SUMMARY OF THE REIGN OF RICHARD THE SECOND. SURNAMED OF BOURDEAUX. Born at Bourdeaux, A. D. 1366. Crowned, June 21, 1376. Married twice, first to Anne of Luxemburg, sister of the Emperor Wenceslaus; and afterwards to Isabel, daughter of Charles VI. of France. Died, without issue, supposed to have been murdered in Pontefract Castle, Yorkshire, 1399, in the thirty-third year of his age, and twentythird of his reign. Buried at Langley, afterwards removed to Westminster. PRINCIPAL EVENTS. Wat Tyler's insurrections. The dagger first placed in the city arms in compliment to the Mayor's courageous attack on Tyler. The Duke of Gloucester smothered. Death of the Duke of Lancaster. Bolingbroke returns from banishment and seizes the crown. Violent death of the King. EMINENT PERSONS. William Courtney, Thomas Arundel, Archbishops of Canterbury. William Walworth, Lord Mayor of London. Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, Grandson to Clarence, heir apparent. Henry of Bolingbroke. Vere, Duke of Ireland. Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester. COTEMPORARY SOVEREIGNS. Popes. Gregory XI. 1370. Urban VI. 1378. Boniface IX. 1389. Emperors Emperors. Of the East.-John VI. 1355. Emanuel II. 1391. Kings and Queens. Of France.-Charles V. 1364. Charles VI. 1380. RICHARD RICHARD II. SURNAMED OF BOURDEAUX. "Thus when you see this land by faction lost, "We ne'er from foreign foes can ruin know. "We ne'er can be but by ourselves undone." "Spur gall'd and tir'd by jaunting Bolingbroke." "The skipping King he ambled up and down, "With shallow jesters and rash basin wits, Mingled his royalty with carping fools; "Had his great name prophaned with their scorns; "Grew a companion to the common streets, "He was but as the cuckoo is, in June, Heard, not regarded." SHAKESPEARE'S RICH. II. AN infant Monarch to the Throne succeeds, No heir to his great sire's illustrious deeds, Shakespeare. His Uncles LANCASTER* and GLOUCESTER Sway, Some faults without exposure may be mended, And by mild means are ofttimes best corrected. But, as there's little in this reign, Save what we must record with pain, Sans further comment let us try, A very brief Chronology, "Twill trouble spare to you and us, Kind reader if you'll take it thus: In thirteen hundred seventy-seven, King EDWARD went, we hope, to heaven; * The celebrated John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; the Earl of Cambridge, afterwards Duke of York; and the Duke of Gloucester; all uncles to the King, were appointed his guardians, he being but ten years old. + Vere, Earl of Oxford, Marquis of Dublin, and Duke of Ireland; Tresilian, a Judge; Michael de la Pole, a merchant's son; and Nevil, Archbishop of York. And And left his grandson, doom'd by birth, To wear a careful crown on earth. While thirteen seventy nine and eighty, Much danger to the land effected; And caused the evils which were done WAT TYLER and his friend JACK STRAW, Into their own hands take the law, * A reformer of the Romish Church, he was cited by the Ecclesiastical Courts, but protected against them by the Duke of Lancaster. + Sir William Walworth, Lord Mayor of London, enraged at Tyler's insolence in an interview with the King, struck him to the ground, and the dagger with which he dispatched him is commemorated by a place in the city arms. The |