Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/369

 RENT-ROLL OP THE DUKE OP BUCKINGHAM. :277 we have seen, were showered upon the head of Buckingham by Richard in no sparing measure." Possibly Uicliard may have waded further into blood than the Duke e.j)cctcd ; or, as a descendant of Edward III., Buckingham might liavo wished to hurl Richard from a throne stained with the blood of his brother's chikb-cn. Friendship, if it over existed between these two men, was turned to hate. As regarded Buckingham, discontent and envy ripened into cons])iracy and rebelhon. More says, " He was an high-minded man, and could ill bear the glory of another." ^ Shakespeare gives him, in his last hours, an accusing conscience — " let me think on Hastings," in whose destruction he had concurred. The last days of the Duke's life will remind us of the many similar incidents which occurred to another peer of later days — the Duke of Monmouth. Both had been dis- tinguished by the Royal favour in a more than common measure. Both w^ere weak, vain, and ambitious men. In the rebelhons they raised, they were received favourably by the people. Both assumed the title of king. Large rewards in money were in both cases offered for their apprehension ;^ but whether both were betrayed, is, as respects Monmouth, not very clear. The same privations and necessities were expe- rienced by both, the once powerful Buckingham being, when captured, disguised as a countryman digging in a grove, and the Duke of Monmouth being found concealed in furze bushes. The Duke of Buckingham was hurried to the scaffold without the form of trial ; the Duke of Monmouth suffered by virtue of his previous attainder, and without any formal trial by his brother peers.^ To carry on the parallel one step further — the two monarchs, against whom these peers had combined, were severally hurled from their thrones soon after their subjects had paid the penalty of their own misdeeds. Lord Bagot has, in the 25th Vol. of the Archasologia, given an interesting record connected with Edward the third and last duke, in whom it may be remembered the post of Lord High Constable of England, for several ages hereditary in the family of the Bohuns, became extinct. ' Kennett's Hist. Eng., vol. ii. p.4I. ' £1000 for Buckinu'liani, Carte, ii, OH. ' Turner's Hist. Eng., vol. iii. p. 500. - Kapin, vol. iii. p. 741*.