At the same present there was arrested, and committed to safe custodie,
the bishop of Norwich, sir William Elmam, and sir Walter Burlie,
knights, Laurence Drew, and Iohn Golofer esquiers. On the morow after,
the forsaid dukes with their power, went towards Bristow, where (at
their comming) they shewed themselues before the towne & castell, being
an huge multitude of people. There were inclosed within the castell,
the lord William Scroope earle of Wiltshire and treasuror of England,
sir Henrie Greene, and sir Iohn Bushie knights, who prepared to make
resistance: but when it would not preuaile, they were taken and brought
foorth bound as prisoners into the campe, before the duke of Lancaster.
On the morow next insuing, they were arraigned before the |854|
constable and marshall, and found giltie of treason, for misgouerning
the king and realme, and foorthwith had their heads smit off. Sir Iohn
Russell was also taken there, who feining himselfe to be out of his
wits, escaped their hands for a time.
[Sidenote: Out of master _Dees_ French booke.]
In this meane time, king Richard aduertised, how the duke of Lancaster
was landed in England, and that the lords, gentlemen, and commons
assembled themselues to take his part, he forthwith caused the lord
Henrie, sonne to the said duke of Lancaster, and the lord Humfrie,
sonne to the duke of Glocester, to be shut vp fast in the castell
of Trimme, and with all spéed made hast to returne into England, in
hope with an armie to incounter the duke, before he should haue time
to assemble his fréends togither. But here you shall note, that it
fortuned at the same time, in which the duke of Hereford or Lancaster,
whether ye list to call him, arriued thus in England, the seas were so
troubled by tempests, and the winds blew so contrarie for anie passage,
to come ouer foorth of England to the king, remaining still in Ireland,
that for the space of six wéeks, he receiued no aduertisements from
thence: yet at length, when the seas became calme, and the wind once
turned anie thing fauourable, there came ouer a ship, whereby the king
vnderstood the manner of the dukes arriuall, and all his procéedings
till that daie, in which the ship departed from the coast of England,
wherevpon he meant foorthwith to haue returned ouer into England, to
make resistance against the duke: but through persuasion of the duke of
Aumarle (as was thought) he staied, till he might haue all his ships,
and other prouision, fullie readie for his passage.
In the meane time, he sent the earle of Salisburie ouer into England,
to gather a power togither, by helpe of the kings freends in Wales, and
Cheshire, with all spéed possible, that they might be readie to assist
him against the duke, vpon his arriuall, for he meant himselfe to
follow the earle, within six daies after. The earle passing ouer into
Wales, landed at Conwaie, and sent foorth letters to the kings freends,
both in Wales and Cheshire, to leauie their people, & to come with
all spéed to assist the K. whose request, with great desire, & very
willing minds they fulfilled, hoping to haue found the king himselfe
at Conwaie, insomuch that within foure daies space, there were to the
number of fortie thousand men assembled, readie to march with the king
against his enimies, if he had béene there himselfe in person.
But when they missed the king, there was a brute spred amongst them,
that the king was suerlie dead, which wrought such an impression, and
euill disposition in the minds of the Welshmen and others, that for
anie persuasion which the earle of Salisburie might vse, they would not
go foorth with him, till they saw the king: onelie they were contented
to staie fouretéene daies to sée if he should come or not; but when he
came not within that tearme, they would no longer abide, but scaled &
departed awaie; wheras if the king had come before their breaking vp,
no doubt, but they would haue put the duke of Hereford in aduenture of
a field: so that the kings lingering of time before his comming ouer,
gaue opportunitie to the duke to bring things to passe as he could haue
wished, and tooke from the king all occasion to recouer afterwards anie
forces sufficient to resist him.
[Sidenote: K. Richard returneth out of Ireland and landeth in Wales.
_Thom. Wals._]
At length, about eighteene daies after that the king had sent from him
the earle of Salisburie, he tooke the sea, togither with the dukes of
Aumarle, Excester, Surrie, and diuerse others of the nobilitie, with
the bishops of London, Lincolne, and Carleill. They landed néere the
castell of Barclowlie in Wales, about the feast of saint Iames the
apostle, and staied a while in the same castell, being aduertised of
the great forces which the duke of Lancaster had got togither against
him, wherewith he was maruellouslie amazed, knowing certeinelie that
those which were thus in armes with the duke of Lancaster against him,
would rather die than giue place, as well for the hatred as feare which
they had conceiued at him. Neuerthelesse he departing from Barclowlie,
hasted with all speed towards Conwaie, where he vnderstood the earle of
Salisburie to be still remaining.
[Sidenote: Additions to _Polychron._