his enterprise; causing the articles aforesaid to be set vp in the publike streets of the citie of Yorke, and vpon the gates of the monasteries, that ech man might vnderstand the cause that mooued him to rise in armes against the king: the reforming whereof did not yet apperteine vnto him. Herevpon, knights, esquiers, gentlemen, yeomen, and other of the commons, as well of the citie townes and countries about, being allured either for desire of change, or else for desire to see a reformation in such things as were mentioned in the articles, assembled togither in great numbers; and the archbishop, comming foorth amongst them clad in armor, incouraged, exhorted, and (by all meanes he could) pricked them foorth to take the enterprise in hand, and manfullie to continue in their begun purpose; promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to all them, whose hap it was to die in the quarrell: and thus not onelie all the citizens of Yorke, but all other in the countries about, that were able to beare weapon, came to the archbishop, and the earle marshall. In deed, the respect that men had to the archbishop caused them to like the better of the cause, since the grauitie of his age, his integritie of life, and incomparable learning, with the reuerend aspect of his amiable personage, mooued all men to haue him in no small estimation.

"The king, aduertised of these matters, meaning to preuent them, left his iournie into Wales, and marched with all speed towards the north parts. Also Rafe Neuill, earle of Westmerland, that was not farre off, togither with the lord Iohn of Lancaster the kings sonne, being informed of this rebellious attempt, assembled togither such power as they might make, and, togither with those which were appointed to attend on the said lord Iohn to defend the borders against the Scots, (as the lord Henrie Fitzhugh, the lord Rafe Eeuers, the lord Robert Umfreuill, & others,) made forward against the rebels ; and, comming into a plaine within the forrest of Galtree, caused their standards to be pitched downe in like sort as the archbishop had pitched his, ouer against them, being farre stronger in number of people than the other; for (as some write) there were of the rebels at the least twentie thousand men.

"When the earle of Westmerland perceiued the force of the aduersaries, and that they laie still and attempted not to come forward vpon him, he subtillie deuised how to quaile their purpose; and foorthwith dispatched messengers vnto the archbishop to vnderstand the cause as it were of that great

assemblie, and for what cause (contrarie to the kings peace) they came so in a[r]mour. The archbishop answered, that he tooke nothing in hand against the kings peace (cf. IV. ii. 29), but that whatsoeuer he did, tended rather to aduance the peace and quiet of the common-wealth, than otherwise; and where he and his companie were in armes, it was for feare of the king, to whom he could haue no free accesse, by reason of such a multitude of flatterers as were about him; and therefore he mainteined that his purpose to be good & profitable, as well for the king himselfe, as for the realme, if men were willing to vnderstand a truth: & herewith he shewed foorth a scroll, in which the articles were written wherof before ye haue heard.

"The messengers, returning to the earle of Westmerland, shewed him what they had heard & brought from the archbishop. When he had read the articles, he shewed in word and countenance outwardly that he liked (cf. IV. ii. 54) of the archbishops holie and vertuous intent and purpose; promising that he and his would prosecute the same in assisting the archbishop, who, reioising hereat, gaué credit to the earle, and persuaded the earle marshall (against his will as it were) to go with him to a place appointed for them to commune togither. Here, when they were met with like number on either part, the articles were read ouer, and, without anie more adoo, the earle of Westmerland and those that were with him agreed to doo their best, to see that a reformation might be had, according to the same.

"The earle of Westmerland, vsing more policie than the rest: 'Well' (said he) 'then our trauell is come to the wished end; and where our people haue beene long in armour, let them depart home to their woonted trades and occupations: in the meane time let vs drinke togither (cf. IV. ii, 63), in signe of agreement, that the people on both sides maie see it, and know that it is true, that we be light at a point.' They had no sooner shaken hands togither, but that a knight was sent streight waies from the archbishop, to bring word to the people that there was peace concluded; commanding ech man to laie aside his armes, and to resort home to their houses. The people, beholding such tokens of peace, as shaking of hands, and drinking togither of the lords in louing manner, they being alreadie wearied with the vnaccustomed trauell of warre, brake vp their field and returned homewards; but, in the meane time, whilest the people of the archbishops side

withdrew awaie, the number of the contrarie part increased, according to order giuen by the earle of Westmerland; and yet the archbishop perceiued not that he was deceiued, vntill the earle of Westmerland arrested both him and the earle

marshall, with diuerse other. Thus saith Walsingham."

(VI) Another Account.

"But other write somwhat otherwise of this matter; affirming that the earle of Westmerland, in deed, and the lord Rafe Eeuers, procured the archbishop and the earle marshall, to come to a communication with them, vpon a ground iust in the midwaie betwixt both the armies (cf. IV. ii. 226); where the earle of Westmerland in talke declared to them how perilous an enterprise they had taken in hand, so to raise the people, and to mooue warre against the king; aduising them therefore to submit themselues without further delaie vnto the kings mercie, and his sonne the lord Iohn, who was present there in the field with banners spred, redie to trie the matter by dint of sword, if they refused this counsell: and therefore he willed them to remember themselues well; &, if they would not yeeld and craue the kings pardon, he bad them doo their best to defend themselues.

"Herevpon as well the archbishop as the earle marshall submitted themselues vnto the king, and to his sonne the lord Iohn that was there present, and returned not to their armie. Wherevpon their troops scaled and fled their waies; but, being pursued, manie were taken, manie slaine, and manie spoiled of that that they had about them, & so permitted to go their waies. Howsoeuer the matter was handled, true it is that the archbishop, and the earle marshall were brought to Pomfret to the king, who in this meane while was aduanced thither with his power; and from thence he went to Yorke, whither the prisoners were also brought, and there beheaded the morrow after Whitsundaie [June 8, 1405], in a place without the citie: that is to vnderstand, the archbishop himselfe, the earle marshall, sir Iohn Lampleie, and sir William Plumpton. Unto all which persons, though indemnitie were promised, yet was the same to none of them at anie hand performed."

(VII) Sir John Coleville of the Dale.

"At his [Henry's] comming to Durham, the lord Hastings, the lord Fauconbridge, sir Iohn Colleuill of the Dale, and sir

Iohn Griffith, being conuicted of the conspiracie, were there beheaded."

(VIII) Sickness of King Henry the Fourth.

"He [Henry] held his Christmas this yeare at Eltham, being sore vexed with sicknesse, so that it was thought sometime, that he had beene dead: notwithstanding it pleased God that he somwhat recoured his strength againe, and so passed that Christmasse with as much ioy as he might."

(IX) Defeat and Death of Northumberland.

"The earle of Northumberland, and the lord Bardolfe, after they had beene in Wales, in France, and Flanders, to purchase aid against king Henrie, were returned backe into Scotland, and had remained there now for the space of a whole yeare: and, as their euill fortune would, whilest the king held a councell of the nobilitie at London, the said earle of Northumberland and lord Bardolfe, in a dismall houre, with a great power of Scots (cf. IV. iv. 98) returned into England; recouering diuerse of the earls castels and seigniories, for the people in great numbers resorted vnto them. Heerevpon, incouraged with hope of good successe, they entred into Yorkeshire, & there began to destroie the countrie. At their comming to Threske, they published a proclamation, signifieng that they were come in comfort of the English nation, as to releeue the common-wealth; willing all such as loued the libertie of their countrie, to repaire vnto them, with their armor on their backes, and in defensible wise to assist them.

"The king, aduertised hereof, caused a great armie to be assembled, and came forward with the same towards his enimies; but, yer the king came to Notingham, sir Thomas, or (as other copies haue) Rafe Rokesbie, shiriffe of Yorkeshire, assembled the forces of the countrie to resist the earle and his power; comming to Grimbaut brigs, beside Knaresbourgh, there to stop them the passage; but they, returning aside, got to Weatherbie, and so to Tadcaster, and finallie came forward vnto Bramham more, neere to Haizelwood, where they chose their ground meet to fight vpon. The shiriffe was as readie to giue battell as the earle to receiue it, and so, with a standard of S. George spred, set fiercelie vpon the earle, who, vnder a standard of his owne armes, incountred his aduersaries with great manhood. There was a sore incounter and

cruell conflict betwixt the parties, but in the end the victorie fell to the shiriffe. The lord Bardolfe was taken, but sore wounded, so that he shortlie after died of the hurts. As for the earle of Northumberland, he was slaine outright:

This battell was fought the nineteenth day of Februarie [1408]."

(X) Portents preceding the death of King Henry the Fourth.

"In this yeare [1411] and vpon the twelfth day of October, were three flouds in the Thames, the one following vpon the other, & no ebbing betweene) (cf. IV. iv. 125): which thing no man then liuing could remember the like to be seene."

(XI) Prince Henry and the Crown.

1

During this his [Henry IV's] last sicknesse, he caused his crowne (as some write) to be set on a pillow at his beds head; and suddenlie his pangs so sore troubled him, that he laie as though all his vitall spirits had beene from him departed. Such as were about him, thinking verelie that he had beene departed, couered his face with a linnen cloth.

"The prince, his sonne, being hereof aduertised, entered into the chamber, tooke awaie the crowne, and departed. The father, being suddenlie reuiued out of that trance, quicklie perceiued the lacke of his crowne; and, hauing knowledge that the prince his sonne had taken it awaie, caused him to come before his presence, requiring of him what he meant so to misuse himselfe. The prince, with a good audacitie, answered: Sir, to mine and all mens iudgements you seemed dead in this world; wherefore I, as your next heire apparant, tooke that as mine owne, and not as yours.' Well, faire sonne,' (said the king with a great sigh), 'what right I had to it, God knoweth.' 'Well' (said the prince), 'if you die king, I will haue the garland, and trust to keepe it with the sword against all mine enemies, as you have done.' Then said the king, 'I commit all to God, and remember you to doo well.' With that he turned himselfe in his bed, and shortlie after departed to God in a chamber of the abbats of Westminster called

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1 Boswell-Stone cites Monstrelet's Chroniques: comme il est accoutumé de faire au pays,” the crown was placed "sur une couche assez près de lui” [Henry].