ENGLAND. 



635 



History, denvoured to convince the people that he died a natural 

 ^"V ' death, and exposed his body to public view, to shew that 

 there were no marks of outward violence, yet no one 

 doubted but that he had fallen a victim to their ven- 

 geance. His uncle the cardinal survived him only a 

 few weeks, and, it is said, testified the utmost remorse 

 for his unnatural crime. 



lardis- -j^e murder of Gloucester covered the king and queen 

 with universal odium ; and the Duke of Suffolk, who was 

 now raised to the office of prime minister, and was deep- 

 ly concerned in that crime, partook also of the general 

 hatred attending it. The popular discontent was farther 

 increased by their arbitrary measures. They managed 

 all things with unlimited authority ; they disgusted the 

 nobility by their overbearing pride, and the people by 

 their oppressions. The murmurings of the people had 

 become so loud and unequivocal, that Suffolk, sensible 

 that he had become an object of public hatred, endea- 

 voured to allay the storm that was gathering around him, 

 by boldly resisting its fury. He rose in his place in the 

 House of Peers, took notice of the public discontent, and 

 complained, that, after his long services both at home and 

 abroad in maintaining the honour of his native country, 

 for which he had been rewarded by his sovereign with 

 the highest honours and distinctions, he should be expo- 

 sed to its ingratitude and resentment. But this chal- 

 lenge, instead of silencing his enemies, served rather to 

 provoke them ; and the commons immediately sent up 

 to the House of Peers an accusation of high treason 

 against him, divided into several articles. These arti- 

 cles, however, were adopted without inquiry, and were 

 founded entirely upon the popular clamours. They con- 

 sisted chiefly in charging him with having designs upon 

 the crown ; and with being the cause of the English loss- 

 es in France. Such a charge was easily refuted ; and 

 the commoi s themselves soon became sensible of its fu- 

 tility, and sent up a new charge of misdemeanors. They 

 accused him of procuring exorbitantgrants from the crown, 

 of embezzling the public money, and of perverting pub- 

 lic justice, charges much more probable, and not so 

 easily eluded. The king, alarmed at die prosecution of 

 ;i fiivourite minister, summoned all the peers into his 

 presence, and called upon Suffolk for his defence. Tint 

 nobleman denied the charge, but submitted to the king's 

 mercy. Henry, in order to allay the public discontent, 

 iied him the kingdom for live ycais. This irregu- 

 lar proceeding, it was easily seen, was intended to screen 

 the favourite ; and, as he still possessed ihe queen's con- 

 fidence, it was supposed that he would soon be restored 

 to his former credit and power. But his enemies were 

 determined that he never should return. He was inter- 

 cepted in his passage to I-' ranee, his head was struck off 

 on the .side of the long boat, and his body cast into the 

 sea. 



The Duke of Somerset succeeded to the power of Suf- 

 folk, and also to his unpopularity. It was under Somer- 

 set's government that the French provinces were lost; 

 and the people, who judge only by the event, repaid 

 him with their animosity and hatred. These passions 

 soon broke out in open insurrections ; and one Jack Cade, 

 . a low-born Irishman, who had been formerly obliged to 

 ily into France for his crimes, excited a di.stmb;iin c in 

 Kent, which threatened the most dangerous coiisi- |iii>n- 

 rcs. He assumed the name of John Mortimer, pretend- 

 ing to l>e a descendant of that popular family, which drew 

 u> his standard a crowd of adherents. Sir Humphrey 



Stafford was sent with a small force, to quell the insur- History, 

 rection ; but he was defeated and slain, in an action with ' ^Y~~ 

 the rebels near Sevenoke; and Cade, advancing with 

 20,000 followers, encamped on Blackheath. He sent to 

 the court a list of grievances, and demanded the punish- 

 ment of Lord Say the treasurer, and Cromer, sheriff of 

 Kent, for their malversations. The king retired to Ke- 

 nilworth, and the capital immediately opened its gates to Enters tfct 

 the rebels. Cade at first maintained great order and dis- city, 

 cipline among his followers, whom he always led out into 

 the fields during the night. But he was obliged to gra- 

 tify them by the death of Say and Cromer, when they 

 became so unruly, that his orders were unheeded. They 

 broke into the house of a rich citizen, which they plun- 

 dered ; and this act of violence so alarmed the inhabi- 

 tants, that they shut their gates against them. Cade en- 

 deavoured to forre his way, but was defeated with great is defeated, 

 slaughter; and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was ""^ a f ter - 

 then chancellor, having proclaimed a general pardon to *' 

 the rebels, they retreated to Rochester, and dispersed. 

 Cade was afterwards taken and killed, and many of his 

 followers were executed. 



The suppression of this rebellion did not bring quiet- 

 ness and security to the government. The clamours of 

 the people continued as violent as ever ; and were sup- 

 ported and encouraged by the appearance of a pretender 

 to the throne. Richard Duke of York was the nearest Pretensiont 

 heir to the house of Mortimer. His mother Anne, of * e Duke 

 Countess of Cambridge, was sister to the last Earl of 

 Mart-he, who died without issue, and thus he stood plain- 

 ly in the order of succession to the throne, before the fa- 

 mily of Lancaster. Richard had displayed great valour 

 and abilities in his government of France, from which 

 station he had been recalled by the intrigues of the Duke 

 of Somerset. He was then sent to suppress a rebellion 

 in Ireland, and here he was equally distinguished by his 

 conduct and prudence, and had even been able to attach 

 to his person and family that independent people, whom 

 he was sent to subdue. The talents of this nobleman 

 thus made him formidable ; but he was rendered still 

 more^so by his powerful connections. He possessed im- 

 mense baronial estates, and was connected by blood or 

 alliance with the most potent and opulent noblemen in 

 England. But with all his abilities and power, he was of 

 a mild and moderate disposition; and his claim to thi 

 crown, which had lain so long dormant, would not h;i\ c 

 been revived by him, had he not been encouraged to do 

 so by the weakness and unpopularity of the present go- 

 vernment. He was also in a manner compelled to it, by 

 a regard to his own security. He had become an ob- 

 ject of jealousy to the reigning interest, from his preten- 

 sions and his power; and he found it necessary to assert 

 his right, in order to maintain his safety. He was even 

 suspected of being concerned in the late discontents and 

 insurrections, and of having secretly instigated Cade to 

 rebellion, that he might ascertain the dispositions of the 

 people towards his title and family. When the govern- Is respected 

 inent heard that he intended to return from Ireland, they t) ' 

 were afraid that he meant to bring a military force along vc 

 with him, and issued orders to oppose his entrance into 

 England. But he refuted the calumnies of his enemies, 

 by coming only with his ordinary attendants. lie could 

 not but see, however, the danger to which he was expo- 

 sed as a suspected subject, and he therefore endeavoured 

 by every mean to strengthen his interest, and to be pre- 

 pared against every emergency. His parlizans were in- 



