ry and Lord Lumley, for raising an
insurrection, and for seizing the king's person at Windsor;[*] but
the treachery of Rutland gave him warning of the danger. He suddenly
withdrew to London; and the conspirators, who came to Windsor with a
body of five hundred horse, found that they had missed this blow, on
which all the success of their enterprise depended.

* Walsing. p. 362. Otterborne. p. 224.

Henry appeared, next day, at Kingston upon Thames, at the head of twenty
thousand men, mostly drawn from the city; and his enemies, unable to
resist his power, dispersed themselves, with a view of raising their
followers in the several counties which were the seat of their interest.
But the adherents of the king were hot in the pursuit, and every where
opposed themselves to their progress. The earls of Kent and Salisbury
were seized at Cirencester by the citizens, and were next day beheaded
without further ceremony, according to the custom of the times.[*] The
citizens of Bristol treated Spenser and Lumley in the same manner. The
earl of Huntingdon, Sir Thomas Blount, and Sir Benedict Sely, who
were also taken prisoners, suffered death, with many others of the
conspirators, by orders from Henry. And when the quarters of these
unhappy men were brought to London, no less than eighteen bishops and
thirty-two mitred abbots joined the populace, and met them with the most
indecent marks of joy and exultation.

But the spectacle the most shocking to every one, who retained any
sentiment either of honor or humanity, still remained. The earl of
Rutland appeared, carrying on a pole the head of Lord Spenser, his
brother-in-law, which he presented in triumph to Henry as a testimony of
his loyalty. This infamous man, who was soon after duke of York by
the death of his father, and first prince of the blood, had been
instrumental in the murder of his uncle, the duke of Glocester;[**] had
then deserted Richard, by whom he was trusted; had conspired against
the life of Henry, to whom he had sworn allegiance; had betrayed his
associates, whom he had seduced into this enterprise; and now displayed,
in the face of the world, these badges of his multiplied dishonor.

* Walsing. p. 363. Ypod. Neust. p. 556.

** Dugdale, vol. ii. p. 171.

{1401.} Henry was sensible that, though the execution of these
conspirators might seem to give security to his throne, the animosities
which remain after such bloody scenes, are always dangero