Sir Thomas Persie earle of Worcester, lord steward of the kings house,
either being so commanded by the king, or else vpon displeasure (as
some write) for that the king had proclaimed his brother the earle
of Northumberland traitor, brake his white staffe, which is the
representing signe and token of his office, and without delaie went
to duke Henrie. When the kings seruants of houshold saw this (for
it was doone before them all) they dispersed themselues, some into
one countrie, and some into an other. When the duke of Lancaster
vnderstood that king Richard was returned foorth of Ireland, he left
the duke of Yorke still at Bristow, and came backe with his power vnto
Berkleie; the second daie he came to Glocester, and so to Roos, after
to Hereford, where came to him the bishop of Hereford, and sir Edmund
Mortimer knight. On the sundaie following, he went to Limster, and
there the lord Charleton came to him. From thence he went to Ludlow,
and the next daie to Shrewsburie, where he rested one daie, and thither
came to him sir Robert Leigh, and sir Iohn Leigh, and manie other being
sent from Chester, to treat with the duke |856| of Lancaster, for the
citie and countie of Chester, that were now readie to submit themselues
vnto him in all things.
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster comming to Chester.]
There came hither vnto him the lord Scales, and the lord Berdolfe,
foorth of Ireland, hauing béene spoiled of all they had about them in
Wales, as they came through the countrie. From Shrewsburie, he kept
on his iournie towards Chester, and lodging one night by the waie, in
a towne there in the borders of Wales, he came the second night to
Chester, and staied there certeine daies togither, making a iollie
muster of his armie there in sight of the citie. The clergie met, &
receiued him with procession: he sent foorthwith for his sonne & heire,
& likewise for the duke of Glocesters sonne & heire, that were as yet
remaining in Ireland, commanding them with all spéed to returne home
into England. But the duke of Glocesters sonne, through mischance
perished, as he was on the seas to come ouer, for whose losse his
mother tooke such greefe, that shortlie after through immoderate sorow
she likewise passed out of this transitorie life.
[Sidenote: Pérkin a Lee.]
In this meane time, king Richard being in the castell of Conwaie sore
discomfited, and fearing lest he could not remaine there long in
safetie, vpon knowledge had by his trustie fréends Iohn Paulet, and
Richard Seimour, of the dealings and approch of his aduersaries, sent
the duke of Excester to talke with the duke of Lancaster, who in this
meane while had caused one of king Richards faithfull and trustie
freends, sir Piers a Leigh, commonlie called Perkin a Lée, to lose
his head, & commanded the same to be set vp, vpon one of the highest
turrets about all the citie; and so that true and faithfull gentleman,
for his stedfast faith, and assured loialtie to his louing souereigne,
thus lost his life. There came to him about the same time, or somewhat
before, the dukes of Aumarle and Surrie, the lord Louell, and sir Iohn
Stanleie, beséeching him to receiue him into his fauour.
[Sidenote: Out of master _Dees_ booke.
Holt castell deliuered to the duke. Some write that the archbishop of
Cāturburie and the earle of Westmerland wēt also with the earle of
Northumberland to Conwaie.]
¶ By some writers it should seeme, not onelie the duke of Excester, but
also the duke of Surrie were sent vnto duke Henrie from king Richard,
and that duke Henrie staied them both, and would not suffer them to
returne to the king againe, kéeping the duke of Excester still about
him, and committing the duke of Surrie to prison, within the castell
of Chester. The king herewith went to Beaumaris, & after to Carnaruan:
but finding no prouision either of vittels or other things in those
castels, no not so much as a bed to lie in, he came backe againe to
Conwaie, and in the meane time was the castell of Holt deliuered to the
duke of Hereford, by those that had it in kéeping wherein was great
store of iewels, to the value of two hundred thousand marks, besides
an hundred thousand marks in readie coine. After this, the duke, with
aduise of his councell, sent the earle of Northumberland vnto the
king, accompanied with foure hundred lances, & a thousand archers, who
comming to the castell of Flint, had it deliuered vnto him; and from
thence he hasted foorth towards Conwaie. But before he approched néere
the place, he left his power behind him, hid closelie in two ambushes,
behind a craggie mounteine, beside the high waie that leadeth from
Flint to Conwaie.
[Sidenote: The earle of Northumberlands message to the king.