122
ConstitiitiQual Ilistory.
[enʌp.
The Com-
mons pr<vj
Bedford to
stay in
England.
His self-
denying
offer.
Economies
in the
council,
November
1433∙
Grants in
parliament,
J433∙
extolling the character and services of Bedford, and stating the
belief of the commons that his continued stay in England would
be of the greatest conceivable security to the well-being of the
king and his realms : he besought the king to request the duke
to abide still in the land. The lords, on being consulted by the
chancellor, seconded the prayer of the commons, and the
proposal was at once laid before the duke. Bedford, in a
touching speech, full of modesty and simplicity, declared him-
self at the king’s disposal 1. The next day, giving a laudable
example of self-denial, he offered to accept a salary of £1000
as chief counsellor instead of tlɪe 5000 marks which Gloucester
had been receiving2, and on the 28th Gloucester in council
agreed to accept the same sum3. At the close of the session
the archbishops, the cardinal, and the bishops of Lincoln and
Ely agreed to give their attendance without payment, if they
were not obliged to be present in vacationi. This simple
measure effected a clear saving of more than £2000 a year.
The good-will of the commons followed on the good example of
the council ; a grant of one fifteenth and a tenth, minus the
sum of £4000 which was to be applied to the relief of poor
towns, was voted, and tunnage and poundage continued5. The
fifteenth would bring in at least £33,000 and the clerical
grant voted in November ° would give about £9,000 more.
The council was empowered to give security for 100,000 marks
of debt7, and it was agreed, on the treasurer’s proposal, that
the accounts should be audited in council8. On the 18th of
December Bedford produced the articles of condition on which
he proposed to undertake the office of counsellor ; he wished to
ɪ Rot. ParI. iv. 423.
2 The wages of the councillors are a constantly recurring topic in all the
records of the time; see especially Rymer, x. 360; Ordinances, iii. 156,
202, 222, 265, 278; iv. 12; Rot. Parl. v. 404. CardinalBeaufort when
attending the king in Prance had £4000 per annum; Rjiner, x. 472.
Gloucester was to receive 4000 marks as lieutenant during the king’s
absence ; 2000 when he was in England ; Ord. iv. 12: to this sum 2000
marks were added, ib. p. 103 ; and 5000 marks fixed as his ordinary salary,
ib. p. ɪoɔ.
3 Rot. Parl. iv. 424; Ordinances, iv. 185.
4 Rot. Parl. iv. 446. 5 lb. iv. 425, 426.
c Dep. Keeper’s Rep. lii. App. p. 15. It was three quarters of a tenth ;
Wilk. Cone. iii. 523. 7 Rot. ParI. iv. 426. 8 lb. iv. 439.
XVTII.]
Be<lfor<Tя fast Tri-tif.
know who would be the members of the continual council ; he Bedford
demanded that without his advice and that of the council no the office
members should be added or removed, that the opinion of the counsellor,
council should be taken as to the appointments to great offices
of state, that he should, wherever he was, be consulted about the
summoning of parliament and the appointment to bishoprics,
and that a record should be kept of the names of old servants
of the king, who should be rewarded as occasion might offer.
All these points were conceded, and the duke entered upon his
office 1.
But he was destined to no peaceful or long tenure. It was Uneasy
soon seen that even with Bedford at home duke Humfrey could between
, , , . Gloucester
not long be kept quiet, feigns ot uneasiness and mistrust and Bedford,
between the two brothers at last appeared. It was proposed 4j1'
that Gloucester should go to France, where the earl of Arundel
was tasked beyond his strength in the defence of Normandy.
The country was not altogether indisposed to peace, and an
order had been passed in the parliament of 1431 that Bedford,
Gloucester, Beaufort, and the council might open negotiations -.
Ou the 26th of April, 1434, a large council was held at West-
minster 3, a considerable number of lords and knights who were
not of the privy council being summoned by writs of privy
seal. Gloucester offered to go to France, and reviewed the
conduct of the war there in such terms that Bedford, con-
ceiving himself to be attacked, demanded that the words should
be written down, in order that he might defend himself before
the king. The council deliberated on Gloucester’s proposition Gloucester’s
, futile pro-
and found that it would involve an expenditure of nearly portion.
.£50,000, which they saw no means of raising 4. Gloucester,
who as usual dealt in generalities, was pressed to explain how
the money was to be secured. Bedford and the council severally
appealed to the king, who declared that the matter must go
no further. The poor lad, now only thirteen, consulted the
council, and, probably under the advice of Beaufort, told the
dulces that they were both his dearest uncles, that no attack
1 Rot. Park iv. 423, 424.
2 lb. iv. 371.
} lb. iv. 213 sq.
3 Ordinances, iv. 210-213.