Betrayal and Death of King Richard II Appendix C is in Betrayal and Death of King Richard II.
MS. Harleian 1989. fol. 381. (Randal Holmes' Collection.) Entitled The Antiquitys, the Earls, the Bishops, &c. of the City of Chester.
Several conjectural amendments have been made in the transcript: much yet remains very doubtful. The MS. is very corrupt. 1399.
In the twenty-second year of the reign of King Richard II [1399], Henry, Duke of Hereford, returned from France, and about the feast of St John the Baptist [24 June 1399] he easily seized England, for when the shepherd is absent with the hounds, the wolf easily leaps into the sheepfold. Contrary to the nature of the bull, as he said, he came to scatter the court, claiming the right of his inheritance. And Thomas Arundel, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, together with their supporters, came in despite their oaths. All the wasters, robbers, and those who had previously been exiled, by the arrival of this duke were recalled to peace without royal charters, without paying any money. And nearly all the castles throughout England, by various stratagems of the aforesaid men, were seized and occupied for the use of the duke. The Northerners gathered, and from the parts of Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire many nobles and bold men in war flocked to him; so that as he passed with strong hand through the middle of England, pursuing the loyal as if they were traitors, his army grew daily like the sand of the sea. At length, in Bristol Castle, William Scrope, Earl of Wiltshire, was captured and beheaded.1 Likewise Henry Green and John Bussy perished by the same penalty, though they had stood with the rightful King. Thence, returning through Gloucester, Hereford, Leominster, and Ludlow, when they drew near to Shrewsbury, it is reported that their host numbered more than two hundred thousand of all sorts, more of the wicked than of the good. In the same fashion they advanced towards Chester, against whose townsmen nearly all bore hatred. Shouting Havoc over that city and its county, they passed on. But since no word had been heard of King Richard, nor was he able to resist with strong hand, seeing that all the borders of England had gone over to his enemies, then certain rivals of the truth, whose names I do not at present choose to record, gave themselves up to the said duke and offered him the keys in words, for they were not of our sheepfold. Moreover, the aforesaid duke with his army came on the vigil of St Lawrence [9 August] to the city of Chester, and God knows with what mind he was received by the citizens.
ANNO regni Regis Ricardi Secundi vicesimo secundo, Henricus dux Herefordiæ pausavit in Francia, et circa festum Sancti Johannis Baptistæ levi manu Angliam recepit, quia absente pastore cum canibus lupus leviter in ovile ovium transcendit contra naturam tauri dispergere curiam, ut dixit jus suæ hæreditatis vendicaturus. Et Thomas Aurendell cum archiepiscopo Cantuariensi, cum eorum fautoribus, contra eorum juramenta venerunt. Omnes vispiliones, latrones, et qui antea fuerunt exulati, per adventum istius ducis ad pacem sine cartis regiis, sine nummo, sunt revocati; et universa castella fere per totam Angliam, diversis cautelis [pre] dictorum, ad opus ducis capta et occupata fuerunt. Convenerunt illi Boreales, et de partibus Lancastriæ, Derbeiæ, et Staffordiæ multi nobiles et in bellis audaces; ita ut tam manu forti per medium Angliæ transeundo, fideles quasi proditores insequentes, exercitus velut arena maris in dies crescebat. Demum in castello Bristollii Willielmus Scroup comes Wiltoniæ captus et decapitatus est.1 Item Henricus Grene, Johannes Busshy eadem pœna interierunt, qui cum justo Rege tenuerunt. Abinde revertentes per Glosteriam, Herfordiam, Lemysteriam, Ludlow, cum Salopiæ appropinquassent, in eis exercitu ultra ducentena millia universorum, plures pravorum quam bonorum, fuisse referunt, sicque consimiliter versus Cestriam, que omnes fere odium contra Cestrenses habuere, Havoke super eam et ejus comitatum proclamato, transivit. Cum vero rumores de Rege Ricardo se non audivisse, nec manu forti resistere valuisse, eo quod universi fines Angliæ post eum abierunt, tunc quidam veritati æmuli, [quorum] nomina ad præsens referre nolo, se duci prædicto reddiderunt, et claves per verba obtulerunt, quia hi de nostro ovili non fuerunt. Præterea dux prædictus cum exercitu suo in vigilia Sancti Laurentii ad civitatem Cestriæ devenit, et Deus scit quo animo a civibus receptus.
Note 1. "Quia castellum de Caleys pro immensa pecuniæ recepta summa Regi Franciæ vendiderat." i.e. "Because he had sold the castle of Calais to the King of France for an immense sum of money received." (Continuation of the Croyland Chronicle, p. 494, Oxon. 1684.)
When peace had been granted, and proclaimed at the High Cross, he caused it to be proclaimed that none should kill, burn, or plunder, nor take anything except food for themselves and their beasts.
Pace vero concessa, et ad altam crucem proclamata, ne occiderent, incenderent, seu spoliarent, nec quicquam acciperent, nisi victualia sibi et jumentis, proclamare fecit.
These wasters, doing the contrary, both within the city and outside, took great spoils and everywhere plundered the whole country. And by stealth they carried off the consecrated wine, which they poured out after knocking the heads out of the casks; and as for the treasure, and everything hidden in the ground, they seized it everywhere.
Isti vispiliones contrarium facientes, tam infra civitatem quam extra, magna spolia accipientes circumquaque totam patriam deprædaverunt et furtive sanctum abduxerunt vinum, quod excussis doliorum capitibus effuderunt; thesaurum vero et universa in terra abscondita usque[quaque] abstulerunt.
In that same year indeed they laid waste the flocks, they killed old men and youths in the fields and pastures, and left their bodies lying there as if they were mere carcasses. Ladders, chests, harrows, and other implements necessary for the farmers in their houses and for country work they burned everywhere, and for that reason they incurred the curse of God, etc.
Anno etiam vero devastabant pecudes, senes et juvenes in campis et pascuis occiderunt, et ibidem quasi cadavera jacere permiserunt; scalas, cistas, herpicas, et alia utensilia agricolis necessaria in domibus, necessaria ruralibus, ubique combusserunt, et propterea maledictionem Dei incurrerunt, etc.
[10th August 1399] At that time the head of Peter de Leigh [aged 79], by the duke's judgment without cause, was cut off and set upon the east gate of Chester, on whose soul may God have mercy!, and his body was buried in the church of the Carmelite Friars at Chester.
But in the following year, when the commons rose up against the magnates on account of the tallage, the head was buried together with the body.
Quo in tempore caput Petri de Leigh judicio ducis sine causa est abscissum et super portam orientalem Cestriæ positum, cujus animæ propitietur Deus! et corpus sepultum in ecclesia Fratrum Carmelitarum Cestriæ.
In anno vero sequente communibus insurgentibus contra magnates propter tallagium, caput cum corpore sepelitur.
In the same year, about the feast of St Peter in Chains [1st August 1399], King Richard was in Ireland, and hearing of the treacherous insurrection hastened by the aforesaid duke [Henry of Lancaster], he was for a long time hindered by foolish counsel, until his adversary had stirred up the whole realm against him. At last he crossed over and came to Carmarthen1 in Wales, but when his army was scattered only a few remained with the King. The said King had indeed seven valiant and noble esquires from the county of Chester, and to each of them about eighty chosen household men were specially assigned, who guarded the King's watches with great axes. Their names are these: John de Legh of Booths, Thomas Cholmondeley, Rafe Davenport, Adam Bostock, John Downes, Thomas Beston, Thomas Holford.2 These men bore the royal badges on their shoulders, a white hart as though rising again. But evil rumour was spread abroad among the people of the White Harts, for which cause the innocent King, without deserving it, fell fatally into the hatred of his commons. Moreover, as has been said, when the King heard of the great host of the duke, and that well-nigh the whole world had gone after him, in the middle of the night, with only fifteen of his closest household attending him, he secretly departed to the castle of Harlech, then to Caernarfon, to Beaumaris, and to Conway, and in these places, now in one, now in another, he lay in expectation. Rising in the morning, the steward of the royal household, finding that the King had gone, deceitfully broke his staff of office, and warned every man to save himself; and so almost all were scattered. Spoiled by the Welsh, each one with hardship made his way back to his own home.
Eodem anno circa festum ad Vincula Sancti Petri Rex Ricardus in Hibernia, audiens insurrectionem ducis prædicti proditiose festinatam, diu per insanum consilium impeditus fuit, donec ejus adversarius totum regnum contra ipsum suscitaverat; tandem transmeavit et ad Carmarthyn devenit in Wallia, dispersoque exercitu pauci cum Rege permanserunt. Habuit quidem Rex prædictus septem armigeros valentes et generosos de comitatu Cestriæ, et cuilibet eorum circa octoginta vernaculos electos specialiter deputatos, excubias Regis cum magnis securibus custodientes. Nomina vero eorum hæc sunt, Johannes de Legh del Bothes, Thomas Cholmeley, Rafe Davenport, Adam Bostock, Johannes Downe, Thomas Bestone, Thomas Holford: isti vero signa regalia in scapulis, album cervum quasi resurgentem, deferebant. Albeis siquidem mala fama in populo ventilabat; ob quam rem Rex innocens in odium suorum communium letaliter sine merito inciderat. Insuper, ut dictum est, cum Rex audiret de copioso exercitu ducis, et quasi mundus totus post eum abiit, media nocte, comitantibus solummodo quindecim de familiarioribus, secrete exivit ad castrum de Hardleigh, de Caernarvon, de Beaumaris, et de Conway, et in istis, nunc in uno, nunc in alio, præstolabatur. Mane assurgens senescallus domus regiæ inveniens eis Regem recessisse, virgam fregit deceptorie, et ut quilibet seipsum salvaret monuit; sicque dispersi fere sunt omnes: a Wallensibus spoliati, unusquisque cum labore ad sua remeabat.
Note 1. The MSS. Reg. 13. c. 1, and Sloane 1776, state that Richard landed at Cardech castle.
Note 2. John Legh of Booths, Thomas Cholmondeloy, Adam Bostock, Thomas Bestone, and Thomas Holford, were excepted from pardon by Henry IV on account of their attachment to Richard. Rot. Parl. 1 Hen. IV. p. 7, m. 28.
Meanwhile, when the duke heard that the King was awaiting him at Conway, he sent envoys to persuade him to come of his own accord before the duke, using the crafty counsel of old men, pleading hereditary rights and promising safety to the commons.
Interea dux Regem audiens apud Conway præstolari misit legationem ut se sponte duci tunc senes callo jura hæreditaria et communibus secure præsentaret.
Then, chiefly through the mediation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Northumberland, and upon their oath sworn on the body of Christ that King Richard should remain in his royal power and lordship, they promised him this; and on that condition, three days later, he of his own will delivered himself to them. But with the other conditions in no way kept, and all of them reduced to nothing, they remained together at Flint Castle. Then their fair promises failed, for they treated their lord almost as a captive, like a servant, and so they hastened through Chester and its county towards London. At that time the royal badges, both harts and crowns, were laid aside in concealment. Hence it was believed that the esquires of the Duke of Lancaster, wearing collars like those of hounds, had been marked out by certain supporters for the destruction of the insolence of the beast, the White Hart, for a year beforehand.
Tunc mediatione præcipue archiepiscopi Cantuariensis et comitis Northumbriæ, et super sacrum Christi jurati quod Rex Ricardus staret in suo regali potestate et dominio promiserunt, et in hac conditione triduo postea ad eos spontanea voluntate se transmisit, et cum aliis conditionibus minime retentis se omnibus in nihilum redactis, apud castrum de Flint simul obmanerunt, tunc pulchra promissa defecerunt, quia suum dominum quasi captivum ut servum tractaverunt, sicque per Cestriam et ejus comitatum versus London properabant. Tunc quidem erant signa regalia, tam cervi quam coronæ, sub abscondito posita; unde creditur quod armigeri ducis Lancastriæ deferentes collistrigia quasi leporarii ad destruendum insolenciam missæ bestiæ, albi cervi per annum præsignati sunt quodam fautorum.
In that same year, on the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel [29 September], Parliament was held at London, where it was declared to the King that he must be deposed, and how greatly both the nobles and the commons were prepared to accuse him. He begged, as has been said, to enter Parliament humbly; and, the crown of the realm laid upon the ground, he resigned his right to God.
Quo etiam anno in festo Sancti Michaelis Archangeli factum est parliamentum apud London, ubi intimatum est Regi pro ejus depositione, in quantis tam proceres quam plebeiani eum accusare disponebant: unum parliamentum intrare humiliter ut dictum est rogavit, et, corona regni super humo posita, Deo jus suum resignavit.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In the same year in Parliament, Henry, the first-born son of King Henry, was led out of captivity, he who by King Richard had there been held in safe keeping, and he was created heir apparent of the realm, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Earl of Chester.
Eodem anno in parliamento Henricus primogenitus Regis Henrici de libernia ductus, qui quidem Henricus per Regem Ricardum ibidem in secura custodia fuerat reclusus, ordinatus est hæres apparens regni, princeps Walliæ, dux Cornubiæ, et comes Cestriæ.
In the year 1400, a certain evildoer and rebel with his accomplices, a Welshman of the stock of the Britons, whose name indeed was Owain of Glendower, pretending that by the right of his forefathers he was Prince of Wales, plundered and burned the English towns in Wales, Conway, Ruthin, Oswestry, and others both walled and unwalled; which land of Wales, indeed, is known to have been conquered in the time of King Edward the First.
Anno Mºcccc. quidam maleficus et rebellis cum suis complicibus, Wallensium de genere Brittonum, cujus siquidem nomen Owinus de Glendore erat, fingens se jure progenitorum suorum principem Walliæ fore, villas Angligenas [sic] in Wallia, et Conway, Ruthyn, Oswaldestre, et alias tam muratas quam nudas, spoliavit et incendit; quæ quidem terra Wallia tempore Regis Edwardi primi conquesta fore dinoscitur.