A mis-le● King, and a memorable PARLIAMENT.  
THis present occasion so opportunely befitting me, I am resolved to treat of that which hath been omitted, and slipped out of memory long since, concerning divers and sundry changes and alterations in England in former times: Nor will it be any ways burdensome to write of that, whereby every good and careful Reader may learn to avoid diversities of miseries, and the danger and fear of cruel death. I will therefore speak of that which hath lain hid in the darksome shade of forgetfulness, concerning men who have been led away by the deceitful path o● Covetousness, and have come to a most shameful and ignominious death: a famous example to deter all men from practising those or the like courses.  
ABout the year of Christ 1386. at such time as Richard, the second of that name, then in prime of his youth, swayed the Imperial S●●●●er of our Realm, there flourished famous in his Court certain Peers, though some of them not of any honourable descent, yet favoured by fortunes; by name, Alexander Ne●il; Archbishop of York; Robert Vee●e, D. of Ireland; Michael de la Poole, Earl of Suffolk, than Lord Chancellor; Robert Tressilian, Lord chief Justice of England; and Nicholas Brambre, sometimes Major of London.  
These men being raised from mean estates, by the special favour of the King, and advanced to the degree of privy Counselors, were the men who had the only rule of the Commonwealth; which they, under the King, governed for some small space, with careful diligence, meriting thereby deserved commendations. But not long did they thus steer the Ship of the Kingdom: for many of them being of inferior rank by birth, not having their veins dignified with the streams of noble blood; they were the sooner enticed with the fibidinous baits of voluptuousness, and infected with insatiable itch of avarice: insomuch, that despising the authority of the King, and neglecting the commodity of the Realm, but only desiring to keep up the Revenues of the Kingdom, so wrought, that by their policy, the King is impoverished, the Treasury exhausted; the Commons murmur at the multiplicity of Tenths; Levies, and Subsidies; the Peers repine to see themselves disgraced, and their inferiors honoured; and in a word, the whole Kingdom endures an universal misery.  
The Nobility seeing the miserable estate wherein the Kingdom lay, blee●ing as it were to death, urged their King to summon a Parliament; which was done shortly after. In which amongst many other Acts, the afore-named Michael de la Poole is dismissed of his Chancellorship; and being accused of divers and many points of injustice, as Bribery, Extortion, and the like, he was soon cast into the Castle of Windsor, and all his lands, which were of no small Revenue, were consiseated to the King. Neither did the Parliament here give over, but provided further for the whole State; by the mutual consent of the King and Prelates, Barons and Commons, with an unanimous conjunction, they constitute and give plenary and absolute power to certain Commissioners, as well of the Spiritualty as Temporalty, for the ordering and disposing of the public affairs, according, as shall seem best and most necessary for the desperate estate of the Commonwealth, to depress civil dissensions, and to pacify and appease the grudge of the people.  
Of the Spiritualty were chosen the Archbishop of Canterbury, the aforenamed Bishop of York, the Bishop of Ely, lately made Chancellor of England, the Bishop of Winchester; Bishop of Hereford, Lord Treasurer; Bishop of Exeter, Abbot of Waltham, and the Lord john of Waltham.  
Of the Laity were elected the Duke of York, the Earl of Arundel, the Lord Goltham, the Lord Scroop, and john Devoureux Knight: these as men eminent in virtue, were chosen by the general Suffrage, and sworn to carry themselves as dutiful and obedient subjects in all their actions. And it was further enacted, That if any should refuse or disobey the Ordinances so made for public good, the punishment of his first offence, should be the cosiscation of his goods; and for the second, the loss of life. Thus disposing of all things for the best, the Parliament being dissolved, every man returned to his own house.  
Soon after, the afore-named Chancellor, with others of their confederates, being moved with implacable fury against the Statute of the late Parliament, they buzzed into the King's ears, that the Statutes lately enacted, were very prejudicial to the honour of his Crown, and much derogatory to his Princely Prerogative: insomuch that he should not have power, without the consent of the new-appointed Commissioners, to do any thing befitting a King; no, not so much as to bestow a largesse, a principal means to gain the people's love, upon any, though never so well deserving.  
By these and other the like impious instigations, with which the Devil (as never unmindful of the end of those, who by their lives do prove themselves) did continually supply them, they practised to annihilate and disannul these Acts of the Parliament, which seemed any ways to abbreviate or curb their usurped authority.  
And first, by their serpentine tongues, ambitious projects, flattery painted out with glozing discourses, and covered over with the shadow of vigilantly for the good of the Kingdom, they so be witched the noble inclination of the youthful King, whom they induced to believe, that all the ill they did, was a general good, that he began to distalte, and at last to abhorred the last passed Acts, as treacherous plots, and most wicked devices.  
Next, they studied how to engross all, or the most part of the wealth and riches of the Kingdom into their own coffers; and to the same end, dealt so cunningly, yet pleasingly with the King, that he gave to the D. of Ireland, john of Bloys, the heir of the Duchy of Britain, and his ransom; too others, Towns; too others, Cities; too others, Lands; too others, Money, amounting to the sum of 100000 Marks, to the great impoverishment both of King and Kingdom: neither did these King-eaters and Realm-devourers any thing regard it, but setting unskilful and insufficient Captains and Governors over Towns and Forts so obtained, gave occasion to the enemies of the Crown to surprise them, and dispossess the King of them.  
Thirdly, vilifying the dignity of the King, contrary to their allegiance, they drew the King to swear, that with all his power, during his life, he should maintain and descend them from all their enemies, whether foreign or domestic.  
Fourthly, whereas it was enacted by the last Parliament, that the King at certain seasonable times, and when his leisure would permit him, should sit at Westminster with his Council there, to consult of the public affairs; through the persuasions of the aforesaid Conspirators, he was drawn into the most remotest parts of the Realm, to the great disparagement of the fidelity of those honourable, grave, and faithful Peers, late made joint Commissioners, in whose hands the whole safety and prosperity of the Commonwealth did reside.  
And when as the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, Keeper of the Privy Seal, or any other of the Privy Council, came to relate any of their own actions, or the state of the Realm, they could not be granted free access, unless they related the business in the presence and hearing of the conspirators, who were always ready to upbraid them if they uttered any thing that displeased them, and to command them for any thing (though most nefarious) that did content them: for thus could they the sooner learn and dive into the acts of the Commissioners, and the better find evasions for their accusations: Furthermore, when as the King in company of the Conspirators went in progress towards the parts of Cheshire, Wales, and Lancashire, they made proclamation in the King's name, throughout the Shires as they journied, That all Barous, Knights, Esquires, with the greatest part of the Communality able to bear arms, should speedily repair to the King for his defence against the power of the Commissioners, chief of the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Arundel; because they above the rest, did with their chiefest endeavours, study to suppress & quell the devices of the conspirators.  
Fifthly, contrary to the aforesaid Acts, they caused the D. of Ireland to be treated chief Justice of Chester, thereby selling justice as they listed, condemning the guiltless, and remitting the guilty, never respecting or looking unto the equal balance of justice, but poizing down the scales with heaps of Bribery.  
Sixthly, by the procurement of the confederates, they caused certain honest persons, who would not consent to their extortions, to be called and summoned to their Court, and thereto answer to certain false accusations, wherewith they were unjustly charged by perjuring hirelings; of which men so accused, some were put to death, some cast into prison, all were vexed and troubled with delays, length of their journey to and fro, and excessive charges; neither were they eased of any these burdens, unless they would part with round sums of money to the D. and his Complices.  
Seventhly, they gave pardons under the Broad Seal, to Felons, Murderers, and such like, only with this condition, that they should murder any whomsoever they thought did mislike their exaction.  
Eighthly, they taught the country of Ireland to look to its pristine estate, I mean, of having a King; for they plotted how to have the Duke created King of Ireland: And for the confirmation of which their design, they alured the King to send his letters to the Pope.  
Ninthly, the aforesaid Nicholas Brambre, in the time of his Majoralty, caused two and twenty to be falsely accused of Felonies, and laid into Newgate, under pretext and colour of divers crimes, and in the silent and dead time of the night to be fast bound, and by a strong hand to be carried into Kent, to a place commonly called Fawlocks, and then to have their heads struck off, except one who being favoured by the murderers, safely escaped; the blood of the test died the streams of a small Rivelet adjoining.  
Tenthly, soon after, to add one mischief to another, they sent letters under the King's Sigret, to the Major of London, by john Rippon Clerk, with a certain libel, or schedule enclosed in the said letters, the tenor of which is as followeth.  
That the afore-named three Commissioners, viz. the Duke of Gloucester, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, and other of the Council, were to be arrested, indicted, condemned, and put to a lamentable death as being such as had conspired against the King, against his prevogative & against his Crown and Imperial dignity; and to this they did in a manner constrain the King to assent unto. Upon receipt of these letters, the Major and Aldermen of the City of London, called a Common Council, wherein they consulted what course were best to be taken in this matter; and after long debate, pro & con, it was on all sides agreed, to deny and not to suffer that cruel and unheard of Tragical Complot to be executed.  
It ever happeneth, one wicked act draws on a second, and that second a third, and so forwards, till the weight cracks the supporter.  
Therefore the sail Conspirators being blinded with rashness, principally sent letters by john Godfrey Knight, to the King of France, the King's adversary, to conclude a five year's truce, should come over to Calais, and from thence should send for the Duke of Gloucester, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, and for some other of the Commissioners, as though the King were unwilling to determine of any thing without their advice; and being thus circumvented, should be condemned as traitors, and so put to an ignominious and cruel death.  
And for doing and performing of these things, the King of France was to recover all the Castles, Towns, and Lands lying in these countries, and belonging to the King of England. To prove these things to be true, there were certain writings produced by the Commissioners, wherein were contained letters from the King of France to the King of England, and from the conspirators in the King of England's name, to the King of France.  
Moreover, there were other letters intercepted, directed to the said King of France, the substance whereof was, to incite the King of France to leaure a puissant power into England, against the Duke of Gloucester, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, and the rest of the Commissioners, and all those that did either countenance or favour the said statute and Commissioners.  
Now here concluding their devilish conspiracy, the five aforesaid conspitators departed from Westminster to the Castle of Nottingham, and sent a Writ for Robert Beale, Lord chief Justice of the Common-Pleas, john Holt, Roger Fulthorp & Will. Burleigh, Judges of the said Court, and for John Locton, the King's Sergeant at Law: who being come into the councel-chamber, not knowing what they were sent for, the aforesaid conspirators caused the gates and doors of the Castle to be shut, and then propounded these questions following unto them.  
First, whether those Statutes, Ordinances, and Commission, made in the late Parliament at Westminster, were derogatory to the King's dignity and Kingly Prerogative; and, because they were to be punished who did procure those Constitutions, and did incite and move the King to consent unto them, and did as much as in them lay to hinder the King from exercising his Royal Prerogative.  
To these and other the like questions, with a joint consent they answered, 〈…〉 death as traitors, or else to endure some capital 〈…〉 witness of which assertion, being terrified with the fear of present death, the aforesaid Judges, together with john Carey, Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer, they signed and sealed a certain writing in manner of a Protestation, in presence of these witnesses, Alex. Nevil, Archbishop of York, Archbishop Bangor, Robert Duke of Ireland, Michael Earl of Suffolk, john Rippon Clerk, and john Blake Fruiterer, dated the 19 of September, Anno Dom. 1387. in the 11. year of the reign of K. Richard 2. Then were they compelled to swear, that they should keep the passages undiscovered, upon pain of death; and so they had licence to departed.  
And that which is worse, they caused the King to swear, That in his proper person, with his whole power, he should take revenge of the Duke of Gloucester, of the two Earls and their adherents, by causing them to be put to death.  
But, God inspired into the hearts of the aforesaid Duke of Gloucester, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, the spirit of valour and magnanimity, who seeing the heap of ills that daily did arise by the practices of those cospirators, they set almost in every part of the Kingdom, intelligencers, who should apprehend all Messengers, and intercept all letters of the Kings, or that went under the King's name, and should send them to the Commissioners.  
And thus did they come to have intelligence of the whole plot of the conspirators; all their Letters being endorsed, with Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, and good will towards men: and by coming to the knowledge of each circumstance, they found, that the Kingdom was at the point of destruction; according to that Evangelicall saying, Every Kingdom divided against itself, shall be dissolved: Wherefore they sought for a remedy; every man according to his ability, levied a power for the preservation of the King and Kingdom: all which forces being united, amounting to the number of 20000. fight men, and courageously resolving to frustrate all the intended designs of the conspirators, and to open the nut by cracking the shell, they divided their Army, committing part of it to the Earl of Arundel: who by night marched away with his Forces, and pitched his tents near to London, there fortifying himself in the Forest adjoining, till such time as he had gained more convenient time, and greater force, by the coming of his consorts. On the other side, the conspirators intending to prevent their purposes, by power of a certain Spiritual Commission, and by virtue of certain Letters Patents in the hands of the Conspirators, though nothing to the purpose; yet to blind the people, they caused to be proclaimed throughout the whole City of London, that none upon pain of the forfeiture of all their goods, should neither sell, give, or communicate privately or publicly, victual, armour, or any other necessaries to the Army of the Earl of Arundel, but should bar them of sustentation, comfort, or help, as Rebels to the King and country. But on the other side, they began to fear, when they were denied their hoped-for aid by the Major and Communality of the City of London. And again, they were troubled at the rising of the Commoners, to invade them. Wherefore they counselled the King to absent himsent from the Parliament, (which was to begin at Candlemas next, according as the King and Commissioners had appointed it) and not consult of the affairs of the Kingdom, nor of his own Estate, commodity or discommodity, unless the Duke of Gloucester, the two Earls of Arundel and Warwick, with the rest of the Commissioners, would swear, That neither they, nor any in their name, should accuse them, or urge any accusation against them.  
Not long after it happened, that the King, with the aforesaid five Conspirators, came from his Manor at Sheeve, to Westminster, to Saint edmond's Tomb, for the solemnising of a Pilgrimage. The Major and Aldermen of the City of London met him on horseback sumptuously attired, honouring him very much.  
And when they came to the Mews, they descended from their horses, and went barefoot to the Tomb of S. Edmond; where as the Chaplain of the Commissioners, with the Abbot and Covent, met them with a stately Procession.  
In the mean time, the three Noblemen, viz. the Duke of Gloucester, and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick having mustered their Troops on the fourteenth of November, in the same year, at Waltham Cross, in the County of Hertford, and from thence sent for the Commissioners that were there at Westminster in Parliament with the King, sending an accusation in writing to the King, against the aforesaid Conspirators, viz. the Archbishop of York, Duke of Ireland, Earl of Suffolk, Robert Trisilian, and Nicholas Brambre; wherein they accused them of high treason: which their appellation they did offer to maintain, and that they were willing to prosecute the same; and to prove it to be true, they caused also the rest of the Commissioners to subscribe, as parties to their appellation.  
When these things came to the ears of the King, he sent unto them, requiring to know what their request was, and what they wished to have been done: They returned answer thus: That they did desire, that the Traitors which were always about him, filling his ears with false reports, and did daily commit insufferable crimes and injuries, might be rewarded with condign punishment. And likewise craved, that they might have safe liberty of going and coming to his grace.  
When the King heard their request, he gave them is Royal consent, and commanded them to appear at Westminster; and the King sitting on his Throne in the great Hall, the three aforesaid Peers Appellants with a great troop of Gentlemen, entered, & making three lowly obeisances, on their bended knees, they reverenced the King: and drawing near (the cause of their coming being alleged) they there again appealed the Archbishop, Duke of Ireland, Earl Treasurer, and Brambre of hightreason, according as they had done before at Waltham Cross; but they betaking themselves to the private corners of the Palace, even as Adam and Eve from the presence of God, not having the heart to appear, to justify themselves.  
The King called forth the Appellants, to prove and prosecute the Appellation, prescribing them a day and place for the trial, which was to be on the day after Candlemas day; and in the mean time, the King commanded them upon their Honours, not any party to molest the other until the next Parliament.  
The Duke of Ireland, under the guide of his grand Captain the Devil, marching into Cheshire, Lancashire, and Wales, raised a new power, amounting to the number of 6000 fight men; from thence marched towards London with his Army, with a furious intent and resolution to perform his bloody design. And whilst these plots were laid, the Appellants being suddenly advertised thereof, raised a great power, and joining with them the Earl of Derby, and the Earl of Nottingham, and other Commissioners, marched with long and wearied marches into a field near a village called Whitney, at a place called Lockeford Bridge: In which field the Duke of Ireland was with his Army, having a river on the one side of them, whereas they stood ready prepared to give an overthrow to the Appellants, and displaying the King's Standard, contrary to the Laws of the land. When they saw the Army of the Appellants march down from the mountains, like a Hive of Bees, and with such a violent fury, fear benumbed them, and they were so amazed, that when they should give the assault (God not suffering the effusion of blood) they stood like a Hive of Bees, or a flock of Cattles without a head, without any stroke given, they fling down their Arms, and yielded themselves to the mercy of the Appellants; and a few being slain, and some drowned in the river, gave an easy victory to the Conquerors.  
When the news of the victory was blown to the ears of the rest of the conspirators, who were then stricken with fear, and careful for their preservation, under covert of the night, they fled by water to the Tower, drawing the King along with them.  
On the other side Nicholas Brambre with a bold and resolute courage, in the King's name, caused all the gates of the City to be shut against the Apellants, and to be guarded with an able and sufficient Watch: But these worthy and dauntless members of the Commonwealth, marched towards London to confer with the King; but when they heard that the said Nicholas Brambre had caused the gates of the City to be shut against them, and to be strongly guarded, and that the whole City did purpose to keep them out, they stayed their resolution.  
On the 27 day of September, they encamped themselves in Clarkenwell, within the liberties of the City of London. And when as the Major, with the Citizens, came unto them with pleasing words, promising unto them all that the City could afford with reason and equity; the Duke of Gloucester said, Now I know, that liars speak nothing but lies, neither can any man hinder them from the relating: whereupon by a joint consent in the evening, they removed their tents, and pitched them before divers gates of the City.  
On the morrow there happened an interview between the King and the Appellants, so far, that they opened their minds one to the other: but because the King loathed to speak with them, with such a rabble of men, and in regard of an intolerable boldness, & some quarrel which was like to arise; and on the other side, refusing to go out of the Tower to speak with them, and the Appellants fearing some violence or wrong to be offered to them, would not speak with the king without a strong guard of valiant warriors. Therefore the most wise of the Appellants, after divers disputations had, resolved to go and confer with the King: but first they sent a strong Troop well armed, to search all the Corners & Caves of the Tower; and relation being made of the safety of the place, with a selected band of valiant Cavaliers, they entered the Tower; and seizing the gates, & placing a guard, appeared before the King; and there the third time appealed the aforesaid conspirators in the same sort and form as before: which appellation being ended, the King swore, That he would adhere to their counsel as a good King, and a just Judge, so fare as the rule of Law, Reason, and Equity did require.  
Then it was published and made known in the presence of the King, and throughout the Dominions, that on the morrow after Candlemas day, the aforesaid conspirators should personally appear, to answer to the appellation, whereby they were charged of so many treasons.  
They expulsed divers of the Officers of the Household; viz. in the place of John Beauchamp, Steward of the Household, they appointed John Devonvex, Knight, one of the Commissioners; Peter Courtney, Knight, was made Chamberlain in stead of Robert Duke of Ireland. And the foresaid John de Beauchamp, Simon de Burleigh, Vice Chamberlain, john Salisbury, Thomas Trynet, james Barats William Ellingham, and Nicholas Nagworth, Knights; and Officers of the Clergy, (viz.) Richard Mecford Secretary, john Blake Deane of the Chapel, John Lincoln Chancellor of the Exchequer, and john Clifford Clerk of the Chapel, were kept under arrest too, and were as partakers in the aforesaid Treason; for that they knowing and having intelligence of the said Conspiracy, they did not discover them.  
And thus this hideous brood of Monsters, so often shaken, was quite overthrown.  
And on the Vigil of the Purification of Saint Mary, in the Privy Chamber at Westminster, be joint consent of all the Commissioners, the aforesaid john _____ john Holt, Roger Fulthorp, William Burleigh, john Locton, and john Carey were displaced from their Offices, and without any further ado arrested of Treason, and by the command of the Chancellor were clapped into the Tower; and Roger Carleton in the place of Belknap, Walter Clapton in the place of Tressilian, were constituted.  
The great Parliament began the second of February following, in this manner: All the Peers, as well of the Spiritualty as of the Temporalty, being assembled in the great Hall at Westminster, the King soon after came and sat down in his Throne; and after him appeared the five Noblemen Appellants, (the fame of whose admired worth echoed through all the Land) entered the House in their costly robes, leading one another hand in hand, with an innumerable company following them; and beholding where the King sat, all at once, with submissive gestures they reverenced the King. Brambre was taken a little before, and cast into the Gaol of Gloucester.  
The Clergy then placing themselves on the right hand, and the Nobility on the left hand of the King, according to the ancient custom of the High Court of Parliament; the Lord Chancellor standing with his back toward the King, by the Kings command declared the cause of their summons to the Parliament: which being ended, the five aforesaid Appellants arising, declared their aforesaid Appellation by the mouth of Robert Pleasington their Speaker, who thus spoke: Behold, the Duke of Gloucester comes to purge himself of treasons which are laid to his charge by the conspirators. To whom the Lord Chancellor, by the command of the King answered: My Lord Duke, the King conceiveth so honourably of you, that he cannot be induced to believe, that you, who are of affinity to him in a collateral line, should attempt any treason against his sacred Majesty. The Duke with his four Companions, upon their knees humbly gave thanks to the King for his gracious opinion of their fidelity.  
Then after silence proclaimed, they arose, and delivered in certain Articles in writing, wherein were contained the particularity of the Treason.  
When the Articles were read, the Appellants requested the King, that sentence of condemnation might be given against the Conspirators, and they to receive the guerdon of their deserts; which the King promised to grant.  
And when the third day came of their proceed against the Conspirators, the Lord Chancellor in the name of the Clergy, in open Parliament made an Oration, showing that they could not by any means be present at the proceeding, whereas there is any censure of death to be passed. For the confirmation whereof, they delivered in a Protestation, which being read, they spoke, That neither in respect of any favour, nor for fear of any man's hate, nor in hope of any reward, they did desire to absent themselves; but only that they were bound by the Canon not to be present at any man's arraignment or condemnation. They likewise sent their Protestation to the Chapel of the Abbey, where the Commons sat; which was allowed of. And then, when the Appellants called for justice against the Conspirators, the Lords of the Spiritualty arose, and went into the King's Chamber near adjoining.  
But the King being moved in conscience, and in charity, perceiving that in every work they are to remember the end; and being willing (contrary to the rigour of the Law) to favour rather these that were guilty, than the actors in that Treason, if they were able to allege any thing in their defence caused the Process to cease: but the Peers (being earnest) requested, That no business past, present, or to come, might be debated, until this Treason were adjudged; to which Petition the King graciously granted his assent.  
On the 11. day of February, when nothing could be alleged, nor no witness produced, in justification of the conspirators, but that the definitive sentence of Condemnation must be pronounced against them, the aforesaid john Devoreux, Martial of the Court, and for that time the King's Lieutenant, adjudged them this heavy doom; That the said Archbishop of York, Duke of Ireland, Earl of Suffolk, Tressilian, and Brambre, should be drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, and there to be hanged upon a Gibbet until they were dead, and all their Lands and Goods to be confiscated, that none of their posterity might be by them any way enriched.  
On the 12. day of February, which was the first day of Shrovetide, Nicholas Brambre appeared in Parliament; and being charged with the aforesaid Articles of Treason, he craved favour to advise of Counsel learned, and some longer time for his more full answer to his accusation: But the Judges charged him to answer severally to every point in the Articles contained: whereunto Brambre answered, Whosoever hath branded me with this ignominious mark, with him I am ready to fight in the Lists, to maintain my innocency, whensoever the King shall appoint.  
The Appellants hearing this courageous challenge, with resolute countenance answered, That they would willingly accept of the Combat, and thereupon fling down their Gauges before the King; and on a sudden the whole company of Lords, Knights, Esquires, and Commons, fling down their Gauges so thick, that they seemed like Snow in a Winter's day, crying out. We also will accept of the Combat, and will prove these Articles to be true to thy head, most damnable Traitor, and so they departed for that day.  
And although the Appellants were not idle in the night, yet on the next day, to aggravate their Appellation against the Conspirators, there came divers companies of the City of London, complaining of the manifold injuries they had suffered by Brambre, and other Extortions and Exactions wherewith they had been daily charged.  
But before they proceed with his trial, they were stayed by most unfortunate Tressilian, who being got upon the top of an house adjoining to the Palace, and had descended into a gutter only to look about him, he was discovered by certain of the Peers, who presently sent some of the Guard to apprehend him, who entering into the house where he was, and having spent long time in vain in looking for him, at length one of the Guard stepped to the Master of the house, and taking him by the shoulder, with his dagger drawn, thus said, Show us where thou hast hid Tressilian, or else resolve thy days are accomplished: the Master trembled, ready to yield up the ghost for fare, answered, Yonder is the place where he lies, and shows him a round Table covered with branches of Bay, under which Tressilian lay close covered; when they had found him, they drew him out by the heels, wondering to see him, as Viper's use, to wear his head and beard o'ergrown, with old clouted shoes, and patched hose, more like a miserable poor beggar, than a Judge.  
Tressilian being come into the Hall, was asked what he could say for himself, why judgement should not pass upon him for his treason so often committed, he became as one that had been struck dumb, and his heart was as it were hardened to the very last, and would not confess himself guilty of any thing: And for this cause the Parliament arose, deferring Brambres trial till the next day. But Tressilian was without delay led to the Tower, that he might suffer the execution of the sentence passed against him.  
Immediately Tressilian is upon a hurdle, and drawn thorough the streets of the City, with a wonderful concourse of people following him, at every furlongs end he was suffered to stand still to rest himself, and to see if he would confess and report himself of any thing, but what he said to the Friar his Confessor is not known, neither am I able to search it out; when he came to the place of execution he would not climb the Ladder, until such time as being sound beaten with bats and staves, he was forced to go up, and when he was up, he said, so long as I do wear any thing upon me I shall not die, wherefore the Executioner stripped him, and found certain Images painted like to the signs of Heaven, and the head of a Devil painted, and the names of many of the Devils wrote in parchment, the exorcising toys being taken away, and he was hanged up naked, and because the spectators should be certainly assured that he was dead, they cut his throat, and because the night approached, they let him hang until the next morning, and then his wife having obtained a licence of the King, took down his body and carried it to the Grey-Fryers, where it was buried. On the morrow sentence was likewise pronounced against Brambre, who being drawn upon a hurdle from the Tower to Tyburn thorough the City, shown himself very penitent, humbly craving mercy and forgiveness at the hands of God and men, whom he had so grievously offended, and whom he had so injuriously wronged in time past, and did earnestly desire them all to pray for him; when the rope was about his neck ready to be turned off, a certain young man, the son of one Northampton, asked if he had done justice to his Father or not, for Northampton was sometimes Mayor of the City of London more wealthy and more substantial than any else in the City, him did Brambre & Tresilian accuse of Treason and Conspiracy against the State, and condemned him to die, being despoiled of his estate, he himself at length hardly escaped, to whom Brambre answered and confessed with bitter tears that what he did was most vile and wicked, and with an intent only to murder and overthrow the said Northampton, for which craving pardon of the young man being suddenly turned off, and the Executioner cutting his throat, he died.  
These men being dispatched, the Parliament discontinued their proceed against the rest of the Conspirators till a more convenient time, and took into their considerations other more weighty affairs of the weal public, they made the Earl of Arundel Lord Admiral, giving him authority to resist and to repulse either by Sea or Land the enemies of the Crown wheresoever he should ●inde them.  
And it was further agreed on, that for the appeasing of all private discontents (if any were) the King and the rest of the Appellants with the rest of the Commissioners should dine together in the great Hall, which they did, and there was great joy at this reconciliation throw all the Kingdom.  
When these things were concluded, they then began this arraignment of the Traitors, whereupon John Blake and Thomas uske were indicted on the fourth day of March, who although they were men of inferiout quality, yet were they found to be parties in the said Treason; Vske was a Sergeant at Arms, and was indicted amongst the Conspirators, so that being late made Sheriff of Middlesex he had indicted the five Appellants and the Commissioners as Traitors, and Blake was an Intelligencer of Tresilians, one that used to go and come between the Conspirators, and relate the state and success of the treason from one to another.  
And when they could say nothing to prove themselves clear, sentence was pronounced upon them as their Masters were before them, they were carried to the Tower, and from thence were dragged at the horse tail to Tyburn, and there hanged.  
But Vske obtained this favour, that his head was cut off after he was hanged and set aloft upon Newgate for Fowls of the air to take repast.  
On the sixth day of March there were called to answer, Robert Belknap, John Holt, Roger Falthorpe, William Burleigh, John Locton, and John Carey Baron of the Exchequer for their conspiracy against the Commissioners at Nottingham, but because it is not needful to rehearse every part of their indictment, they were all condemned like as the rest.  
Whilst the Peers were trying them, the Clergy were retired into the King's Chambers, but when word was brought to them of the condemnation of the Judges, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester, the Chancellor, the Treasurer, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal arose hastily and went into the Parliament House, pouring forth their complaints before the King and the Peers humbly upon their knees, beseeching them for the love of God, the Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints, even as they hoped to have mercy at the day of Judgement, they should show favour, and not put to death the said Judges then present, and bitterly bewailing their iniquities in whose hearts the very life, soul, and spirit of our English Laws lived, flourished and appeared, and there appeared great sorrow both on the one part of the Complainants and also of the Defendants.  
The Duke of Gloucester, likewise with the Earls of Arundel, Warwick, Nottingham, and Derby, whose hearts began to be mollified, and joined with them in their latnentable Petition.  
At length upon the intercession of the Clergy, the execution upon the persons was ceased, and their lives were granted them, but were sent to the Tower to be kept close prisoners.  
On the twelfth of March, being Thursday, it happened that the aforesaid Knights, Simon de Burleigh, John de Beauchamy, James Baroverse, and John Salesbury were brought into the Parliament House where their accusations was read, proved, they found guilty, and not any way able to clear themselves.  
From this day almost till the Ascension of our Lord, the Parliament House was only taken up with the trial of Sir Simon Burleygh, for three Appellants, viz. The Duke of Gloucester, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, with the whole House of Commons, urged that execution might be performed according to the Law: and on the other side, the King and Queen, the Earls of Derby and Nottingham, and the Prior of Saint John his Uncle, with the major part of the upper House, did labour to have him saved.  
There was also some muttering amongst the common people, and it was reported to the Parliament that the Commons did rise in divers parts of the Realm, but especially about Kent, in favour of the said Sir Simon Burleigh, which when they heard those that before spoke and stood for him, now flew clean from him, and by joint consent on the fifth day of May, sentence was pronounced only against the said Sir Simon, that he should be drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, and then to be hanged till he were dead, and then to have his head strooke from his body. But because he was a Knight of the Gaiter, a gallant Courtier. powerful, and once a Favourite of the Kings, and much respected of all the Court, the King of his special Grace, was pleased to mitigate his doom, that he should only be led to Tower-hill, and there be beheaded.  
On the twelfth of May, the Thursday before Whitsuntide, in like manner were condemned John Beuchamp Steward of the household to the King, James Bereverous, and John Salisbury Knights, Gentlemen of the privy Chamber, whereof the two first, viz. John Beuchamp, and James Bereverous were beheaded on Tower-hill, but John Salisbury was drawn from Tower-hill to Tyburn, and there was hanged.  
On the same day also, was condemned the Bishop of Chichester the King's Confessor, but because of his great dignity, he was pardoned.  
And also concerning the translation of some Bishops, because Pope Vrban the sixth, after it came to his ears, that the Archbishop of York was condemned to avoid all hope of Irregularity, he created him Archbishop of S. Andrews in Scotland: which Archbishop was under the power of Scots, enemies to the Crown; and in the gift of the Arch-Pope: and because the Pope did challenge half the title of all England to maintain his wars, but although he craved it, yet he was denied: therefore he dealt warily and craftily; hoping to make up his mouth by the translation of Bishops: the Bishop of Fly then Lord Chancellor, was made Archbishop of York, the Bishop of Dublin succeeded in his place; the Bishop of Bath and Wells in his place: the Bishop of Sarum in his place, and the Lord John of Waltham Lord-keeper of the privy Seal in his place; and this by his translation of Bishops he gained himself much money, according to the laws of the Canon; and when this came to the ears of the Parliament, that such a sum of money should be transported out of the Land, they strove what they could to hinder it, but could not, because the Clergy gave their consent.  
On the last day of May, the King appointed both Houses to meet at Keemington whereas they made a conclusion of all the trials of the said treason, granting licence to Thomas Trenet, William Ellingham, and Nicholas Nagworth Knights, Richard Metford, john Slake, john Lincoln, Clerks to put in bail provided they were sufficient, and to go into a place of England where they listed, without any let or hindrance of any of the King's Officers. Moreover, the six Justices, with the Bishop of Chichester, who stood condemned with them, were sent into Ireland, there to remain for a term of life, & thus they were divided, viz. Rob. Belknap & john Holr in the Village of Dromore in Ireland, not to remain as Justices or any officers, but live as banished offenders, not to be out of Town above the space of two miles upon pain of death? but the King out of his gracious bounty was pleased to give a yearly annuity of 40. pound to Robert Belknap, of twenty marks to john Holt, during their lives; and to Roger Fulthrope the King allowed forty pound, and to William Burleigh forty pound during life, confining them to the City of Dublin, granting Burleigh the liberty of two miles, and to Fulthrope three miles for their recreation, John Carey and John Locton with the yearly allowance of twenty pound during life, are confined to the Town of Waterford with the like liberty, and the like penalty; And the Bishop of Chichester is likewise sent to Cork, there to remain with some allowance, and the like penalty.  
On the third day of June, which was the last day of the Parliament, the King, the Queen, the Peers of both Estates with the Commons, came to the Abbey at Westminster, whereas the Bishop of London, because it was his Diocese sung Mass, and the Mass being ended, the Archbishop of Canterbury made an Oration concerning the form and danger of the Oath, which being, although the Peers and Commons had taken the Oath of Allegiance, and homage to the King, yet because the King was young when they took Oath anew (as at the first) at his Coronation.  
These Ceremonies being performed, the Metropolitan of England with all his Suffragans there present, having lighted a Candle, and putting it under a stool, put it out, thereby excommunicating all such as should seem to distaste, dislike or contradict any of the fore passed Acts in the last Parliament; And the Lord Chancellor by the King's appointment, caused all that were present to swear to keep the said Statutes inviolably whole, and undissolved, as good and faithful Liege-people of the Kings, and the form of the Parliament was observed throughout all the Realm.  
On the morrow, which was the fourth day of June, many courteous falutations and congratulations having passed between the King, the Nobility, and Communality, the Parliament was dissolved, and every man returned home.  
And now let England rejoice in Christ, for the net which was laid so cunningly for our destruction, is broken asunder, and we are delivered. To God be the praise for all.  
This Parliament begun at Westminster 1386. in the tenth year of the reign of King Richard the second.  
FINIS.