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Cause of the Death of Richard II. examined,

Henry's favour. But I firmly believe that the writer's suspicions of Richard's being then alive were entirely ground

less.

With respect to the relation given by the different historians of the manner of Richard's death, I quite agree with Mr. Webb, that "as to the writers who were contemporary or came nearest to the period, from the peculiar circumstances of the affair, they could only give the reports that were current in the country. We need not hesitate to believe that these were as various as they represent them. Not one of the authors, however, who may be judged worthy of our implicit confidence, excepting Hardyng, has noticed any thing but what evidently appears to have proceeded from rumour; not a single eye-witness of even the most remote or trifling particular, has stepped in between the fact and posterity, nor do the unsatisfactory recorders pretend in any instance to superior information above their fellows, on a fact, which from the first was veiled in such impenetrable darkness. There is but one positive affirmation, that of the Percys, which, as an unqualified assertion, can command our attention." From this just remark I only dissent by not attributing more credit to Hardyng than to the others; nor does Mr. Webb inform us why he does sot; indeed I am fully impressed with the opinion that the candid confession of Froissart, that "he could not learn the particulars of Richard's death, nor how it happened," and this may be applied to them all; is a strong corroboration of my belief that this ignorance on so important a point, in men who lived so near the period, arose from this simple cause, that there was no mystery in the affair; for, if the deposed Prince really died, as I presume, of a natural death, what was there to conceal? His body was publicly exhibited and publicly interred, Henry himself attending; from which, if any inference is to be drawn, it is in support of my position. The strong affirmation of the Percies requires that a few words should be said on it.

Arch. p. 283.

+ Hardyng died in 1461; hence, although possibly contemporary with the death of Richard, he must have been very young when that event occurred. Consequently he, like the rest, must in his narrative have relied on what he was told by others.

[Oct.

If an accusation dictated by disap-
pointed ambition and revenge, and
coming from those who had proved
themselves treacherous, first to Richard,
whom they betrayed, and afterwards
to Henry, whom they assisted to place
on Richard's throne, but whom they
subsequently detested, be entitled to
any consideration at all, it can only
be received with the utmost caution.
One admission must be made on this
curious document, that the Percies
were resolved to say the worst they
knew of Henry's conduct; and the
remark of Malone, cited by Mr.
Webb, has my entire concurrence,
that their omitting to impute Richard's
death to Exton, is decisive against such
a fact having occurred. Had Henry ac-
tually murdered his prisoner, it would
to have accused him of it in one way as
have suited their purpose equally well
another; but as it is evident they were
determined to impute his death to him,
and knowing how easily he could dis-
prove a charge of killing him by vio-
lent means, by exhibiting his body,
they shrewdly accused him of doing
so by starvation, which any such exhi-
bition would, if I am correct in as-
signing his death to debility and ex-
haustion, rather support than contra-
dict§. That a report prevailed of Ri-
chard's having starved himself to death,
I have no hesitation in believing;-
what facility must this then have af-
forded Henry's enemies of saying that
it was involuntary, and done at his
command? This consideration, united
to the feelings of hatred which the
Percies manifested towards Henry,
takes, in my estimation, every claim
to credit from their challenge; and I
am induced, in the examination of
this question, to look on it as alto-
gether unworthy of credit.

Arch. p. 284, note i.

§ The manner in which Mr. Amyot speaks of the value to be attached to the that I cannot resist the pleasure of tranchallenge of the Percies is so admirable, "But let us pause, a scribing part of it. little before we receive this condemnation bitterest of all enemies, a disappointed and from the mouth of an enemy, and from the insulted friend. Roused as the angry passions of the Percys were, with their very that they should have availed themselves of existence at stake, it cannot be surprising the admitted obscurity of Richard's death, Arch. p. 435-6. by imputing murder to the object of their

vengeance.

The

1823.]

Cause of the Death of Richard II. examined.

The manifesto attributed to the Archbishop of York may, as Mr. Webb suggests, be admitted as proof that a report similar to that brought forward by the Percies, was current in that part of England; but the observation I have just made on what I suppose to have been the source of the rumour, renders it unnecessary that I should say any more than to take advantage of the fact, that Archbishop Scroop expressly states his authority for it to be only "ut vulgariter dicitur," to give greater force to my opinion, that the common people did then what they are still inclined to do, avail themselves of an opportunity to accuse their superiors of crime. The origin of the assertion that Exton assassinated Richard, I imagine was the circumstance in which I place implicit belief of his being, on the 5th of January, actually charged with such a purpose, and few things are more probabable than that on such an obscure and distant point of history, the intention should be confounded with the commission of any particular fact. Whether the circumstance related in one of the French MSS. of Henry's having, when he heard of Richard's despair, and his declining food, sent some Prelates to comfort and exhort him to eat, but that he was unable to swallow, be true or not, is very doubtful, from this reflection, that it appears Henry was not acquainted with his refusal of sustenance until four days after he had fasted; which must mean that a messenger was not sent to Henry with the intelligence until that time had elapsed, hence before his order for the Prelates to visit his unhappy prisoner could have arrived at Pomfret, at least a week, and probably a much longer time, must have occurred. It is true this somewhat agrees with his having fasted fifteen days; and if this story be received as truth, it completely establishes Henry's innocence. The writer of this account, however, says he knows not whether it or Exton's assassination be most worthy of belief. Before I conclude, I must notice a

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singular idea thrown out by Mr.Webb§ that a particular clause which he cites in Richard's will might have influenced the Lords of his party to make an attempt in his favour. I thought such documents then, as at present, were never known until the testator's death; and unless the contrary was the custom, it is impossible it could operate in the manner that gentleman suggests.

I shall now, Mr. Urban, refrain from a longer trespass on the patience of your readers, and shall be glad if they do not consider that I uselessly exercised it. Many of the arguments urged by Mr. Webb and Mr. Amyot, whose labours are beyond any praise of mine, might induce me to offer some comments on them, if it was not foreign to my object to consider the question on other grounds than those which I have selected.

In taking leave of this interesting subject, I must observe, that as fully coincide in Mr. Webb's remark, that at this distance of time it would be absurd "to effect an insight into the secrets of a prisonhouse," I think we should be as much guided in our conclusions on those points of history, which interest, or time, have enveloped in mystery, by rational conjectures of what was most likely to have been the conduct of individuals under particular circumstances, and by a careful comparison of the dates on which certain facts occurred, as by the conflicting testimony sometimes of ignorant, and often of prejudiced historians. Self-interest, next to self-preservation, inducements which operate with equal force in all ages, are the best criterions by which to estimate the feelings and conduct of persons long since passed away, on those occasions when we have no better means of judging of them; and for the credit of human nature, no less than for the reputation of a British Monarch, I am happy in being able to say that the result of this examination of Henry the Fourth's conduct, has produced on my mind a decided conviction that he had no farther agency in the death of Richard, than by being the author of his misfortunes; and consequently, that the unhappy Prince ended his days in a natural manner.

§ Ibid. p. 216, note ",

CLIONAS.

|| Ibid. p. 284. COMPEN

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Enchanting Elysium! long, long, mayst thou flourish,
To gladden the eye with thy verdure and flowers;

And may each future year which rolls over thee nourish
Thine exquisite beauties with sunshine and showers."

BERNARD BARTON, from the " Suffolk Garland."

SITUATION AND EXTENT.

Boundaries, North, Norfolk: East, German Ocean: South, Essex: West, Cambridgeshire.

Greatest length 47; greatest breadth 27; square 1269 miles.

Province, Canterbury; Diocese, Norwich. The parishes of Hadleigh, Monks Illeigh, and Moulton, are peculiars of the Archbishop; and Freckenham a peculiar of the Bishop of Rochester.

ANTIENT STATE AND REMAINS.

Ex

British Inhabitants, Iceni, or Cenomanni.
Roman Province, Flavia Cæsariensis. Stations, Combretonium, Stratford ;
tensium, Easton Ness; Garianorium, Burgh; Sitomago, Stowmarket; Villa
Faustini, Wulpit.

Saxon Heptarchy, East Anglia.

Antiquities. Roman Encampments of Burgh Castle; Brettenham; Habyrdon near Bury; Icklingham, called Kentfield; Stowlangtoft and Stratford on the banks of the Stour. Saxon Earthworks, Fleam Dyke; and Reche or Devil's Dyke (the boundaries of East Anglia, and Mercia). Danish Encampments, Southwold, on the top of a hill called Eye Cliff. Abbeys of Burgh (built by Furseus an Irish Monk, temp. Sigebert); Bury St. Edmund's (founded by Sigebert King of East Anglia, about 638); Leiston (founded by Ranulph Glanvile in 1182); and Sibton (founded by Wm. de Casineto about 1150) Priories of Alnesbourn (the site now a farm-house); Blithburgh (cell to the Abbey of St. Osith in Essex, by which it is supposed to have been founded); Bricet (founded by Radulphus Fitzbrian and Emma his wife, temp. Herbert Losinga, Bp. of Norwich); Butley (founded by Ranulph Glanvile in 1171); Clare (founded by Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, in 1248); Creeting St. Mary's (cell to the Abbey of Bernay in Normandy); Creeting St. Olave's (given by Robert Earl of Moreton, temp. Wm. I. to the Abbey of Greistein in Normandy); Dodneis (founded by one Wymarus, or as others, by the ancestors of the Dukes of Norfolk); Eye (founded by Robert Mallett, a Norman Baron); Felixstow (founded by Roger Bigod, now no remains); Fornham, All Saints, or Babwell (founded about the middle of the 13th century by some Franciscans, expelled from Bury Abbey); Fornham St. Geneveve (cell to Bury Abbey); Herringfleet (founded by Roger Fitz Osbert of Somerley, the last of that family, temp. Hen. III.); Hoxne (formerly a Chapel); Ipswich, Holy Trinity (founded before 1177 by Norman Gastrode); St. Peter's (founded temp. Hen. II. or Ric. I. by the ancestors of the Lacy family; on the scite of this Priory Cardinal Wolsey erected his college); Ixworth (founded about 1100 by Gilbert de Blount a Norman nobleman); Kersey (founded before 3d Hen. III.); Letheringham (founded by Sir John Bosvile); Mendham (founded temp. Stephen by Wm. de Huntingfield); Rumburgh (founded

*Felixstow beach.

temp.

1823.]

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Compendium of County History.-Suffolk.

319

temp. Wm. I. by Stephen Earl of Brittany); Snape (founded 1099, cell to Colchester Abbey); Stoke juxta Clare (translated hither from Clare Castle); Stoke juxta Neyland (before Wm. I.); Sudbury (Leland says, founded by Abp. Sudbury and John de Chertsey; but Weever says, by Baldwin de Shimpling, and Mabel his wife); Wangford (cell to Thetford); and Woodbridge (founded by Sir Hugh Rous, kt). Nunneries of Bruisyard (formerly a Chantry; made a nunnery 40 Edw. III.); Bungay (founded by Roger de Glanvile and his lady, the Countess Gundreda, temp. Hen. II.); Campsey Ash (founded by Joan and Agnes de Valoines, two sisters, before 7 Ric. I.); Flixton (founded about 1258, by Margery dau. of Jeffery Hames, and widow of Bartholomew de Creek); and Redlingfield (founded 1120 by Manasses Earl of Guisnes and Emma his wife). Churches of Alderton (in ruins); Ashfield (in ruins); Barnham (in ruins); Beccles (noble steeple); Blithburgh; BURY, St. Mary's (first erected in 1005, began to be rebuilt in its present state in 1424); St. James's (first erected about 1200, finished in its present state about temp. Edw. VI.); Buxtow (in ruins); Creeting All Saints; Corton (in ruins); Dunningworth (in ruins); Dunwich contained 8 Churches, of which only one remains, and that in ruins; Endgate (in ruins); Flixton (in ruins); Fordley (in ruins); Framlingham (a stately edifice built by the Mowbrays, Earls of Norfolk); Haslewood (in ruins); IPSWICH, St. Laurence (begun by John Botold who died 1431): St. Mary at Quay (founded about 1448), St. Mildred's (part of the Town Hall); Lavenham (the steeple and Church particularly fine); Lowestoft (erected before 1365); Northalls (very fine ruins); Sibton (built in the reign of Wm. II.); Stowlangtoft (built 1370); Thurleston (used as a barn); and Whitton (ancient). Chapels of BURY, Stone (now the Cock public-house); our Lady's Chapel (no visible remains); Chilton (now a thatched cottage); Dunwich, Holyrood-house (some walls remain); St. James's Hospital (in ruins); Easton Ness (afterwards converted into a barn, only a few stones left); Haslewood (now dilapidated); Hintlesham; IPSWICH, St. James's (no remains), St. Mary's (contained a celebrated image of the virgin); Orford, St. John Baptist, St. Leonard; Ringshall (in ruins); Southwold (rebuilt about 1460); Stratton (the ruins overgrown with trees); Thorp (in ruins); and Witnesham (the ruins not conspicuous). Fonts of Blithburgh; Clare; Framlinghain; Hawsted (very curious); Hengrave; IPSWICH St. Peter's (very heavy and curious, of black marble and of great antiquity); Letheringham (curious); Lowestoft; Melton (curious scriptural sculpture); Onehouse (of unhewn stone); Orford (curious); Snape (antient and highly ornamented); Ufford (very rich and beautiful cover); and Worlingworth (very elegant and antique, formerly in Bury Abbey). Castles of Bungay (built by the Bigods Earls of Norfolk); Burgh (in the form of a parallelogram, erected by Publius Ostorius Scapula, a Roman General who conquered the Iceni); Chibton (a dwelling-house); Clare (erected during the Heptarchy, in ruins); Eye (built by Robert Mallett a Norman baron); Framlingham (supposed to have been built by Redwald King of East Anglia); Haughleigh (Saxon); IPSWICH (destroyed by Hen. II in 1176); Lidgate; Mettingham (built by John de Norwich, temp. Edw. III.); Offton (built by Offa King of Mercia, after he had slain Etheldred King of East Anglia); Orford (erected in 1072, by Robert de Olly the first, a Norman); Sudbury (built in the time of Alfred by one Hastings); Walton (supposed to have been built by Constantine the Great, destroyed 1176, the stones of this castle were used in all parts to pave footpaths with); and Wingfield (built by Michael de la Pole first Earl of Suffolk). Mansions of Codenham Hall (the seat of the Bennetts, now a farm-house); and Hengrave Hall (formerly the seat of the Kitsons, but now of the Gages, esteemed one of the finest old fabrics in England.)

PRESENT STATE AND APPEARANCE.

Rivers. Alde; Breton; Blythe; Deben; Gipping; Larke; Little Ouse; Ore; Orwel; Stour; Waveney; and Yare. Inland Navigation. River Larke from Mildenhall to Bury; Little Ouse; Stour, for barges; Canal from Stowmarket to Ipswich, opened in 1793; Blythe navigable to Halesworth; and Waveney to Bungay.

Lakes.

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Compendium of County History.-Suffolk.

[Oct,

Lakes. Aldborough (of considerable extent); Bosmere (of 30 or 40 acres); and Lothing. Eminences and Views. Aldborough-hill, and terrace (a fine view of the German ocean); Bloodmore-hill; Burstal (view from it); Corton Cliff (delightful and extensive prospect of the sea); Stoke-hills (near Ipswich); Shrubland Hall (very extensive views); Wickham (prospect from the steeple as fine a view as any in the county), Hill (a most pleasant prospect); and Woodbridge Church (quadrangular tower, 180 feet high, forming a most conspicuous object at sea). Natural Curiosities. Bungay mineral spring; Countless Wells (the source of the river Ore); at Lopham Gate two springs rise, one on each side of the gate; one of them running eastward forms the river Waveney, the other running westward forms the Little Ouse.

Public Edifices. ALDBOROUGH Custom House; Moot Hall, the Court of judicature; National-school, opened in 1812; Theatre. Barham, House of Industry for Bosmere and Claydon hundred, erected in 1766 at an expence of 10,000l. Beccles, Town Hall, a handsome building; Gaol; Free-school founded temp. James I. by Sir J. Leman, Alderman of London; Grammarschool, endowed by Dr. Falconberge. Botesdale Free Grammar-school, founded in 1576 by Sir Nicholas Bacon. Boxford Free Grammar-school, founded by Queen Elizabeth. Bulchamp, House of Industry for the hundred of Blithing, incorporated 1764. Bungay Free Grammar-school, which has the right of sending two scholars to Emanuel College, Cambridge, founded before 1591. BURY; Bridewell, formerly a Jewish synagogue 3 Charityschools; Clopton's Hospital, founded by Dr. Clopton in 1730; Free-school, very early endowed, for in 1198 Abbot Sampson erected a school-house, &c.; Free Grammar-school founded by Edward VI.; Guildhall; House of Correction; New Gaol, superior to most in the kingdom; Public Library; Shire Hall, on the scite of the ancient Church of St. Margaret; Theatre, built in 1780; Wool Halls. Clare Free Grammar-school, founded by William Cadge, who died in 1669. Debenham Free-school, founded by Sir Robert Hitcham. Framlingham Free-school and Almshouse, founded by Sir Robert Hitcham in 1654. Hadleigh Free Grammar-school; Rectorial Gate-house, built by Dr. William Pykenham, Chancellor of Norwich, 1471. Hawsted Guildhall, converted into a Workhouse. IPSWICH, Almshouse for twelve poor women, erected about 1763, in pursuance of the will of Mrs. Anne Smyth, who left 5,000l. for that purpose; Assembly-rooms; Bridewell; Corn-market; Newmarket, a large and spacious building, erected by William Brown, Architect; County Gaol; Custom House; Free Grammar-school, founded as early as 1477, kept in the Refectory of the Dominicans' Priory; Hall, part of the same Priory; House of Correction; Stoke-bridge, connecting it with StokeHamlet; Town Hall, formerly the Parochial Church of St. Mildred; Town and Borough Gaol. Kelsale Free Grammar-school. Lavenham Free-school, founded in 1647, by Richard Peacock, Esq.; Bridewell. Lowestoft Grammar-school, founded by Mr. Thomas Annott, about 1570, the present schoolhouse erected in 1788; Upper Light-house, erected in 1676. Melford Hospital, founded by Sir William Cordell, Knt. in 1573. Melton House of Industry for the hundreds of Loes and Wilford, incorporated in 1765 on a more extended scale than most of the kind in the county. Nacton House of Industry for the hundreds of Carlford and Colneis, incorporated in 1756. Nayland bridge over the Stour, of one large arch. Needham Market Free Grammar-school. ORFORD Town Hall; Benhall-school; Semer House of Industry for Cosford hundred, incorporated in 1779. Shipmeadow House of Industry for the hundred of Wangford, built 1765. Southwold, Guildhall. Stoke Free Grammar-school, founded by Archbishop Parker, not now in existence. Stowmarket House of Industry for the county, much like a mansion. Sudbury stone-bridge over the Stour; Free-school, founded in 1491 by William Wood; Tattingston House of Industry for Samford hundred, incorporated in 1765. Little Thurlow Free-school, founded by Sir Stephen Soame, who died in 1619. Woodbridge Shire Hall, where the quarter session's for the liberty of St. Etheldred are held; Free Grammar-school, founded before 1592; Bridewell.

Seats.

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