ed
to defeat the late commission: but the life of the latter was spared.
The fate of Sir Simon Burley was more severe: this gentleman was much
beloved for his personal merit, had distinguished himself by many
honorable actions,[*] [13] was created knight of the garter, and had
been appointed governor to Richard, by the choice of the late king
and of the Black Prince: he had attended his master from the earliest
infancy of that prince, and had ever remained extremely attached to him:
yet all these considerations could not save him from falling a victim to
Glocester's vengeance.

* See note M, at the end of the volume.

This execution, more than all the others, made a deep impression on the
mind of Richard; his queen too (for he was already married to the sister
of the emperor Winceslaus, King of Bohemia) interested herself in behalf
of Burley: she remained three hours on her knees before the duke of
Glocester, pleading for that gentleman's life; but though she was become
extremely popular by her amiable qualities, which had acquired her the
appellation of "the good Queen Anne," her petition was sternly rejected
by the inexorable tyrant.[*] [14]

* At least this is the character given of him by Froissard,
(liv. ii.) who knew him personally. Walsingham (p. 334)
gives a very different character of him; but he is a writer
somewhat passionate and partial; and the choice made of this
gentleman, by Edward III. and the Black Prince, for the
education of Richard, makes the character given him by
Froissard much more probable.

The parliament concluded this violent scene by a declaration, that
none of the articles decided on these trials to be treason, should ever
afterwards be drawn into precedent by the judges, who were still to
consider the statute of the twenty-fifth of Edward as the rule of their
decisions. The house of lords seem not at that time to have known or
acknowledged the principle, that they themselves were bound, in their
judicial capacity, to follow the rules which they, in conjunction with
the king and commons, had established in their legislature.[*] [14]
It was also enacted, that every one should swear to the perpetual
maintenance and support of the forfeitures and attainders, and of
all the other acts passed during this parliament. The archbishop of
Canterbury added the penalty of excommunication, as a further security
to these violent transactions.

* See not