Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum nonum.

THENNE the duc of Lancastre, Erle of Derby, named Henry Bolyngbroke, was crowned kyng of Englond at Westmynstre on saynt Edwardes day Confessour. Thenne made the kynge his oldest sonne Henry prynce of Wales, Duke of Cornewayle and Erle of Chestre; he made Syre Thomas of Arondel Arche|bisshop of Caunterbury as he was byfour. And he that was made Archebisshop by kynge Rychard, he made hym Bisshop of London, and he made the Erlis sonne of Arondel to be put in possession of all his londes. In the fyrst yere of his regne he helde his Crystemas at Wyndesore. And on the twelvthe even the duk of Aumarle tolde the kyng how the duc of Surrey, the Duc of Excetre, the erle of Salesbury, & therle of Gloucetre, with other of theyr affynyte, were accorded to make a mommynge to the kyng, and soo for to slee hym in the revelynge. Wherfore the kyng the same nyght cam prively to London, and anon these lordes that had purposed to have

made this mommery, vnderstode that theyr counseylle was be|wrayed, anone with theyr people wente westward. And at Sysseter the duke of Surrey and the erle of Salesbury were taken and biheded, & their heedes sette on London brydge; and at Oxenford were taken two knyghtes, Blount and sir Benette Sely, and Wintercele a squyer, whiche were byheded and quartred, and their heedes sette on London bridge, and the quartres sente to other goode townes. And at Prithwell in Estsex, Sire Iohan Holonde, Duck of Excetre, was taken with the comons of the countreye, and his heede smyten of, and sente to London, and sette on London bridge. Also at Bristowe was take the lorde Spencer, that was made by kinge Richard erle of Gloucetre, and biheded, and his heede sent to London and sette on London bridge. In the same yere Sire Bernarde Brokeis, Sir Iohan Selley, Syr Iohan Mawdelyn and Syr William Ferby were taken and sette in the Tour. And after by iugemente were hanged and byheded, and theyr heedes sette on London bridge. Whanne kyng Henry sawe that these lordes thus hadde rysen, and assemblyd greete peple to have putte hym to deth, and for to restore kynge Richard ageyne to his crowne and to his royamme, thoughte teschue suche peryls, anone commaunded Sir Pyers of Exton that he shold goo strayte to Pountfreyte and delyver the worlde of kynge Rychard. And soo he departed fro the kynge, and wente to the castel of Pountfret, where as kynge Rychard was in prysonne, the whiche was sette at table for to dyne. And anone after Syre Pyers cam in to the chambre where the kynge was, and eyghte men with hym, and eche man an axe in his hond. Trouth it is, whan the kyng sawe Sir Pyers with his felaushippe entre in to the chambre defensably arayed, he shoof the table from hym, and sprange into the myddes of hem, & raughte an axe oute of one of theyr hondes, and sette hym self valyauntly at defence. And hym self defendynge, he slowe foure of the eyghte. And whanne the sayde Syre Pyers sawe the kynge soo defende hym, he was soore abasshed and gretely aferde. And forthwith sterte vpon the place where as kyng Rychard was wonte to sytte. And as kynge Rychard foughte and defended hym self goynge bacwarde, the sayd Syre Pyers smote hym on the heede with his axe that he fyll to grounde. Thenne cryed kynge Rychard God mercy. And thenne he gafe hym yet another stroke on the heede, and soo he deyde. And thus was thys noble kynge slayne and murthred. And whanne the kynge was deede the knyght that hadde thus slayne hym sette hym doune by the deede bodye of kynge Rychard, and byganne to wepe, saynge, "Alas! what thynge have we doone? we have putte to deth hym that hath ben oure kynge and soverayne lord two and twenty yere. Now have I lost myn honour. Ne I shal never come in place but

I shal be reproched. For I have done ageynst myn honour." After this the twelvest daye of Marche was the bodye of the noble kyng Rychard broughte thurgh London to Powlus, whiche corps was leyd on a charyotte coveryd with black and four baners, wherof tweyne were of the armes of saynt George, and tweyne of the armes of Saynt Edward. And there were an honderd men clothed in black, eche berynge a torche. And the cyte of London hadde thyrtty men in whyte, eche beryng also a torche. And the corps was leyd open the vysage, that every man myght see and knowe that it was hys body, and that he was soo deede. For many men bylevyd it not. And from thennes he was caryed to the Frerys at Langley, and there he was buryed. On whoos sowle God have mercy. Amen.

The comyn oppynyon of Englysshmen is that kynge Rychard deyde not after the maner a foresayd, but that he deyde other wyse. That is to wete that whanne he herde saye that his brother the Duc of Excetre, the Duc of Surrey, the Erle of Salysbury, and the other lordes were deede, he was soo angry and soo sorowfull that he swore that he wolde never eete meete, and soo abode foure dayes withoute etynge as they saye. And whanne that kynge Henry vnderstode that he wolde not ete, he sent to hym two prelates for to comforte hym. And whan they were come he confessyd hym to one of them, the whiche gaf hym in penaunce that he sholde ete his mete. And whanne he supposed to have eten, the meete myght not goo doune ne avale in to his stomake; For the conduytes of his bodye were shronken to geder And thenne sayde the noble kynge Rychard that it was done, and that he muste nedes deye; and soo he deyde. But certes, whether he deyde this waye or that other, certaynly he deyde, and was buryed at Langley. God have mercy on his sowle. Amen.

And thenne was kynge Harry peasly kyng. Thenne he fonde in kynge Rychardes tresorye nyne honderd thousande noblis, withoute iewellys and vessels, whiche was as moche worth or more. And ther was founden in the tresorers kepynge of Englonde an honderde and fyfty thousand nobles, and iewels and vessell as moche or more. And thus kynge Henry hadde all his goodes.

Item. This same yere kynge Harry sente hoome ageyne kynge Rychardys wyf Quene Isabel vnto the kynge of Fraunce, her fader, and he putte her from her dowayre.