Editing Richard II of England (section)

=== First crisis of 1386–1388 ===
[[File:Robert de Vere fleeing Radcot Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|[[Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland|Robert de Vere]] fleeing the [[Battle of Radcot Bridge]], from the ''Chroniques'' of [[Jean Froissart]]]]

The threat of a French invasion did not subside, but instead grew stronger into 1386.<ref name="Tuck"/> At the parliament of October that year, Michael de la Pole{{Spaced ndash}}in his capacity of chancellor{{Spaced ndash}}requested taxation of an unprecedented level for the defence of the realm.<ref>Saul (1997), p.&nbsp;157.</ref> Rather than consenting, the parliament responded by refusing to consider any request until the chancellor was removed.<ref>McKisack (1959), p.&nbsp;443.</ref> The parliament (later known as the [[Wonderful Parliament]]) was presumably working with the support of Gloucester and Arundel.<ref name="Tuck"/><ref>Saul (1997), p.&nbsp;160.</ref> The King famously responded that he would not dismiss as much as a [[scullery maid|scullion]] from his kitchen at parliament's request.<ref>Saul (1997), pp.&nbsp;157–158.</ref> Only when threatened with deposition was Richard forced to give in and let de la Pole go.<ref>Saul (1997), p.&nbsp;158.</ref> A commission was set up to review and control royal finances for a year.<ref>Harriss (2005), p.&nbsp;459.</ref>

Richard was deeply perturbed by this affront to his royal prerogative, and from February to November 1387 went on a "gyration" (tour) of the country to muster support for his cause.<ref>Tuck (1985), p.&nbsp;189.</ref> By installing de Vere as [[Justice of Chester]], he began the work of creating a loyal military power base in [[Cheshire]].<ref>Goodman (1971), p.&nbsp;22.</ref> He also secured a legal ruling from [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales|Chief Justice]] [[Robert Tresilian]] that parliament's conduct had been unlawful and treasonable.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chrimes |first=S. B. |date=1956 |title=Richard II's questions to the judges |journal=[[Law Quarterly Review]] |volume=lxxii |pages=365–390}}</ref>

On his return to London, the King was confronted by Gloucester, Arundel and [[Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick]], who brought an [[Criminal appeal|appeal]]{{Efn|This "appeal"{{Spaced ndash}}which would give its name to the [[Lords Appellant]]{{Spaced ndash}}was not an appeal in the modern sense of an application to a higher authority. In medieval [[common law]] the appeal was a criminal charge, often one of treason.<ref name="Tuck"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=appeal, ''n.'' |url=http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50010618 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 August 2008 |publisher=[[Oxford Dictionary of English]]}}</ref>}} of treason against de la Pole, de Vere, Tresilian, and two other loyalists: the mayor of London, [[Nicholas Brembre]], and [[Alexander Neville]], the [[Archbishop of York]].<ref>Goodman (1971), p.&nbsp;26.</ref> Richard stalled the negotiations to gain time, as he was expecting de Vere to arrive from Cheshire with military reinforcements.<ref name="S187">Saul (1997), p.&nbsp;187.</ref> The three peers then joined forces with Gaunt's son [[Henry Bolingbroke]], Earl of Derby, and [[Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk|Thomas de Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham]]{{Spaced ndash}}the group known to history as the [[Lords Appellant]]. On 20 December 1387 they intercepted de Vere at [[Battle of Radcot Bridge|Radcot Bridge]], where he and his forces were routed and he was obliged to flee the country.<ref>Goodman (1971), pp.&nbsp;129–130.</ref>

Richard now had no choice but to comply with the appellants' demands; Brembre and Tresilian were condemned and executed, while de Vere and de la Pole{{Spaced ndash}}who had by now also left the country<ref name="S187"/>{{Spaced ndash}}were sentenced to death ''in absentia'' at the [[Merciless Parliament]] in February 1388.{{Efn|Neville, as a man of the clergy, was deprived of his [[temporalities]], also ''in absentia''.<ref>Saul (1997), pp.&nbsp;192–193.</ref> The proceedings went further, and a number of Richard's chamber knights were also executed, among these Burley.<ref>McKisack (1959), p.&nbsp;458.</ref>}} The appellants had now succeeded completely in breaking up the circle of favourites around the King.<ref name="Tuck"/>