and. The king now aflumed a greater ftate than ever king of England had done before, nor had there been any one who had expended fuch large fums by one hundred tfpufand nobles. He alfo took the wardfhip of the heir of Arundel, fon to the late earl whom he had beheaded in London, aa has been related, and forced him to live with him. And becaufe one of the knights of the late duke of Glocefter, jiamed Cerbec*, had fpoken too freely of the king and council, he was arretted and inftandy beheaded. Sir John Lacquingay was likewife in fome peril j but, when he faw the tura affairs had taken, he quitted the fervice of the duchefs of Glocefter, and fixed his abode clfc-where. At this period there was no one, however great in England, that dared fpeak his fentiments of what the king did or intended doing. He had formed a council of his own from the knights of his chamber, who encouraged him to aft as they advifed. The king had in his pay full two thou-fand archers, who were on guard day and night, for he did not think himfelf perfectly fafe from his uncles or the Arundel family f. • Cerbec. It is Cerber and Cerbel. • f For more ample particulars refpeôing the murder of the duke of Glocefter, I muft refer the reader to Mr. Gough's hiftory of Plefty. CHAP.