Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 38.djvu/212

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Montacute
206
Montacute

at large, and specially with the Londoners, who were displeased at the peace and at the king's doings generally, he was unpopular. On one occasion he is represented as replying on behalf of the king to a deputation of London citizens, who had been stirred up by the Duke of Gloucester to inquire of the king concerning a rumour that he was about to surrender Calais (Froissart, iii. 289). In common with other lords, he advised the arrest of Gloucester and the Earl of Warwick, and at a conference of the court party at Nottingham on 5 Aug. 1397 agreed to be one of eight lords who were to appeal them and others of treason in the coming parliament (Annales Ricardi, p. 207 ; Chronique de la Traïson, pp. 6-9). The 21 Sept. (Rolls of Parliament, iii. 357), but appeal was made on Salisbury prevailed on the king to spare the life of Warwick, his former companion in arms (Froissart, iii. 310). He received a part of Warwick's estates, and was made a knight of the Garter, having a grant of robes made him for the feast of the order on 23 April 1399 (Beltz). By the parliament of Shrewsbury, which in January 1398 made the king virtually absolute, Salisbury was appointed one of the committee for discharging the functions of parliament. In September he was made deputy-marshal of England for three years in the absence of the Duke of Surrey [see Holland, Thomas, Duke of Surrey]. In December he was appointed joint ambassador to France, and, much against his will, received special orders to urge the king of France to prevent the marriage of Henry of Derby, duke of Hereford [see under Henry IV], to the daughter of the Duke of Berry. In this he was successful, and avoided seeing Henry, who was I highly displeased at his conduct. He was much blamed for carrying the king's message. The Londoners, with whom Henry was popular, were specially incensed against him, and men said that he would rue the day when he consented to thwart Henry's wishes (Froissart, iii. 334, 336). On his return he with other lords assented to the repeal of the patent allowing Hereford to have control of his estates (Rolls of Parliament, iii. 372). In March 1399 he was appointed a commissioner to treat with the Scots (Fœdera, viii. 69).

Salisbury accompanied the king to Ireland in May, and on the news of the landing and success of the Duke of Lancaster (Henry IV) reaching the king, was sent across to Wales to raise a force to oppose him. He landed at Conway, and sent messengers to call the forces of Wales and Chester to the king's help. The troops that he collected and those that the king brought over deserted, and Salisbury is said to have advised Richard to flee to Bordeaux. At Conway he was present at the interview between the king and the Earl of Northumberland. He accompanied Richard to Flint, and Henry, who met Richard there, refused to speak to Salisbury. He took leave of Richard at Chester, received a summons to attend parliament on 6 Oct., and was probably present at the proceedings connected with the accession of Henry IV. On the 16th the commons petitioned that Richard's evil counsellors might be arrested. Lord Morley accused Salisbury of complicity in Gloucester's death, and challenged him to combat. Salisbury accepted the challenge, and was committed to the Tower. In common with the other surviving appellants of 1397, he was called upon to answer for his conduct, and pleaded that he had acted through fear. He was not included in the sentence pronounced on the rest on 3 Nov., but was left to prove his innocence by combat with Morley at Newcastle. The Londoners clamoured for his execution, but he was released from prison on the intercession of Henry's sister, Elizabeth, countess of Huntingdon, and the Earl of Kent became surety for him. On 17 Dec. he met the Earls of Huntingdon, Kent, and Rutland at the abbot's house at Westminster, and entered into a conspiracy to surprise Henry at the jousts that were to be held at Windsor on Twelfth-day, and to restore Richard. According to arrangement he met his fellow-conspirators at Kingston on 4 Jan. 1400, but on reaching Windsor with Kent he found that the king, who had been warned of the plot, had gone to London. He and Kent, seeing that their plan had failed, rode to Reading, visited Queen Isabella at Sonning, and tried to raise the people. The rebel leaders decided to retreat to the Welsh marches, and Salisbury led a body of their forces to Woodstock, where he was joined by Kent, and pressing on reached Cirencester on the night of the 6th, with greatly diminished numbers. In the night the townsmen attacked the house where the rebel leaders lay ; they were compelled to surrender on the following morning, and were lodged in the abbey. In the afternoon some houses in the town were set on fire, and a rescue was attempted. The mob rushed to the abbey and demanded the prisoners. Lord Berkeley, who had charge of them, was forced to give them up, and in the evening Salisbury, Kent, and Lumley were beheaded by the mob ; Salisbury, 'the supporter of lollards, the despiser of images, and the mocker at the sacraments,' refusing, it is said, the rites of the church at