HewentwithagaycompanytotheDukeofGloucester\'shouse,PlesheyCastle,inEssex,wheretheDuke,suspectingnothing,cameoutintothecourt-yardtoreceivehisroyalvisitor.WhiletheKingconversedinafriendlymannerwiththeDuchess,theDukewasquietlyseized,hurriedaway,shippedforCalais,andlodgedinthecastlethere.Hisfriends,theEarlsofArundelandWarwick,weretakeninthesametreacherousmanner,andconfinedtotheircastles.Afewdaysafter,atNottingham,theywereimpeachedofhightreason.TheEarlofArundelwascondemnedandbeheaded,andtheEarlofWarwickwasbanished.Then,awritwassentbyamessengertotheGovernorofCalais,requiringhimtosendtheDukeofGloucesterovertobetried.Inthreedayshereturnedananswerthathecouldnotdothat,becausetheDukeofGloucesterhaddiedinprison.TheDukewasdeclaredatraitor,hispropertywasconfiscatedtotheKing,arealorpretendedconfessionhehadmadeinprisontooneoftheJusticesoftheCommonPleaswasproducedagainsthim,andtherewasanendofthematter.Howtheunfortunatedukedied,veryfewcaredtoknow.Whetherhereallydiednaturally;whetherhekilledhimself;whether,bytheKing\'sorder,hewasstrangled,orsmotheredbetweentwobedsasaserving-manoftheGovernor\'snamedHall,didafterwardsdeclare,cannotbediscovered.Thereisnotmuchdoubtthathewaskilled,somehoworother,byhisnephew\'sorders.AmongthemostactivenoblesintheseproceedingsweretheKing\'scousin,HenryBolingbroke,whomtheKinghadmadeDukeofHerefordtosmoothdowntheoldfamilyquarrels,andsomeothers:whohadinthefamily-
plottingtimesdonejustsuchactsthemselvesastheynowcondemnedintheduke.Theyseemtohavebeenacorruptsetofmen;butsuchmenwereeasilyfoundaboutthecourtinsuchdays.
Thepeoplemurmuredatallthis,andwerestillverysoreabouttheFrenchmarriage.ThenoblessawhowlittletheKingcaredforlaw,andhowcraftyhewas,andbegantobesomewhatafraidforthemselves.TheKing\'slifewasalifeofcontinuedfeastingandexcess;hisretinue,downtothemeanestservants,weredressedinthemostcostlymanner,andcarousedathistables,itisrelated,tothenumberoftenthousandpersonseveryday.Hehimself,surroundedbyabodyoftenthousandarchers,andenrichedbyadutyonwoolwhichtheCommonshadgrantedhimforlife,sawnodangerofeverbeingotherwisethanpowerfulandabsolute,andwasasfierceandhaughtyasaKingcouldbe.
Hehadtwoofhisoldenemiesleft,inthepersonsoftheDukesofHerefordandNorfolk.Sparingthesenomorethantheothers,hetamperedwiththeDukeofHereforduntilhegothimtodeclarebeforetheCouncilthattheDukeofNorfolkhadlatelyheldsometreasonabletalkwithhim,ashewasridingnearBrentford;andthathehadtoldhim,amongotherthings,thathecouldnotbelievetheKing\'soath-whichnobodycould,Ishouldthink.Forthistreacheryheobtainedapardon,andtheDukeofNorfolkwassummonedtoappearanddefendhimself.Ashedeniedthechargeandsaidhisaccuserwasaliarandatraitor,bothnoblemen,accordingtothemannerofthosetimes,wereheldincustody,andthetruthwasorderedtobedecidedbywagerofbattleatCoventry.Thiswagerofbattlemeantthatwhosoeverwonthecombatwastobeconsideredintheright;whichnonsensemeantineffect,thatnostrongmancouldeverbewrong.Agreatholidaywasmade;agreatcrowdassembled,withmuchparadeandshow;andthetwocombatantswereabouttorushateachotherwiththeirlances,whentheKing,sittinginapaviliontoseefair,threwdownthetruncheonhecarriedinhishand,andforbadethebattle.TheDukeofHerefordwastobebanishedfortenyears,andtheDukeofNorfolkwastobebanishedforlife.SosaidtheKing.TheDukeofHerefordwenttoFrance,andwentnofarther.TheDukeofNorfolkmadeapilgrimagetotheHolyLand,andafterwardsdiedatVeniceofabrokenheart.
Fasterandfiercer,afterthis,theKingwentoninhiscareer.