The Chronicle of Adam of Usk. Sep 1386. Owing to the many ill-starred crises of king Richard’s (age 19) reign, which were caused by his youth, a solemn parliament was holden at Westminster, wherein twelve of the chief men of the land were advanced, by full provision of parliament, to the government of the king and the kingdom, in order to bridle the wantonness and extravagance of his servants and flatterers, and, in short, to reform the business of the realm; but alas! only to lead to the weary deeds which are hereinafter written¹.

Note 1. The actual number of the commissioners appointed by the Wonderful Parliament of 1386 was eleven, or fourteen if the three principal officers of state be included. The eleven were: the archbishops of Canterbury (age 44) and York (age 45), the dukes of York (age 45) and Gloucester (age 31), the bishops of Winchester (age 66) and Exeter, the abbot of Waltham, the earl of Arundel, John de Cobham, Richard le Scrope, and John Devereux. Thomas Arundel (age 33), bishop of Ely, had replaced Michael de la Pole (age 25), earl of Suffolk, as chancellor; John Gilbert, bishop of Hereford, was treasurer; and John de Waltham, keeper of the privy seal. It will be remembered that John of Gaunt (age 46) was at this time in Spain, as a reason for his name not appearing on the commission.