striction he was detained to answer the charges against him in the next parliament. Henry was not a merciless conqueror. Though sometimes suffering ungenerous feelings to prevail, he took no delight in the blood of his opponents, and seldom lifted the axe to strike, until more gentle methods to subdue hostility had failed. The fraud and perfidy with which he had won the crown were not followed by an indiscriminate slaughter so usually the close attendant of an usurper's reign; the executions which took place under his government were rather acts of necessity than of revenge; where he could pardon without danger the royal clemency was never withheld. CHAP. VII. Northumberland, notwithstanding his deep involvement in the late conspiracy, escaped with life. On the meeting of parliament he presented a peti- 1404. tion to the king, wherein he confessed that he had infringed the law by gathering retainers and arraying them in his livery, but entreated Henry to remember that he had obeyed his commands in appearing before him at York, where he had received a gracious promise of mercy. The king without seeking other and more fatal evidence against him, allowed his nobles to pronounce judgment upon those offences only which the earl had acknowledged his guilt was adjudged to be merely that of a trespass, subject to a fine at the pleasure of the king, and this penalty was remitted upon his taking the oaths of fealty and allegiance to Henry, his four sons, and their issue. The failure of this powerful and well concerted VII. CHAP. enterprize, menaced the fortunes of the Mortimers with utter ruin, yet there still remained a party in England who in despite of the king's recent successes secretly cherished hopes of ultimately triumphing over the proud house of Lancaster, Henry's popularity was even now upon the wane, the constant demand for taxes which the unwearied attempts of his enemies obliged him to make, disgusted the people with a government which they had vainly hoped would have relieved them from the odious burthens imposed by his predecessor. He had manifested a desire to enrich himself with the spoils of the church,* and had endeavoured to resume certain grants of the crown to the great indignation of both clergy and laity, naturally tenacious of their possessions and resentful of so invidious a stretch of the royal prerogative. The licentious insolence of the lower orders of friars had compelled the king to acts of unwonted severity towards the priesthood, hitherto protected by their habit from the disgraceful punishment allotted to traitors; and thus a murmuring spirit was disseminated throughout all classes, men were induced to pry into the reigning monarch's title, and to pronounce it to "be too indirect for long continuance." The release of the young Earl of March and his brother became an object of great importance to the disaffected, who required a pretext for their perpetual conspiracies, and were compelled to spread reports of the exist ence of Richard as an incentive to rebellion. A Fumour of the late king's escape into Scotland, revived the hopes of the credulous. • Walsingham. VII. The privy seal of the deposed prince had been CHAP. counterfeited by his chamberlain, and annexed to letters dispatched in his name to his partizans in England. The old Countess of Oxford, mother of the unhappy favourite the Duke of Ireland, had distributed Harts of gold and silver (the cognizance usually assumed by Richard's adherents) to his friends and favourers, and more than one person had been induced to personate the deceased king. These artifices were detected and exposed by Henry's unceasing vigilance; and the device growing stale, the enemies of the government were compelled to have recourse to other and more efficient measures. The widow of Lord Le Despencer, a nobleman distinguished for his zealous attachment to his unfortunate master, who had been executed at Bristol by the citizens for his too faithful adherence to a ruined cause, ventured upon a bold attempt to liberate the captive Mortimers. She procured false keys to their 1405. apartments in Windsor castle, and succeeded in conveying them out of their prison; but here fortune deserted them, they were pursued and brought back ere they could reach the frontiers of Wales. The lady was examined before the council, and actuated either by fear or resentment declared her brother, late Earl of Rutland and now by the death of his father Duke of York, to be implicated in the plot. Notorious for his intriguing spirit and his dexterous evasions from his fellow conspirators upon the slightest prospect of failure, he denied all participation in this daring project. Lady Le Despencer persisted in her charge, offering to prove its truth by the sword of any knight or esquire who could VII. Mar. 12. * CHAP. be found to wage battle in her cause, and to submit to death at the stake should her champion be overthrown. William Maidstone one of her esquires, immediately declared his readiness to engage the duke in single combat in defence of the lady's honour, and the accused threw down his hood in the hall in token that he accepted the challenge. The king however refused his consent to this approved mode of deciding a disputed point, and seizing the duke's estates cast him into prison, where he remained until the successive triumphs of the crown rendered the disaffection of this restless prince a matter of little moment, and he was set free. The unfortunate locksmith† employed upon this occasion was the only person who suffered the penalty of death, for faithful to his trust, or ignorant of the contrivers of the plot, he made no discovery. Had the scheme succeeded the disaffected would have doubtless rallied round the Earl of March; they were now compelled to seek another leader, and so deadly was their animosity against the king that they flung themselves headlong into danger, and unappalled by the difficulties of the enterprize only sought to disturb a government which they could scarcely hope to overturn. CHAPTER VIII. Revolt of the Nobles-Triumph of Prince John of Lancaster-The Archbishop of York is taken Prisoner-upright Conduct of Gascoigne the Prelate is beheaded—Northumberland implores Aid from France and Scotland-Reduction of Berwick-The Confederates fly to Wales-Depression of Owen Glendor's Fortunes-Refusal of the Parliament to grant Supplies—Rebellion again breaks forth in the North-Battle of Brenham Moor-Death of Bardolph and Northumberland-Advantages gained by the House of CommonsHenry's Subserviency to the Clergy-their persecuting Spirit-Accession of Henry V.-Youthful Follies of the King-Re-interment of Richard II.-Martial Temper of the King-Melancholy Situation of Charles VI.-Faction in France-Henry claims the Crown of France-Acquiescence of Edward Mortimer-Negotiation with France-Liberal Grant of the Parliament-The King determines to appeal to the Sword-Discovery of Treason-Execution of Cambridge and Scroope-Departure of the Expedition-Capture of Harfleur-Henry V.'s hazardous March-Battle of AzincourtDefeat of the French-Anecdotes of the Battle-Joy of the English -Henry's Reception in England-his prosperous Fortune-Assassi nation of the Duke of Burgundy-Henry appointed Regent of France-Inhuman Execution of Lord Cobham-Zeal of the Lollards -Death of Henry. L VIII. HENRY at a great council which he held at St. CHAP. Alban's had the mortification to find his nobles generally adverse to his wishes. Lord Bardolph, one of the most strenuous of his opponents, hastened to |