The burthen of such answers and of the policy they revealed fell on the royal councillors, and the departure of John of Gaunt forced the new opposition into vigorous action.  The Parliament of 1386 called for the removal of Suffolk.  Richard replied that he would not for such a prayer dismiss a turnspit of his kitchen.  The Duke of Gloucester and Bishop Arundel of Ely were sent by the Houses as their envoys, and warned the king that should a ruler refuse to govern with the advice of his lords and by mad counsels work out his private purposes it was lawful to depose him.  The threat secured Suffolk’s removal; he was impeached for corruption and maladministration, and condemned to forfeiture and imprisonment.  It was only by submitting to the nomination of a Continual Council, with the Duke of Gloucester at its head, that Richard could obtain a grant of subsidies.  But the Houses were no sooner broken up than Suffolk was released, and in 1387 the young king rode through the country calling on the sheriffs to raise men against the barons, and bidding them suffer no knight of the shire to be returned for the next Parliament “save one whom the King and his Council chose.”  The general ill-will foiled both his efforts:  and he was forced to take refuge in an opinion of five of the judges that the Continual Council was unlawful, the sentence on Suffolk erroneous, and that the Lords and Commons had no power to remove a king’s servant.  Gloucester answered the challenge by taking up arms, and a general refusal to fight for the king forced Richard once more to yield.  A terrible vengeance was taken on his supporters in the recent schemes.  In the Parliament of 1388 Gloucester, with the four Earls of Derby, Arundel, Warwick, and Nottingham, appealed on a charge of high treason Suffolk and De Vere, the Archbishop of York, the Chief Justice Tresilian, and Sir Nicholas Bramber.  The first two fled, Suffolk to France, De Vere after a skirmish at Radcot Bridge to Ireland; but the Archbishop was deprived of his see, Bramber beheaded, and Tresilian hanged.  The five judges were banished, and Sir Simon Burley with three other members of the royal household sent to the block.

[Sidenote:  Richard’s Rule]

At the prayer of the “Wonderful Parliament,” as some called this assembly, or as others with more justice “The Merciless Parliament,” it was provided that all officers of state should henceforth be named in Parliament or by the Continual Council.  Gloucester remained at the head of the latter body, but his power lasted hardly a year.  In May 1389 Richard found himself strong enough to break down the government by a word.  Entering the Council he suddenly asked his uncle how old he was.  “Your highness,” answered Gloucester, “is in your twenty-fourth year!” “Then I am old enough to manage my own affairs,” said Richard coolly; “I have been longer under guardianship than any ward in my realm.  I thank you for your past services, my lords, but I need them no more.”