Historic%20Yorkshire

78
THE FALL AND DEATH OF RICHARDII.
deserted him before he could execute a single measure;
and now whollydespairing,he stole away from those who
remained, and hid himself in the Isle of Anglesea,
intendingprobablyto embark thence for France, there to
await a changein the tideof fortune whichmight tend to
restorehim hisnow practicallylost crown. HenryBolingbroke,
to obviateanyuneasiness for thefuture, determined
to take possession of Richard's person,and commissioned
the Earl of Northumberland to go to Richard, assuring
him of Lancaster's loyal feeling towards him. Richard
was thus persuaded to accompany Northumberland, or
rather was seized upon, for he was conveyed to Flint
Castle, where Lancaster awaitedhim. Now commenced
the solemn farce in which Lancaster posed as the protector
of Richard,while he was reallyhis gaoler. He was
so conveyedto London, where the citizens heaped curses
upon the head of their defencelessking, and received his
captor with expressions of the most unbounded affection
and allegiance. It is even said that the people, through
the Recorder of London, advised the immediateputting
to death of Richard; but Lancaster, wishing to give all
his acts some show oflegal authority, compelled Richard
to summon a Parliament, before which he was accused
on thirty-three different charges. With one exception,
that of the Bishop of Carlisle, in the House of Commons,
the voice of Parliament was against Richard. He was
declared deposed, and Lancaster came forward, even
though he had so shortlybefore declared that his aimwas
simply the recovery of his rights, and challenged the-
Crown that he was the rightfulheir; and he was crowned
with the utmost pomp of the ceremonial.
Richard,inthe meantime, was a prisonerinthe Tower;
but plots and revolts speedily arising on his account, it
was deemed advisable to remove him. Lancaster,now
Henry IV., sent the Earl of Northumberland, who had
already borne so base a part, to the peers to ask their
advice as to the future disposal of the deposed monarch,
with the addition of remarking that Henry was resolved