Both requests were refused, and the
consequence was that the Duke of Burgundy, with his partisans, returned to
his own country in deep anger; he would take no part in the war against
the English, although he permitted his vassals to do so.
In July the English levies gathered at Southampton. The king was to have
embarked immediately, and a great fleet had been collected for the
purpose; but, as he was on the point of sailing, Henry obtained news of a
plot against his life on the part of Sir Thomas Grey, Lord Scroop, and
Richard, Earl of Cambridge, the king's cousin. As Scroop was in constant
attendance upon the king and slept in his room, the conspirators had
little doubt that their purpose could be carried out, their intention
being to proclaim the Earl of March king, and to summon assistance from
Scotland. The three conspirators were tried by a jury and were all found
guilty. Grey was beheaded, but his companions claimed to be tried again by
their peers. No time was lost in carrying out the trial; all the lords
assembled at Southampton were called together, and, after hearing the
evidence, at once found the two nobles guilty, and they were immediately
beheaded.
Orders were then given for the embarkation. Sir Eustace had brought with
him thirty archers and as many men-at-arms, and, as they were waiting on
the strand for the boats that were to take them out to the ships to which
they had been appointed, the king, who was personally superintending the
operations, rode past.
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