Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk 1330-1389

Westminster Chronicle. Around the beginning of the month of September, John Northampton was brought out from Corfe Castle and sent to the Tower of London. At that time the king sent for his justices and legal experts, ordering them, without further delay, to present themselves before him at Westminster on the seventh day of September, in order to proceed judicially against the aforesaid men, who had been publicly appealed on such notorious crimes and offences, and were also notoriously defamed. The king’s chief justice, named Robert Tresilian, was afraid to give sentence in a case of this kind. For he said that judgement upon them belonged only to the mayor of London. But since the aforesaid men, namely John Northampton and his associates, had been appealed, and also indicted, for treason, their goods, both movable and immovable, would necessarily be confiscated if it should happen that they were condemned to death in judgement for such crimes. Therefore, on the tenth day of September, in the Tower of London, before Lord John Montagu, steward of the lord king, and with two justices also present, namely Robert Tresilian and Robert Belknap, three of them were brought forward and examined concerning the things laid against them. They confessed that the charges brought against them were true, yet they placed themselves wholly in the king’s grace. They did this because, owing to the suborning of men of the country, they did not dare trust in a jury. Therefore Lord John Montagu, steward of the lord king, as is reported, pronounced sentence upon them and adjudged them to be drawn and hanged. Immediately Lord Michael de la Pole, the lord king’s chancellor, entered the council. Each of the things that had been done concerning them was made known to him, and how they had confessed the things laid against them. Therefore they had duly been adjudged to be drawn and hanged. Then the chancellor said, in the hearing of all: "Although these men, because of the crimes they have committed, ought swiftly to have undergone death, nevertheless, because they have of their own accord surrendered themselves to the king’s grace, the king grants them life only, by his special grace. Nevertheless, he wills that in the meantime they be kept in secure places until his good pleasure, until, should it seem expedient, he may decide to show them fuller grace." At once, lest those three men should rejoice together in any comforts, they were sent to three parts of England, sufficiently remote from one another, namely Thomas Northbury to Corfe Castle, situated in the southern part of England, John More to Nottingham Castle, situated in the northern part, and John Northampton to Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, so that they might remain there in custody. All these things, as was said, their rivals the fishmongers had procured to be done to them, because it was through those men that their craft and court had been destroyed.

Circa principium mensis Semptembris J. Northampton de castro Corfe eductus transmissus est in turrim Londoniæ. Quo in tempore misit rex pro justiciariis suis et juris peritis ut sine dilatione ulteriori septimo die Septembris se apud Westmonasterium ejus conspectui præsentarent ad procedendum juridice contra prædictos super tam notoriis criminibus et excessibus publice appellatos ac etiam notorie diffamatos. Principalis vero judex regis nomine Robertus Tresilian timuit in hujusmodi causa sententiare. Dicebat enim illorum judicium majori Londoniæ tummodo pertinere; at quia isti prædicti scilicet J. Northampton et ejus socii fuerunt super proditione appellati, ac etiam indictati, necessario eorum bona tam mobilia quam immobilia confiscarentur si contigerit eos propter hujusmodi crimina ad mortem in judicio condemnari. Igitur decimo die Septembris in turrim Londoniæ coram domino Johanne de Monteacuto senescallo domini regis, præsentibus etiam duobus justiciaribus, scilicet Roberto Tresylian et Roberto Beleknap, tres illorum fuerunt producti ac super sibi impositis examinati. Ea illis illata fatebantur esse vera, se tamen totaliter in regis gratiam posuerunt, et hoc ideo fecerunt quia propter subornationem in hominibus patriæ confidere non audebant. Unde dominus Johannes de Monteacuto senescallus domini regis, ut profertur, tulit sententiam super eos et adjudicavit eos trahi et suspendi. Mox dominus Michael de la Pole cancellarius domini regis concionem intravit. Et patefacta sunt ei singula quæ circa eos erant acta et quo modo erant confessi ea quæ sibi imponebantur. Unde rite fuerant adjudicati trahi et suspendi. Tunc cancellarius cunctis audientibus dixit "Licet isti propter scelera commissa mortem subire celeriter debuissent, tamen quia regiæ gratiæ se ultro dederunt rex concedit eis vitam tantum de sua gratia speciali. Nihilominus tamen vult quod usque ad beneplacitum suum in locis securis interim custodiantur, donec si videatur expedire eis gratiam facere duxerit ampliorem. Confestim ne isti tres insimul aliquibus solatiis congauderent, missi sunt ad tres partes Angliæ adinvicem satis remote distantes, scilicet T. Northbury ad castrum Corfe in australi parte Angliæ situatum ; J. More ad castrum Nottyngham in boreali parte situatum ; et J. Northampton ad castrum de Tyntagel in Cornubia situatum ut ibi in custodia morarentur." Hæc autem omnia sibi fieri procurarunt eorum æmuli piscarii, ut dicebatur, quia per illos stetit quod ars et curia eorum erant destructæ.

Westminster Chronicle. Also, on the ninth day of November, at Westminster, in full parliament, the king appointed two of his uncles as dukes, namely Lord Edmund of Langley, earl of Cambridge, whom he promoted to duke of York, and Thomas Woodstock, earl of Buckingham, whom he raised to duke of Gloucester. They were adorned with various ornaments appropriate to their rank, and suitably endowed by the king, and they did homage to him on bended knees. Also on the same day in Parliament, the king raised Lord Michael de la Pole, knight and chancellor of England, likewise endowed with lands, to be earl of Suffolk. After suitable ornaments concerning his rank had been assigned to him, and after homage had been done to the king, he withdrew among the other earls according to his degree. Also on the same day, Lord James, earl of Ormond, received the belt of knighthood from the king. When these things had duly been performed, the king and queen, together with the aforesaid magnates thus honoured and the other nobles then present there, courteously went to the banquet of the duke of Lancaster, lavishly and splendidly prepared for that occasion.

Item ix die Novembris apud Westmonasterium in pleno parliamento rex duos suos patruos præfecit in duces, videlicet dominum Edmundum de Langelee comitem de Cantabrigiæ promovit in ducem Eboracensem, et Thomam Wodestok comitem Buckyngham in ducem Gloucestriæ exaltavit, qui variis ornamentis eorum statui congruentibus insigniti ac per regem competenter dotati homagium sibi flexis genibus præstiterunt. Item eodem die in Parliamento dominum Michaelem de la Pole militem et cancellarium Angliæ rex etiam terris dotatum erexit in comitem de Southfolk appropriatisque sibi etiam ornamentis ejus statum concernentibus, facto regi homagio, inter alios comites juxta suum gradum secessit. Item eodem die dominus Jacobus comes de Ormond cingulum militiæ recepit a rege ; quibus rite peractis rex et regina una cum prædictis magnatibus taliter insignitis ceterisque nobilibus tunc ibidem præsentibus ad convivium ducis Lancastriæ ea de causa laute ac splendide apparatum comiter adierunt.

Westminster Chronicle. Also, on the twenty-eighth day of October, the king sent the archbishop of York and Michael de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, to the mayor and citizens of London, to ask them whether they were of one mind among themselves in the city of London, and whether they wished to stand with the king, if need required it, or not. To these things answer was made to them that they were unanimous, and that they wished to obey their king in all things, as his royal majesty demands and requires, and to hold with him, setting aside all others whatsoever. Having received this answer, they returned to the king with joy. The king, gladdened by this answer, entered the city of London on the tenth day of November. The mayor and the other citizens of the said city honourably came out to meet him, dressed in one livery, namely white and red, and rode in procession before him through the middle of the city as far as the Mews at Charing. There the king took off his shoes, and the archbishop of York, Robert de Vere, duke of Ireland, and Michael de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, with him, likewise barefoot, proceeded to the church of Saint Peter at Westminster. The abbot and convent of the said monastery also came solemnly to meet him in copes as far as the royal gate, and led him from that place into the church over carpets laid out for him. When he had performed his devotions according to custom, he returned to his palace.

Item xxviii die Octobris misit rex archiepiscopum Eboracensem et Michaelum de la Pole comitem Suffolkiæ ad majorem et cives Londoniarum ad inquirendum ab eis, an essent inter se unanimes in civitate Londoniarum, et an ipsi vellent stare cum rege, si opus exposceret, aut non. Ad ista fuit eis responsum, quod illi forent unanimes et suo regi vellent obedire in omnibus prout sua regia majestas exigit et requirit ac secum tenere aliis postpositis quibuseunque. Accepto vero responso ad regem cum gaudio redierunt. Rex autem super hujusmodi responso exhilaratus x die Novembris civitatem Londoniarum intravit contra quem major et cæteri cives dictæ civitatis in una secta alba scilicet et rubea honorifice exierunt et ante eum per medium civitatis usque Le Muwes apud Charryngg processionaliter equitarunt. Ubi rex discalciavit se et ‘archiepiscopus Eboracensis, Robertus de Veer Dux Hiberniæ et Michael de la Pole, comes Suffolkiæ, cum eo pariter nudipedes ad ecclesiam sancti Petri Westmonasterii processerunt contra quem etiam abbas et conventus dicti monasterii in capis usque portam regiam ei obviam modo solemni venerunt et illum super tapetis ab illo loco stratis usque in ecclesiam deduxerunt. Factisque suis devotionibus ex more ad suum palatium remeavit.

Westminster Chronicle. On the following day [29th October 1387], the king sent for the duke of Gloucester and the earl of Arundel, asking that they come to him. But they excused themselves, asserting that they had their mortal enemies beside him, and therefore did not dare approach him. Therefore, by the king’s command, on the twelfth day of November it was proclaimed in London, under forfeiture of all goods, that no one of the city should sell anything to the earl of Arundel, or provide him with necessities in any way. This deed displeased many, because he was one of the more powerful nobles of the whole land. Also, Michael de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, wickedly and repeatedly advised the king, always, that, leaving the others aside, before all else the earl of Warwick should be killed, for this reason: that it was due to him that those lords, ordered to come to the king, did not come at all because of his wicked persuasion, but wickedly prepared to resist him as rebels. Thus, he said, it was clear that Warwick adhered more to the said lords rebelling in this way than to his king, to whom he ought to render help and support him with all his strength, setting aside all others whatsoever. Also, this earl, together with other lords, namely the duke of Gloucester, the earl of Arundel, the earl of Derby, and the earl of Nottingham, had treacherously conspired for the king’s death or for his deposition, and therefore was plainly proved worthy of death. And indeed, once he had been destroyed, the other lords would not dare raise their horns against the king, because up to this point they had been led, and likewise strengthened, by his judgement, diligence, and counsel.

Sequenti vero die misit rex pro duce Gloucestriæ et comite Arundell ut venirent ad illum. Illi autem excusabant se asserentes eos inimicos capitales juxta latus suum habere et ideo non audebant sibi appropinquare. Igitur præcepto regis xii die Novembris fuit proclamatum Londoniis sub forisfactura omnium bonorum quod nullus de civitate comiti Arundelliæ aliquid venderet seu illi in aliquo necessaria ministraret. Quodque factum multis displieuit eoquod erat unus de valentioribus optimatibus totius terræ. Item Michael de la Pole comes Suffolkiæ nequiter et sæpius semper suasit regi quatinus utcæteris prætermissis ante omnia comes Warwyk oceideretur ista ratione quia per eum stetit quominus illi domini jussi venire ad regem ejus suasu nefario nequaquam venerunt sed ei resistere tanquam rebelles nequiter paraverunt, sicque patet magis illum dictis dominis ita rebellantibus adhærere quam suo regi cui juvamen impenderet et illum pro viribus sustineret cæteris postpositis quibuseunque. Item comes iste cum aliis dominis, scilicet duce Gloucestriæ, comite Arundelliæ, comite Derbeye et comite Notyngham in mortem regis sive in ejus depositionem proditorie conspiravit, igitur dignus morte manifeste probatur. Et profecto eo extincto cæteri domini contra regem erigere cornua non audebant quia ejus sensu et industria atque consilio hucusque sunt ducti pariterque fortificati.