Great Britain -- History -- 14th century -- Sources
He invited this Earl of March to come and see him; and, when at Pleshy,
he unbosomed himself to him of all the secrets of his heart, telling
him that he had been selected for King of England; that King Richard
and his Queen were to be confined, but with ample provision for their
maintenance, as long as they lived; and he earnestly besought his
nephew to believe all he said, for he should make it a point to put
his plans into execution, and that he was already joined by the Earl
of Arundel, Sir John Arundel, the Earl of Warwick, and many prelates
and barons of England.... The King of England had received positive
information that the Duke of Gloucester and Earl of Arundel had
plotted to seize his person, and that of the Queen, and carry them to
a strong castle, where they should be confined under proper guards,
but allowed sufficiently for their table and other necessary expenses.
That four regents should be appointed over the kingdom, of whom the
Dukes of Lancaster and York were to be the chief, and have under them
the government of all the northern parts, from the Thames to the Tyne,
and as far as the Tweed, that runs by Berwick, and comprehend all
Northumberland, and the borders of Scotland. The Duke of Gloucester was
to have for his government London, Essex, and that part of the country
to the mouth of the Humber, and likewise all the coast from the Thames
to the water of Southampton, and westward comprehending Cornwall. The
Earl of Arundel was to have Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, and all
the country from the Thames to Bristol, and the river Severn that
divides England from Wales, where there are very extensive lordships,
with power of punishing by death all offenders. But their chief design
was to find out some means of re-kindling the war with France; and, if
the King of France wished to have his daughter again, it might be done,
for she was still very young, not more than eight years and a half
old, and, perchance, when she was marriageable, she might repent of
this connection, for she was innocently, and without her being able to
judge for herself, married, and, beside, it was unjust to break off her
match with the heir of Brittany; but should she wish to abide by her
marriage, she would in justice remain Queen of England, and enjoy her
dower, but she should never be the companion of the King of England.
Should the King die before she was of a proper age, she was to be sent
back to France.
These were the plans that had been concerted by many of the English,
particularly the Londoners, for they hated the King, and several now
repented they had checked the mobs that attacked London from the
different counties of England; for they had determined, according to
their confessions when put to death, to murder the King, the Earl of
Salisbury, the Earl of Oxford, and the whole of the King's Council.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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