ry.
The Duke of Albemarle, the son of the Regent Duke of York, was beside him,
and at his persuasion the King abandoned his first purpose of returning at
once, and sent the Earl of Salisbury to Conway while he himself waited to
gather his army and fleet. The six days he proposed to gather them in
became sixteen, and the delay proved fatal to his cause. As no news came of
Richard the Welshmen who flocked to Salisbury's camp dispersed on Henry's
advance to Chester. Henry was in fact master of the realm at the opening of
August when Richard at last sailed from Waterford and landed at Milford
Haven.

[Sidenote: Richard's capture]

Every road was blocked, and the news that all was lost told on the thirty
thousand men he brought with him. In a single day but six thousand
remained, and even these dispersed when it was found that the King had
ridden off disguised as a friar to join the force which he believed to be
awaiting him in North Wales with Salisbury at its head. He reached
Caernarvon only to find this force already disbanded, and throwing himself
into the castle despatched his kinsmen, the Dukes of Exeter and Surrey, to
Chester to negotiate with Henry of Lancaster. But they were detained there
while the Earl of Northumberland pushed forward with a picked body of men,
and securing the castles of the coast at last sought an interview with
Richard at Conway. The King's confidence was still unbroken. He threatened
to raise a force of Welshmen and to put Lancaster to death. Deserted as he
was indeed, a King was in himself a power, and only the treacherous pledges
of the Earl induced him to set aside his plans for a reconciliation to be
brought about in Parliament and to move from Conway on the promise of a
conference with Henry at Flint. But he had no sooner reached the town than
he found himself surrounded by Lancaster's forces. "I am betrayed," he
cried, as the view of his enemies burst on him from the hill; "there are
pennons and banners in the valley." But it was too late for retreat.
Richard was seized and brought before his cousin. "I am come before my
time," said Lancaster, "but I will show you the reason. Your people, my
lord, complain that for the space of twenty years you have ruled them
harshly: however, if it please God, I will help you to rule them better."
"Fair cousin," replied the King, "since it pleases you, it pleases me
well." Then, breaking in private into passionate regrets that he had ever
spared his