Manie other things were doone in this parlement, to the displeasure of
no small number of people; namelie, for that diuerse rightfull heires
were disherited of their lands and liuings, by authoritie of the same
parlement: with which wrongfull dooings the people were much offended,
so that the king and those that were about him, and chéefe in councell,
came into great infamie and slander. In déed the king after he had
dispatched the duke of Glocester, and the other noblemen, was not a
little glad, for that he knew them still readie to disappoint him in
all his purposes; and therefore being now as it were carelesse, did
not behaue himselfe (as some haue written) in such discréet order, as
manie wished: but rather (as in time of prosperitie it often happeneth)
he forgot himselfe, and began to rule by will more than by reason,
threatning death to each one that obeied not his inordinate desires.
By means whereof, the lords of the realme began to feare their owne
estates, being in danger of his furious outrage, whome they tooke for a
man destitute of sobrietie and wisedome, and therefore could not like
of him, that so abused his authoritie.
[Sidenote: The duke of Hereford appealeth the duke of Norfolk of
treson. _Thom. Wals._]
Herevpon there were sundrie of the nobles, that lamented these
mischéefes, and speciallie shewed their greefes vnto such, by whose
naughtie counsell they vnderstood the king to be misled; and this they
did, to the end that they being about him, might either turne their
copies, and giue him better counsell; or else he hauing knowledge
what euill report went of him, might mend his maners misliked of
his nobles. But all was in vaine, for so it fell out, that in this
parlement holden at Shrewsburie, Henrie duke of Hereford accused Thomas
Mowbraie duke of Norfolke, of certeine words which he should vtter in
talke had betwixt them, as they rode togither latelie before betwixt
London and Brainford, sounding highlie to the kings dishonor. And
for further proofe thereof, he presented a supplication to the king,
wherein he appealed the duke of Norfolke in field of battell, for a
traitor, false and disloiall to the king, and enimie vnto the realme.
This supplication was red before both the dukes, in presence of the
king: which doone, the duke of Norfolke tooke vpon him to answer it,
declaring that whatsoeuer the duke of Hereford had said against him
other than well, he lied falselie like an vntrue knight as he was.
And when the king asked of the duke of Hereford what he said to it:
he taking his hood off his head, said; “My souereigne lord, euen as
the supplication which I tooke you importeth, right so I saie for
truth, that Thomas Mowbraie duke of Norfolke is a traitour, false and
disloiall to your roiall maiestie, your crowne, and to all the states
of your realme.”
[Sidenote: The duke of Surrie marshall and the duke of Aumarle
constable of England.]
Then the duke of Norfolke being asked what he said to this, he
answered: “Right déere lord, with your fauour that I make answer
vnto your coosine here, I saie (your reuerence saued) that Henrie of
Lancaster duke of Hereford, like a false and disloiall traitor as
he is, dooth lie, in that he hath or shall say of me otherwise than
well.” No |845| more said the king, we haue heard inough: and herewith
commanded the duke of Surrie for that turne marshall of England, to
arrest in his name the two dukes: the duke of Lancaster father to the
duke of Hereford, the duke of Yorke the duke of Aumarle constable of
England: and the duke of Surrie marshall of the realme vndertooke as
pledges bodie for bodie for the duke of Hereford: but the duke of
Northfolke was not suffered to put in pledges, and so vnder arrest
was led vnto Windsor castell, and there garded with kéepers that were
appointed to sée him safelie kept.
[Sidenote: The order of the procéeding in this appeale.]
Now after the dissoluing of the parlement at Shrewsburie, there was
a daie appointed about six wéeks after, for the king to come vnto
Windsor, to heare and to take some order betwixt the two dukes, which
had thus appealed ech other. There was a great scaffold erected within
the castell of Windsor for the king to sit with the lords and prelats
of his realme: and so at the daie appointed, he with the said lords
& prelats being come thither and set in their places, the duke of
Hereford appellant, and the duke of Norfolke defendant, were sent
for to come & appeare before the king, sitting there in his seat
of iustice. And then began sir Iohn Bushie to speake for the king,
declaring to the lords how they should vnderstand, that where the
duke of Hereford had presented a supplication to the king, who was
there set to minister iustice to all men that would demand the same,
as apperteined to his roiall maiestie, he therefore would now heare
what the parties could say one against an other, and withall the king
commanded the dukes of Aumarle and Surrie, the one being constable, and
the other marshall, to go vnto the two dukes, appellant and defendant,
requiring them on his behalfe, to grow to some agréement: and for his
part, he would be readie to pardon all that had beene said or doone
amisse betwixt them, touching anie harme or dishonor to him or his
realme: but they answered both assuredlie, that it was not possible to
haue anie peace or agréement made betwixt them.
When he heard what they had answered, he commanded that they should be
brought foorthwith before his presence, to heare what they would say.
Herewith an herald in the kings name with lowd voice commanded the
dukes to come before the king, either of them to shew his reason, or
else to make peace togither without more delaie. When they were come
before the king and lords, the king spake himselfe to them, willing
them to agree, and make peace togither: “for it is (said he) the best
waie ye can take.” The duke of Norfolke with due reuerence herevnto
answered it could not be so brought to passe, his honor saued. Then the
king asked of the duke of Hereford, “what it was that he demanded of
the duke of Norfolke, and what is the matter that ye can not make peace
togither and become friends?”
[Sidenote: The obiection against the duke of Norfolke.]
Then stood foorth a knight; who asking and obteining licence to speake
for the duke of Hereford, said; “Right deare and souereigne lord, here
is Henrie of Lancaster duke of Hereford and earle of Derbie, who saith,
and I for him likewise say, that Thomas Mowbraie duke of Norfolke is
a false and disloiall traitor to you and your roiall maiestie, and to
your whole realme: and likewise the duke of Hereford saith and I for
him, that Thomas Mowbraie duke of Norfolke hath receiued eight thousand
nobles to pay the souldiers that keepe your towne of Calis, which he
hath not doone as he ought: and furthermore the said duke of Norfolke
hath béene the occasion of all the treason that hath beene contriued
in your realme for the space of these eighteene yeares, & by his false
suggestions and malicious counsell, he hath caused to die and to be
murthered your right déere vncle, the duke of Glocester, sonne to king
Edward. Moreouer, the duke of Hereford saith, and I for him, that he
will proue this with his bodie against the bodie of the said duke of
Norfolke within lists.” The king herewith waxed angrie, and asked the
duke of Hereford, if these were his words, who answered: “Right déere
lord, they are my woords; and hereof I require right, and the battell
against him.”
There was a knight also that asked licence to speake for the duke
of Norfolke, and obteining, it began to answer thus: “Right déere
souereigne lord, here is Thomas Mowbraie duke of Norfolke, who
answereth and saith, and I for him, that all which Henrie |846| of
Lancaster hath said and declared (sauing the reuerence due to the king
and his councell) is a lie; and the said Henrie of Lancaster hath
falselie and wickedlie lied as a false and disloiall knight, and both
hath béene, and is a traitor against you, your crowne, roiall maiestie,
& realme. This will I proue and defend as becommeth a loiall knight
to doo with my bodie against his: right déere lord, I beséech you
therefore, and your councell, that it maie please you in your roiall
discretion, to consider and marke, what Henrie of Lancaster duke of
Hereford, such a one as he is, hath said.”
[Sidenote: The duke of Norfolke his answer for himselfe.]
The king then demanded of the duke of Norfolke, if these were his
woords, and whether he had anie more to saie. The duke of Norfolke
then answered for himselfe: “Right déere sir, true it is, that I haue
receiued so much gold to paie your people of the towne of Calis; which
I haue doone, and I doo auouch that your towne of Calis is as well
kept at your commandement as euer it was at anie time before, and
that there neuer hath béene by anie of Calis anie complaint made vnto
you of me. Right deere and my souereigne lord, for the voiage that I
made into France, about your marriage, I neuer receiued either gold
or siluer of you, nor yet for the voiage that the duke of Aumarle & I
made into Almane, where we spent great treasure: Marie true it is, that
once I laid an ambush to haue slaine the duke of Lancaster, that there
sitteth: but neuerthelesse he hath pardoned me thereof, and there was
good peace made betwixt vs, for the which I yéeld him hartie thankes.
This is that which I haue to answer, and I am readie to defend my selfe
against mine aduersarie; I beseech you therefore of right, and to haue
the battell against him in vpright iudgement.”
[Sidenote: The combat appointed to be doone at Couentrie. The French
pamphlet. _Iohn Stow. Fabian._]
After this, when the king had communed with his councell a little, he
commanded the two dukes to stand foorth, that their answers might be
heard. The K. then caused them once againe to be asked, if they would
agrée and make peace togither, but they both flatlie answered that they
would not: and withall the duke of Hereford cast downe his gage, and
the duke of Norfolke tooke it vp. The king perceiuing this demeanor
betwixt them, sware by saint Iohn Baptist, that he would neuer séeke to
make peace betwixt them againe. And therfore sir Iohn Bushie in name
of the king & his councell declared, that the king and his councell
had commanded and ordeined, that they should haue a daie of battell
appointed them at Couentrie. ¶ Here writers disagrée about the daie
that was appointed: for some saie, it was vpon a mondaie in August;
other vpon saint Lamberts daie, being the seuenteenth of September,
other on the eleuenth of September; but true it is, that the king
assigned them not onlie the daie, but also appointed them listes and
place for the combat, and therevpon great preparation was made, as to
such a matter apperteined.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 22.]
At the time appointed the king came to Couentrie, where the two dukes
were readie, according to the order prescribed therein, comming thither
in great arraie, accompanied with the lords and gentlemen of their
linages. The king caused a sumptuous scaffold or theater, and roiall
listes there to be erected and prepared. The sundaie before they should
fight, after dinner the duke of Hereford came to the king (being lodged
about a quarter of a mile without the towne in a tower that belonged
to sir William Bagot) to take his leaue of him. The morow after, being
the daie appointed for the combat, about the spring of the daie, came
the duke of Norfolke to the court to take leaue likewise of the king.
The duke of Hereford armed him in his tent, that was set vp néere to
the lists, and the duke of Norfolke put on his armor, betwixt the gate
& the barrier of the towne, in a beautifull house, hauing a faire
perclois of wood towards the gate, that none might sée what was doone
within the house.
[Sidenote: The order of the combat.]
The duke of Aumarle that daie, being high constable of England, and
the duke of Surrie marshall, placed themselues betwixt them, well
armed and appointed; and when they saw their time, they first entered
into the listes with a great companie of men apparelled in silke
sendall, imbrodered with siluer, both richlie and curiouslie, euerie
man hauing a tipped staffe to keepe the field in order. About the
houre of prime came to |847| the barriers of the listes, the duke
of Hereford, mounted on a white courser, barded with gréene & blew
veluet imbrodered sumptuouslie with swans and antelops of goldsmiths
woorke, armed at all points. The constable and marshall came to the
barriers, demanding of him what he was, he answered; “I am Henrie of
Lancaster duke of Hereford, which am come hither to doo mine indeuor
against Thomas Mowbraie duke of Norfolke, as a traitor vntrue to God,
the king, his realme, and me.” Then incontinentlie he sware vpon the
holie euangelists, that his quarrell was true and iust, and vpon that
point he required to enter the lists. Then he put vp his sword, which
before he held naked in his hand, and putting downe his visor, made
a crosse on his horsse, and with speare in hand, entered into the
lists, and descended from his horsse, and set him downe in a chaire of
gréene veluet, at the one end of the lists, and there reposed himselfe,
abiding the comming of his aduersarie.
Soone after him, entred into the field with great triumph, king Richard
accompanied with all the péeres of the realme, and in his companie was
the earle of saint Paule, which was come out of France in post to see
this challenge performed. The king had there aboue ten thousand men in
armour, least some fraie or tumult might arise amongst his nobles, by
quarelling or partaking. When the king was set in his seat, which was
richlie hanged and adorned; a king at armes made open proclamation,
prohibiting all men in the name of the king, and of the high constable
and marshall, to enterprise or attempt to approch or touch any part of
the lists vpon paine of death, except such as were appointed to order
or marshall the field. The proclamation ended, an other herald cried;
“Behold here Henrie of Lancaster duke of Hereford appellant, which is
entred into the lists roiall to doo his deuoir against Thomas Mowbraie
duke of Norfolke defendant, vpon paine to be found false and recreant.”
The duke of Norfolke houered on horssebacke at the entrie of the lists,
his horse being barded with crimosen veluet, imbrodered richlie with
lions of siluer and mulberie trées; and when he had made his oth before
the constable and marshall that his quarrell was iust and true, he
entred the field manfullie, saieng alowd: “God aid him that hath the
right,” and then he departed from his horsse, & sate him downe in his
chaire which was of crimosen veluet, courtined about with white and red
damaske. The lord marshall viewed their speares, to see that they were
of equall length, and deliuered the one speare himselfe to the duke of
Hereford, and sent the other vnto the duke of Norfolke by a knight.
Then the herald proclamed that the trauerses & chaires of the champions
should be remooued, commanding them on the kings behalfe to mount on
horssebacke, & addresse themselues to the battell and combat.
[Sidenote: The combat staied by the king.