Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/104

Fitzalan [Rymer's Fœdera, vol. iii. Record edit.; Rolls of Parl. vol. ii.; Dugdale's Baronage, i. 316-18; Doyle's Official Baronage, i. 71-2; Froissart's Chroniques, vols. i-iv. ed. Luce (Société de l'Histoire de France); Murimuth and his Cont. (Engl. Hist. Soc.); Knighton in Twysden, Decem Scriptores; Tierney's Hist. of Arundel, pp. 225-240.]  FITZALAN, RICHARD III, (1346–1397), born in 1346, was the son of Richard II Fitzalan, earl of Arundel [q. v.], and his second wife, Eleanor, daughter of Henry, third earl of Lancaster. He served on the expedition to the Pays de Caux under Lancaster (, Scrope and Grosvenor Roll, i. 220). In January 1376 he succeeded to his father's estates and titles. Though the petitions of the Good parliament contain complaints of the men of Surrey and Sussex against the illegal jurisdiction exercised by his novel 'shire-court' at Arundel over the rapes of Chichester and Arundel (Rot. Parl. ii. 348), he was appointed one of the standing council established in that parliament to restrain the dotage of Edward III (Chron. Angliæ, 1328-1388, p. lxviii, Rolls Ser.) At Richard II's coronation he acted as chief butler (Rot. Parl. iii. 131). He was placed on the council of regency (ib. iii. 386), and in 1380 put on a commission to regulate the royal household. In 1377 he was appointed admiral of the west. His earlier naval exploits were but little glorious, yet French authorities credit him with the merit of having saved Southampton from their assault (, Chronique des Quatre Premiers Valois, p. 263, ed. Soc. de l'Histoire de France). About Whitsuntide 1378 he attacked Harfleur, but was subsequently driven to sea (ib. p. 273). In the same year he and the Earl of Salisbury were defeated by a Spanish fleet, though they afterwards compelled Cherbourg to surrender (, i. 371). He next accompanied John of Gaunt on his expedition to St. Malo, where his negligence on the watch gave the French an opportunity to destroy a mine and so compel the raising of the siege (, liv. ii. ch. xxxvi. ed. Buchon). Arundel barely escaped with his life (Chronique des Quatre Premiers Valois, p. 275). The earl showed an equal sluggishness in defending even his own tenants when the French ravaged the coasts of Sussex (. i. 439; cf. Chron. Angliæ, p. 168). In 1381 he and Michael de la Pole were approved in parliament as councillors in constant attendance upon the young king and as governors of his person (. ii. 156; Rot. Parl. iii. 1046). In 1383 he was proposed as lieutenant of Bishop Spencer of Norwich's crusading army, but the bishop refused to accept him (ib. iii. 155 a). In 1385 he took part in the expedition to Scotland.

Arundel definitely joined the baronial opposition that had now reformed under Gloucester, the king's uncle. He took a prominent part in the attack on the royal favourites in 1386, acted as one of the judges of M. de la Pole (. ii. 152), and was put on the commission appointed in parliament to reform and govern the realm and the royal household (Rot. Parl. iii. 221). His appointment as admiral was now renewed with a wider commission, rendered necessary by the projected great invasion of England, which brought Charles VI to Sluys (, iii. 47; cf., Rich. II, liv. v. ch. iii.) In the spring of 1387 he and Nottingham prepared an expedition against the French, which, on 24 March, defeated a great fleet of Flemish, French, and Spanish ships off Margate, and captured nearly a hundred vessels laden with wine (. ii. 154-6; Monk of Evesham, p. 78; , iii. 53. The different accounts vary hopelessly; see , Hist. of Royal Navy, ii. 317-24). This brilliant victory won Arundel an extraordinary popularity, which was largely increased by the liberality with which he refused to turn the rich booty to his own advantage. For the whole year wine was cheap in England and dear in Netherlands (, iii. 54). Immediately after he sailed to Brest and relieved and revictualled the town, which was still held for the English, and destroyed two forts erected by the French besiegers over against it (, c. 2692). He then returned in triumph to England, plundering the country round Sluys and capturing ships there on his way. All danger of French invasion was at an end. In 1387 Richard II obtained from the judges a declaration of the illegality of the commission of which Arundel was a member. His rash attempt to arrest the earl produced the final conflict. Northumberland was sent to seize Arundel at Reigate, but, fearing the number of his retainers, retired without accomplishing his mission (Monk of Evesham, p. 90). Warned of this treachery, Arundel escaped by night and joined Gloucester and Warwick at Harringhay, where they took arms (November 1387). At Waltham Cross on 15 Nov. they first appealed of treason the evil councillors of the king, and on 17 Nov. forced Richard to accept their charges at Westminster Hall. When the favourites attempted resistance, another meeting of the confederates was held on 12 Dec. at Huntingdon, where Arundel strongly urged the capture and deposition of the king. But the 