The duke of Hereford was quicklie horssed, and closed his bauier,
and cast his speare into the rest, and when the trumpet sounded set
forward couragiouslie towards his enimie six or seuen pases. The duke
of Norfolke was not fullie set forward, when the king cast down his
warder, and the heralds cried, Ho, ho. Then the king caused their
speares to be taken from them, and commanded them to repaire againe
to their chaires, where they remained two long houres, while the
king and his councell deliberatlie consulted what order was best to
be had in so weightie a cause. Finallie, after they had deuised and
fullie determined what should be doone therein, the heralds cried
silence and sir Iohn Bushie the kings secretarie read the sentence
and determination of the king and his councell, in a long roll, the
effect wherof was, that Henrie duke of Hereford should within fifteene
daies depart out of the realme, and not to returne before the terme
of ten yeares were expired, except by the king he should be repealed
againe, and this vpon paine of death; and that Thomas Mowbraie duke
of Norfolke, bicause he had sowen sedition in the relme by his words,
should likewise auoid the realme, and neuer to returne againe into
England, nor approch the borders or confines thereof vpon paine of
death; and that the king would staie the profits of his lands, till he
had leuied thereof |848| such summes of monie as the duke had taken vp
of the kings treasuror for the wages of the garrison of Calis, which
were still vnpaid.
[Sidenote: The duke of Hereford beloued of the people.]
When these iudgements were once read, the king called before him both
the parties, and made them to sweare that the one should neuer come
in place where the other was, willinglie; nor kéepe any companie to
gither in any forren region; which oth they both receiued humblie, and
so went their waies. The duke of Norfolke departed sorowfullie out
of the realme into Almanie, and at the last came to Venice, where he
for thought and melancholie deceassed: for he was in hope (as writers
record) that he should haue béene borne out in the matter by the king,
which when it fell out otherwise, it greeued him not a little. The duke
of Hereford tooke his leaue of the king at Eltham, who there released
foure yeares of his banishment: so he tooke his iornie ouer into Calis,
and from thence went into France, where he remained. ¶ A woonder it was
to sée what number of people ran after him in euerie towne and stréet
where he came, before he tooke the sea, lamenting and bewailing his
departure, as who would saie, that when he departed, the onelie shield,
defense and comfort of the commonwealth was vaded and gone.
[Sidenote: The duke of Hereford is honorablie interteined with the
French king.
_Froissard._]
At his comming into France, king Charles hearing the cause of his
banishment (which he esteemed to be verie light) receiued him gentlie,
and him honorablie interteined, in so much that he had by fauour
obteined in mariage the onelie daughter of the duke of Berrie, vncle to
the French king, if king Richard had not béene a let in that matter,
who being thereof certified, sent the earle of Salisburie with all
speed into France, both to surmize by vntrue suggestion, heinous
offenses against him, and also to require the French king that in no
wise he would suffer his cousine to be matched in mariage with him that
was so manifest an offendor. This was a pestilent kind of proceeding
against that nobleman then being in a forren countrie, hauing béene so
honorablie receiued as he was at his entrance into France, and vpon
view and good liking of his behauiour there, so forward in mariage
with a ladie of noble linage. So sharpe, so seuere, & so heinous an
accusation, brought to a strange king from a naturall prince, against
his subiect, after punishment inflicted (for he was banished) was
inough to haue made the French king his fatall fo, & vpon suspicion of
assaieng the like trecherie against him, to haue throwne him out of
the limits of his land. But what will enuie leaue vnattempted, where
it is once setled? And how are the malicious tormented with egernes
of reuenge against them whom they maligne, wringing themselues in
the meane time with inward pangs gnawing them at the hart? wherevnto
serueth the poets allusion,
[Sidenote: _Hor. lib. epist. 1._]
Inuidia Siculi non inuenêre tyranni
Maius tormentum.
[Sidenote: 1399.]
On Newyeares day this yeare, the riuer that passeth betwixt Suelleston
or Snelston, and Harewood, two villages not far from Bedford, sudenlie
ceassed his course, so as the chanell remained drie by the space of
thrée miles, that any man might enter into, and passe the same drie
foot at his pleasure. This diuision, which the water made in that
place, the one part séeming as it were not to come néere to the other,
was iudged to signifie the reuolting of the subiects of this land from
their naturall prince. It may be, that the water of that riuer sanke
into the ground, and by some secret passage or chanell tooke course
till it came to the place where it might rise againe as in other places
is likewise séene.
[Sidenote: _Fabian._