-1809.] Account of the last Days and Death of Richard II. 
‘the history of Gloucester, and as M. 
Galliard only supplies the interval from 
the histories of Eugland, well known, it is 
only worth while to notice a fact not 
generally known, namely, that the Earl 
of Derby, afterwards Henry LV. owed 
much of his hatred to Mowbray, on ac- 
count of his privately informing Richard 
of the plots of his enemies: and that 
when Richard suspended the duel, and 
banished both, they were both rejoiced 
at escaping the fate of the Earl of Arun- 
del. So the MS.] 
The editor re-commences the manu- 
script, with the domestic arrangements 
of the king, before his departure for 
Ireland. These details have curiosity, 
nawveté, and interest. The king leaves 
-his uncle, the duke of York, regent, and 
recommends to him, as well as to Scroop, 
Lord Uigh Treasurer, Isabella of France, 
his wife, with this observation, * that she 
nor her people had no faults!” He then 
commanded a physician named Master 
' Pol, to take as much care of the queen 
as of his own body; and gave a like in- 
junction to Sir Philip de Vache, the 
queen’s chamberlain, that he should con- 
sider Master Pol, and the contessor, so- 
vereign guardians of the queen. Heatf- 
terwards took these three persons seve- 
rally apart, and after swearing them to 
speak the truth, demanded their opinion 
of the Lady de Coucy, governess of the 
queen, of whom he appears to have had 
some suspicion, namely, whether they 
thought her sufficiently good, gentile 
and prudent, to possess such a situation 
with the queen of England. Then* an- 
swered Sir Phil. de Vache, and Master 
Poi, “ Very dear sire,-here is the con- 
fessor, who knows the ladies from beyond 
sea, better than.we: let him say of her 
what he thinks fit.” The confessor begged 
the king’s merey, that he made him 
speak to Sir Phil. de Vache, or Master 
Pol, for the lady, “Jui en pourroit porter 
mal talent,” [Porter mal talent isnot in 
Cotgrave, nor the modern dictionaries: 
the meaning evidently is, that the lady 
would harbour a grudge against him. | 
This was sufficient explanation, and 
upon new urgency from the king, all 
- three deciared that she was not worthy 
so noble an employ; the reasons which 
they give are very remarkable—“She keeps 
too great state: full as much as the 
gueen does, for she has livery from you 
ies ES 
- * The style of the MS. (from the wera) is 
diligently adhered to,in the translatiop, in 
preference to decoration, 
, 
509 
for eighteen horses, without the livery of 
her husband, when he comes and goes, 
and she also keeps two or-three gold- 
smiths, and seven or gight embroiderers, 
and two or three ironmongers! (sic Tail- 
landieu) and two or three furriers, as well 
as you and the queen: and she has bailt 
a chapel, which will cost 1,400 nobles, 
When she lived in Frapce, she could do 
with much less.” Theking gave orders 
that she should be sent back to France, 
and that all her debts should be paid, 
and put Lady Mortimer in her place. 
Theking and queen, before separation, 
assisted together in the service of St. 
George’s chapel, Windsor. The king 
sung 4 collect ;* and after he had made 
his offering, took the queen in his arms, 
very lovingly, and kissed her more than 
forty times, saying piteously, ‘ Adieu, 
Madam, till I see you again, 1 commend 
myself to you.” And then the queen 
began to weep, saying to the king, “Alas, 
Sir, do you leave me here?” Then the 
king had his eyes filled with tears, and wag 
on the point of weeping. Then the king 
and queen took wine and spices together, 
right at the door of the church, and af- 
terwards the king kissed her, and took 
the queen, and lifted her from the ground, 
and held ber.a long while in his arms, 
and kissed her full ten} times, saying al- 
ways,, “ Adieu, Madam, till I see you 
again,” and then put her down,and kissed 
herthree times ; and, by Our Lady! [never 
saw so great a lord, make so great a feast, 
or show so great aloveto alady,y as did 
King Richard to his queen. [Thus the 
author, notes the editor, was an ocular 
witness of many facts which he recites. | 
Froissart, and all the histerians, coincide 
in this attachment of Richard to his 
queen. , 
She was not guite ten years old, and 
“it is a great pity, (says the M.S.) that 
they were ever separated, for they never 
saw one another again.” 
The editor then proceeds with the 
plots of Henry, (afterwards King Henry 
IV.) while an exile in France, and:at- 
tributes his ultimate success with the dis- 
contented nation, to one hundred and. 
fifty pairs of letters,t which he sent full 
of false accusation, against King Richard 
* Canute was a psalm-singer, and used to 
join the Monks, (15 Script. 505.) Inthe 
16th century, princes sung in the service. 
Burn, Mus. ii. 573. Editors. 
+ Bien. It may mean beartily. 
} This expression is very obscure. M- 
Paris, 270, 1, 6. uses it for fics. Editors 
and 
