Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-30

the walls, went down to receive him;
while Hereford, after some ceremony,
entered the castle in complete armour,
only his head was bare in compliment
to the fallen king. Richard received
him with that open air for which he
had been remarkable, and kindly
bade him welcome. my lord king"
returned the earl, with a cool, re-
spectful bow, II am come sooner than
you appointed, because your people
say that for one-and-twenty years you
have governed with rigor and indis-
cretion. They are very Ill satisfied
with your conduct; but II 1t pleases
God, I will help you to govern them
better for the time to come" To this
declaration the king made no other
answer but Fair cousin, since 1t
pleases you, 1t pleases US likewise"
But Hereford's naughty answer was
not the only modification the unfortu-
nate Richard was to endure. After
short conversation with some Of the
kings attendants. Hereford ordered
the kings horses to be brought out Of
the stable, and the wretched animals
being procured, Richard was placed
upon one, and his favorite, the earl
of Salisbury, on the other. In this
mean equipage they rode to Chester,
and were conveyed to the castle with
a great noise Of trumpets, and though
a vast concourse Of people, who were
no way moved at the sight. In this
manner he was led triumphantly along
from town to town, amidst multitudes
who scoffed at him, and extolled his
rivals. Long live the good duke Of
Lancaster, our deliverer!" was the
general cry; but as for the king, to
use pathetic words Of the poet, None
cried God bless him!" Thus, after re-
peated indignities, he was confined a
close prisoner In the Tower there, IL
possible to undergo a still greater
variety of studied insolence and fs-
grant contempt. The wretched mon
arch, humbled in this manner, began
splendors Of royalty, and his spirit
sunk to his circumstances. There was
no great difficulty, therefore, in induc-
ing him to sign a deed, by which he
renounced his crown, as being un-'
qualified for governing the kingdom.
Upon this resignation Hereford found
his principal claim but, willing to
fortify his pretensions with every ap-
pearance Of justice, he called parli-
ament, which was readily brought to
approve and confirm his claim. A
frivolous charge Of thirty-three articles
was drawn up and found valid against
the king; upon which he was solemnly
deposed, and the earl Of Hereford elect
ed instead, by the title Of Henry the
Fourth. Thus began the contest be-
tween the houses Of York and Lam
caster, which for several years after,
deluged the kingdom with blood; and
yet, in the end, contributed to settle
and confirm the constitution.
When Richard was deposed, the
earl Of Northumberland made mo-
ton in the house of peers, demanding
the advice Of parliament with regard
to the future treatment Of the de-
posed king. To this they replied that
he should be imprisoned in some Sc
cure place where his friends and
partizans should not be able to find
him. This was accordingly put in
practice; but while he still continued
alive, the usurrer could not remain
in safety. Indeed, some conspiracies
and connections which followed soon
after, induced Henry to wish for
Richards death; In consequence Of
which, one Of those assassins that are
found in every court, ready to commit
the most horrid crimes for reward,
went down to the place Of this un-
fortunate monarch's confinement In
the castle Of Pomfret, and with eight
Of his followers, rushed into his apart
ments. The king, concluding their
design was to take away his life, re-
solved not to fall unrevenged, but
to sell it as dearly as ne could;
wherefore, wrestling a pole-axe from
one Of the murderers. he soon laid
four of their number dead at his feet.
But he was at length overpowered
and struck dead by the blow Of a
pole-axe; although some assert that
he was starved in prison. Thus died
the unfortunate Richard, in the thirty
fourth year Of his age, and the
twenty third year Of his reign.
Though his conduct was blameable.
yet the punishment he suffered was
greater than his offences; and in the
end his sufferings made more con-
verts to his family and cause than
ever his most meritorious actions
could have produced them. He left
no posterity. either legitimate or 9TH
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