This Vow full well the King perform'd
After, on Humbledown;

In one Day, Fifty Knights were flain,
With Lords of great Renown :

And of the reft, of small Account,
Did many Thousands dye :

Thus ended the Hunting of Chevy-Chace,
Made by the Earl Piercy.

God fave the King, and bless the Land
In Plenty, Joy, and Peace;

And grant henceforth, that foul Debate
'Twixt Noblemen may cease.

XV. The

XV. The Banishment of the Dukes of Hereford and Norfolk, in the Time of King Richard the Second.

An Introduction to this Ballad is almost unneceffary; for our Poet has either copied fo clofely from Hiftory, or the Hiftorians have borrow'd from our Poet in fuch a Manner, that I fcarce find one Point in which they differ. Some indeed there are, who will have it, that the Duke of Hereford accused the Duke of Norfolk; but this is fufficiently contradicted by others. Nor is there any Probability of Truth in it; for neither he nor his Father had Veneration enough for King Richard, to do any fuch Thing; nor Affection, I believe, to forewarn him, if any Danger had threaten'd. This Duke of Hereford was Henry Bolingbroke, Son to John Duke of Lancaster, the King's Uncle; who married the fole Heiress of Hereford, and enjoy'd that Title and Eftate in Right of his Wife. What follows, of the Challenge; of its being to be fought at Coventry; of a Stop being put to the Com

bat,

bat, when they had enter'd the Lifts; of their Banifhment, and of Norfolk's Death; is ftrictly true. Richard, during the Banishment of his Coufin, thought fit to reduce his ExilefromTentoSixYears: Butthe Duke of Lancaster dying in that Time; and the King fearing, that if fuch a vast additional Eftate fhould fall to his muchinjur'd Coufin, he might grow too formidable; pronounc'd his Banifhment perpetual, and feiz'd his whole Inheritance. But King Richard going afterwards on an Expedition into Ireland; the Duke of Lancaster, who had afJum'd his Father's Titles, took that Opportunity of coming to England; being invited by a great Number of the Nobility, and excited by the Archbishop of Canterbury, a Fellow Exile. He landed in Yorkfhire, with about Twenty armed Men; giving out, That he had no other Defign, but to take Poffeffion of his Inheritance. He was foon join'd by great Numbers: And the King's Friends endeavouring to raise Forces, in order to oppofe him; the People refufed going out against him, thinking his Demands most just and reasonable. The Winds blowing directly contrary; Six whole Weeks pafs'd, before K. Richard could have any Notice of Lancaster's Landing in England; by which Time, he was Master of a great Part of the Kingdom. Nor did the

G

King,

King, after the News was brought to him, make that Hafte back he might, and ought to have done; infomuch, that when he return'd, he had no Army: And tho' fome faithful Friends offer'd to join him, with their Valals; yet he abfolutely refus'd it, finding it was too late. For he had made the Clergy his Enemies; and they took care to ftir up the People against him; and, prone to Change, infinuated the Happiness they might expect under the Duke of Lancaster. A Parliament being call'd, Articles were exhibited against King Richard; who was depos'd in the most folemn Manner, and the Duke of Lancafter crown'd King, by the Name of Henry the Fourth. The Coronation-Sermon was preach'd by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who came over with him to England: And Richard Seeing this, formally refign'd his Crown, on the 30th Day of September, in the Year 1399, and in the Twenty third of his Reign; being at that Timeabout Thirty three Years of Age.

WO Noble Dukes of great Renown,
That long had liv'd in Fame,

TW

Thro' hateful Envy were caft down,
And brought to fudden Shame.

The

The Duke of Hereford was one,
A prudent Prince, and wife;
'Gainft whom fuch Malice oft was shown,
Which foon in Sight did rise.

The Duke of Norfolk, moft untrue,
Declar'd unto the King,

The Duke of Hereford greatly grew
In Hatred of each Thing,

Which by his Grace was acted still
Against both High and Low;
And how he had a trait'rous Will,
His State to overthrow.

The Duke of Hereford then, in Haste,
Was fent for to the King;
And, by the Lords in Order plac'd,
Examin'd of each Thing:

Who being guiltless of this Crime,
Which was against him laid;
The Duke of Norfolk, at that Time,
These Words unto him said:

How can't thou, with a shameless Face,
Deny a Truth so stout ;

And here, before his Royal Grace,

So falfly face it out?

Did not these wicked Treasons pass,
When we together were;
How that the King unworthy was
The Royal Crown to bear?

Wherefore, my gracious Lord, quoth he,

And you his Noble Peers,

To whom I wish long Life to be,

With many happy Years: