crown
intimidated his friends and encouraged his enemies: the lords remained
in suspense;[****] and no one ventured to utter a word on the occasion.

* Hall, fol. 169. Grafton, p. 195.

** Holingshed, p. 650

*** Cotton, p. 665. Grafton, p. 643.

**** Holingshed, p. 657. Grafton, p. 645.

Richard, who had probably expected that the peers would have invited him
to place himself on the throne, was much disappointed at their silence;
but desiring them to reflect on what he had proposed to them, he
departed the house. The peers took the matter into consideration, with
as much tranquillity as if it had been a common subject of debate: they
desired the assistance of some considerable members among the commons in
their deliberations: they heard in several successive days, the reasons
alleged for the duke of York: they even ventured to propose objections
to his claim founded on former entails of the crown, and on the oaths
of fealty sworn to the house of Lancaster:[*] they also observed that as
Richard had all along borne the arms of York, not those of Clarence, he
could not claim as successor to the latter family: and after receiving
answers to these objections, derived from the violence and power by
which the house of Lancaster supported their present possession of the
crown, they proceeded to give a decision. Their sentence was calculated,
as far as possible, to please both parties: they declared the title of
the duke of York to be certain and indefeasible; but in consideration
that Henry had enjoyed the crown, without dispute or controversy,
during the course of thirty-eight years, they determined that he should
continue to possess the title and dignity during the remainder of his
life; that the administration of the government, meanwhile, should
remain with Richard; that he should be acknowledged the true and lawful
heir of the monarchy; that every one should swear to maintain his
succession, and it should be treason to attempt his life; and that all
former settlements of the crown, in this and the two last reigns, should
be abrogated and rescinded.[**] The duke acquiesced in this decision:
Henry himself, being a prisoner, could not oppose it: even if he
had enjoyed his liberty, he would not probably have felt any violent
reluctance against it: and the act thus passed with the unanimous
consent of the whole legislative body. Though the mildness of this
compromise is chiefly to be ascribed to the mo