard that their brother was so suddenlie made awaie, they
wist not what to saie to the matter, and began both to be sorowfull
for his death, and doubtfull of their owne states: for sith they saw
how the king (abused by the counsell of euill men) abstained not from
such an heinous act, they thought he would afterwards attempt greater
misorders from time to time. Therefore they assembled in all hast,
great numbers of their seruants, fréends, and tenants, and comming to
London, were receiued into the citie. For the Londoners were right
sorie for the death of the duke of Glocester, who had euer sought their
fauour, in somuch that now they would haue béene contented to haue
ioined with the dukes in seeking reuenge of so noble a mans death,
procured and brought to passe without law or reason, as the common
brute then walked; although peraduenture he was not as yet made awaie.
[Sidenote: _Caxton._ _Fabian._ _Polydor._]
Here the dukes and other fell in counsell, and manie things were
proponed. Some would that they shuld by force reuenge the duke of
Glocesters death, other thought it méet that the earles Marshall
and Huntington, and certeine others, as chéefe authours of all
the mischeefe should be pursued and punished for their demerites,
hauing trained vp the king in vice and euill customes, euen from his
youth. But the dukes (after their displeasure was somewhat asswaged)
determined to couer the stings of their griefes for a time, and if the
king would amend his maners, to forget also the iniuries past. In the
meane time the king laie at Eltham, and had got about him a great power
(namelie of those archers, which he had sent for out of Cheshire, in
whome he put a singular trust more than in any other.) |839|
[Sidenote: The king and the dukes reconciled.]
There went messengers betwixt him and the dukes, which being men of
honour did their indeuour to appease both parties. The king discharged
himselfe of blame for the duke of Glocesters death, considering
that he had gone about to breake the truce, which he had taken with
France, and also stirred the people of the realme to rebellion, and
further had sought the destruction and losse of his life, that was his
souereigne lord and lawfull king. Contrarilie, the dukes affirmed,
that their brother was wrongfullie put to death, hauing doone nothing
worthie of death. At length, by the intercession and meanes of those
noble men that went to and fro betwixt them, they were accorded, & the
king promised from thencefoorth to doo nothing but by the assent of
the dukes: but he kept small promise in this behalfe, as after well
appeared.
[Sidenote: _Caxton._