[MR] Wikipedia: The Southampton Plot of 1415

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1415, Sir Thomas Grey (b. 1384) was beheaded for his part
in the Southampton Plot.

Never heard of the Southampton Plot? Neither had I. After all, everybody
seemed to be conspiring to do something naughty in those days. It is
awfully hard to keep all the plots and plotters straight without a program.

The Southampton Plot was a scheme among Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of
Cambridge, Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Marsham, and Grey. They
planned to assassinate King Henry V at Southampton before he sailed on his
famous French campaign, and replace the King with Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl
of March. Mortimer actually had a better claim on the throne than Henry.
When he learned of the plans, Mortimer promptly, and wisely for his own
sake, blew the whistle on the conspirators. Apparently Henry believed in
Mortimer's innocence, but a topping was in order for the other three.

Grey was beheaded on 2 August 1414 at Southampton's North Gate, and the
other two on 5 August at the Bargate. Satisfied that all was in order,
Henry then sailed for France and destiny.

Shakespeare includes the plot in HENRY V, and though I've seen the 1989
Kenneth Branagh version, it went right by me. After all, the "Band of
Brothers" speech and Agincourt battle sequences are overwhelming. The Bard
makes the plot out to be French-financed. One has to be careful of
Shakespeare's works as history, since plays in those days had to be
politically correct to avoid charges of treason and the headsman's axe.

Here's more about the Southampton Plot:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton_Plot .

The impressive Bargate, where Scope and Cambridge met their well-deserved
demises, still exists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bargate .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆