THE CAREER OF SIR THOMAS TRIVET (1330-88)

conduct his men to Spain the same year.As a result, the scarcity of available ships left for the two English Admirals was so dire that Gaunt was under orders to send his fleet back to England as soon as he had reached Spanish soil. Unfortunately, Gaunt's fleet did not set sail from England until July 1386 and therefore could not have returned home until mid-July at the earliest.⁷ In the treaty between Richard II and John I of Portugal concluded in May 1386, there was a specific stipulation providing the English Admirals with a loan of I0 armed galleys from Portugal to arrive in London before Christmas of that year.⁸ Under these circumstances, is it fair to dismiss Trivet's brief spell as Admiral as being unsatisfactory? In fact, D’arcy and Trivet began their career quite well. In July 1386 the two admirals captured 'a fair number of large vessels' bound for Sluys, including 4 Genoese 'tarits' and at least one Spanish ship, 'la Seinte Marieship'.⁹ He was later granted one of these ships, as was D’arcy.¹⁰ The captured ships were taken to Sandwich and some of them were still there in 1387 whilst the council continued to debate whether the capture was justified or not.¹¹ Despite this early success, by the end of the Wonderful Parliament, both Admirals had been dismissed from their posts and replaced by the Earl of Arundel.¹² Goodman cites how when the Appellants came to power in 1387 (Arundel who was put in charge of the English naval expedition of that year) tried to copy Trivet and Darcy's policy of blocking the route to Flanders which had proved such a success under the previous Admirals.¹³ However, unlike his predecessors, Arundel's expedition proved a financial and tactical embarrassment.

The question remains as to whether Trivet was re-appointed Admiral for the West again in 1388, after the Merciless Parliament had ended. As early as the 27th November 1387, Trivet was making preparations to have his ship, 'la Kateryne' refitted at Sandwich to be ready for future service in the King's wars.¹⁴ Could this be in reference to an 'expedition' led by Trivet as Admiral in the near future? At this point, Trivet was not under arrest and still closely, associated with the court and so it might be possible. After he was subsequently arrested, he was released from prison on the 30th May 1388 on the condition that he would appear in the next parliament, if he was not delayed 'upon the present expedition at sea in the King's wars'.¹⁵ However, whether this was in recognition of an expedition led by Trivet as Admiral, is again dubious.

Goodman suggests that the reason for Trivet's alleged ambush of the Appellants on the 17^th November, was his anxiety'to recover naval command from Arundel'.¹⁶ It certainly

provides a reasonable explanation for his otherwise hasty actions at a time when some of the closest of Richard's intimate circle of friends were fleeing his side. However, it is also reasonable to suggest that Trivet acted in this manner out of loyalty to his monarch.

7 Roskell, Impeachment of de la Pole, p.71

8 Ibid.

9 Ibid.

10 Ibid. p.216 (on the 8^th September 1386).

12 T.F.Tout. Chapters in the Administrative History of Medieval England vol III. (1928), p.417

13 Goodman, Loyal Conspiracy, p.129

14 CPR 1385-9, p395

15 Ibid. p.397-8

16 Goodman, Loyal Conspiracy, p.26