On the feast daie of saint Matthew, Richard fitz Aleine, earle of
Arundell, was brought foorth to sweare before the king and whole
parlement to such articles as he was to be charged with. And as he
stood at the bar, the lord Neuill was commanded by the |841| duke of
Lancaster, which sat that daie as high steward of England, to take
the hood from his necke, and the girdle from his waste. Then the duke
of Lancaster declared vnto him, that for his manifold rebellions and
treasons against the kings maiestie he had béene arrested, and hitherto
kept in ward, and now at the petition of the lords and commons, he was
called to answer such crimes as were there to be obiected against him,
and so to purge himselfe, or else to suffer for his offenses, such
punishment as law appointed.
[Sidenote: The earle of Arundell his answers to the points of his
indictmēt.]
First, he charged him, for that he had traitorouslie rid in armour
against the king in companie of the duke of Glocester, and of the earle
of Warwike, to the breach of peace and disquieting of the realme. His
answer herevnto was, that he did not this vpon anie euill meaning
towards the kings person, but rather for the benefit of the king and
relme, if it were interpreted aright, and taken as it ought to be. It
was further demanded of him, whie he procured letters of pardon from
the K. if he knew himselfe giltlesse? He answered, that he did not
purchase them for anie feare he had of faults committed by him, but
to staie the malicious speach of them that neither loued the king nor
him. He was againe asked, whether he would denie that he had made anie
such rode with the persons before named, and that in companie of them
he entred not armed vnto the kings presence against the kings will and
pleasure? To this he answered, that he could not denie it, but that he
so did.
[Sidenote: The earle of Arundell condemned.]
Then the speaker sir Iohn Bushie, with open mouth, besought that
iudgement might be had against such a traitour: “and your faithfull
commons (said he to the king) aske and require that so it may be
doone.” The earle turning his head aside, quietlie said to him; “Not
the kings faithfull cōmons require this, but thou, and what thou art
I know.” Then the eight appellants standing on the other side, cast
their gloues to him, and in prosecuting their appeale (which alreadie
had béene read) offered to fight with him man to man to iustifie the
same. Then said the earle, “If I were at libertie, and that it might so
stand with the pleasure of my souereigne, I would not refuse to prooue
you all liers in this behalfe.” Then spake the duke of Lancaster,
saieng to him; “What haue you further to saie to the points before laid
against you?” He answered, “that of the kings grace he had his letters
of generall pardon, which he required to haue allowed.” Then the duke
told him, “that the pardon was reuoked by the prelates and noble men
in the parlement, and therefore willed him to make some other answer.”
The earle told him againe “that he had an other pardon vnder the kings
great seale, granted him long after of the kings owne motion, which
also he required to haue allowed.” The duke told him, “that the same
was likewise reuoked.” After this, when the earle had nothing more to
saie for himselfe, the duke pronounced iudgement against him, as in
cases of treason is vsed.
But after he had made an end, and paused a little, he said: “The king
our souereigne lord of his mercie and grace, bicause thou art of his
bloud, and one of the peeres of the realme, hath remitted all the
other paines, sauing the last, that is to saie, the beheading, and
so thou shalt onelie lose thy head;” and forthwith he was had awaie,
& led through London vnto the Tower hill. There went with him to
sée the execution doone six great lords, of whome there were thrée
earles, Notingham (that had married his daughter) Kent (that was his
daughters son) and Huntington, being mounted on great horsses, with a
great companie of armed men, and the fierce bands of the Cheshire-men,
furnished with axes, swords, bowes and arrowes, marching before and
behind him, who onelie in this parlement had licence to beare weapon,
as some haue written. When he should depart the palace, he desired that
his hands might be losed to dispose such monie as he had in his pursse,
betwixt that place and Charingcrosse. This was permitted, and so he
gaue such monie as he had in almes with his owne hands, but his armes
were still bound behind him.
[Sidenote: The executiō of the earle of Arundell.]
When he came to the Tower hill, the noble men that were about him,
mooued him right earnestlie to acknowledge his treason against the
king. But he in no wise would |842| so doo, but mainteined that he was
neuer traitour in word or deed: and herewith perceiuing the earles of
Notingham and Kent, that stood by with other noble men busie to further
the execution (being as yée haue heard) of kin and alied to him, he
spake to them, and said: “Trulie it would haue beséemed you rather to
haue béene absent than here at this businesse. But the time will come
yer it be long, when as manie shall meruell at your misfortune as doo
now at mine.” After this, forgiuing the executioner, he besought him
not to torment him long, but to strike off his head at one blowe, and
féeling the edge of the sword, whether it was sharpe inough or not,
he said; “It is verie well, doo that thou hast to doo quicklie,” and
so knéeling downe, the executioner with one stroke, strake off his
head: his bodie was buried togither with his head in the church of the
Augustine friers in Breadstréet within the citie of London.
[Sidenote: _Ouid._]
The death of this earle was much lamented among the people, considering
his sudden fall and miserable end, where as not long before among all
the noblemen of this land (within the which was such a number, as no
countrie in the world had greater store at that present) there was none
more esteemed: so noble and valiant he was, that all men spake honour
of him. After his death, as the fame went, the king was sore vexed in
his sléepe with horrible dreames, imagining that he saw this earle
appeare vnto him threatning him, & putting him in horrible feare, as if
he had said with the poet to king Richard;
Nunc quóq; factorum venio memor vmbra tuorum,
Insequor & vultus ossea forma tuos.
With which visions being sore troubled in sleepe, he curssed the daie
that euer he knew the earle. And he was the more vnquiet, bicause he
heard it reported, that the common people tooke the erle for a martyr,
insomuch that some came to visit the place of his sepulture, for the
opinion they had conceiued of his holinesse. And where it was bruted
abroad as for a miracle, that his head should be growne to his bodie
againe, the tenth daie after his buriall, the king sent about ten of
the clocke in the night, certeine of the nobilitie to sée his bodie
taken vp, that he might be certified of the truth. Which doone, and
perceiuing it was a fable, he commanded the friers to take downe his
armes that were set vp about the place of his buriall, and to couer the
graue, so as it should not be perceiued where he was buried.
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike arreigned of treason.]
But now to returne to the parlement. After the death of this earle, the
lord Thomas Beauchampe earle of Warwike was brought forth to abide his
triall by parlement, and when his accusers charged him in like points
of treason, such as before were imposed to the earle of Arundell; he
answered that he neuer meant euill to the kings person, nor thought
that those rodes and assemblies that were made in companie of the duke
of Glocester, the earle of Arundell, and others, might not be accompted
treason. But when the iudges had shewed him, that they could not be
otherwise taken than for treason, he humbly besought the king of mercy
and grace. The king then asked of him whether he had rid with the duke
of Glocester, and the earle of Arundell, as had beene alledged? He
answered that he could not denie it, and wished that he had neuer seene
them. Then said the king, Doo yee not know that you are guiltie of
treason? He answered againe, I acknowledge it; and with sobbing teares
besought all them that were present, to make intercession to the kings
maiestie for him.
Then the king and the duke of Lancaster communed, and after the king
had a while with silence considered of the matter, he said to the
earle; By saint Iohn Baptist, Thomas of Warwike, this confession
that thou hast made, is vnto me more auailable than all the duke of
Glocesters and the earle of Warwikes lands. Herewith the earle making
still intercession for pardon, the lords humblie besought the king to
grant it. Finallie the king pardoned him of life, but banished him into
the Ile of Man, which then was the lord Scroopes, promising that both
he, and his wife, and children, should haue good enterteinment. Which
promise notwithstanding was but slenderlie kept, for both the earle and
the countesse liued in great penurie (as some write) and yet the lord
Scroope, that was lord chamberleine, had allowed for the earles diet
foure thousand nobles yéerelie paid out of the kings coffers. |843|
[Sidenote: The parlemēt adiourned to Shrewsburie.]
On the mondaie next after the arreignement of the earle of Warwike,
to wit, the foure and twentie of September, was the lord Iohn Cobham,
and sir Iohn Cheinie arreigned, and found guiltie of like treasons for
which the other had beene condemned before: but at the earnest instance
and sute of the nobles, they were pardoned of life, and banished, or
(as Fabian saith) condemned to perpetuall prison. ¶ The king desirous
to see the force of the Londoners, caused them (during the time of
this parlement) to muster before him on Blacke heath, where a man
might haue seene a great number of able personages. And now after that
the parlement had continued almost till Christmasse, it was adiourned
vntill the quinden of S. Hilarie, then to begin againe at Shrewesburie.
[Sidenote: The king keepeth his Christmasse at Lichfield.
1398.
Cheshire made a principalitie.
K. Richard prince of Chester.