Southampton Plot

Holinshed's Chronicle [1525-1582]. [31st July 1415] When king Henrie had fullie furnished his navie with men, munition, & other provisions, perceiving that his capteines misliked nothing so much as delaie, determined his souldiors to go a ship-boord and awaie. But see the hap, the night before the daie appointed for their departure, he was crediblie informed, that Richard earle of Cambridge brother to Edward duke of Yorke, and Henrie lord Scroope of Masham lord treasuror, with Thomas Graie a knight of Northumberland, being confederat togither, had conspired his death: wherefore he caused them to be apprehended. The said lord Scroope was in such favour with the king, that he admitted him sometime to be his bedfellow, in whose fidelitie the king reposed such trust, that when anie privat or publike councell was in hand, this lord had much in the determination of it. For he represented so great gravitie in his countenance, such modestie in behaviour, and so vertuous zeale to all godlinesse in his talke, that whatsoeuer he said was thought for the most part necessarie to be doone and followed. Also the said sir Thomas Graie (as some write) was of the kings privie councell.

These prisoners upon their examination, confessed, that for a great summe of monie which they had received of the French king, they intended verelie either to have delivered the king alive into the hands of his enimies, or else to haue murthered him before he should arrive in the duchie of Normandie. When king Henrie had heard all things opened, which he desired to know, he caused all his nobilitie to come before his presence, before whome he caused to be brought the offendors also, and to them said. 'Hauing thus conspired the death and destruction of me, which am the head of the realme and gouernour of the people, it maie be (no doubt) but that you likewise have sworne the confusion of all that are here with me, and also the desolation of your owne countrie. To what horror (O lord) for any true English hart to consider, that such an execrable iniquitie should ever so bewray you, as for pleasing of a forren enimie to imbrue your hands in your bloud, and to ruine your owne native soile. Revenge herein touching my person, though I séeke not; yet for the safegard of you, my déere fréends, & for due perseruation of all sorts, I am by office to cause example to be shewed. Get ye hence therefore ye poore miserable wretches to the receiving of your just reward, wherein Gods majestie give You grace of his mercie and repentance of your heinous offenses.' And so immediatlie they were had to execution.

Deeds of King Henry V 1415. [31st July 1415] And while he [King Henry V] was subsequently waiting in his castle of Porchester for his passage through the marsh, behold, God, wishing to test the constancy of His chosen one, allowed him to be tempted and struck again, even by another dreadful hammer of turbulence. For our adversary the Devil, who always envies every good intention, entered into the hearts of certain men of Cambridge who were near him, namely, Lord Richard, the Earl of Cambridge, his own first cousin, Henry, Lord le Scrope, who was closer to him, and who had scarcely been a third person in the royal secrets, as well as Thomas Grey, a famous and noble knight, if he had not been stained with this mark of betrayal.

Their cruel madness and insane cruelty, corrupted by a lust for domination, but rather by the allure of promises or gifts from the French , conspired not only to impede his proposed journey but also to plot the destruction of the king's life in a manner too atrocious and inhuman. But He who sits above the cherubim and sees the depths, and knows how vain the thoughts of men are, soon delivered the just from the wicked, and revealed the iniquity of Judas and the treachery of the evil ones through Lord Mortimer, the Earl of March , whose innocence they had aimed at in this deadly plot.

And immediately for this reason, silently and wisely among the other lords, by the king, as if called to counsel, and captured in the same castle and brought to the port of Southampton, on the following Monday, the fifth day of August in the year of Our Lord 1415, a public sentence of confession was pronounced, and the aforementioned lords, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, and Thomas Grey were punished by beheading. And the aforementioned Henry le Scrope, because he was a more familiar enemy, was subjected to great disgrace, and due to the infamy of his charges, was dragged through the middle of the town to the place of execution and beheaded.

Et dum deinceps in castro suo Porcestriæ super transitu suo per morulam expectasset, ecce adhuc Deus volens experiri constantiam electi sui, permisit eum iteratò tentari et tundi, etiam alio diræ turbinationis malleo, Nam adversarius noster Diabolus, qui punishment semper invidet omni bono proposito, intravit in corda Cambridge, quorundam qui prope erant à lateribus ejus, viz, in dominos Ricardum, comitem Cantabrigiæ, consanguineum suum germanum, Henricum, dominum le Scrop de sibi magis domesticum, et qui secretis regiis vix fuit alicui tertius in regno, necnon et Thomam Grey, militem famosum et nobilem, si non cum hâc proditionis maculâ violasset, Quorum crudelis dementia et demens crudelitas, corruptâ libidine dominandi, sed potiùs odore promissorum vel munerum Gallicorum, non solum in impedimentum propositi itineris, sed etiam in regiæ necis exidium nimis atrociter et inhumaniter conspiraverunt, Sed qui sedet super cherubim et intuetur abbissos, et scit quàm vanæ sunt cogitationes hominum, citò liberavit justum ab impiis, et revelavit iniquitatem Judæ, et proditionem malorum per dominum de Mortuo Mari, comitem Marchiæ, cujus innocentiam in hoc exitiali proposito attentassent, Et statim propter hoc tacitè tum et sapienter inter cæteros dominos, per regem, quasi ad consilium vocati, et capti in eodem castro et usque ad portum Hamonis adducti, sequenti die Lunæ quinto die Augusti Anno Domini M.CCCC.XV °, latâ in publicè confessoris sententiâ, dicti domini, Ricardus comes Cantabrigiæ, et Thomas Grey plectebantur capitibus, Et præfatus Henricus de la Scrop, quia magis familiaris inimicus in magnis vituperium, propter reatûs ignominiam, per medium villæ tractus ad locum supplicii extitit decollatus, ...

Thomas Walsingham [-1422]. [31st July 1415] While the King was awaiting the arrival of his nobles at Southampton, who were to cross the sea with him, three powerful men, in whom he placed particular trust, conspired to kill him. If I wanted to withhold their names, the notoriety of the crime would still expose them, even if I kept silent. So I will say what I regret to say, and I will not hide the names of these parricides. The first and foremost was Lord Henry le Scrope, in whose fidelity and constancy the King entirely reposed his trust. Under a cloak of hypocrisy, he paled outwardly, all the while—

"bearing a crafty fox beneath his heated chest,"

displaying the sheepish appearance of innocence in all things, but —

“He had learned to feign loyalty, to conceal threatening looks,

Cloaking deceit with a flattering smile;

Burning with cruelty and greedy for gain,

Skilled in sowing discord among loyal companions.”

Such was his reputation with the King, that whenever private or public counsel was held, it would be settled by Scrope’s judgment. He affected such gravity in his face, such modesty in his manner, and such piety in his speech, that whatever he pronounced, the King deemed as if it had fallen from Heaven itself.

If a diplomatic mission was to be sent to France, the King believed it necessary that Scrope handle it, either for his intellect or his person. But it was he who negotiated with the enemy, himself the King’s secret foe, deceiving the King with empty pledges, misleading the council with hollow promises, and reporting falsehoods to both sides, outwardly favouring the English, but inwardly serving the French.

Since the innocent King had entrusted him with much, and lavished special gifts upon him, this treacherous ingrate, in return for such kindness, plotted to take the King's life, just as the fleet was ready and the troops assembled for departure. It is said he had promised this to the French, for a bribe of money; and when the French returned home, they rejoiced, claiming the King of England had either returned home in fear or, as they hoped, had been assassinated.

He had as accomplices Richard, Earl of Cambridge, brother of the Duke of York, whom the King had created an earl, enriched with lands, and honoured above others due to his noble birth and Sir Thomas Grey, a northern knight.

Yet no favour, no honour, no royal generosity could restrain them from arming themselves for the murder of their greatest benefactor.

But, before they could carry out the deed, by God’s will, their plot was discovered, and they were condemned by their peers to be beheaded. The King pardoned other penalties due by law, except for Henry le Scrope, who is said to have been drawn (i.e. dragged to execution). He is also reported to have wept over their misfortunes.

Because of the King's gentleness, compassion, and mercy, some have applied to him the words once spoken by Ovid about Augustus:

"Slow to punish, swift to reward,

And grieving whenever he is forced to be harsh."

Dum Rex suorum procerum, qui cum eo transfretare debebant, apud Southamtoniam præstolaretur adventum, tres viri potentes, in quibus pre ceteris confidebat, in ejus necem conjuraverunt. Quorum nomina si vellem supprimere, fama flagitii divulgaret, etiam me tacente. Dicam ergo quod me dicturum doleo, parricidarumque nomina non celabo. Primus et. praecipuus Dominus Henricus Le Serop, in cujus fide sive constantia totus animus regius requievit. Qui sub hypoerisi cuncta gerenda foris suppallians, et

"stutam vapido gestans sub pectore vulpem,"

in cunctis agendis agninam simplicitatem publice praeferebat. —

"Edidicit," nempe, " simulare fidem, vultusque minaces

"Protegere, et blando fraudem prcetexere risu;

"Plenus soevitice, lucrique cupidine fervens,

"Doctus et unanimes odio turbare sodales."

Hic tante fuit æstimationis penes Regem, ut si quando consilia privata vel publica tractabantur, hujus diffinitione terminabantur. Prætendebat namque tantam gravitatem in vultu, tantam in gestu modestiam, tantam in affatu religionem, ut quicquid ipse dictasset, velut oraculum e ccelo lapsum Rex oportere fieri judicaret. Si legatio solemnis emittenda foret in Franciam, ingenio vel persona Henrici Le Secrop exequi necesse putabat. Ille proinde tractabat cum hostibus, ipse domino suo Regi hostis occultus, muleebatque Regem vanis sponsionibus; delusit Consilium promissis inanibus, referens utrisque alia pro aliis, fronte favens suis, mente vero Gallis. Cumque Rex innocens, propter magnam confidentiam, hujus se arbitrio in pluribus commisisset, et ei multa donaria specialia tribuisset, ille tantis beneficiis retributor iniquus, dominum suum, cum jam in procinctu foret profectionis sua, parata classe et aggregatis militum copii, repente vita pris vare moliebatur. Spoponderat ista Francis, ut fertar, pacta sibi pro proditione pecunia; qui, jam ad sua regressi, leotificavere suos, asserentes Regem Angliæ, mutato proposito, vel ad sua regressum, vel certe, quod veriug putavere, peremptum. Habuit consortes proditionis Ricardum Comitem Cantabrigiæ, fratrem scilicet Ducis Eboraci, et Thomam Grey, militem Borealem. Quem quidem Ricardum Comitem Rex creaverat, et multis bonis ditaverat, et pre ceteris honouraverat ratione generis et parentelæ. Sed nulla impensa benevolentia, nullum collatum beneficium, proditores prævertere poterant, quin in necem tanti benefactoris mutuo se armarent. Attamen priusquam conceptum facinus possent ad effectum perducere, Deo volente, detecti sunt, et judicio parium suorum condemnati decapitationis sententiam subire; Rege alias pœnas, de jure debitas, perdonante, (præterquam Henrico Scrop, qui dicitur fuisse tractus), qui etiam deflevisse vices eorum fertur. Quamobrem mnonnulli propter Regis modestiam, compasgionem, et pietatem, landes Aungusti in eum transferunt, guondam editas a Nasone, eo quod

"Sit piger ad poenas princeps, ad prasmia velox,

"Quique dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox."

Rymer's Fœdera Volume 9 289. [Around 2nd August 1415] Confession of Richard earl of Cambridge of having conspired against the K.

O. ix. 300. H. iv. p. ii. 142.

MY most Dredfulle and Sovereyne Lege Lord,

Lyke to zowre Hynesse, to wete, touchyng the Purpose cast agens zowir hye Estate, having the Erle of Marche by hys awne assent, and by the Assent of my self (wherof y most me repent of all worldly thyng) and by the Accorde of the Lord Scrop and Sir Thomas Grey, to have hadde the forseyd Erle in to the Lond of Walys wythouryn zowre Lycence, takyng up on hym the Sovereynte of zys Lond, zyf yonder Manis Persone, whych they callen Kyng Richard hadde nauth bene alyve, as y wot wel that he wys not alyve;

For the wych poynt I putte me holy in zowre Grace:

And, as for the forme of a Prociamacyoun, which schulde hadde bene cryde in the Erle Name, as he Heyre to the Coroune of Ynglond, ageyns zow, my Lege Lord, calde, by a untreu Name, Harry of Lancastre Vsurpur of Yngland, to the entent to hadde made the more Poeple to hade draune to hym, and fro zow,

Of the wych Crye Scrope knew not of by me, but Grey dyd, havyng wyth the Erle a Baner of the Armes of Ynglond, havyng also the Coroune of Speyne on a Palet, whych, my Lege Lord, is one of zowre Weddys;

For the wych Offence y putte me holy in zowre Grace:

And, as for the purpose, takyn by Vnfrevyle and Wederyngtoun, for the bryngyng yn of that Persone, wych they name Kyng Richard, and Henry Percy oute of Scotland, wyth a Power of Scottys, and theyre Power togedyrs semyng to theyme able to geve zow a Bataylle, of the wych entent Sir Thomas Grey wyst of, and I also, but nauth Scrop as by me; of the wych knowyng I submytte me holy into zowre Grace:

And, as for the takyng of zowre Castelles in Wallys, Davy Hawell made me behost so there were a steryng in the North; of the wych Poynt I putte me holy in zowre Grace:

And, as touchyng the Erle of Marche and Lusy hys Man, they seydyn me both that the Erle was nauth Schreven of a gret whyle; but at al hys Confessours putte hym in Penaunce to clayme that they callyddyn hys Ryth, that woo be that tyme that every I knew heny thyng that ever to hym longyd; of the wych Poyntes and Artycles here before wretyn, and of all odyr wych now arne naoth in mynde, but trwly, as oft as heny to myn mynde fallyn, I sehal dwly trevly certefye zow ther of;

Besekyng to zow, my Lege Lord, for hys Love that suffryd Passooun on the Good Fryday, so have zee Coupassyoun on me zowre Lege Man:

And yf heny of thes Persones, whos Names arne contenyd in zys Bylle, woldyn contrary the substaunce of that I have wretyn at zys tyme, I schalle be redy, wyth the myth of God, to make hyt good as zee, my Lege Lord, wylle Awarde me.

Rymer's Fœdera Volume 9 289. 5th August 1415. Commission to Thomas duke of Clarence to execute the sentence of the earl marshal against Richard earl of Cambridge and Henry le Scrop of Masham. Southampton. O. ix. 300. H. iv. p. ii. 142.

Concerning the Conspiracy made at Southampton, and regarding the Judgment to be delivered by the Peers, proceeding to Execution.

The King to his most beloved brother, Thomas, Duke of Clarence, greeting. Know that we, fully trusting in your loyalty, circumspection, and diligence, have appointed you as our deputy and representative, to hear the record and process before our beloved and faithful John, Earl Marshal, and his fellow justices, who have been assigned by us to investigate and determine various acts of treason, felony, conspiracy, and confederation perpetrated in the county of Southampton. You are to: Deliver judgment against Richard, Earl of Cambridge, knight, and Henry le Scrope of Masham, knight, according to what appears to you in the said record and process, Call their peers (since both are nobles) to assist in judgment by their assent, as is proper for a trial of peers, Render judgment this very Monday, and proceed to execute the sentence. We give and grant to you, by the tenor of these presents, full power, authority, and special mandate to do, carry out, and order all and everything in our name, that we ourselves would do or could do if we were personally present. We promise to hold as ratified, accepted, and firm everything you do, carry out, or order in our name concerning the above matters. And we give firm orders to the said justices and all others whom it concerns that they are to obey you in all these things, and assist you properly as is fitting. For we have commanded the said justices to have the said record and process and all related matters ready before you on the aforesaid day. Given under our hand at Southampton, on the 5th day of August. By the King himself.

De Conspiratione Suthamptoniae facta, & super Judicio, per Pares reddendo, ad Executionem procedendo.

De Conspiratione Suthamptoniae facta, & super Judicio, per Pares reddendo, ad Executionem procedendo. An. 3. H. 5. Pat. 3. H. 5. p. 2. m. 34. d. Rex, carissimo Fratri suo, Thomae Duci Clarentiae, Salutem. Sciatis quòd Nos, De fidelitate, circumspectione, & industria vestris pleniùs confidentes, Constituimus vos Locum nostrum & Vicem gerentem, ad Audiendum Recordum & Processum coram, dilectis & fidelibus nostris, Johanne Comite Marescallo, & Sociis suis Justiciariis nostris, ad diversas Proditiones, Felonias, Conspirationes, & Confoederationes, in Comitatu Suthamptoniae factas & perpetratas, audiendas & terminandas, Assignatis, Et ad Judicium, versus Ricardum Comitem Cantebrigiae Chivaler, & Henricum le Scrop de Masham Chivaler, juxta id quod vobis per Recordum & Processum praedicta constare poterit, vocatis vobis Paribus praedictorum Comitis & Henrici, per vestrûm & eorundem Parium assensum, hac instanti Die Lunae Reddendum, & ad Executionem ejusdem Judicii finaliter Procedendum, Dantes vobis, & Concedentes, plenam, Tenore Praesentium, Potestatem, Auctoritatem, & Mandatum speciale, ad omnia & singula, Nomine nostro, ibidem Faciendum, Exercendum, & Concedendum, quae Nos faceremus seu facere possemus si ibidem personaliter interessemus; Promittentes Nos Ratum, Gratum, & Firmum habituros quicquid per vos, Nomine nostro, Factum, Gestum, sive Concessum fuerit in Praemissis, vel aliquo Praemissorum: Damus autem praefatis Justiciariis, ac aliis quorum interest, Tenore Praesentium, firmiter in Mandatis, quòd vobis, in Praemissis, in forma praedicta faciendis, Intendentes sint, & Consulentes, prout decet; Mandavimus enim eisdem Justiciariis quòd Recordum & Processum praedicta, cum omnibus ea tangentibus, habeant coram vobis ad diem supradictum. In cujus &c. Teste Rege apud Suthampton. quinto die Augusti. Per ipsum Regem.

Rymer's Fœdera Volume 9 289. [7th August 1415] Pardon of Edward, Earl of March.

The King to all his bailiffs and faithful subjects, to whom [these letters] shall come, greeting. Know that, of our special grace, we have pardoned Edmund, Earl of March, by whatever name he may be known, the suit of our peace (i.e., royal prosecution) which belongs to us against him, for all kinds of treasons, murders, rapes of women, rebellions, insurrections, felonies, conspiracies, transgressions, offenses, negligences, extortions, misprisions, ignorances, concealments, and deceptions committed or perpetrated by him in any way before this time, for which he may have been indicted, charged, or appealed (i.e., accused by another party). And also we pardon any outlawries (legal declarations of being outside the king's protection) which may have been issued against him for any of these causes. And we grant to him our firm peace in regard to the foregoing, on condition, however, that he shall stand to right in our court if anyone wishes to bring legal action against him concerning the aforesaid matters or any of them. In witness whereof, etc. Witnessed by the King at Southampton on the seventh day of August. By the King himself.

Rex, omnibus Ballivis & Fidelibus suis, ad quos &c. Salutem. Sciatis quòd, de Gratiâ nostrâ speciali, PARDONAVIMUS Edmundo Comiti Marchiae, quocumque Nomine censeatur, Sectam Pacis nostrae, quae ad nos versus ipsum pertinet, pro omnimodis Proditionibus, Murdris, Raptibus Mulierum, Rebellionibus, Insurrectionibus, Feloniis, Conspirationibus, Transgressionibus, Offensis, Negligentiis, Extorsionibus, Misprisionibus, Ignorantiis, Concelamentis, & Deceptionibus, per ipsum ante haec tempora qualitercumque factis sive perpetratis, unde Indictatus, Rectatus, vel Appellatus existit, Ac etiam Utlagariis, si quae in ipsum hiis occasionibus fuerint promulgatae, Et firmam Pacem nostram ei inde Concedimus, Ita tamen quòd stet Rectus in Curia nostra, siquis versus eum loqui voluerit de Praemissis, vel aliquo Praemissorum. In cujus &c. Teste Rege apud Suthampton. septimo die Augusti. Per ipsum Regem.