70                Constitutional History.            [chap

crowned in his steadɪ; that the king indignantly refused ; and
that in consequence the prince retired from court and council,
his brother Thomas taking his place. It is to be observed that
many years later, when bishop Beaufort was charged by Hum-
frey of Gloucester with having conspired against the life of
Henry V, and having stirred him up to assume the crown
during his father’s lifetime, he solemnly denied the former
charge, but was much more reticent as to the latter². It can
scarcely be doubted that the matter had been broached, and
possibly had been proposed in parliament on the first day of
the session, which seems to have been opened whilst the king
was absent through illness, although on the third day he was
able to receive and rebuke the speaker. But whatever were
the circumstances, the result is clear ; Beaufort resigned the
seals, Arundel returned to power ; very soon afterwards the

¹ * In quo parliaments Henricus princeps desideravit a patre suo regni
et coronae resignationem, eo quod pater ratione aegritudinis non poterat
circa honorem et Utilitatem regni ulterius Iaborare. Sed sibi in hoc
noluit penitus assentire, immo regnuɪn cum corona et pertinentiis dum-
modo haberet spiritus vitales voluit gubernare. XJnde princeps quo-
dammodo cum suis Consiliariis aggravatus recessit et posterius quasi pro
ɪnajori parte Angliae omnes proceres suo doɪninio in Iiomagio et Stipendio
copulavit ;^, Chron. ed. Giles, p. 63. ^fInterea dominus Henricus' princeps
oflensus régis familiaribus, qui ut fertur Seminaverunt discordiam inter
pattern et filium, scripsit ad omnes regni partes, nitens repellere cunctas
detractorum machinationes. Et ut fidem Inanifestiorem faceret praemisso-
rum, circa festum Petri et Pauli venit ad regem patrem cum amicorum
maxima frequentia et obsequentium turba qualis non antea visa fuerit his
dɪebus. Post parvissimi temρoris Spatium gratulabunde susceptus est a rege
patre, a quo hoc unum petiit ut delatores sui si convinci possent punirentur,
non quidem juxta meritum sed post compertum mendacium citra condig-
num. Hex vero postulanti videbatur annuere, sed tempus asseruit expectari
debere parliament^ videlicet, ut hii tales parium suorum Judicio puni-
rentur ; ’ Otterbourne, p. 271. Accordingtothe Chronicle of London the
prince came to London with a great retinue in July 1412 and attended
council on Sept. 23, ‘with a huge people;’ Chron. Lond. p. 94; Stow,
Chr. p. 339. ‘ Eodem autem anno facta fuit conventio inter principem
Henricum primogenitum régis, Henricum episcopuιn Wintoniensem et
alios quasi omnes dominos Angliae, uter ipsorum alloqueretur regem ut
redderet coronam Angliae, et permitteret primogenitum suum coronari,
pro eo quod erat ita horribiliter aspersus lepra. Quo allocate ad con-
silium quorundam dominorum cedere noluit, sed statiιn equitavit per
magɪiam partem Angliae non obstante lepra supradicta ;^, Eulog. iii. 421.
Some other authorities are given in Mr. Williams’ Preface to the
Gesta Henrici V. Cf. English Chronicle, ed. Davies, p. 37 ; Elmham, ed.
Hearne, p. ɪr.

² Rot. Part iv. 298; Hall, Chr. p. 133. Cf. Plummer’s Fortescue, p. 7.

XVIIi.]              Divisions at Court.                  71

prince ceased to attend tlɪe council¹, and his brother Thomas Arundei
took the foremost place ; almost immediately the king trans- power, and
ferred his friendship from the duke of Burgundy to the duke of ₁,₀iicy ɪs “
Orleans, and sent an army to his assistance under Thomas,^,'^h'^lrlfc'^od'
who in preparation for his command was made duke of Clarence.

The dates of these transactions are tolerably clear. On the
5th of January Arundel took the seals; on the 18th of February
the prince received payment of bis salary for the time that he
had served on the council : negotiations were still pending with
Burgundy. On the 18th of May the king concluded his league
with Orleans, the prince withholding his consent for two days
longer. On the 9th of July Thomas was made duke of Clarence.

Money for the expedition was raised by loan²; the archbishop Second ex-
lent 1000 marks, bishop Beaufort’s name does not appear in the Francein
list of contributors. The result of Clarence’s enterprise was ɪ⁴¹²'
neither honourable nor fortunate ; finding that the contending
parties had united against him, he ravaged Normandy and
Guienne, and was bought off at last by Orleans. It would Attack on
appear that the enemies of the prince of Wales were not con- ofθwaɪes.
tent with dislodging him from power ; they brought against
him a slanderous charge of receiving large sums for the wages
of the Calais garrison, and not paying them. The matter came
before the council, and the charge was disproved³.

320. In the autumn of 1412 the king became so ill that his IUneteof
death was expected ; he had periods of insensibility, and was ^t''° ^kl"^g'
much troubled in mind as well as in body. It is even possible
that the action of an ill-informed conscience, working upon a
diseased frame, made him look back with something like remorse
on the great act of his life. He had intended too to go once
more on crusade⁴, and as late as November 20 held a council

^{1 i} Then the king discharged the prince of his counsayle, and set my
ɪord syr Thomas in his stede;’ Hardyng, p. 369.

On the ιSth of Feb. 1412 Henry received ɪoeo marks as his wages
‘tempore quo fuit de Consilio ipsius domini régis;’ PelI Rolls; Tyler,
Henry of Monmouth, i. 291. For the story of Henry carrying off his
father’s crown, see Wavrin, p. 159; Monstrelet, liv. i. c. ɪoɪ.

^a July 12 ; Rymer, viii. 757, 760 ; Ordin. ii. 32.

³ Ordinances, ii. 34, 35 ; Elmham, ed. Hearne, ρ. ɪɪ.

⁴ Fabyan, ρ. 576; Hall, Chron. p. 45 ; Rastall, p. 244; Leland, Coll. ii.
487.

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