d not for such a prayer
dismiss a turnspit of his kitchen. The Duke of Gloucester and Bishop
Arundel of Ely were sent by the Houses as their envoys, and warned the king
that should a ruler refuse to govern with the advice of his lords and by
mad counsels work out his private purposes it was lawful to depose him. The
threat secured Suffolk's removal; he was impeached for corruption and
maladministration, and condemned to forfeiture and imprisonment. It was
only by submitting to the nomination of a Continual Council, with the Duke
of Gloucester at its head, that Richard could obtain a grant of subsidies.
But the Houses were no sooner broken up than Suffolk was released, and in
1387 the young king rode through the country calling on the sheriffs to
raise men against the barons, and bidding them suffer no knight of the
shire to be returned for the next Parliament "save one whom the King and
his Council chose." The general ill-will foiled both his efforts: and he
was forced to take refuge in an opinion of five of the judges that the
Continual Council was unlawful, the sentence on Suffolk erroneous, and that
the Lords and Commons had no power to remove a king's servant. Gloucester
answered the challenge by taking up arms, and a general refusal to fight
for the king forced Richard once more to yield. A terrible vengeance was
taken on his supporters in the recent schemes. In the Parliament of 1388
Gloucester, with the four Earls of Derby, Arundel, Warwick, and Nottingham,
appealed on a charge of high treason Suffolk and De Vere, the Archbishop of
York, the Chief Justice Tresilian, and Sir Nicholas Bramber. The first two
fled, Suffolk to France, De Vere after a skirmish at Radcot Bridge to
Ireland; but the Archbishop was deprived of his see, Bramber beheaded, and
Tresilian hanged. The five judges were banished, and Sir Simon Burley with
three other members of the royal household sent to the block.

[Sidenote: Richard's Rule]

At the prayer of the "Wonderful Parliament," as some called this assembly,
or as others with more justice "The Merciless Parliament," it was provided
that all officers of state should henceforth be named in Parliament or by
the Continual Council. Gloucester remained at the head of the latter body,
but his power lasted hardly a year. In May 1389 Richard found himself
strong enough to break down the government by a word. Entering the Council
he suddenly asked his uncle how old he was. "Your highness," answer