XVIII. Account of King John's Death, from an ancient MS. MR. URBAN, I SEND you herewith, copied from an ancient MS. in my possession, an account of the death of King John, which Rapin rejects, (and his translator after him), because no contemporary writer mentions the same, and on the improbability of a man poisoning himself to be revenged of another. A dissertator on the history of this reign however (whose tract is added to the fifth volume of the last octavo edition) gives very good reasons for receiving this account, which (according to Mr. Tindal) is first mentioned in English by Caxton, a Monk. Whether this MS. history, which is continued down to the beginning of the reign of Edward the third, and comes with internal evidence of being the production of a monkish writer, be written by that Caxton, I leave to some of your ingenious correspondents to deter mine. "The barons of Engelond had so highe partye and helpe thurgh Lowys the kynges sone of Fraunce, that kyng John wist not whider for to turne, ne gone; and so it felle, that he wolde have gon to Nichole,* and as he wente thiderward he come to the abbey of Swyneshened,† and ther he abode ij dayes. And as he sat at mete, he axed a monke of the hows, how meche a lof was worth that was set byfore hym at the table; and the monke seide that the lof was worth but an halfpenny. "O," quod he, " tho here is gret chepe of breed; now," quod the kyng, "& I may lyve such a lof schal be worth xxd. or half yeer be agon." And when he had seyd this word mych he thoghte & oft tyme siked, and nomet & ete of the breed, and seyd, "be God, the word I have spoke it schal be soth." The monke that stood before the kyng, was for this woord fol sory in herte, and thoghte rathere he wold hymselfe souffre pitous deth, and thoght if he myghte ordeigne therefore some maner remedye, And anone the monke went to his abbot, & was schreven§ of hym & told the abbot al that the kyng seyde, and prayed his abbot for to assoyle him, for he wold geve the kyng such a watsayli¶ that all Engelond schuld be glad thereof, *Lincolu. Rapin. § confessed by him. + Swines-head, or Swinstead. to give him absolution. took. Watsayll, wassail or wassel, a Saxon Parase used on drinking healths, literally signifying "Your health," from thence the bowl used on this occasion & joyfull. Tho went the monke into a gardyn, & fonde a gret tode therin; & nome her up, & put her in a cuppe, & filled it with good good ale, & prickked the tode thurgh with a broche* meny tymes, tul that the venyme come out in eche side, in to the cuppe. And tho nome the cuppe & broght it before the kyng, and knelyng seyde, "Sir," quod he, "watsayll, for never dayes of youre lyf ne dronk ye of such a cuppe." "The begynne, monke," quod the kyng; & the monke dranke a gret draught, & toke the kyng the cuppe, & the kyng also dranke a gret draught, and set doun the cuppe. The monke anon right went into the fermery,† & ther dide anon, on whos soule God have mercy. Amen. And fyve monkes syngen for his soule speciallich,‡ & schul while the abbey stant. The kyng aros up anon ful evyl at ese, & commanded to remove the table, and axed after the monke, and men told him that he was dede, for his wombe was broke in sunder. When the kyng herd this tydynge he commanded for to trusse, but al it was for noght for his bely began so to swelle for the drynk that he drank, that he dide withinne ij dayes aftir in the castell of Newerk, and his body was yburyed at Wynchestre.§" 1785, March. XIX. Memoirs of Richard Plantagenet, (a natural Son of King Richard III.) who died 22d Dec. 1550, (4. Edw, VI.) In a Letter from Dr. Thomas Brett to Dr. William Warren, President of Trinity Hall. DEAR WILL, **** Now for the story of Richard Plantagenet. In the year 1720, (I have forgot the particular day, only remember it was about Michaelmas) I waited on the late lord Heneage, earl of Winchelsea, at Eastwell-house, and found him sitting with the register of the parish of Eastwell lying open before him. He told me, that he had been looking there to see who of his own family were mentioned in it. But, says he, I have a curiosity here to show you. was called a wassel-bowl. John being descended from the Saxon race of kings, the monk's address on this occasion was peculiarly flattering, and may be supposed very pleasing to the king. * A spit, or any sharp instrument. It is a French word. + The Infirmary. It should be Worcester. Specially appointed. And then shewed me, and I immediately transcribed it into my almanack, "Richard Plantagenet was buryed the 22d daye of December, anno ut supra. Ex Registro de Eastwell, sub anno 1550." This is all the register mentions of him; so that we cannot say, whether he was buried in the church or church-yard; nor is there now any other memorial of him except the tradition in the family, and some little marks where his house stood. The story my lord told me was this: When sir Thomas Moyle built that house, (Eastwell, Place) he observed his chief bricklayer, whenever he left off work retired with a book. Sir Thomas had curiosity to know what book the man read; but was some time before he could discover it; he still putting the book up if any one came toward him. However, at last, sir Thomas surprised him, and snatched the book from him, and looking into it found it to be Latin. Hereupon, he examined him, and finding he pretty well understood that language, he inquired, how he came by his learning: hereupon, the man told him, as he had been a good master to him, he would venture to trust him with a secret he had never before re vealed to any one. He then informed him, that he was boarded with a Latin school-master, without knowing who his parents were, till he was fifteen or sixteen years old: only a gentleman (who took occasion to acquaint him he was no relation to him) came once a quarter, and paid for his board, and took care to see that he wanted nothing. And, one day, this gentleman took him, and carried him to a fine great house, where he passed through several stately rooms, in one of which he left him, bidding him stay there. Then a man, finely drest with a star and garter, came to him; asked him some questions, talked kindly to him, and gave him some money. Then the fore-mentioned gentleman returned, and conducted him back to his school. Some time after, the same gentleman came to him again, with a horse and proper accoutrements, and told him, he must take a journey with him into the country. They went into Leicestershire, and came to Bosworth field; and he was carried to king Richard III.'s tent. The king embraced him, and told him he was his son. "But, child," says he, to-morrow I must fight for my crown. And, assure yourself, if I lose that, I will lose my life too: but I hope to preserve both. Do you stand in such a place, (directing him to a particular place) where you may see the battle, out of danger. And when I have gained the victory, come to me; I will then own you to be mine, and take care of you. But, if I should be so unfortunate as to lose the battle, then shift as well as you can, and take care to let nobody know that I am your father; for no mercy will be shewed to any one so nearly related to me." Then the king gave him a purse of gold, and dismissed him He followed the king's directions. And, when he saw the battle was lost, and the king killed, he hasted to London, sold his horse and fine clothes; and the better to conceal himself from all suspicion of being son to a king, and that he might have means to live by his honest labour, he put himself apprentice to a bricklayer. But, having a competent skill in the Latin tongue, he was unwilling to lose it; and having an inclination also to reading, and no delight in the conversation of those he was obliged to work with, he generally spent all the time he had to spare in reading by himself. Sir Thomas said, "You are now old, and almost past your labour; I will give you the running of my kitchen as long as you live. He answered, "Sir, you have a numerous family; I have been used to live retired; give me leave to build a house of one room for myself, in such a field, and there, with your good leave, I will live and die." Sir Thomas granted his request; he built his house, and there continued to his death. I suppose (though my lord did not mention it) that he went to eat in the family, and then retired to his hut. My lord said, that there was no park at that time; but when the park was made, that house was taken into it, and continued standing till his (my lord's) father pulled it down. "But," said my lord, "I would as soon have pulled down this house;" meaning Eastwell-place. I have been computing the age of this Richard Plantagenet when he died, and find it to be about 81. For Richard III. was killed August 23, 1485, (which subtracted from 1550, there remains 65) to which add 16 (for the age of Richard Plantagenet at that time), and it makes 81. But, though he lived to that age, he could scarcely enjoy his retirement in his little house above two or three years, or a little more. For I find by Philpot, that sir Thomas Moyle did not purchase the estate of Eastwell, till about the year 1543 or 4. We may therefore reasonably suppose, that, upon his building a new house on his purchase, he could not come to live in it till 1546, but that his workmen were continued to build the walls about his gardens, and other coneniences off from the house. And till he came to live in the house, he could not well have an opportunity of observ ing how Richard Plantagenet retired with his book. So that it was probably towards the latter end of the year 1546, when Richard and Sir Thomas had the fore-mentioned dialogue together. Consequently, Richard could not build his house, and have it dry enough for him to live in, till the year 1547. So that he must be 77 or 78 years of age before he had his writ of ease. *** Spring Grove, Sept. 1, 1733. I am, Dear Brother Will, Your humble Servant, The Story of Richard Plantagenet authenticated. THE anecdote concerning Richard Plantagenet, natural son of our king Richard III. reprinted in your last magazine from Mr. Peck's Desiderata Curiosa, I observe, has been from thence republished in some of the evening papers. A gentleman, however, who signs R. T. in the St. James's Chronicle of August 8, seems to entertain some doubt concerning the authenticity of that story, for he says, "At that time (that is, when the Desiderata Curiosa were published) I was informed that there was not the least foundation for the story, the whole being forged with a view to impose upon the credulity of Mr. Peck, by a person who certainly succeeded, if that was his design." Now, Sir, Dr. Thomas Brett, of Spring Grove, near Eastwell, was the person that penned the story, or that first put down the traditionary account in writing, with a view of obliging his countryman, Dr. William Warren, who was then fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and there resident. Dr. Brett and Dr. Warren, both of whom I well know, were very serious men, and incapable of forming a design of imposing upon any body, in a point of history especially, and this is no more than a piece of justice which I owe to their irreproachable characters. The gentleman goes on," the truth of the relation may be easily established, or refuted, by searching into the register of Eastwell; and therefore if any of your correspondents will give themselves the trouble of inquiring into the reality of this strange and improbable story, it will be esteemed a particular favour by your constant reader," &c. If by the reality of the story, he means the whole of the anecdote, I profess I can neither give, nor |