02.03.2013 Views

Historic%20Yorkshire

Historic%20Yorkshire

Historic%20Yorkshire

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Chapter xii.<br />

THE FALL AND DEATH OF RICHARD II.<br />

REAT changes were takingplacein oldEngland<br />

in 1399. A banished nobleman returning to<br />

his native country, andwith but a followingof<br />

sixty men, not onlyregaining his inheritance,<br />

but,by thesympathyand assistancehe gained.<br />

takingviolent possession of the crown itself, is a<br />

El/ sight which excites theutmost surprise. Let us see<br />

how such circumstances came about. Richard of<br />

Bordeaux, having rendered himself unpopular by his<br />

misgovernment of the nationand fondness for favourites,<br />

his uncle, the bold and ambitious Duke of Gloucester,<br />

possessed himself of the reins of power by forcing his<br />

nephew to appoint a Commissionfor the managementof<br />

national business; but on Richard attaining the age of<br />

twenty-two,he threw off theyoke ofGloucesterby taking<br />

advantage of a full Council to declare openly that he<br />

should for the future act byhis ownjudgment. Gloucester<br />

was shortly after arrested and sent to Calais, where it is<br />

supposed that he was murdered by his nephew's order.<br />

Those nobles who had, in a more or less degree, been<br />

partakers in the seizure ofpowerby Gloucesterwere next<br />

the object of the King's lawless resentment. Among<br />

those who had reason to fear this were the Duke of<br />

Norfolk and Henry Bolingbroke,Duke of Hereford, son<br />

of John of Gaunt. It wouldappear that the former had<br />

put some inquiries to Bolingbroke as to the best method<br />

of avertingthe dangersof the King's anger. Bolingbroke,<br />

however, betrayed the communication to the King,<br />

openly accusing Norfolk of high treason. Richard,

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!