ament, does not appear; the latter, however, is more
probable. They seem to have made some progress in the work of
reformation, for we find that the officers of the household were sworn
to observe their regulations. But in all likelihood these were soon
neglected.

It is not wonderful that, with such feelings of resentment towards the
crown, the commons were backward in granting subsidies. Perhaps the king
would not have obtained one at all if he had not withheld his charter of
pardon for all offences committed during the insurrection. This was
absolutely necessary to restore quiet among the people; and though the
members of the commons had certainly not been insurgents, yet inevitable
irregularities had occurred in quelling the tumults, which would have
put them too much in the power of those unworthy men who filled the
benches of justice under Richard. The king declared that it was unusual
to grant a pardon without a subsidy; the commons still answered that
they would consider about that matter; and the king instantly rejoined
that he would consider about his pardon (s'aviseroit de sa dite grace)
till they had done what they ought. They renewed, at length the usual
tax on wool and leather.[149]

This extraordinary assumption of power by the commons was not merely
owing to the king's poverty. It was encouraged by the natural feebleness
of a disunited government. The high rank and ambitious spirit of
Lancaster gave him no little influence, though contending with many
enemies at court as well as the ill-will of the people. Thomas of
Woodstock, the king's youngest uncle, more able and turbulent than
Lancaster, became, as he grew older, an eager competitor for power,
which he sought through the channel of popularity. The earls of March,
Arundel, and Warwick bore a considerable part, and were the favourites
of parliament. Even Lancaster, after a few years, seems to have fallen
into popular courses, and recovered some share of public esteem. He was
at the head of the reforming commission in the fifth of Richard II.,
though he had been studiously excluded from those preceding. We cannot
hope to disentangle the intrigues of this remote age, as to which our
records are of no service, and the chroniclers are very slightly
informed. So far as we may conjecture, Lancaster, finding his station
insecure at court, began to solicit the favour of the commons, whose
hatred of the administration abated their former hostility towards
hi