Waterpower was replacing foot power in driving the mills where
cloth was cleaned and fulled.
A boundary dispute between two barons resulted in the first true
survey map. Nine cow pastures were divided by a boundary marked by
a shield on a pole which the commission of true and sworn men had
set up.
King Richard II, an irresponsible sovereign, asserted an absolute
supremacy of the king over Parliament and declared certain
statutes which he claimed to have been forced on him to be
revoked. He interfered with county elections of knights to
Parliament by directing sheriffs to return certain named persons.
He wanted to dispense altogether with Parliament and instead have
a committee of representatives. He claimed that the goods of his
subjects were his own and illegally taxed the counties. There were
many disputes as to who should be his ministers. High treason was
extended to include making a riot and rumor, compassing or
purposing to depose the King, revoking one's homage or liege to
the King, or attempting to repeal a statute. When Henry
Bolingbroke reported to Parliament that another lord had cast
doubt on the king's trustworthiness, a duel between them was
arranged. But Richard, probably fearing the gain of power of the
lord who won, instead exiled the two lords. He took possession of
the Lancaster estates to which Henry was heir and forbade this
inheritance.
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