56 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book I. 



Richard II. had met with. To the astonishment of the 

 Lancastrians, the bishop rose and demanded for Ricliard what 

 ought not to be refused to tlie meanest criminal, the right of 

 being confronted with liis accusers ; and for ParHament what 

 it might justly claim, the opportunity of learning from the 

 king's own mouth whether the resignation of the crown, 

 which had been attributed to him, were his own spontaneous 

 act. He urged everything that could with propriety be said 

 in behalf of the deposed king and against the usurping 

 Bolingbroke. But he stood alone ; no one was found to 

 second his motion ; the House voted the deposition of Richard ; 

 and eight commissioners ascending a tribunal erected before 

 the throne, pronounced him degraded from the state and 

 authority of king, on the ground that he notoriously deserved 

 such punishment, and acknowledged it under his hand and 

 seal on the preceding day. Sir William Thirnyng, Chief 

 Justice, was appointed to notify the sentence to the royal 

 captive, who meekly replied that he looked not after the 

 royal authority, but hoped his cousin, Bolingbroke, would be 

 a good lord to him. On the loth of January, 1 399-1400 

 following. Bishop Merks was committed for high treason 

 and the new king (Henry IV.) gave particular direction to 

 his judges with respect to their proceedings against bishops on 

 such trials. He was soon after deprived of his bishopric. 

 After having some time continued a prisoner in the Tower, 

 Henry IV. consented to his removal, June 23, 1400, to 

 Westminster Abbey. In the following years the king was 

 still more compassionate towards him, and by his letters 

 patent granted him licence to obtain from the Pope benefices 

 (episcopal excepted) to the yearly amount of lOO marks. On 

 the 13th of August, 1404, he was instituted to the rectory of 

 Todenham, Gloucestershire; and we find that on January 13, 

 1409, Robert Ely was admitted to the said rectory, upon the 

 death of Thomas Merks. Thus ended the career of the good 

 prelate, with whom the town of Newmarket was more or less 

 associated four hundred years ago. 



Althoug-h there is no actual authority for the 



