‘MONTHLY. 
No. 179.] JANUARY 
THE 
MAGAZINE. 
1, 1809. [6 of Vox. 26. 
As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions a Maximum of 
“* Influence and Celebrity, the moft extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greatett Effed the 
** Curiofity of thofe who read either for Amufement or InftruAtion,” JOHNSON, : 
- 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
IBTERESTING ACCOUNT, never before 
published, of the lust Days and pDEaTH 
_ Of RICHARD II. KING of. ENGLAND, 
in 1399, froma Ms. in the NATIONAL 
LIBRARY uf Panis, translated from 
’ the FRENCH Of M. GALLIARD, 
{IS curious Memoir commences 
with a comparison between Charles 
the Sixth, King of France, and our Ri- 
chard the Second. Both kings were of 
the same age, and both, from their mino- 
rity, governed by three ambitious and 
evil-intentioned uncles. Fortune also 
placed the same differences of character 
between the three uncles of both kings,. 
and these differences produced similar 
events, The Duke of Lancaster, regent 
of England, had the pride, ambition, and 
covetousness of the Duke of Anjou, who 
ossessed the like office in France. The 
uke of York resembled the Duke of 
Berry in effemimacy and indolence; and 
the Duke of Gloucester.the Duke of Bur iy 
gundy in audacity and tu-balence. ‘al 
* Richard married Isabella; sister of 
Charles the Sixth; and the editor 
notices, that, from the influence of national 
prejudices, all the kings of England wiio 
married princesses of the royal_house of 
France were unfortunate. This he in- 
staitces in Edw. II. Rich. II. Hen. VI. 
end Char. I. We then panegyrizes the 
conduct of Richard in the affair of Wat 
Tyler, aud his declaration in Parliament, 
when he became of ave, and concludes 
hy observing, that his restitution of some 
important places to France, and the cou- 
clusion of a truce of twenty-eight years, 
especially the restoration of Brest, ex- 
tinguished the embers of all remaining 
esteem. At this period the narrative of 
the manuscript commences, 
The Duke of Brittany, who remained 
‘at Brest by virtue of the treaty conclid- 
ed with Richard, sent back the English 
garrison, ‘They arrived at the time when 
_ the king was giving a sumptuous feast in 
_ Westminster-hall. ‘They came to the ja- 
Jace, and were received to dinner in the 
hall. The Duke of Gloucester address- 
ed. the king’ with these harsh words jem 
Monrury Mac, No, 179, ” 
' 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, 
“ Have you not seen, Sir, the company. 
which bas come to dine here to-day? 
‘* Good uncle (replied the king), who are 
they?” “ Sir (rejoined the duke), they 
are your people, who have come from 
Brest, who haye served you loyally, and 
have been badly paid, and know not 
what to do.” The monarch, diseusted 
with this rude and abrupt speech, dryly 
answered, “ They shall be fully satis- 
fied,” and immediately gave the requisite 
orders. The Duke of Gloucester, who 
had not expected to be thus taken up at 
the first word, answered very haughtily, 
“Sire, you ought first to take a town 
from your enemies by war or force, be-~ 
fore you surrender or séll any of those, 
which your predecessors kings of Eng- 
land, have gained and. conquered. 
“ What is that you say”? (sternly answered 
the King). The Duke of Gloucester re-’ 
peated his speech. Richard, then burst- 
lng into a rage, exclaimed, “ Do you take 
me then tora tradesman or a fool, that I 
should sell my land? By St. John Bap- 
tist! no, no, our cousin of Brittany bas 
well and loyally paid the sum, which my 
predecessors Tent him for the ie oft 
Brett; and since he has paid us, his secti- 
rities should be released”. p 
After this*conference, the king and his 
uncle were never sincerely reconciled. 
The Abbot of St. Albans, who was god- 
father to the Duké of Gloucester, invited 
the prior of Westminster to dine with 
him ona day appointed. The prior, on 
his arrival, fonnd- the Duke of Gloucester - 
at table with the abbot. After dinner, 
when they wére alone, the abbot put 
this question to the prior; “Tell ine, 
prior, as God and St. George may help 
you, if you have not had a vision to-night 
of something or other in the world?” 
* Yes,”(answered the prior). “ Tell us then 
the truth about your vision,” (said the 
Duke). The prior, throwing himself at 
the knees of the Duke, begged to be ex- 
cused, and added, that he would rather 
be silent, “Speak out boldly, (cried 
the abbot,) this gentleman (ce mounsieur ) 
will excuse you.” ‘By God, and by St. 
George, Sire, (returned the prior,) T 
3T thought 
