Welsh Journals

to grant dispensation to six persons of his kindred to hold benefices with cure, even of an elective dignity 'x On his return to England he took a prominent part in political affairs. He was sent by Richard II on a mission to Scotland in the company of John of Gaunt and other nobles. This journey is the theme of lolo Goch's cywydd to Bishop Trevor.2 We also find his name included with those of Edward Duke of Albemarle and John Earl of Salisbury as the Commissarii chosen in 1398 to treat for pax perpetua with Scotland, and on April 5, 1399, he was chosen with those two noblemen and others to punish the Scots for violation of treaties. 3 In 1399 Richard embarked upon his ill-starred expedition against the Irish. It is known that he took with him a number of noblemen and prelates, who went under com- pulsion if not willingly. These persons have not been named by the historians of this period, and although we have no evidence that Trevor was among the clergy who crossed to Ireland, there is reason to believe that he actually took part in the expedition. His presence as a bishop who was a doctor of both laws and who was a notary would be valu- able4. When Richard landed at Pembroke on his return to England to oppose Henry Bolingbroke he was deserted by his men, and he fled to North Wales, where he hoped that the Earl of Salisbury had been successful in raising an army for the king. On his arrival, however, the army that had flocked to Salisbury's side had wearied of the delay, and Richard was forced to make terms with Bolingbroke. The chief authority for the account of the overthrow of Salisbury's plans in North Wales is Creton, presumably a young French- man who had been with Richard throughout the campaign, and had crossed over from Dublin to Conway with Salisbury. A new theory is that the author of the Metrical History' attributed to Creton was no other than Salisbury's old friend Bishop Trevor.5 Trevor deserted Richard in North Wales, and was immediately appointed chamberlain of Chester, Flint, and North Wales by Bolingbroke, August 16, 1399, even before Richard had been captured and made prisoner at Chester. His appointment was later confirmed by Bolingbroke as king on November 1. Apparently Trevor accompanied Bolingbroke and Richard on the journey from Chester to London, for at Lichfield on August 24. f in the presence of Henry, duke of Lancaster,' he received the royal seals from the king. He was a member of the parliamentary commission which pronounced the sentence of deposition on the king. This sentence was probably composed by him, and it was read by him in full parliament.6 Trevor rebuked this same parliament angrily for praying the king to refrain from lavish grants and especially from giving grants which were supplied by the crown. He maintained that lavish grants added to the dignity of kings. He was sent to Spain as ambassador to announce Henry's accession to the throne of England, and in the same year (1400) he accompanied the English army to Scotland. It appears that the men of Chester and the Welsh followers of Owen Glyn Dwr were annoyed with Trevor for the part which he had played in Richard's dethronement, and, while he was in Spain, or on the expedition to Scotland, his palace and three manor houses were destroyed, and the cathedral church itself was badly burned.7 In May, 1401, by a mandate 1 Calendar of. Papal Registers. 12 Kal Mai. 2 H. Lewis, T. Roberts, and I. Williams Cywyddau Iolo Goch ac eraill. 3 Rotuli Scotiae. 4 Speculum a journal of mediaeval studies, XV, iv, 1940. 5 Ibid. 6 Rotuli Parliamentorum, III, 424; Chronicon Ada de Usk, p. 327. 7 P. R. Thomas The History of the Diocese of St. Asaph.