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1402, and in 1405 by Creton, an emissary of his wife, Isabella of France; that he was found by him in a state of mental imbecility, occasioned by grief for the tragical fate of his friends, and that the story of his murder at Pomfret was subsequently devised to serve the political views of the duke of Burgundy (the actual ruler of France in consequence of the illness of Charles VI.). That some one existed in Scotland who for many years was ordinarily taken for King Richard is evident from the accounts of the chamberlain of that kingdom, which speak of the expenses of the "custody of King Richard of England" as late as 1417; in the same year Henry V. alludes to the "mammet" (impostor) " of Scotland," in a manner which is conceived to shew that the term was dishonestly employed; and several Scottish chroniclers speak of his death at Stirling in 1419: one saying he died "a beggar and out of his mind," and another giving his epitaph.

In 1382 Richard married Anne of Bohemia, sister of the emperor Wenceslaus, who exerted herself to calm the animosities and jealousies which reigned in his court, and thus earned the title of the "good Queen Anne;" she died in 1394, much lamented. Two years after he married Isabella, daughter of Charles VI. of France, a child of seven years of age, and thus put an end to

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' After his deposition she returned to France, and though declared free from all matrimonial ties, on account of her youth, she, according to the French chronicles, manifested much affection for Richard she resolutely refused to acknowledge Henry of Lancaster as king, attempted more than once to land in England, or to join Richard in Scotland, and apparently only married the duke of Orleans (June, 1406) when deceived by a false account of his death. She died Sept. 13, 1409.

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the war which had now (with a few intervals of illobserved truce) for more than fifty years existed between the two nations. He left no issue.

Richard bore in the early part of his reign the arms of England quartered with those of France, but afterwards he impaled these with the bearings ascribed to Edward, the Confessor.

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Various badges and devices are attributed to him; as the sun behind a cloud, the sun in splendour, the white hart couchant (inherited from his mother, Joan of Kent),

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the stump of a tree, and a white falcon; but this latter probably belongs to his queen Isabella.

The character of Richard was evidently weak rather than wicked. He was doubtless luxurious and extravagant, and he listened too readily to the evil counsels

of his half-brother, the earl of Huntingdon, and others, which cost the lives of his turbulent uncle Gloucester, and the earl of Arundel; but towards some of his enemies he was far from acting with rigour1, and that his conduct in private life was amiable may be justly inferred from the devoted affection with which he was regarded by both his consorts, and his personal attendants 1.

A.D. 1377. Richard, grandson of Edward III., succeeds to the throne, June 22k; he is crowned at Westminster, July 16.

Richard Fitz-Alan, earl of Arundel, was the son of Richard, the grandson of the earl executed in the time of Edward II., and Eleanor, daughter of Henry, earl of Lancaster. He succeeded his father as earl in 1375, and like other nobles of the period served in France and Scotland, but he was chiefly remarkable for

his valour and conduct at sea. He was for several years admiral and captain-general of the east, south, and west, gained several naval victories, and also captured Brest. The duke of Ireland attempted to depreciate his services, which induced him to join the duke of Gloucester in seizing the reins of government; he became thus personally obnoxious to the king, was deprived of his office, when the latter freed himself from restraint, and was afterwards involved in Gloucester's fall, being seized, tried, and beheaded, in Sept. 1397. His estates were shared among the royal favourites, (two of them were his sons-in-law,) and his son fled to the continent, but returning with Henry of Lancaster, was restored in blood in the first parliament of Henry IV. The earl was buried in the church of the Augustin Friars in London, and being a popular favourite, reports were spread of miracles wrought at his tomb.

Arms of earl of Arundel.

Henry of Lancaster, Archbishop Arundel, and the earl of Warwick may be named; it cannot be doubted that they were ready to take his life, yet he spared theirs.

iSeveral of these latter adhered to him in every change of fortune, and cheerfully suffered death in his cause.

* His regnal years are computed from this day.

The French ravage the Isle of Wight, attack Southampton without success, and burn Hastings, in August.

A parliament meets, October 13. The duke of Lancaster openly defies any who may accuse him of treasonable intentions; a council of nine persons is chosen to conduct the government1; funds to support the war against France are placed in the hands of John Philpot and William Walworth, citizens of London; and Alice Perrers (a favourite of the late king) is banished.

A.D. 1378. John Philpot captures Mercer, a Scottish sea-rover.

John of Gaunt makes a fruitless attempt on St. Malo. Cherbourg is ceded to the English by the king of Navarre (Charles the Bad).

A parliament held at Gloucester, in October. Urban VI. recognised as pope; persons adhering to his rival (Clement VII.) to lose the king's protection, and forfeit their goods [2 Rich. II. c. 7.].

Roxburgh burnt, and Berwick captured by surprise by the Scots, in November; Berwick is soon retaken by Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland.

A.D. 1379. De Montfort recovers Britanny.

Heavy duties are granted on wool, woolfells, and leather, to support the garrisons in France, and a capitation tax, ranging from £6 13s. 4d. per head, imposedTM.

1 These were, the bishops of London, Carlisle, and Salisbury (William Courtenay, Thomas Appleby, and Ra'ph Erghum), the earls of March and of Stafford, Sir Richard Stafford, Sir Henry Scrope, Sir John Devereux, and Sr Hugh Segrave.

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The scale of duties for this tax is curious, and if fairly apportioned shews the high station of judges, magistrates, and lawyers of that period. Dukes paid £6 13s. 4d., chief justices, £5; earls, and the mayor of London, £4; barons, wealthy knights, aldermen of London, mayors of great towns, serjeants and great apprentices of the law, £2 mayors of lesser towns, great merchants, and knights of St. John of

A.D. 1380. The earl of Buckingham marches from Calais to Britanny to assist De Montfort, but is coldly received.

Charles V. of France dies, Sept. 16; he is succeeded by his son Charles VI.

John of Gaunt invades Scotland, but agrees to a truce at Berwick, Nov. 1.

The parliament meets at Northampton, Nov. 5, and grants a poll-tax of twelve pence on every person above fifteen years of age".

Aliens forbidden to hold benefices [3 Rich. II. c. 3.].

A.D. 1381. The duke of Britanny makes a treaty with France, Jan. 15, and dismisses his English allies, who return in great discontent.

The poll-tax which had been recently granted by the parliament, mainly for the expenses of this fruitless expedition, was most unjust in itself, as demanding a like sum from those with small as from those with more ample means; the provision that "the richer should aid the poorer sort", was little regarded, and the insolence of the collectors aggravated the evil. One of these men demanded the tax for a girl under the prescribed age, and endeavouring to establish his claim in the most scandalous manner, he was killed on the spot by

Jerusalem, £1. "Sufficient" merchants paid 13s. 4d.; farmers or lessees, the same, or more, according to the value of their holdings; burgesses, husbandmen and others, from 13s. 4d. downward to Is. ; labourers, 4d. for a man and his wife, and the like sum for each unmarried person above the age of sixteen.

"This new tax pressed much more severely on the lower orders than the capitation tax of the former year, and it was obliged to be abandoned. The principle of the latter is the same as that of the income tax of the present day.

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