Woden His raigne is accounted only seuen yeeres without any mention of further matter worthy the recording and his death to haue hapned in the yeare fiue hundred eighty one TItulus the second King of the East-Angles and only sonne of Vffa that is read of beganne his raigne the yeere of Christs Incarnation fiue hundred eighty three continued the same for the space of twenty yeeres And although the Writers of these times haue made no further mention of his Acts yet may we well suppose that his daies were not altogether so quietly spent both in the infancy of that newly erected kingdom and when such wars were commenced for the obtaining the whole Iland His issue was Redwald that immediatly succeeded him from whom other Kings of that kingdom were lineally descēded REdwald the greatest of all the East-Angles Kings succeeded his father Titulus in the Dominions of the East-Angles and Ethelbert of Kent in the Monarchie of the Saxons He receiued and succoured in his Court Edwyne with his wife in their Exiles and assisted him against Ethelfrid King of Northumberland that sought his life as before wee haue shewed and hereafter in the succession of his Monarchy wee shal haue further occasion Hee raigned Monarch eight yeeres and King of the East-Angles thirty one by the account and computation of the Table annexed to Malmesbury and others of our English Writers and died the yeare of our Saluation six hundred twenty-three ERpenwald the younger sonne of King Redwald Reynhere his elder brother being slaine in battle by Ethelfred in the quarrell of distressed Edwine succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of the East-Angles the yeer of our Lord God six hundred twenty foure He was the first King of that Prouince that publikely professed the Christian Faith which hee receiued at the friendly motion and zealous exhortation of King Edwine of Northumberland but so much to the discontentment grudge of the people as thereupon they presently entred into conspiracy to practise his death which a Pagā Ruffian named Richebert not long after most traiterously executed His raigne is placed in the foresaid Table of our Writers as it is compared with the other Kings of those times to extend twelue yeeres after whose death those people returned to their wonted Idolatrie and for three yeeres continuance embraced their former Gentility from which they were reclaimed by Sigebert his brother in law who succeeded him in his Throne hee hauing no issue to whom it might be left SIgebert the sonne of the second wife to Redwald and by her born to a former husband whose name is vnknowne was greatly mistrusted by his Father in law King Redwald that he went about to aspire his Crowne the motiues of which suspition notwithstanding all the endeauours of innocent Sigebert were still followed with an enuious eye and his subiectiue semblances as notes of popularity were euer conceiued to aime at the supreme authority which blot of iealousie when it could no otherwise bee wiped out he abandoned the Court of the King and Country of his birth and in France as an exile al the time of Redwald the Father and likewise the raigne of Erpenwald the sonne spent his time in study of good Literature contemplatiue exercises where learning the truth of Christs Doctrine and hauing receiued the lauer of Baptisme after the death of this said Erpenwald his allied Brother returned and was made King of the East-Angles This man saith Beda following the examples of France brought the light of the Gospell into his Dominions and by the assistance of Felix Bishop of Dunwich for a more firme plantation thereof built a Schoole for the education of children appointing them Schoole-masters and Teachers after the maner of the Kentish-men who are * supposed to haue at that time the Liberall Sciences professed among them in their Metropolitane City Canterbury which was the paterne saith that Countries Perambulator that this Sigebert followed in the erection of his but whether at Cambridge or elsewhere hee leaueth for Doctor Caius of Cambridge and M. Key of Oxford to be disputed of And indeed Beda assigneth not the place for this foundation nor once nameth Cambridge vnlesse you will say that out of the ruines of Grantcester an ancient Citie decaied in his daies the same arose and whereof hee maketh mention in his fourth Booke vpon this occasion as followeth Queene Etheldred saith he that had been a Virgin wife to Egfrid King of Northumberland the tearme of twelue yeeres and Abbesse of Ely for seuen more for her reputed holinesse after her death and buriall was thought worthy by Queene Sexburg her sister who had beene wife to Ercombert King of Kent and succeeded her Abbesse in the same Monasterie to bee remooued out of her wooden Tombe meane place of buriall into the Church and richer Monument but for want of stone which was scarce in those parts certaine brethren were sent to find out some for that vse who comming to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little City lest desolate and vninhabited found by the walles a Tomb of white marble verie faire and couered with a like stone This they thought to be found not without miracle and therefore most fit to intombe her corps which accordingly they did But that this had beene the place of Sigeberts Schoole hee mentioneth not But whether by him or no wee know it now the other Vniuersity of England a seed-plot of all diuine and humane Literature and one of those springs whence issue the wholesome waters that doe bedewe both the Church Common-wealth both famous for the Arts for Buildings and Reuenewes as their like is not to be found in Europe saith Peter Martyr and that most truely But to returne Sigebert being wearied with the waighty affairs of this world laid the burden thereof vpon Egricke his kinsman and shore himselfe a Monk in the Abby of Cumbreburge which himselfe had built wherein he liued vntill that wicked Penda the Mercian King with his heathenish cruelty molested the peace of the East-Angles who after long resistance finding themselues too weake besought Sigebert for the better incouragement of their souldiers to shew himselfe in field which when he refused by constraint saith Beda they drew him forth where in the midst of them hee was slaine in battle vsing no other weapon for defence sauing only a white wand when hee had raigned onely three yeeres and left no issue to suruiue him that is any where recorded EGricke cosin to King Sigebert and by him made King as wee haue said was sore molested by the continuall inuasions of Penda the cruell King of Mercia who lastlie in a set battle slew him with Sigebert about the yeere of Christ his incarnation sixe hūdred fifty two And when himself had raigned 4. yeers deceased without mentiō either of wife or child that is read
7 His warres thus prospering his puissance grew dreadfull and his glory much enuied at by the other Princes whereof Bernulfe of Mercia was the first attempter that sought to plucke the wing of this west-Saxon Eagle but thereby wrought his owne downefall for Egbert ioyning battaile with him at Ellenden ouerthrew his power and in that quarrell Bernulfe was lastly slaine 8 Kent was the next and fairest marke in Egberts 〈◊〉 whose 〈◊〉 not gratious in his own subiects â—…ight was the 〈◊〉 to be subdued him he chased ouer Thamisis and added not onely that Countie but also Sussex and Surrey for Prouinces vnto his owne Kingdome next were the East-Saxons the East-Angles and in truth all both vpon the North and the South of Humber gaue him obedience so that the bounds of his Dominion were greatly enlarged and his royall authority by those seuerall Kings acknowledged 9 Then hee to confirme his estate called an assembly vnto the City Winchester where causing himselfe to bee solemnly crowned became the first Saxons absolute Monarch of the whole Iland so reducing the Monarchiall title from the Mercians to the West-Saxons in whose Progeny it continued without reuersement vntill the Danes first got and againe lost it and the Saxons issue failing the same fell to the Normans Duke by Conquest as in continuance of our history Christ assisting shall be seene 10 His Coronation was at Winchester and entrance in the yeare of Grace eight hundred and nineteene at which time by his Edict in that City dated he caused all the South of the Iland to bee called England according to the Angles of whom himselfe came and promising great felicity to his State and Successors was therein not so happy as in his affaires he had beene fortunate 11 For those Saxons that by warre and blood had made themselues Lords of other mens rights and of one Kingdome no lesse then seuen are now endangered to bee made seruants vnto subiection and by warre and bloud their seuen-fold Kingdome brought againe vnto one neither yet freed from the reuenge of bloodie violence for that a fierce and cruell nation the Danes ceased not continually to inuade them till they had subdued and set the crowne thereof vpon their owne heads who in King Brightrick dayes and about the yeere seuen hundred eighty seuen hauing with three vessels landed in the West of England at three seuerall times in so many seuerall places sought the ruine of the land in the raigne of this Egbert 12 The first was in his thirty third yeare when with thirty fiue ships they landed at Lindisferne vpon the North of England where they were met and fought with at Carham but with such losse to the English that two chiefe Captaines Dudda and Osmond two Bishops Herefrid of Winchester and Vigferd of Shirborne with many Souldiers were therein slaine King Egbert himselfe hardly escaping by the couert of the night 13 Their second attempt was in the second yeare following when in West-Wales they landed vnto whom the Britaines there ioyned and in the place called Hengistenton abode the King in field where Egbert with prosperous fortune vanquished and slew both the Danes and the Welsh 14 The third place of their arriuage was Sheepie in Kent which Iland they sacked and with much a doe were expelled in the last of King Egberts raign and but the new beginning of their sauage cruelties 15 This Egbert by Florentius of Worcester is said to be the sonne of Alkemund who was the sonne of Eafa and he the sonne of Eoppa the sonne of Ingils the brother of Ine the eleuenth King of the West-Saxons and both of them the sonnes of Kenred descended from Cherdik the first King of that Prouince he was but â—…ow oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong of â—…mme very valiant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skilfull souldier and as great in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in warre he raigned ouer the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thirty six yeares and seuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Iland seuenteene his dâ—…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fourth day of February and yeare of Chrâ—…s â—…nation eight hundred thirty six 16 His bodie was with all 〈◊〉 solemnly buried at Winchester and his bones sinâ—… taken vp â—…maine with others in that Cities Cathedral 〈◊〉 bestowed in Chests set vpon the Wall of each 〈◊〉 the Quier with these verses neither ancient nor 〈◊〉 thereon inscribed Hic Rex Egbertus pausat cum Rege Kenulpho Nobis egregia munera vterque tulit His wife 17 Redburg the wife of King Egbert was the first of the West-Saxons that by their new made law was depriued of title authority or place of a Queene notwithstanding it seemeth shee bare a great stroke with her husband in that Iohn Bâ—…uer the Monke of Westminster reporteth that shee procured a law to be made against the Britains the penalty whereof was present death for any of them to set footing within the realme of England or to passe the Ditch that King Offa had made His Issue 18 Ethelwolfe the eldest sonne of King Egbert and Lady Redburg his wife was in his childhood committed to the charge of Helmestan 〈◊〉 of Winchester vnder whom hee was carefully trayned vp in learning and vertue who comming to mans estate proued also a perfect Souldier and had 〈◊〉 leading of his fathers power against Baldred King 〈◊〉 Kent whom he forced to flie ouer the Thamisis and to abandon his Kingdome which he subdued to the subiection of his father and afterwards succeeded him in the Monarchy of the Englishmen 19 Ethelstane the younger sonne of King Egbert and of the Lady Redburg his wife was by his father deputed King ouer the Kentishmen the South-Saxons and the East-Saxons after hee had brought them vnto his subiection which people hee most valiantly defended against the inuasions of the Danes defeating their forces both by sea and land and at Sandwich gaue them a most memorable ouerthrow in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred fifty one being the sixteenth of his brother King Ethelwolfes raigne in whose time hee deceased and is reported to haue left a sonne named Ostride who by reason of his minority succeeded not in his fathers dominions which Ethelbert the second sonne of King Ethelwolfe entred vpon and being Monarch reunited these kingdomes inseparably vnto the Monarchy 20 Edgith commonly called Saint Edith the daughter of King Egbert was in her childhood by her brother Ethelwolfe committed to the charge and bringing vp of a Lady in Ireland greatly renowmed for her holinesse of life named Modewine by whom she was afterwards recommended to a Disciplesse of the said Lady named Athea and made Gouernesse of a Monastery of the Ladies by her planted in a place which the King her brother had giuen her called Pollesworth situated in Arden in the north verge of the County of Warwicke wherein she liued died and was honourably buried and the place in regard of her afterwards called Saint Ediths of Pollesworth ETHELVVOLFE THE
foureteene mitred Bishops attended his approach vnto Saint Paules where out of the Censers the sweet Odours filled the Church and the Quier chanted Anthems cunninglie set by note in all which the honour was ascribed only vnto God the King so commanding it And so farre was he from the vaine ostentation of men that he would not admit his broken Crowne nor bruised armour to be borne before him in shew which are the vsuall Ensignes of warlike triumphes The Citie presented him a thousand pound in gold two golden basons worth fiue hundred pound more which were receiued with all Princely thankes 30 And now to doe the last office of a souldier for those two noblemen slaine at Azincourt hee willed the body of the Duke of Yorke to be interred in his Colledge at Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire and the Earle of Suffolke at Ewhelme in Oxfordshire commanding most of his Bishops and Abbots to celebrate the Exequies in London whereunto likewise resorted his vncle Dorset the Gouernor of Harflew whom for his good seruice done he created Duke of Exceter and gaue him a thousand pound by yeere out of his owne Exchecquer but in his absence some attempts were made by the French against the said Towne whereby he was enforced the sooner to returne 31 The calamities of these times by the stirred schismes of the Church and these bloody warres among Christian Princes Sigismund the Emperour a man of great wisdome and integrity much lamented at the Councell of Constance as another Constantine sollicited the three stiffe stirring Popes vnto vnity but failing of that purpose from those farre parts he trauelled into France and thence into England seeking to make peace betwixt these two Westerne Monarchs the better to withstand the common knowne enemie of Christendome the Turke King Charles he sollicited first finding him in words very forward with many faire shewes to imbrace the motion whereupon taking with him the Archbishop of Rheims as Ambassadour from the French King came vnto Callis where he was most honourably entertained by the Earle of Warwicke Deputy of the Towne and diuers other Lords sent thither by King Henry to attend him as also thirtie of his tallest shippes to waft him to Douer gallantlie rigged and manned with a noble traine The Duke of Glocester accompanied with many of the nobility was appointed to receiue him at Douer where they attended his comming 32 The Emperour arriued and ready to take land Glocester and the other Lords with their drawne swords entred the water and thus spake to the Emperour that if his Imperiall Maiesty intended to enter as their Kings friend and a mediator for peace they would receiue him with all willingnes accordinglie but if as an Emperour to claime any authority in England which was a free Kingdome they were there ready to resist and impeach his entrance Which rough demand being most mildely answered by Sigismund he had present accesse and by them was attended towards London 33 This worthy Emperour King Henry greatly respected as well for his owne worths and the amity held euer with the house of Beame as also for that he had married Barbara the daughter of the Earle of Zilie the Kings Cosen Germane remoued His entertainement was Princely and charges altogether borne by King Henrie who the more to honor him at Windsore solemnly enstalled him Knight of the Order of Saint George or Gartar with a most sumptuous fest purposely prepared at which the Emperour sate in his Collar and Robes but not foreslowing the cause for which he came hee instantlie vrged the peace for France wherein he was gentlie heard by the English King but vpon new displeasures for some losse of men in the Territories of Roane the motion at that time was dasht and would not proceed least as King Henrie alleaged the French should suppose that a small losse had weakened his spirits yet the Emperour continuing his intercession for peace had brought it to that passe by his pithy perswasions as had not the French at that verie instant besieged Harflew both by Sea and land it had beene effected 34 For not long before Thomas Earle of Dorset hauing made a roade into the County of Caux was set vpon by the Earle of Armigrace Constable of France with other strong men at Armes neere vnto Vademont who so distressed the English that Dorset tooke into a Garden for defence and hauing had priuate conference there with the Constable early before day departed with the losse of foure hundred men Armigrace puffed vp by his got victory with his French powers followed the English in a hasty march toward Harflew and vpon the sands intercepted their passage where betwixt them a cruell conflict was perfourmed with the ouerthrow of the French and flight of the Constable who retired to Monstreuillier for safety 35 This his vnlucky attempt he tooke greatly to heart and therefore purposing to repurchase again his honor he determined for Harflew where hee set downe his land siege before the English Garrison within were well aware when also the Vicount Narbon Vice-Admiral of France with a Fleete of tall ships entred the hauen so that the Towne was begirt on euery side as we haue said King Henry hearing of these newes called home his Ambassadours which were the Bishop of Norwich and Sir Thomas Erpingham in commission then at Beauuois and in conference for a Peace and the Emperour well perceiuing that the French plaid vpon aduantage and that King Henry was not of temper to turne edge at their strokes saw it vaine to prosecute the peace for France further and therefore sought to enter league with the English himselfe vnto the which King Henry was so willing as he confirmed the same vpon these Articles following 36 That the said Emperour King their heires successours should be friends each to other as Allies and Confederates against all manner of persons of what estate or degree soeuer the Church of Rome and the Pope for the time being only excepted for he was the Master Bee that then lead the swarme 37 That neither themselues their heires nor successours should be present in Counsell or other place where either of them their heires or successours might sustaine dammage in lands goods honours states or persons and that if any of them should vnderstand of losse or hinderance to be like to fall or happen to the others they should impeach the same or if that lay not in their powers they should aduertise the others thereof with all conuenient speed That either of them their heires and successours should aduance the others honour and commodity without any fraud or deceit That neither of them nor their heires or successours should permit their subiects to leauy warres against the others That it should be lawfull and free for each of their subiects to passe into the others Countrey and there to remaine and make
Nun in the Nunnery of Dartford in the same County founded by K. Edward the third where shee spent her life in contemplations vnto the day of her death 126 Marie the fift daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was promised in marriage vnto the King of Denmarke but died before it could be solemnized in the Tower of Greenewich the Sunday before Pentecost the twentieth two of her fathers raigne and yeere of Grace 1482. and was buried at Windsore 127 Margaret the sixth daughter of K. Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth died an Infant without other mention in our Authors 128 Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife and the last of them both was married vnto William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and Lord of Ochaâ—…pton vnto whom shee bare Lord Henrie after the death of his father Earle of Deuonshire who by King Henrie the eight was created Marquesse of Excester in Anno 1525. His Concubines 129 Elizabeth Lucie is certainly known to haue been King Edwards Concubine though nothing so certainly mentioned whose Ladie or of what Parentage shee was that shee was conceiued by him with child is before declared but who that child was is as obscurely laid downe therefore in these things we must be silent and leaue the doubts to be resolued by others Three other concubines this king had whereof Shores wife was not the least beloued whose life falleth further to be spoken of in the Raigne of the vsurper Richard where her storie shall be shewed more at large His naturall Issue 150 Arthur surnamed Plantagenet the naturall sonne of K. Edward the fourth whose mother as is supposed was the Lady Elizabeth Lucie was created Viscount Lisle by King Henrie the eight at Bridewell in London the twentie sixth of Aprill and yeere of Saluation 1533. which title was confâ—…red vpon him in right of his wife Lady Elizabeth sister and heire vnto Iohn Gray Viscount Lisle and the late wife and then widdow of Edmund Dudley who bare vnto this Viscount three daughters which were Bridget Frances and Elizabeth all of them afterward married This Arthur Lord Lisle was made Lieutenant of Callis by the said K. Henry which Towne some of his seruants intended to haue betraied to the French for which their fact himselfe was sent to the Tower of London but his truth appearing after much search the King sent him a rich ring from his owne finger with such comfortable wordes as at the hearing thereof a sudden ioy ouercharged his heart was so immoderately receiued that the same night it made an end of his life whose body was honorably buried in the same Tower 151 Elizabeth the naturall daughter of K. Edward the fourth was married to Sir Thomas Lumley Knight the sonne of George Lord Lumley who died before his father shee bare vnto the said Sir Thomas Richard afterward Lord Lumley from whom the late Lord Lumley did descend EDVVARD THE FIFTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE FIFTH MONARCH OF THIS LAND HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XVIII THe father thus dying in the strength of his yeeres and the sonne left to rule before he was ripe the Synders of dissensions which the sicke King had lately raked vp presently brake forth into a more raging flame for the king and Queenes blood that should haue supported young Edwards estate the one side being suspicious and â—…e other prouoked by the execrable desire of soueraignty left the tender king a Prince of such towardnes as his age could conteine destitute and vnarmed which if either kind or kindred had holden place must needes haue beene the surest pillars of his defence The raigne of this King if we may so cal the shorttime of his Soueraignty began the same day that his father died though he was neuer Crowned nor yet commanded the affaires of the Kingdome as an absolute Monarch his young brothers fortunes being ballanced with his 2 For Richard Duke of Gloucester by nature their vncle by office their Protector to their Father beholden to themselues by Oath and Alleagiance bounden all bands broken that holdeth man and man together without any respect of God or the World vnnaturally contriued to bereaue them not onlie of their dignity but also theirlines But forsomuch as the Dukes demeanour â—…reth in effect all the whole matter whereof the raigne of this yong and fift Edward must intreat itâ—… therefore conuenient somewhat to shew you ere we goe further what man this was and from whom he descended that could find in his heart so much mischief to conceiue 3 Know first then that Richard Duke of Yorke a noble man and a mighty beganne not by warre but by law to challenge the Crowne putting his claime into the Parliament where his cause was either for right or fauour so farre foorth aduanced that King Henries blood albeit he had a goodly Prince was vtterly reiected the Crowne by the authoritie of that high Court intailed to the Duke of Yorke and his issue male in remainder immediately after the death of King Henrie But the Duke not induring so long to tarrie intending vnder pretext of dissention and debate arising in the Realme to preuent his time and to take vpon him the rule in King Henries life was with many other Nobles slaine at Wakefield leauing three sonnes Edward George and Richard all of them as they were great states of birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy and ambitious of authority and impatient of partners 4 For Edward reuenging his fathers death depriued king Henry and attained the Crowne The second George Duke of Clarence was a goodly Noble Prince and in all things fortunate if either his owne ambition had not set him against his brother or the enuie of his enemies his brother against him For were it by the Queen and Lords of her blood which highly maligned the Kings kindred as women commonly not of malice but of nature hate them whom their husbands loue or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at least-wise hainous treason was laid to his charge and finally were he faulty were he faultlesse attainted he was by Parliament and iudged to death as we haue saide 5 Richard the third sonne of whom we now entreat was in wit and courage equall with either of them in body and prowesse farre vnder them both little of stature ill-limmed and crook-backed his left shoulder much higher then his right very hard fauoured of visage and such as in States is called warly in other men otherwise he was malicious wrathfull and enuious yea and from afore his birth euer froward For it is for truth reported that the Dutchesse his mother had so much adoe in her trauaile that shee could not be deliuered of him vncut and that he came into the
Edmund de la Pole Earle of Suffolke sonne to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and of Elizabeth sister to King Edward the fourth in the sixteenth yeere of King Henries raigne wilfully slew a common person in his furie Henry not sorry to haue occasion of encreasing his popularity by presenting so great a person to exemplary iustice and in the same act to blemish the honour of a man whose quality was to him suspected caused him for the same to be arraigned The fact hee was perswaded to confesse and therupon had pardon The Earle neuerthelesse as a Prince of the bloud holding himselfe disgraced by hauing been seen a Prisoner at the Kings Bench Barre fled the land discontented and went to his Aunt the Dutchesse Dowager of Burgundie but within a while after being fairely reconciled hee returned After which notwithstanding whether it were by reason of debt the certaine attendant of vaine-spirited and base-braueminded Courtiers wherinto he had deeply thrown himself for his furniture at the celebration of his cosen Prince Arthurs marriage or for that the restlesse spirit of enuie in the Dutchesse had preuailed hee taking his brother with him fledde againe the next yeere after The King who had pardoned his life seemed now to repent his clemency though it is plaine hee spared him of purpose till hee might discouer more of a conspiracy which hee knew was in hammering but his flight troubled him not a little knowing the violent humor of that Lord and remēbring to what a dangerous bloudy issue his brother the Earle of Lincolne had once already brought things at the battell of Stoke in the beginning of his raigne 67 For remedy hee betakes himselfe to his wonted arts and therefore to learne the secrets of the enemy Sir Robert Curson Knight Captaine of the Castell of Hammes by Caleis faines himselfe a friend to the Earle and flies from his charge vnto him An office vnworthy of Knighthood neither can any good spirit in the world stoope it selfe to such double faced emploiment which besides the treacherous dissimulations thereof cannot but bee accompanied with wilfull impieties For who is admitted into trust vpon a contrary side without inuocations of Gods holy name protestations adiurations oathes the vtmost assurances which man can giue to man to beget a conuenient affiance in his sincerity but by this stratagem the king ransackes the bosomes and cabinets of his aduersaries discouering their designes and hopes Whereupon William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire being most nobly descended and hauing to his wife the Lady Katherine one of the daughters of K. Edward the fourth and sister to Queene Elizabeth wife of King Henry William de la Pole brother to the said Edmund Earle of Suffolke Sir Iames Tirrel Sir Iohn Windham Knights with other were attached and committed to custodie and afterward also George Neuil Lord Abergenie and Sir Thomas Greene Knight were likewise apprehended but were soone deliuered The Earle of Deuonshire though innocent for it is the misery of such great men that their owne innocency cannot alwayes procure their owne safety but their birth-right many times and often other mens designations without their least priuity is enough to hazard them yea it is in the power of any conspirator by bare nomination to doe as much so that it concernes them to haue an eye not to their owne onely but to the behauiour also of their whole Alliances and dependancies this Earle I say though innocent remained Prisoner during this Kings life and some yeeres of his sonnes raigne who set him at liberty The other William the Earle of Suffolkes brother had not so strict an hand holden ouer him But Sir Iames Tyrrell Lieutenant of Guines Castell and Sir Iohn Wyndham Welbourn seruant to Sir Iames Tyrrel Curson a Purseuant Mathew Iones yeoman and a Shipman were condemned of treason for aiding the Earle of Suffolke The two Knights were beheaded at Tower hill The Shipman quartered at Tiburne Curson and Iones suffered death at Guines 68 This so round and quicke dealing with the Earles complices and fauourers startled his shallow and raw inuentions and made their whole bulke to swarue and splinter but the King rested not so for vpon the Sunday before the feast of SS Simon and Iude in the same yeere of the said executions there was published at Pauls Crosse by the Kings procurement from Pope Alexander the sixth a Bull of Excommunication and curse against the said Earle of Suffolke Sir Robert Curson and fiue other persons by speciall name and generally all other which aided the Earle against the King to the disturbance of the Kingdome Thus did the most prudent Henrie pursue his enemies not onely with secret countermines and open weapons of Law before they could assemble to make any shew but also with spirituall lightening which doubtlesse had they beene vpon iust cause and by lawfull authoritie fulminated ought infinitely to bee dreaded of good Christians because as Saint Paul saith they deliuer ouer to Satan Sir Robert Curson was named of purpose to make the Earle secure of him which may well be called a perillous if not a prophane deuise though his Holinesse were made the instrument thereof Neither did the King leaue heere for by his letters and messengers he so preuailed with Pope Alexander as hee decreed by his Bull That no person should afterward haue priuiledge of Sanctuary who had once taken the same and come foorth againe and that if any Sanctuarie-man should afterward commit any murther robbery sacriledge treasons c. he should by lay force bee drawne thence to suffer due punishment This was of great vse to the King and preserued many subiects from precipitation for the abuse of Sanctuaries had beene an efficient of many troubles But the same Pope hauing sent Iohn Giglis his Receiuer to gather mony in England shewed himselfe much more fauourable to such as perpetrated those said hainous offences as also Vsury simony rapines adulteries or whatsoeuer offences excepting certaine offences against the Pope and Clergy c. when he sent a * Bull of pardons for money to all such offendors in England dispensing also thereby with such as kept away or by any fraud bad gotten the goods of other men which they should now retaine still without scruple of conscience so as they paid a ratable portion thereof vnto his Holinesse Receiuers Sir Robert Curson though before accursed by the Pope returnes when he saw fit time into England and withall into wonted fauour with his Soueraigne The Earle seeing himselfe thus stript of all hope to doe much harme wandred about Germany and France to finde repose but in the end quite tyred he put himselfe into the grace and protection of Philip then in Flanders who by the death of Isabella was King of Spaine in right of Ioan his wife eldest daughter of Ferdinando and Isabella where hee remained in banishment till King Phillip was
from whom the eternall King of Kings descended in their offrings made in time of their highest glory were by the Lord thus commanded to acknowledge and say A Syrian was my father who being ready to perish for hunger went down into Egypt and soiourned with a small company And the richest stone of that most beauteous building in his highest pride is counselled by the Prophet to looke back to the rocke whence it was hewen and to the hole of the pit whence it had been digged THE GOVERNMENT OF GREAT BRITAINE CHAPTER V. WEE come at length to speake of the gouernment and politicall estate of the Britaines which doubtlesse the times then considered was as honorable in their rulers and as manageable in the subiects as any other nations in these West parts of the world their temperance religion learning and noble resolution shewing no lesse But in this point I must craue pardon of our British Heraulds and some learned Antiquaries if I bring not a lineall succession from Brute and a monarchicall gouernment in those times of obscurity through whose mists no Egles eies could pierce before the daies of Geffrey ap Arthur as before was touched And therefore following his counsell who is best able in these things to giue direction I will begin the succession of Great Britains Monarchs at the entrance and person of Iulius Caesar at which time it seemeth by him and other Latine writers the best Recorders of kingdoms affaires this Iland was gouerned rather after the manner of an Aristocratie that is by certaine great Nobles and Potent men then vnder the command of any One as an absolute Monarch though herein is a difference in that in the Aristocraticall regiment the rulers are all Peeres of one Common wealth whereas here as many Princes so many seuerall Publike weales For so Caesar himselfe found the state of Britaine to be diuided into Provinces vnder the names of her inhabitants and to be ruled by diuers Peeres or petty Kings 2 And such a Gouernor was Cassibelan ouer the Trinobantes Cingetorix Caruilius Taximagulus and Segonax all foure Rulers together in Kent Comes supposed to be King of the Atrebatij and to be the same Comius of Arras whom Caesar imploied to tease and worke the Britaines to his subiection Caractacus the warlike King of the Silures Galgacus the worthy King of the Caledonians yea and women also without exception of sex held gouernment among them such as was faithlesse Cartismandua Queen of the Brigantes and famous Boudicea Queene of the Icenians Whereby it seemeth that euery seuerall Prouince owed seruice and alleageance only to their owne Prince And as their gouernments were confined vnto certaine bounds and limits so were the Inhabitants diuided and distinguished by diuers Names of whom because we shall haue occasion hereafter often to speak it shal not therfore be amisse in this place once for all table-wise to lay downe the same whereby our narrations may passe vntroubled without more explanations and the readers mind carried with lesse incombrances Those ancient names of people and places for abode throughout the whole Iland from Ptolemie were as follow A TABLE OF THE ANCIENT INHABITANTS AND THE SITES OF THEIR POSSESSIONS AS THEY WERE CALLED BY PTOLEMY AND OFTEN SINCE MENTIONED IN THE ROMAN WRITERS People Countries CANTII Kent REGNI Sussex Surrey DVROTRIGES Dorsetshire DAMNONII Deuonshire Cornwal BELGAe Somersetshire Wiltshire Hampshire ATREBATII Barkshire DOBVNI Oxfordshire Glocester CATIEVCHLANI Warwickshire Buckingham Bedfordshire TRINOBANTES Hertford Essex Middlesex ICENI Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge Ely Iland Huntington CORITANI Rutlandshire Lincolnshire Northhampton Leicestershire Darbishire Nottingham CORNABII Staffordshire Worcestershire Cheshire Shropshire BRIGANTES Lancaster Yorkshire Richmondshire PARISI Duram Westmerland Cumberland ORDOVICES Flintshire Denbighshire Caernaruon Montgomery Merionethshire SILVRES Herefordshire Radnorshire Brecknock Monmouth Glamorgan DIMETAe Caermarden Penbrookshire Cardiganshire OTTADINI Northumberland Teifidale Twedale Merch. Louthien SELGOVAe Lidesdale Ensdale Eskdale Annandale Niddisdale NOVANTES Gallowey Carick Kyle Cunningham DAMNII Cluydsdale Renfraw Lennox Striueling Menteth Fifa CALEDONII Perth Strathern Albin GADINI Argile Lorne EPIDII Cantyre VICEMAGI Murray VENNICONES Mernia Auguis Mar. TAEZALI Buquhâ—…e CANTAe  CREONES Rosse CERONTES Sutherland CARNONACAe Strathâ—…ern CARINI CORNABII SIMERTAe Caithues LOGI 3 These States ambitiously banding ech against others to raise their owne Prince to a more soueraigne supremacy and to enlarge their Prouinces vpon the borders of the next were euer ready the least occasion ministred saith Pomponius Mela to enter quarels and seldome held amity or were quiet This was the cause as Tacitus tells vs which brought that puissant nation into bondage and was the only helpe to the Romans victories for seldome it chanced saith he that two or three states met in counsell and concurred in opinion to repulse the common danger so that whilst they resisted and fought one by one all at length were subdued But this was not at once performed by Iulius Caesar the first Roman enterer who as he saith rather shewed the place to posterities then gaue them the possession thereof supposing it his glory sufficient to haue done what he did For vnto the daies of Domitian they held play with the Romans and that with such valour that the subduing of some small part of this Iland was accounted by themselues to match the conquests of other mightier countries and more notes of honour shewed in their publike triumphs for one Britaines misfortune then vsually was solemnized for whole kingdomes subdued 4 That such people possessed and that many Kings together raigned here in Britaine Pomponius Mela doth shew Britaine saith he bringeth foorth Nations and Kings of nations though they be all without ciuility and barbarous And Caesars intendments being known vnto them it is said that many of their Cities sent him by their Embassadors profers of submission whereby appeareth their diuersities of States whereof only two held promise and the rest failing was the occasion of his second expedition for Britaine And Tacitus speaking of the shipwrack suffered by the Romans in the raigne of Tiberius saith that many of their souldiers then distressed and torne being cast vpon the coasts of Britaine were by the people curteously releeued and by their petty Kings sent backe vnto Germanicus their Generall into Germanie which Princes or petty Kings were drawn as else where he saith by emulation into many partialities and factions which was indeed their owne destruction And by Gildas these were termed cruell Tyrants taking his authority out of Saint Hierome 5 Let thus farre suffice in generall of these ancient Britains whose particulars we will further prosecute in the places of their resistances lest otherwise they should seeme to fight only against themselues And therefore so many of these Gouernors as either yeelded their subiections to the Romans or stood their opposits till their owne strengths were spent I will briefly touch vntill such time as the land
by these here inserted doth euidently appeare one with two faces like vnto Ianus and foure more with his owne besides three others wherein is read his name one of them with a womans head another with a horse and the third with a wreath all these if not more are knowne to be his which sheweth his wealth his fame and his ciuill respect The chiefest Citie for his princely residence was Camalodunum now Malden in Essex wonne by Claudius from the sonnes of Cunobeline as by the inscription of the Coyne next ensuing appeareth and wherein many of the British monies also receiued their impresse This City with the free towne Verolam afterwards felt the heauy hand of mercilesse BODVO in her reuenge against the Romans who laid the beauty and gorgeous buildings thereof so leuell with the earth that those walles and mounted turrets neuer since aspired to halfe their wonted heights 7 Adminius the first sonne of Cunobeline King of the Britaines by Suetonius his report vpon some offence was banished the Iland by his father and with a small traine fled ouer the seas into Belgia where Caius Caligula was in making his ridiculous expedition against the Ocean And yeelding himselfe to his protection added matter to his vaine glorious humors as of a great victory and conquest sending the newes therof to Rome with an especiali command that his letters should be deliuered in the Temple of Mars and that in the assembly of a full Senate It is iudged by learned Cambden that the Roman Coyne aboue prefixed vpon whose reuerse is inscribed Metropolis Etiminij Regis to be meant of this Adiminius the sonne of Cunobeline whose Citie Camalodunum Claudius Caesar the Emperour afterwards wonne and wherein a temple was built and consecrated vnto him attended by the Priests Augustals which heauily burdened the poore estates of the Britaines 8 Catacratus another son of Cunobeline immediatly after the death of his father found himself agrâ—…eued at the Romans for the retaining of certaine fugitiues the betraiers of their natiue country wherâ—… one Bericus was a chiefe and a great firebrand of Claudius his attempts against the Britains This Catacratus maintained resistance against Aulus Plautius the Emperors Deputy with such noble resolution and warlike encounters that often he endangered both his person and army But Fortune and victory attending the Romans brought at length Catacratus their captiue into bands with great slaughters of his Britaines himselfe led shortly after in great triumph through Rome in honor of Plautius his so fortunate successe The miseries of others thus made the Romans to mount the chaire of their triumphs and the chaines of their captiues the records of their present aspired pride But the bordering Dâ—…buni seeing his fall made their owne standings surer by yeelding themselues subiects to Rome 9 Togodamnus the third sonne of Cunobeline and successor to Catacratus prosecuted his countries quarrell with the like boldnesse and resolution as his brother before him had done was the only touchstone that gaue Vespasian his lustre whose interpositions as Tacitus saith was the beginning of that greatnesse whereunto afterwards he aspired And with such manhood followed the chase of the Romans that in a bloody battell he ended his life and brought Plautius their Lieutenant vnto a stand where straitned in dangers both of place and people he was forced to send to Claudius the Emperor whose conceit was then grounded that in Britaine was greatest glory to be gotten and therefore came to his assistance in person himselfe the first since Iulius Caesar that attempted their conquest His recorded compositions made with Aruiragus the mariage of his daughter and building of Glocester I leaue to be read out of Geffrey of Monmouth and to be allowed at the choice of his hearer only noting that the possession of so faire a land drew the affection and aged person of this Emperor to vndergoe so farre distant and dangerous a iournie as this of Britaine lay from Rome 10 Cogidunus a Britain borne receiued in pure gift at the hands of the Romans certain Cities ouer which he peaceably raigned their King For when they had conquered the neerest part of this Iland and reduced it into the forme of a Promiâ—… according to their ancient policie it was their custome saith Tacitus to vse Kings themselues for instruments of bondage both in admittance of their authority and in protecting them against their opposits Other memoriall of him none remaineth but that he is reported to haue rested euer most faithfull to the Romans and was of them accordingly esteemed albeit his owne people bare him no such good will but rather accounted him and others his like to be Romes only instruments and Britaines vipers that brought in strangers to eat out the home-bred inhabitants and fettered the freedome of their land with the heauy chaines of a forrein subiection 11 Caractacus the most renowned prince of the Silures in nine yeeres resistance waded through many aduentures against the common enemy For when as the Icenians Cangi and Brigantes began to faint and giue ouer he only with the Ordouices held out with such seruice and fame that thereby he grew both famous and fearefull to the Romans But Destinies determining the downfall of Britain the props that were set to stay it still vp proued too slender and brake vnder the waight For this bold Caractacus ouerthrown in battell his wife daughter and brethren taken prisoners and his forces defeated committed himselfe to the protection of Cartismandua the Brigantes faithlesse Queene who by her was deliuered to the Romans and by P. Ostorius brought to Rome where beholding the riches and glory of that City he openly and boldly checked the auarice and ambitious humors of the Romans who being owners of so great and glorious things were notwithstanding couetous and greedy for the poore possessions of the Britains And there being led in triumph with admiration he was beheld of all the spectators and for his vndanted spirit and magnanimous resolution released of bands and taken into fauour by Claudius the Emperor And the Lords of the Senate assembled together made glorious discourses touching Caractacus captiuity affirming it to be no lesse honorable then when P. Scipio shewed Syphax vnto the people and L. Paulus Perses or if any other had exhibited to the view of the people kings vanquished and ouercome The British Coyne here aboue shewed by the scattered letters therein inscribed is by the iudicious obseruers of such ancient monies supposed to be his 12 Venutius a famous King of the Brigantes and husband to Cartismandua a woman of an high and noble linage but of a base and vnsatisfied lust finding his bed abused by Vellocatus his seruant and harnesse-bearer raised his power against her and her paramour With him sided his Brigantes and the neighbour countries adioining whose good will went generally with the lawfull husband fearing the ambitious authority of a lustfull woman With her went the
learns to sing 8 It hath also passed with allowance among the learned Senate of our Antiquaries that when Claudius Nero began to banish and persecute the Christians in Rome whose superstitions as Tacitus pleaseth to tearme them from Iudea had infected the Citie it selfe many Romanes and Britaine 's being conuerted to the Faith fled thence vnto these remote parts of the earth where they might and did more freely enioy the libertie of their Professions vntill the search of Tyrants by the flame-light of Persecutions had found out all secret places for the safeties and assemblies of Gods Saints as after in the daies of Dioclesian we shall finde And from this Sanctuarie of Saluation the sad lamenting Lady * Pomponia Graecina the wife of Aulus Plautius the first Lord Lieutenant of Britaine brought that Religion whereof she was accused and stood indited vpon life and death which was none other then the Christian Profession seeing the same both by Tacitus and Suetonius is euerie where termed the strange superstitions and new kinde of Sect that the Christians imbraced and for which they were accounted vnworthy to liue 9 And much about these times as Beatus Rhenanus in his Historie of Germanie Pantaleon and others doe report one Suetonius a Noble mans sonne in Britaine conuerted to the Faith by the first Planters of the Gospell in this Iland and after his Baptisme called Beatus was sent by the Brethren from hence vnto Rome to be better instructed and further directed by Saint Peter himselfe and returning thorow Switzerland found such willingnesse and flocking of the people to heare and receiue the Doctrine of Christ that he there staied and built an Oratorie not farre from the lake Thun and neare the Towne called Vnderfewen wherein preaching and praiers he imploied his time to the day of his death which happened in the yeare of grace 110. And that there were Christians in Britain at these times I make no questioÌ„ thogh some exceptions may be taken against the Monk of Burton the reporter therof who saith in the 141 yeare and raigne of Hadrian nine masters of Grantcester were baptized themselues preached to others the Gospell in Britain howsoeuer he faileth in the Emperours name which yeare was the second of Antonins Pius his successor and ascribeth to these men Schoole-degrees altogether vnknowne for nine hundred yeares after yet these do not hinder the truth of the thing though that Monke was none of the best Historians It is reported also that Patricke the Irish Apostle and Canonized Saint long before the Raigne of King Lucius preached the Gospell in many places of Wales As also that Ninianus Bernicius of the race of the British Princes conuerted the Picts to the Religion of Christ. Vnto these aforesaid authorities and testimonies howsoeuer we stand affected yet it is certaine by Chemnitius citing Sabellicus that the Britaine 's were with the first Conuerts And Tertullian who liued within two hundred yeares of Christs Natiuitie sheweth no lesse Who the more to prouoke the Iewes against whom he wrote calleth to witnesse the fruitfull increase of the Gospell of Saluation through many Countries and Nations and among them nameth the Britaines to haue receiued the Word of life the power whereof saith he hath pierced into those parts whither the Romanes could not come Whence Petrus Cluniacensis supposeth the Scotish men the more ancient Christians as not being in the like subiection to the Romanes as other then were 10 Origen who flourished not much aboue two hundred yeares after Christ in his Homilies vpon Ezechiel sheweth that the first fruits of Gods haruest was gathered in the Iland of Britaine who consented to the Christian faith by the doctrine of their Druides that taught one onely God with whom Hector Boetius agreeth saying that some of these Druides condemned the worship of God in Images and allowed not the applicatioÌ„ of the God-head vnto any visible forme which might be the cause why Claudius the Emperour forbad their Religion as sauouring in these things too much of Christianitie whom likewise he banished Rome as some from Suetonius coniecture Of these Druides wee shewed before that their offices were most imploied about holy things and that their doctrine chiefly consisted in teaching the immortalitie of the soule the motions of the heauens the nature of things and the power of the Gods yea and Postellus from others will inforce that they prophecied likewise of a virgins conception These were the helps saith Tertullian that caused the Britaines so soone to imbrace the Doctrine of Christ and thereupon immediately after his death doth Gyldas fasten our conuersion where he writeth That the Glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which first appeared to the world in the later time of Tiberius Caesar did euen then spread his bright beames vpon this frosen Iland of Britaine 11 Whereby wee see the waters of life flowing from Ierusalems Temple into these farre set Countries and vttermost Seas to be made both fruitfull wholesome according to the sayings of the Prophet that in that day the waters of life should issue from Ierusalem halfe of them toward the East Sea and halfe of them towards the vttermost Sea and shall remaine fruitfull both in Sommer and winter and euen in the infancie of Christianitie both the Apostles themselues and also the Proselytes their Disciples to become fishers therein for the Soules of Men as Christ in chusing of them said they should bee whereby his Kingdome was soone enlarged vnto these Ends of the Earth and his Throne established among those Heathen whom God his Father had giuen to be his So fruitfull and famous was this spreading of the Gospell that Baptista Mantuan a Christian Poet compares the increase thereof with that of Noah thus alluding vnto it Sicut aquis quondam Noe sua misit in orbem Pignora sedatis vt Gens humana per omnes Debita Coelituum Patri daret orgia terras Sic sua cùm vellet Deus alta in regna renerti Discipulos quosdam transmisit ad Vltima Mundi Littora doctâ—…ros Gentes quo numina ritu Sint oranda quibus Coelâ—… placabile Sacris In English thus As Noah sent from the Arke his sonnes to teach The Lawes of God vnto the World a right So Christ his Seruants sent abroad to preach The Word of Life and Gospell to each Wight No place lay shadowed from that glorious Light The farthest Iles and Earths remotest bounds Embrac'd their Faith and ioi'd at their sweet sounds 12 To which effect also the sayings of S. Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople enforce who shewing the increase of Christianitie and the successe of the Gospell preached sheweth the power thereof to haue extended not only to the Countries farre iacent in the Continent but also to the Ilands situated in the Ocean it selfe and amongst them expresly nameth this our Britaine whose
Inhabitants saith hee haue also consented to the word which is planted in euery heart in honour whereof they haue erected their Temples and Altars And againe Those Britaines saith hee which had formerly fed vpon humane flesh making no difference betwixt the blood of man and beast now through the power of the word by them embraced haue learned the law of true pietie and giue themselues to a religious abstinence and holy fasts Of which Barbarisme S. Ierome also complained that some of those Nations vsed to eat the buttocks of boies and Paps of Virgins which in their Feasts were serued for the daintiest dishes But elsewhere speaking of the Britaines conuersion he saith that they had turned themselues from their westerne Paganisme and now had diâ—…ected their faces towards Ierusalem in the East whose beautie shined in the word of God 13 And thus wee see by the planting of the Gospell in this Iland the saying of the Psalmist accomplished that God would giue his sonne Christ the Heathen for his inheritance and the Ends of the Earth the proper attribute of this our Britaine to be his possession And the successe in Historie most apparantly sheweth these parts by an especiall prerogatiue to bee Christs Kingdome For albeit that Ierusalem and Antioch may rightlie claime the precedencie of all other places the one being as it were the chamber where Christians were first borne and the other the font where they were first Christened with that most sacred name yet britaine in some other graces hath outstript them all hauing the glory to be graced with the first Christian King that euer raigned in the world which was our renowned Lucius the first fruits of all the Kings that euer laid their Crownes at the foot of our Sauiours Crosse as also for producing the first Christian Emperour that euer by publike authoritie established the Gospell thorow the world which was Constantine the Great borne and brought vp heere in Britaine by Queene Helena a most vertuous and religious British Lady vnto whose daies the succession of Christianitie did heere continue as by the martyrdomes of many Saints vnder Dioclesian is apparant Heerein also raigned the King that first vncrowned the head of the vsurping Beast and triple-headed Cerberus and freed the Land from his deuouring Locusts putting downe Idolatrie with Hezekiah that brake the Brasen Serpent and with Isaack new digged the Wels that those Philistines had stopped And lastly hath this Iland produced that most royall and Christian Monarke whose learned pen hath first depainted Antichrist and pierced the heart of all Papall Supremacie as the sword of Gedeon did Zalmunna the Image of trouble King of Madiaâ—… And as a Lion hath he met that crooked Serpent in the way of his vsurped authoritie whereby in short time vndoubtedly the Kall of his heart will be broken if other Potentates likewise by his most godly example cast off the yoke of vassallage and in their seuerall Dominions gouerne as free Princes ought the people that GOD hath committed to their charge So that in those and many other the like Princes of this happy Iland most properly is performed that propheticall promise made vnto the Church of Christ that Kings should become her nursing Fathers and Queenes should be her nursing Mothers Of both which may be truly said to Britaine in imitation of that of Salomon Many kingdomes haue done gloriously but thou hast surmounted them all 14 And of such power hath Christ beene in these His Possessions that euen the Hostile Kings and Conquerours thereof were they neuer so sauage and Idolatrous at their first entrance yet when they here had seated for a time they became milde and religious and gladly submitted their hearts to the Religion of those whose necks themselues held vnder the yoke of subiection 15 Such were the Romans in this Iland whose Deputies at the day-spring almost of Christianitie were conuerted as Trebellius Pertinax and others which submitted themselues to that profession and were motiues to King Lucius more publikely to maintaine the same as also Constantius the father of great Constantine that here in Britaine permitted the profession of the Gospell with the erections of Churches for the true seruice of God and prohibited the superstitious worships of the Gentiles 16 The Saxons after them in time but not in Idolatrie had neuer tasted the liuing waters of Siloh till they were here seated in Christs Possession where they changed their affections as farre from their wonted manners as did the Messengers to Iehu which turned after his Chariot to destroy the Altars of Baal or as Saul and his seruants who no sooner had entred Naioth in Ramah but that their spirits were ioined to the Prophets and the heat of their furie with their garments cast downe at Samuels feet 17 The Danes likewise their Conquerours and Successors in this Royall Throne euer vntill then were both bloudy and barbarous and therefore of all our Writers commonly called the Pagan Danes whose many desolations and ruines remaine as records of their cruelties in many places euen vnto this day yet being a while in this Land King Guthurn with thirtie of his chiefe Princes and people were drawen by the valour and vertue of King Alured to receiue the Christian Faith by whose bounty thereupon they enioied the possession of a faire portion of this Kingdome And afterward Canutus their greatest King no sooner almost had this Imperiall Diademe set vpon his head but that hee held it his chiefe Maiestie to be the vassall of Christ confessing him only to be King of Kings and with such religious deuotion as then was taught crowned the Crucifix at Winchester with the Crowne he wore and neuer after thorow all his raigne by any meanes would weare the same and the Danes his Souldiers remaining in England began by little and little to embrace Christianity and in short time were al conuerted to the Faith Thus then we see the happie increase of these holy seeds springing from the furrowes of this blessed ground and the Tents of Seâ—… to be spread vpon the Mountaines of Britaine wherein God according to his promise perswaded vs who are of Iapheth to dwell 18 As hitherto we haue searched the first foundation of our Faith so neither want wee testimonies concerning the continuance of the same in this Land vnto following Posterities although the iniurie of Time and Warre haue consumed many Records For the Britaines that were daily strengthned in their receiued faith by the Doctrine of many learned and godly men left not their first loue with the Church of Ephesus but rather tooke hold of their skirts as the Prophet speaketh vntill the tortures of Martyrdome cut them off by death And those Fathers euen from the Disciples themselues held a succession in Doctrine notwithstanding some repugnancie was made by the Pagans and preached the Gospell with good successe
Emperour Pius proceeded a branch of no lesse towardlinesse and fruitfulnesse Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus Philosophus for by so many honourable names is he remembred and although hee sprung not from Pius as from his natiue roote yet was he his adopted Sonne and graffed into his Stocke and alliance by the Marriage of his daughter Faustina Hee was the Sonne of Elius Verus who died Praetor and whose Pedigree is brought from Numa Pompilius the second King of Rome and his Mother was Domitia Camilla daughter of Claudius Tullus 3 Aurelius the Emperour following the warres against those who there reuolted was inclosed about with his Enemies called the Quadi and suffered great mortalitie both by Pestilence and much more by want of Water whereby himselfe and Host were almost consumed At which time many Christian Souldiers being in his Campe and commanded as Ionas was to call vpon their God they fell prostrate on the ground in praiers and obtained of him so plenteous a shower of raine as therewith after fiue daies extreamest drouth and thirst the whole Army was refreshed and the Quadi contrariwise by Thunder Lightning were quite dispersed and ouerthrowne 4 This wonder saith Eusebius is reported euen by those Historians who fauoured not Christianitie and the prudent Epistle of the Emperour himselfe which hee wrote to the Senate for confirmation of this miracle yet extant doth warrant the same wherupon he both mitigated the rage against Christs Professours and by testimonie of Apollinaris named that Legion of the Christians for an euerlasting remembrance The lightning Legion DEAE SVRIAE SVB CALPVRNIO AGRICOLA LEG AVG. PR PR A. LICINIVS CLEMENS PRAEF C. oH. 1. HAMMIo R. ✚ So also Lutius Verus whom this excellent Emperour had in the yeere 162. as appeareth by his Coine of Concord set in the entrance of his life elected his College in the Empire to supply the defect of merit in himselfe tooke from the Conquest of Auidius Cassius and other his Captaines in Armenia Parthia and Media the Trophies of their victories with which he filled vp his Title and adorned his Money expressed in the beginning of this Chapter 6 About these times albeit other things went not so happily with Britaine as might haue beene wished yet one felicitie then befell her which did both counteruaile her owne calamities and ouer-poize the good fortunes of all other Nations and that was the blessed rest of the Gospell of peace in this warring and vnpeaceable Kingdome a great part thereof being gouerned at that time by King Lucius surnamed Leuer-Maur For that was the policie and ancient custome of the Romans as Tacitus saith to vse euen Kings themselues for their instruments to bring the people into bondage And Antoninus Pius ending warre permitted Kingdomes to be gouerned by their owne Kings and Prouinces by their owne Comites as saith Capitolinus This King disliking the Paganisme and Idolatry of his people though as wee haue shewed among many of them the truth of Christs Doctrine was both taught and embraced euen from the first planting thereof and being incited both by the exemplary life and piety of the Christians and also by the manifest miracles wrought amongst them and encouraged moreouer by the fauourable Edicts of the Emperours in their behalfe and by the good affections and forwardnesse of their Deputies heere Trebellius and Pertinax he gaue leaue to their Religion by publike warrant and was the first Christian King in the world and Britaine the first Prouince that embraced the Gospell by publike authority as Sabellicus saith 7 This Lucius as before wee haue touched to be better furnished with Christian Lawes for himselfe and Subiects missa legatione ab Imperatore Romanorum à Papa Romano Eleutherio as Nennius saith for in this purerage the Church was so humble to vaile as farre as might be her actions in the Imperiall licence sent two learned Clerkes whose names were Eluanus and Meduuinus skilfull in the Scriptures to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome whose Reply to his most godly Demand because the fauourers of the Papall Authoritie either doe doubt it or altogether deny it I haue thought good heere verbatim to insert as I my selfe haue found it in a most ancient Manuscript amongst the authenticke Records and Constitutions of the Citie of LONDON The originall Epistle of Eleutherius Bishop of ROME vnto Lucius the first Christian King of BRITAINE 8 SCripsit Dominus Eleutherius Papa Lucio Regi Britanniae ad correctionem Regis Procerum Regni Britanniae Petistis à nobis Leges Romanas Caesaris vobis transmitti quibus in Regno Britanniae vti voluistis Leges Romanas Caesaris semper reprobare possumus Legem Dei nequaquam Suscepistis enim nuper miseratione diuina in Regno Britanniae Legem Fidem Christi Habetis penes vos in Regno vtramque Pagiâ—…am ex illis Dei gratia per Consilium Regni vestri sume Legem per illam de patientia vestrum rege Britanniae Regnum Vicarius verò Dei estis in Regno iuxta Prophetam Regem Domini est terra plenitudo eius orbis terrarum vniuersi qui habitant in eo Et rursum iuxta Prophetam Regem Dilexisti iustitiam o. iÌ„ ê“pÌ„ 〈◊〉 te Deus Deus tuus o. l. pÌ„ coÌ„ cae Et rursum iuxta Prophetam Regem Deus iudicium tuum c. Non enim dixit iudicium neque iustitiam Caesaris Filij enim Regis gentes Christianae populi Regni sunt qui sub vestra protectione pace in Regno degunt consistunt iuxta Euangelium Quemadmodum gallina congregat pullos sub alis Gentes verò Regni Britanniae populi vestri sunt quos diuisos debetis in vnum ad concordiam pacem ad fidem legem Christi ad sanctam Ecclesiam congregare reuocare fouere manutenere protegere regere ab iniuriosis malitiosis ab inimicis semper defendere Vae Regno cuius Rex puer est cuius Principes manè comedunt non voco Regem propter paruam nimiam aetatem sed propter stultitiam iniquitatem insanitatem iuxta Prophetam Regem Viri sanguinum dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos c. Per comestionem intelligimus gulam per gulam luxuriam per luxuriam omnia turpia peruersa mala iuxta Salomonem Regem In maleuolam animam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Rex dicitur à regendo non à regno Rex eris dum bene regis quod nisi feceris nomen Regis non in te constabit nomen Regis perdes quod absit Det vobis Omnipotens Deus Regnum Britanniae sic regere vt possitis cum eo regnare in aeternum cuius Vicarius est is in Regno praedicto Cui cum Patre c. The same in English POpe Eleutherius
Easter The Images of all these they still bare before them in battle reputing no small confidence in their aides and yet saith Tacitus they thought it vnbeseeming to paint their Gods in the shape of men hauing euen by Nature doubtlesse written in their hearts a regard to that demaund of the Lord To whom will ye liken me that I should be like him saith the holie one Iehoua They gaue great heede also to the neighing of their Horses and to the flight and singing of Birds as ominous fore-shewers of future euents 8 These Superstitions Ethelward euen in his daies complained of That they had infected the Danes Normans and Sueuians with the worship of this God wooden vnto whom those barbarous Nations offered sacrifices that they might be victorious where they fought And as Crantz recordeth Herald the first of that name and Norwaies King was so farre ouergone that he sacrificed two of his Sonnes vnto his Idols that he might obtaine a tempest to disperse and put backe the Armado which Herald King of Denmarke had prepared against him This generall defection of Gods true worship Adam Bremensis maketh mention of in this manner In a Temple saith he called in their vulgar and natiue speech Vbsola which is made altogether of Gold the people worship the Statues of three Gods in such manner as that Thor the mightiest of them hath only a Throne or Bed on either hand of him Woodan and Frisco hold their places And thus much they signifie Thor say they beareth rule in the Aire and gouerneth the Thunder and Lightning Windes Showres Faire weather Corne and Fruits of the Earth The second which is Woodan that is stronger maketh Warres and ministreth manly valour against Enemies The third is Frisco bestowing largely vpon mortallmen peace and pleasure whose Image they deuise and pourtray with a great virtle member Woodan they engraue armed like as we vse to cut and expresse Mars 9 Their controuersies and doubtfull matters were decided by drawing of Lots which they euer made of some fruit-bearing tree and was performed after this manner If there were publike cause the Priest if priuate the Goodman of the house or worthtest in the company tooke those slitted slips distinguished with certaine markes that had beene scattered at hap hazzard vpon a white garment and after praiers and inuocation on their God with eies fixed vpon heauen and three times lifting the same lots aloft gaue their interpretations thereof according to the markes therein inscribed which was receiued and beleeued for a most sure Oracle as the like was obserued vpon other occasions both by the inspections of Beasts intrals and singings of Birds after the accustomed maner of other Gentiles that doted vpon the auguration for things of future successe 10 For the generall gouernment of their Countrey they ordayned twelue Noblemen chosen from among others for their worthines and sufficiency These in the time of peace rode their seuerall circuits to see iustice and good customes obserued and they often of course at appointed times met together to consult and giue order in publike affaires but euer in time of warre one of these twelue was chosen to be King and so to remaine so long onely as the warres lasted and that being ended his name and dignitie of King also ceased becomming againe as before And this custome continued among them vntill their wars with the Emperour Charles the Great at which time Wittekind one of the twelue aforesaid a Nobleman of Angria in Westphalia â—…bore ouer the rest the name and authoritie of King and he being afterward by means of the said Emperour conuerted to the faith of Christ had by him his mutable Title of King turned into the enduring stile and honour of Duke and the eleuen others were in like manner by the said Emperour aduanced to the honourable Titles of Earles and Lords with establishment for the continuall remaining of these Titles and Dignities vnto them and their heires Of whose descents are since issued the greatest Princes at this present in Germanie But though they obserued this said forme of gouernment elsewhere yet heere in Britaine it was otherwise as heereafter will appeare 11 And thus much out of my poore readings I haue obserued of the originall beginnings the names maners and customes of our ancient Progenitors the worthy Saxons without either amplyfying or impayring their glory who being of all the Germans so much deuouted to warre as that their only fame therein was many times sufficient to daunt the Enemy were thought vpon by the downe-cast Britaines as the fittest to support their ruiued Estate of whose Entrance Conquests and Kingdomes wee are now next addressed to speake THE SAXONS ARRIVALL INTO BRITAINE VNDER THE CONDVCT OF HENGIST AND HORSA CHAPTER IIII. WHen the state of Britaine was miserablie torne by the calamities of ciuill Dissensions Famine Death and Robberies the Romans returned their owne Strength decaied and their Afflictions daily augmented by their wonted Enemies the Scots and Picts no hope was left to their despairing hearts that of themselues they were able to defend themselues and therefore as wee haue shewed they called to their aid the Saxons a Nation fierce and valorous who to the number of nine thousand vnder the Conduct of Hengist and Horsa two brethren entred Britaine at Ebsfleet in the I le of Thanet in the raigne of Theodosius the second and of Valentintan the third Emperors of the East and West about the yeere of Grace 450. Receiued they were with great ioy as Angels from Heauen and saluted with songs after the accustomed manner of the Britaines who appointed them the Iland Thanet for their habitation 2 These Saxons in short time made proofe of their Manhood For ouercomming the Enemie euen in Scotland it selfe seated themselues in some part thereof so that their Conquest seemed absolute and the Britaine 's freed from their former assaults Peace thus setled and the Inhabitants freed a friendly Composition was made betwixt these Nations wherein the Saxons vndertook to maintaine the Field and the Britaines to sustaine the Charge In which league they aboad some certaine time faith Witichindus making vse in a ciuill sort of the Brets friendship but so soone as they perceiued the Country large the soile fertile and the hands of the Inhabitants slow to practise feats of Armes and further considering with themselues that themselues and the greatest part of the Saxons had no certaine place of aboad they found fault with their pay and want of victuals making that their quarrell as both too meane and too little for their high deserts threatning withall as vnkind Ghests that shortly they would reckon without their Hosts and thereupon sending ouer for more of their Nation entred peace with the Scots Picts who all together rose against the poore Brets 3 And Hengist that by the gift of Vortigern had got the
them striking their gleames into the North and by West foreshewing it may be the scourge and desolation that the Pagans intended who were at that instant entred into France and Spaine EThelbert the second Sonne of King Withred and Brother to the last King Edbert began his Raigne ouer the Kingdome of Kent the yeere of Mans Saluation 749. and raigned without any memorable act either of his or of his Kingdomes affaires the space of eleuen yeeres leauing this life in Anno 759. and was buried say some in the Monastery of Peter and Paul in Canturbury without issue of his body to succeed him howbeit the Annales of Canturbury affirms him to bee buried at Reculuers in the I le of Tanet whose Monument is shewed at the vpper end of the South I le in the Church and is mounted with two Spires if there be not a mistaking of him for Ethilbert his Successor ALrick the third Sonne of King Withred by the death of his brother Ethelbert obtained the kingdome of Kent the yeere of Christs Incarnation 760. no other glory attending his affaires saith Malmesbury besides his vnfortunate fight at Otteford against Offa King of the Mercians wherein it seemed some honor though with his ouerthrow to withstand so puissant and impugnable an enemie Hee is the last King of Kent that held the scepter in a lineall succession the rest that followed both got and enioied it by tyranny and vsurpation This King is said to raigne thirtie foure yeeres and to die in the yeere of grace seuen hundred ninety three EThilbert surnamed Pren vsurped the Title and Authoritie ouer the Kentish Dominions when that Prouince was sore oppressed with the inuasion of the Mercian Kenulfe whose warres against Kent by succession from Offa were continued with such rigour and valour that the Countrey lay desolate where hee had beene and the people distressed whither he came This Pren Kenulse tooke prisoner and lead away with him into Mercia but at the dedicatiō of a Church that he had then founded at Winchcombe in presence of ten Dukes and thirteene Bishops he released him at the High Altar without either intreatie or ransome of redemption The King returning againe into Kent could not there bee receiued his place either being supplied by another or himselfe so disliked as not worthy any longer to raigne and hauing had experiēce of the worlds mutabilities is left againe to his priuate fortunes from whence hee had stepped hauing held his estate but for three yeeres continuance CVthred saith Malmesbury was made King of Kent by Kenulfe King of Mercia when hee had ouer-come and captiuated Ethelbert notwithstanding hee is accounted for an Vsurper and bare the title of King the tearme of eight yeeres without any other act worthy of remembrance inheriting his predecessors euill happe and calamitie through factions and ciuill discords BAldred after the death of this Cuthred tooke vpon him the princely dignitie of Kent about the yeere of Christs Natiuitie 805. But now the heauenlie prouidence determining to bring againe together that which the Saxons had diuided raised from exile little Egbert to make him the Great Monarch of the English-men His first wars were against Bernulfe King of Mercia and his second against this Baldred King of Kent whom in Battle he vanquished and forced him out of his Kingdome after he had sate on that princelie Throne the space of eighteene yeeres This Baldred is said to haue fled ouer Thames and to leaue Kent to the will of his Conquerour whither againe he neuer returned neither yet was heard of after his ouerthrow This Kingdome then that was erected by Hengist the yeere of mans happinesse 455. continued her gouernment 372. and ended her glorie in the yeere 827. being made a Prouince vnto the West-Saxons SOVTH SAXONS KINGDOME THE CIRCVIT AND CONTINVANCE THEIR KINGS SVCCESSIONS ISSVES AND RAIGNES CHAPTER VI. THE Kingdome of the South-Saxons containing the Countries of Sussex and Surrey had on the East side Kent on the South the Sea and I le of Wight vpon the West Hant-shire and the North ◅de inuerged with the riuer Thames This Kingdome was erected by Ella a Saxon-Captaine that in the second yeere of Hengists entrance as some say brought a supply of his Saxons into Britaine with whom came his three sonnes Kymen Plenching and Cissa these landing at a place which from Kymen was afterwards called Kymenishore and discomfiting the Inhabitants that made resistance became himselfe King of those Southerne parts But doubtlesse there are many opinions of this mans first entrance and new erected estate for some as M. Sauile in his Table set it in the second yeere of Hengists first arriuall Anno 452. Others in the second of Aurelius and no lesse then thirty yeeres after that Anno 482. Harrison will haue it forty three yeeres after the Saxons first entrance and fourth yeere after King Hengist his death Anno 492. And M. Ferrers in his Succession of the English Monarkes placeth it in the three and twentieth yeere of King Hengists Kingdome and in the fifth after his owne arriuall the yeere of our Redemption 488. Of such vncertaintie is the beginning of this South-Saxons Kingdome whose Continuance and Successions are nothing cleerer insomuch that Malmesburie making seueral Chapters vpon the other six omitteth only this of the South-Saxons and therefore as wee finde them let vs haue leaue to relate them and for the present to leaue Ella as hee was King till wee come to a fit place where more shall be spoken of him as he was Monarch whose raigne is set by Stow to bee thirty six yeeres by Sir Henry Sauile twenty foure and by M. Henry Ferrers thirty two and to hau◅ed in the yeere 514. CIssa the third and youngest sonne of King Ella then onely liuing at his fathers death succeeded him in the kingdoome of the South-Saxons leauing the Monarchie to Cherdike king of the West-Saxons who had planted his kingdome betweene him and the Britaines hauing taken the charge of warre against them for maintenance whereof Cissa yeelded him a yeerely contribution and liuing himselfe in long rest and peace founded Chichester and Chisbury the one a Citie for resort of his people the other a place of repose for himselfe which last he fortified about with a strong Trench for a further defense against all dangers Of any other his actions little is recorded by Writers onely in this they concurre that hee was a man of great age and small acts some affirming that hee raigned the space of seuenty six yeeres EDilwach by some called Ethelwolf and Athelwold succeeded King Cissa in the kingdome of the South-Saxons and was the first Christian of that Nation conuerted by Bishop Wilfride as some conceiue out of Beda yet Beda saith expresly that the King was baptized before Wilfrides comming And the History of S. Swithune
so great so blinde I might say a deuotion was in their hearts and so holy a reuerence held they of the place Vnto this King Ceolnulph the said Venerable Beda a Priest in the Monasterie of Peter and Paul at Werimouth neere vnto Durham a great Clerke and Writer of the English Historie dedicated the same his Worke which he continued till the yeere seuen hundred thirty one and from the first entrance of the Saxons containing 285. yeeres according to his owne account EGbert the sonne of Eata who was brother to King Kenred succeeded his vncle Ceolnulph in the Kingdome of Northumberland and ruled the same with the like peace and pietie the time of twenty yeeres and then following his example also forsooke the world and shore himselfe a Monke as diuers other Kings in those daies had done whereof Simon Dunelmensis writeth and noteth their number to bee eight as Inas King of the West-Saxons Ethelred and Kenred Kings of Mercia Sigebert King of the East-Angles Sebbi and Off a Kings of the East-Saxons and Ceolnulph and this Egbert Kings of the Northumbrians These forsaking the world as they tooke it left the Charge that God vpon them had imposed whose authoritie in earth they swaied and wherein they might much more haue aduanced Gods glory and Christs Gospel then for a more easie and priuate life not warranted by his word but rather disliked and perhaps foreshewed by those heauenly creatures the Sunne and Moone which in those daies were fearefully darkned and for a time seemed to haue lost their light for Anno 733. 18. Calend. Septemb. the Sunne suffred so great an Eclipse that the earth seemed to bee ouer-shadowed as with sack-cloth And Anno 756. 8. Calend. Decemb. the Moone being in her full appeared both darke and bloudy for a Starre though there be none lower then the Moone seemed to follow her and to depriue her of light but passing before her shee againe recouered her former brightnesse This King Egbert had a brother that bore the same name and was installed Arch-bishop of Yorke where he erected a beautifull Librarie a worke well befitting a Noble Prelate and plentifully stored it with an infinite number of learned bookes His sonne was Oswulph that succeeded in the Kingdome OSwulph when his father Egbert had put off the Robes of Maiestie and clad himselfe with a Monkes Cowle ascended the Throne of Northumberland and sa◅e therein only one yeere for before hee had made attempt of any memorable act he was traiterously murdered by his own seruants at Mikilwongton the ninth Kalends of August leauing the Crown vndisposed of vntill the Nones of the same moneth in the next yeere EDitwald or Mollo was then made King of Northumberland and with great valiancie defended his Subiects Some say that at the end of six yeeres hee resigned his gouernment yet others affirme his raign to be eleuen yeeres and lastly that hee was slaine by Alured his Successour ALured the murderer of his Lord and Master beganne his raigne ouer the kingdome of Northumberland the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred sixty fiue and continued the same with such dislikes that hee lastly was expelled out of the Prouince by his own subiects enforced to abandon the same He was the son of Ta◅win the son of Bie◅hom the son of Bofae the son of Ailrick the naturall son of Ida the first King of Bernicia And the sonnes of this Alured were Osred afterwards King of Northumberland and Alhnud slaine by the Danes and canonized a Saint EThelred the sonne of Mollo was aduanced to the Regiment of Northumberland and in the fifth yeere of his raigne was driuen out of the same by Edelbald and Herebert two Dukes that warred against him who hauing discomfited and slaine his Generall and souldiers in a fierce battel so weakened the hopes of King Ethelred that he fled his Country and left the Kingdome in a miserable estate through the dissensions of those ambitious Princes ALfwald the brother of the foresaid King Alered aspiring to the Soueraignty of the Northumbrians ruled the same in great Iustice to his worthy commendations notwithstanding the wickednes of his people was such that without all guilt he was traiterously murthered by the conspiracie of Siga 23. Sept. the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred eightie eight after he had raigned eleuen yeeres and his body buried at Hexhaem His sonnes were Alfus and Alfwin both slaine by King Ethelred OSred the sonne of King Alured tooke vpon him the Rule of Northumberland the yeere of grace seuen hundred eightie nine and the same yeere finished his gouernment thereof being expelled by his subiects and depriued of all kingly authority EThelred the sonne of Mollo reuoked from exile wherein he had liued the space of twelue yeeres was againe restored to the Crowne but he minding the iniuries that his Lords had formerly done him sought the reuenge by their deaths as also to establish his Throne the surer slew Alfus and Alfwin the sons of Alfwald as wee haue said the right heires to the Crowne and inticing Osred the former deposed King into his danger commanded him to be put to death at Cu◅burge the fourteenth of September and yeere of Christ seuen hundred ninety two And to strengthen himselfe the more against all his opposites the same yeere he married Lady Elfled the second Daughter to great Off a King of Mercia forsaking his former Wife without any iust cause giuen on her part These things sate so neere the hearts of his subiects that after seuen yeeres from his second establishment they rebelliously rose in Armes and at Cobre miserably slew him the eighteenth day of Aprill the yeere of Christ Iesus 794. AFter whose death the Northumbrians were sore molested with many intruders or rather Tyrants that banded for the soueraignty the space of thirty yeeres The first whereof was Oswald that held the title of King only twenty eight daies then was forced to saue his life by flight vnto the King of the Picts Next Ard◅lfe a Duke reuoked from exile then Alfwold E◅red Ethelred Readulph Osbert and Elle slaine by the Danes in Yorke at a place frō Elle his slaughter called to this day Elle-Crofte and the Kingdome yeelded to the protection of Egbert King of the West-Saxons who was now become Englands first absolute Monarch as holding all the rest of the Kings no longer for his Associates but his subiects in the yeere nine hundred twentie six after it had stood in forme of a Kingdome three hundred seuenty nine yeeres and was made a Prouince and ioined with the rest vnto the English Monarchie THE CIRCVIT AND SVCCESSORS OF THE MERCIAN KINGDOME VNTILL IT WAS SVBIECTED TO THE WEST-SAXONS CHAPTER X. THis Kingdome of Mercia contained more Counties and the skirts of that royall Tent were spread with a wider compasse then any
the third sonne of King Penda in the nonage of yong Kenred the sonne of Vulfhere who in his tender yeeres rather desired a priuate life then any publike authority in the Common-weale succeeded his brother both in the Kingdome of Mercia and Monarchy of the Englishmen But when hee had raigned thirty yeeres gaue ouer the Crowne to his Nephew the said Kenred and became a Monke in the Monastery of Bradney in Lincolne-shire where hee died Anno 716. His Wife was Osfryde Daughter to Oswyn King of Northumberland and issue Chelred that succeeded Kenred in the Mercian kingdome KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere his Vncle Ethelred changing his Princely Crown for a Monks Coule beganne his Raigne ouer the Mercians and his Monarchy ouer the English Anno 704. wherein he raigned the space of foure yeeres and then with like deuotion of those times addicted to an easie and quiet Religion abandoned both Crowne and Country and went to Rome where of Pope Constantine hee receiued the tonsure and habit of a Monke at the Apostles Tombes and entring a Monastery therein spent other foure yeeres of his life to the day of his death which was Anno 708. hauing had neither wife nor issue to reuiue his name or to rule his kingdome CHelred receiuing the resignation of Kenred his Cosin-german when he went to Rome and of sufficient yeeres and discretion to haue succeeded Ethelred his Father what time the said Kenred was ordained King raigned with great valour ouer the Mercians and was likewise Monarch ouer the Englishmen His peace was disquieted by Inas his West-Saxons who for seuen yeeres continuance inuaded his kingdome His Wife was Wereburge saith Marianus and Florentius the Monke who ascribe to her a long life and to die without Childten This Chelred raigned the space of eight yeeres and died the yeere of grace seuen hundred and fifteenth whose body was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Lechfeild EThelbald after the death of Chelred was made King of the Mercians and Monarch of the English the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred sixteene He was a Prince giuen to peace but withall a most lasciuious Adulterer insomuch that Boniface Archbishop of Mentz wrote his Epistle vnto him in reprehension of the same which tooke such effect that in repentance of his foule facts hee founded the Monasterie of Crowland driuing in mighty Piles of Oake into that moorish ground whereon hee laid a great and goodly building of stone He was the son of Aâ—…wr the elder sonne of Eoppa the second sonne of King Wibba the brother of King Penda and raigned fortie two yeeres in the end whereof he was slaine in a battell fought against Cuthred King of the West-Saxons at Secondone three miles from Tamworth the yeere of Christ seuen hundred fiftie fiue and was buried at Repton in Darby-shire hauing had neither Wife nor Children OFfa slaying Bernred the murtherer of King Ethelbald entred vpon the gouernment of the Mercians and the Monarchy of the Saxons An. 758. He inlarged his dominion vpon the Britaines ouercame the Kentish in a battell put to flight the Northumbrians and vanquished the West-Saxons the East-Angles also he seised vpon after he had murthered Ethelbert their King He raigned thirty nine yeeres and died at Ofley the nine and twenty day of Iuly the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie foure and was buried without the Town of Bedford in a Chapell now swallowed vp by the Riuer Owse He was the son of Thingfryd the sonne of Eanulfe whose Father Osmund was the sonne of Eoppa the brother of King Penda and son of King Wibba whose Father was Crida the first King of the Mercians His Wife was Quendred and children many of whom and of them we will further speake when we come to the time of his Monarchy EGfryde the sonne of great Offa was by him made King at his returne from Rome being the only ioy of his parents and heire apparant to the Saxons Monarchy vpon which he entred the day after his fathers death and liued himselfe but a hundred and fortie daies after deceasing the seuenteenth of December in the yeere of our Lord God seuen hundred ninety six hauing had neither wife nor issue that wee reade of and his body honourably interred in the Church of the Monasterie of Saint Albanes founded by Offa. KEnwolfe the cosen a farre off to King Egfrid deceased and both of them remooued in bloud no lesse then six descents from Wibba the second Mercian King was the sonne of Cuthbert as the Monke of Worcester deriues him the sonne of Bassa the sonne of Kenrowe the sonne of Kentwin the sonne of Kenwalk the sonne of Wibba aforesaid and succeeded King Egfryd in his Dominions But of this Mercian Monarch more shall be written in the succession and time of that his gouernment Hee raigned two and twentie yeeres and deceased the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and nineteene and his bodie interred in the Monasterie of Winchcombe in the Countie of Glocester being of his owne foundation His wife was Queene Elfryde the daughter as some suppose of Offa who had beene betrothed to Ethelbert King of the East-Angles slaine by her father by whom he had issue Kenelm Quendred and Burgemhild of whom more followeth KEnelm the sonne of King Kenwolfe a childe of seuen yeeres old succeeded in the Kingdome of Mercia but not in the Monarchie as his fathers had done Egbert the West-Saxon at that time being grown great in his fortunes This young King Kenelm raigned only fiue moneths and then by the ambitious desire of Quendrid his sister who seeking the gouernment by the shedding of his guiltlesse bloud instigated one Askbert his Instructor by promises of great preferments and rich rewards to make him away who only stood as she thought in her way to the Crowne This wicked practise was foorth with as impiously performed for hauing him foorth vnder pretence of hunting he slew the innocent King whose vertuous inclination promised great hopes and whose harmlesse yeeres had not attained to any worldly guile His bodie hee secretly buried vnder a bush and if we will beleeue the Golden Legend where his life is described was thus found out A white Doue which belike had seene the deed done and had got it ingrossed in a scrole of parchment posted therewith to S. Peter in Rome and vpon the High Altar laid it to bee read where in the Saxon characters thus it was found In Clenc kon baâ—… Kenelme Kinbaâ—…ne lieâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is At Clenc in a Cow pasture Kenelme the Kings childe lieth beheaded vnder a thorne But most true it is that an obscure sepulcher the body had at the first and howsoeuer found out was afterwards with great honour and ceremonie translated to the Monasterie of Winchcombe which his father had founded The murderesse Quendrid
studie or vpon pilgrimage we haue seene the same order kept and we know by relation that in Africke Asia Aegypt and Greece nay thorowout all nations and tongues in the world where Christ hath his Church that this our time and order is obserued Shall then these obstinate Picts I meane the Britaines and these remote Ilands in the Ocean Sea and yet not all of them neither fondly contend in tâ—…is point against the whole world But here Colman interrupted him and said I much maruell brother that you terme our doings a fond contention seeing we haue for our warrant so worthy an Apostle as Iohn was who only leaned vpon our Lords brest and whose life and behauiour all the world acknowledgeth to bee most wise and discreet Godforbid said Wilfrid that I should accuse Iohn but yet we know that he kept the decrees of Moses literally and according to the Iewish Lawes and so the rest of the Apostles were constrained in some things to doe for the weakenesse of them who accounted it a great sin to abrogate these rites that God himselfe had instituted and for that cause S. Paul did circumcise Timothie offred bloud-sacrifices in the Temple shaued his head at Corinth with Aqâ—…a and Priscilla vpon which consideration also spake Iames vnto Paul You see brother how many thousand of the Iewes haue receiued the faith and all of these are yet zealous followers of the Law But the light of the Gospell now shining thorow the world it is not lawfull for any Christian to bee circumcised or to offer vp bloudy sacrifices of Beasts Saint Iohn therefore according to the custome of the Law in the fourteenth day of the first moneth at euen began the celebration of Easters Festiuitie regardlesse whether it fell vpon the Sabbath day or any other of the weeke But S. Peter preaching the Gospell in Rome remembring that our Lord arose from his graue the first day after the Sabbath giuing thereby vnto vs certaine assurance of our resurrection obserued the Feast of Easter according to the Commandement of that Law he looked for euen as S. Iohn did that is to say the first Sabbath after the full Moone of the first moneth Neither doth this new obseruation of the Gospell and Apostles practise breake the old Law but rather fulfilleth it for the Law commandeth the Feast of Passeouer to bee kept from the foureteenth day of that moneth to the twentie and one of the same And this hath the Nicene Councell not newly decreed but rather confirmed as the Ecclesiasticall Historie witnesseth that this is the true obseruation of Easter and of all Christians after this account is to bee celebrated and thereupon charged Bishop Colman that hee neither obserued it according to Iohn nor Peter To this the Bishop replied that Aâ—…tholius for his holinesse much commended by the said Ecclesiasticall Historie and Columba a Father of like sanctitie by whom miracles were wrought kept the Feast according as he then did from whose imitation he durst not digresse Your Fathers which you pretend to follow how holy soeuer they bee said Wilfrid and what miracles soeuer they haue wrought yet this I answer that in the day of iudgement many shall say vnto Christ that they haue prophecied cast out Diuels and wrought miracles in his name to whom our Lord will answer I know you not And if your Father Columba yea and our Father if hee be the true seruant of Christ were holy and mightie in miracles yet can hee by no meanes bee preferred to the most blessed Prince of the Apostles vnto whom our Lord said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it and to thee will I giue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen Thus said the King asked Colman whether our Lord indeede spake thus vnto Peter who answered He did But can you said hee giue euidence of so speciall authoritie granted to your Father Columba The Bishop said No. Then quoth the King doe you both agree confidently that thesewords were principally spoken vnto Peter and that vnto him the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen were giuen They all answered It is most certaine Whereupon the King concluded this great controuersie and said Then will not I gaine say such a Pâ—…rter as this is but as farre as I know and am able I will couet in all points to obey his ordinante lest perhaps when I come to the Doores of Heauen I finde none to open vnto mee hauing his displeasure which is so cleerely prooued to beare the keyes thereof And with this so simple a collection of King Oswy concluded this long and great contention for the celebration of Easter which heere as borne before the time I haue inserted to continue the narration thereof together to auoid repetition of the same things which I seeke purposely to shunne and so returne againe to King Ethelbert 13 Who now became an instrument himselfe for the conuersions of his Nation the Saxons The first fruits of his intendements were wrought vpon Sebert King of the East-Angles his owne sisters sonne whom not onely hee conuerted to Christianitie but therein assisted him in the building of the Cathedrall Church of S. Paul for Miletus his Bishop as also the Church of S. Peters on the West of London then called Thorny with the assistance of a London Citizen as some haue said and himself at Rochester built the Cathedral Church there which he dedicated to the Apostle S. Andrew 14 This noble King hauing a care for them that should come after brought the Lawes of his Country into their owne mother tongue and left nothing vnattempted that might aduance the glorious Gospell of Christ or with honour adorne his owne temporall raigne and is worthily an example to all succeeding Princes in all true pietie and heroicall parts of a true Christian King He died the foure and twentieth day of Februarie in the yeere of our Lord God six hundred and sixteene being the one and twentieth of his Christianitie the three and twentieth of his Monarchie and the fifty sixth of his Kingdome of Kent and was buried at Canterbury in the Church of S. Peter and Paul afterwards called S. Augustines in the Chapell of S. Martines 15 His first wife was Berta the daughter of Chilperik King of France as we haue said who was the son of King Clotayre the sonne of Clodoue the first Christian King of that Country Shee deceased before the King her husband and was buried in the Church of S. Peter Paul at Canterburie within the Chapell of S. Martines there 16 He had a second wife whose name is not recorded by any Writer being as is thought vnworthy of remembrance because of the vnnaturall contract and mariage of Edbald her husbands sonne a sinne that both Law and Religion doe condemne and lastly by her conuerted husband was forsaken without either
NINTEENTH KING OF THE VVEST-SAXONS AND THE TWENTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS WARRES ACTS WIVES AND CHILDREN CHAPTER XXXII EThelwolfe the eldest sonne of King Egbert committed in his youth to the care of Helmestan Bishop of Winchester and by him vnto Swithun a famous learned Monke of that time tooke such a liking vnto the quiet and solitarie life onely enioyed by men of Religion all other degrees molested to withstand the intruding Danes that he vndertooke the Monkish vow and profession and was made Deacon shortly after which degree taken Helmestan died in whose place Prince Ethelwolfe was consecrated as Roger Houeden affirmeth or at least elected as Iohn Brampton Abbat of Iaruaux writeth Bishop of Winchester But the death of his Father King Egbert immediately following by great intreaty of the Nobles and partly by constraint of the Clergy hee was made King and was by the authority of Pope Gregory the fourth whose creature in both professions he was absolued and discharged of his vowes 2 He entered his Monarchy the fourth day of February in the yeare of Christs Incarnation eight hundred thirty seuen and was the nineteenth King of the West-Saxons and the twentieth Monarch of the Englishmen His Bishopricke he gaue vnto Swithun his Tutor and according to his place combined all his powers to withstand the dangerous Danes that attempted the vtter subuersion of his faire land whos 's fift inuasion in his first yeare happened which drew the Saxons ciuill warres vnto a constrained peace hauing more then they could well doe to defend their liues from their slaughtering swords or to saue their vniustly gotten land from the spoiles of those common enemies who not like Conquerors but destroying Caterpillers left nothing vndeuoured wheresoeuer they came and had now begunne their mercilesse depopulations in diuers places at once so that the distracted English were to seeke where was most need first to withstand 3 At Hampton Portesmouth many of these Norway Pirates had entred at Hampton with their ouerthrow at Portesmouth with victory and the same time at Carrum a Troupe of these Danes discomfited King Ethelwolfes power The next yeare at Merseware Lindsey in East-Angle and Kent they did much mischiefe and harried all the Country before them yet in his tenth yeare at Pedredesmouth the Sommerset and Dorsetshire men gaue them a memorable ouerthrow vnder the conduct of Earle Enwulfe Bishop Adelstan and Osred their captaines 4 But in the sixteenth yeare of this King the great Planet Mars seemed to praedominate continually and Fortune to cast the chance of victory euer on his side for two hundred and fifty ships some reckon a hundred more entred into Thamesis mouth and set on shore an infinite number of these destroying Danes London and Canterbury they had sacked and left wast had pierced into Mercia and chased Berthulfe their King out of his Country and now in Southery had pitched their battle as able and resolute to abide all the power of the English whither King Ethelwolfe with his sonne prince Ethelbald repaired and tooke the field at the place called Ocley wherein after a long and sore fight the victory fell to the English with such slaughter of these Norway inuaders as is incredible to report and the same held as great and famous as euer had hapned in the land before 5 With the like successe his Brother Athelstan King of Kent fought with the Danes at Sandwich where chasing them to sea tooke nine of their ships and in Deuonshire Earle Ceorle at Winleshore so ouerthrew their whole power that in despaire they withdrew themselues into the I le of Thanet where they made their abode all the winter season and if destiny had not withstood the English the Danes had beene expulsed for euer But the Saxons seeming cleared of this common enemy fell to their wonted quarrels with the euer depressed Britaines against whom Burthred the M◅rcian obtained the assistance of King Ethelwolfe in his eighteenth yeare whose daughter Ethelswith hee had obtained in mariage whereby for a while was encreased the fame and power of that valiant but vnfortunate King 6 In this State the affaires of the land stood vnto the nineteenth yeare of King Ethelwolfes raigne who now remembring his former Ecclesiasticke profession ordained that Tithes and Lands due to holy Church should bee free from all Tributes or Regall seruices and in great deuotion went himselfe to Rome where hee was both honourably receiued and entertained the space of a whole yeare in which time hee new built the English Schoole that Offa the Mercian before had there founded and lately was fired bearing the name of Thomas the Holy confirming also his Grant of Peter pence and further couenanting in lieu of his kind entertainement to pay yeerely three hundred markes to Rome thus to bee emploied one hundred to Saint Peters Church an other hundred to Saint Pauls Light and the third to the Pope the Bride that euermore must be kissed and largely paid 7 His returne from Rome was through France and being a Widower hee there married Iudith the most beautifull daughter of Charles the Bald then Emperour in honour of whom in his owne Court he euer placed her in a Chaire of Estate with all other maiesticall complements of a Queene contrary to the law of the West-Saxons for Ethelburgaes offence formerly made Which his doing so disliked the Nobles that Prince Ethelbald his eldest Sonne Adelstan Bishop of Shirborne and Enwulfe Earle of Somerset rose vp rebelliously in Armes and sought to depose him yet by mediation of friends the matter came to a comprimize and the land to be diuided betwixt the Father and Sonne but with such partiality that the better part west-ward was allotted to Ethelbald which vnequality gaue great suspition that this reuolt was rather grounded vpon ambition then any inclination they had for the defence of their lawes which commonly is the pretence and vaile for all disloiall attempts of seditious subiects against their soueraigne Lords 8 Howsoeuer it was long after this he liued not but left his Monarchy vnto his eldest sonne Ethelbald and by will appointed Ethelbert his second to be King of Kent and Essex which countries he had conquered He raigned twenty yeares one moneth and nine dayes and deceased at a place called Stamrige the thirteenth day of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred fifty seauen being the twenty one of his Raign His body was first buried at the place of his decease and afterwards remoued into the Cathedrall Church at Winchester His wiues 9 Osburg the first wife of King Ethelwolfe was the daughter of a Nobleman named Oslake who had the office of Great Butler of England and was descended of the stocke of Stuffe and Withgar two brethren being noblemē of the people called Iutes who were the first Princes of the I le of Wight and Nephewes to Cherdik and cosen germans to Kenrik
retained life And the King of Norway sent him a goodly shippe with a guilt sterne purple sailes and the decke garnished all with gold 13 Of these accounted holy reliques King Ethelstan gaue part vnto the Abbey of S. Swithen in Winchester and the rest to the Monastery of Malmesbury whereof Adelme was the founder and his Tutelar Saint in honour of whom he bestowed great immunities vpon the towne and large endowments vpon the Abbey hee new built the monasteries of Wilton Michelnesse and Midleton founded Saint Germans in Cornwal Saint Petrocus at Bodman the Priory of Pilton new walled and beutified the City of Exceter and enriched euery famous Abbey in the land either with new buildings Iewels Books or Reuenewes 14 As also hee did certaine Cities with the Mintage of his money whereof in London were eight houses at Winchester sixe at Lewis two at Hastings two in Hampton two in Warham two in Chichester one in Rochester three two for the King and one for the Bishop at Canterbury seuen foure for himselfe two for the Archbishop and one for the Abbat although it appeareth the Archbishop had his before the raigne of this King For among these ancient Saxon-Coines we find one of Ceolnothus who sate there Archbishop in the yeare 831. which both for the antiquity authority of truth wee haue here inserted 15 This Prince King Ethelstan was of an indifferent stature not much exceeding the common sort of men chearefull in countenance his haire verie yellow and somewhat stooped forward as he went for valour inuincible in resolution constant and for his curtesie beloued of all he raigned in great honour the space of fifteene yeares and odde monethes and deceased in the City of Gloucester vpon wednesday the seuenteenth of October and was buried at Malmesbury the yeere of Christs Natiuity 940. hauing neuer had wife mentioned in our histories His supposed Issue 16 Leoneat the supposed daughter of King Ethelstan is reported by Iohn Rouse and Papulwick writers of the mistrusted story of Guy of Warwicke to bee married vnto Reynburn Earle of Warwicke and sonne to the same Guy whose remembrance and reputation is preserued kept with no lesse renowne among the common people for the liberty of England saued by his victory in single combate against Colbrand the Dane then was Horatius the Romane for the preseruatio of Rome whose historie I wil leaue for others to enlarge that haue more leasure bettet inuention EDMVND THE TVVENTIE SIXTH KING OF THE VVEST-SAXONS AND TWENTIE SEVENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS DEATH WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXXIX EDmund the fifth sonne of King Edward borne vnto him by Queene Edgiua his third and last wife at the age of nineteen yeeres succeeded his brother King Ethelstan in his kingdome and Monarchy hee began his raigne the yeare of the worlds saluation 940. and with great solemnity was crowned at Kingston vpon Thamesis in the fifth yeare of Otho the first Emperour of that name and his brother in law his valour had often beene tried in the warres of King Ethelstan against those stout and sturdy enemies the Danes Scotish Irish and Welshmen that often had assaied to disturbe his peace 2 Athelstan deceased and the crowne scarse set vpon King Edmunds head but that the Danes in Northumberland disliking subiection called again Anlafe out of Ireland to be their King who now in the infancy of Edmunds estate with great power of men purposed to subdue all before him but Edmund as forward with full resolution ment to keepe what was got and so gathering his power proceeded towards the North and at Leicester encountred with the Danes howbeit through the interceding of the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke Odo and Wolston the matter was mitigated before it came to the vttermost 3 The next yeare of his raigne the said Anlafe whom some hold to haue beeene the King of Norway being dead an other Anlafe sonne to King Sithrick of whom we haue spoken intruded vpon the Kingdom of Northumberland These heads as Hidras springing vp each after others drew King Edmund againe into the North who raging like a prouoked Lion subdued as he went those townes where the Danes kept and got from them Lincolne Leicester Darbie Stafford and Nottingham compelling them to receiue Baptisme and to become his Subiectes so that the Country was wholy his vnto Humber These his proceedings caused Anlafe and Reinold the sonnes of the Danish Gurmo subduers of Yorke to yeeld themselues wholy to his deuotion offering him subiection and withall to receiue the Christian faith for performance wherof they likewise receiued Baptisme vnto whom King Edmund was Godfather to Reinold at his Confirmation and to Anlafe at the Font but how soone they fell from both the sequell shewed for casting off the faith and fealty thus promised they stirred the Northumbrians to another rebellion yet with no better successe then desert for they were forced into a perpetuall exile and King Edmund adioined that Country to his owne gouernment without the admittance of any Secondary or Vice-roy to rule there vnder him 4 Cumberland also which seldome was quiet hauing beene a Kingdome entire of it selfe and now aided by Leolin King of Southwales he vtterly wasted and apprehending the two sonnes of Dunmaile King of that Prouince commanded the eyes of those ouer-bold Princes to be puld out and gaue their inheritance to Malcolme King of Scots to hold the same by fealty from him Thus by power and policie clearing those coasts whence the sharpest stormes had continually blowne hee returned into the South and there set himselfe to ordaine lawes for the good of his people the which left time the consumer of al things might chance to obliterate were by the labours of the learned Lambert translated into Latine and imprinted in the yeare 1568. next to shew his loue to God and bounty to his Church he gaue the towne of Saint Edmondsbury with the liberties thereof wholy to that Martyr and to the Monks that liued in seruing at his Altars 5 But as each thing hath his spring growth decay so all men their dates howsoeuer eminent in degree the shank of their Compas so set in a center that the Circle of their lines are oftentime abrupt before it be drawn to the full round for so with others we may see in this Monarch who being safely returned from many great dangers of war at peace in his Pallace came to a lamentable vnexpected end for at his Manor of Pucle-kerkes in the County of Gloucester whiles hee interposed himselfe betweene his Sewer and one Leoue to part a fray was with a thrust through the body wounded to death the twenty sixt of May in the yeare of our saluation 946. when hee had prosperously raigned the space of fiue yeares and seuen moneths and his body with no lesse sorrow
to Duke William of Normandy so great a trust he euer reposed in strangers This Swaine vpon a remorse of conscience for the bloud he had spilt and especially for the slaughter of Beorne his cosen intercessor who sued to the King for his peace vndertooke a pilgrimage to Ierusalem and in his returne died in Licia whether through an extremity of cold or by the hands of Saracens that spoiled all they met it is vncertaine 19 Goodwin now restored and in great credit with the King cast the eye of disdaine vpon the Arch-Bishop Robert as commonly fauorits emulate each others and himselfe being a man eloquent and politicke so possessed the King both against him and his Normans that he requited his owne banishment with al theirs out of England some few excepted that were fauoured by the English and now promising himselfe much honour and authority was suddainly cut off by the stroake of death surprizing him as hee sate at Table with the King vpon Monday in the Easter weeke but died not till the Thursday following which happened at Winchester where hee was buried 20 Besides these former forraine and ciuil molestations other calamities happened to the land for in the yeare of Grace 1047. and moneth of Ianuary there fell so great a Snow which couered the ground vnto the middle of March that Cattle Fowles perished abundantly and on the first day of that Month the yere following a strange and terrible Earth-quake happened which seemed to rent the ground asunder and withall such Lightnings as burnt vp the Corne growing in the fields wherby an excessiue Dearth followed so that his raigne was neither so peaceable nor prosperous as Brightwold the Monke dreamed it should be But as all these were scourges sent from God vpon the Land for sin so both Prince Pastors and people had all seuerally their part thereof as being iointly the causers of the same 21 For the King in case of these Strangers put the Land more then once in danger to bee lost and himselfe refraining the bed of his vertuous wife committed thereby the offence forbidden by the Apostle and caused her his Queene either to commit or be accused to haue committed adultery The Clergie likewise altogether vnlearned wanton and vicious for the Prelats neglecting the offices of Episcopall function which was to tender the affaires of the Church and to feede the flocke of Christ liued themselues idle and couetous addicted wholly to the pomp of the world and voluptuous life little caring for the Churches soules committed to their charge and if any told them saith Higden that their liues ought to be holy their conuersation without Couetousnes according to the sacred prescript and vertuous examples of their Elders they would scoffingly put them off with Nunc aliud tempus alii pro tempore mores Times haue mutations So must mens fashions and thus saith he they plained the roughnes of their doings with smoothnes of their answers Briefly the whole people were so loose and riotous that as Geruasius Dorobornensis recordeth they fell so fast to commit wickednes as to bee ignorant of sinfull crimes was then held to be a great crime it selfe And by the testimony of Malmesbury the sinnes of those times euidently foreshewed a generall destruction for the Englishmen saith hee transformed themselues into the strange manners of the French and that not onely in speech and behauiour but in their deeds and Charters their vse was then to goe fantastically appointed their garments reaching but to the mid knee their heads shorne and their beards shauen all but the vpper lippe which grew with long mustaches continually wearing massie bracelets of gold about their armes carrying markes vpon their skinne pounced in of sundry Colours and the Clergiâ—… contenting themselues with triuiall literature could scarcely hacke and hew out the words of the Sacrament These then were Englands dolorous times both of blindnesse lewdriesse drawing downe Gods wrath for their destruction 22 But howsoeuer this King is reported to bee louing and facile towards strangers which in it selfe is a princely vertue if it be opportunely and warily vsed yet to his owne Mother and Wife vnnaturally ouer rigorous imprisoning and bereauing them both of all Prince-like honor Against Queene Emma his Mother were instigators Robert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Earle Goodwin of Kent the two greatest fauorites of the King The causes obiected were her marriage with Canut the Capitall enemy of England her regardlesnesse of succouring himself and his brother in their exiles whom as was alleaged shee contriued to haue made away and that vnder colour of priuate deuotions she had vsed the company of Alwine Bishop of Winchester ouer familiarly to her great dishonour and the Kings disgrace for these and the like hee tooke away all her Iewels and other substance and committed her to safe custody in the Abbey of Werwell 23 Indeed Malmsbury doth tax her to haue been insatiably couetous and that shee was more tenderly affectionate to her Danish then English children whereby her loue was measured to their fathers But for the imputation of her incontinencie she washed it off with as sharpe a triall as any that is recorded for truth by vndergoing that ouer-hard law Ordalium when in presence of the King her Son many of his Peeres she passed ouer betweene nine plough-shares glowing red hot bare-footed blind-folded without any hurt vsing this speech to her leaders as not knowing shee was past all danger O Lord when shall I come to the place of my purgation but hauing her eyes vncouered and seeing her selfe cleerely escaped fell vpon her knees and with teares gaue thanks to her Deliuerer whereby she recouered both the loue and her former estate of the King with the good esteeme and applause of the people in memory whereof shee gaue nine Mannors according to the number of plough-shares to the Minster of Winchester wherin she had that triall and adorned the same with many rich ornaments as likewise the King repenting the wrong he did her bestowed on the same place the Iland so then it was called Portland in Dorsetshire being about seuen miles in compasse for so the chance in those daies was set that whosoeuer lost the monks did winne 24 Neither were this Kings proceedings better with his owne Wife howsoeuer some haue cloaked that Fraud so the Apostle tearmes it vnder the faire robe of Chastity For hee marrying Editha a Lady incomparable both for beauty and vertue in whose brest saith Malmesburie there was a Schoole of all Liber all Sciences refused her Bed but whether it were for his debility or hatred to Goodwin her father or loue of Virginity I determine not but am fully perswaded that the accusation of Adultery wherewith Robert the Arch-bishop did charge her was more vpon enuy to her father then truth of so foule a fact in her whose vertues were so many and so memorable
parts complete with natures endowments of personage passing comely of disposition louing cheerefull and affable to the meanest alwaies very liberall but now especially knowing his Purse the best Lawyer to plead for his Title and in Martiall prowesse gaue place to none of that time wherein though his whole raigne was continually spent yet by reason of King Henries great Treasure left neuer burthened he the Commons with any exactions a thing that euer gaineth the loue of the common sort neither is he taxed with any other obseruable crime saue onely his periurie against the Empresse Dowager and her sonne 4 Hee entred his gouernement the yeare of Christ Iesus 1135. the second day of December and was crowned at Westminster the twenty sixt of the same Moneth being Saint Stephens day by William Corbell Archbishop of Canterbury who with the rest of the Prelates doing him homage and knowing now hee would yeeld to any conditions for performance whereof his * Brother of Winchester did there engage himselfe for a pledge they all tooke their oath of allegiāce conditionally traiterously I might say to obey him as their King so long as he should preserue their Church Liberties and the vigour of Discipline And that the Lay-Barons made vse also of this policie appeareth by Robert Earle of Gloucester who sware to be true Liegeman to the King as long as the King would preserue to him his dignities and keepe all Couenants wherupon the King promised for the present that he would speedily reforme the ouer-hard lawes of his Predecessors and mollifie the extreames thereof to their owne likings vnder his Seale and Charter and so thence hastening to meete the Corps of his deceased vncle which was now brought into England he honoured that pompous funerall with his owne and all his great Prelates and Peeres attendance at Reading whence presently he went to Oxford where he sealed his fore-promised Charter of many indulgent fauours prefacing therein that hee attained the Crowne by Election onely and that Pope Innocentius confirmed the same whereby may be conceiued that his Holinesse either out of hatred to the Empresse whose husband Henry was no friend to the Papacie or for some other holy ends had no small hand in aduancing Stephens periured and disloiall intrusion The Tenour of the Charter it selfe is That all Liberties Customes and Possessions graunted to the Church should bee firme and inforce that all Persons and Causes Ecclesiasticall should appertaine onely to Ecclesiasticall Iudicature that none but Clergy men should euer intermeddle with the vacancies of Churches or any Church-mens goods that all bad vsages in the Land touching for rests exactions c. should be vtterly extirpate the ancient Lawes restored c. As Stephen well knew that they had chosen him their King onely to make their vses of him so these immunities he granted rather to bleare their Eies then * with any purpose to manacle his own hands with such Parchment-Chaines 5 This his entrance was very peaceable saith Geruasius of Canterbury but by little and little ciuill discordincreased to the lamentable destruction of men and the land whereto Robert Earle of Gloucester halfe-brother o the Empresse whose wisedom and power King Stephen much feared gaue a secret beginning when amongst them that swore him fealty hee concluded his as we said with this reseruation that his owne authority should be nothing empaired meaning no longer to respect him as his King then the King should him as a Peere and a generall sufferance to erect Castles for strength throughout the land was no security to his peaceable estate Intended indeed to strengthen the Kingdome against Maud the Empresse but proued the bane of all subiectiue obedience which was politickly considered by Henry Fitz-Empresse in the conclusion of Peace betwixt King Stephen and him when a thousand one hundred and fifteene Castles so raised were againe razed and cast downe 6 The first man that professedly set himselfe opposite to Stephens vsurpation was Baldwin de Reduers who fortified the City and Castle of Excester against him the Welshmen also bearing in minde the harms that K. Henry had done them desired reuenge and made many slaughters vpon the Kings people Against these Stephen proceeded with his band of English and Flemmings and after a strong and chargeable siege by famine drew foorth Baldwin his wife and children all which hee disherited and expulsed the Land vsing so great lenity towards all other offenders there that it gaue great encouragement to others rebellions But in Wales the businesse prospered not so well where at Cardigan a great battell was fought with such slaughter and ouerbearing of the English that the men by women were taken and led away Captiue and so many drowned by the fall of a Brige ouer Temd that a passage was made ouer the water with the dead Carcases therein heaped 7 Neither thus onely but some of the English also distasting King Stephen secretly instigated Dauid King of Scotland to reuenge the wrongs done to the Empresse Maud a seruice as they vrged it very gratefull vnto her and euen pleasing to God and Man He therefore consenting inuaded the borders and tooke from the English both Carleile and Newcastle which he stuffed with Garrisons Against these King Stephen prepared and with a great power came into those parts where diuers accidents by diuers reporters are related yet all agree that ere long peace was concluded Carleil still enioied by King Dauid and the Earledome of Huntington by Prince Henry his sonne for which hee did homage at his fathers command Dauid himselfe refusing so to doe as Hector Boetius the Scotish writer affirmeth for that he had giuen his faith before vnto Maud the Empresse 8 King Stephen returned and all in good quiet he suddenly fell sicke of a Lethargy yea in such danger of life that the common report gaue foorth hee was dead which stirred great troubles both in England and else where for thereby his friends were stricken into great feare and the factious more bold to prepare for Queene Maude for Hugh Bigot one of his chiefest and first raisers fortified himselfe in the Castle of Norwich and would not deliuer it vnto any saue onely to the King yea and very vnwillingly also vnto him and in Wales Owen and Cadwalader the sonnes of Gruffith ap Conan Prince of that Country carried great spoiles from the English as of other goods so also of Horse and Armour and habiliments for warre likewise in Normandy Conspiracies began to bud forth for Geffrey Earle of Aniou who in right of his wife made claime vnto all easily got the hearts and endeauours of many to adhere vnto the true heire possessing himselfe of certaine Castles but entring further on the Demaines of one Taleva◅ a man of note proscribed for some offence or displeasure by King Stephen the
learned Monks who then liued for such Authors onely wee will heerein follow as shall bee vnpartiall one of which testifies that the Pope about that time calling a Councell at Tours and the King giuing Licence to his Arch-bishops and Bishops to goe thither Becket secretlie surrendred his Arch-bishopricke which hee had receiued from the Kings hand into the Popes hands The other saith Becket himselfe confessed that not Canonicall Election did call him but publick power droue him in nor the will of God but mans pleasure placed him in the roome Howsoeuer these beeing memorable arguments of the Kings exceeding loue let vs now see how this great Prelate endeuoured to deserue it or how hee chanced to lose it 12 Great and flourishing was the state of the English Church Comon-wealth at this season the quiet of both which the King studied hoped to establish by the vndoubted assistance of his great fauorite Becket whose coūsel authority he knew might much further his princely designs especially touching affaires of the Church and abuses of Church men which then were grown to a dangerous height wherof let vs heare the Monke of Nuborough speake It was declared in the Kings presence how that Clergy mē had cōmitted aboue a hundred murthers vnder his raign wherewith the King highly offended hee was in punishing of them somewhat too vehement but the blame of the Kings too much earnestnes must lie on the Prelates in as much as they gaue the cause thereof for whereas sacred Canons ordaine that Clerks found guilty not onely of hainous and grieuous sinnes but also of lesser should bee degraded and thousands of such were in the Church of England like innumerable chaffe amongst a little good corne yet very few such for these many yeeres haue beene depriued The Prelates for sooth while they bestirre themselues rather to vphold the liberties dignities of Clerks then to chastice and cut off their vices thinke they doe God and his Church good seruice in protecting from publike Discipline such hainous offenders whom by duty of their places they ought to correct according to the Canons censure whereby they through their impunity hauing liberty to doe what they list haue neither feare of God whose iudgement they thinke is farre off neither of men in authority sith on the one side their Prelates neglect to reforme them and on the other side they are thus exempt by their order from the temporall Iurisdiction 13 This being the state of the Church and Realme wherein some were so iniured without remedy and others so iniurious without coertion as if neither sort were in condition of Subiects the King who was a man of excellent Wisedome Constancy and Zeale tooke especiall care of quickning the publike Discipline and the rigour of ancient lawes which thus lay neglected for which end hee had setled choise Ministers of Iustice through all parts of his land and vpon complaints brought him by his Subiects of the remissenes and other defects of his Iudges hee accordingly by his princely prouidence applied remedies and chastised the delinquents The like remissenes to censure it no harder was complained of in his Spirituall Iudges occasioned by a murther committed by a Priest of Sarum Diocesse whom the Archbishoppe commanded to be depriued put into an Abbey whereby he was freed from sharper punishment intended by the Kings Iusticiaries with which and some other like affronts of his Archbishop the King conceiued no little displeasure as requiring that Iustice should be ministred to all alike without partiality seeing this apparantly to tend vnto the ruine of all roiall gouernment the Archbishop on the other side stood no lesse peremptory on the immunities of his Clergy and See yea so farre as that hee challenged from the Crown to the Kings great offence the custody of Rochester Castle and other Forts which the King for securing his state had resumed into his owne hands 14 This maine controuersie betwixt Regnum Sacerdotium the Crowne and the Mitre Houeden who then also liued thus summarily deliuers The King would that all such of the Clergy as were deprehended in any Robberie Murther Felonie burning of houses and the like should bee tried and adiudged in his temporall Courts as Lay-men were against which the Archbishops resolution was that all Clergy men so offending should bee tried onely in the Spirituall Courts and by men of their owne coate who if they were conuict should at first be onely depriued of their office and benefice but if they should againe be guilty of the like they should then bee adiudged at the Kings pleasure The King finding himselfe to bee hereby but a Demi-King depriued of all Soueraignety ouer one half-deale of his Kingdome and perceiuing Beckets stiffenesse in thus contesting with his Soueraigne to bee no way mollifiable by whatsoeuer his old fauours or fresh perswasions notwithstanding resolued to put nothing in execution which should not first bee ratified and strengthned with consent of his Bishops of whose ready assent to so iust demands hee had no cause to doubt who thereupon assembling at Westminster the King tooke both offence there at the Archbishops thwarting his desires and occasion also to establish sundry other Articles which hee called his Grandfathers Customes peremptorily vrging Becket to yeeld thereunto without any such reseruation of sauing in all things his order and right of the Church wherewith he would haue limited his assent 15 The points in those Ordinances which the Archbishop principally stucke at as himselfe did set them downe in his letters to the Pope and his owne Suffragan Bishops within the Diocesse of Canterbury were principally these 1. That none should appeale to the See of Rome for any cause whatsoeuer without the Kings licence 2. That it should not be lawful for any Archbishop or Bishop to depart the Realme and repaire to the Pope vpon his summons without the Kings licence 3. That no Bishop should excōmunicate any one whomsoeuer holding of the King in chiefe or put any other of his officers vnder Interdict without the Kings licence 4. That Clerks criminous should bee tritried before seculardudges 5. That it should not be lawfull for a Bishop to punish any one for periurie or faith-breach 6. That the Laity whether the King or other should hold pleas of Churches Tithes c. 16 These points so neerely touched the Papal Soueraignty and Church-Liberties that the resolute Metropolitane mainely opposed his whole powers against them Henry also persisted as his Grandfather Henry the first had done who hauing a like warre with Anselm his Archbishop was so vehement therein as hee would not suffer him to returne into England though after some yeeres banishment vnlesse hee would absolutely bind himselfe to obserue not his Fathers Customes onely but his brothers also who were the two fatall Williams the Conquerour and Rufus 17 Many reasons moued
Henry to attempt this busines as first the enlargement of his Regall authority Secondly to exempt his State by degrees from the dependancy on any external Gouernment as lineally claiming both from a Conquest and from absolute-Soueraigne Antecessors and so to introduce that free Empery to which he saw no way lie open but by subordinating the Persons and Causes of Church-men to the secular soueraignety in a few points first and then in other And that this was the secret will not obscurely appeare in that Article which was summarily this That Appeales should be made from the Consistory to the Arch-deacon from him to the Bishop thence to the Archbishop and so to the King Thus farre M. Fox but Mathew Paris hath more That the King should commaund the Arch-bishop to end the suit and that it should proceed no further without licence of the King 18 A third reason was for that he had by his owne perswasions and by the Counsell of one Ernulph a Bishop drawn vnto his purposes the Arch-bishop of Yorke and all the other Bishops in a manner who were now sure vnto him ready to yeeld to his demands which they saw did tend to the good of the State wherein they liued Moreouer hee was perswaded of great facility in obtaining his desire both in regard of the aduantage which the Schisme then vpholden by Frederick the Emperour against Alexander the third did giue which might make that Pope afraid to leese or hazard his friends as also for that the King till hee found the contrary thought himselfe assured of his Thomas whom if Gilbert Bishop of London said true he aduanced to that dignity against the will and liking aswell of Matildis the Empresse his mother as of the Clergie and people 19 Besides these and other reasons encouraging the King Pope Alexander very desirous to keepe the Kings loue though secretly wishing well to Beckets attempts sent one Philip his Almoner purposely to compose the controuersie by whom the Pope and Cardinals required the Archbishop to make promise vnto the King to the keeping his said Ordinances absolutely and without any sauings or exceptions whereupon Thomas seeing his scrupulosity thus disapproued by his Soueraigne by all his Brethren the Bishops and by the Court of Rome it selfe hee rode to Woodstocke to the King and there promised that hee would keepe his said lawes bonâfide sine malo ingenio in good faith and without mal-engin 20 The King afterward supposing now all contradiction had end that Thomas would not wauer in his faith called an Assembly of the States at Clarendon of which place in Wilt-shire and not in Normandie as some haue mistaken the said Customes called by the King Auitae were denominated to collect and enact those Laws where Iohn of Oxenford sitting President Becket relapsing againe from his promise giuen to the King said that he had greeuously sinned in making that absolute promise and that he would not sinne therein any more 21 At which the King was so vehemently stirred and inflamed that he threatned banishment and destruction to him and his But the Arch-bishop hauing definitely resolued to vndergoe any perill was yet so softned with the tears praiers and kneelings of so great and honourable personages as the Bishops of Salisbury and Norwich the Earles of Leicester and Cornwail and two knights Templars Richard de Hastings and another priuately repairing vnto him that before the King the Clergy and people hee sware in verbo Sacerdotali in the word of a Priest and de plano sincerely that hee would obserue the Lawes which the King entituled Auitae and all the Bishops Abbats Priors and whole Clergie with all the Earles Barons and Nobilitie did promise and sweare the same faithfully and truly to obserue and performe to the King and to his heires for euer But when the King not so contented would haue him as euerie one of the Bishops had done before him to subscribe and affix his seale to an instrument in which those Customes or Lawes beeing in number sixteene were comprehended hee once againe starting from his faith did absolutely refuse alledging that hee did promise it onely to doe the King some honour verbo tenus in word only but not with intent to confirme those Articles neither could the example of the whole State mooue him nor the credit of Rotrod Arch-bishop of Roan though sent from the Pope compose the difference because Henry would not otherwise agree then as the Pope did by his Bull confirme those Lawes which would not be granted 22 Henry hereupon sent in Ambassage Iohn of Oxenford and one Ridell his clerkes to the Romane Bishop praying that the Legatine power for England might be committed to Roger Archbishop of Yorke that so yet hee might at last bring Thomas vnder but neither did this plot thriue for that the Pope knowing that the cause was his owne more then Beckets would not be an Author of any grieuance vnto him who in sorrow for that hee had so yeelded in promising suspended himselfe from vse of his priestlie function till vpon sute hee was repermitted yet somewhat to gratifie the king he by his Bull granted a sleight authority which when the King saw to bee but superficiall and not well horned for his purpose with great disdaine he sent the Bull backe againe to the Popes stall 23 There followed now vpon Thomas sundry molestations for first hee was condemned in dammages for a Manor which Iohn de Marshall claimed notwithstanding the Archbishop had enioied the same for a long time without interpellation or disturbance Then was there at Northampton where the king had summoned a Parliament an account demanded of him for the king to the value of thirtie thousand pound which came to his hand during his Chancellorship Whereunto his answere was That seeing he had formerly accounted and that the kings eldest sonne Henrie on his Fathers behalfe and all the Barons of the Exchequer and Richard de Luci Iustitiar of England had acquitted him toward the king of all accounts and that hee came free from all actions and dangers to the Arch-bishopricke that now therefore hee would not answere as a Lay-man hauing heretofore had so sufficient discharge which refusall of his was aggrauated with diuers accusations laid vpon him as of contempt towards the king in denying to come to his presence being thereto commanded by him the like whereto though he made excuses reasonable enough if true yet the Peeres and the Bishops condemned all his moueables to the Kings mercy and the Prelates perceiuing the kings displeasure to tend yet to some farther seuerity premonished him to submit himselfe for that otherwise the kings Court intended to adiudge him a periured person and also a Traitor for not yeelding temporall allegiance to his Temporall Soueraigne as himselfe had sworne
to doe and accordingly the Prelates themselues by ioint consent adiudged him of Periury and by the mouth of the Bishop of Chichester disclaimed thence forward all obedience vnto him as their Archbishop The next day whiles the Bishops and Peeres were consulting of some further course with him Becket not as yet daunted caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speake against me and the vngodly persecute me c. And forthwith taking his siluer Crosier in his owne hands a thing strange and vnheard of before enters armed therewith into the Kings presence though earnestly disswaded by all that wished him well wherewith the King enraged commanded his Peeres to sit in iudgement on him as on a Traitor and Periured person and accordingly they adiudged him to be apprehended and cast into prison The Earles of Cornewall and Leicester who sate as Iudges citing him forthwith to heare his sentence pronounced hee immediately appealed to the See of Rome as holding them no Iudges competent wherupon all reuiling him with the name of Traitor and the like he replying That were it not for his function he would enter the Duell or Combate with them in the field to acquit himselfe both of Treason and Periury sped from the Court and from thence without delay into Flaunders disguising himselfe vnder the name of Dereman 24 The King on the other side to leaue nothing vndone whereby to atchieue his desire forthwith dispatched away Gilbert Bishop of London William Earle of Arundel to the French King that hee would not harbour nor cherish one that was fled as a Traitor but preuailed not for hee vpon the contrary dealt with the Pope That as he loued the Roman Church and the aid of France so he would support the cause of Thomas against the King which whether hee did it out of Faction rather then Deuotion let others iudge for as wee may easily thinke that the French would gladly incommodate the king of England so this is not to bee denied that Lewis was often afterward a Mediatour for peace and vndoubtedly held the man himselfe in great estimation both aliue and dead 25 The Archbishoppe growing thus in fauour with the Pope King Henry sends an Ambassage vnto him of many great Personages as Roger Archbishop of Yorke the BB. of London Winchester Chichester Iohn of Oxenford William Earle of Arundell c. whose whole emploiment being prece vel pretio by requests and gratifications to procure disgrace vnto Becket their finall suit was That the Pope would send two Cardinals into England fully to end the matter but the Pope denied it as holding it derogatory to his owne absolutenes saying like Gods Vice-gerent at least That is my owne glorie which I will not giue to any other but when he is to bee iudged I will iudge him my selfe For he knew the King of England was mighty both in speech and meanes and that Legates might easily be corrupted as being men more thirsty after gold and siluer then after iustice and equity and the Pope and Cardinals wisely resolued saith the Monke of Canterbury that as if this Archbishop were now vpheld in his cause it would be a patterne for others in like case to resist Kings so if he should sinke no Bishoppes euer after would darc oppose themselues to their Soueraignes pleasure and so the State of the Catholike Church would be shaken and the Popes authority be crushed 26 The King hauing receiued this foile and impatient of repulse where his owne subiect was a party thought the indignity offered by the Pope vnsufferable and to let him vnderstand how hee tooke it directs his Writs vnto the Sheriffes in England commanding them to attach such as did appeale to the Roman Court the fathers mothers brothers sisters nephewes and neices of all such of the Clergy as were with the Archbishop and to put them vnder sureties as also to seise the reuenewes goods and chattels of the said Clergie-men Again by other his letters to Gilbert Bishop of London he sequestred the profits and liuings which within his Diocesse did belong to any of the Clergie who were fled to Thomas that without the Kings leaue they might haue no part thereof Lastly to his Iustices he signified that they should safe-keepe whosoeuer did bring any interdict into England till the Kings pleasure were further knowne hee also caused the Church of Canterbury and all the Archbishops goods to bee confiscated grounding himselfe as may probably bee supposed vpon the iudgement giuen against Becket at North-hampton notwithstanding that the saide sentence was expresly nullified by the Popes Bul and not onely by word of mouth as * Mathew Paris seemes to mistake it Neither was this all for hee banished out of the Realme all the kindred of the Archbishop man woman child and sucking babes and for bad that hee should be any longer publikely mentioned and praied for in the Church as Arch-bishop of Canterbury 27 The Archbishop on the contrary part the contention being now wither the power Ecclesiasticall or Secular should worke most did solemnly in France where he abode excommunicate all such as obeyed defended or had occasioned the saide lawes and Auitall Customes and some of the parties by name as Richard de Luci Richard of Poictou Iocelin de Bailull Alan de Neâ—…ile and other who presently appealed but the King hauing further notice that Becket after his publike sermon on a great Festiuall day had solemnly threatned the like thunderclap against his Roiall Person either to terrifie his aduersaries or to reuenge himselfe if any such sentence should bee against him gathered a mighty Army vnder pretence of subduing Wales where yet hee did little The meane while Iohn of Oxenford who not onely followed the Kings cause stoutly but also writ a learned Booke in iustifying of it against Becket preuailed so farre at Rome that two Legates à latere should bee sent into England to reconcile the King and Thomas but when they were gone the Pope hearing that they were resolued vtterly to confound the Arcâ—…shop sent letters after them to rebate their absolute power they being men saith Geruasius who too much thirsted after gold and glory 28 When these two Cardinals came to Thomas he refused to put his cause to them vnlesse there were first a plenary restitution made to him and his of all that had beene taken away but being then counselled by them to submit himselfe to the king his answere was he would sauing Gods honour and the Churches liberty sauing his own honour and his Churches possessions and sauing his owne and his friends right being further demanded whither to resettle peace in Gods Church which hee seemed onely to desire he would renounce his Bishop-ricke if the king would renounce his customes he answered The proportion was not alike for that with
and Becket 36 After all this it came into King Henries mind to sweeten these his many cares with some solace and to crowne his eldest sonne yongue Henry King of England now in his owne life time A counsell not more temerarious then infortunate but of which yet he did hope to reape this consolation that it was done in contempt of Becket whose office it was to haue crowned the King with some aduantage also toward the perpetuation of the Auitall Customes and that also without scruple of conscience his sonne receiuing the Crowne without caution to preserue the Churches libertie either by him put in or by others exacted Yea rather an Oath ministred and by the yongue King taken to maintaine those Auitall Customes to the vttermost 37 This solemnitie was performed at Henrie the fathers commandement by Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke the anciently riuall See of Canterbury contrarie to the Popes expresse Inhibition the father himselfe King Henrie being present thereat though without any fortunate presage in comming or cause of consolation in the action For he in his inauspicious passage out of Normandy arriuing not without very great perill at Portsmouth the best and newest ship he had was suncke in the stormes and therein besides Henrie de Agnellis and his two sonnes Gilbert de Sullemni Mr. Ralf de Bealmunt the Kings physition and fauourit with about foure hundred men and women more were deuoured of the working waues And at the feast the ioifull father himselfe carrying the first dish and the Arch-bishop of Yorke saying in pleasance to the yongue King Reioice my faire sonne for their is no Prince in the world hath such a seruitor attending at his table as you The vnnaturall yongue man answered why wonder you at that my father knowes hee doth nothing that misbecomes him for so much as hee is roiall borne but of one side but our selfe are roiall borne both by father and mother 38 Adde heereunto that this vnluckie Coronations triumphes were celebrated with bon-fires kindled by the furies in Normandie which Lewis the French King inuaded with fire and sword because his daughter Margaret was not crowned aswell as the yongue King her husband but the father speeding into those parts quencht this flame with a promise to recrowne his sonne and then his daughter Margaret should be honoured with like ceremonies Thus the fathers patience was exercised on euerie hand and worse things were feared 39 So now yet at last in the seuenth yeere of Beckets banishment another meeting was had at Sens whither the two great Kings and the Arch-bishop of Sens and Bishop of Neuers beeing together the Arch-bishop of Canterburie repaired and the treatie of Peace was entred into which at Ambois in an other meeting at procurement of Rotrod Arch-bishop of Roan was finished and the Archbishop knowing the King was terrified with the expectation of the foresaid imminent Interdiction was restored to the Kings fauour and permitted to haue full vse of his Metropolitane See and all the profits thereof with the arrerages Which conclusion the King signifies to his sonne into England whither the Arch-bishop returnes and lands at Sandwich And thus the controuersie betweene the King and his Arch-bishop seemed to bee ended 40 But the Arch-bishop had not beene long in England before hee published the Popes letters by which Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke and Hugh Bishop of Duresme were suspended from the vse of their Episcopall function for crowning the yongue King in preiudice of the See of Canterburie and the Bishops of London Exceter and Salisburie cut off from the Church by censure for assisting the said Arch-bishop at that Coronation whom Becket would not but vnder conditions at the yongue Kings request absolue Whereupon a great complaint was carried into Normandy to the father King by some of the Bishops and in the meane time the Arch-bishoppe Thomas putting himselfe vpon the way to visite the yongue King at Woodstocke in Oxford-shire was commanded not to approach 41 At the newes of these late censures the father King was so sore displeased that some words slipping from him and arguing his great discontent mooued Hugh Moruill William Traci Hugh Brito and Richard Fitz-vrse knights and courtiers topost into England and there in a furie without either warrant or priuitie of their Soueraigne to murther the Arch-bishop being then about forty and eight yeers old in his owne Church of Canterburie which sacred Place and Time besides his high Calling might haue pleaded for pittie had not the men been wholly transported with barbarous rage For howsoeuer we are farre from their fancies who for his zeale to the Popes Soueraignety haue so mounted him to the top of Martyrs glory that not onely the basest part of his Shrine was pure gold and his old Shoe was deuoutly kissed by all passengers but also shamelesse and numberlesse Miracles are blindly ascribed vnto him and his Bloud almost matched in vertue with our euer-blessed Sauiours yet wee no lesse condemne their butcherly execution who how great so euer his offence was against the King and State had no lawfull authoritie to beare them out or acquit them from the guilt of Bloud 42 To shut vp this long contention which as you see would not be extinct but by bloud nor take end but by his death because any censure of our owne will be said to sauour of Time-seruing or State-pleasing we will onely annexe the bare iudgement of the forecited learned Monke of that time who thus speaks Indeed though most mens custōe is in those whom they loue and praise to extoll whatsoeuer they haue done an argument of their great affection but slender wisdom yet in plain truth those things which the venerable Arch-bishop so acted that no profit at all thence proceeded but the Kings wrath onely was kindled whereby so many mischiefes afterward arose I doe not thinke to bee praise-worthy though they sprang from a laudable zeale as it was in the blessed Prince of the Apostles who attaining the top of Apostolicall perfection taught the Gentiles by his example to Iudaize for which the Doctor of the Gentiles declares that he deserued to be reprehended though hee did it with a praise-worthy and pious intent And in another place The Arch-bishop was hot in zeale of Iustice but whither fully according to knowledge God knoweth for it is not for a man of my meane quality rashly to iudge of so great a mans actions but I thinke the blessed Pope Gregorie would haue dealt more mildly and winkt at those things which might haue beene borne without any hazard of the Christian faith c. and then concludes Therefore that which the venerable Arch-bishop then did I neither iudge that it is to bee commended neither presume I to condemneit c. For good men are so to bee loued or lauded by vs that wee neither loue nor laud those acts wherein
sonne Iohn first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action hee bitterly cursed the howre of his birth laying Gods curse and his vpon his sonnes which hee would neuer recall for any perswasion of the Bishoppes and others but comming to Chinon fell there grieuously sicke and feeling death approch hee caused himselfe to be borne into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sinnes hee departed this life 100 It shal not in contempt of humane glory be forgotten that this puissant Monarch being dead his people presently left him and fell to spoile all he had leauing him naked of whom one saith trulie and grauely Verè melmuscae c. Surely these flies sought honey these wolues a Carcase these Ants grain for they did not follow the Man but the spoile and bootie Neither must it be vnremembred that the fierce and violent Richard now heire of all comming to meete his Fathers body roially adorned for the buriall according to the Maiestie of his estate the very Corse as it were abhorring and accusing him for his vnnaturall behauiours gushed forth bloud whereat Richard pierced with remorse melted into flouds of teares in most humble and repentant maner attending vpon the remaines of his vnfortunate Father to the Graue His Wife 101 Eleanor the Wife of King Henry was the eldest of the two Daughters and the sole Heire of William Duke of Aquitaine the fift of that name the ninth in succession sonne of Duke William the fourth her Mother was Daughter to Raimund Earle of Tholoâ—…se and her great Dowrie was motiue first to King Lewis who had two daughters by her Mary and Alice and after to King Henry to marry her There are of the French Historians who report that king Henry had a former wife and that shee bare vnto him Prince Henry but Writers of our owne affaires and some also of the French acknowledge but onely Eleanor for his Wife Certain it is that king Henries times were much famoused by two Women of much differing qualities the one was his renowmed Mother Matildis whose Epitaph thus comprised part of her glory Ortu magna viro maior sed maxima prole Hic iâ—…cet Henrici Filiâ—… Sponsa Parens Here Henries Mother Daughter Wife dothrest By Birth much more by Spouse by Child most blest The other was this Eleanor his Wife the first cause of these bloudie Warres which long after continued as hereditary betwixt England and France yea and the bellows of that vnnaturall discord betwixt her husband and his sonnes Shee much out-liued her husband as a bad thing stickes longest beeing so happie as to see three of her sonnes aduanced to the Crowne and so vnhappie as to see two of them in their graues for she liued till King Iohns time His Issue 102 William the eldest sonne and first child of King Henry and Queene Eleanor his wife was borne before his father was King and while hee was but Duke of Normandy in the eighteenth yeere of the raigne of King Stephen 1152. and the fourth yeere after his father beeing then King and in the second yeere of his raigne the Nobilitie of England sware vnto him their fealtie as to the heire apparant of the Kingdome at the Castle of Wallingford in Barkeshire but he deceased the yeere following being the third of his fathers raigne and the fift of his owne age 1156. He was buried in the Monastery of Reading at the feete of his great Grandfather King Henrie the first 103 Henrie the second sonne of King Henry and Queene Eleanor beeing borne the last of Februarie 1156. was their heire apparant after the death of his brother William was Duke of Normandie Earle of Aniou and Maigne and was crowned King of England at Westminster by Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke the fifteenth of Iulie 1170. His wife was Margaret daughter of Lewis the Yonger King of France married to him at Nuburgh in Normandy the second of Nouember 1160. crowned Quene at Winchester by Rotrocke of Warwicke Arch-bishop of Roan the 21. of Nouember 1163. and suruiuing him was remarried to Bela King of Hungarie He died without issue before his father at Marcell in Tourâ—…ine the eleuenth of Iulie the twentie sixe yeere of his fathers raigne 1182. and was buried in the Church of our Lady at Roan 104 Richard the third sonne of King Henrie and Queen Eleanor was born at Oxford in the Kings Pallace there called Beau-Mount in September the fourth yeere of his fathers raigne 1157. He proued a Prince of great valor and was therefore surnamed in French Cuer-de-Lion in English Lions-Heart hee was created Earle of Poyton and had the whole Dutchie of Aquitaine for which he did his homage to King Lewis the Yonger of France in the eighteenth yeere of his fathers raigne 1170. yet afterward he conceiued some discontentment against his father and maintained warres vpon him but was reconciled againe into his loue and succeeded him in his Kingdome 105 Geffrey the fourth sonne of King Henrie and of Queene Eleanor was borne the twentie third of September in the fifth yeere of his fathers raigne 1159. Hee married Constance daughter and heire of Conan Duke of Britane and in her right was Duke of Britane and did his homage to his brother Henry for the same Dutchie and receiued the homages of the Barrons of the same hee died at Paris in the thirtie two yeere of his fathers raigne 1186. the nineteenth of August and is buried in the quire of our Ladies Church there hee had issue Arthur Duke of Britane borne after his fathers decease the heire apparant of King Richard and by some supposed to bee made away by King Iohn and also Eleanor called the Daâ—…sell of Britane who died in prison in the raigne of King Henrie the third 106 Philip the fifth sonne of King Henrie and Queene Eleanor may bee mistrusted to be mistaken by Antiquaries of our time as misunder-standing the ancient writers who mentioning the birth of Philip the Kings sonne might by good likelihood be thought to meane Philip sonne of Lewâ—… the Yonger King of France who was borne about this time and was after King of the same Countrey But Mr Thoâ—…as Talbot an exact trauailer in genealogies hath not onely set him downe in this place amongst the children of this King but also warranteth the same to bee done with good authoritie howsoeuer it is apparant his life was verie short 107 Iohn the sixth and yongest sonne of King Henrie and Queene Eleanor was borne in the thirteenth yeere of his fathers raigne in Anno 1166. hee was iestinglie surnamed by his father Sans-terre in English without Land because hee was borne last as if there had beene nothing left for him Notwithstanding soone after hee was created Earle of Mortaigne and had more-ouer by degrees the Earledomes of Cornwall and Glocester the Counties of Derby and Lancaster the Honors of Wallinford and Nottingham the Castles of
thus celebrated Mira cano Sol occubuit Nox nulla secuta est A Wonder strange I write the Sun did set yet was no Night Meaning that though Henry were dead yet the glory and happinesse of the land was not thereby clouded for that Richard was another Sunné and in some respects farre the more bright and farther shining of the two as hauing for honour of Christian Cheualrie wholy consecrated his warlike minde and actions to the seruice of God and readuancement of the Crosse of Christ dishonoured by the Infidels in Asia in which enterprise hee was so feruently zealous that from the time of his Fathers death in whose vowes it had beene hee 〈◊〉 scarse any thing else disposing the affaires of his Estate but not carelesly as some would impose as of things which did but onely vnder-serue and conduce to the maine and principall end of aduancing his Sauiours glory whereunto hee iudged that action did tend 2 Hauing therefore ordered his weightier businesses in 〈◊〉 and other his transmarine Dominions in â—…gland by his letters set the Queen his Mother at liberty from that captiuity wherein her late husband the king had long detained her who sensible of others woe by her owne did afterward exercise many works of mercy in that kind he cuts ouer hither aswell to receiue all the rights of Soueraignety and to settle the same as also to leuie meâ—…nes for proceeding in his intended holy voiaâ—…e together with Philip king of France and other Christian Potentates 3 And though before his Coronation most Writers doe not call him a King yet sure it is that he and others did immediately and vnquestionably vpon the first accruement of the interest which was at his Fathers last gaspe exercise all the offices of the roiall power for so hee restored Robert Earle of Leicester to his whole estate So plaine it is that our Gouernment allowes not the dangerous conuulsions emptie spaces of an Interregnum such as in meer electiue States are coÌ„mon if not continual 4 But in nothing more could this noble Prince shew his iudgement though he were otherwise Sagacis ingenij of a sharpe and searching wit then in this That hee banished from his familiarity as my Author saith hated all those of what profession so euer they were who had forsaken his Father and both retained and enricht those other who had loially stood for him against himselfe in al assaies 5 At his Coronation which was most magnificently performed at Westminster by Baldwyne Archbishop of Canterbury the pointes of the Oath which hee made to God and the Kingdom of England at the Altar vpon the holy Euangelists before the Prelates Nobles and whole people were these 1. That all the daies of life he would beare peace honour and reuerence to God and holy Church and the Ordinances thereof 2 That in the people to him committed hee would exercise right iustice and equitie 3. That hee would blot forth naughty lawes and peruerse customes if any were brought vpon his Kingdome and would enact good lawes and the same in good faith keepe and without mal-Eâ—…gyn Which oath being most solemnly taken and the sacred vnction performed the Archbishop standing at the Altar forbad him on the behalfe of Almighty God to assume that honour vnlesse hee had a full purpose to keepe what hee had sworne whereto Richard assenting and with his owne hands humbly taking the ponderous Crowne Imperiall from off the Altar in signification as is probable that hee held it onely from God hee deliuers it to the Archbishop who thereupon accomplished all the Ceremonies of Coronation 6 Which Act was accidently hanâ—…eld and auspicated with the bloud of many Iewes though vtterly against the Kings will who in a tu mult raised by the Ocean were furiousliè murthered which though it were afterward punished by the Lawes might seeme a presage that this Lion-hearted King as his by-name Ceur-de-Lion did import should bee a speciall destroier of the Enemies of our Sauiour 7 After counsell therefore first moouer in all worthy enterprises Money was in his first and chiefest cares for raising whereof to furnish the intended pilgrimage he fold morgaged estated and by a thousand princely skills as if he should neuer 〈◊〉 come againe added incredible heapes to those huge sums which hee had scruzed out of Stephen de Turnham his fathers Treasurer amounting to eleuen hundred thousand pounds sterling if some say true all hoorded by King Henry What could indeed be said enough for such a voiage and it was a cogitation woorthy so glorious a purpose so to order his estate as if hee were not to returne at all because looking-backe doth vnbend and soften resolutions 8 As for men and soldiers the Prelats Friars and other Preachers had stirred vp innumerable by their manifold exhortations the Arch-bishoppe of Canterburie hauing trauailed through Wales in person for that purpose going afterward with the King to Palestine where also he died in pulpits and priuate conferences sounding nothing but the Crosse and Passion of Christ calling the world to reuenge his cause vpon the Pagans and setting soules oâ—…re with vehement gestures actions and perswasions But the â—…ngdome of England he ordered thus 9 The onely maine danger of the 〈◊〉 abâ—… 〈◊〉 in his brother Iohn Earle of 〈◊〉 of whose ambition hee was some what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing that King Henrie not long before his death had intended the Crowne to him to conquer therefore his appetites with bountie and munificence and to take away all murmuration in him for want of Princelie competencies King Richard did as it were share the Realm with him giuing him sixe Earledomes Cornwall Dorset Sommersette Nottingham Derby and Lancaster besides Castles Honors Manors Forests and much other riches and finallie the Earledome of Gloster with the Heire of that Countie to bee his Wife though the Arch-bishop of Canterburie forbad the Nuptialls alledging shee was within degrees of consanguinitie 10 But lest through euill nature or aduise Earle Iohn should conuert those so great gifts to the subuersion of the bestower Hee entrusted him with no part of the Regall power as the Key and secret of his proper safetie but laide the maine burthen of Gouernment vpoÌ„ William Longchamp Bishop of Ely chiefe Iustitiar and Lord Chancellor of England and Papall Legate a person out of all suspition for aspiring to the Crowne whereby was conferred vpon him whatsoeuer either King or Pope could grant for accomplishment of his authoritie so that he might well be stiled Prince and Priest of England as hee was one the most powerfull subiect for the time that perhaps this Realme hath had for though the King had as it were ioined with him in Commission one Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts of England beyond Humber yet as it hapned in the Consulship of Caesar and Bibulus that nothing was reported
it selfe especially where such troupes of armed Orators were at hand and where golden preparatiues had made way with the chiefest Philip tolde them their late Lord had quite forsaken them and that therefore himselfe as their supreme Liege came to prouide that his owne Countries might bee indemnified desiring them louingly to admit and embrace him as their Lord sith now they had no other to protect them from skath but menacing withall that if they forced him to vse force they should die no other death then hanging or to be flead aliue with which fawnings and fears though many well munified places were fetched off without any resistance their Captaines violating their faith to curry fauour with the French yet Roan the place euer honoured for fidelity to the English Crowne and therefore worthily selected by King Richard to bee the Shrine of his Leonine Heart was better fortified both in affection and munition then to wane vpon parties Which neglect incensed Philip to turne his Oratory into Battery it being the chiefest City and therefore of greatest consequence for consumating his victories which he continued in a most fierce horrid manner of siege the space of two monethes but finding it to be with small aduantage hee fell againe to golden Eloquence attracting some in speciall with present pay and all in generall with promises of future inioying all their wonted lawes and liberties without impairement of any their commodities whatsoeuer aduising them not to reiect those profered conditions which ere long they would gladly get when they should not be granted The Roanists seeing their dangers feeling their wants fearing their ruines yet desired respite till King Iohn might know their State who finding himselfe at home as ill bestedde as theirs abroad his Barons refusing to follow the warres returned them answere he could not presently releeue them Whereupon the Great men who could sway the multitude with cheaper reasons then Philips open hand had swayed with them perswaded them to weigh that in truth they were all originally Frenchmen though now called Normans of that noblest and richest part of all France and the French king being Supreme Lord thereof there was no cause at all of continuing this new hostility but very many of renuing that antique amity 28 The Head yea and Heart of all Normandy thus fainting who can expect that those few inferiour members yet vntainted should so continue long neither did they So as eftsoones all that Dukedome one of the goodliest gemmes in the English Diademe and disbranched from France since the yeare eight hundred eighty fiue was againe rent away ingloriously for them who lost it iniustlie by them who got it but perfidiously by such as should and might haue kept it For whatsoeuer necessity then or malice since hath laid on the King this Eulogie and memoriall thereof written by vnpartiall pennes will stand indelible on his Subiects A rege Angliae Normannia fraudibus suorum alienata Englands King lost Normandy by treachery of his owne people And no lesse treacherously dealt Philip with them when hee had caught them with the trappe of his glosing proffers as such Princes more vsually then princely square their promises to others liking their performances to their owne causing without delay their Cities goodly wals to be vtterly demolished and giuing strict charge that they should neuer bee built vp againe The other neighbouring Countries Main Turaine Poictou who were all forerunners in the rebellion would not be now behind in the finall reuolt Angiers in this more happy that shee fell away by others falshood not her owne when standing on her guard William de Rupibus cladde his choice Souldiers vpon their armour in the habite and other furniture of market-men who so getting accesse into the City gates made easie entrance for a greater hoast which soone after became absolute Lords of all Aniou 29 Wofull experience had now taught King Iohn a lesson fitte to be learned of all Princes whom the fawning world enstyleth most Mighty that this their might is not onely lyable to the checke and dispose of that Highest all-ruling power who vnthrones them at his will but euen depends of the wauing humors and wils of those inferiour vassels of whom they thinke themselues vnresistable Commaunders But King Iohn was not vnsenfible eyther of his forraine dishonours though as d often as hee endeauoured to redeeme it by leuying any Army suteable to so great a designe so often was hee crossed by his own Nobles or of those his domesticke affronts which notwithstanding by counsell and assistance of his better affected truer hearted friendes and subiects at length hee gathered a Royall Hoast and a mighty Nauy therein 14000. Mariners f some say with full resolue to reuenge his wrongs and repaire his losses Which great enterprize managed with vnmoueable determination for now with full sayles and fuller heartes at Portsmouth they were ready to embarke brought to the Kings further knowledge and to the worlds who had beene all this while the secret vnderminers of his fortunes and hinderers of his imployments For Hubert the Archbishop and Papall Legate with many others amongst whom some find William Marshall Earle of Pembroke numbred thither comes vnto the King and flatly forbids him to proceede in the voyage Some Writers haue laboured to coniect the true cause and reasons of this audacious Prohibition but if wee consider on the one side the Popes vse of Philips Forces to counter-ballance if need were Othes greatnesse on the other the interest which both the Pope and Philip had in Huberts affection wee may without Huberts diuining Spirit prie into the mystery of his secret workings as an Archbishop and now open commaund as a Legate to hinder King Iohn for feare of hindring King Philip 30 But whatsoeuer was the reason Hubert was the Instrument that so resolute proiects so inestimable charges so necessary an action fell sodainely to the ground whereby besides the selfe mischiefe which therewith fell on the King many fresh grudgings accrewed vnto him for suffering himselfe to bee thus violently repulsed from so behouefull a purpose The Archbishoppe and Marshall as principals were rewarded with the curses of the dismissed multitudes as the iust fee for their vniust counsell and the King himselfe was so little pleased with so vnexpected a countermaund that albeit at the present either awed with the authority of the Papall Legate or with the weight of his coloured motiues or with hazard which hee might leaue behind him hee durst notwithstand it yet the very next day checking himselfe for ouerprizing the commaund of any man aboue the value of his kingly honour and state hee resolued to recollect his disparkeled troupes and to put forth to Sea To which end taking order for his Nobles to follow they gaue him leaue with
that wherein elections voices are equall or concord wanting the Pope may gratifie whome hee please vnto which wee now may adde a third no lesse arduous insolent that the Pope may strike vp Elections both where and of whom and with and without what consent him listeth Which lewd obtrusion that it galled the King to the quicke wee need not maruaile if wee ballance in one scale the Popes meere will and pleasure in the other the dishonour to thè King thus to be triced out of that which so vehemently and with his owne presence hee took care to see effected the preiudice to his Crowne to be defeated of Soueraigne assent the hazard to the State to haue his Enemy a Phillippine and French fauourite the chiefe man ouer his English besides wrongs more particular as both the disgrace to his best-deseruing Counsellour the disloyalty of the Monks first to choose without his licence then to mocke him with a second choice next to beguile him with oaths after to trauaile vpon his excessiue charge and lastly to doe and vndoe all with their periurie With all which so farre the Kings patience surfetted that he beganne on them to disgorge his wrath who with him beganne these affronts proscribing first all those Monkesas Traytors and afterward writing his letters to the Pope with relation of those great wrongs to Himselfe and exceptions to Langton vowing immutably to stand for his own Elect and to die in defence of the Liberties of his Crowne putting the Pope in mind that Rome reapt more gaine from England then from all the Trans-alpine Regions threatning also if he were now crossed in this hee would stoppe all from crossing the Seas to Rome nor would any longer emendicate their forraine Iustice sith his owne Kingdomes so abounded with Bishoppes and learned men of most accomplished perfection in all professions 39 If when this Kings Father vttered some such threats to Gratian the Popes vassall hee then replyed Sir doe not threaten vs for wee feare no menaces because wee are of such a Court as vseth to be imperious ouer Emperours and Kings which as a remarkable Apothegme Baronius sets forth in greater letters we may then guesse how this great Lord of that Court did himselfe brooke such tart salutations Nay the effects bewray it when in his sublimed Reply hee snebs the King for comminatory obraydings and contumacious malepartnesse and threatens him that if he do not by referring himselfe wholy to his good pleasure seeke to deserue his Grace hee should plunge into those difficulties whence hee should hardly euer get forth intimating that himselfe being vnworthy vicegerent to him vnto whom euery knee in Heauen Earth Hell must bow must in the end needs haue the vpper hand and that to resist him is to oppugne God himselfe and his Church for which glorious Becket spilt his bloud These were indeed bloody words to affright the King with expectance of more such blowes and bloody stripes from Rome as had lighted on his Father And hee threatned no more then he acted for thereupon hee sent his doubled Apostolicall command the one general to all the Prelates for submitting and adhering resolutely to Langton the other to some particular Bishops for conuenting the King and Interdicting his whole Kingdome if him they found still contumaciously rebelling Neither was hee more insolent in the command then they in the execution wherby on a day ill suiting so vnchristian an Action this flourishing Church though the King had sworne their banishment and confiscation if they did it was depriued of the very face of Christianity for many ensuing yeeres as if not Innocentius Christs Vicar but Iulian his professed Enemy had mured vp the doores of the Christians Temples for despight of their God 40 But this High-Priest had forgotten what another taught him and a he himsefe sometimes thought about interdicting France for their Kinges offence that better it was one should suffer then a whole Nation perish whereas now for the Kings only crossing the Popes good pleasure God is censured to loose his worshippe and all the People to hazard their soules liuing almost like Infidels without Gods seruice and blessed Sacrament yea and dying like dogges tumbled into euery ditch But what did such wofull effects fasten onely on the Layty The Clergy bare their part too whom the flames of the Kings iustly incensed wrath did so scorch that his Dominions were too hote for their abode for their persons hee proscribed and sent packing to the Pope their reuenewes hee confiscated their Bishoprickes Abbeyes and Priories hee deputed to Laymens custody their women for such as had not wiues had Lemmans were dearely ransomed and euery where they suffered wrongs without ordinary protection of Iustice. Whereof though our vulgar perfunctary Writers produce no other reason but the onely ouerflowing of the Kings gall as if first stirred by some few delinquent Bishops through furious reuenge it ouer-whelmed the whole Clergy yet indeed these were but the due chasticements of their generally disloyall hearts As to instance when the King sent his mandate to S. Albans that not regarding the Popes commaund in the Interdict they should continue the celebration of Gods seruice the Abbot calling his Monkes into the Chapter-house perswaded them to obey God rather then Man meaning the Pope rather then the King and to beare resolutely the Kings anger whom God in due time would bring to an end What maruaile then if the Clergy carried so generally with this streame of a forraine vsurped power against Gods seruice and their Soueraignes godly desire and due authority were likewise generally inuolued in that reward of their disloialty And yet euen in the Clergy many of eminencie detested these cruell and irreligious courses of the Pope Philip the Bishoppe of Duresme and his Successor with the Bishops of Norwich and Winchester heartned the King to contemne the Papall curse the Cicestertian Abbots neglecting the Interdict continued their diuine celebrations till the Pope suspended them for their contempt Alexander Abbot of the Benedictines a Diuine of exquisite learning published in his Sermons that their present calamities were no reproch to their Soueraignes proceedings but due rewards of the Subiects hainous trespasses because kings ought to gouerne yea and strongly bridle all disobedient Subiects whomsoeuer but as for Popes they ought not to intermedle in the ciuill affaires and regiment of any Princes ouer their vassals seeing Peter himselfe receiued no power but onely in matters appertaining to the Church And though the Pope were reuenged on him for his plaine truth and some Monkish humors haue aspersed other such men with bitter reproches yet what may bee thought both of these the Popes courses of such his opposers a late Iesuite no partiall man to Princes sheweth saying that many and godly wise men at that time did wish
King made humble supplications to the Lord Pope that hee would vouchsafe in a touch of pious compassion to support the English Church being at the point of ruine At whose earnest sollicitation the tender-hearted Pope grieuously lamenting the desolation of the Kingdome of England decreed by solemne sentence That King Iohn should bee deposed from his Kingdome and that the Pope should prouide some other who should bee deemed worthyer to succeed To effectuate the former clause Innocentius eagerly pursued the latter sending speedy letters to whom but King Iohns most mortall enemy Philip King of France requiring him to vndertake the labour of the dethroning King Iohn with no lesse reward then pardon for all his sins and enioying of the English Crowne to him and his heires for euer A goodly large patent both for a Spiritual and Temporall Kingdome which more like Mars his Priest then Christs Vicar he meanes to seale with a deluge of Christians bloud For not thus yet satiated hee transmits his Letters generall To all Potentates Souldiers men of warre of all nations to signe themselues with the Crosse and to follow their Captaine Philip for the deiection of King Iohn assuring all that their assistance whether in Person or Contribution shall bee no lesse meritorious then if they visited our Sauiours Sepulchre That this Pope vnder colour of such Crusadoes did formerly cloake his own Auarice his owne Monkes auerre but here hee cloakes therewith both his Pride and a far more sauage vice the thirst not of mens gold but of their bloud In which seruice with King Philip hee vsed the same English Prelates for his Negotiators which were before his Solicitors thereunto with whom also he sent his Factour Pandulph giuing him in priuate secret instructions how to manage euery particular of the whole designe to the most behoofe of the holy See 47 The French King likewise receiuing from the Archbishoppe and his Associates in a councel the Apostolike sentence was very apprehensiue of that imployment whereto not so much the Papall commaund as his owne ancient malignity and the English Barons traiterous requests had prepared him both which he was now willing to maske with the speous pretext of iustice and deuotion Vnder which colors hee had speedily marshalled an immense Army at Roan drew a mighty Nauy richly furnished to the mouth of Seyn al his Dukes Earls Barons Knights souldiers being sūmoned to the exploit vnder pain of hie Treason and disherizing who therforeboth in feare hope of spoile came flocking without number 48 A preparation of so great importance that all Christendom tooke notice of could not long be hidden from King Iohn whose care by reason of his now doubled opposition forrain domestick could be no lesse for his owne and his Kingdoms safety then was his Enemies for impugning both Wherfore his Summons being sent to all his officers both for Sea and land for speedy furnishing both of a Nauie an Army equiualent to encounter so powerfull an Inuasion such innumerable multitudes swarmed to Douer and other harbours for landing that the Chiefe-leaders for want of prouision dismissing the rest encamped at Barham-Downes onely with 60000. choice valiant and well appointed men who if they had carried all one mind and true affection towards their King and safegard of their Country there breathed not any Prince vnder heauen whose assault England had not beene able to repell And being no worse appointed for a Sea-fight his intent was to graple first with the French Fleet making no doubt of sinking them all so secure and confident was he in expectation of all Inuaders In which braue addresse whiles both shores of the Sea are thus belaid with both those Kings puissant Armies the one waiting for the Enemy the other for faire windes and more forces behold Pandulphus the Popes Pragmaticke hauing first desired safe conduct of King Iohn arriues at Douer to put in execution those secret Instructions which his Lord who made his aduantage of the Foxe-skinne as well as of the Lions had expresly prescribed He there vnfoldes to the King the innumerable multitude both of King Philips shippes and of his Souldiers Horse and Foote all in readinesse to passe and yet more expected to follow to bereaue him of his Kingdome by Apostolicall authority and to enioy it himselfe with his Heires for euer That with him were also comming all the English Exiles both Clergy and Lay they by his forces to repossesse their estates maugre the king and hee from them to receiue allegiance as from his sworne Subiects That hee had the fealty of almost all the English Peeres obliged to him by their owne Charters which made him distrustlesse of attayning easily his wished successe which calamities the more vnsufferable because imposed by his insulting enemie and his owne Subiects he might yet euade and retaine his Crowne which by Sentence hee had already lost if penitently hee would submit himselfe to the Churches iudgement Doubtlesse the straites whereinto the King saw himselfe plunged were very dreadfull so many deadly enemies abroad to assault him so few trustie friends at home to guard him which droue him into this sad cogitation that those his perfidious Peeres would now with their followers abandon him in the field or betray him ouer to the Sword of his Enemies Yet not vnlikely other motiues also might forcibly perswade him to relent the remembrance of the Emperour Otho whom this very Pope not without foule blot of Iniustice and Leuity had both eagerly aduanced and furiously dis-empyred the boundlesse furies of the Crusado promulged against him wherewith this Pope vsed to ouerflow as with a mercilesse Ocean all such Princes as withstood his will which once broken in would neuer end but with the end and ruine of all Thus thinking it better to yeeld to the time with assurance both of his Crowne and of the Popes fauour then desperatelie to hazard Life Crowne and all to his immortall foes hee redeemes his safety on such conditions as tiable that with money eyther paid or promised hee might be wrought like waxe and made plyable to all wicked actions Thus hauing the true length of the Popes foot he fittes him accordingly with rich presents and golden promises crauing by such mouing Rhetoricke not his aide onely but his Curse also against the Archbishoppe and Barons who so vncessantly distressed him But Innocentius forward of himselfe without any Motiues to put in vre those his Papall vertues and the execution of his late-vsurped power vpon the first gladsome newes of Englands Vassallage to his See had presently dispatched for England an Agent of greater port then Pandulph a Subdeacon Nicholas Bishoppe of Tusculum with no meaner credence and instructions for preseruing what the Pope had guilefully gotten then Pandulph had to purchase what hee ambitiously gaped
as were vacant alienating them from his estate that hee was onely to be called a King in name rather then for any riches which he had that his Ancestors magnificent Princes abounding in all sorts of worldly glorie and wealth heaped to themselues inestimable treasures out of no other meanes but the Rents and Profites of the Kingdom 31 The King stung with this iust reprehension beganne by their instructions to call the Sheriffes of Shires Baylifes and other his Officers to a strait account for all such receites as appertained to the Exchequor thrusting some out of their places and wringing out of all their full spunges store of coine till hee satisfied himselfe both for the arrerages and interest Out of Ralph Briton Treasurer of his Chamber hee screwzed a thousand pounds and also put him from his place into which by the Bishoppe of Winchesters suggestion who now predominated in Court hee substituted Peter de Oriuail a Poictouine the Bishoppes Nephew or Sonne if Paris say true and so saith hee the Kings coffers otherwise empty and leane were by these means stuffed againe though not to their full surfet For these were but preparatiues to a farther scrutinie and ransacke intended against the Earle of Kent whom vpon the Bishoppes suggestion the King remoued from the Proto-Iustitiarishippe or high office of his Chiefe Iustice and put in his place Sir Stephen Segraue a Knight onely in name Then is a strict and captious account demaunded of the Earle of Kent for all such things as he was in any sort chargeable with as 1. For such receipts or debts as were due to King Iohn or to this King Henry himselfe 2. For the meane profites of such lands as the King was seised of from the day of the death of the first great William Earle of Pembroke his Iustitiar and Marshall whither those lands were in England Wales Ireland or Poictou 3. For such Liberties or free Customes which the King had in Forrests Warrens Counties and else where and how they were kept or alienated 4. For such things as the King lost by Huberts negligence 5. For the wronges and dammages offered to the Romane and Italian Clerks and to the Popes Nuncios against the Kings will by authority of Hubert who would take no order to correct the misdoers as by vertue and nature of his place hee was obliged 6. For the many escuages comming by Carrucages gifts and presents or for the rents of Custodies belonging to the Crowne 32 To all which heades the Earle answered that hee had the Charter of the Kings Father by which hee was freed from giuing any account eyther for things passed or to come and that hee had giuen such proofe of his fidelity vnto King Iohn as he would not endure to heare him make an account Peter Bishoppe of Winchester replyed hereunto that such a Charter after the death of King Iohn had no force and therefore the Fathers Charter and graunt of Priuilege was no reason why he should not stand accountant to the Sonne This defence for money dangers in this sort trauersed or auoyded they labored to draw him in for his head by charging him with sundry Articles sounding treasonable as 1. That Hubert had disswaded the Duke of Austria from matching his Daughter with the King who sought it 2. that he had hindred the King from entring vpon forrain lands to him belonging whereby the King Peeres and People consumed their Treasures vainely 3. that hee had enticed the Daughter of the King of Scots whom King Iohn had entrusted to his custody meaning himselfe to marry her traiterously defiled the noble yong Lady whom he married in hope to bee King of Scotland in her right if shee suruiued her Brother 4. that hee had stolne out of his Iewel-house a precious stone of wonderfull value whose vertue was to make him who had it inuincible in Battle that he gaue that stone to Lewelin prince of Wales the Kings enemie 5. that he by his letters had caused Lewelin to hang William de Breuse 33 The Earle much preplexed with these accusations whither true or false could hardly obtaine a short respite to make his answere Thus that Hubert say the Monkes who for loue of the King and defence of the Kingdome had prouoked the hatred of all the great Lords now being forsaken of the King is left sole and solitarie without friends or comfort Onely Luke Archbishoppe of Dublin neuer fosooke him but with prayers and teares besought the King on his behalfe but could not bee heard against so great opposites on so great pretenses When the cry was thus vp and that the world saw it was no superficiall displeasure into which the Earle was faln with the mutable King there rise forth many accusations sauouring of much malignity round about vpon hope to oppresse bury Hubert vnder them for euer as 1. that he had poisoned the two noble Earles of Salisbury and Pembroke 2. that hee had also procured Falcasius de Brent and Richard Archbishop of Canterbury to be made away 3. that by Sorceries and Enchantments hee had drawne the King to fauour him aboue all other 4. that in the victory gotten against the French by Sea hee forceably tooke many Prisoners from the Kings Sailers and made his benefite of their ransoms contrary to right and that hee had spoiled and disinherited many 5. that hee had without triall vniustly put to death Constantine for which excesse the Citizens of London required iustice against the said Hubert The King hereupon makes Proclamation through the City that all such as could charge Hubert with any wrong should repaire to Court and there receiue immediate redresse This strange course of proceeding did so appale and terrifie the Earle that hee forthwith fled to the Priorie Church of Merton in Surrey where among the Chanons hee sheltered his head for a time 34 The King with his Prelates and Peeres meeting at Lambeth at the day appointed for Huberts answere hee being made to beleeue that the King would put him to a most soule death durst not appeare or peepe forth of his sacred refuge The Londoners were assembled in Armes by the Kinges commaund to the number of about twenty thousand vnder banners displayed to dragge the Earle out of Sanctuary but vpon the Earle of Chesters wiser Counsell the prey was taken out of the hands of a bloudy multitude who mortally hated him for Constantines death and they returned againe to their City The Archbishoppe of Dublin still performing the office of a true friend ouerslips not this occasion and by his importunity obtayned day for Hubert till about Twelfe-tide then next ensuing and the King for his assurance during the Interim giues him letters Patents Hubert thinking himselfe secure for the present is now vpon his way toward his wife at the Abbey of Saint Edmund in Suffolke but his enemies so preuailed by their suggestions
betweene the hammer and the anuile the Scots vpon the one side and these false English on the other all was lamentable and brought in a maner to nothing and this face of things continued there about foure yeeres 32 Neither did the King seeme to haue any will or power to relieue the common calamities but rather to conuert his whole both wits and forces vpon reuenges against the Lords who vnder pretence of their extorted prouisions manifestly withdrew their loues seruice and duties from him wherfore feeling himselfe thus weake and disfurnished he besought the spirituall assistance of Pope Iohn the two and twentieth who thereupon sent certaine Cardinals to set all things in quiet without bloudshed Betweene the King and Earle of Lancaster they established a peace who in a certaine plaine neere Leicester met embraced and kissed each other but when they could not worke the like with the Scots they put that Country vnder Interdict 33 For they as it is the manner of prosperity after the victory at Banocksbourne which clearely got them Scotland did beginne to bethinke themselues of gaining new Empire in Ireland Thither Edward Bruce Brother of King Robert had passed with an Army procuring himselfe to be crowned King thereof by fauour of some of the Irish Nobility whom neuerthelesse about three yeeres from his first entrance the English vnder the conduct of the Archbishoppe of Armagh and of Iohn Lord Brinningham Iusticiar of Ireland valiantly encountred where together with his late vsurped Kingdome hee lost his life There were slaine in that battell many honourable Scots besides the new King Edward and aboue fiue thousand others his head was cut off at Dundalke saith VValsingham but Hector Boetius writes that he was slaine in the battell it selfe Thus did God temper one with another and the iust reioycement which the Scots had conceiued of their so happie victory ouer the English at Banocksbourne was sowred with this losse 34 But King Robert as a most expert and vigilant Prince did not suffer this ioy to continue long to the English for by practise with one Peter Spalding to whom King Edward had entrusted the keeping of Berwicke hee recouered it from the English saith Harding By treatie with Peace Spalding and treason after it had remained twenty yeers in their possession which when King Edward thought to haue wonne againe the Scots diuerted him from the siege with incursions and slaughters of his people in other parts of England not failing much of surprising the Queene in a village not farre from Yorke where she soiourned during the siege at Berwicke the plot being laid and drawne between the Scots and some perfidious English whom King Robert had mouied for that purpose But Spalding after the treason done had the reward of a Traitour for King Robert put him to death 35 To giue some breathings after these so manifold troubles a truce was agreed vpon and confirmed betweene the two Kings of England and of Scotland for the space of two yeeres which brought forth confusion and not refreshment For thus it hapned The King vpon the commendation of the Lords themselues had made Hugh de Spenser Lord Chamberlaine who being at the least of equall insolence vices and ambition to Gaueston so wrought that hee succeeded in short time to all the graces of familiarity and power which euer Gaueston enioyed as in like sort to all his hatred and enuie Hugh his father an ancient Knight the better to strengthen his sonnes courses was likewise imploied and grew in speciall fauour with the King who afterward also created him Earle of Winchester but the father in manners vnlike to the sonne was ruined rather by a naturall tendernesse then any malicious will The sonne as hee was of shape most louely so the verie spirit it selfe of pride and rapine carried him to all sorts of intollerable behauiours and oppressions that Gaueston might with good reason seeme to be wished for againe Against these two who wholy swayed the vnfortunate King Thomas Earle of Lancaster and in a manner all the Barons of the Kingdome who meant the King should loue none but with their leaue did swell with such impatience that not contented with the wast of their lands they neuer rested till by the terror of ciuill Armes those two fauourites father and sonne were banished they thus reuenging vnder publike pretexts both publike iniuries and their owne 36 In all contentions which hapned betweene the King and his Lords Queene Isabel had euer hitherto beene a maker of Peace doing therein worthy offices but the euill starres of the Earles of Lancaster and Hereford would not suffer her to continue any longer so for the Queene being denied lodging one night at the Castle of Leedes in Kent which belonged to the Lord of Badlesmere one of the Earles faction she withdrew her good conceite and was an author to the King of presently reuenging that dishonour who vpon her complaint came in person with many thousand Souldiers before the Castle tooke the Captaine and put both him and all the men therein to shamefull death Moreouer longing to bee righted against the Lords for their late insolencies marched on to Circester taking many Castles and besieging others The Lords who little suspected any such sodaine assaults prouiding in the meane time for their defence 37 Thither repaired to him at his commandement Hugh Spenser the sonne who had houered vpon the Sea expecting from thence the successe of things vpon the land The Lords who had falne from their Soueraignes good conceit and wanting now their wonted Mediatriâ—… the Queene lay open to all the mischiefe which enemies could work them by the King who as taking his regall power and authority to be in danger resolued wisely and manfully to die in the quarrell or to bring the Lords to be at his commandement Meane time the iudgement giuen against the Spensers was reuersed as erroneous and their reuocation decreed at London by the Arch-bishoppe of Canterburie and his Suffragans 38 The Lords not all of a like temper began to misdoubt and many of them forsooke their Chiefe the Earle of Lancaster and rendred themselues to the King or were apprehended among which were the two Rogers Mortimers who were committed to the Tower of London and others to Wallingford Castle The faction weakened by this defection made head in the North vnder the Earle of Lancaster who now was to sight for his life Thither the King marcheth and with the onely shew of his Armie made the Earle to flie from Burton vpon Trent whose forces in their retreat or flight behaued themselues outragiously 39 But Gods heauie displeasure and the Arme of the Kings power left them not so for at Burrowbrigge Humfrey de Bohun was slaine by a Welshman who thrust him into the body with a Speare from vnder the Bridge and the Earle of Lancaster himselfe with other principall men
not without the Bishoppe of Herefords secret approuement as was said tooke him violently away and though he were a Priest thrust him into Newgate where they vsed him so vnhandsomly that albeit they had no accusation but onely for being faithfull to his Soueraigne wherewith to charge him he not long after died in prison to whom saith De la Moore might be applied that of Quintilian Torquentem vincit quisquis occiditur 69 The mournefull King being at Kenelworth Castle there repaired thither the Bishops of Winchester Hereford and Lincolne two Earles two Abbots foure Barons two Iustices three Knights for euery County and for London and other principall places chiefly for the fiue Ports a certaine chosen number selected by the Parliament which then the Queene and her Sonne held at London The Bishops of Winchester and Lincolne as it was agreede vpon came thither before any of the rest aswell to giue the King to vnderstand what kind of Embassage was approaching as to prepare him by the best Arguments they could to satisfie the desire and expectation of their new moulded common-weale which could onely be by resignation of the Crowne that his Sonne whom the body of the then confused State had elected might raigne in his stead 70 When they were admitted to his presence the Earle of Leicester being by they together so wrought him partly with shewing a necessity partly with other reasons drawne out of common places throughly studied for that purpose that though not without many sobs and teares hee finally did not dissent if his answere were truely reported which som doubt of vnto the Parliament For they tolde him that the Common-weale had conceiued so irreconciliable dislikes of his gouernment the particulars whereof had beene opened in the generall assembly at London that it was resolued neuer to endure him as King any longer That notwithstanding those dislikes had not extended themselues so farre as for his sake to exclude his issue but that with vniuersall applause and ioy the Common-weale had in Parliament elected his eldest sonne the Lord Edward for King That it would be a very acceptable thing to God willingly to giue ouer an earthly Kingdome for the common-good and quiet of his Country which they said could not otherwise bee secured That yet his honour should be no lesse after the resignation then it was before onely him the common-weale would neuer suffer to raigne any longer They finally durst tell him that vnlesse hee did of himselfe renounce his Crowne and Scepter the people would neither endure him nor any of his Children as their Soueraigne but disclaiming all homage and fealty would elect some other for King who should not bee of the bloud 71 The whole Company sent by the body of State if it may bee called a Body which then had no Head there from London where it attended their returne being placed by the Bishoppe of Hereford according to their degrees in the Presence Chamber at Kenelworth Castle the King gowned in blacke came forth at last out of an inward roome and presented himselfe to his vassals where as being Priuie to their errand sorrow stroke such a chilnesse into him that hee fell to the earth lying stretched forth in a deadly swown The Earle of Leicester and the Bishoppe of Winchester beholding this ranne vnto him and with much labour recouered the half-dead king setting him vpon his feet As rufull heauy as this sight was we read not yet of any acts or effects of compassion expressed towards him at this present so setled as it seemed was the hatred and auersion The King being now we cannot say come to himselfe but to the sense of his misery the Bishoppe of Hereford declares the cause of their present Embassie and running ouer the former points concludes as before saying as in the person of the common-wealth That the King must resigne his Diademe to his eldest sonne or after the refusall suffer them to elect such a person as themselues should iudge to be most fit and able to defend the Kingdome 72 The dolorous King hauing heard this speech brake forth into sighes and teares and being saith his most fauourable reporter more ready to sacrifice his body for Christs cause then once to behold the disinherison of his sonnes or through his occasion the perpetuall disturbance of the Kingdome as knowing saith he that a good shepheard should giue his life for his flocke made at the last his answere to this effect That hee knew that for his many sinnes hee was falne into this calamity and therefore had the lesse cause to take it grieuously That much he sorrowed for this that the people of the Kingdome were so exasperated against him as that they should vtterly abhorre his any longer rule and soueraignety and therefore he besought all that were there present to forgiue and spare him being so afflicted That neuerthelesse it was greatly to his good pleasure and liking seeing it could none other be on his behalfe that his eldest sonne was so gracious in their sight and therefore hee gaue them thanks for choosing him to be their King 73 This being said there was forthwith a proceeding to the short ceremonies of his resignation which principally consisted in the surrender of his Diadem and Ensignes of Maiesty to the vse of his son the new King Thereupon Sir William Trussel as being a Iudge who could fit them with quirks of law to colour so lawlesse and treasonable a fact on the behalfe of the whole Realme renounced all homage and alleagiance to the Lord Edward of Caernaruon late King 74 The forme of that renunciation as being obsolete you shall haue in the like obsolete words of Treuisa which was this I William Trussel in name of all men of the land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator resigne to thee Edward the homage that was made to thee sometime and from this time forward now following I defie thee and prine thee of all royall power I shall neuer be tendant to thee as for King after this time Which being done Sir Thomas Blunt Knight Steward of the houshold by breaking his staffe resigned his office and declared that the late Kings family was discharged 75 Edward being thus dekinged the Embassie rode ioyfully backe to London to the Parliament with the resigned Ensignes and dispatch of their employment Here for that this seems the last houre of his raigne and kingly state wee will make a stop referring you for the rest to the next Kings life vnder whose name and abused authority they were acted 76 Notwithstanding wee may not forget in all these doings to call to mind who it was that sate at the helme of State ouerlooking and ouerswaying Queene Prince and all to wit the most ambitious and vindicatiue man liuing Roger Lord Mortimer of Wigmor for as for the Queene when
dammages for a prime man among them the Lord William Dowglasse was taken prisoner by the English not without losse of many his men Before which time by no honourable meanes the new King of Scotland was driuen to seeke his safety by flight into England 27 King Edward considering those foiles which his father had endured and the oportunity of the time neither holding himselfe lyable in honour to that contract made on his behalfe by the predominant sway of his mother and her Paramour Mortimer as wherein hee tooke both himselfe and the rights of his Crowne to haue beene wronged in his minority which in point of gouernement hee was more bound to respect then his Sisters estate and for that hee was informed that the Towne and Castle of Berwicke belonged to the Crowne of his Realme hee raised his power and hauing with him Edward the new-crowned of Scotland hee laid siege to that Towne and Castel in May. But before hee did this there is who writes that he summoned his brother in law King Dauid to doe homage and fealty vnto him which when Dauid would not yeeld to doe nor confesse hee ought no more then his father King Robert hee made that a ground for the iustice of his warre as reputing the Acts and releases at Northampton void 28 To the rescues of Berwicke Archimbald Dowglas Earle of Angus Gouernour of Scotland for King Dauid came with a puissant Army and gaue King Edward battell at Halydon-hill where with a lamentable slaughter of his people he was vanquished and slaine This battell deuoured in a manner all the remainders of the Scottish Nobles which preserued it selfe at Dupline by retrait or by absence from that field There perished besides Archimbald the Earles of Ros Sutherland and Carricke three sonnes of the Lord Walter Steward whose issue afterward raigned in Scotland when warre and death had made way to that line by extirpation of the Male-Competitors in the races of Bruce and Baliol and at least foureteene thousand others with the losse say some of one Knight and ten other Englishmen Our Writers affirm that the Scots were at this battell threescore thousand strong and that there were slaine eight Earles 1500. horsemen and of the common Souldiers fiue and thirty thousand which is not improbable for so much as Hector confesseth they were stopped in their flight and put to the sword vpon all sides without mercy 29 Hereupon Berwicke was rendred which the King of England detained as a supposed parcell of his Patrimony and dismissed the Baliol to the gouernment of the Scottish Kingdome with sundrie Lords and others of the English And now the bloudie tallies and cruell scores seemed euen betweene the two puissant though then vnkind neighbour-Nations and Edward throughly redeeemed the dishonour sustained at Banocksbourn by his late father deliuering his younger yeeres from that contempt in which his enemies might otherwise haue holden him as they had done at the entrance of his raign playing vpon the English with Truffes and Rounds of which this one is euery where noted Long beards heartlesse Painted hoods witlesse Gay coates gracelesse make England thriftlesse 30 As for the subornation of poisoning Earle Thomas Randal and the hanging of Sir Alexander Setons two sonnes contrarie to faith and law of Arms at Berwicke with the like staines which one would faine leaue vpon this victorious Prince wee haue found no colour of warrant but his owne liberty of auouching which therfore our freedome of not beleeuing him shall as easily take away and cancell Neither would wee so farre haue touched this iarring string of discord betweene these two Nations but that each out of their owne harms of old may haue the more true sense of their felicity by their new harmonicall concordance 31 After that the Nobles of Scotland had vnanimously confirmed Baliol in the kingdome thereof and sworne vnto him faith and allegiance at Perth hee repaired to the King of England at Newcastle vpon Tine where hee submitted to Edward King of England as his Father had done to Edward the first and with the like successe for by occasion of such his submission our Writers say the Scots as before they had done fell off againe Which auersion or defection was augmented vpon priuate quarrels and titles of inheritance to lands of great value betweene powerfull Competitors and by other particular reuenges to which a people so continually exercised in fight and battels were not slowlie prone 32 Notwithstanding all which the Balliols party hauing once had all the Holds of Scotland at their commandement fiue onely excepted Dumbritaine Loughâ—…ijm Kildrummie Vrwhart and the pile of Lowdon Edward king of England hauing with him the Balliol and a sufficient Army preuailed so much that there was no appearance of rebellion whereupon hee tooke backe with him the Lord Edward Balliol late crowned king of Scotland of whose sted fastnes hee was saith Hector alwaies iealous returned leauing Dauid Cuâ—…in Earle of Athol gouernour for the parts beyond the Scottish sea with sufficient force and authority as was iudged to take in such strengthes as yet stood out but needed not his royall power or presence for their expugnation 33 The King of England hoping now that all was well there had newes brought vnto him not long after at the Parliament at London that the Scots were out in Armes againe whereupon hee obtaines aid of money from his Subiects for repressing their attempts promising to goe against them in person The Lord Robert Stewart sonne of the Lady Mariorie Bruce daughter of King Robert vpon whose line the remainder of the Crown of Scotland had beene estated was the man that first lifted vp the head of his Country in this dangerous sad and desolate condition though put into action vpon a priuate iniurie done vnto him by the Earle of Athol to whom diuers did adhere though the quarrel seemed properly to be the said L. Roberts for that if the Bruces were cut off his hopes perished in them The Earle of Murray and he were then chosen gouernours for King Dauids party but by reason of the diligence and power of Dauid Earle of Athol they were not able as yet to conuene or effect any thing against the English neuerthelesse it was not long before they slew the said Earle Dauid At this Parliament the King of England purposed to goe vpon his owne charge into the Holy-Land and to send the Archbishoppe of Canterbury to deale with Philip de Valois King of France for appointing a certaine time wherein they two with their vnited forces might take their voyage thither from which the desire of obtaining the Crowne of France vpon the fore-mentioned title did quickly diuert him 34 Mean-while in accomplishment of the Parliaments expectation King Edward after Michaelmas marched againe into Scotland with an Armie and sent his Nauie to the Forth
The Sea-Force wherof spoyled the Coasts on both sides of the Forth or Scottish Sea and putting on land in Saint Colms they spoyled the Abbey which Sacrilege Hector notes was seuerely punished the whole Fleete being battered with tempest and some of the ships perishing At another time also the like sacrilege being perpetrated there hee saith that the shippe wherein the vnlawfull prize was sunke sodainely to the Sea-ground without any tempest The King himselfe comming to Perth to order the Scottish affaires whiles hee abode there the Earle of Murray one of the Gouernors was taken Prisoner who was after deliuered vpon Exchange for the Earle of Namur whō the Scots by like Art had taken or as Hector wil haue it for the Earle of Salisbury 35 By the mediation of the French the Scots had a short truce granted them But about the end of May the King sent his cosen the Lord Henry sonne to Henry Earle of Lancaster with a great Army to the aid and seruice of the Lord Edward Balliol King of Scotland which wasted all the Countries about Perth where while they lay the King with a very small Company came sodainely vnto them and from thence pierced farther one way then euer his Grandfather Edward had done suffering fire death the common furies of warre to worke vpon all that might suffer destruction to establish a Conquest Hee marcht vp as farre as Elgin and Buquhan and in his return to Marre burnt the Towne of Aberden in reuenge for Sir Thomas Rosselin a Knight whom the Townes-men thereof had slaine The Lord Robert Steward had great landes in those parts for Murrey and Buquhan were his which also the young Prince Edward many Earles and great Captaines with a gallant Company of men of war sailed to Antwerpe whom Lewis the Emperour met at the City of Colein where amity was confirmed and King Edward was constituted his Lieutenant with full authority to gouerne in his name on this side Colein By reason of which Vicegerencie King Edward made out his commandements and did many things to his aduantage and profit Howsoeuer it neither lasted long for Lewis within a while dishonourably reuoked it and did vndoubtedlie scarce quit the cost for the brauery of that meeting was so exceeding great as Edward easily wan the general opiniō of a very noble puissant king Polydor writes that Edward refused not the office yet would not exercise the same because he would not displease Pope Benedict whose enemy the Bauarian was 49 This Emperour whom belike the Pope hated for being as proud as himselfe tooke it ill as report went that the King of England humbled not himselfe at their meeting to the kisse of his foot But it was answered that the King of England was a King annointed and had life and member in his power and therefore ought not to submit himselfe so much as an other King that was not annointed After his returne to Antwerpe with his new power hee seriously prosecuted his affaire of confederation with the Lords and people of Dutchland among whom with great loue and fauour he and his royall family abode aboue an whole yeere The principall Nobles which entred into this league against the French were these The Archbishoppe of Colein Prince Elector The Duke of Brabant The Duke of Gelderland who had married the Lady Isabel King Edwards owne sister and about this season was of an Earle created a Duke The Marquesse of Gulick c. And finally the Hanse townes 50 The Flemings being the most necessary part of this association in regard of their neerenes to the French would not engage themselues in an offensiue warre against the Crowne of France vnlesse King Edward would first assume the Title and Armories of that Realme as the onely lawfull King therof This Proposition was throughly debated and the law of Armes allowing it hee with the common assent of the Flemings and others tooke the Stile and quartered the Flower de Lize with the Leopards or Lions of England as here we see annexed albeit wee see his former Seale also adorned with two Lize or Lillies whether in token of his mothers French descent or as a couert note of his own right to the Frenchcrown it is vncertaine 51 Polydor Virgil must haue a warie and fauourable Reader or hee will bee thought to bee of opinion that William the Conqueror bare his Leopards quartered then which nothing is more vntrue nor more vnlikely Others againe may suppose that we haue not here described them according to their right bearing as certainly according to their present bearing wee haue not but the truth is the golden Lillies of France which now are borne in triangle were in those dayes born and aduanced Semi 52 And whereas the Armories of France are placed here in the dexter and more honorable quarter yet there are probabilities that it was not so at this their first coniunction For in the* Seale of Queen Isabel this King Edwards mother the Armories of England as being the Armories of the husbands line and therefore to haue precedence were marshalled where now the Flower de Luces shine But whether to gratifie the French or because that was the more ancient and greater Monarchie they were in this Kings raigne disposed as here we see 53 When King Edward had thus assumed the Title and Armes of that Realme hee published the same vnder his seale setting the name of England first and sent his Letters Patents to the frontiers of the enemies Dominions fixing them vpon the dores of Churches aswell to declare the right and reason of his doings as to exempt such from the danger of the comming storme who vpon this notice would acknowledge him their Lord and rightfull Soueraigne These proclamations or admonishments thus diuulged he burnt and spoiled the North parts of France vp as farre as Turwin though the time of the yeere were very vnseasonable and contenting himselfe therewith for a beginning gaue place to the sharpenesse of Winter returning to the Queen his wife at Antwerpe where hee kept a roiall Christmas In which City this yeere was Lionel afterward Duke of Clarence borne 54 His affaires growing ripe in those parts he leaues his Queene and Children in Brabant as an assured pledge of his returne and about Candlemas shippes himselfe for England where in a Parliament at Westminster he obtained liberall aids for supportation of his intended Conquest In lieu of which louing assistances hee granted a generall large pardon both for trespasses and of all Aides for making his sonne Knight and for marriage of his daughter during all his time forgiuing also all arrerages of Farmers and Accountants till the tenth yeer of his Raigne and all old debts due to any of his Predecessors Finally hee confirmed that famous Magna Charta and of the Forest with some other 55 There was no talke now but of conquering France
reuenge was not without wonder prohibited so to doe by letters from the King that is from such as were about the King 16 But how coldly soeuer the publike affaires were followed the want of money for supplies was still pretended And therefore in a Parliament holden at Northampton was granted to the King a generall supplie of money the pretended occasion of monstrous mischiefe which followed by reason of a clause in that grant of Subsidie that euery one of ech sexe being aboue a certain age should pay by the head or per Pol as they call it twelue pence 17 The English Cheualry began now againe to display it selfe farre off to gratifie the priuate ends of Iohn Duke of Lancaster who claimed the Crown of Castile and Leon in right of Constance his wife For Iohn King of Portugal had a defensiue warre against Iohn then King of Castile who challenged the Crowne of Portugall in right of Beatrix his wife by whom hee had no issue the onely daughter of Ferdinand king of Portugall which this other Iohn a bastard sonne of Ferdinands had by faction vsurped There were sent to his aide the Lord Edmund de Langley Earle of Cambridge the Kings vncle and sundry Knights and others of good experience with an Armie These arriuing in Portugall valiantly defended the same for about two yeeres and were the chiefe cause of giuing the Spaniards an ouerthrow in battell where they lost ten thousand men At last the two Kings agreeing together bare the charges of conueighing home the English in common that their Countries might bee freed from them being both alike iealous of their puissance In this time Edward sonne to the Earle of Cambridge vncle to Richard king of England married the daughter of the king of Portugall but afterward neither would the Earle leaue his sonne behind as suspecting the Portugeses faith nor the other entrust his daughter to the Earle so as they remained disioined in body howsoeuer vnited by Ceremonie 18 Not long after the time of that Earles imployment into Spaine there fell out accidents which doe plainely conuince their error to bee great who thinke that any madnesse is like that of an armed vngouerned multitude whereof these times by a kind of Fate proper to childrens raigne gaue a most dangerous document The extreme hatred borne by the people to Iohn Duke of Lancaster calling himselfe king of Castile and Leon and the discontentment taken at an extraordinary taxe leuied per Pol vpon all sorts of people who were aboue sixteene yeers of age which as all other the euils of the time they imputed to the Duke the maner being to count them the authors of euils who are supposed to haue the greatest power of doing them moued the enraged multitudes vpon slight and small beginnings to runne together in so fearefull a Torrent that it seemed the King and kingdome were sodainely falne vnder their most wicked fury There were in this most rebellious insurrection the Commons and Bondmen who aspiring by force to a free manumission principally those of Kent and Essex whose example was followed in the Neighbour Shires of Surrey Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge and other places by incredible heards and droues of like qualified people who specially in Norfolke forced sundry principall Gentlemen to attend them in their madding 19 They of Kent embattelled themselues vnder two Banners of Saint George and about threescore and tenne Penons vpon Blacke-heath by Greenewich and from thence came to London where the generality of people inclining to them they are masters The Priory of S. Iohns without Smithfield they kept burning for about seuen dayes and the goodlie Palace of the Sauoy belonging to the Duke with all the riches therein they consumed by fire in a kind of holy outrage for they threw one of their fellowes into the flame who had thrust a peece of stolne plate into his bosome The Rebels of Essex came to Lambeth burnt all the Archbishops goods and defaced all the Writings Rowls Records and Monuments of the Chancerie as hauing a speciall hatred to the Lawyers little to their disgrace for that they shared herein with good men also whom they hated But their desperate wickednesse extended it selfe beyond the spoile of houses and substance laying bloudy hands vpon the most eminent and worthy men in the kingdome for that they had disswaded the King to put himselfe into their hands at Greenwich where hee talked with them out of his Barge and thereby had their maine designe disappointed Simon Tibald Archbishoppe of Canterburie and Chancellour of England a right worthy Prelate and Sir Robert Hales a Knight of high courage Lord Prior of Saint Iohns and Treasurer of England with others they without respect to the Maiestie of the King or priuiledge of their most honourable dignities most barbarously murthered by beheading them vpon Tower-Hill among infernall showtes diuelish yels For the Tower it selfe from whence they had haled them the young King being there in person was open to their execrable insolencies Neither doth the authority of Polyd. Vergil affirming that they were not haled forth but onely stayed by the Rebels to whom hee saith they were sent induce vs rather to credite him then Authors liuing about those very times There was no little store of other innocent bloud shed by them in these tumults Nor was the Kings own person without manifest perill against whose life they had damnably conspired It were long to reckon vppe the kinds of such villanies as they wrought but endlesse to recount the particulars The common Annals set forth this whole Tragicall businesse very diligently 20 They had many Captaines of mischiefe but two principall Wat Tyler of Maidstone in Kent whom Walsingham pretily cals the Idoll of Clownes and Iacke Straw who together had followers to the number as they were estimated of about one hundreth thousand and at one Sermon made to them by Iohn Ball Walsingham saith there were about twise as many Their Petitions were full of pride and malice but easily granted by the King the necessity of the times extorting them They had a Chaplaine as gracelesse as themselues one Iohn Ball an excommunicated Priest who with his wicked doctrine nourished in them their seditious furies to his own iust destructiō in the end but when a great multitude accepting the Kings mercy were gone Wat Tyler and his Campe departed not but vpon pretence of disliking the Articles of peace sought to winne time till he might put into full execution his incredible Treasons which as Iacke ◅traw at the time of his execution confessed were vpon that very night of the day wherein Wat Tyler was slain to murder the King and chiefe men and to erect petty Tyrannies to themselues in euery shire and already one Iohn Littistar a Dyer in Norwi◅h had taken vpon him at Northwalsham in Norfolke the name of the King of the Commons and Robert Westbroome in Suffolke to whom Iohn
by the Duke of Bury one of the French Kings vncles to frustrate this enterprize he alleaged that the King of England had mustred ten thousand horsemen and one hundreth thousand Archers for his defence whereas the Admirall Iohn de Vienna affirmed that hauing seene the forces of the English they were but eight thousand horsemen and threescore thousand foot and he might well say hauing seene for though Aemylius bring him in speaking to the French King and vaunting that he had encountred them yet nothing is truer then that the English returned out of Scotland without the least offer of battell The Admirall was willing indeed to haue fought but when he saw our Armie from the hil-tops his furie gaue place to reason 50 While the Armie was vpon the way toward Scotland the Kings halfe-brother the Lord Iohn Holland wickedly slew the Lord Stafford sonne to the Earle of Stafford not farre from Yorke being vpon his iourney to the Queene whose fauoured Knight he was For which heinous homicide the King seised vpon his whole estate denying to his mothers most earnest praiers any pardon or grace for his brother Which was to her so greeuous that within fiue or sixe daies after shee gaue vp the Ghost at Wallingford The young Lord tooke Sanctuary at Beuerley and the King by his iustice herein wanne the hearts of the said Earle of Stafford the Earle of Warwick the Lord Basset and other great men of Staffords kindred and friends neither did this empeach at all the present voyage 51 The Scots and French in Scotland seeing themselues vnable to withstand such forces had so retired themselues and all their goods that when the English should come they as Walsingham pleasantly saith could see no quicke things left but onlie Owles That which was greene in the fields the horses deuoured or trampled down yet such harme as the materials of buildings were capable of was done Edenburgh also and the noble Abbey of Mailrosse were fired The Duke of Lancaster perswaded the King to march beyond the Frith or Scottish Sea as his great Ancestors had done to seeke out his enemies but he very suspicious that the Duke gaue him this counsell with a purpose to betray him to destruction by famine and want which he was there to looke for expressed much displeasure and returned The Dukes wordes notwithstanding and behauiour were tempered with much duty and modesty but that would not serue till the Lords peeced their affections together by intercession in the best manner the time would suffer But the English host was scarce returned and discharged when the Scots and French sodeinely powred themselues forth vpon our Countrey and did whatsoeuer hurt the shortnes of time in their incursion could permit 52 To resist and endammage the French there were appointed Admirals for the narrow Seas the Master of Saint Iohns and Sir Thomas Percie Knight the Earle of Northumberlands brother who did nothing worthy their fame or place Only the Townesmen of Portsmouth and Dart maund forth a few ships at their owne perill and charge wherewith entering the riuer of Sein vpon which the renowned Citties Roan and Paris are situated suncke some of their enemies ships tooke others and among them one of Sir Oliuer de Clisson's the goodliest that France had The successe answered their hopes and they were enriched with the spoiles of their aduersaries whom thus they compelled to beare the charge of their proper mischiefe 53 Meanewhile that the French lay at Sluse attending the approch of their kings vncle the Duke of Burie who fauoured not this enterprize of inuasion but sought aswell by delaies as by perswasion and authority to make it frustrate they of Gaâ—…t had gotten the Towne of Dam by the good liking of the Inhabitants to whom the French gouernment was odious For recouery whereof the French King drew his armie prepared against England to the siege of Dam which the same being first secretlie abandoned after a moneths siege and many repulses giuen to the French was by him recouered This and other things did so protract the great expedition intended that after wast of infinite treasure Charles returned home without hauing seene England which was by these meanes most graciouslie freed by God from so dangerous and greatly-feared an impression But that the English might the better endure the same Iohn King of Portugall hauing lately in a great and bloodie battell where some of the English deserued well of him ouerthrowne the Castilians and thereby setled his estate sent into England sixe Gallâ—…ys throughly well appointed for Sea-seruice though as God would there was no need of them 54 Of those French which after the Cloude of warre at Sluce was dispersed into ayte passed ouerland into their Countreys many were taken and slaine by the Gauntiners Their nauie was not lesse vnfortunate for at one time the English of Callis tooke of them eighteene and the rage of weather brake and sunke diuers so that this Brauado was not onely costly to the French by reason of the charges but hurtfull in the losse of time men shippes and hoped glorie Such are the euents of humane enterprises where God is not pleased to giue successe The English thus deliuered from feare make a road into France out of Callis and with a prey of foure thousand sheepe and three hundreth head of great cattell besides an hundreth good prisoners returned safe to their Garrison 55 The multitude of memorable things which present themselues to vs in the liues of our English Monarches is such that if wee did not vse choise and in their relation breuity wee should not relieue our Readers of that molestation with which the vaste volumes of former labours doe oppresse the memorie The Laitie at the Parliament now holden at London had yeelded to aide the King with a Fifteenth vpon condition that the Clergie should succour him with a Tenth and an halfe against which vniust proportion William de Courtney Archbishop of Canterbury most stifly opposed alleadging that the Church ought to bee free nor in any wise tâ—… bee taxed by the Laitie and that himselfe would rather die then endure that the Church of England the liberties whereof had by so many free Parliaments in all times and not onely in the raign of this King been confirmed should be made a bond-maide This answere so offended the Câ—…mons that the Knights of the Shires and some Peeres of the land with extreme fury besought That Temporalities might bee taken away from Ecclesiasticall persons saying that it was an Almesdeed and an Act of Charity so to doe thereby to humble them Neither did they doubt but that their petition which they had exhibited to the King would take effect Hereupon they designed among themselues out of which Abbey which should receiue such a certaine summe and out of which another I my selfe saith a Monke of Saint Albans heard one of those Knights confidently sweare that hee
both by Clergy and Laity Hereupon the Lord Henry Percy Hotspur who had redeemed himself was called from his charge at Callis and made Warden of the Marches against Scotland Thomas Moubray Earle of Nottingham succeeding in the Captaineship of Calys The Dukes chargefull emploiment in France bare no other flower then a yeeres short truce 89 The Kings wants still encreasing with his imploiments the Londoners carried away with euill counsell did a thing most vnworthy of their Citie and themselues and it might to them haue proued as hurtfull as it was vnworthy at such time as the King desired the loane but of one thousand pounds which was not onely churlishly denied but a certaine Lumbard honestly offering to lend the same was badly vsed beaten and almost slain Their liberties for that and other disorders are seised and their proper Magistracy dissolued Guardians being giuen them first Sir Edward Dallinging then Sir Baldwin Radington and their Maior and some chiefe Citizens layed in prisons farre off from London The punishment brought the fowlenesse of their errors to their sight but by the Duke of Glocesters intercessions who did not vnwillingly lay hold vpon such occasions of popularity the king and Queene are wonne to enter the City which gaue them triumphall entertainement The sea is not sodainely calmed after a tempest neither a Princes anger By degrees yet and not without deare repentance they were at last restored to their former condition in all points 90 The king declaring his purpose to crosse into Ireland had an aide of money conditionally granted foure yeeres truce by the trauaile of the two Dukes of Lancaster and Glocester being concluded in France This yeere was farther notable for many great Funerals Constance Dutchesse of Aquitaine and Lancaster a Lady of great Innocency and deuotion the Countesse of Derby her daughter in law Isabel the Dutchesse of Yorke and a Lady noted for too great a finenesse and delicacy yet at her death shewing much repentance and sorrow for her loue to those pestilent vanities left this present life But all the griefe for their deaths did in no sort equall that of the kings for the losse of his owne Queene Anne which about the same time hapned at Sheene in Surrey whom he loued euen to a kind of madnesse but Ladies onely died not for Sir Iohn Hawkwood whose cheualrie had made him renowned ouer the Christian world did in this yeere depart an aged man out of this world in Florence where his ashes remaine honoured at this present with a stately Tombe and the statue of a Man at Armes erected by the gratitude of that State and City which chiefly by his conduct courage and valour to this day admired amongst them was preserued The Italian Writers both Historians and Poets highlie celebrating his matchlesse prowesse enstyle him Anglorum decus decus addite genti Italicae Italico prasidiumque Solo. Englands prime honour Italies renowne Who vpheld all Italie from sinking down But the Duke of Lancaster hauing all things ready sets saile to Burdeaux there with the consent of the State to take possession of his lately granted Dutchie 91 The King doth the like for Ireland where that sort of the Irish which are called the wild had greatly inuested the English Pale and other good Subiects there to the great dammage of the Crown of England In the times of Edward the third Ireland yeelded to the kings coffers thirty thousand pounds yeerly but now things were so grown out of order that it cost the King thirty thousand Marks by yeere To reduce the rebellious himselfe conducts thither an Armie attended vpon by the Duke of Glocester the Earles of March Nottingham and Rutland all the Irish being commanded to auoid out of England The terror of the preparatiōs shining presence of a king which aboue al worldly things is pleasāt to the Irish had such effects that sundry great men were compelled to submit themselues To supply the Kings wants growne in the Irish expedition Edmund D. of Yorke the Kings vncle and Custos or Warden of England called a Parliament at London whither the Duke of Glocester repaired to declare the Kings wants and hath contributions granted Neuerthelesse so strong a party against the Clergy Fryarly abuses of those times discouered it selfe therein that the Archbishop of Yorke the Bishop of London and others prest ouer Sea to the King at Dublin beseeching him to returne the sooner to represse the Lollards so called they the embracers of Wicliffes doctrine and their fauourers who sought not onely as they vntruly pretended to wring away all the possessions of the Church but that which was worse to abrogate and destroy al Ecclesiasticall constitutions whereas they aimed onely at the redresse of exorbitancy in the Papal Clergy The King hereupon returnes by whose arriuall and authority those consultations of the Laity were laid downe Sir Richard Storie a seruant of his had been forward against the Prelates of him therefore hee takes an oath vpon the holy Gospell that he should not hold such opinions any longer The Knight takes that oath and we saith the King doe sweare that if thou doest breake it thou shalt die a most shamefull death The rest hearing the Lion roare so terribly drew in their hornes and would be seen no more 92 The King caused the body of the late Duke of Ireland to bee brought into England His exceeding loue to him was such that he commanded the Cypresse chest wherein his body lay embalmed to bee opened that hee might see view handle and openly expresse his affection The dead remaines of that noble young Gentleman by his birthright Earle of Oxford and by race a Vere were buried at the Priorie of Coln in Essex there being present the King himselfe the Countesse Dowager of Oxford the Dukes mother the Archbishoppe of Canterburie with many Bishops Abbots and religious persons but few of the Lords for they had not as yet digested the hate they bare him 93 The Duke of Lancaster was this while in Aquitaine where he had sought to winne the people with incredible largesse to accept of his Soueraignty according to the tenor of King Richards grant Little did he then thinke that within lesse then sixescore and three yeeres after an Ambassador of King Henry the 8. should write thus of Burdeaux it selfe the Capitall City of Gascoign and Guien Anglorum nulla ferè vestigia remanent c. There are saith that learned Gentleman scarse any foot-prints of the Englishmen remaining In the Churches and other places newly refreshed and reedified such Armories of the English as stood were vtterly blotted and defaced yet in the Church of the Fryers Preachers the Armories of the Duke of Lancaster stand entire in a Glasse-window and in the oldest wall of the City those also of England though consumed in a manner with age The Lawes Statutes and Ordinations which were
Isabell his mother the Prince of Orange likewise came thither vnto Henry but because he required an Oath of him as a subiect of France he went away displeased saying he was a free Prince and ought neither obedience to England nor France At which time the Parisians with more respect of their owne safety committed their City vnto K. Henries deuotion who deputed his brother Clarence though Count Saint Paul with his French displeased Gouernour thereof and put Garrisons into the Bastile of S. Anthonie the Lowre and the Hostill de Nesle During this siege mandatory letters were sent by King Charles into Picardy to put all places that held for him in those quarters into Henries possession and to take the Oath of their obedience vnto him as to the only heire Successor Regent and Gouernour of France the execution whereof was committed to the Count of Saint Paul the Bishops of Therouenne and Arras the Vidame of Amiens the Lord of Vendueill the Gouernour of Lisle Pierre Marigny Aduocate of the Parliament and George Ostend the Kings Secretary beginning thus Charles par le Grace de Dieu c. 60 The distresse of Melun was wonderfull great aswell vpon the seegers as defendants the one afflicted and their troupes sore weakened with mortality the other oppressed with famine and other defects incident to a long indured siege In this State eighteene weekes were spent and more had beene but that the English were supplied with souldiers out of Picardie whose colours displaied a farre off put the Towne in hope of reliefe as sent from the Daulphin but vpon their neerer approach Melun was rendred by these capitulations 1. That the Towne and Castle should be deliuered to the King 2. That aswell the men of warre as the Burgesses should submit themselues to King Henry to be dealt with as pleased the King 3. That all such as should be found guilty of the Duke of Burgundies murder should suffer death 4. That all the rest of the souldiers should be receiued to mercy but to be prisoners vntill they put in good caution for their true obedience in after times 5. That the Natiues of France should be sent home to their owne Countreys 6. That all the moueables and Armes in the Towne should bee carried into the Castle 7. That all the Prisoners they hadtaken either before or during the siege should be enlarged ransome-free and acquitted of their promises 8. That for the performance of these Articles 12. of the principall Captaines and 6. of the wealthiest Burgesses should deliuer themselues in hostage 9. That all the English and Scots should be deliuered to Henry and left at his disposition These things accorded an English Garrison was put into Melun commanded by Pierre Varrolt Pierre de Burbon Seigneur de Preaux and valiant Barbason with sixe hundred Prisoners of quality were sent with a strong guard vnto Paris The guilties of Burgundies murder were all of them put to death amongst whom were two Monkes and Bertrand de Chartmont a Gascoigne a man in great fauour with King Henry for that he at King Henries entry into Melun had conuaied thence one Amenion de Lau who was proued guilty of Burgundies death The Duke of Burgundy himselfe as also Clarence earnestly labored with King Henry for Bertrands pardon but the King though much grieued and protesting that he had rather haue lost 50000. Nobles yet was resolued he should die for example to all such as should dare to offend vpon presumption of their nearenes and grace with their Princes 61 Melun being rendred and these things thus disposed the two Kings with their Queenes most honorablie attended returned to Paris before whose entrance the Citizens and Students met them in most solemne manner hauing beautified the City with flagges streamers and rich hangings throughout the streetes where they should passe The two Kings rode together vnder a rich Canopie Henry vpon the left hand next vnto whom followed the Dukes of Clarence and Bedford and vpon their left hand the Duke of Burgundy clad all in blacke the Princes and Nobles of either Nation mingled together in their degrees the Clergy with processions and their venerable reiiques going before them to Nostre dame Church and the next day the two Queenes entred the City with as great a shew King Henries Pallace was prepared in the Loure which was most rich and magnificent and Charles his Court in the Hostel of Saint Paul being but homely and meane for saith Millet young Henry commanded all and his brethren exercised supreme authority whiles olde Charles stood as a Cypher and the French Nobilitie had nothing to doe 62 During the two Kings abode here a great Assembly was called as well of the Spiritualty as of the secular Nobilitie in whose presence in the great Hall of the Hostell a State for Iustice was prepared where the two Kings sitting as supreme Iudges vnder one Cloath of estate the Court was furnished with Princes and Officers in most solemne wise Before whom Nicolas Rollin aduocate from the Duke of Burgundy and the Dutchesse his mother craued audience and had it granted vnto an inuectiue and long Oration against Charles Visconte Narbone Tanneguy Barbason and others for the cruell murther of Iohn Duke of Burgundy and not only that the murtherers might be accordingly executed but withall that a Church might be founded and furnished with sacred Ornaments for twelue Channons sixe Chaplaines and sixe Clerkes to pray for his soule for euer euery Chanon to haue yeerely two hundred pound Paris money euery Chaplen one hundred and euery Clerke fifty to be leuied vpon the Lands of the Daulphin and his associates in the murder that the same foundation should be engrauen vpon the Porch thereof and the like inscription set vp publikely in the Cities of Paris Rouen Graunt Diion Saint Iames of Compostella and Ierusalem This motion was seconded by a Doctor of Diuinity appointed by the Rector of the Vniuersity who concluded with an humble request to the King and those Princes that iustice might be done Whereunto the Chancellor of France in the behalfe of King Charles promised that no endeuour on his part should bee lacking and thereupon caused his sonne to be solemnely called to the Marble-Table to answere his accusation by the name of Charles Duke of Touraine and Daulphin de Vienne which done three seuerall times and he not appearing by arrest of the same Court of Parliament he was banished the Realme and iudged vnworthy to succeed in any of the Seignories as well present as to come But the Daulphin appealed from this sentence to God and his sword and still was the same though his fortunes were changeable Mounsieur de Barbason was vehemently accused to haue his hand in the murder and therefore King Henrie accordingly gaue sentence on him to suffer to death but he in open Court defended himselfe not to
his aspiring wings Ireland is in tumult Thither the Duke passeth and not only appeaseth the disorder of that Nation but wan such fauour among them as could neuer be separated from him and his linage Thus diligently the Pioner makes his mines into the quiet and felicity of his Countrey calling his cause the quarrell of right and iustice as pretending that the Crowne of England appertained to his name and familie 46 But the odor of this vile successe in France comming into England filled mens hearts and senses with great perturbation The Queene and Suffolke suffer obloquie for these effects in the generall iudgement The common wealth is not silent A Parliament is called to be holdē at Westminster which from thence was assigned to be kept at Leicester The place likes not few appeare It is brought backe to Westminster There the whole body of publike counsell meetes Many Articles are exhibited by the lower house against the Duke of Suffolke wherein hee is charged with euill demeanor misprision and treason who thereupon is committed prisoner to the Tower from thence within fowre or fiue weeks hee is discharged which more augmented the generall indignation then his commitment had ministred satisfaction The perilous Duke of Yorke warms himselfe at these blazes and vnderhand cherisheth them as opportunity wil permit hauing his cunning factors and instruments fitte for such occasions secretly spread ouer the Realme to instill the poysons of discontentment and desire of change into the giddie multitude When wee reade in our vulgar Chronicles that about this time Adam Molins Bishoppe of Chichester Ke◅per of the Kings Priuy Seale through the procurement of Richard Duke of Yorke was by shipmen slaine at Portsmouth and yet no cause of so foule and wicked a murther expressed it cannot but offend any curious Reader who would receiue satisfaction rather by the reasō ofactions then by the euents His guiltinesse in the fact was so apparant that K. Henry in his answere made a yeere or two after to the Dukes dissembling and deceitfull letter confidently mentioneth the same where thus hee speaketh Sooth it is that long time among the people hath beene vpon you many strange language and in speciall anone after your disordinate and vnlawfull slaying of the Bishoppe of Chichester diuers and many of the vntrue shipmen and other said in their manner words against our state making menace to our owne person by your sayings that yee should bee fetched with many thousands and you should take vpon you that which you neither ought nor as wee doubt not will attempt c. What cause led the Duke to commit this so impious a deed may easily now be coniectured being none other but the common hatred hee bare to all such wise or valiant persons as might in any sort vphold the most iust and gracious Henry and this sincerity in the Bishoppe could not be but a grieuous crime in the Dukes ambitious eyes whose greatnesse was euen then too intollerable for where was the Kings iustice when such a fact might hope of impunity The Duke did effect it by his bloudy complices as hee did many other most seditious and perfidious things while hee was absent in Ireland Thomas Thanie notwithstanding calling himselfe Blew-beard being a Fuller of Canterburie and attempting to gather the people miscarrieth in his treason and for that was hanged and quartered this was a preamble to the following tumults The Duke of Yorkes whole and onely hopes were reposed in the general perturbations of his Country 47 The Duke of Suffolke a principal pillar of K. Henries safety being set at liberty attends the King and Queene in their Parliament at Leicester Behold the humour of the Commons which were sowred with the pestilent leauen of Yorkes conspiracy They cannot endure the sight of this Prince because his readuancement seems done in despight of them Calumniations odious surmises are exhibited against him hee must downe to make way for K. Henries most vnworthy ruine The most vile part of this Parliamental accusation was that they should charge that for a crime vpon Suffolke which themselues had vniuersally in another former Parliament assented vnto and ratified Which was the deliuery of Aniou and Main vpon the marriage concluded for the good of England if others had not inuerted or interrupted the successe by their temerity with Renate father of Queene Margaret N◅ither did the enuy onely of the secret York◅s ouerlade this noble Gentleman but the impotency of the Duke of Sommersets faction whose rashnesse and vanity hauing lost all Normandy would gladly find any others shoulder vpon which to cast the imputation either in part or whole In that former Parliament assembled immediately vpon Suffolkes returne from that treaty with Renate out of France this was the summe of the whole proceedings Suffolke as hee was very eloquent made knowne to both housen his counsels and seruices and the effect of his Embassie praying they might be approued and enrolled for his discharge Whereupon the next morrow Burley Speaker of the lower house and the body therof repaired to the Kings presence then sitting among the Lords and there humbly required that the request of the Marquesse afterward created Duke of Suffolk might be granted and the Lords made the like petition kneeling on their knees The King condiscended to their desires and so the whole matter was recorded for his acquitall 48 What can bee more euident or who can enough admire the vanity of popular mutabilitie The Duke the principall marke though the Bishop of Salisbury the Lord Say and others were also accused vnable to stand the push of so generall an opposition must be banished The King vnwillingly giues this sentence against the Duke or rather against his owne life and safety fiue yeeres are limited to his exile Being vpon the sea hee is taken by his enemies who at Douer-road stroke off his head vpon the side of a Cocke-boat This diuelish murther for it was none other the Kings authority being not vsed therein committed vpon so great a Prince was the lesse pittied for that hee was noised among the people to haue beene a priuy actor in the Noble Duke of Glocesters death who perished saith a learned Author by the fraud and practise of a woman belike Queene Margarite The Bishop of Salisburie before said more impiously and irregularly lost his life in the following tumults being murthered after he had finished diuine seruice by his owne Tenants who dragged him from the Altar to an hill-top and there while hee was making his last prayers cleft his sacred head The Lord Say Treasurer of England fell likewise into the peoples fury and had his head cut off by the commandement of that execrable rebell Iacke Cade at the Standerd in Cheape as yee shall hereafter learne 49 This William Duke of Suffolke was indeed a great and worthy person for when his Father and three Brothers had valiantly
meant nothing vnto him but good faith vpon the morrow ride to London where in Iuly immediately following a Parliament is holden in King Henries name The fore-runner whereof was a Comet or blazing starre which appeared in the moneth of Iune the beams whereof extended themselues into the south The first popular act of this assembly was to restore the memory of Humfrey Duke of Glocester to honour declaring him to haue beene a true subiect to the King and Realme 65 The next prouisions which the Yorkists made were for themselues and their owne security willing and commanding that the Duke of Yorke his partakers should incur no blame by reason of the iourney at Saint Albans the whole fault whereof was laid vpon the dead Duke of Sommerset the Lord Chiefe Baron and one William Ioseph Esquier who say they kept from the King a pacificatory letter which the Duke of Yorke had sent It is a wonder and a shame to reade how officiously these violent Lords meaning nothing lesse behaued themselues to the King of whose maiesty they will needs seeme to be the onely Champions and conseruators The Duke of Yorke in the same Parliament creates himselfe Protector of England the Earle of Salisbury is made Lord Chancellour and the Earle of Warwicke his sonne Captaine of Caleis they spared as yet to touch King Henries life because the people did wonderfully honour esteeme and reuerence him for his singular holinesse and for that he had great friends left aliue and a sonne In the meane space that they might without trouble and at their pleasure vncrowne or kill him they by little and little displaced the ancient Counsellors and substituted their ass◅ed fauourites Another Act of that absolute force and fraud which they exercised in this dreadfull perturbation of all things was the drawing of Ionn Holland Duke of Excester out of Sanctuarie at Westminster conuaying him to Pomfret Castle in the North. 66 Henry Beauford Duke of Sommerset sonne of the former the Duke of Buckingham whose sonne and heire the Earle of Stafford was slaine at S. Albans and other the Kings friends perceiuing whereunto this faire shew tended consult with the Queene at Greenewich concerning her husbands danger and how to preuent it Hereupon the Duke of Yorke is displaced from the Protectorship a ridiculous title to be assumed where the king was aged about fiue and thirtie and had no other fault or vnfitnes but that he was too good to liue among them The Earle of Salisbury was also depriued of his Lord Chancellorship 67 The King hauing thus recouered his dignity and authoritie but not sufficient meanes to suppresse his dangers the French take courage at our intestine diuisions and landing at Sandwich with fifteene thousand men part of their forces they kill the Maior Bailifs and other Officers of that Towne with sundrie Gentlemen of the Countrey spoile all they could lay hand vpon and among all they rob two great vessels laden with merchandise which lay there bound for London and departed Another part of them burnes Foway and certaine other townes in Deuonshire On the other side the Scots hostillie entred into Northumberland but vpon notice that the Duke of Yorke approached with a power they returned hauing not as yet done any great harme 68 These indignities and losses might haue vnited the disioined affections of true English hearts which was greatly desired by such as loued their Countrey For which purpose the King Queene and their chiefe friends being at Couentrie the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Salisbury and Warwicke are sent for by the Kings letters vnder his priuie Seale to giue their attendance whither they come but they either warned of some plot contriued against them or fearing it or faining to feare sodeinely leaue the Court without leaue the Duke departing to Wigmore in the Welsh marches the Earle of Salisburie to his Castell of Midleham in the North-Countrey and the Earle of Warwicke to Calleis whose bodies though thus diuided their mindes continued most firmely factionated But the King a patterne of Christian goodnes being tender ouer the generall estate of his Countrey and wonderfully desirous to reconcile differences among his subiects that they might the better withstand their imminent forrein enemies returnes to London there to consult how to effect his holy wishes The great Lords are perswaded to meere there which they did but yet not without store of followers for the Duke brought with him foure hundred men the Earle of Salisburie fiue hundreth the Earle of Warwicke sixe hundreth The Dukes of Excester and Sommerset eight hundreth the Earle of Northumberland the Lords Egremond and Clifford fifteene hundreth This was the fashion of that swording age 69 In March the king and Queene with a very roiall company alight at Westminster to accomplish if it were possible this charitable and necessary worke of attonement and reconciliation Godfrey Bolein was at that time Lord Maior of London being the ancestor of two renowned and vertuous Queenes of England Anne second wife to King Henry the eight and Elizabeth their daughter through whose great vigilancie and prouidence the City stood so well guarded that the Kings peace was dutifullie kept notwithstanding the great Lords of both the factions Yorkists and Lancastrians were with so great troupes of followers lodged within and about the same for during the whole time of their abode he had fiue thousand Citizens in Harnesse himselfe riding daily about the City and suburbs to see the publike quiet preserued and for the night watch there were assigned to three Aldermen two thousand corslet-men 69 During this watch a great Councell was holden by the King and Lords where at length by the diligent trauaile good exhortation and prudent aduise of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury and of other learned and godly Prelates the parties offended were induced to a communication and afterward to a finall accord the points whereof considering they held so short a while for as one saith truly the dissimuled loue day hung but by a small threed it were friuolous to dwell in their rehearsall The King himselfe a singular testimonie of the opinion which all parties had of his integritie was whole arbitrator of their differences Certaine satisfactions were awarded to be made by the Duke of Yorke with the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury for the death of Edmund Duke of Sommerset and others slaine at S. Albans And the same Duke of Sommerset the Earle of Northumberland and Lord Clifford slaine in that battell by the Yorkists are declared for true liegemen to the King at the day of their deathes aswell as the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie So both parts stand iustifide and recti in curia Many other articles and awards were made to solder and glue together their alienated harts and affections The reioicement caused by this seeming peace which on the behalf of the kings persō was
of London doe notwithstanding stand wholy for the beautifull Earle of March and stand the more confidentlie because they had sure intelligence that he had vanquished the Earle of Pembrooke in the Marches of Wales and that the Earle of Warwicke escaping from S. Albans had met with the Earle of March neere Costwold and that both with ioint forces were marching toward London These newes made the King and Queene retire into the North and leaue that Citie and the Southern Countreys to their Enemie till they might recouer a fairer opportunitie or more sufficiencies Edward vpon notice of the Kings departure entreth London and giues period to Henries reigne which is accounted to take end after he had successiuely ruled this Land the space of thirtie eight yeeres sixe moneths and foure daies His Wife 94 Margaret the wife of King Henrie was the daughter of Reyner King of Ierusalem Sicilie and Arragon Duke of Andegauia Lorraine Barre and Calabria Earle of Prouince Cenomania and Guize Shee by proxie was espoused vnto King Henrie at the Citie Towers in Touraine in the Church of Saint Martin William de-la-Poole being Procurator to the king in the presence of the French king and his Queen which king was vncle to the Brides Father and the Queene Aunt vnto her mother Shee with great pompe was conueyed to South-hampton and thence to the Abbey of Tichfield where the yeere of grace 1445. and twentie two of Aprill shee was solemnly married to king Henry and honorably attended by the greatest Estates of the Land was crowned at Westminster the thirtieth of May following Shee was exceedingly beautified in face and of goodly feature of a great wit and deepe pollicie but of stomacke farre aboue her sexe as in the managing of those trouble some times did too well appeare Shee was his wife twentie sixe yeeres and twentie nine daies and after her husbands depulsion from his regall throne her forces being vanquished at the battell of Tewksburie in a poore religious house whether shee had fled for the safetie of her life was taken prisoner and so carried Captiue to London where shee remained in durance till Duke Reiner her father did purchase her liberty with great summes of money vnto whom shee returned and lastly died in her natiue Countrie His Issue 95 Edward the only Child of king Henrie and Queene Margaret his wife was borne at Westminster the thirteenth day of October the yeere of Christ 1453. and the 31. of his fathers Raigne and the next yeere following vpon the fifteenth of March by authoritie of Parliament was created Prince of Wales Earle of Chester For the title of Duke of Cornwal as it is noted by warrant of record is reputed vnto the Kings eldest sonne the very day of his natiuitie and by vertue of a speciall Act is presumed and taken to be of full and perfect age so as he may â—…ue that day for his liuerie of the said Dukedome and ought by right to obtaine the same hauing his roialties in the Stannary wrackes at Sea Customes c the first Duke thereof was Edward commonlie called the Blacke Prince whome his Father King Edward the third created in great Estate Duke of Cornwall by a wreath on his head a ring on his finger and a siluer verge He proued a Prince of great hope and forwardnes being skilfull in martiall knowledge matters of gouernment and Lawes of the Realme At the age of seuenteene the better to bandie against his Fathers Competitor King Edward the Maul of the Lancastrians claime aâ—…ianced in France Anne the second daughter of Richard the Make-king Earle of Warwick whose other daughter was married to George Duke of Clarence This Prince when the day was lost at Tewkesburie sought to escape thence by flight but being taken was brought into the presence of king Edward whose resolute answeres enraged the Conqueror so much as he dashed him an vnprincely part on the mouth with his gauntlet and Richard the crooke backe ranne him into the heart with his dagger His Body was buried without all solemnity among the poore and meane persons slaine in the Monasticall Church of the blacke Friers in Tewkesburie Anno Domini 1471. EDVVARD THE FOVRTH FIRST KING OF THE HOVSE OF YORKE KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE FOVRTH MONARCH OF THIS LAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XVII EDward borne at Roan in Normandy and bearing the title of March in England hauing â—…unne the battell at Mortimers Crosse though the Lords his Confederates had lost that of Saint Albans from Ludlow hasted towardes London on his way was seconded by Richard Neuill the stout Earle of Warwicke to the great encrease of his number and power which so terrified Queene Margaret now â—…dy to poâ—…se the South 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 husâ—… 〈◊〉 soâ—… iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 vpon which 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 Yorke preâ—…ly pâ—…ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ry powerfull and the other in possâ—… consulted for their safest estate when on the suddaine Edward with VVarwicke entred their gates whose warlike visages so daunted the aduerse affected that they beganne with the 〈◊〉 to make him way to the throne the Noblemen likewise made him offers of their seruice to establiâ—… 〈◊〉 claime neither were the Clergy to learne the obseruance of time or to sway with the man vpon whom the world smiled All these seâ—…n Counsell to confer of the 〈◊〉 Duke Edward made knowne his title to the Crowne and iâ—… well sâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…red how the body of the whoâ—… Parâ—…ment formerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d Hâ—…ry â—…selfe subâ—…â—…ith hiâ—… 〈◊〉 hâ—…d whose 〈◊〉 though now 〈◊〉 through 〈◊〉 desâ—… yâ—… what right Lâ—…er had they all 〈◊〉 and how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diâ—…our did wiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…gh his neglect whoâ—… siâ—…ity euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his priuate deuotions then the potent managing of a Soueraignes command 2 These things vrged and most of them true their voices went current that Edward was the vndoubted King whereunto the Londoners the sooner yeelded for that his dreaded Northerne Army was then encamped in Saint Iohns field neither was any reseruation made as before of Henries naturall life but hee is now absolutely neglected as vnworthy of his Crowne how acceptable soeuer he had raigned till then whose following miseries were not so much lamented as his constant patience was admired in vndergoing the same Edward thus mounted before his foot had well touched the first steppe was vpon Sunday the second of March among his Northerne Souldiers proclaimed King William L. Fan onbridge Earle of Kent declaring his claime and disabling K. Henry of stile or Gouernement whose weake head as hee alleadged had ouer long blemished the English Crowne 3 Vpon the next day with all pompe hee was conueied to Westminster and set vpon the Kings seat in the Hall where holding the scepter of Saint Edward in his hand the voice of the people was againe demanded and againe granted such was
beene married vnto Iohn Gray Esquier knighted and slaine at the battell of S. Albans vpon King Henries part who now was a suiter vnto the King for something taken away in the extremity of that time to bee restored towards the maintenance of her 〈◊〉 But howsoeuer her suit pierced his eare her sweetly composed feature strangely affected his heart more formall shee was and louely in countenance then either tall or exceedingly faire yet both sufficient to meete in one person of an excellent witte a sober demeanour a modest looke a 〈◊〉 smile and her speech vttered in such a â—…turall eloquence as her answeres euer set on edge King Edwards desires which howsoeuer diâ—…full to the appetite of his wanton bed affâ—…ming with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ee accounted herselfe most vnworthy of the name of his Queene so shee held her selfe of mort worth her chast honour dearer then to bee his Câ—…bine yet held they him in chase till shee had 〈◊〉 â—…im in the snares of her loue 22 Their many meetings and 〈◊〉 complements made the old Dutchesse of Yorke the Kings mother much to suspect it would bee a match to hinder which with a parâ—… authority shee entred discourse alleadging it honourable 〈◊〉 and of much profite to linke with some great Princesse in â—…raine 〈◊〉 both for the 〈◊〉 of poâ—…ions abroad and as the â—…se stood to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at home that 〈◊〉 had gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suite in Frâ—… as if in himselfe nâ—…w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their displâ—…res would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To marry his Subiect 〈◊〉 held 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…cially one without 〈◊〉 alliance or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other thing mouing but a wanton doâ—…ge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and although that in Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 yet was there nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moâ—… 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 tought of a 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 quoth she is most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 side whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23 owne desires and knew himselfe to bee out of his mothers rule partly in earnest and partly in pleasance made her this reply That marriage being a spirituall type ought rather to be conioyned where God had framed the parties to consent as this of his was then in regard of any temporall respect whatsoeuer That his choice was pleasing to himselfe and would be to his subiects he certainly knew whose amity before all other Nations hee most preferred and desired neither could he giue them better occasion of loue then in this that being their Soueraigne hee disdained not to marry into their Tribes and so likewise for his Issue there could not any Prince be better beloued then he that was their naturall Prince so borne of both parents That if forraine alliances were so needfull hee had many of his kin to contract them and that with content of all parties but for himselfe to marry for possessions or to please others with displeasing his own affections hee saw it no wisdome hauing already sufficient of the one and the other offended euen sweet pleasure would seeme sowre pils especially the choice that is made by another mans eye That there are many comparable to her said hee I make no question and am the more glad let them haue them that like them I will not repine neither I hope will any abridge mee of that which I allow vnto others the Prouerbe is Mother that marriage goes by Destiny but to be wiued against a mans own liking is an earthly Purgatâ—…ry And therefore my Cosen Warwicke I am sure neither loueth me so little to grudge at that I loue nor is so vnreasonable to looke that I should in choise of a wife rather be ruled by his eye then by mine owne as though I were a Wâ—…rd that were bound to marry by the appointment of a Gardian I would not bee a King with that condition to forbeare mine owne libertie in choise of mine owne marriage As for poâ—…ty of more inheritance by new affinity in 〈◊〉 land it proues oftner the occasion of more trouble then profite and wee haue already title by that meanes to so much as sufficeth to get and keep well in one mans dayes That she is a widdow and hath already children by Gods blessed Lady I am a Bachelour yet haue some too and so each of vs hath a proofe that neither of vs is like to bee barren And therefore Madam I pray you bee content I trust in God shee shall bring a young Prince that shall play on your lappe to your â—…eat pleasure and your selfe shall blesse the wombe that bare such a â—…be and as for your obiection of 〈◊〉 let the Bishop hardly lay it in my way when I come to take Orders for I vnderstand it is forbidden a Priâ—… but I neuer wist that it was forbidden a Prince 24 The Dutchesse seeing the King so set on his owne choice that she could not pull hiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 that vnder 〈◊〉 oâ—… her for which act vnder 〈◊〉 of a contract with 〈◊〉 owne coâ—…ce which was the 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stacle as either the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 proceed to the solemnizâ—… of this wedding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were clearely purged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King tooke to wife this later beloued Lady Elizabeth Grey who had beene formerly married vnto his enemy and many times prayed full heartily for his losse in which God loued her better then to grant her her boone reseruing greater honour for her selfe and her posterity 25 She was honourably descended especially by the surer side whose mother was Iaquellin daughter to Peter of Lucemburg Earle of S. Paul and Dutchesse to Iohn Duke of Bedford Regent of France after whose death shee married Sir Richard Wooduile knight and among others bare vnto him this Elizabeth Englands faire Queene who being priuately married at the Manour of Grafton was afterwardes crowned Queen at Westminster with all due celebrations vpon the sixe and twentieth of May Anno 1465. Her father then by this new made sonne in law and Soueraigne Lord was created Lord Riuers and made high Constable of England her brother Lord Anthony married to the sole heire of the Lord Scales and her sonne Thomas Grey borne to her first husband was created Marquesse Dorset and married to the heire of the Lord Bonuile 26 But when Warwicke had knowledge the wanton King had got a new wife and his courting of Lady Bona to bee but a ball to make Edwards play hee stormed not a little whose credite hee tooke to be crackt in the French Court and himselfe rather thought to haue dallyed in this motion then to deale by commission from his King for which cause hee conceiued so inward an indignation that his affection was withdrawne from King Edward and thenceforth ranne vpon Henrie retained in prison to which end he temporized with the present king applauded the Queene and bare countenance in Court with no
world with his feete forward as men be borne outward and as the fame runneth also not vnâ—…oothed Whether men of hatred report aboue the truth or else that nature changed her Course in his beginning which in the course of his life many things vnnaturally committed 6 No euill Captaine was he in the warre as to which his disposition was more inclined then for peace sundry victories he had and sometimes ouer-throwes but neuer in default as for his owne person either of hardines or politike order free was he of his dispence and somewhat aboue his power liberall with large gifts he gate him vnstedfast friendship for which he was forced to pill and pole in other places which gate him stedfast hatred He was close and secret a deepe dissembler lowly oâ—…countenance arrogant of heart outwardly familiar where euen now he hated and not letting to kisse whom he thought to kill despiâ—…efull and cruell he was not for euill-will alwaies but oftner for ambition and either for the surety or increase of his estate Friend and foe was much what indifferent where his aduantage grew he spared no mans death whose life withstood his purpose He slew with his own hands King Henrie the sixth being Prisoner in the Tower as men constantlie said and that without commandement or knowledge of the King who vndoubtedly if he had intended his death would haue appointed that butcherly office to some other then his owne brother 7 Some wise â—…en also iudge that his drift couertly conueied lacked not in helping forth his brother Clarence to his death which he resisted openly howbeit somewhat as men deemed more faintly then he that was hartily minded to his wealth And they that thus iudge thinke that long time in K. Edwards life he forcast to be king in case that his brother whose life he looked that euill diet should shorten should happen to decease as indeed he did while his children were young And they deeme that for this intent he was glad of the Duke of Clarence death whose life must needes haue hindered him so intending being his elder brother whether the same Duke had kept him true to his Nephew the young king or enterprized to be king himselfe But of all this point there is no certainty and who so diuineth vpon coniectures may aswell shoote too farre as too short Howbeit this haue I by credible information learned that the same night in which king Edward died one Mistlebroke long ere morning came in great haste to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Red Crosse street without Creeple-gate in London and when he with hasty rapping quickly was let in he shewed vnto Pottier that K. Edward was departed By my troth man quoth Pottier then will my Master the Duke of Gloucester be king what cause he had so to thinke hard it is to say whether being toward him knew any such thing intended or otherwise had any inkling thereof for it was not likely that he spake it of no ground 8 But now to return to the course of this History were it that the Duke of Glocester had of old foreminded this conclusion was now thereunto moued put in hope by the occasion of the tender age of the yong Princes his Nephewes as oportunity likelihood of speed putteth a man in courage of that he neuer intended certaine it is that he contriued their destruction with the vsurpation of the regall dignitie vpon himselfe and forasmuch as he well wist and holp to maintaine a long continued grudge and hartburning betweene the Queenes kindred and the Kings blood either part enuying others authority he now thought their diuisions should be as it was indeed a forward beginning to the pursuite of his intent and a sure ground for the foundation of all his building if he might first vnder the pretext of reuenging old displeasure abuse the anger and ignorance of the one party to the destruction of the other and then winne to his purpose as many as he could and those that could not be wonne might be lost before they were aware for of one thing was he certaine that if his intent were perceiued he should soone haue made peace between both the parties with his owne blood 9 King Edward in his life albeit that this dissention betweene his friends somewhat greeued him yet in his good health he somewhat lesse regarded it because he thought whatsoeuer busines should fall betweene them himselfe should alwaies be able to rule both the parties But in his last sicknes when he perceiued his naturall strength so sore infeebled that he dispaired all recouerie then considering the youth of his Children albeit he nothing lesse mistrusted then that that happened yet well fore-seeing how many harmes might grow by their debate while the youth of his children should lacke discretion of themselues and good Counsell of their friends of which either party should counsell for their owne commodity and the rather by pleasant aduise to winne themselues fauour then by profitable aduertisements to doe his children good hee called some of them before him that were at variance and in speciall the Lord Marquesse Dorset the Queenes sonne by her first husband and William Lord Hastings a noble-man then Lord Chamberlaine against whom thâ—… Queene especially grudged for the great fauor the King bare him and also for that shee thought him secretly familiar with the King in wanton company Her kindred also bare him sore aswell for that the King had made him Captaine of Callis which office the Lord Riuers brother to the Queene claimed of the Kings former promise as for diuers other great gifts which he receiued that they looked for These were the grudges which the king on his death bed sought to remoue and they in shew seemed to cancell as we haue said though the sparks of these displeasures burst afterward into a dangerous flame which consumed most of them as afterward shall appeare 10 For assoone as the King was departed this life his sonne Prince Edward drew towards London from Ludlow in Wales which Countrey being farre off from the law and recourse to iustice was become to be farre out of Order and growne wilde Robbers Rouers walking at liberty vncorrected for which cause this Prince in the life time of his father was sent thither to the end that the authority of his presence should refraine euill disposed persons from the boldenes of their former outrages To the gouernance and ordering of this young Prince at his sending thither was there appointed Sir Anthonie Wooduill Lord Riuers and brother vnto the Queene a right honorable man as valiant of hand as politick in Counsell adioined were there vnto him others of the same partie and in effect euery one as he was neerest of kin vnto the Queene so was he planted next about the Prince 11 That drift of the Queene not vnwisely deuised whereby her blood might of youth be rooted in the
persons but in the familiar conuersation of those that be neither farre vnder nor farre aboue his age and neuerthelesse of estate conuenient to accompany his noble Maiesty wherefore with whom rather then with his owne brother And if any man thinke this consideration which I thinke no man thinketh that loueth the King let him consider that sometimes without small things greater cannot stand And verily it redoundeth greatly to the dishonour both of the Kings Highnesse and of vs all that are about his Grace to haue it runne in euery mans mouth not in this Realme onely but also in other lands as euill words walke farre that the Kings brother shall bee faine to keepe Sanctuary for euery man I deeme will suppose that there is occasion giuen why it should so be and such euill opinions once fastened in mens hearts hardly can bee screwed out againe and may grow to more griefe then any man here can diuine Wherefore I thinke it were not the worst to send vnto the Queene for the redresse of this matter some honourable trusty man such as both tendreth the kings weale and the honour of this Councell and is also in fauour and credence with her For all which considerations none seemeth to mee more meere then is our reuerend Father here present my Lord Cardinall who may in this matter doe most good of any man if it please him to take the pains which I doubt not of his goodnesse hee will not refuse for the Kings sake and ours and weale of the young Duke himselfe the Kings most honourable brother and after my Soueraigne himselfe my most deere Nephew Considering that thereby shall be ceased the slanderous rumor and obloquie now going and the hurts auoided that thereof might insue and much rest and quiet grow to all the Realme And if she be percase so obstinate and so precisely set vpon her owne will that neither his wise and faithfull aduertisement cannot moue her nor any mans reason content her then shall we by mine aduise and by the Kings authority fetch him out of that Prison bring him to his noble presence in whose continuall company he shall be so well cherished and so honorably intreated that all the world shall to our honor and her reproach perceiue that it was only malice frowardnes or folly that caused her to keepe him there this is my minde in this matter for this time except any of your Lordships any thing perceiue to the contrary for neuer shall I by Gods Grace so wed my selfe to my owne will but that I shall be ready to change it vpon your better aduises 26 When the Protector had said all the Councell affirmed that the motion was good and reasonable and to the King and the Duke his brother honorable and the thing that should cease great murmur in the Realme if the mother might be by good meanes induced to deliuer him Which thing the Archbishop of Yorke whom they all agreed also to be thereto most conuenient tooke vpon him to moue her and therein to doe his vttermost endeauour how beit if shee could by no meanes be entreated with her good will to deliuer him then thought he and such other of the Clergy then present that it were not in any wise to be attempted to take him out against her will For it would bee a thing that should turne to the great grudge of all men and high displeasure of God if the priuiledge of that holy place should now be broken which had so manie yeeres beene kept which both Kings and Popes so good had granted so many had confirmed and which holy ground was more then fiue hundred yeeres agoe by S. Peter in his owne person in spirite accompanied with great multitude of Angels by night so specially hallowed and dedicated to God for the proofe whereof they haue yet in the Abbey S. Peters Cope to shew that from that time hitherward was there neuer so vndeuout a King that durst violate that sacred place or so holy a Bishop that durst presume to consecrate it and therefore quoth the Archbishop of Yorke God forbid that any man should for any thing earthlie enterprize to breake the immunity and liberty of that sacred Sanctuary that hath beene the safegard of many a good mans life and I trust quoth he with Gods grace we shall not need it But for what need soeuer I would not we should doe it I trust that shee shall be with reason contented and all things in good manner obtained but if it happen that I bring it not so to passe yet shall I toward it with my best and you shall all well perceiue that there shall be of my indeauour no lacke if the mothers dread and womanish feare be not the let 27 Womanish feare nay womanish frowardnes quoth the Duke of Buckingham for I dare take it vpon my soule shee wel knoweth there is no need of any feare either for her sonne or for her selfe For as for her here is no man that will be at warre with a woman Would God some of the men of her kin were women too and then should al be soone in rest Howbeit there is none of her kin the lesse loued for that they be of her kin but for their owne euill deseruing And nay the lesse if we loued neither her nor her kin yet were there no cause to thinke that we should hate the Kings noble brother to whose Grace we our selues be of kin whose honor if shee as much desired as our dishonor and as much regard tooke to his wealth as to her owne will shee would be as loth to suffer him from the King as any of vs bee For if shee haue wit as would God shee had as good will as shee hath shrewd wit shee reckneth her selfe no wiser then shee thinketh some that be here of whose faithfull minde shee nothing doubteth but verily beleeueth and knoweth that they would be as sorry of his harme as her selfe and yet would haue him from her if shee bide there and we all I thinke content that both be with her if shee come thence and bide in such place where they may be with their honour Now then if shee refuse in the deliuerance of him to follow the Counsell of them whose wisdome shee knoweth whose truth shee well trusteth it is easie to perceiue that frowardnes letteth her and not feare But goe to suppose that shee feare as who may let her to feare her owne shadow the more shee feareth to deliuer him the more ought wee to feare to leaue him in her hands For if shee cast such fond doubts that she feare his hurt then will shee feare that hee shall bee fetcht thence For shee will soone thinke that if men were set which God forbid vpon so great a mischiefe the Sanctuary would little let them which good men might as I thinke without sin somewhat lesse regard then they doe Then if shee
his purpose and put himselfe in possession of the Crown ere men could haue time to deuise how to resist But now was all the study by what meanes the matter being of it selfe so hainous might be first broken to the people in such wife as it might bee well taken To this counsell they tooke diuers such as they thought meet to bee trusted likely to bee induced to that part and able to stand them in stead eyther by power or policy Among whom they made of counsell Edmond Shaa Knight then Maior of London who vpon trust of his owne aduancement wherof he was of a proud heart highly desirous should frame the City to their appetite Of Spiritual men they tooke such as had wit and were in authoritie among the people for opinion of their learning and had no scrupulous conscience Among these had they Iohn Shaa Clerke brother to the Maior and Fryer Pinker Prouinciall of the Augustine Friers both of them Doctors in Diuinity both great Preachers both of more learning then vertue and of more fame then learning for they were before greatly esteemed of the common people but after that neuer Of these two the one made a Sermon in prayse of the Protector before the Coronation the other after both so full of tedious flattery as no mans eare could abide them 53 Pinker in his Sermon so lost his voice that he was forced to leaue off and came downe in the middest Doctor Shaa by his sermon lost his honesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world into which he durst neuer after come abroad But the Fryer forced for no shame and so it harmed him the lesse Howbeit some doubt and many thinke that Pinker was not of counsell in the matter before the Coronation but after the common manner fell to flattery after namely sith his sermon was not incontinent vpon it but at S. Maries Hospitall in the Easter weeke following But certaine it is that Doctor Shaa was of counsell in the beginning so farre forth as they determined that he should first breake the matter in a Sermon at Paules Crosse in which hee should by the authority of his preaching incline the people to the Protectors ghostly purpose But now was all the labour and study in the deuise of some conuenient pretext for which the people should bee content to depose the Prince and accept the Protector for King In which diuers things they deuised but the chiefe thing and the weightiest of all the inuention rested in this that they should alleadge bastardy either in K. Edward himself or in his children or both So that hee should seeme disabled to inherite the Crowne by the Duke of Yorke and the Prince by him To lay bastardie in King Edward sounded openly to the rebuke of the Protectors owne mother who was mother to them both for in that point could bee none other colour but to pretend that his own mother was an adultresse which notwithstanding to further the purpose hee letted not but yet hee would that point should bee lesse and more fauourably handled not fully plaine and directly but that the matter should be touched aslope and craftily as though men spared in that point to speake all the truth for feare of his displeasure But the other point concerning the bastardie that they deuised to surmise in K. Edwards children that would hee should bee openly declared and enforced to the vttermost The colour and pretext whereof was a contract pretended to bee made by King Edward vnto the Lady Lucy whereof we haue spoken in the raigne of the said King which inuention how simple soeuer yet it liked them to whom it sufficed to haue somewhat to say while they were sure to be compelled to no larger proof then themselues list to make 54 Now then it was by the Protector and his Councell concluded that Doctor Shaa should signifie in his sermon aforesaid that neither King Edward himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begot nor were the very Children of the Duke of Yorke but begot vnlawfully by other persons by adulterie of the Dutches their mother And also that dame Elizabeth Lucy was verily the wife of K. Edward and so the Prince and all his other children begot by the Queene were all of them bastards And according to this deuise Doctor Shaa vpon Sunday the nineteenth of Iune at Pauls Crosse in a frequent assembly took for the theme of his sermō this saying Spuria vitulamina non agent radices altas Bastard slips shall neuer take deepe root Whereupon when he had shewed the great grace that God giueth and secretly infundeth in right generation after the lawes of Matrimonie then declared he that commonly those children lacked that grace and for the punishment of their parents were for the more part vnhappy which were begot in base but specially in adultery Of which though some by the ignorance of the world and the truth hid from knowledge inherite for the time other mens lands yet God alwaies so prouideth that it continueth not in their blood long but the truth comming to light the rightfull inheritors be restored and the bastards slip pulled vp ere it can take any deepe roote And when he had laid for the proofe and confirmation of this sentence certaine examples taken out of the old testament and other ancient histories then he began to descend into the praise of the Lord Richard late Duke of Yorke calling him the father to the Lord Protector and declared the title of his heires vnto the Crowne to whom it was after the death of King Henry the sixt entailed by authority of Parliament Then shewed he that the verie right heire of his body lawfully begotten was only the Lord Protector For he declared then that King Edward was neuer lawfully married vnto the Queene but was before God husband vnto Dame Elizabeth Lucy and so his children bastards And besides that neither King Edward himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence among those that were secret in the houshould were reckoned very certainly for the children of the Noble Duke as those that by their features resembled other knowne men more then him from whose vertuous conditions he said also that King Edward was farre off But the Lord Protector he said the very Noble Prince the speciall patterne of Knightly prowesse aswell in all Princely behauiour as in the lineaments and fauour of his visage representing the very face of the noble Duke his father This is he quoth he the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the verie print of his visage the very vndoubted Image and plaine expresse likenesse of that noble Duke 55 Now it was before deuised that in the speaking of these words the Protector sould haue come in among the people to the sermon ward to the end that those words meeting with his presence might haue beene taken among the hearers as though the holy Ghost had put them
the short time wherein he continued the name of a King which onlie was two monthes and sixteene daies and in them also he sate vncrowned without Scepter or ball all which Richard aimed at and perfidiously got before they could come to his head or into his hands His age at the death of his father and entrance into his throne was eleuen yeeres fiue monthes and fiue daies and within three monthes after was with his brother sin othered to death in the Tower of London as shall be shewed in his Raigne of whom we are now by order of succes sion to write RICHARD THE THIRD KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE SIXTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS RAIGNE ACTS ISSVE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XIX RIchard the third sonne of Richard Duke of Yorke born at Fotheringhay Castle in the County of Northampton was first honoured with the title of Glocester being the third Duke of that number consequently by vsurpation crowned King of England the third of that name a name indeed noted to the Kings so called to bee euer ominous and the title of Glocester to those Dukes euer fatall all of them both dying violent and vntimely deathes which ought to haue beene the more fearefull vnto Richard now hauing possession and interest in them both But that not regarded or destiny enforcing his aspiring mind gaue him no rest till his restlesse body found it lastly in the graue For his brother deceased when his life was most desired no man in shew tooke his death so heauily as himselfe or tendered the young King with a more honourable respect when as God knowes his mind ranne vpon deepe reaches how to compasse the wreath for his owne head which the better to fashion hee withdrew a while into the North and at Yorke in most sad and solemne manner obserued the Funerals of the dead King but howsoeuer the Maske couered this subtle Dukes face from the eie of the multitude yet Buckingham well knew the ambitious desire of his aspiring heart and indeed was the Dedalus that made him the wings wherwith he mounted so neere vnto the Sun as that the wax melting like the high-minded young Icarus he caught his last fall 2 What intendments they had before the Kings death is vncertaine though it may be suspected but sure it is he now gone the Duke of Buckingham twice sollicited Gloucester by his messengers in the North met him at Northampton himselfe accompanied him to London forwarded him in Counsell and was the first Actor in this following tragedy For first making him Protector procuring his young Nephew forth of Sanctuary disabling the young King bastardizing them both perswading the Citizens working the Nobility and all this done to set the Crowne vpon crookt Richards head and so moulded their minds vnto the man as they all became humble petitioners vnto him for to accept of the same who in the meane while had well conned his owne part by profuse liberalitie by passing great grauity by singular affability by ministring of iustice and by deepe and close deuises whereby hee wonne to himselfe the hearts of all but the Lawyers especially to serue best his turn which was so affected that in the name of all the States of the Realme a Petition was drawne and presented him to accept the wearing of the Crown the true copy wherof as we find it recorded in the Parliament Rol we haue inserted is as followeth In Rotulo Parliamenti tenti apud Westm. die Veneris Vicesimo tertio die Ianuarii An. Regni Regis Richardi 5. primo inter alia continetur vt sequitur Memorandum quod quaedam billa exhibita fuit coram Domino Rege in Parliamento praedicto in haec verba Where late heretofore that is to say before the consecration coronation and inthronization of our soueraigne Lord the King Richard the third a roll of parchment containing in writing certaine Articles of the Tenor vnderwritten on the behalfe and in the name of the three Estates of this Realme of England that is to witte of the Lords Spirituall Temporall and of the Commons by name and diuers Lords Spirituall and Temporall and other Nobles and notable persons of the Commons in great multitude was presented and actually deliuered vnto our said Soueraigne Lord the intent and effect expressed at large in the same roll to the which Roll and to the considerations and instant petition comprised in the same our said Soueraigne Lord for the publike weale and tranquility of this land benignely assented Now forasmuch as neither the said three Estates neither the said persons which in their name presented and deliuered as it is aforesaid the said Roll vnto our said Soueraigne Lord the King were assembled in forme of Parliament by reason whereof diuers doubts questions and ambiguities beene moued and engendred in the minds of diuers persons as it is said Therefore to the perpetuall memory of the truth and declaration of the same be it ordained prouided and established in this present Parliament that the Tenor of the said roll with all the contents of the same presented as is abouesaid and deliuered to our foresaid Soueraigne Lord the King in the name and in the behalfe of the said three Estates out of Parliament now by the same three Estates assembled in this present Parliament and by authority of the same bee ratified enrolled recorded approued and authorized into remouing the occasions of doubts and ambiguities and to all other lawfull effects that shall now thereof ensue So that all things said affirmed specified desired and remembred in the said rol in the tenor of the same vnderwrittē in the name of the said 3. Estates to the effect expressed in the same roll be of the like effect vertue force as if al the same things had bin so said affirmed specified desired remembred in a full Parliament and by authority of the same accepted approued The Tenor of the said Roll of parchment wherof aboue is made mention followeth is such To the high and Mighty Prince Richard Duke of Glocester Please it your noble Grace to vnderstand the considerations election and petition vnderwritten of vs the Lords Spirituall temporalll and Commons of this Realme of England and thereunto agreably to giue your assent to the common and publike weale of this land to the comfort and gladnese of all the people of the same First we consider how that heretofore in time passed this land many yeers stood in great prosperity honour and tranquilitie which was caused forsomuch as the King then raigning vsed and followed the aduise and counsell of certaine Lords spirituall and temporall and other persons of approued sadnesse prudence policy experience dreading God and hauing tender zeale and affection to indifferent ministration of iustice and to the common and publike weale of
Lord c. To whom we know for certaine it appertaineth of enheritance so to bee chosen And hereupon wee humbly desire pray and require your most noble Grace that according to this electiō of vs the three estates of this Land as by your true inheritance you will accept and take vpon you the sayd Crowne and royall dignitie with all things thereunto annexed and appertaining as to you of right belonging aswell by inheritance as by lawfull election and in case yee so doe we promise to serue and assist your Highnesse as true and faithfull subiects and liege men and to liue and die with you in this matter and in euery other iust quarrel For certainlie we be determined rather to aduenture commit vs to the perill of our liues and ieopardie of death then to liue in such thraldom and bondage as wee haue liued long time heretofore oppressed and iniured by extortions and newe impositions against the Law of God and man and the libertie old policie and Lawes of this Realme wherein euery Englishman is inherited Our LORD GOD KING of all KINGS by whose infinite goodnesse and eternall prouidence all things beene principally gouerned in this world lighten your soule and grant you grace to doe as well in this matter as in all other that may bee according to his will and pleasure and to the common and publike weale of this Land so that after great clouds trouble stormes and tempests the Sun of Iustice and of Grace may shine vpon vs to the comfort and gladnesse of all true-hearted Englishmen Albeit that the right title estate which our Soueraigne Lord the King Richard the third hath to and in the Crowne and roiall dignitie of this Realme of England with all things thereunto within the same Realme and without it vnited annexed appertaining bin iust and lawfull as grounded vpon the lawes of God and of nature and also vpon the ancient lawes and laudable customes of this said Realme and so taken and reputed by all such persons as beene learned in the abouesaid lawes and customes Yet neuerthelesse for asmuch as it is considered that the most part of the people is not sufficiently learned in the abouesaid Lawes and customs wherby the truth right in this behalfe of likelyhood may be hid and not cleerely knowne to all the people thereupon put in doubt and question And ouer this how that the Court of Parliament is of such authoritie and the people of this Land of such a nature and disposition as experience teacheth that manifestation and declaration of any truth or right made by the three estates of this Realme assembled in Parliament and by the authority of the same maketh before all other things most feith and certaine and quieting of mens minds remoueth the occasion of all doubts and seditious language Therefore at the request and by the assent of the three estates of this Realme that is to say the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons of this Land assembled in this present Parliament by authority of the same be it pronounced decreed and declared that our said Soueraign Lord the King was and is the very vndoubted King of this Realme of England with all things thereunto within the same Realm and without it vnited annexed and appertaining aswell by right of Consanguinity and inheritance as by lawfull election consecration and coronation And ouer this that at the request and by the assent and authority abouesaide be it ordained enacted and established that the said Crowne and royall dignity of this Realme and the inheritance of the same and all other things thereunto within the Realme or without is vnited annexed and now appertaining rest and abide in the person of our said Soueraigne Lord the King during his life and after his decease in his heires of his body begotten and in especiall at the request and by assent and authority abouesaid bee it ordained enacted established pronounced decreed and declared that the high and excellent Prince Edward son of our said Soueraigne Lord the King bee heire apparant of the same our Soueraigne Lord the King to succeed to him in the abouesaid Crowne and royall dignity with all things as is aforesaid thereunto vnited annexed and appertaining to haue them after the decease of our said Soueraigne Lord the King to him and to his heires of his body lawfully begotten Quae quidem Billa Communibus Regni Angl. in dicto Parliamento existent transportata fuit Cui quidem billae ijdem Communes assensum suum praebuerunt sub hijs verbis A Ceste bille les Communes sont assentus Quibus quidem billa assensis coram Domino Rege in Parliamento praedicto lectis auditis plenius intellectis de assensu Dominorum spiritualium temporal ◅min dicto Parliamento similiter existent ac Cōmunitatis praedictae nec non authoritate einsdem Parliamenti pronunciatum decretum declaratum existit omnia singula in billa praedicta contenta forever a indubia Ac idem Dominus Rex de assensu dictorum trium Statuum Regni authoritate praedicta omnia singula praemissa in billa praedicta contenta concedit ac ea pro vero indubio pronunciat decernit declarat 5 These things I haue laid forth more at large out of the Parliament Roll that ye may vnderstand both what and how great matters the power of a Prince the outward shew of vertue the wily fetches of Lawyers fawning hope pensiue feare desire of change and goodly pretences are able to effect in that most wise assembly of all the States of a Kingdome euen against all law and right so that the saying of Salomon in this State seemed most true that a liuing dogge is better then a dead Lyon But this Richard is not to be accounted worthy to haue been a Soueraigne had he not beene a Soueraign as Galba was reputed who when he was a Soueraigne deceiued all mens expectation but most worthy indeede of Soueraignty had hee not beene transported with ambition which blasted all his good parts by lewde practises and by mischieuous means made foule way thereunto for that by the common consent of all that are wise he was reckoned in the ranke of bad men but of good Princes as indeed King Richard through his short time of raigne is accounted to haue beene 6 The Crown and Scepter accepted as is said King Richard vpon the twentie fifth of Iune went in great pompe vnto Westminster hall and there in the Kings Bench Court tooke his Seat saying that he would take vpon him the Crowne in that place where the King himselfe ought to sit whose chiefest duety was to administer Iustice to his people and with a pleasing Oration so tickled the eares of his Auditors that hee lulled the rurall to thinke that his like had neuer raigned in England and to beginne himselfe with a pretenced clemency he pronounced pardon
hath continued what gouernour we now haue and what ruler wee might haue for I plainely perceiue the Realme being in this case must needes decay and be brought to confusion but one hope I haue that is when I consider your noble personage your justice and indifferencie your seruent zeale and ardent loue towards your naturall Countrey and in like manner the loue of your countrey towards you the great learning pregnant wit and eloquence which so much doth abound in your person I must needs thinke this Realme fortunate which hath such a Prince in store meete and apt to bee Gouernour But on the other side when I call to memory the good qualities of the late Protector and now called King so violated by-tyranny so altered by vsurped authoritie and so clouded by blind ambition I must needs say that hee is neither meet to bee King of so noble a Realme nor so famous a Realme meet to be gouerned by such a tyrant Was not his first enterprise to obtaine the Crowne begunne by the murther of diuers personages did hee not secondarily proceed against his owne natural mother declaring her openly to be a woman giuen to carnall affection and dissolute liuing declaring furthermore his two brethren and two Nephewes to bee bastards and to bee borne in adultery yet not contented after hee had obtained the Garland he caused the two poore innocents his Nephewes committed to him to bee most shamefully murthered the blood of which little babes daily cry to God from the earth for vengeance What surety can be in this Land to any person either for life or goods vnder such a cruell Prince which regardeth not the destruction of his owne blood and much lesse the losse of others But now to conclude what I meane towards your noble person I say affirme if you loue God your linage or your natiue countrey you must your selfe take vpon you the Crowne of this Realme both for the maintenance of the honour of the same as also for the deliuerance of your naturall countreymen from the bondage of such a tyrant And if your selfe will refuse to take vpon you the Crowne of this Realme then I adiure you by the faith you owe vnto God to deuise some wayes how this Realme may bee brought to some conuenient regiment vnder some good Gouernour When the Bishop hap ended his saying the Duke sighed and spake not of a great while so that night they communed no more 26 The next day the Duke sent for the Bishop to whom hee said My Lord of Ely I must needs in heart thinke and with mouth confesse that you bee a sure friend a trustie counsellor and a very louer of your countrey And sith that at our last communication you haue disclosed the secrets of your hart touching the now vsurper of the crown also haue alittle touched the aduancement of the two noble families of Yorke and Lancaster I shall likewise declare vnto you my priuie intents and secret cogitations And to beginne when King Edward was deceased I then began to studie and with deliberation to ponder in what manner this Realme should be gouerned I perswaded with my selfe to take part with the Duke of Gloucester whom I thought to be as cleane without dissimulation as tractable without iniurie and so by my means he was made Protector both of the King and Realm which authoritie being once gotten he neuer ceased priuily to require mee and other Lords aswell spirituall as temporall that he might take vpon him the Crowne till the Prince came to the age of foure and twenty yeres and were able to gouerne the Realme as a sufficient King which thing when hee saw me somewhat sticke at hee then brought in instruments authenticke Doctors Proctors and Notaries of the Law with depositions of diuers witnesses testifying King Edwards children to bee bastards which depositions then I thought to be as true as now I know them to bee fained When the said depositions were before vs read and diligently heard he stood vp bare headed saying Well my Lords euen as I and you would that my Nephewes should haue no wrong so I pray you doe mee nothing but right for these witnesses and sayings of famous Doctors bee true For I am onely the vndubitate heire to Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke adiudged to be the very heire to the Crowne of this Realme by authoritie of Parliament Which things so by learned men for veritie to vs declared caused mee and others to take him for our lawfull and vndoubted Prince and Soueraigne Lord. So againe by my ayde hee of a Protector was made a King but when he was once crowned King and in full possession of the Realme hee cast away his old conditions For when I my selfe sued to him for my part of the Earle of Hertfords Lands which his brother Edward wrongfully deteined from me and also required to haue the office of the high Constableship of England as diuers of my noble ancestors before this time haue had and in long discent continued in this my first suite hee did not only first delay mee and afterwards deny me but gaue mee such vnkinde words as though I had neuer furthered him all which I suffered patiently But when I was informed of the death of the two young Innocents O Lord my heart inwardly grudged insomuch as I abhorred the sight of him I took my leaue of the Court and returned to Brecknocke to you but in my iourney as I came I had diuers imaginations how to depriue this vnnaturall vncle First I fantasied that if I list to take vpon me the Crowne now was the way made plaine and occasion giuen For I well saw hee was disdained of the Lords Temporall and accursed of the Lordes Spirituall After diuers cogitations of this matter as I rode betweene Worcester and Bridgenorth I encountred with the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmund now wife to the Lord Stanley who is the very daughter and sole heire to Iohn Duke of Sommerset my Grandfathers elder brother so that she her sonne Henry Earle of Richmund be both between me and the gate to enter into the Maiestie roiall getting of the Crowne and when wee had a little communed concerning her sonne and were departed I then beganne to dispute with my selfe whether I were best to take it vpon me by the election of the Nobility and Communalty or to take it by power Thus standing in a wauering ambiguity I considered first the office duety and paine of a King which surely I thinke that no mortall man can iustly and truly obserue except he be elected of God as K. Dauid was 27 But further I remembred that if I once took vpon me the Gouernance of the Realme the daughters of King Edward and their Allies being both for his sake much beloued and also for the great iniurie done to them much pittied would neuer cease to barke at
imposterous wretch and withall a Priest neither vnlearned the sacred shadow of which name the rather countenanced his practises in hope to make himselfe the principall Bishop of England plotted the aduancement of Lambert Symnell being his pupill in the Vniuersitie of Oxford to the Crown of England instigated thereto by the diuell and suborned by such as fauoured the White-rose faction vpon this occasion There went a rumour that Edward Earle of Warwicke sonne and heire to George the late vnfortunate Duke of Clarence second brother of King Edward was either already murthered or should shortly be This Architect of guile Simon hauing this Symnel in tuition the * sonne of a Baker or Shoomaker but a wel-faced and Princely-shaped youth of no * very euill nature but as it was corrupted by his Tutor meanes out of this rumors aerie substance to produce an apparition and prodigie which in Title behauiour and artificiall answers infused by his Tutors practises should resemble one of King Edwards children Here we must confesse that our authors leade vs into a perplexitie Some * affirming that this counterfet was exhibited to the world vnder the name of Edward Earle of Warwick sonne of the Duke of Clarence by the most turbulent and fatall Earle of Warwicke slaine at Barnet-field But hereunto reason seemes repugnant For what ground of claime could that Gentleman haue not onely for that his Father was attainted but much more for that the Queene of England then in being was the indubitate eldest daughter and heire of King Edward the fourth and sister and next heire to Edward the fifth Neither wants there ancienter authority then any of the others affirming that this Idoll did vsurpe the name of one of King Edwards sonnes many arguments concurring to buttresse this affirmation For if at the same time as Polydor writeth it was bruted that the sonnes of King Edward the fourth had not been murthered vnder their vsurping Vncle Richard but were escaped and liued in obscurity beyond the Sea how can that be true which Stow and the rest who follow Polydore therein affirm that Lambert was crowned King of England at Dublin in Ireland as heire to George Duke of Clarence For with what iniurie to the roiall brethren fained to be aliue was that Verily there seemes no coherence in the circumstances nor apparence of truth in the substance And how much stronger to the purpose of the Conspirators was the fiction of an Edward the Kings sonne and himselfe once proclaimed King then of an Edward who was but an Earle and a Duke of Clarences heire But you will aske what was the poore Earles part in this tragedie what other then that by rumoring his murther they might bring the person of King Henry into common detestation for his crueltie for clearing whereof the King publikelie afterward shewed the Earle to the view of all And albeit the vulgar fame is that Lambert was called Edward yet one who then liued saith directly that this Cypher was dubbed mounted from his owne meane ranke to the title of a King vnder the name of the second brother who for certaine was called Richard but what Record there is to the contrary is to vs as yet vnknowne for our vulgar Bookes extant can hardly passe with a Iury of ordinary Criticks and Censors for vnchallengeable euidence 14 This aery Typhon which grasped at the embracement of the two Kingdomes of England and Ireland thus throughly schooled and instructed is secretly conueighed by his Sinonian Tutor to Dublin the chiefe City of the Irish where he was confident of partakers as amongst the hereditary Clients and adherents of the house of Yorke which affection was first breathed into them by the cunning popularities of the Lord Richard Duke of Yorke the first of that line who publikely claimed the English Crowne His hopes deceiued him not for the Lord Chancellor of Ireland Thomas Fitz-Gerald of the noble Familie of the Geraldiâ—…s presently professed himselfe for the plot and by his authority and perswasions drew the generality of the Irish after him into it Messengers are hereupon dispatched vpon all hands both into England to such as they had hope of and into low Germany to the Lady Margaret sister of King Edward the fourth Dutchesse Dowager of Burgundy a most mortall enemy of the Lancastrian family In both places the lighted matches of sedition found powdry spirits and wonderfull correspondence There is flocking from all parts to support the quarrell and the Irish to haue the glory of giuing England a King proclaim reuerence this painted puffe flying bubble with royall Style and honors 15 Henrie seeing the fire so strangely kindled round about the wals of his best hopes strengths fals seriously to counsell at the Monastery of Carthusian Monkes neere Richmond where after exact deliberation it was decreed 1. That general pardon to stay the minds of as many as it was possible should without any exception bee proclaimed to such as from thenceforth should continue dutifull Which was principally done to temper and assure some priuate persons as Sir Thomas Broughton and others whose forces willes and wealth were held most in suspition 2. That Elizabeth late wife to Edward the fourth and mother in law to Henry now King of England should forfeit all her lands and goods for that contrary to her faith giuen to them who were in the plot for bringing in King Henry she had yeelded vp her daughters to the hands of the Tyrant Richard 3. That Edward Earle of Warwicke then Prisoner in the Tower should bee openly shewed aline in London All which was accordingly executed but without any great fruit for still â—…he plot went on 16 The condemnation of Elizabeth Queene Dowager rather moued enuy towards Henry then relieued his cause for to many the iustice of that sentence was doubtful the circumstance of a mother in law inferred a breach of pietie and the iudgement it selfe did also want example The iustice was doubtfull both in regard of the cause and of the proceeding Of the cause for how could shee haue defended her daughters by the priuiledge of sanctuary from such a Wolfe and Tyger as would haue infringed it for her sons had they not been quietly deliuered to his bloudie hands The same Tyrant doth now demand her daughters as to honour not to slaughter but if it had beene to slaughter what helpe she terrified with the motion after much deliberation yeelds them to him when shee neither could nor durst detain them But you say she violated her faith and hazarded thereby the liues and hopes of all that were in the plot for her cause A great crime certainely But Richard was in title and power a King and hung ouer her head with ineuitable terrors when Henry of Richmund was but an Earle and he farre off and in banishment and without any apparence of preuailing and her selfe a friendlesse widdow The manner
attached the Court and publike prison for crimes of highest nature being then within the cincture of one and the same wall Sir Robert Clifford at his comming into the Kings presence though hee was secretly before assured of his life most humbly praying and obtaining pardon appeached among many others Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlaine The King would not at first giue credite or at leastwise pretended not to giue credite to the accusation of a Peere so great and so neere vnto him but vpon farther search finding the same confirmed with circumstances and particularly for that he said to Clifford Hee would neuer beare Armes against the young man if he knew him for certaine to be the sonne of King Edward hee resolueth to vse seuerity against the delinquent 38 But Bernard Andreas directly saith That besides bare words and purposes Sir William had supported Perkins cause with treasure wherein hee is recorded so to haue abounded as that in his Castle of Holt he had in coine and plate to the value of forty thousand Markes besides lands of inheritance in sundry places about to the yeerely value of three thousand pounds a prety stocke in treasure at those times to vphold the first brunt of a warre and a large extent of land to furnish the wing of a powerfull battell with able souldiers out of Tenancies with all which the same Author in plaine wordes saith That hee promised to defend the said Pretender and bring him into the Kingdome And if we haue any insight into King Henries disposition it seemes to vs that before he entred into the Tower he not only knew the Lord Chamberlaine vnsound but also that for his quiet apprehension hee chiefly repaired thither Stanley being hereupon attached and referred to farther examination is said To haue denied nothing of all that wherewith hee was charged which he perhaps the more confidently did in hope that king Henry would pardon him in respect of passed seruices they in their effects considered being the greatest whereof mortality is capable preseruation of life and gaining of a Kingdome But the poore gentleman found himselfe farre deceiued in his politicke Lord and Master who to teach mankind thereby how dangerous it is to make a King was not vnwiling to cut him off as perswading himselfe that those seruices proceeded of ambition not of affection or if of affection the cause now ceasing the contrary effects might proue as pernicious as the other had been aduantageous and auaileable The King was vnwilling to displease his Father in Law Thomas Earle of Derby brother german to Sir William Stanley and did therefore for a while suspend his iudgement but rigour finally preuailed and hee was at Westminster openly arraigned conuicted and afterward at the block on Tower-hil beheaded In whose office Giles Lord Dawbeney a most faithfull and moderate man succeeded This sharpe iustice exercised vpon so eminent a person was of great vse in the stay of peoples minds through the Realme of England But in Ireland they were not so setled or reduced but that for the better and fuller purging thereof Henry Deney a Monke of Langton Abbey was sent Lord Chancellour thither with orders and directions and Sir Edward Poinings Knight with souldiers whose greatest diligence and cares were not wanting to punish such as heretofore had aided Perkin or might hereafter The Earle of Kildare Lord Deputy falling into suspition with Poynings was by him apprehended and sent prisoner into England where the King did not onely graciously heare and admit his defences but also returned him with honour and continuation of authority In the meanetime the errour or weaknesse of the Burgundian Dutchesse and her Perkin suffering their enemy in this sort to puruey for his own security and their depulsion hee yet for farther assurance of himselfe makes a progresse into Lancashire there to recreate with his Father in law the Earle and the Countesse his mother where among all other his secret purposes he throughly satisfied the Earle both for the iustice and necessity of Sir William Stanleyes death 39 These certainely were perillous times to liue in and vndoubtedly full of infinite iealousies and hypocrisies nor vnlike to those lately passed wherein there was nothing so plaine and openly proued but that yet for the common custome of close and couert dealing men had it euer inwardly suspect as many well-counterfeited iewels make the true suspected these generall distrusts being among the strange gradations by which the incomprehensible prouidence doth vse to chastise insolent Nations and to make regular Princes meer and absolute But the Dutchesse and her Perkin knowing al things as they passed in England resolue notwithstanding to proceede and therefore taking aduantage of the Kings absence in the North he with a force of broken and discontented persons sets saile for England and approcheth the coasts of Kent about Sandwich and Deale there to beginne his enterprize for obtaining the Crowne of England vnder the borrowed name and title of Richard Duke of Yorke if he found the Commons forward But they though doubtfull at first what to doe yet at the last considering that his Souldiers were for the most part of desperate fortunes and felonious qualitie though hardy otherwise and approoued men of warre remembring withall the mischiefes of part-takings would not adhere but training them within danger vpon promise of succour assaile and driue them to their shippes take fiue of the Captaines Mountford Corbet Whitebolt Quintin and Genin and one hundreth sixty and foure others which were all of them afterward executed Perkin himselfe who would not trust his person on shore being worthily troubled at the inauspicious fortune of his followers presently hoised sailes and returned to his Lady Patronesse and Creatrix into Flanders 40 These newes being brought to the King where he was then in the North he is said to haue giuen God thanks and declared his ioy in these words I am not ignorant most mercifull Iesu how great victories thou hast giuen mee vpon the Saturday at the praiers of thy most gracious Mother all which I ascribe not to my deserts but to the bounty of thy celestiall grace Thou seest ô most benigne Iesu how many snares how many deceits how many weapons that terrible Iuno hath prepared notwithstanding that after my marriage shee faining herselfe ioyfull hath faithfully promised to beare toward vs all fauour and good will but shee more changeable then the winde peruerting all things aswell diuine as humane feares not God but in her fury seekes the vtter ruine of her owne blood Thou ô God who knowest all deliuer vs also if we seeme worthy from these euils but if our sinnes haue deserued to suffer doe thou ô Lord thy good pleasure Neuerthelesse wee owe to thy Grace immortal thanks which though with our tongue we cannot vtter worthily enough yet must they bee rendred We are alwaies of good courage and so minded for certain that
Lady Margaret his eldest daughter as a pledge of indissoluble amitie The Bishoppe promised his best diligence and accordingly after his returne laboured therein with King Henry who most gladly hearkened thereunto Whereupon the Scotish King sent the Archbishoppe of Glasco the Earle of Bothwell and others to demand the Lady in marriage Their entertainement was hearty and princely But when the proposition came to scanning at the Councell table it had not currant passage at first for there were who obiected as an inconuenience That by this marriage the Crowne of England might come to the Scotish line by the issue of Lady Margaret Whereunto it is said King Henry made this answere What if it should for if any such thing should happen which Omen God forbid I see it will come to passe that our Kingdome shall leese nothing thereby because there will not bee an accession of England to Scotland but contrarily of Scotland vnto England as to that which is farre away the most noble head of the whole Iland seeing that which is lesse vseth to accrue to the ornament and honour of that which is much the greater as Normandy heretofore carue to be vnder the dominion and power of the English our forefathers When this was said the whole boord of councell receiued it as an Oracle it went cleare about That Margaret should be married to the King of Scotland With this answere and other instructions the Scottish Ambassadors were sent home who afterward returned into England with full authority satisfaction to all Henries propositions whereupon ensued the before said publishment of assurances at Paules Crosse. It was a principall Article in this agreement That no Englishman should enter Scotland nor Scot into England without commendatory letters from their Soueraigne Which Article was reputed a speciall meane to preserue the peace inuiolable 65 But ere the young Lady her selfe was conuaied into Scotland her brother Prince Arthur died and in * February next ensuing their mother also Queene Elizabeth as shee lay in Child-bed within the Tower of London The King to repaire his mind with fresh consolations in aduancing his onely remaining sonne Henry Duke of Yorke created him suddainely Prince of Wales Earle of Chester Flint within few dayes after his mothers decease Thus was Arthurs losse supplied howsoeuer Henry made Prince espoused soone after though with much reluctation the Lady Katherine his elder brothers widdow vpon the fiue and twentieth of Iune at the Bishoppe of Salisburies house in Fleetstreet And in this wise by prouiding so worthy a wife for him though to say truth her great Dowet was the chiefe motiue the king thought that the estate of England was sufficiently setled wherfore conuerting his cares to the accomplishment of affinity with Scotland hee most sūptuously furnished his deerest eldest daughter for her iourney himself in person trauelled frō Richmund as farre with her as C◅leweston beside Northampton where his mother the Countesse lay after certaine dayes spent in solace the King gaue her his blessing with fatherly counsell and exhortation and committed the guard and conduct of her person principally to the Earles of Surrey and Northumberland and to such Ladies and Gentlewomen as were appointed to that seruice a great company of Lords Knights Esquiers men of Marke attending them as farre as Berwicke At S. Lamberts Church in Lamer Moore within Scotland the King attended by the principall of his Nobles receiued her from the hands of the Earle of Northumberland and the next yeere after married her at Edenborough in the presence of all his Nobility The King gaue great entertainement to the English and shewed them iusting and other pastimes after the Scotish fashion The Scotishmen saith the Bishoppe of Rosse were not behind but farre aboue the Englishmen both in apparrell rich Iewels and massie chaines many Ladies hauing their habiliments set with Goldsmith worke garnisht with Pearle and Stone of price with gallant and wel trapped horses Diuerse Ladies also and young Gentlewomen of England attending Queene Margaret remained there and were well married to certaine Noblemen of Scotland whose progenie liues honourably there euen at these dayes The effect of this marriage is grauely described by the same Bishop in these words There was perfect peace and sincere amity betweene the two Realmes of England and Scotland a long time after And verily during the life of King Henry the seuenth no cause of breach was ministred by either of the Princes but they continued in great loue and friendshippe and mutuall societie contracting of marriages continuall enterchange of Merchandize betwixt the Subiects of both the Realmes as they had beene AL vnder the obedience of ONE PRINCE where through Iustice Policy and Riches did flourish and abound throughout the whole Isle of Albion And of this marriage is Iames the sixth descended being that ONE PRINCE vnder whose obedience AL are now gouerned as vnder the sole and lawfull lineall Monarch of great Britaine for this Iames the fourth had Issue Iames the fifth hee had Issue Queene Mary shee had issue our present Soueraigne the great grandchild of the said Queene Margaret eldest daughter of K. Henrie the seuenth 66 Which effects of peace and riches as they could not but bee comfortable to so wise a King as Henry they being the fruit as it were of his owne iust labours so let vs now obserue the last worldly cares of his raigne and vpon what obiects hee fixed his mind freede from the awe of open challenges of the Crowne and from throwes at his maine which with what art valour and felicity hee at first atchieued and with how great hazards troubles and bloudie businesses he brought it to such passe that neighbour Kinges reputed it safe to entermarry with his family wee haue already heard Two principall points tooke vp the last Scenes of his life for the rest of his time hee wholy employed either in the seruice of Almighty God wherin hee was so diligent that euery day he was present after the deuotions of those times at two or three Masses oftentimes hearing godly Sermons or in building wherewith hee kept his senses busied The one of the two chiefe points was to watch ouer the waies of his wiues kindred the remaining branches of the turbulent and vnfortunate house of Yorke whose growth and greatnesse hee supposed might at some time or other ouertoppe his owne the other was vnder opinion of iustice to encrease his treasure out of the common purses wherby he seemed onerous to many somwhat obscured the brightnes of his former glory at leastwise diminished his opinion with the generality Concerning his courses holden with his wiues kindred the laterall issues and staddles of the Plantagenets it fell out thus which by * occasion of the accidentall landing of Philip King of Spain at this time wherby the Earle of Suffolkes taking was procured we thought it best to handle here together
acceptable vnto mee whose noble conditions I assure you besides her great Parentage is most gentle louing and obedient whereof I haue had a true experience almost these twenty yeeres and were I to choose a wife if the marriage might stand with Gods Law my Choise should be of her before any other woman in the world and if it shall otherwise be prooued I shall not onely be most sorrowfull for parting with so louing a companion but much more haue occasion to lament my chaunce and life in so foule a sin these then are the sores that torments my minde for the sauing of my soule and for which cause I haue heere assembled you that you may declare to our louing Subiects this our true meaning and to stay if it may be the rumors of vnstaied reports and this being said he let them to depart each man bewraying in countenance the affection of his mind some pittying the King to see him so perplexed some fauouring the Queene sorrowed her case and some sighed deepely at this strange speech and sudden alteration 68 But the Cardinall of Yorke fearefull to wade too farre alone in these troubled waters desired the assistance of the learned in the Realme and thereto got the Kings licence which with his Legatine authority commanded many learned men both Diuines Lawyers from Oxford and Cambridge with the presence of many Bishoppes besides These assembled at London were shewed the Instruments and Seales of many forraine vniuersities all of them disabling the marriage and holding the dispensation allowing it vnlawfull but because that string could not bee touched without sound of reproch to the Pope as also to cleare the King from calumnious reports it was thought fittest to send the saide instruments to Rome whereunto these so appointed set their owne seales with an humble request to his Holinesse that an indifferent Iudge might be sent them to determine this great and strange cause of the King which was so followed by his Ambassadors in the Popes Court that Lawrence Campeius a Cardinall of great credite and wisdome from their Consistory was sent into England vnto whom wise Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke was ioined in commission with power to erect a Court to heare the cause pleaded to giue sentence definitiue as they found the equity of law 69 To that end therefore a place was ordained at the Blacke-fryers in London and the King with the Queene remoued themselues vnto his palace of Bridewell neere adioining whence ere long they were summoned by Processe personally to appeare in Court which accordingly they did hauing seueral seates ordained vnder clothes of estate mounted somewhat higher then the two Cardinals the Presidents vnder whose feet sate the Scribes and other Officers the Court being framed Consistory-wise was furnished with Bishoppes Doctors Lawyers and learned Counsellors in most solemne wise the Doctors for the King were Simpson and Bell and his Proctors Peter and Tregonell for the Queene were Fisher Standish and Ridley a very little man but a great Diuine the Court thus set and Commission read the Cryer called the King by the name of King Henry to come into the Court who forthwith answered and said Here. Then was the Queene called by the name of Queene Katherine to come into the Court who made no answere at all but presently rose vp and going about the Court to the King fell down on her knees before his feet and in the hearing of the people spake thus in effect Sir I desire you to take some pitty vpon mee and doe mee Iustice and Right I am a poore woman a stranger borne out of your Dominions hauing here no indifferent Councell and lesse assurance of friendshippe Alasse wherein haue I offended or what cause of displeasure haue I giuen that you intend thus to put mee away I take God to my Iudge I haue beene to you a true and humble wife euer conformable to your will and pleasure neuer gaine-saying any thing wherein you tooke delight without all grudge or discontented countenance I haue loued all them that loued you howsoeuer their affections haue beene to mee ward I haue borne you children and bin your wife now this twenty yeers of my virginity and marriage bed I make God and your own conscience the Iudge and if it otherwise bee proued I am content to bee put from you with shame The King your Father in his time for wisdome was knowne to bee a second Salomon and Ferdinando of Spaine my Father accounted the wisest among their Kings could they in this match bee so farre ouerseene or are there now wiser and more learned men then at that time were surely it seemeth wonderfull to mee that my marriage after twenty yeeres should bee thus called in question with new inuention against me who neuer intended but honesty Alasse Sir I see I am wronged hauing no Counsell to speake for me but such as are your Subiects and cannot bee indifferent vpon my part Therefore I most humbly beseech you euen in Charity to stay this course vntill I may haue aduise and counsel from Spaine if not your Graces pleasure be done And therewithall rising and making lowly obeysance to the King departed thence leaning vpon the Arme of her receiuer each man expecting shee had returned to her seat when as shee tooke directlie out of the place which being perceiued the Cryer againe called her by the name of Queene Katherine to come into the Court Madam quoth her guid you are againe called on on said shee it maketh no matter this is no indifferent Court for me therfore goe forward 70 The King perceiuing that she was departed presently spake thus vnto the assembly I will quoth hee in her absence declare before you all that shee hath beene to mee a most true obedient and comfortable wife endued with all vertuous qualities and conditions according to her birth and in lowlinesse equals any of baser estate With that Cardinall Wolsey made vnto the King an humble request that his Maiesty would bee pleased to declare before that honourable audience whether hee had beene the causer of this his intended diuorce wherewith hee was charged in the opinions of the people My Lord Cardinall quoth the King I can well excuse you in this and rather affirme that you haue beene against mee in attempting it thus far but the chiefest motiue for this matter was the scruple of conscience conceiued vpon certaine words spoken by the Bishop of Bayon the French Ambassador sent from the King to conclude a marriage betwixt Prince Henry his second sonne Duke of Orleance and our onely daughter Lady Mary which Bishoppe made doubt and desired respite to bee satisfied for the legitimation of our said daughter in respect of our marriage with this woman being my owne brothers wife which presently engendred such scruples and doubts in me that my conscience hath beene continually vexed lest by continuing in that sinne after knowledge I
draw Gods indignation against me which I feare wee haue already done in that hee hath sent vs no Issue male and them that were begot in this nuptiall bed no sooner came into the world but were taken againe thence and hopelesse now of more issue by her it behoueth me to consider the state of this Realme and the danger that may follow for lacke of a lawfull Prince to succeed This burden too weighty for my weake conscience not in any dislike of the Queenes age or person with whom I desire onely to continue if our marriage may stand with the law of God I haue in this place assembled you our graue Prelates and learned Diuines to determine of and will God willing submit my selfe to your iudgements My doubts in this case I moued in confession to you my Lord of Lincolne and ghostly father whereof your selfe being somwhat trobled said you would aske counsell of you all my Lords Then of you my Lord of Canterbury being Metropolitane I got licence to put the matter in question to which graâ—… you all put your seales as here in this Court the same is to bee seene True it is said the Lord of Canterbury and I doubt not but that all my brethren here present will acknowledge the same Not so my Lord said the Bishoppe of Rochester you neuer had my hand to that Instrument nor neuer shal Indeed said Canterbury you did it not your selfe but admitted mâ—…e to subscribe your name and allowed mee your Seale vnder your correction said Rochester that is not so Well well quoth the King you are but one man against whom at this time we will not dispute and so rose vp and the Court adiourned ned to England but he tooke his way towards the Emperour to whom the cause somewhat appertained being then at Vienna in his expedition against the Turke vnto whose learned men he offered disputation and in priuate conference so satisfied Cornelius Agrippa the most respected for learning in the Emperours Court as he held the Proposition most true Whereupon others learned were discouraged to dispute and suffered Cranmer to depart without any further proceedings 80 The matter thus manifested in most parts of Christendome this Gordians knot was lastly vnloosed by King Henrie himselfe who now besides this his marriage beganne to call in question what authority the Pope had in his dominions which being afterwards debated in Parliament an Act passed against his vsurped Hierarchy and all persons forbidden to appeale or to make any paiments vnto Rome The Kings marriage with Lady Katherine was by the same Parliament dissolued and his separation from her made by the Archbishop of Canterburie to stand good and effectuall by Law and that Queene Katherine from thenceforth should be called Princesse Dowager which doings shee tooke so to hart as shee procured the Popes curse against King Henrie and his Realme which curse was set vp at Dunkirke in Flaunders for that the bringer thereof durst come no neerer And the Pope in reuenge of himselfe being set in his Consistory accompanied with his Cardinals proceeded to the Censure of these great Princes marriage which he then adiudged to stand most firme and Canonicall and enioyned King Henry to hold matrimoniall society with the said Katherine his lawfull wife and Queene and in that estate to account and maintaine her as it became a King and louing husband to doe and if he refused to accomplish these premisses then to be compelled thereunto and neuer after to be heard in any Court as touching the inualiditie of the said marriage and to pay the expences of the said trauerse as he the holy father should limit and thinke meete This was done a yeere after that the King had married Queen Anne and bare date from Rome the 23. of March and yeere of Christ 1534. For in the meane while King Henry had set his affection vpon the Lady Anne Bullen a Phenix indeed in his Princely eye and another Hester for Englands saluation both in her selfe and roiall Bud succeeding as the heauens and world doe witnes to this day Shee was the daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen Viscount Rochford Earle of Wiltshire and of Ladie Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke This Earle Thomas her father was the sonne of Sir William Bullen whose wife was Lady Margaret the second daughter and Coheire of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond and the said Sir William was the sonne of Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London who lieth buried in Saint Laurence Church in the Iewrie pictured in his winding sheete vpon a Plate of Brasse and about his Graue-stone vpon a border of brasse in many places these words are written Now thus Now thus Now thus whose Charity was extended vpon the poore housholders of that Citie in distributing among them a thousand pounds His Lady was Anne eldest daughter and Coheire vnto Thomas Lord Hâ—… and Hasting and his discent out of the house of the Bullens an ancient Family in the Countie of Norfolke accursed therefore be the pen that slanderously bringeth this rose from a defiled Bed whose Serpents mouth to vphold his God the Pope hath spewed out his poison of vntruthes and made his tongue a sharpe sword against the Lords annointed let him therefore receiue his portion with the Serpent of deceit and his reward with Satan the father of Lies 81 This Ladies religion was different from all Papall indulgences imbracing the Gospell that then began in our vulgar language to bee read for which cause saith Sleidan she was accounted a Lutheran cause enough to bee enuied at by the Bishops of that time 82 Her the King inuested Marchionesse of Pembroke with Mantle and Coronet both in regarde of her Nobilitie and many vertues for so runne the wordes of her Patent which done he tooke the seas for France accompanied with such a traine of his Nobles as the like had not been seen and among many Ladies Anne Bullen was one where hee complained to the French King of the great wrongs offered him by the dull Pope as hee called him who would haue Kings in person to attend his leasure at Rome and contrary to their Kingly dignities to expose themselues and affaires at his will there to bondage and great danger and therefore he earnestly requested that the Pope might bee summoned to a Councell to answere the many abuses that hee had offered vnto most of the Princes in Christendome and vnto himselfe not the least who for his part had allowed him threescore thousand Angels monethly to maintaine an Army for his deliuerance out of the Castle of Angell where the Emperials vnder the Prince of Orenge kept him Which his businesse being ended in France and the King againe returned into England he presently though priuily married the said Lady Marchionesse in his Closet at White-hall in the presence of many the Lady Anne
Sauage bearing her Traine * and Doctor Lee doing the rites of their coniunction who was afterwards consecrated Bishop of Chester Couentree and Lichfield and President of Wales 83 The Romanists much fearing that Babel would downe if Queene Anne might bee heard against wicked Haman sought to vnderproppethe foundations thereof with certaine deuises of their owne and that the same might passe without note of suspition they laid their forgery euen vpon Heauen it selfe whose pretended Oracle Elizabeth Barton commonly called the holy maide of Kent was made to bee and the pillers of this godlesse Fabricke were Edward Bocking a Moncke by profession and doctor of Diuinity Richard Masters Parson of Aldington the Town wherein she dwelt Richard Deering a Monke Hugh Rich a Frier Iohn Adestone and Thomas Abell Priests put to their helping handes and Henrie Gould Bachelour of Diuinity with Iohn Fisher the Reuerend father of Rochester imploied their paines to daube these downe-falling walles with their vntempered Morter The Scribes that set their pens for her Miracles were Edward Thwaites Gentleman and Thomas Lawrence Register besides Hankherst a Monke who writte a letter that was forged to bee sent her from Heauen and Richard Risby and Thomas Gould were the men which dispersed her Miracles abroad to the world This holy maide Elizabeth made a Votarisse in Canterbury was taught by Bocking her Ghostly Father and suspected Paramour to counterfeit many fayned trances and in the same to vtter many vertuous words for the rebuke of sinne vnder which more freely shee was heard against Luthers Doctrine and the Scriptures translation then desired of many neither so onely but that shee gaue foorth from God and his Saints by sundry suggestiue Reuelations that if the King proceeded in his diuorce and second marriage he should not raigne in his Realme one moneth after nor rest in Gods fauour the space of an houre But the truth discouered by Gods true Ministers this Oracle gaue place as all other such did when Christ by his death stopped their lying mouthes for her selfe and seuen of her Disciples were executed for Treason at Tiborne and the other sixe put to their fines and imprisonment With the like counterfeit reuelations and fained predictions this Generation of Hypocrites had brought Edward Lord Stafford Duke of Buckingham vnto his vnhappy ende when as by the working of Iohn de la Court his own Confessor together with Nicolas Hopkins a Monke of the Carthusian Order in the Priorie of Henton in Somersetshire who by his visions from heauen forsooth heartned him for the Crown but before his owne Coronet could aspire to that toppe hee worthily lost both head and all vpon Tower-hill for his treason Ann. Dom. 1521. Vnto such sinnes the world was then subiect and into such conceites their reputed holines had brought them not onely among the simple and vnlettered but euen with them that seemed to bee learned indeed for by certaine predictions foreshewing a great deluge Prior Bolton of Saint Bartholmewes in London was so fearefull that hee built him a house vpon the height of Harrow hill storing it with prouisions necessary to keepe himselfe from drowning in A. D. 1524. 84 But the Popes Holinesse fearing the euent of the game if euery man might set and cast at his Crowne thought it high time to lay hand on his own State and to keepe what was left lestal would bee gone to which end he sollicited many Christian Princes to stand on his part and among them sent his Brief vnto Iames the fift king of Scotland desiring his assistance against King Henry of England whom in his Consistory hee had pronounced to bee an Heretike a Schismatike a manifest Adulterer a publike murtherer a committer of Sacrilege a Rebell and conuict of Laesae Maiestatis for that hee had risen against him who was his Lord. And therefore he had iustly depriued him of his said Kingdom and would dispose the same to him and other Princes so as they would assist to recouer the same a very good prouision and very well foreseene for notwithstanding these boisterous blasts from Rome the King kept his Crowne and was rather feared of the Popes best Abetters then did feare any potent power that the world could afford whose thoughts were now busied for the Coronation of his Queen 85 For Queene Anne conceiued and perceiued with Child her royall Coronation was forthwith prepared which with all royall obseruances vpon the first of Iune being Whitsunday was performed and the seuenth of September following shee bare into the world that excellent Princesse which afterwardes proued the mirrour of the world euen Lady ELIZABETH our late and most famous Queene 86 True it is that the zealous conuersation of this godly Queene gaue great encouragements vnto many more publikely with boldnes to professe the Gospell so that the Ministers formerly fled in case of Religion returned againe into England where the new Testament translated by Tyndall was read but with such dislikes to the Bishoppes that they got it to be burnt Notwithstanding to tickle the Kings eare they preached against the Popes supremacy and tooke the oath for the King themselues abolished his authority by Act of Parliament and suppressed many Monasteries leauing their reuenewes to the Kings will faire introductions indeed for what they intended as the sequell of the sixe Articles by them procured doth manifestly shew and those purposely made against the maintainers of the Gospell whereof Queen Anne was the chiefe who first was most fauourable to those learned Diuines that laide mans saluation vpon the Rocke Christ next in procuring a tolleration from the king for them whose doctrine did daily vndermine the Papall foundation lastly she by no means would consent to marry the King vntill a lawfull diuorce was had for his separation from Lady Katherine his brother Arthurs wife which thing this Pope greatly withstood these were causes sufficient to moue his Holinesse to bend his brow and by his Instruments in Court to cutte off the principal mouer who foreslowing no time tooke the Ball before his rebound 87 For the Queene deliuered of a dead Child and the Kings affection wandring elsewhere gaue them occasion to worke on that Subiect which God in his wisdome would haue downe lest his deliuerance from the bondage of darkenesse should be attributed to any fleshly arme or that shee who then sate in the throne of the worlds full felicity should fixe her senses on so fickle a Center who hauing had experience what it was to bee a Prince must henceforth practise the patience of a poore prisoner which in the third yeere of her marriage and second of May to act the wofull Scene of her Tragedy shee came vpon the Stage being sent to the Tower of London and charged with high Treason against the King at whose first entrance shee fell on her knees before
Councell for the Commyn welthe ner slee ner murder for no enuye but in youre hertts put away all feare and dread and take afore you the Crosse of Criste and in your herts his faith the restitution of the Churche the subpression of these Herytyks and their opynyons by all the holle contents of this Booke And for the obseruation of this Oath heare another commande of the Commissioners as we find it recorded To the Bayliffes and Communes of the Towne of Skarboro Welbelouyd we Francys By god Knyghte and Iohn Halom yoman in the name of all the Communes commande anacharde you that ye assemble your selues together mediately vpon recepete hereof and so take thys othe wychys we here send vnto yow and then after in all haste possible to assist and hayde theis ower brethern wome wee sende to you to keepe and make sure the Castell Towne and Port of Skarboro that no man enter into the same Castell that belongys vnto Rafe Euers the yonger Knyghte nor any outher whiches did not take full parte with the Communes at ower first and last assemblynge in whoys name aethority or attorney soeuer they cume vnlesse they haue licence of all the communes in like manner yee shall truely keepe all sichys ordinance and shippe to the vse of the Communes wythe wyches wee charde you at our late being here and thys not to faile vpon payne of yower lyues yee shall refer credence vnto thys messyngeres thus in hast Fare yee well from Settrynton this Mondaye Sancte Mawris daye Francis Bigott Knight in the name and by Commandement of al the Communes Against these rout of Rebels George Earle of Shrewsbury not staying for the Kings commission mustred his men misdeemed of many that he meant to be a Pilgrime himselfe vnto which suspectors hee made a loyall Oration disclaiming all intention against their attempts how colourable so euer they laid their pretence which done he caused his Chaplen to minister him an Oath of his loyaltie before them in the Field It was likewise reported that the Earle of Darby was set forward towards them whome the Pilgrimes well hoped would haue sided with them as by their mandate sent to the Brethren appeares where is forbid that none of them should aide him vnlesse he tooke the Oath which he neuer meant to assay or sweare to 98 But true it is the King sent Thomas Duke of Norfolke Lord Generall against them accompanied with the Marquesse of Excester the Earles of Huntingdon and Rutland who ioining their powers made towards Doncaster where the Rebels then lay in their Randiuou in whose sight immediately they set vp their Tents and determined battell vpon the next day but on the night betwixt such fluds of water fell that the riuer Dun ouerflowed his bancke and admitted no passage ouer the Bridge which thing was taken as a token from God and thereupon the Lord Generall offered them Conference alleaging that the King was tender of his Subiects liues and very vnwilling to shed Christian blood that their cause should be fauourably heard and iust complaints redressed if with submission and duty of Subiects they would yeeld themselues affaires to the Kings mercy that this their rebellious proceedings was not onely the forerunning messenger of destruction to themselues and partakers but gaue also a great aduantage vnto the Scots the dangerous enemie vnto the Land and them all with these and the like perswasions the matter was so forwarded that a conference was appointed at Doncaster and foure pledges were sent from the Lord General vnto the Commons for the safe returnes of their assigned Commissioners which were these by name Lord Neuill Lord Darcy Lord Stressre Lord Lumley Lord Latimer Sir Thomas Percy Sir George Darcy Robert Aske Captaine Sir Raufe Clayer Seni. Sir Raufe Clayer Iun. Sir Raufe Euers Sir William Constable Sir Raufe Constable Sir Rich Tempest Sir Raufe Romemer Sir William Eustan Sir George Lawton Sir Thomas Hylton M. Robert Constable M. Richard Banner M. Wiseroppe Whose Articles and demands were these as followeth The instruction for Sir Thomas Hilton and other Companyons 1 First to declare to the Duke of Norfolke and other the Lordys that th entent of our meeting of our partie surely is meant and thought of assured troth without any manner of disceyte or male engyne 2 The second is to receiue the Kinges sâ—…ecundyth vnder the Brode Seale of Englonde and to deliuer our sâ—…ecundyth and promise vndre owre hands for the Lordys there 3 The thirde to entreate of owre generall perdon for all causys and all persons which be within the Realme wyche in herte word or deed assentyd edyter procured the furtherance in this our quarrell may be pardoned life lands goods and that in the sayd perdon nor other the Kings records we be not witon reputed ne taken as Rebylleous or tretors nor rehersyd in the same 4 The fourth that Thomas Cromwell nor any of his bande or serte bee not at owre metyng at Doncastre but abcente themselfe from the Councell 5 The fift to receiue the Kings answere by the declarations of the Lords and to certifie the vere eteâ—…t thereof to vs there Also to know what authority the Lords haue to etrete in promes with vs ther as well of owre promes of other things Also to know what plege the wyll deliuer for owr Capitans Also yf thys pertyculars be concluded then for to condyscend of other perticulars 1 The first touching our faith to haue the heresyes of Luther Wyclyf Hussee Melancton Ecolampadius Busyrs the Confession Germane the Applege of Melanqton the werke of Tyndale of Bernys Fryth of Marshall Rastell the Bookes of Sent Germane and such other of any manner Heresie without the Realme not to be kept but vtterly to be dystryed 2 The secund to haue the supreme of the Chyrch tâ—…ching cure of sowlle to be reseruyd to the See of Rome as byfore hyt whas accustomyd for to be and to haue the consecration of Byshoppys frâ—…e hym without any first frâ—…ts or pencyons to him to be paid out of thys Realme or ellys a pencion reasonable for the outwarde defence of our fayth Also we beseke humble our most drade Soueraign Lord that the Lady Mary may be legetymate and the estatutes contrary to the same to bee aâ—…lyd for the dome of the tytle that might incur to the Crown by Scotland and that to be by Parliament Also to haue the Abbeys that bee suppressed to be restoryd to their Lands Howsys and Goods Also to haue the Tents and first frâ—…ts clearely dischargyd onles the Clergy wyll of their selfys grâ—… a Rent or Charge to the augmentation of the Crown Also to haue the Freres obserâ—…s restoryd to their houses againe Also to haue the Heretiks Bishoppys and temporal men of their seete to haue condigne ponysment by fire or such other or ells to trie ther quarrell with vs and our partaker sin batell Also to haue the
Arms but so farre off from embracing as the Rebels from the height of the hill shot at the Citie which doing little harme they remoued their Ordinance to the lower ground and thence beganne to batter the walles and without great resistance entred the town where they became Masters of al the munitions and emprisoned the Maior and many other Citizens 38 These times thus troublesome the King and Citizens of London requiring their aide in these their opposite quarrels and surely in their assembly the talk of the Lords by the Recorder was so wel tolde as had not a graue Citizen stept vp betimes the common Councell had granted aid against their King whose wisdome and loyalty in regarde my selfe a Citizen would haue it recorded to his euerlasting memory and an example and motiue for our obedient loue and duety toward our Soueraignes I will insert as I find them vttered and spoken 58 In this case said hee good it is to thinke on things past to auoide the danger of thinges to come for I remember a story written by Fabian in his Chronicles of the warres betwixt the King and his Barons who euen then as our Lords doe now demanded aid of the Maior and Commons of London against their Soueraingne King Henry the third and that in a cause rightfull and good for the Common-weale which was the execution of certain wholesome lawes somwhat derogating from his princely prerogatiue which hee would not permit The aide was granted and quarrell came vnto battell wherein the Lords preuailed and tooke the King and his sonne prisoners But they againe restored to liberty among other conditions this was one that the King should not onely grant his free pardon to the Lords but also vnto the Citizens of London which was done yea and the same confirmed by Parliament But what followed was it forgotten no surely nor neuer forgiuen during the Kings life for the liberties of the City were taken away strangers appointed to bee our heads and Gouernours the Citizens giuen away both body and goods and from one persecution to another were most miserably afflicted such it is to enter the wrath of a Prince which as Salomon saith is death Wherfore forasmuch as this aide is required of the Kings Maiesty whose voice being our high Shepheard wee ought to obey rather then to hearken to the Lords whom neuerthelesse I wish not to bee vtterly cast off my counsell is that they with vs and wee with them become humble Petitioners vnto his Highnesse that it would please him to heare such complaints against the Lord Protector as may be iustly alleadged and proued and I doubt not but this matter will be so pacified that neither shall the King nor yet the Lordes haue cause to seeke for further aide neither we to offend any of them both 59 These words well weighed and the Councel dissolued fiue hundred Londoners were prepared in a readinesse for Sir Philip Hobby being sent from the Lords to the King so deliuered their minds that the Lord Protector was commanded out of presence and the next day being the twelfth of October the Lords of the Councell resorted to Windsor where they so wrought with the King as his vncle was deliuered into their hands whom the same night they imprisoned in Beauchamps Tower in the same Castel and the next day strongly attended brought him to London whence the streetes were guarded onely by housholders the Aldermen taking the charge of the busines and so to the great griefe and wondering of the people hee was conueyed to the Tower and there left 60 Whither shortly after the Lords themselues repaired and charged the Protector with these 20. Articles as followeth 1 That at his entry into that waighty office hee was expresly prohibited to doe any thing in State without the assent of the last Kings Executors 2 That hee had contrariwise vpon his owne authority both subuerted lawes and staied iustice 〈◊〉 well by letters as commandement 3 That he had deliuered diuers persons arrested and committed to prison for felonie manslaughter murther and treason contrary to the lawes and statutes of the Realme 4 That hee had made Captains and Lieutenants ouer waighty affaires vnder his owne Seale and Writing 5 That hee had alone communicated with forraine Ambassadors about most weighty State affaires 6 That hee had checked diuers of the Kings Priuy Councell speaking for the good of the State yea and threatned to displace them if they consented not to his mind 7 That hee had against law erected a Court of Requests in his owne house whither were enforced diuers of the Kings Subiects to answere for their Free-holds 8 That he had for money disposed Offices in the Kinges gifte money leases and Wardes and giuen presentations of Benefices and Bishoprickes yea and medled with sale of the Kinges lands which by office hee could not without consent of the maior voice of the Councell 9 That hee had commanded multiplication by Alcumistrie to the abuse of the Kings coine 10 That against the King and Councels will hee had set forth a Proclamation against inclosures which had caused daungerous insurrections in the land wherein diuers of the Kings liege Subiects haue beene spoiled and many a worthy man therein slaine 11 That to the same end hee had giuen commission with Articles annexed concerning inclosures of Commons high wayes and decayed Cottages giuing the Commissioners authority to heare and determine the same causes contrary to the lawes and statutes of the Realme 12 That hee had suffered Rebels and traitours to assemble and lie in Campe and Armour against the King his Nobles Gentlemen without any speedy suppressing of them 13 That by his gifts in money with promises of Fees rewards and seruices he had encouraged many of the said rebels 14 That in fauour of them contrary to law he had caused a Proclamation to bee made that none of the said Rebels or Traitors should be sued or vexed for any of their offences committed in the said Rebellion 15 That hee had liked well of these rebellions and had said that the couetousnesse of the Gentry gaue the occasion affirming that it was better for the Commons to die then to perish for lacke of liuing 16 That hee had reported the Lords of the Parliament were loath to reform themselues for the reformation of Inclosures and therefore the people had good cause to reforme the thinges themselues 17 That vpon the report of the defaultes and lackes of Bulloigne nothing was there amended 18 That the Forts of Newhauen and Blacknesse standing in want of men and victuall whereof hee was informed were suffered notwithstanding still to want to the great encouragement of the French and dishonour of the English 19 That he had vntruly published that the Lords at London minded to destroy the King which hee instantly desired hee would neuer forget and to that end instigated many young Lords whereby sedition and discord was made
among the Nobles 20 Lastly that whereas the Lords assembled at London onely to consult vpon a charitable communication to be had with the Protector for his misgouernment of the King and Realme hee contrariwise sent letters of credence to many places and persons that the said Lords were no lesse then high Traitors to the King and great disturbers of the whole realme All these accusations notwithstanding the young King so labouring it he was released from the Tower the sixt of February following vnto his free liberty though not vnto his former authority and so remained vntouched for the space of two yeeres and two dayes 61 Whilest these his and other troubles were commencing in England the Lord Grey of Wilton left Lieutenant of the North remained in Scotland where many feates of warre were vndergone and many Forts fortified and some taken such were Lowden Hadington and Yester at whose assault certaine opprobrious speeches in most contemptuous manner were vttered by a Scotish man against King Edward of England whereat the Lord Grey was so offended as vpon composition for the deliuerie of the Castell all were let goe with life onely that person excepted and his name knowne to bee Newton was appointed to die for the same but hee denying the words imposed them vpon one Hamilton a man valorous inough and wrongfully touched who denied the accusation and challenged Newton the combat which hee accepted and in performance slew Hamilton though more at disaduantage then for lacke either of courage or strength The victor was rewarded with a great chaine of gold and the gowne that the Lord Grey ware at the present though many maligned and accused him still to bee the vtterer of those base words 62 The English keeping foot still in Scotland burnt Dawketh and Muskelburgh and fortified Hadington both with munition and men spoyling the Country saith Bishoppe Lesly all about Edenburgh Lowthian and Mers repairing of Forts and placing of Garrisons as if they meant there to remaine and abide but their young Queene being conuaied into France and the Scots aided with the assistance of the French so quit themselues that they voided their land of the English and recouered of them all they had lost In which times of variable successe the King but a child the Nobles at variances and the combustuous Commons obedient to neither the French sought to recouer the holds that the English had in their Country and first by stealth meant to surprise the fortresse of Bulloigâ—…berg vnto which enterprise seuen thousand were chosen vnder the conduct of Monsieur Chatillon 63 These secretly marching in the night with ladders and furniture meete for the enterprize approached within a quarter of a mile vnto Bullingberg fort amongst whom was an English Souldier discharged out of their pay for that he had taken a French woman to wife This Carter for so was his name got entertainement vnder Chatillon and now vnderstanding whereabout they went hastily made from his Company and gaue the Alarum to his Countrimen within the Fort where Sir Nicholas Arnalt Captaine of the peece caused him to bee drawne vp betwixt two pikes to the height of the wall vnto whom hee declared the attempt in hand among them stood so valiantly in defence of the fort that hee gaue many a wound and â—…ed some himself by him and this meanes the Peece was quit from surprisall and the slaughter of the French so great that fifteene Wagons went laden away with dead Corps 64 This losse sustained and the English masters in those parts of their Maine the French sought to trie fortune for their Isles in the Seas namely â—…nesey and Iersey possest and subiect to King Edwards Crowne their preparations were great and their Marshallists many which notwithstanding with such losse were beaten backe from their 〈◊〉 as a thousand men at Armes were â—…ine in the attempt the successe so vnfortunate as the French for feare of further discouragement forbad â—…e report and made an inhibition not to mention the expedition of that iourney 65 Neuerthelesse the French King ceased not his desired purposes till hee had got by â—…nder 〈◊〉 Blackâ—…sse Bulloignberg and the town of Bulloigne it selfe though bought at a deare rate and deliuered with great griefe to the English vnto such a lamentable state and dishonourable composition was the good King Edward brought by the bandings of his great Counsellors and insurrections of his vnruly Commons after which calamities a great and mortall disease followed namely the sweating sicknesse that raged extreamely through the land wherein died the two sonnes of Charles Brandon both of them Dukes of Suffolke besides an infinite number of men in their best strengths which followed onely Englishmen in forraine Countrey no other people infected therewith wherby they were both feared and shunned in all places where they came 66 And to fill vp the dolours of these dolefull times the good Duke of Sommerset was againe apprehended euen when the least suspition was of any vndirect workings for vpon his first releasement to linke a firme loue betwixt him and the potent Earle of Warwicke his most malignant a marriage was contracted betwixt the Lord Lisle his eldest sonne heire and the Lady the Earles eldest daughter which was solemnized with great ioy at Sheene in presence of the young King this amity was outwardly carried with all faire shewes for a time thogh inward hatred lay secretly hid as by the sequell incontinentlie appeared for after a solemne creation of many Estates wherein the Earle of Warwicke had his style raised to bee Duke of Northumberland vnto whose rayes at that time most of the Courtiers cast their eyes the sparkes of emulation began presently to breake forth where the simplicity of the one gaue aduantage to the other to compasse that which long had beene sought 67 The Duke of Sommerset not well aduised and yeelding too much vnto Sycophant flatteries was put in feare of some sodaine attempt intended against him and therefore counselled to weare vnder his garment a coate of defence which hee accordingly did and being so armed came vnto the Councell Table supposing no man had known of any such thing but his bosome being opened and the Armour perceiued hee was forthwith apprehended as intending the death of some Counsellor and by Northumberland so vehemently taxed who in Counsell was euer the principall man that hee was forthwith attached and sent to the Tower vpon the sixteenth of October with the Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Michael Stanlâ—…p Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Mileâ—… Partridge and the next day the Dutchesse his wife was likewise committed all of them for suspition of treason and fellonie and he standing so indited vpon the second of December following was arraigned at Westminster attended with the Axe of the Tower Billes Halberds and Pollaxes a great number 68 His inditement was for