The answer of the lords & their gréefes.
The king reprooueth the lords dooings.
The lords for answer héerevnto said, that “they assembled their forces togither, for the profit both of the king and realme, and speciallie to take awaie from him such traitors as remained continuallie about him; to wit, Robert de Veer duke of Ireland, Alexander Neuill archbishop of Yorke, Michaell de la Poole erle of Suffolke, Robert Trisilian that false iustice, and sir Nicholas Brambre, that disloiall knight of London: for so they tearmed them all. And to prooue their accusations true, they threw downe their gloues, protesting by their oths to prosecute it by battell.” “Naie (saith the king) not so, but in the next parlement, which we doo appoint before hand to begin the morrow after the Purification of our ladie, both they and you appearing, shall receiue (according to law) all that which reason shall appoint. And now to you my lords I speake, by what meane or by what reason durst you so presumptuouslie take vpon you within this my land to rise thus against me? Did you thinke to feare me with such your presumptuous boldnesse? Haue I not armed men sufficient to haue beaten you downe, compassed about like a sort of deere in a toil? If I would: trulie in this behalfe I make no more account of you, than of the vilest skullions in my kitchen.”
The king taketh both parties into his protection.
Grafton.
When he had said these words, with much more, he lift vp the duke of Glocester that all this while knéeled afore him, and commanded the residue to rise also. After this he led them courteouslie to his chamber, where they sate and dranke togither. And finallie it was concluded, that they should all méet togither againe at the next parlement, and ech one to receiue according to iustice: and in the meane time the king tooke aswell the duke of Glocester, as the duke of Ireland into his protection, so that neither part in the meane time should hurt the other, nor presume to make any gathering of people vntill the time prefixed: and so this councell brake vp, and the lords departed. These things yet were doone in absence of the forenamed persons whom the lords accused, for they durst not appeare in presence of the lords; for if they had béene espied, they had smarted for it, as was thought, without any respect that would haue béene had of the kings presence. And now, for somuch as it should be well knowne through all the citie, that these lords had nothing offended him with their comming, the king caused a proclamation to be made, the tenour whereof was as followeth. |788|
A proclamation clearing the lords of treason.
RICHARD by the grace of God, &c. We will that it be knowne to all our liege people throughout our realme of England, that whereas Thomas duke of Glocester, Richard earle of Arundell, & Thomas earle of Warwike, haue beene defamed of treason by certeine of our councellors; we as it apperteineth diligentlie searching the ground & cause of this defamation, find no such thing in them, nor any suspicion thereof: wherfore we declare the same defamation to be false, and vntrue, and doo receiue the same duke and earles into our speciall protection. And bicause these accusers shall be notoriouslie knowne, their names are Alexander archbishop of Yorke, sir Robert Veere duke of Ireland, Michaell de la Poole earle of Suffolke, Robert Trisilian lord chiefe iustice, and sir Nicholas Brambre of London knight, who in like case shall remaine till the next parlement and there shall stand to their answers. But in the meane time we likewise take them into our protection, streictlie charging and commanding, that no maner of person charge any of the forenamed, either priuilie or apertlie, in word or deed, to hurt them, or or cause any hurt to be doone to them, but all quarels & demands against them to be remitted, vntill the next parlement prefixed.
Now to haue all things in more perfect readinesse and remembrance when the estates should be assembled, certeine of the lords were appointed to sit in the meane time, to deuise how they might procéed orderlie in redresse of such matters, as séemed to require some spéedie reformation: neither did they thinke it good to depart in sunder, for feare to be intrapped through the malicious practise of their aduersaries. Which doubt of theirs seemed afterwards to stand them in stéed of great wisedome. For immediatlie after, their said aduersaries came to the king, and declared how they were dailie in danger of their liues, by reason of the malice which the lords had conceiued against them onelie for the kings sake, and not for any matter of their owne. And whereas the king had promised that they should appeare at the next parlement, which was at hand, they told him plainelie that they neither durst nor would put their bodies in such manifest danger. The king considering hereof, withdrew himselfe from the companie of the lords that were assigned to sit at London, to deliberate of matters that were to be talked of and ordered in the parlement; and so that councell was deferred and laid aside: and the kings councellors that stood in danger of their liues through the malice of the lords confederated with the duke of Glocester, got them from the court, and withdrew some into this place and some into that.
The earle of Suffolke fléeth ouer to Calis.