, was not so much
as tolerated: he was immediately arrested by order of the duke of
Lancaster, and sent a prisoner to the abbey of St. Albans. No further
debate was attempted: thirty-three long articles of charge were, in one
meeting, voted against Richard; and voted unanimously by the same peers
and prelates who, a little before, had voluntarily and unanimously
authorized those very acts of violence of which they now complained.
That prince was deposed by the suffrages of both houses; and the throne
being now vacant, the duke of Lancaster stepped forth, and having
crossed himself on the forehead and on the breast, and called upon the
name of Christ,[*] he pronounced these words, which we shall give in the
original language, because of their singularity.

"In the name of Fadher, Son, and Holy Ghost, I Henry of Lancaster,
challenge this rewme of Ynglande, and the croun with all the membres,
and the appurtenances; als I that am descendit by right line of the
blode, coming fro the gude king Henry therde, and throge that right that
God of his grace hath sent me, with helpe of kyn, and of my frendes
to recover it; the which rewme was in poynt to be ondone by defaut of
governance, and ondoying of the gude lawes."[**]

In order to understand this speech, it must be observed, that there was
a silly story, received among some of the lowest vulgar, that Edmond,
earl of Lancaster, son of Henry III., was really the elder brother of
Edward I.; but that, by reason of some deformity in his person, he had
been postponed in the succession, and his younger brother imposed on
the nation in his stead. As the present duke of Lancaster inherited
from Edmond by his mother, this genealogy made him the true heir of
the monarchy, and it is therefore insinuated in Henry's speech: but
the absurdity was too gross to be openly avowed either by him or by the
parliament. The case is the same with regard to his right of conquest:
he was a subject who rebelled against his sovereign: he entered the
kingdom with a retinue of no more than sixty persons.

* Cotton, p. 389.

** Knyghton, p. 2757. could not therefore be the conqueror
of England; and this right is accordingly insinuated, not
avowed. Still there is a third claim, derived from his
merits in saving the nation from tyranny and oppression; and
this claim is also insinuated: but as it seemed, by its
nature, better calculated as a reason for his being elected