Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 26.djvu/40

Henry IV Nottingham had been ‘innocent of malice’ in their former appeal, the king vouched for their loyalty (Rot. Parl. iii. 353). On 29 Sept. Henry was made Duke of Hereford, the king himself girding him with his sword and putting on his head the cap of honour (ib. iii. 355).

The triumph of Richard was so complete that Nottingham, now Duke of Norfolk, became uneasy. He confided to Hereford his fears that Richard's vengeance would still extend to them, and, according to Hereford (ib. iii. 360), declared that the king was not to be trusted even if he ‘had sworn on God's body.’ Hereford reported this to his father; and afterwards, at the king's command, drew up a statement (ib. iii. 360). On 30 Jan. 1398 Hereford repeated the charge before the parliament reassembled at Shrewsbury, and appealed Norfolk of treason. Richard referred the whole business to the committee of parliament, and again pardoned Hereford (ib. iii. 367). On 4 Feb. a peremptory summons was issued to Norfolk to appear before the king within fifteen days (Fœdera, viii. 32).

On 23 Feb. Hereford and Norfolk both came before Richard at Oswestry, and Norfolk denounced Hereford as a liar and traitor. Both were put under arrest, though Hereford was released under sureties after a time, and the matter was finally referred to a court of chivalry at Windsor (Rot. Parl. iii. 383), which ordered (29 April) that the dispute should be decided by combat on 16 Sept. at Coventry. Before this court Norfolk partially admitted his indiscretion (ib. iii. 383).

Great preparations were made for the duel. Hereford obtained from Gian Galeazzo Visconti some of the famous Milan armourers, while Norfolk sought his harness from the smiths of Germany (, xvi. 95–6). The king of France sent in vain a special messenger to prevent the combat (, Richard II, ii. 465; his instructions are printed in, ed. Kervyn, xvi. 302–5). Popular feeling rose high. The Londoners hated Norfolk as the murderer of Gloucester, and rallied round their old favourite. So strong was the feeling that Richard's best friends urged him not to risk the battle. When 16 Sept. came, a vast crowd was assembled at Coventry in the ‘very strong and large theatre’ (Monk of Evesham, p. 145), prepared for the duel. When, after a stately ceremonial, the combatants were on the point of meeting, Richard stopped the combat, and decided that, to prevent the chance of dishonour to the king's kin and to secure the peace, Hereford should be banished for ten years and Norfolk for life, pledges being required that they would not hold intercourse with each other or with the exiled Archbishop Arundel (Rot. Parl. iii. 383). The committee of parliament confirmed this judgment. Hereford was now the idol of the mob and treated respectfully by the king, who almost apologised for his condemnation, and, perhaps, reduced the ten years to six (, xvi. 110). An enthusiastic crowd blocked the streets of London to see the popular favourite depart, and the mayor with many leading citizens attended him as far as Dartford. On 3 Oct. Richard granted him permission to remain for six weeks at Sandgate Castle and a month at Calais (Fœdera, viii. 48, 49). On 8 Oct. letters of attorney were issued on his behalf (ib. viii. 49, 50), especially providing that his attorneys should have power to receive his heritage in the event of his father's death (Rot. Parl. iii. 372). Two thousand a year was allowed to him of the king's gift (, Henry V, i. 35, from Pell Records). He seems to have left England by 13 Oct. 1398 (, xvi. 305, ed. Kervyn;, Hist. of Henry IV, p. 7). His children remained in England.

Henry proceeded direct to Paris in spite of a fresh invitation to join the expedition to Friesland. He was received with great honour, and the Hôtel Clisson was assigned for his residence. When it became known that the honours shown were displeasing to King Richard, more caution was displayed. Delays were thrown in the way of a proposed match with the daughter of the Duke of Berri, his special confidant, and the French nobles whispered that a daughter of France must never become the bride of a traitor (, xvi. 141–51, ed. Kervyn).

Hereford contemplated new adventures to which his father refused assent. He therefore stayed at Paris till the death of his father (3 Feb. 1399). Richard now threw off the mask, revoked on 18 March the patents which had authorised Henry's attorneys to receive his inheritance (Rot. Parl. iii. 372), banished him for ever, and confiscated the Lancaster estates. On 23 April Henry's attorney, Henry Bowet [q. v.], was condemned as a traitor (ib. iii. 385). Richard no doubt thought that his cousin was now ruined, and on 29 May sailed for Ireland, leaving his incompetent uncle, Edmund, duke of York [see ], regent in England.

With Berri's advice, Henry affected gaiety, and with characteristic English cunning kept quite silent about revenge (‘Anglicana usus astucia,’ Religieux de Saint-Denys, ii. 674), yet he considered himself now free from his oath. He was joined at Paris by Archbishop Thomas Arundel [q. v.], Thomas Fitzalan, earl of Arundel [q. v.], son of the murdered earl, who perhaps brought the news of the