a metamorphosis transformed from politike ciuilitie to detestable tyrannie I must needs saie iustlie affirme that he is neither méet to be a king of so noble a realme nor so famous a realme méet to be gouerned by such a tyrant whose kingdome if it were of more amplenesse than it is could not long continue neither would the Lord suffer him in his bloudthirstines to abuse the holie and diuine estate of a prince by the cruell title of tyrannie For such he will ouerthrow yea he will bring most horrible slaughter vpō them as it is prophesied Impius ad summos quamuis ascendat honores Aspice quas clades tempora saeua vehent Was not his first enterprise to obteine the crowne begun and incepted by the murther of diuerse noble valiant true and vertuous personages O holie beginning to come to a mischeeuous ending Did he not secondarilie procéed contrarie to all lawes of honestie shamefullie against his owne naturall mother being a woman of much honour and more vertue declaring hir openlie to be a woman giuen to carnall affection and dissolute liuing Which thing if it had béene true as it was not indéed euerie good line 10 naturall child would haue rather mummed at it than haue blasted it abroad and especiallie she being aliue Declaring furthermore his two brethren and his two nephues to be bastards and to be borne in adulterie yet was he not with all this content After that he had obteined the garland for the which he so long thirsted he caused the two poore innocents his nephues committed to him for especiall trust to be murthered and shamefullie to be killed The bloud of which séelie and litle babes dailie crie to God from the earth for vengeance Alas my hart sobbeth to remember line 20 this bloudie butcher and cruell monster What suertie shall be in this realme to anie person either for life or goods vnder such a cruell prince which regardeth not the destruction of his owne bloud and then lesse the losse of other And most especiallie as oftentimes it chanceth where a couetous or a cruell prince taketh suspicion the smallest swaruing that is possible if the thing be misconstrued may be the cause of the destruction of manie guiltlesse persons and in line 30 especiall of noble and wealthie personages hauing great possessions and riches such a lord is Lucifer when he is entered into the hart of a proud prince giuen to couetousnesse and crueltie But now my lord to conclude what I meane toward your noble person I saie and affirme if you loue God your linage or your natiue countrie you must your selfe take vpon you the crowne and imperiall diademe of this noble empire both for the maintenance of the honour of the same which so long hath line 40 flourished in fame and renowme as also for the deliuerance of your naturall countrimen from the bondage and thraldome woorse than the captiuitie of Aegypt of so cruell a tyrant and arrogant oppressor For thus I dare saie if anie forren prince or potentate yea the Turke himselfe would take vpon him the regiment here and the crowne the commons would rather admit and obeie him than to liue vnder such a bloudsucker and child-killer But how much more ioifull and glad would they be to liue vnder your line 50 grace whome they all know to be a ruler méet and conuenient for them and they to be louing and obedient subiects méet to liue vnder such a gouernour Despise not nor forsake not so manifest an occasion so louinglie offered And if you your selfe knowing the paine and trauell that apperteineth to the office of a king or for any other consideration will refuse to take vpon you the crowne and scepter of this realme then I adiure you by the faith that you owe to God by your honor and by your oth made to saint George patrone of the line 60 noble order of the garter whereof you be a companion and by the loue and affection that you beare to your natiue countrie and the people of the same to deuise some waie how this realme now being in miserie may by your high discretion and princelie policie be brought and reduced to some suertie and conuenient regiment vnder some good gouernour by you to be appointed for you are the verie patrone the onelie helpe refuge and comfort for the poore amazed and desolate commons of this realme For if you could either deuise to set vp againe the linage of Lancaster or aduance the eldest daughter of king Edward to some high and puissant prince not onelie the new crowned king shall small time inioy the glorie of his dignitie but also all ciuill war should ceasse all domesticall discord should sléepe and peace profit and quietnesse should be set foorth and imbraced When the bishop had thus ended his saieng the duke sighed and spake not of a great while Which sore abashed the bishop and made him change colour Which thing when the duke perceiued he said Be not afraid my lord all promises shall be kept to morrow we will common more let vs go to supper So that night they communed no more not a little to the disquieting of the bishop which now was euen as desirous to know the dukes mind and intent as the duke longed the daie before to know his opinion and meaning So the next daie the duke sent for the bishop and rehearsed to him in maner for he was both wittie and eloquent all the communication had betwéene them before and so paused a while and after a little season putting off his bonet he said O Lord God creator of all things how much is this relme of England and the people of the same bounden vnto thy goodnesse For where we now be in vexation and trouble with great stormes oppressed sailing and tossing in a desperate ship without good maister or gouernour yet by thy helpe good Lord I trust yer long time passe that we shall prouide for such a ruler as shall be both to thy pleasure and also to the securitie and safegard of this noble realme And then he put on his bonet saieng to the bishop My lord of Elie whose true hart and sincere affection toward me at all times I haue euidentlie perceiued and knowen and now most of all in our last priuie communication and secret deuising I must néeds in hart thinke and with mouth confesse and saie that you be a sure fréend a trustie councellor a vigilant foreséer a verie louer of your countrie and a naturall countrieman for which kindnes for my part I most louinglie render to you my hartie thanks now with words hereafter trusting to recompense and remunerate you with deeds if life and power shall serue And sith at our last communication you haue disclosed and opened the verie secrets and priuities of your stomach touching the duke of Glocester now vsurper of the crowne and also haue a little touched the aduancement of the two noble families of Yorke
learned councell grieuouslie inueie against the cruell bloudie lawes of king Henrie the eight and against some lawes made in my late souereigne lord and masters time king Edward the sixt Some termed them Dracos lawes which were written in bloud some said they were more intollerable than anie laws that Dionysius or anie other tyrant made In conclusion as manie men so manie bitter tearmes and names those lawes had And moreouer the preface of the same statute dooth recite that for words onelie manie great personages and others of good behauiour haue béene most cruellie cast awaie by these former sanguinolent thirstie lawes with manie other suggestions for the repeale of the same And now let vs put on indifferent eies and throughlie consider with our selues as you the iudges handle the constructions of the statute of Edward the third with your equitie and extentions whether we be not in much woorse case now than we were when those cruell laws yoked vs. These lawes albeit they were grieuous and captious yet they had the verie propertie of a law after saint Paules description For those lawes did admonish vs and discouer our sinnes plainelie vnto vs when a man is warned he is halfe armed These lawes as they be handled be verie baits to catch vs onlie prepared for the same and no laws for at the first sight they ascerteine vs we be deliuered from our old bondage and by the late repeale the last parlement we liue in more securitie But when it pleaseth the higher powers to call anie mans life and saiengs in question then there be constructions interpretations and extentions reserued to the iustices and iudges equitie that the partie triable as I am now shall find himselfe in much woorse case than before when those cruell lawes stood in force Thus our amendment is from Gods blessing into the warme sunne But I require you honest men which are to trie my life consider these opinions of my life iudges be rather agréeable to the time than to the truth for their iudgements be repugnant to their owne principle repugnant to their godlie and best learned predecessors opinions repugnant I saie to the prouiso in the statute of repeale made in the last parlement Master Throckmorton quiet your selfe and it shall be the better for you Master atturnie I am not so vnquiet as you be and yet our cases are not alike but bicause I am so tedious to you and haue long troubled this presence it maie please my lord chiefe iustice to repeat the euidence wherewith I am charged and my answers to all the obiections if there be no other matter to laie against me ¶ Then the chiefe iustice remembred particularlie all the depositions and euidences giuen against the line 10 prisoner and either for want of good memorie or good will the prisoners answers were in part not recited wherevpon the prisoner craued indifferencie and did helpe the iudges old memorie with his owne recitall My masters of the iurie you haue to inquire whether sir Nicholas Throckmorton knight here prisoner at the barre be giltie of these treasons or anie of them whereof he hath beene indicted and this daie arreigned yea or no. And if you find him giltie you line 20 shall inquire what lands tenements goods and cattels he had at the daie of his treasons committed or at anie time since and whether he fled for the treasons or no if you find him not giltie Haue you said what is to be said Yea for this time Then I praie you giue me leaue to speake a few words to the iurie The weight and grauitie of my cause hath greatlie occasioned me to trouble you here long and therfore I mind not to interteine you here long with anie prolix oration you perceiue notwithstanding line 30 this daie great contention betwixt the iudges and the quéenes learned councell on the one partie and me the poore and wofull prisoner on the other partie The triall of our whole controuersie the triall of my innocencie the triall of my life lands and goods and the destruction of my posteritie for euer dooth rest in your good iudgements And albeit manie this daie haue greatlie inueied against me the finall determination thereof is transferred onelie to you How grieuous horrible the shedding of line 40 innocents bloud is in the sight of almightie God I trust you doo remember Therefore take héed I saie for Christs sake doo not defile your consciences with such heinous notable crimes They be grieuouslie and terriblie punished as in this world and vale of miserie vpon the childrens children to the third and fourth generation and in the world to come with euerlasting fire and damnation Lift vp your minds to God and care not too much for the world looke not line 50 backe to the fleshpots of Aegypt which will allure you from heauenlie respects to worldlie securitie and can thereof neither make you anie suertie Beléeue I praie you the queene and hir magistrats be more delighted with fauourable equitie than with rash crueltie And in that you be all citizens I will take my leaue of you with S. Paules farewell to the Ephesians citizens also you be whom he tooke to record that he was pure from sheding anie bloud a speciall token doctrine left for your instruction line 60 that euerie of you maie wash his hands of innocents bâ—oud shed when you shall take your leaue of this wretched world The holie ghost be amongest you Come hither sergeant take the iurie with you and suffer no man to come at them but to be ordered as the law appointeth vntill they be agreed vpon their verdict It may please you my lords and maisters which be commissioners to giue order that no person haue accesse or conference with the iurie neither that any of the quéenes learned councell be suffered to repaire to them or to talke with anie of them vntill they present themselues here in open court to publish their verdict ¶ Upon the prisoners sute on this behalfe the bench gaue order that two seargeants were sworne to suffer no man to repaire to the iurie vntill they were agreed according vnto order Wherevpon then the prisoner was by commandement of the bench withdrawne from the barre and the court adiourned vntill thrée of the clocke at afternoone at which houre the coÌ„missioners returned to the Guild-hall and there did tarie vntill the iurie were agréed vpon the verdict And about fiue of the clocke their agréement being aduertised to the commissioners the said prisoner sir Nicholas Throckmorton was aâ—â—ine brought to the barre where also the iurie did 〈◊〉 and being demanded whether they were agréed vpon their verdict answered vniuersallie with one voice Yea. Then it was asked who should speake for them they answered Whetston the foreman Nicholas Throckmorton knight hold vp thy hand Then the prisoner did so vpon the summons You that be of the iurie looke vpon
the Englishmen into the towne but that the enimies hauing planted that morning eight canons in batterie against the castell and the bulworke of the hauen caused the same to be shot off continuing the same till wednesdaie at noone being the eight and twentith of Iulie There were six other canons also planted by them in the meane space which likewise made batterie to the castell and to the townegate In this meane time also Cutbert Uaughan comptrollor departed out of this life a skilfull man of warre and no lesse circumspect than hardie both to preserue those which he had vnder his conduction and to incourage them to doo manfullie when time thereto serued Saturdaie the foure twentith of Iulie the batterie still continuing as before certeine peeces were bent also to beat and trauerse the hauen The Englishmen therefore setting fire on two windmils that stood there abandoned a trench which they kept and the Palisad capteine Poiet lieutenant of an other of the ensignes coronels of the French footmen vnder monsieur Dandelot entred with his band and tooke possession of a tower that stood at the end of the said Palisad The French yet had hot abiding there notwithstanding all the diligence and policie which they could vse to lodge there in safetie Among others capteine Richlieu maister of the campe was hurt in the shoulder with an harquebuse shot The marshall Montmorancie caused a platforme to be raised ioining to the Palisad where about euening the same daie he planted foure péeces of artillerie On sundaie the fiue and twentith of Iulie monsieur de Estrée great maister of the artillerie accompanied with the seneshall of Agenois vsed all diligence that might be to place the artillerie for batterie wherevnto also monsieur de Caillac applied himselfe by the conestables commandement who had compounded a matter in variance betwixt him and monsieur de Estrée This sundaie and mondaie following they were verie busie to bring their purpose in that behalfe to passe likewise to aduance their trench vnto the side of the breach The marshall de Burdelon abode in the trench there all sundaie and lost two of his gentlemen The marshall Montmorencie accompanied with diuerse lords knights of the order remained all mondaie in the trenches to prepare things readie for the batterie not without some danger of his person For the stones that were beaten with the bullets comming out of the towne flew verie fast about his eares of the which there was one that lent him a blow on the shoulder an other of them philipped him on the fingers and lighting also in other parts of his bodie if his armor had not defended him the better he had not escaped without further harme The same daie line 10 the prince of Conde and the duke of Montpensier came to the campe and alighting at the conestables lodging went from thence ' to the trenches to relieue the marshall Montmorencie and to supplie his roome whilest he might in the meane time go to sup with his father and so take his rest Monsieur Destrée and the other that had charge about the planting and ordering of the artillerie vsed such dilgence and were so earnestlie called vpon and incouraged by the prince of Conde continuallie remaining in line 20 the trenches that on tuesdaie in the morning the artillerie began to batter the bulworke of saint Addresses and other places This was doone not without great danger of the pioners and men of war that garded them for as the French desperatlie made their approch so they were made by English gunners to tast the bitter fruit that the canon culuerings yéelded But such was the multitude of the Frenchmen that were now assembled line 30 togither in hope to recouer that towne which being possessed by the English cut off all traffike from Rouen and Paris and so consequentlie from the chéefe parts of the whole realme of France that with their generall aid and drawing the water downe to the sea the marishes were made passable and firme ground which to men of great experience was thought a thing vnpossible The castell the walles and other defenses of the towne were battered breaches made and the trench which before the line 40 comming of the conestable was but brought to the point ouer against the bulworke of saint Addresses was now within foure daies aduanced néere hand the space of two miles vpon the causeie or breach which was all of stone without anie earth to couer them so that they were driuen to make the best shift they could with woolsacks sandbags baskets and fagots Yet all this had neuer come to passe nor could haue beene wrought without infinit slaughter and far more losse of French bloud that necessarilie line 50 should haue béene spilt if the great mortalitie of pestilence which entred the towne about the beginning of the summer throgh a malicious infection had not so greatlie increased that it â—â—ue tooke awaie dailie great numbers of men beside those that being sicke thereof escaped with life but were yet so feeble and weake that they were notable to helpe themselues nor to doo anie seruice auailable at all There died so manie dailie through the vehemencie of the infection that the stréets laie euen full of line 60 dead corpses not able to be remooued or buried by reason of the multitude that perished Herewith they were gréeuoâ—slie annoied for want of fresh vittels but chéeflie of fresh waters which the enimie by long siege had cut off And now the shot of the canon lieng within six and twentie paâ—es of the towne was so terrible as the like had not lightlie beene heard of and sundrie breaches therewith were alreadie made namelie two verie great and easie for the enimies to enter All these dangers and miseries notwithstanding the worthie earle of Warwike with his capteins and soldiors in couragious order stood at those seuerall breaches readie to defend the same if the enimies had presumed to haue giuen the assault nothing afraid of death nor bloudie wounds before which he preferred the seruice of his prince And albeit the aduenture was great yet by his owne example he incoraged other to cast awaie all dread of danger and to shew themselues bold which to a soldior in battell is a whetstone to set him on edge And surelie in this point he was warriorlike minded if a man may allow the poets words in the like sense Res magnae non absque graui discrimine fiunt In dubijs prodest generosa audacia rebus Which when the conestable perceiued he caused a trumpet to sound the blast of imparleacute e that talke might be had for the concluding of a composition betwixt both the parties This offer considering that sore contagious mortalitie wherwith the towne was most greeuouslie infected hauing so greatlie inféebled the English forces within the same was thought not vnméet to be receiued Herevpon
subiection and obedience vnto Anselme without any condition intermitted or else that onelie which he did pretend by authoritie of the pope the bishops making answer diuerslie herevnto the king appointed those to sit downe by him as faithfull subiects who acknowledged that their renuntiation was absolutelie made without intermitting of any condition as for the other who protested that they renounced their subiection and obedience vnto him onelie in that which he presumed vpon in the behalfe of the pope he commanded them to go aside and to remaine in a corner of the house to heare the sentence of their condemnation pronounced Wherefore being put in a maruellous feare they withdrew themselues aside but yet straightwaies they deuised a shift wherewith they had beene well acquainted before as followeth They presented to the king a great masse of monie to appease his wrath and so thereby were restored to his fauour Anselme notwithstanding was obstinate in his opinion so that in the end the sentence touching this controuersie betwixt him and the king was respited till the octaues of Pentecost next insuing All this was notified well inough to the pope who vsed the matter with such moderation that by secret aduertisements giuen he tooke awaie from his brethren all rigorous waies of procéedings saieng Dum furor in cursu est currenti cede furori But yet the kings enmitie towards Anselme was openlie declared and that chéefelie for the deniall of the monie which he demanded but at length he got it though not with any frée hart or goodwill of the archbishop insomuch that the king reputed him giltie of treason Within a few daies after Walter bishop of Alba bringing to him his pall verie wiselie reconciled the pope and the king Notwithstanding all this Anselme could not purchase the kings goodwill to his contentment though he wiselie dissembled for the time so that when the bishop of Alba should returne to Rome he made sute for licence to go with him Neuerthelesse the king offered him that if he would desist from his purpose and sweare vpon the euangelists neither to go to Rome nor to appeale in any cause to the popes court he might and should liue in quietnesse frée from all danger but if he would not be so contented he might and should depart at his perill without hope to returne hither againe For surelie saith he if he go I will seize the archbishoprike into mine owne hands and receiue him no more for archbishop Anselme herewith departing from the court came to Canturburie declaring openlie what had bin said vnto him and immediatlie sought to flee out of the realme in the night prouiding for himselfe a shi◠at Douer But his purpose being reuealed to the king line 10 one William Warlewast the kings seruant was sent after him and finding him readie to depart tooke from him all that he had gaue him a free pasport out of the land Anselme repairing to Rome made vnto pope Urban a greeuous information against the king declaring into what miserable state he had brought the Realme and that for want of assistance in his suffragans it laie not in him to reforme the matter Indéed we find not that any of the bishops held line 20 with Anselme in the controuersie betwixt him and the king Ranulph bishop of Chichester excepted who both blamed the king and rebuked all such bishops as had refused to stand with Anselme and fauoured the king in cases concerning the foresaid variance Moreouer the same bishop of Chichester withstood the king and his officers in taking fines of préests for the crime of fornication by reason of which presumption the king became sore offended with him found meanes to suspend many churches of his diocesse line 30 Howbeit in the end the bishop demeaned himselfe in such wise that he had his owne will and his church doores were opened againe which had béene stopped vp before with thornes Besides this the king was contented that the said bishop should haue the fines of préests in crimes of fornication within his diocesse and enioy many other priuileges in right of his church But how beneficiall so euer he was vnto the see of Chichester true it is as Polydor writeth that he let out diuers abbeies and the bishoprike of Winchester line 40 and Salisburie with the archbishoprike of Canturburie vnto certeine persons that farmed the same at his hands for great summes of monie in so much that beside the said sees of Canturburie Winchester and Salisburie which at the time of his death he kept in his hands he also receiued the profits of eleuen abbeies which he had let out or otherwise turned to his most aduantage Robert Losaunge of some called Herbert that sometime had bin abbat of Ramsey and then bishop line 50 of Thetford by gift of a thousand pounds to the king as before ye haue heard repented him for that he was inuested by the king who after he had bewailed his offense went to Rome and did penance for the same in all points as the pope enioined him Which being doone he returned into England remoouing yer long his sée from Thetford to Norwich where he founded a faire monasterie of his owne charges and not of the churches goods as some say wherein is a doubt considering he was first an abbat and after line 60 a bishop About this time by the meanes of Stephan Harding a Monke of Shireborne an Englishman the order of Cisteaux or white moonkes had his beginning within the countrie of Burgongne as witnesneth Ranulph the moonke of Chester but other writers as Iacob Philippus say that this Stephan was the second abbat of that place and that it was founded by one Robert abbat of Molmense in the yeare of Grace 1098. This order was after brought into England by one called Walter Espeke who founded the first abbeie of that religion within this relme at Riuall about the yeare of Grace 1131. But to returne againe to the king who still continued in his wilfull couetousnesse pulling from the rich and welthie to waste and spend it out in all excesse vaine riot and gifts bestowed on such as had least deserued the same And yet he was warned by manie strange woonders as the common people did descant to refraine from these euill dooings for the Thames did rise with such high springs and tides that manie townes were drowned and much hurt doone in places about London and elsewhere Diuerse rare things happened also at the same time which I passe ouer But the king hearing hereof did nothing regard those which were so bold as to tell him that they were euident significations of some vengeance to follow therevpon The king also himselfe on a night as he slept dreamed thought that the veines of his armes were broken and that the bloud issued out in great abundance Likewise he was told by Robert Fitz Hammon that a
and take his cariage laden with vittels armor and other prouision ouerthrowing also no small number of the Frenchmen and taking line 10 from them their horsses they returned backe in safetie without any great damage receiued Notwithstanding this the French king inforcing againe his power waxed too strong for the earle of Britaine so that he was constreined to take a truce to indure till the feast of all saints that he might in the meane time vnderstand if the king of England would come ouer with some puissant armie to his aid or no but bicause it was perceiued in the end that the said earle of Britaine sought nothing else line 20 but how to get monie out of king Henries coffers and to doo him no pleasure for it bicause he was in manner at an other agreement alreadie with the king of France king Henrie refused to satisfie his requests at such time as he came ouer vnto him after the taking of that truce for more monie Herewith also the said erle being offended got him backe into his owne countrie and shortlie after apparantlie submitted himselfe to the French king which as the report went he had doone before in secret line 30 These things being thus brought to passe and all troubles quieted the king as then being at London there was brought before him by one Tolie a complaint exhibited against the Iewes of Norwich which had stolen a yoong child being not past a twelue moneths old and secretlie kept him an whole yeare togither to the end that he might when Ester came crucifie him in despite of our sauiour Iesus Christ and the christian religion The matter as it happened fell out well for the lad for within a few daies before line 40 that those curssed murtherers purposed to haue shed this innocents bloud they were accused conuicted and punished whereby he escaped their cruell hands About the same time to wit the seauenth of Februarie died Hugh de Wels bishop of Lincolne a great enimie to moonks and religious men Robert Grosted was then preferred to his roome a man of great learning and trained vp in schooles euen from his infancie The same yeare the emperour Frederike the second maried the ladie Isabell the kings sister This line 50 Isabell was a most beautifull ladie of comelie personage and of age about one and twentie years She was affianced by procuracie about the seauen and twentith of Februarie And after Easter the archbishop of Cullen and the duke of Louane came ouer from the emperour to haue the conueiance of hir vnto the emperors presence There was such a feast holden so sumptuous seruice so rich furniture and roiall banketting kept the day before hir departure line 60 from London towards the sea side that more could not be imagined The same feast was kept at Westminster on the fift day of May and the day following she did set forward and by easie iournies came to Sandwich the king bringing hir thither with thrée thousand horsses Finallie she tooke the sea the eleuenth of May the king taking leaue of hir not without teares when they thus departed the one from the other And so with prosperous wind and weather shée arriued at Antwerpe and from thence passed forward till shée came to hir husband the emperour by whom shée was receiued with great ioy and comfort at Worms where the marriage was consummate vpon a sundaie being the two and twentith day of Iulie or as Matthew Westminster saith the seauen and twentith of May being Whitsunday This yeare the bishop of London pronounced the sentence of excommunication against certeine vsurers called Caorsini But bicause the same vsurers shadowed themselues vnder the pretext of the popes merchants as they named themselues they preuailed so much by the fauour of the court of Rome that the said bishop being sicke and feeble was cited peremptorilie in the parts beyond the seas before iudges chosen foorth by the same vsurers to make answer for such high iniurie as he had here doone to the popes factors The bishop willing by the example of â—â—em rather to couer his fathers shame than to reueale it to the whole world did quietlie put vp the matter and with commendable patience receiued the proffered wrong hauing learned this lesson that Gaudet patientia duris and to pacifie the trouble suffered their wickednesse commending in the meane while the cause vnto his patrone S. Paule And when he preached of the force of faith he vttered this saieng If an angell preach contrarie doctrine to vs in these things let him be accurssed In the twentith yeare of king Henries reigne in the Aduent time the noble baron the lord Robert Fitz Water departed this life and so likewise did a noble yong man descended of most noble parentage one Roger de Somerie year 1236 On the foureteenth day of Ianuarie insuing the king married the ladie Elianor daughter to the earle of Prouance named Raimond This marriage was solemnized at Canturburie and in the octaues of S. Hilarie next insuing being sunday shee was crowned queene of England at Westminster At the solemnitie of this feast and coronation of the quéene all the high peeres of the realme both spirituall and temporall were present there to exercise their offices as to them apperteined The citizens of London were there in great arraie bearing afore hir in solemne wise thrée hundred and thréescore cups of gold and siluer in token that they ought to wait vpon hir cup. The archbishop of Canturburie according to his dutie crowned hir the bishop of London assisting him as his deacon The earle of Chester bare the sword of saint Edward before the king in token that he was earle of the palace and had authoritie to correct the king if he should see him to swarue from the limits of iustice his constable of Chester attended vpon him and remooued where the presse was thicke with his rod or warder The earle of Penbroke high Marshall bare the rod before the king and made roome before him both in the church and in the hall placing euerie man and ordering the seruice at the table The wardens of the cinque ports bare a canopie ouer the king supported with foure speares The earle of Leicester held the bason when they washed The earle of Warren in the place of the erle of Arundell bicause he was vnder age attended on the kings cup. M. Michaell Bellet was Butler by office The earle of Hereford exercised the roome of high Marshall in the kings house The lord William de Beauchampe was almoner The cheefe iustice of the forrests on the right hand of the king remooued the dishes on the table though at the first he was staied by some allegation made to the contrarie The citizens of London serued out wine to euerie one in great plentie The citizens of Winchester had ouersight of the kitchin and larderie And so euerie person according to his
of England with him these we find as principall Iohn de Britaine Iohn de Uescie Otâ—s de Grantson and Robert de Bruse besides other Of his noble chiualrie there atchiued yée shall find a bréefe note in the description of the holie land and therefore here we omit the same Howbeit this is to be remembred that whilest the lord Edward line 20 soiorned there in the citie of Acres he was in great danger to haue béene slaine by treason for a traitorous Saracen of that generation which are called Arsacidae and latelie reteined by the same lord Edward and become verie familiar with him found means one day as he sat in his chamber to giue him three wounds which suerlie had cost him his life but that one of the princes chamberleins staied the traitors hand and somewhat brake the strokes till other seruants came to the rescue and slue him there in the line 30 place ¶ There be that write how prince Edward himselfe perceiuing the traitor to strike at his bellie warded the blowe with his arme and as the Saracen offered to haue striken againe he thrust him backe to the ground with his foot and catching him by the hand wrested the knife from him and thrusting him into the bellie so killed him though in strugling with him he was hurt againe a little in the forhead and his seruants withall comming to helpe him one line 40 of them that was his musician got vp a trestill and stroke out the braines of the traitor as he laie dead on the ground and was blamed of his maister for striking him after he saw him once dead before his face as he might perceiue him to be Some write that this traitor was sent from the great admerall of Iapha on message to the prince Edward and had béene with him diuerse times before now making countenance to take forth letters got foorth his knife and attempted so to haue wrought his feat Whatsoeuer line 50 the man was the prince was in great danger by reason of the enuenimed knife wherewith he was wounded so that it was long yer he could be perfectlie whole These Saracens called Arsacidae are a wicked generation of men infected with such a superstitious opinion that they beléeue heauenlie blisse is purchased of them if they can by anie means slea one of the enimies of their religion suffer themselues for that fact the most cruell death that may be deuised ¶ Prince Edward after he was whole and recouered line 60 of his wounds perceiuing that no such aid came into those parts out of christendome as was looked for tooke a truce with the enimies of our faith and returned towards England as hereafter shall be shewed year 1272 On the fourth nones of Aprill as some saie or in the moneth of Februarie as other write in the six and fiftith yeare of K. Henries reigne at Berkhamstéed died Richard king of Almaine and earle of Cornewall and was buried in the abbeie of Hailes which he himselfe had founded he was a worthie prince and stood his brother king Henrie in great stead in handling matters both in peace and warre He left behind him issue begotten of his wife Sanctla two sonnes Edmund and Henrie This Edmund was he that brought the blood of Hails out of Germanie for as he was there vpon a time with his father it chanced that as he was beholding the relikes and other pretious monuments of the ancient emperors he espied a box of gold by the inscription whereof he perceiued as the opinion of men then gaue that therein was conteined a portion of the bloud of our sauiour He therefore being desirous to haue some part thereof so intreated him that had the kéeping of it that he obteined his desire and brought it ouer with him into England bestowing a third part thereof after his fathers deceasse in the abbeie of Hailes as it were to adorne and inrich the same bicause that therein both his father and mother were buried and the other two parts he did reserue in his owne custodie till at length mooued vpon such deuotion as was then vsed he founded an abbeie a little from his manour of Berkhamsteed which abbeie was named Ashrug in the which he placed moonks of the order of Bonhommes being the first that euer had beene seene of that order here in England And herewith he also assigned the two other parts of that bloud to the same abbeie Wherevpon followed great resort of people to those two places induced therevnto by a certeine blind deuotion Henrie the brother of this Edmund and sonne to the foresaid king of Almaine as he returned from Affrike where he had beene with prince Edward was slaine at Uiterbo in Italie whither he was come about businesse which he had to doo with the pope by the hand of Guie de Montfort the sonne of Simon de Montfort earle of Leicester in reuenge of the same Simons death This murther was committed afore the high altar as the same Henrie kneeled there to heare diuine seruice The foresaid Guie vpon that murther committed fled vnto his father in law the earle of Anguilare then gouernour of Tuskain There was at Uiterbo the same time Philip king of France returning homewards from the iournie which his father made into Affrike where he died Also Charles king of Sicill was there present whome the said Guie then serued Both those kings were put in much blame for that the murther and wilfull escape was doone and suffred in their presence and no pursuit made after the murtherer Boniface the archbishop of Canturburie when he had ruled the sea seauen and thirtie yeares departed this life and after his deceasse about two yeares or more was one Robert Kilwarbie appointed in his place by pope Gregorie which Robert was the six and fortith archbishop that had gouerned the sée of Canturburie About the moneth of Iune there fell great debate and discord betwixt the moonks of Norwich and the citizens there which increased so farre that at length the citizens with great violence assaulted the monasterie fired the gates and forced the fire so with reed and drie wood that the church with the bookes and all other ornaments of the same and all houses of office belonging to that abbeie were cleane burned wasted and destroied so that nothing was preserued except one little chapell The king hearing of this riot rode to Norwich and causing inquirie to be made thereof thirtie yoong men of the citie were condemned hanged and burnt to the great greefe of the other citizens for they thought that the priour of the place was the occasion of all that mischéefe who had got togither armed men and tooke vpon him to kéepe the belfraie and church by force of armes but the prior was well inough borne out and defended by the bishop of Norwich named Roger who as it is likelie was the maister
crowne of France Héerevpon were ambassadors sent from either king vnto the pope and a truce taken to indure till the feast of saint Iohn Baptist in the yeare next following Ambassadors for the king of England were these Henrie duke of Lancaster Iohn earle of Arundell the bishops of Norwich and London and the lord Guie de Brian For the French king the archbishop of Rouen lord chancellor of France the duke of Burbon and others but when the matter came to be heard before the pope about Christmasse all went to smoke that had béene talked of for the Frenchmen denied that the articles were drawne according to the meaning of their commissioners and the pope also winked at the matter so that the English ambassadors when they saw that nothing would be concluded returned home all of them the bishop of Norwich excepted who departed this life there and so their iournie came to none effect This yeare the tenth of Februarie there rose a sore debate betwixt the scholers and townesmen of Oxenford The occasion rose by reason of the falling out of a scholer with one that sold wine for the scholer perceiuing himselfe euill vsed powred the wine on the drawers head knocking the pot about his pate so as the bloud ranne downe by his eares Héerevpon began a sore fraie betwixt the scholers and townesmen which continued for the most part of two daies togither There were twentie townesmen slaine beside those that were hurt but at length there came a great number of countrimen foorth of the villages next adioining to aid the townesmen entring the towne with a blacke banner and so fiercelie assailed the scholers that they were constreined to flee to their houses and hostels but their enimies pursuing them brake vp their doores entered their chambers slue diuerse of them and threw them into priuies tare their bookes and bare awaie their goods The scholers héerewith tooke such displeasure that they departed the Uniuersitie those of Merton colledge and other the like colledges onelie excepted The bishop of Lincolne inhibited préests to celebrate diuine seruice in presence of anie laie man within that towne of Oxenford and the king sending his iustices thither to take knowledge of this disorderlie riot there were diuerse both of the townesmen and scholers indited and certeine of the burgesses committed to ward ¶ This yeare the first sundaie in Lent the king held a roiall iustes at Woodstoke for ioy of the queenes purifieng after the birth of hir sixt sonne the lord Thomas whome the bishop of Durham named Thomas held at the fontstone he was borne the seauenth of Ianuarie last past In the parlement holden at Westminster this yeare after Easter the king tooke vpon him to make an end of the quarrell betwixt the scholers and townesmen of Oxenford and sauing to euerie man his right pardoned the scholers of all transgressions and this he signified into euerie shire by writs directed to the shiriffes they to proclame the same for more notice of the thing And so in the summer following the Uniuersitie began againe to flourish students resorting thither from each side and falling afresh to their academicall exercises which they néeded not to haue discontinued if either partie I meane the townesmen or scholers would haue tolerated and borne one with another and not so rashlie haue vndertaken the reuenge of one anothers wrath and iniurie but Oderunt pacem stulti certamina quaerunt In this parlement the processe of the iudgement had and made against Roger Mortimer late earle of March was reuoked adnihilated and made void so that the lord Roger Mortimer was restored to the title and possessions of the earledome of March as cousine and heire to his grandfather the said erle of March Moreouer to this parlement came the bishop of Carpentras and the abbat of Clugnie being sent from pope Innocent the sixt to make sute to haue the truce proroged betwixt the two kings of England and France to whome the king himselfe in person made this resolute answer that he would not agrée to anie longer truce for that when diuerse times at the Frenchmens sute he had consented to haue truce by mediation of two cardinals sent to him about the same matter his aduersaries in the meane time whilest such truces indured had doone much harme and damage by subtill practises to persons line 10 and places beyond the sea that were vnder his rule and gouernement yet he said he would deliberate heereof with his councell and after intimate his pleasure to the pope and to them of France by messengers which he would send ouer for that purpose and so these ambassadors within foure daies after their comming were thus dispatched with answer Herewith in this parlement it was ordeined that the prince of Wales being as then about foure and twentie yeares of age should passe ouer into line 20 Gascoigne and haue with him a thousand men of armes and two thousand archers with a great number of Welshmen About the same time the king caused fortie ships to be prouided rigged and made readie at Rutherhiue furnished with vittels for one quarter of a yéere and euerie of the said ships had principall streamers of the duke of Lancasters armes who was appointed with a great power of chosen men of armes and archers to passe to the sea with the same ships but few line 30 or none of his companie knew whither horsses they had none He had with him two of the kings sonnes Lionell of Antwerpe and Iohn of Gant the elder of them being about sixtéene yeares of age Also there went with him the earles of Northampton March and Stafford beside manie lords barons knights On the tenth of Iulie he made saile to Greenewich and there and at Sandwich he staied till the Assumption of our ladie the wind for the most part continuing all that while at west and south contrarie to his line 40 iournie as it might appeare At length with much difficultie he came to Winchelâ—ie after to the Wight It was thought that the dukes purpose was to passe into Normandie to ioine with the king of Nauarre who was at variance with the French king But after it was knowen by espials that they were made fréends the duke of Lancaster doubting crooked measures and hauing with him no horssemen returned home without further attempt On saint Kenelmes daie being fridaie and the line 50 17 of Iulie master Humfrie Carleton professor of diuinitie and Iohn Carleton the yoonger doctor of the lawes on the behalfe of the Uniuersitie of Oxford and Iohn saint Frideswide maior Iohn Bereford and Iohn Norton burgesses of the said towne of Oxford on the behalfe of the communaltie of the same towne came before the kings councell at Westminster in the councell chamber there néere to the excheker where the allegations on both parties being heard and vpon request made that it might line 60 please his maiesties councell acording to
in behalfe of his fréends was not a little offended with the bishops dooings in so much that in a councell holden at Windsore to the which the bishop of London was called but would not come nor yet ceasse the pronouncing of the cursse albeit the line 20 king had requested him by his letters the duke said openlie that the bishops froward dealings were not to be borne with but saith he if the king would command me I would gladlie go to London and fetch that disobedient prelat in despite of those ribaulds for so he termed them the Londoners These words procured the duke much euill will as well of the Londoners as of other for it was commonlie said that whatsoeuer had béene doone at Westminster concerning the murther there committed in the line 30 church was doone by his commandement About the feast of S. Luke a parlement was holden at Glocester for the displeasure as was thought which some of the councell had conceiued against the Londoners or rather as some tooke it for feare of them least if any thing were doone contrarie to their minds they should be about to hinder it if the parlement had beene kept neere them for manie things as some iudged were meant to haue beene put foorth and concluded in this parlement albeit few in effect line 40 came to passe of those matters that were surmised sauing that it was inacted that the king should haue a marke of the merchants for euerie sacke of their woolles for this present yeare and for euerie pounds worth of wares that was brought in from beyond the seas and here sold six pence of the buiers ¶ Also certeine priuileges were granted in this parlement to merchant-strangers that they might buie and sell in grosse or by retaile within this realme as in the printed booke of statutes it appeareth This yeare came messengers from the new elected line 50 pope Urbane with letters to require the kings assistance and aid against such cardinals as he named schismatikes that had elected an other pope whome they named Clement which cardinals sent likewise their messengers with letters to beséech the king to aid them with his fauourable assistance but through persuasion of the archbishop of Canturburie Urbans request was granted and Clements reiected About the same time to wit on thursdaie before the line 60 feast of S. Andrew th'apostle the Scots by stelth entred by night into the castell of Berwike and slue sir Robert Bointon a right valiant knight that was constable thereof permitting his wife children and seruants to depart with condition that within three weekes next insuing they should either paie them thrée thousand marks or else yeeld their bodies againe to prison The morrow after the same Scots fetched a great bootie of cattell out of the countries next adioining but immediatlie after the earle of Northumberland being aduertised hereof hasted thither with foure hundred armed men and assaulting the castell on ech side after two houres defense wan it slaieng of the defendants about eight and fortie reseruing onelie one of the whole number aliue that he might informe the Englishmen thoroughlie of the Scotishmens purposes At this enterprise was the earle of Northumberlands eldest sonne spreading there first his banner and dooing so valiantlie that he deserued singular commendation as likewise did sir Alane de Heton and sir Thomas de Ilderton with those of the surname of the Herons euerie of these hauing their quarters assigned to assault Thus was the castell recouered the ninth daie after the Scots had entered the same so that they enioied not long that victorious exploit And bicause this enterprise was taken in hand against the couenant of the truce the earle of Northumberland before he attempted to recouer the castell sent to the earle of March in Scotland to vnderstand if he would anow that which his countrimen had doone touching the winning of that castell who sent him knowledge againe that he neither vnderstood of their enterprise nor would be partaker with them therein but if it so pleased the earle of Northumberland he would come himselfe and helpe to recouer it to the K. of Englands vse out of those Scotishmens hands which without publike authoritie had made that exploit This yeare sir Robert Rous capteine of Chierburg was called home after he had taken sir Oliuer de Clisson and atchiued manie other worthie aduentures against the kings enimies In his place was sent sir Iohn Herleston to remaine vpon the gard of that castell Also sir Hugh Caluerlie deputie of Calis that had so valiantlie borne himselfe against the Frenchmen was likewise discharged and comming home was made admerall being ioined in commission in that office with sir Thomas Percie Sir William Montacute earle of Salisburie was sent ouer to Calis to be the kings lieutenant there who shortlie after his comming thither fetcht a great bootie of cattell out of the enimies countrie adioining so that Calis was furnished with no small number of the same ¶ Sir Hugh Caluerlie and sir Thomas Percie going to sea tooke seauen ships laden with merchandize and one ship of warre ¶ The archbishop of Cassils in Ireland returning from Rome brought with him large authoritie of binding and loosing granted to him by pope Urbane in fauour of whome at his comming to London in a sermon which he preached he declared to the people how the French king holding with the antipape Clement was denounced accurssed and therefore now was the time for Englishmen to make warre in France hauing such occasion as greater could not be offered speciallie sith it was like that the excommunicated king should haue no courage to make resistance This is I will not saie the diuinitie for what heauenlinesse can there be in such damnable doctrine to set people together by the eares of the Romanists so farre off are they from the studie of peace and concord betwixt man and man that they set whole monarchies and empires vp to the mid leg in streams of bloud imitating their great grandfather sashan who hath béene a makebate and a murtherer from the beginning renouncing the footsteps of Christ with open mouth and forswering to follow him either in demeanour or doctrine and therefore Quis nisimentis inops vt sanctum tale probabit Haeccine mens Christi Talia nulla docet In a parlement holden at Westminster this yeare after Easter it was ordeined that the priuileges and immunities of the abbeie of Westminster should remaine whole and inuiolate but yet there was a prouiso against those that tooke sanctuarie with purpose to defraud their creditors that their lands goods shuld be answerable to the discharging of their debts In the same parlement was granted to the king a subsidie to be leuied of the great men of the land To the end the commons might be spared the dukes of Lancaster and Britaine paid twentie markes euerie earle six marks bishops and abbats with miters as much and euerie
will aduenture to haue my head broken for the duke of Irelands pleasure Likewise the earle of line 20 Northumberland being at that time in the court spake these words to the king Sir there is no doubt but these lords who now be in the field alwaies haue beene your true and faithfull subiects and yet are not intending to attempt anie thing against your state wealth honor Neuerthelesse they féele themselues sore molested and disquieted by the wicked deuises of certeine persons about you that seeke to oppresse them And verelie without faile all your realme is sore greeued therewith both great and small as well line 30 lords as commons and I sée not the contrarie but they mind to aduenture their liues with the lords that are thus in armes speciallie in this case which they reckon to be yours and your realmes And sir now yée be in the cheefe place of your realme and in the place of your coronation order your selfe now therefore wiselie and like a king Send to them to come before your presence in some publike place where they may declare vnto you the intent and purpose of their comming accompanied with so great a line 40 number of people into these parts and I beléeue it verelie they will shew such reasons that you will hold them excused The archbishop of Canturburie and the lord chancellor bishop of Elie and other of the bishops also there present affirmed the earles aduise to be good And the king considering wiselie the case as it stood began to be appeased and accorded to follow their aduise desiring the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Elie to aduertise them of his plesure which line 50 was that he willed them to come to him to Westminster on sundaie then next following and so they repairing to the lords made report to them of the kings mind and purpose But the duke of Glocester and the other lords were so fullie bent in their opinion that they swore all whole togither that they would neuer giue ouer their enterprise so long as they had a penie to spend in maintenance of their cause and if it chanced anie of them to depart this life the ouerliuers should persist therein vntill the time that line 60 they had brought their purpose to some good effect And bicause they doubted least the king might stirre the citie of London against them they determined first to aduertise the maior and the citie how their comming was onlie to reforme certeine great enormities which they set downe in writing sent it to the maior and citizens beseeching them of their fauour and counsell therin This doone they determined yet to kéepe their daie on the sundaie following to appeare before the kings presence but this was not got of them till that the lord chancellor with diuerse other noblemen of good credit had vndertaken vpon their oths for the kings behalfe that no fraud nor deceipt no perill nor euill pretense should be put in practise against the lords wherby they might come to losse either of life limme or goods or otherwise through the kings means but that if he should go about anie such things the said lord chancellor and other the mediators should forwarne the lords therof When therefore the lords were readie according to couenant to come vnto Westminster they were secretlie aduertised that there was an ambush laid in a place called the Mewes and so they staied and came not at the appointed houre Wherevpon when the king demanded how it fortuned that the lords kept not promise the bishop of Elie lord Chancellor made him this answer Bicause saith he there is an ambush of a thousand armed men or more laid in such a place and named it contrarie to couenant and therefore they neither come nor hold you for faithfull of your word The king hearing this was astonied and said with an oth that he knew of no such thing withall sent to the shiriffes of London commanding them to go to the Mewes and vpon search made if they found anie force of men there assembled to take and kill all such as they could laie hands vpon But sir Thomas Triuet and sir Nitholas Brambre knight that had in déed assembled such a number of men when they vnderstood what order the king had giuen therein they sent their men backe to London The lords after this receiuing a safe conduct from the king and perceiuing all to be safe and cleare came vnto Westminster with a strong power of men about them The king when he heard they were come apparelled himselfe in his kinglie robes and with his scepter in hand came into the great hall at Westminster The lords as soone as they had sight of him made to him their humble obeisance went foorth till they came to the nether steps going vp to the kings seat of state where they made their second obeisance then the king gaue them countenance to come néerer to him they so did kneeling downe before him foorthwith he rose from his place and louinglie welcomming them tooke each of them by the hand and that doone sate him downe againe Herewith the bishop of Elie lord chancellor as mouth to the king declared vnto these lords in effect as followeth My lords said he our souereigne lord the king hearing that you were assembled in Haringie parke in other maner than was conuenient would not foorthwith run vpon you with force to destroie you as he might easilie haue doone if he had not wished your safetie for no man doubteth but if his pleasure had béene to gather an armie he might haue had more people than you could haue got to haue taken part with you against him and so happilie much bloud might haue béene spilt which thing certeinlie our souereigne lord the king vtterlie abhorreth and therefore vsing patience and mildnesse he hath rather chosen to talke with you in peaceable wise that he may vnderstand the cause whie yée haue assembled so great a number of people togither The lords for answer héerevnto said that they assembled their forces togither for the profit both of the king and realme and speciallie to take awaie from him such traitors as remained continuallie about him to wit Robert de Ueer duke of Ireland Alexander Neuill archbishop of Yorke Michaell de la Poole erle of Suffolke Robert Trisilian that false iustice and sir Nicholas Brambre that disloiall knight of London for so they tearmed them all And to prooue their accusations true they threw downe their gloues protesting by their oths to prosecute it by battell Naie saith the king not so but in the next parlement which we doo appoint before hand to begin the morrow after the Purification of our ladie both they and you appearing shall receiue according to law all that which reason shall appoint And now to you my lords I speake by what meane or by what reason durst you so presumptuouslie take vpon
to the sea of the which 3000 were vnder the conduit of the kings sonne The lord Thomas of Lancaster and the earle of Kent the two and twentith daisof Maie as some write came vpon the coast of Flanders and entring the hauen of Sluis burnt foure great ships which they found there lieng at anchor On the fift daie after their comming into that hauen they went on land thinking to haue fought with the duke of Burgognie But as other write after they had besieged the castell that stood in the mouth of the hauen and loosing thrée score of their men amongst which they name one to beare the title of earle of Penbroke whom they buried for the time in the church of Mude fiue daies after their comming thither they determined to depart from thence perceiuing the castell would not easilie be woone but first they spoiled the countrie about them and burnt Heis fléet otherwise called Condekirke and diuerse other places thereabout This doone they tooke vp the bodie of him whom the Flemish writers call the earle of Penbroke and got them againe to the sea for that they were aduertised how the duke of Burgognie meant to besiege Calis Wherevpon raising their siege thus from line 10 Sluis castell they returned vnto the defense of the towne of Calis so much desired of the French nation As they returned homewards they met with three caricks of Genoa of the which one hauing the wind with hir meant to haue ouerthrowne the ship wherein the lord Thomas of Lancaster was aboord but by the good foresight of the master of the ship that ruled the sterne suddenlie turning the same the violent swaie of that huge vessell comming so vpon them was auoided but yet the caricke stroke off the line 20 nose of the English ship and brused hir on the side Then began the fight verie cruell till the earle of Kent came to the rescue and so finallie after a great â—onflict and bloudie battell betwixt the caricks and English ships the victorie remained with the Englishâ—en who taking the caricks turned their sailes towardâ— Normandie where they arriued and burnt the townâ— of Hoggue Mountburge Berflie saint Petronils 〈◊〉 other to the number of thirtie six passing foorth inâ—â— the countrie without resistance the line 30 space of thirtie â—iles spoiling all that came in their waie This doone â—hey returned and brought the caricks into the chamâ—er at Rie where one of them by misfortune of fire pâ—â—ished to the losse no gaine of either of the parties Iohn duke of Burgognâ—â—â—auing obteined licence to besiege Calis prepared aâ—â—rmie of six thousand men of armes fiftéene hundred â—rosbowes twelue thousand footmen the which being â—â—sembled and all necessarie prouision readie at saint â—mers he was line 40 by the French king countermanded 〈◊〉 not suffered to proceed anie further in that weightie enterprise And this was thought to be partlie the caâ—se of the malice that he conceiued against the duke oâ— Orleance supposing that through him enuieng his gâ—â—rie he was thus disappointed of his purpose Whiâ—â—t such dooings were in hand betwixt the English and French as the besieging of Marke castell by the earle of saint Paule and the sending foorth of the English fléet vnder the gouernance of the lord Thomas line 50 of Lancaster and the earle of Kent the king was minded to haue gone into Wales against the Welsh rebels that vnder their chéefteine Owen Glendouer ceassed not to doo much mischéefe still against the English subiects But at the same time to his further disquieting there was a conspiracie put in practise against him at home by the earle of Northumberland who had conspired with Richard Scroope archbishop of Yorke Thomas Mowbraie earle marshall sonne to Thomas line 60 duke of Norfolke who for the quarrell betwixt him and king Henrie had béene banished as ye haue heard the lords Hastings Fauconbridge Berdolfe and diuerse others It was appointed that they should meet altogither with their whole power vpon Yorke swold at a daie assigned and that the earle of Northumberland should be cheefteine promising to bring with him a great number of Scots The archbishop accompanied with the earle marshall deuised certeine articles of such matters as it was supposed that not onelie the commonaltie of the Realme but also the nobilitie found themselues gréeued with which articles they shewed first vnto such of their adherents as were néere about them after sent them abroad to their fréends further off assuring them that for redresse of such oppressions they would shed the last drop of blood in their bodies if néed were The archbishop not meaning to staie after he saw himselfe accompanied with a great number of men that came flocking to Yorke to take his part in this quarrell foorthwith discouered his enterprise causing the articles aforsaid to be set vp in the publike stréets of the citie of Yorke and vpon the gates of the monasteries that ech man might vnderstand the cause that mooued him to rise in armes against the king the reforming whereof did not yet apperteine vnto him Herevpon knights esquiers gentlemen yeomen and other of the commons as well of the citie townes and countries about being allured either for desire of change or else for desire to see a reformation in such things as were mentioned in the articles assembled togither in great numbers and the archbishop comming foorth amongst them clad in armor incouraged exhorted and by all meanes he could pricked them foorth to take the enterprise in hand and manfullie to continue in their begun purpose promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to all them whose hap it was to die in the quarrell and thus not onelie all the citizens of Yorke but all other in the countries about that were able to beare weapon came to the archbishop and the earle marshall In déed the respect that men had to the archbishop caused them to like the better of the cause since the grauitie of his age his integritie of life and incomparable learning with the reuerend aspect of his amiable personage mooued all men to haue him in no small estimation The king aduertised of these matters meaning to preuent them left his iournie into Wales and marched with all spéed towards the north parts Also Rafe Neuill earle of Westmerland that was not farre off togither with the lord Iohn of Lancaster the kings sonne being informed of this rebellious attempt assembled togither such power as they might make and togither with those which were appointed to attend on the said lord Iohn to defend the borders against the Scots as the lord Henrie Fitzhugh the lord Rafe Eeuers the lord Robert Umfreuill others made forward against the rebels and comming into a plaine within the forrest of Galtree caused their standards to be pitched downe in like sort as the archbishop had pitched his ouer against â—hem being farre stronger in number of people than thâ— other for as
he tormenteth where he vanquisheth what the will and power of a souereigne ouer a subiect may force in cases of iniquitie where by vertue and grace he be not restrained line 40 the zeale of a parent the pangs of a child but chéeflie the verie plague of Gods wrath and indignation vpon wilfull and obstinate offendors all which at those daies though touched in Naples yet at all times and euerie where so well seruing for example and warning it hath beene thought verie conuenient the same in our stories also héere to be noted which was thus At this time newes were brought into France how king Lancelot the aduersarie to Lewes king of Sicill was departed and in manner line 50 thus It hapned that he fell in loue with a yoong damosell his owne physicians daughter a puzell verie beautifull and he in hope to inioy hir the easilier caused hir father for his consent to be talked withall in the matter which he vtterlie refused to grant and shewed foorth manie reasons for him but at last all causes excuses reiected sith though constreined he must néeds assent feined himselfe willing and content And forceing talke with his daughter vpon his mind in the matter cheeflie how méet it were line 60 she vsed his counsell how best with the king to keepe hir still in grace he gaue hir a little box of ointment and instruction withall that when the king should come to haue his will she should afore with that balme annoint all hir wombe the damosell on good obseruation did after at oportunitie as hir father taught hir Héerevpon so pittifullie came it to passe that the verie same night the king laie with hir his bellie and hirs were by and by set as it were all on a sindging fier with torments of such vnquenchable scorching and burning euen into the verie entrailes that he of his kingdome his life his loue and she of hir princelie promotion thus soone both togither made a sorrowfull end After the plaie of this lamentable tragedie the physician fled for his safetie and straight vpon the newes king Lewes gathered a great assemblie wherewith to passe towards Naples and sent before a good companie vnder the lord Longnie marshall of France In the second yeare of his reigne king Henrie called his high court of parlement the last daie of Aprill in the towne of Leicester in which parlement manie profitable lawes were concluded and manie petitions mooued were for that time deferred Amongst which one was that a bill exhibited in the parlement holden at Westminster in the eleuenth yeare of king Henrie the fourth which by reason the king was then troubled with ciuill discord came to none effect might now with good deliberation be pondered and brought to some good conclusion The effect of which supplication was that the temporall lands deuoutlie giuen and disordinatlie spent by religious and other spirituall persons should be seized into the kings hands sith the same might suffice to mainteine to the honor of the king and defense of the realme fiftéene earles fiftéene hundred knights six thousand and two hundred esquiers and a hundred almesse-houses for reliefe onelie of the poore impotent and needie persons and the king to haue cleerelie to his coffers twentie thousand pounds with manie other prouisions and values of religious houses which I passe ouer This bill was much noted and more feared among the religious sort whom suerlie it touched verie neere and therefore to find remedie against it they determined to assaie all waies to put by and ouerthrow this bill wherein they thought best to trie if they might mooue the kings mood with some sharpe inuention that he should not regard the importunate petitions of the commons Wherevpon on a daie in the parlement Henrie Chichelie archbishop of Canturburie made a pithie oration wherein he declared how not onelie the duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine with the counties of Aniou and Maine and the countrie of Gascoigne were by vndoubted title apperteining to the king as to the lawfull and onelie heire of the same but also the whole realme of France as heire to his great grandfather king Edward the third Herein did he much inueie against the surmised and false fained law Salike which the Frenchmen alledge euer against the kings of England in barre of their iust title to the crowne of France The verie words of that supposed law are these In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant that is to saie Into the Salike land let not women succeed Which the French glossers expound to be the realme of France and that this law was made by king Pharamond whereas yet their owne authors affirme that the land Salike is in Germanie betwéene the riuers of Elbe and Sala and that when Charles the great had ouercome the Saxons he placed there certeine Frenchmen which hauing in disdeine the dishonest maners of the Germane women made a law that the females should not succéed to any inheritance within that land which at this daie is called Meisen so that if this be true this law was not made for the realme of France nor the Frenchmen possessed the land Salike till foure hundred and one and twentie yeares after the death of Pharamond the supposed maker of this Salike law for this Pharamond deceassed in the yeare 426 and Charles the great subdued the Saxons and placed the Frenchmen in those parts beyond the riuer of Sala in the yeare 805. Moreouer it appeareth by their owne writers that king Pepine which deposed Childerike claimed the crowne of France as heire generall for that he was descended of Blithild daughter to king Clothair the first Hugh Capet also who vsurped the crowne vpon Charles duke of Loraine the sole heire male of the line and stocke of Charles the great to make his title seeme true and appeare good though in déed it was starke naught conueied himselfe as heire to the ladie Lingard daughter to king Charlemaine sonne to Lewes the emperour that was son to Charles the great King Lewes also the tenth otherwise called saint Lewes being verie heire to the said vsurper Hugh Capet could neuer be satisfied in line 10 his conscience how he might iustlie keepe and possesse the crowne of France till he was persuaded and fullie instructed that quéene Isabell his grandmother was lineallie descended of the ladie Ermengard daughter and heire to the aboue named Charles duke of Loraine by the which marriage the bloud and line of Charles the great was againe vnited and restored to the crowne scepter of France so that more cléere than the sunne it openlie appeareth that the title of king Pepin the claime of Hugh line 20 Capet the possession of Lewes yea and the French kings to this daie are deriued and conueied from the heire female though they would vnder the colour of such a fained law barre the kings and princes of this realme of England of their right and lawfull inheritance The archbishop
thought that they would leauie a power and come downe to rescue Chierburgh The duke of Glocester therefore 〈◊〉 his camps to be stronglie intrenched and manie defensiâ—le blockehouses of timber to be raised like to small turrets that the same might be a safegard to his people and to conclude left nothing vnforeséene nor vndoone that was auailable for the defense of his armie The king doubting least some power should be sent downe to the danger of his brother and those that were with him at this siege caused two thousand men to be imbarked in thirtie ships of the west countrie by order sent vnto certeine lords there The Frenchmen within the towne perceiuing those succors to approch neere to the towne thought verelie that there had béene a power of Frenchmen comming to their aid but when they saw them receiued line 10 as fréends into the English campe their comfort was soone quailed and so when the daie appointed came being the ninetéenth of October or rather about the later end of Nouember as the historie of the dukes of Normandie hath they rendred vp both the towne and castell according to the couenants The lord Greie of Codnore was made the kings lieutenant there and after his deceasse sir Water Hungerford About the same time or rather before as Titus Liuius writeth to wit the two and twentith of line 20 Iune the strong castell of Dampfront was yéelded into the hands of the earle of Warwike to the kings vse But the historie writen of the dukes of Normandie affirmeth that it was surrendred the two and twentith of September after the siege had coÌ„tinued about it from Aprill last The king by honorable report of other and of his owne speciall knowledge so rightlie ascerteined of the great valure that for feats at armes and policie in warre was alwaies found in the person of that Iohn Bromley esquier spoken line 30 of a little here before for which his maiestie so sundrie waies roiallie rewarded him againe some specialtie yet of the gentlemans merits togither with the souereignes bountie to him among other seemes here at mention of this Dampfront whereof shortlie after he was capteine verie well to deserue a place and to that purpose as the king in Iulie went ouer againe and this Iohn Bromley in Iune the same yeare with conduct of charge was sent afore imploieng himselfe still in venturous actiuitie with line 40 great annoie to the enimie his highnesse for good liking of the same and for hartening and example to other in Aprill next following gaue fourtie pounds land to him and his heires males by letters patents in words as followeth and remaining yet of record in the Tower of London A copie of the said letters patents line 50 HEnricus Dei gratia rex Angliae Franciae dominus Hiberniae omnibus ad quos praesentes litterae peruenerint salutem Sciatis quòd de gratia nostra speciali pro bono seruitio quod dilectus seruiâ—ns noster Iohannes Bromley nobis impendit impendet in futurum dedimus concessimus ei hospitium de Molay Bacon infra comitatum nostrum line 60 de Baieux ac omnes terras tenementa redditus haereditates possessiones infra ducatum nostrum Normandiae quae fuerunt Alani de Beaumont nobis rebellis vt dicitur Habendum tenendum praefato Iohanni haeredibus fuis masculis de corpore suo procreatis hospitium terras tenementa redditus haereditates possessiones supradictas vna cum omnimodis franchesijs priuilegijs iurisdictionibus wardis maritagijs releâ—ijs eschetis forisfacturis feodis militum aduocationibus ecclesiarum aliorum beneficiorum ecclesiasticoruÌ„ quorumcúnque terris pratis pasturis boscis wareÌ„nis chaseis aquis vijs stagnis moleÌ„dinis viuarijs moris mariscis ac alijs coÌ„moditatibus quibuscúnque dictis hospitio terris tenementis redditibus haereditatibus possessionibus pertinentibus siue spectantibus ad valorem quadraginta librarum sterlingorum per annum tenendis de nobis haeredibus nostris per homagium c ac reddendo nobis eisdem haeredibus nostris apud castrum nostrum de Baieux vnam zonam pro lorica ad festum Natuitatis sancti Iohannis Baptistae singulis annis nec non faciendo alia seruitia c. Reseruato c. Prouiso semper c. Castro seu ciuitati nostro de Baieux c. Quódque praedictum hospitium c. In cuius rei c. Teste me ipso apud dictam ciuitatem nostram de Baieux 18 die Aprilis anno regni nostri sexto per ipsum regem Yet heere at the noble prince not staieng his bountie but rather regarding euer how iustlie new merits doo deserue new dignities and peraduenture the more mooued somewhat to reare vp the degrée of this esquire toward the state of his stocke who a long time before had béene indued with knighthood and also bicause that vnto the duke of Buckingham he was of bloud which his behauiour alwaies had from staine so farre preserued as rather brought to it some increase of glorie did in the most worthie wise which to that order belongeth dub him knight of warfare in field made him also capteine generall of this strong castell of Dampfront seneshall and great constable of Bosseuile le Rosse with other offices and titles of worship as partlie may appeare by a déed in which this knight taking patterne at his princes benignitie had giuen an annuitie of twentie pounds to his kinsman Walter Audeley A copie of that writing sundrie waies so well seruing to the truth of the storie was thought right necessarie heere to be added thus OMnibus ad quos hoc praesens scriptum peruenerit IohaÌ„nes de Bromley miles capitaneus generalis de Dampfront senescallus magnus constabularius de Bosseuile le Rosse March ibidem salutem Sciatis quòd pro bono fideli seruitio quod dilectus consanguineus meus Gualterus de Audeley mihi fecerit tam infra regnum Angliae quà m extra praecipuè contra Francos dedisse concessisse hac praesenti chartamea confirmasse eidem Gualtero vnum annualem redditum viginti librarum exeuntem de manerio meo de Bromley omnibus alijs terris tenementis meis infra regnum Angliae vna cum herbagio pro quatuor equis habendo infra boscos meos de Bromley Willoughbridge octo carucatis foeni capiendis infra prat a mea de Shurlebrooke Foordsmedo annuatim durante tota vita praedicti Gualteri infesto sancti Iacobi apostoli Et si contingat praedictum annualem redditum a retrò fore in aliquo festo durante termino praedicto tunc bene licebit eidem Gualtero in manerio meo omnibus alijs terris meis praedictis distringere districtiones inde captas penes se retinere quousque de redditu praedicto vna cum arreragijs si quae fuerint plenarie fuerit
till that present had kept silence In déed by reason of a faint kind of agréement procured betwixt the Dolphin and the duke of Burgognie it was thought verelie that a power should haue béene raised for preseruation of that noble citie the loosing or sauing thereof being a matter of such importance The king of England to preuent the enimies purpose caused a large trench to be cast without his campe which was pight full of sharpe stakes with a great rampire fensed with bulworks and turnepikes in as defensible wise as might be deuised Sir Robert Bapthorpe knight was appointed comptroller to see this worke performed which he did with all diligence accomplish in like case as he had doone when the other trench and rampire stronglie staked and hedged was made at the first betwixt the campe and the citie to restreine such as in the begining of the siege rested not to pricke foorth of the gates on horsse backe And so by this meanes was the armie defended both behind and before Finallie year 1419 the whole number of the Frenchmen within the citie were brought to such aâ— extremitie for want of vittels that they were in danger all to haue starued Wherevpon being now pasâ— hope of reléefe they determined to treat with the king of England and so vpon Nowyeares euen there came to the wals such as they had chosen amongst them for commissioners which made a signâ— to the Englishmen lieng without the gate of the bridge to speake with some gentleman or other person of authoritie The earle of Huntington which kept that part sent to them sir Gilbert Umfrouile vnto whom line 10 they declared that if they might haue a safe conduct they would gladlie come foorth to speake with the king Sir Gilbert repairing to the duke of Clarence and other of the kings councell aduertised them of this request Herevpon the duke of Clarence with the other councellors resorted to the kings lodging to informe him of the matter and to know his pleasure therein who after good aduisement and deliberation taken willed sir Gilbert to aduertise them that he was line 20 content to heare twelue of them which should be safelie conueied into his presence This answer being brought to the Frenchmen by the said sir Gilbert on the next daie in the morning foure knights foure learned men and foure sage burgesses all clothed in blacke came foorth of the citie and were receiued at the port saint Hilarie by sir Gilbert Umfreuile accompanied with diuerse gentlemen and yeomen of the kings houshold commonlie called yeomen of the crowne by whome they were conueied line 30 to the kings lodging whome they found at masse which being ended the king came out of his trauerse sternelie and princelie beholding the French messengers and passed by them into his chamber And incontinentlie after he commanded that they should be brought in before his presence to heare what they had to say One of them séene in the ciuill lawes was appointed to declare the message in all their names who shewing himselfe more rash than wise more arrogant line 40 than learned first tooke vpon him to shew wherin the glorie of victorie consisted aduising the king not to shew his manhood in famishing a multitude of poore simple and innocent people but rather suffer such miserable wretches as laie betwixt the wals of the citie and the trenches of his siege to passe through the campe that they might get their liuing in other places and then if he durst manfullie assault the citie and by force subdue it he should win both line 50 worldlie fame and merit great méed at the hands of almightie God for hauing compassion of the poore needie and indigent people When this orator had said the king who no request lesse suspected than that which was thus desired began a while to muse and after he had well considered the craftie cautell of his enimies with a fierce countenance and bold spirit he reprooued them both for their subtill dealing with him and their malapert presumption in that they should seeme to go about line 60 to teach him what belonged to the dutie of a conquerour And therefore since it appeared that the same was vnknowne vnto them he declared that the goddesse of battell called Bellona had thrée handmaidens euer of necessitie attending vpon hir as blood fire and famine And whereas it laie in his choise to vse them all thrée yea two or one of them at his pleasure he had appointed onelie the méekest maid of those thrée damsels to punish them of that citie till they were brought to reason And whereas the gaine of a capteine atteined by anie of the said thrée handmaidens was both glorious honourable and woorthie of triumph yet of all the thrée the yoongest maid which he meant to vse at that time was most profitable and commodious And as for the poore people lieng in the ditches if they died through famine the fault was theirs that like cruell tyrants had put them out of the towne to the intent he should slaie them and yet had he saued their liues so that if anie lacke of charitie was it rested in them and not in him But to their cloked request he meant not to gratifie the them within so much but they should kéepe them still to helpe to spend their vittels And as to assault the towne he told them that he would they should know he was both able and willing thereto as he should see occasion but the choise was in his hand to â—amâ— them either with blood fire or famine or with them all whereof he would take the choise at his pleasure and not at theirs This answer put the French ambassadors in a great studie musing much at his excellent wit and hawtinesse of courage Now after they had dined as his commandement was they should with his officers they vpon consultation had togither required once againe to haue accesse to his roiall presence which being granted they humbling themselues on their knees besought him to take a truce for eight daies during the which they might by their commissioners take some end and good conclusion with him and his councell The king like a mercifull prince granted to them their asking with which answer they ioifullie returned After their departure were appointed and set vp three tents the one for the lords of England the second for the commissioners of the citie and the third for both parties to assemble in and to treat of the matter The commissioners for the English part were the earles of Warwike and Salisburie the lord Fitz Hugh sir Walter Hungerford sir Gilbert Umfreuile sir Iohn Robsert and Iohn de Uasques de Almada And for the French part were appointed sir Guie de Butteler and six others These commissioners met euery daie arguing and reasoning about a conclusion but nothing was doone the space of eight daies nor so much as one article concluded wherfore the Englishmen tooke downe
of France aforesaid and also our confederats of the realme of England aforesaid shall in eight moneths from the time of this accord of peace as it is notified to them declare by their letters that they will draw to this accord and will be comprehended vnder the treaties and accord line 50 of this peace sauing neuerthelesse either of the same crownes and also all maner actions rights and reuenues that longen to our said father and his subiects and to vs and our subiects against all maner of such alies and confederats 30 Also neither our father neither our brother the duke of Burgognie shall begin ne make with Charles cleping himselfe the Dolphin of Uiennes any treatie or peace or accord but by councell and assent of all and ech of vs sorée or of other the three line 60 estates of either of the said realmes aboue named 31 Also that we with assent of our said brother of Burgognie and other of the nobles of the realme of France the which thereto owen to be called shall ordeine for the gouernance of our said father sâ—kerlie louinglie honestlie after the asking of his roiall estate and dignitie by the maner that shall be to the worship of God and of our father and of the realme of France 32 Also all maneâ— of persons that shall be about our father to doo him personall seruice not onelie in office but in all other seruices aswell the nobles and gentlenes as other shall be such as hath beene borne in the realme of France or in places longing to France good wise true and able to that foresaid seruice And our said father shall dwell in places notable of his obedience and no where else Wherefore we charge and command our said liege subiects and other being vnder our obedience that they keepe and doo to be kept in all that longeth to them this accord and peace after the forme and maner as it is accorded and that they attempt in no maner wise any thing that may be preiudiciall or contrarie to the same accord and peace vpon paine of life and lim and all that they may forfeit against vs. Yeuen at Troes the thirtith day of Maie 1420 proclamed in London the twentith day of Iune 33 Also that we for the things aforesaid and euerie one of them shall giue our assent by our letters patents sealed with our seale vnto our said father with all approbation and confirmation of vs and all other of our bloud roiall and all other of the cities and townes to vs obedient Sealed with our seales accustomed And further our said father besides his letters patents sealed with our great seale shall make or cause to be made letters approbatorie and confirmations of the peeres of his realme and of the lords citizens and burgesses of the same vnder his obedience All which articles we haue sworne to kéepe vpon the holie euangelists On the fourtéenth of Iune being fridaie there was a solemne procession at London and a sermon at Paules crosse in which the preacher openlie declared the effect of the kings mariage and the articles concluded vpon the same by reason wherof he said there must be a new great seale deuised and the old broken and in the new the kings name with a new addition of his title as regent of France and heire apparant of that kingdome was to be ingrauen Beside the league thus concluded by king Henrie with the French king and the whole bodie of the realme of France there was a priuat league accorded betwixt him and the duke of Burgognie the effect wherof was comprehended in articles as followeth First that the duke of Burgognie should procure this peace latelie before concluded to be obserued line 1 firme and stable in all couenants and points therof so far as he by any meanes might further the same in consideration whereof one of the brethren of king Henrie should take to wife one of the said duke of Burgognies sisters That king Henrie should euer line 2 haue in singular fauour the said duke of Burgognie as his most déere brother and support him in all his rights That the said duke after the deceasse of king line 3 Charles should take an oth of fealtie to be true to K. Henrie his heires according to the forme tenor therof before expressed should in all things be friend to king Henrie and his heires for euer That line 4 king Henrie should doo his vttermost indeuour that due punishment might be had for the murther of duke Iohn father to the said duke of Burgognie aswell vpon Charles that named himselfe Dolphin as vpon others that were guiltie and priuie to that murther If the said Dolphin chanced to be taken either in battell or towne besieged or if anie other chanced line 5 so to be taken that should be prooued guiltie or priuie to the murther of the said duke Iohn he should not be deliuered without iust punishment for his deeds nor without the consent of the two kings Charles and Henrie of the thrée estates of both the realmes In consideration of the great diligence and painfull trauell susteined by the duke of Burgognie it line 6 was also agreed that he should haue by patent granted of king Charles and queene Isabell a fée of twentie thousand pounds Parisien of yéerelie reuenues assigned foorth néere to the confines of his countrie to inioy the same to him and to his wife the duches Michaell and to the heires males betwixt them two lawfullie begotten to the obteining whereof king Henrie should shew all his furtherance if it might not be brought to passe till king Henrie had obteined the crowne of France then should he sée the same performed vpon the receiuing of his homage The king of England after all the articles of the said treaties and agréements were concluded passed line 10 and sworne vnto made to the French king the duke of Burgognie and other the French lords a sumptuous banket and before they departed from the same he sadlie and with great grauitie made to them a right pithie and sententious oration declaring to them both how profitable the ioining of the two kingdomes should be to the subiects of the same and also the right that he had thereto being by lineall descent of the womans side which is the furest rather a Frenchman than an Englishman And though he line 20 was an Englishman borne yet he assured them to tender the wealth of the realme of France as much as he would the aduancement of his owne natiue countrie of England Herewith he inueied against Charles the Dolphin being the head and onelie mainteiner of all the ciuill discord whose wicked nature and cruell disposition did well appeare in the murther of the late duke of Burgognie He therefore willed them according to their dutie oth and agréement to stand with him line 30 and helpe to reduce such a stubborne and disloiall sonne vnto the obeisance of his father
the bastard Tremoile and manie other valiant capteins Wherefore sir Iohn Fastolfe set all his companie in good order of battell and pitched stakes before euerie archer to breake the force of the horssemen At their backes they set all the wagons and carriages and within them they tied all their horsses In this line 20 maner stood they still abiding the assault of their enimies The Frenchmen by reason of their great number thinking themselues sure of the victorie egerlie set on the Englishmen which with great force them receiued and themselues manfullie defended At length after long and cruell fight the Englishmen droue backe and vanquished the proud Frenchmen compelled them to flée In this conflict were slaine the lord William Steward constable of Scotland and his brother the lord Dorualle the lord Chateaubriam line 30 sir Iohn Basgot and other Frenchmen and Scots to the number of fiue and twentie hundred and aboue eleuen hundred taken prisoners although the French writers affirme the number lesse After this fortunate victorie sir Iohn Fastolfe and his companie hauing lost no one man of anie reputation with all their cariages vittels and prisoners marched foorth and came to the English campe before Orleance where they were ioifullie receiued and highlie commended for their valiancie and worthie line 40 prowesse shewed in the battell the which bicause most part of the cariage was herring and lenton stuffe the Frenchmen called it the battell of herrings The earle of Suffolke being thus vittelled continued the siege and euerie daie almost skirmished with the Frenchmen within who at length being in despaire of all succours offered to treat and in conclusion to saue themselues and the citie from captiuitie of their enimies they deuised to submit the citie themselues and all theirs vnder the obeisance of Philip duke of Burgognie bicause he was extract out of the stocke line 50 and bloud roiall of the ancient kings of France thinking by this means as they did in deed to breake or diminish the great amitie betwéene the Englishmen and him This offer was signified by them vnto the duke of Burgognie who with thanks certified them againe that he would gladlie receiue them if the lord regent would therewith be contented Herevpon he dispatched messengers to the duke of Bedford who though line 60 some counselled that it should be verie good and necessarie for him to agrée to that maner of yéelding yet he and other thought it neither conuenient nor honourable that a citie so long besieged by the king of England should be deliuered vnto anie other prince than to him or to his regent for that might be a verie bad president to other townes in anie like case Herevpon the regent answered the Burgognian ambassadors that after so long a siege on his part and obstinat a resistance of theirs he might not receiue rendring and conditions at their appointment At this answer the duke hoong the groine as conceiuing that our side should enuie his glorie or not to be so forward in aduancing his honour as he would haue it In time of this siege at Orleance French stories saie the first wéeke of March 1428 vnto Charles the Dolphin at Chinon as he was in verie great care and studie how to wrestle against the English nation by one Peter Badricourt capteine of Uacouleur made after marshall of France by the Dolphins creation was caried a 〈◊〉 wench of an eightéene yeeres old called Ione 〈◊〉 â—y name of hir father a sorie shéepheard Iames of Are and Isabell hir mother brought vp poorelie in their trade of kéeping cattell borne at Domprin therefore reported by Bale Ione Domprin vpon Meuse in Lorraine within the diocesse of Thoule Of fauour was she counted likesome of person stronglie made and manlie of courage great hardie and stout withall an vnderstander of counsels though she were not at them great semblance of chastitie both of bodie and behauiour the name of Iesus in hir mouth about all hir businesses humble obedient and fasting diuerse daies in the weeke A person as their bookes make hir raised vp by power diuine onelie for succour to the French estate then déepelie in distresse in whome for planting a credit the rather first the companie that toward the Dolphin did conduct hir through places all dangerous as holden by the English where she neuer was afore all the waie and by nightertale safelie did she lead then at the Dolphins sending by hir assignement from saint Katharins church of Fierbois in Touraine where she neuer had béene and knew not in a secret place there among old iron appointed she hir sword to be sought out and brought hir that with fiue floure delices was grauen on both sides wherewith she fought did manie slaughters by hir owne hands On warfar rode she in armour cap a pie mustered as a man before hir an ensigne all white wherin was Iesus Christ painted with a floure delice in his hand Unto the Dolphin into his gallerie when first she was brought and he shadowing himselfe behind setting other gaie lords before him to trie hir cunning from all the companie with a salutation that indeed marz all the matter she pickt him out alone who therevpon had hir to the end of the gallerie where she held him an houre in secret and priuate talke that of his priuie chamber was thought verie long and therefore would haue broken it off but he made them a signe to let hir saie on In which among other as likelie it was she setout vnto him the singular feats forsooth giuen hir to vnderstand by reuelation diuine that in vertue of that sword shée should atchiue which were how with honor and victorie shee would raise the siege at Orleance set him in state of the crowne of France and driue the English out of the countrie thereby he to inioie the kingdome alone Héerevpon he hartened at full appointed hir a sufficient armie with absolute power to lead them and they obedientlie to doo as she bad them Then fell she to worke and first defeated indéed the siege at Orleance by and by incouraged him to crowne himselfe king of France at Reims that a little before from the English she had woone Thus after pursued she manie bold enterprises to our great displeasure a two yeare togither for the time she kept in state vntill she were taken and for heresie and witcherie burned as in particularities hereafter followeth But in hir prime time she armed at all points like a iolie capteine roade from Poictiers to Blois and there found men of warre vittels and munition readie to be conueied to Orleance Héere was it knowne that the Englishmen kept not so diligent watch as they had beene accustomed to doo and therefore this maid with other French capteins comming forward in the dead time of the night and in a great raine and thunder entred into the citie with all their vittels artillerie
none Wherfore my right doubted lord sith there is great good behouefull at this time for the weale and safegard of your realmes the pouertie necessitie indigence of your liege people in highnesse vnderstand like it vnto your noble grace to consider the said lucre of the said cardinall and the great deceipts that you be receiued in by the labour of him of the archbishop aswell in this your realme as in your realme of France and duchie of Normandie where neither office liuelode nor capteine may be had without too great good giuen vnto him wherby a great part of all the losse that is lost they haue béene the causers of for who that would giue most his was the price not considering the merits seruice nor sufficiance of persons Furthermore it is greatlie to be considered how when the said cardinall had forfeited all his goods bicause of prouision as the statute therevpon more plainelie declareth by hauing the rule of you my right doubted lord purchased himselfe in great defraudation of your highnesse a charter of pardon the which good and it had be well gouerned might manie yeares haue susteined your warres without anie tallage of your poore people 23 Item my redoubted lord whereas I write much thing for the weale of you and of your realms peraduenture some will saie and vnderstand that I would or haue written by waie of accusement of all your councell which God knoweth I doo not for your highnesse may well sée that I name them that be causers of the said inordinate rule Wherfore considering that the said cardinall and archbishop of Yorke beene they that pretend the gouernance of you and of your realmes and lordships please it vnto your highnesse of your rightwisenesse to estrange them of your councell to that intent that men may be at their freedome to say what they thinke of truth 24 For truth I dare speake of my truth the poore dare not doo so And if the cardinall and the archbishop of Yorke may afterward declare themselues of that is and shal be said of them you my right doubted lord may then restore them againe to your councell at your noble pleasure When the king had heard the accusations thus laid by the duke of Glocester against the cardinall he committed the examination thereof to his councell whereof the more part were spirituall persons so that what for feare and what for fauour the matter was winked at and nothing said to it onelie faire countenance was made to the duke as though no malice had béene conceiued agaiâ—st him But venem will breake out inward grudge will soone appeare which was this yeare to all men apparant for diuers secret attempts were aduanced forward this season against this noble man Humfreiâ— duke of Glocester a far off which in conclusion came so néere that they beereft him both of life and land as shall hereafter more plainelie appéere For first this yeare dame Eleanor Cobham wife to the said duke was accused of treason for that she by sorcerie and inchantment intended to destroie the king to the intent to aduance hir husband vnto the crowne Upon this 〈…〉 examined in saint Stephans chappell before the bishop of Canturburie and there bâ— examination 〈…〉 open penance in thrée open placâ—â— within the citie of London Polychronicoâ— saith she was iâ—ioâ—ied to go through â—â—eapside 〈◊〉 taper in hir hand and after that adiudged to perpetuall imprisonâ—â—nt in the I le of Man vnder the kâ—â—ping of sir Iohn Stanlie knight At the same season â—ere arrested â—â—â—eigned and adiudged giltie as aiders to thâ— duchesse Thomas line 10 Southwell priest 〈◊〉 canon of S. Stephans at Westminster Iohn Hun priest Roger Bolingbrooke a cunning necromancer as it was said and Margerie Iordeine surnamed the witâ—h of Eie The matter laid against them was â—or that they at the request of the said duchesse had deuised an image of war representing the king which by their sorcerie by little and little consumed intending thereby in conclusion to waste and destroie the kâ—ngs person Margerie Iordeine was burnt in Smitâ—field and line 20 Roger Bolingbrooke was drawne to Taborne and hanged and quartered taking vpon his death that there was neuer anie such thing by them imagined Iohn Hun had his pardon and Southwest died in the Tower the night before his execution for saith Polychr he did prophesie of himselfe that he should die in his bed and not by iustice The duke of Glocester bare all these things patientlie 〈◊〉 said little Edward sonne to the duke of Yorke was borne this yeare the nine and twentith of Aprill at Rone his father line 30 being the kings lieutenant in Normandie ¶ In this yeare was a great fraie in Fléetstréet in the night time betwéene gentlemen of courts and inhabitants of London insomuch that much bloud was spilt diuerse slaine outright and some mortallie wounded besides great harme otherwise doone and suffered ¶ Upon the daie of the translation of saint Edward or the twelfth of October vpon which daie the maior and his brethren for the yeare following and line 40 daie when the commoners of the citie after their ancient custome had chosen two aldermen such as before had béene shiriffes of London and of Middlesex namelie Robert Clopton draper and Rafe Holland tailoâ— and them presented by name vnto the maior and his brethren then sitting in the vtter chamber where the maiors courts be kept to the intent that the said maior and his brethren might choose one of the said two such as they thought most necessarie and worshipfull for the roome the said maior and his brethren choosing Robert Clopton brought him after line 50 downe vpon his right hand towards the hall Whereof when certeine tailors there present were aware and saw that Rafe Holland was not chosen anon they cried Nay nay not this but Rafe Holland Wherewith the old maior being astonished stood still vpon the staire and commanded them to keepe silence and so held on his waie to the east end of the hall where he sat him downe and his brethren about him In the meane time the said tailors continued line 60 their crie and incensed others of base traâ—es of the citie as simple persons to take their part and to crie as fast as they not proffering to cease their misrule for all that the maior could saie no nor yet when the maiors sergeant at armes had cried Oâ—yes Herevpon the maior to appease the rumor sent downe the shiriffes and commanded them to take the offendors and send them to the goale which precept was fulfilled about twelue or sixteene of the principall committed to Newgate where some of them abode a long time imprisoned and others that were fined set at libertie This is reported by Polychronicon but in somewhat a differing maner The councell of England forgat not the late enterprise of the 〈◊〉 king atchiued in the duchie of of Guien and the refore doubting
that time deceassed that then after the death of his father and grandfather all the said lands should wholie remaine to the next heire of their bloud either male or female being vnder the obeisance of the French king or his heires Manie other noble men whose hearts were good English made like compositions and some came into England and others went to Calis and bare great offices there as the lord Duras which was marshall of that towne and monsieur Uauclere which was deputie there vnder the earle of Warwike Thus were the Englishmen cléerelie displaced and lost the possession of all the countries townes castels and places within the realme of France so that onelie Calis Hammes and Guines with the marches thereof remained in their hands of all those their dominions and seigniories which they sometime held in the parties beyond the seas Whereby England suffered a partile but not a totall eclipse of hir glorie in continuall loosing nothing gaining of the enimie ¶ Which recouerie was of great facilitie to the French for that where they came they found litle or no resistance but rather a voluntarie submission yéelding as it were with holding vp of hands yer they came to handstroks So that in such victories and conquests consisted small renowme sith without slaughter bloudshed hardie enterprises are not atchiued Notablie therefore speaketh Anglorum praelia line 10 of these bloudlesse and sweatlesse victories saieng Delphinus totos nullo prohibente per agros Francorum transit priùs expugnata receptans Oppida perfacile est populum domuisse volentem Tendentemque manus vltrò nec clarior ornat Gloria vincentem fuso sine sanguine regna This yeare the king made a generall progresse and came to the citie of Excester on mondaie the sixtéenth of Iulie at after noone being the feast daie of saint Kenelme and was receiued from place to line 20 place verie honorablie through the whole countrie Before he came to this citie he was met by all the cleargie in their degrées some thrée miles some two miles and some at the citie all in their copes censing all the waies as they went As soone as he came to this citie he was first conducted to the cathedrall church in all most honourable order When he had doone his oblations he was conueied and lodged in the bishops house During his abode here there was a sessions kept before the duke of Summerset and line 30 certeine men condemned to die for treason and had iudgement to be executed to death The bishop and his clergie vnderstanding hereof with open mouth complained vnto the king that he caused a sessions to be kept within his sanctuarie contrarie to the priuilege of his church and that all their dooings being doone against law were of no effect And notwithstanding the king and his councell had discoursed vnto them the iust and orderlie procéeding the hainousnesse of the offendors and the line 40 necessitie of their punishment yet all could not auaile for holie church nor the sanctuarie might be prophaned as they said with the deciding of temporall matters Wherevpon the king in the end yéelding to their exclaimes released a couple of arrant traitors and reuersed all his former lawfull procéedings and so vpon the wednesdaie he departed and returned towards London The duke of Yorke pretending as yée haue heard line 50 a right to the crowne as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence came this yeare out of Ireland vnto London in the parlement time there to consult with his speciall fréends as Iohn duke of Northfolke Richard earle of Salisburie and the lord Richard his sonne which after was earle of Warwike Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire Edward Brooke lord Cobham After long deliberation and aduise taken it was thought expedient to keepe their chéefe purpose secret and that the duke should raise an armie line 60 of men vnder a pretext to remooue diuerse councellors about the king and to reuenge the manifest iniuries doone to the common-wealth by the same rulers Of the which as principall the duke of Summerset was namelie accused both for that he was greatlie hated of the commons for the losse of Normandie and for that it was well knowne that he would be altogither against the duke of Yorke in his chalenge to be made when time serued to the crowne insomuch that his goods by the commons were foulie despoiled and borne awaie from the Blacke friers After which riot on the next morrow proclamation was made through the citie that no man should spoile or rob on paine of death But on the same daie at the standard in Cheape was a man beheaded for dooing contrarie to the proclamation Therefore when the duke of Yorke had thus by aduise of his speciall fréends framed the foundation of his long intended enterprise he assembled a great hoast to the number of ten thousand able men in the marches of Wales publishing openlie that the cause of this his gathering of people was for the publike wealth of the realme The king much astonied at the matter by aduise of his councell raised a great power and marched forward toward the duke But he being thereof aduertised turned out of that way which by espials he vnderstood that the king held and made streight toward London and hauing knowledge that he might not be suffered to passe through the citie he crossed ouer the Thames at Kingston bridge and so kept on towards Kent where he knew that he had both fréends well-willers and there on Burnt heath a mile from Dertford and twelue miles from London he imbatelled and incamped himselfe verie stronglie inuironing his field with artillerie and trenches The king hereof aduertised brought his armie with all diligence vnto Blackeheath and there pight his tents Whilest both these armies laie thus imbattelled the king sent the bishop of Winchester and Thomas Bourchier bishop of Elie Richard Wooduile lord Riuers Richard Andrew the kéeper of his priuie seale to the duke both to know the cause of so great a commotion and also to make a concord if the requests of the duke and his companie séemed consonant to reason The duke hearing the message of the bishops answered that his comming was neither to damnifie the king in honour nor in person neither yet anie good man but his intent was to remooue from him certeine euill disposed persons of his councell bloud-succours of the nobilitie pollers of the cleargie and oppressours of the poore people Amongst these he chéeflie named Edmund duke of Summerset whome if the king would commit to ward to answer such articles as against him in open parlement should be both proponed and proued he promised not onelie to dissolue his armie but also offered himselfe like an obedient subiect to come to the kings presence and to doo him true and faithfull seruice according to his loiall and bounden dutie ¶ But a further vnderstanding of the dukes meaning by
sides but in the end king Edward so couragiouslie comforted his men that the other part was discomfited and ouercome who like men amazed fled toward Tadcaster bridge to saue themselues where in the mid waie is a little brooke called line 10 Cocke not verie broad but of a great déepenesse in which what for hast to escape and what for feare of their followers a great number was drowned there It was reported that men aliue passed the riuer vpon dead carcasses and that the great riuer of Wharfe whereinto that brooke dooth run and of all the water comming from Towton was coloured with bloud The chase continued all night and the most part of the next daie and euer the northerne men as they line 20 saw anie aduantage returned againe and fought with their enimies to the great losse of both parts For in these two daies were slaine as they that knew it wrote on both parts six and thirtie thousand seuen hundred thréescore sixteene persons all Englishmen and of one nation whereof the chiefe were the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the lord Dacres and the lord Welles sir Iohn Neuill Andrew Trollop Robert Horne and manie other knights and esquiers and the earle of Deuonshire line 30 was taken prisoner but the dukes of Summerset and Excester fled from the field and saued themselues After this great victorie king Edward rode to Yorke where he was with all solemnitie receiued and first he caused the heads of his father the earle of Salisburie and other his freends to be taken from the gates and to be buried with their bodies and there he caused the earle of Deuonshire and thrée other to be beheaded and set their heads in the same line 40 place King Henrie after he heard of the irrecouerable losse of his armie departed incontinentlie with his wife and sonne to the towne of Berwike and leauing the duke of Summerset there went into Scotland and comming to the king of Scots required of him and his councell aid and comfort The yoong king of Scots lamenting the miserable state of king Henrie comforted him with faire words and friendlie promises and assigned to him a competent pension to liue on during his abode in line 50 Scotland King Henrie in recompense of this courtesie and friendship deliuered to the king of Scots the towne of Berwike whereof he had got possession He faithfullie supported the part of king Henrie and concluded a mariage betwixt his sister and the yoong prince of Wales but the same was neuer consummate as after ye shall heare When king Henrie was somwhat setled in the relme of Scotland he sent his wife and his sonne into France to king Reiner hir father trusting by his aid and succour to assemble line 60 an armie and once againe to recouer his right and dignitie but he in the meane time made his aboad in Scotland to see what waie his friends in England would studie for his restitution The quéene being in France did obteine of the yoong French king then Lewes the eleuenth that all hir husbands friends and those of the Lancastriall band might safelie and suerlie haue resort into anie part of the realme of France prohibiting all other of the contrarie faction anie accesse or repaire into that countrie ¶ Thus ye haue heard how king Henrie the sixt after he had reigned eight and thirtie yeares od moneths was driuen out of this realme But now leauing him with the princes of his part consulting togither in Scotland and queene Margaret his wife gathering of men in France I will returne where I left to proceed with the dooings of king Edward This yoong prince hauing with prosperous successe obteined so glorious a victorie in the mortall battell at Towton and chased all his aduersaries out of the realme or at the least waies put them to silence returned after the maner and fashion of a triumphant conquerour with great pompe vnto London where according to the old custome of the realme he called a great assemblie of persons of all degrees and the nine twentith daie of Iune was at Westminster with solemnitie crowned and annointed king ¶ In which yeare this king Edward called his high court of parlement at Westminster in the which the state of the realme was greatlie reformed and all the statutes made in Henrie the sixt his time which touched either his title or profit were reuoked In the same parlement the earle of Oxford far striken in age and his sonne and heire the lord Awbreie Uéer either through malice of their enimies or for that they had offended the king were both with diuerse of their councellors attainted and put to execution which caused Iohn earle of Oxford euer after to rebell There were also beheaded the same time sir Thomas Tudenham knight William Tirell and Iohn Montgomerie esquiers and after them diuerse others Also after this he created his two yoonger brethren dukes that is to saie lord George duke of Clarence lord Richard duke of Glocester and the lord Iohn Neuill brother to Richard earle of Warwike he first made lord Montacute and afterwards created him marques Montacute Beside this Henrie Bourchier brother to Thomas archbishop of Canturburie was created earle of Essex and William lord Fauconbridge was made earle of Kent To this Henrie lord Bourchier a man highlie renowned in martiall feats Richard duke of Yorke long before this time had giuen his sister Elizabeth in mariage of whome he begat foure sonnes William Thomas Iohn and Henrie the which William being a man of great industrie wit and prouidence in graue and weightie matters maried the ladie Anne Wooduile descended of high parentage whose mother Iaquet was daughter to Peter of Lutzenburgh earle of saint Paule by the which Anne he had lord Henrie earle of Essex one daughter named Cicile maried to Water lord Ferrers of Chartleie and an other called Isabell which died vnmaried The earle of Kent was appointed about this time to kéepe the seas year 1462 being accompanied with the lord Audeleie the lord Clinton sir Iohn Howard sir Richard Walgraue and others to the number of ten thousand who landing in Britaine wan the towne of Conquet and the Isle of Reth and after returned When all things were brought in order and framed as king Edward in maner could wish Henrie duke of Summerset sir Rafe Persie and diuerse other being in despaire of all good chance to happen vnto king Henrie came humblie submitted themselues vnto king Edward whome he gentlie receiued Which clemencie notwithstanding both the one and the other when time serued reuolted from king Edward and betooke themselues to take part with Henrie vnto whom they had béene adherents before bicause they grew in hope that in the end the confederats to whom they so closelie did cleaue both in affection and seriousnesse of labour though they pretended a temporall renunciation of all dutie and seruice for their securitie sake should haue the honor
they said afterward that that prophesie lost not his effect when after king Edward Glocester vsurped his kingdome Other alledged that the cause of his death was for that the duke being destitute of a wife by the meanes of his sister the ladie Margaret duchesse of Burgognie procured to haue the ladie Marie daughter and heire to hir husband duke Charles line 60 Which marriage king Edward enuieng the prosperitie of his brother both gaine said and disturbed and thereby old malice reuiued betwixt them which the quéene and hir bloud euer mistrusting and priuilie barking at the kings Image ceassed not to increase But sure it is that although king Edward were consenting to his death yet he much did both lament his infortunate chance repent his sudden execution insomuch that when anie person sued to him for the pardon of malefactors condemned to death he would accustomablie saie openlie speake Oh infortunate brother for whose life not one would make sute Openlie and apparantlie meaning by such words that by the meanes of some of the nobilitie he was deceiued and brought to confusion This duke left behind him two yoong infants begot of the bodie of his wife the daughter of Richard late earle of Warwike which children by destinie as it were or by their owne merits following the steps of their ancestors succéeded them in like misfortune and semblable euill chance For Edward his heire whom king Edward had created earle of Warwike was thrée and twentie yeares after in the time of Henrie the seauenth atteinted of treason and on the Tower hill lost his head Margaret his sole daughter maried to sir Richard Pole knight and by Henrie the eight restored to the name title possessions of the earledome of Salisburie was at length for treason committed against the said Henrie the eight atteinted in open parlement and sixtie two yeares after hir father had suffered death in the Tower she on the greene within the same place was beheaded In whose person died the verie surname of Plantagenet which from Geffrie Plantagenet so long in the bloud roiall of this realme had florished and continued After the death of this duke by reason of great heat and distemperance of aire happened so fierce quicke a pestilence that fiftéene yeares warre past consumed not the third part of the people that onelie foure moneths miserablie and pitifullie dispatched brought to their graues So that if the number had béene kept by multiplieng of vnities out of them to haue raised a complet number it would haue mooued matter of verie great admiration But it should séeme that they were infinit if consideration be had of the comparison inferred for the more effectuall setting foorth of that cruell and ceaselesse contagion And suerlie it soundeth to reason that the pestilence should fetchawaie so manie thousands as in iudgement by proportion of fiftéene yeares warre one maie gather and manie more too For euerie man knoweth that in warres time place persons and meanes are limited time of warre begun and ended place circumscribed persons imbattelled and weapons also whereby the fight is tried so that all these haue their limitations beyond which they haue no extent But the pestilence being a generall infection of the aire an element ordeined to mainteine life though it haue a limitation in respect of the totall compasse of the world yet whole climats maie be poisoned and it were not absurd to saie that all and euerie part of the aire maie be pestilentlie corrupted and so consequentlie not limited wherefore full well it maie be said of the pestilence procuring so great a depopulation as one saith of surfetting Ense cadunt multi perimit sed crapula plures The councellors of the yoong duchesse of Burgoggnie sent to K. Edward for aid against the French king About the same time had the queene of England sent to the ladie Margaret duchesse of Burgognie for the preferrement of hir brother Anthonie erle Riuers to the yoong damsell But the councell of Flanders considering that he was but an earle of meane estate and she the greatest inheritrice of all christendome at that time gaue but deafe eare to so vnméet a request To which desire if the Flemings had but giuen a liking eare by outward semblance and with gentle words delaied the sute she had beene both succoured and defended Whether king Edward was not contented with this refusall or that he was loth to breake with the French king he would in no wise consent to send an armie into Flanders against the French king but yet he sent ambassadours to him with louing and gentle letters requiring him to grow to some reasonable order agréement with the yoong duchesse of Burgognie or at the least to take a truce with hir at his request The ambassadours of England were highlie receiued bountifullie feasted and liberallie rewarded but answer to their desire had they none sauing that shortlie after the French king would send ambassadours hostages and pledges to the king of England their maister for the perfecting and concluding of all things depending betweene them two so that their souereigne lord they should haue cause to be contented and pleased These faire words were onelie delaies to driue time vntill he might haue space line 10 to spoile the yoong damsell of hir townes and countries And beside this to staie king Edward from taking part with hir he wrote to him that if he would ioine with him in aid he should haue and inioie to him and his heires the whole countie countrie of Flanders discharged of homage superioritie and resort to be claimed by the French king or his successors He also wrote that he should haue the whole duchie of Brabant whereof the French king offered at his line 20 owne cost and charge to conquer foure of the chiefest and strongest townes within the said duchie them in quiet possession to deliuer to the king of England granting further to paie him ten thousand angels toward his charges with munitions of warre and artillerie which he promised to lend him with men and carriage for the conueiance of the same The king of England refused to make anie warres against those countries that were thus offered to him but if the French king would make him partner line 30 of his conquests in Picardie rendering to him part of the townes alreadie gotten as Bologne Monsterell and Abuile then he would suerlie take his part and aid him with men at his owne costs and charges Thus passed faire words and golden promises betwéene these two princes and in the meane time the yoong duchesse of Burgognie was spoiled of hir townes castels territories till at length for maintenance she condescended to marrie with Maximilian line 40 sonne to the emperour Frederike that he might kéepe the woolfe from the fold King Edward in the ninetéenth yeare of his reigne began more than he was before accustomed to serch the forfeiture of penall
euill willers to grow in ouer-great authoritie with the prince in youth namelie which is light of beleefe and soone persuaded Yée remember I trow king Edward himselfe albeit he was a man of age discretion yet was he in manie things ruled by the bend more than stood either with his honor or our profit or with the cōmoditie of any man else except onlie the immoderate aduancement of themselues Which whether they forer thirsted after their owne weale or our wo it were hard I wéene to gesse And if some folks fréendship had not holden better place with the king than anie respect of kinred they might peraduenture easilie haue betrapped and brought to confusion some of vs yer this Why not as easilie as they haue doone some other alreadie as neere of his roiall bloud as we But our Lord hath wrought his will and thanks be to his grace that perill is past Howbeit as great is growing if we suffer this yoong king in our enimies hand which without his witting might abuse the name of his commandement to anie of our vndooing which thing God defend and good prouision forbid Of which good prouision none of vs hath anie thing the lesse néed for the late made attonement in which the kings pleasure had more place than the parties willes Nor none of vs I beléeue is so vnwise ouer-soone to trust a new freend made of an old fo or to thinke that an hourlie kindnes suddenlie contracted in one houre continued yet scant a fortnight should be déeper settled in their stomachs than a long accustomed malice manie yeares rooted With these words and writings and such other the duke of Glocester soone set on fire them that were of themselues easie to kindle in speciallie twaine Edward duke of Buckingham and William lord Hastings then chamberleine both men of honour of great power the one by long succession from his ancestrie the other by his office and the kings fauour These two not bearing ech to other so much loue as hatred both vnto the quéenes part in this point accorded togither with the duke of Glocester that they would vtterlie remoue from the kings companie all his mothers fréends vnder the name of their enimies Upon this concluded the duke of Glocester vnderstanding that the lords which at that time were about the king intended to bring him vp to his coronation accōpanied with such power of their freends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering and great assemblie of people and in maner of open warre whereof the end he wist was doubtfull and in which the king being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a rebellion he secretlie therfore by diuers means caused the queene to be persuaded and brought in the mind that it neither were need and also should be ieopardous the king to come vp strong For whereas now euerie lord loued other and none other thing studied vpon but about the coronation and honor of the king if the lords of hir kindred should assemble in the kings name much people they should giue the lords betwixt whome and them had béene sometime debate to feare and suspect least they should gather this people not for the kings safegard whome no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regard to their old variance than their new attonement For which cause they should assemble on the other partie much people againe for their defense whose power she wist well far stretched and thus should all the realme fall on a rore And of all the hurt that thereof should insue which was likelie not to be little and the most harme there like to fall where she least would all the world would put hir and hir kindered in the wight and saie that they had vnwiselie and vntrulie also broken the amitie peace that the king hir husband so prudentlie made betwéene his kin and hirs in his death bed and which the other partie faithfullie obserued The queene being in this wise persuaded such word sent vnto hir sonne and vnto hir brother being about the king and ouer that the duke of Glocester himselfe line 10 and other lords the chiefe of his bend wrote vnto the king so reuerentlie and to the quéenes fréends there so louinglie that they nothing earthlie mistrusting brought the king vp in great hast not in good spéed with a sober companie Now was the king in his waie to London gone from Northampton when these dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behind the lord Riuers the kings vncle intending on the morrow to follow the king and to be with him at Stonie Stratford certeine line 20 miles thence earlie yer he departed So was there made that night much fréendlie chéere betwéene these dukes the lord Riuers a great while But incōtinent after that they were openlie with great courtesie departed and the lord Riuers lodged the dukes secretlie with a few of their most priuie freends set them downe in councell wherein they spent a great part of the night And at their rising in the dawning of the daie they sent about priuilie to their seruants in their Ins line 30 lodgings about giuing them commandement to make themselues shortlie readie for their lords were to horsse backeward Upon which messages manie of their folke were attendant when manie of the lord Riuers seruants were vnreadie Now had these dukes taken also into their custodie the keies of the In that none should passe foorth without their licence And ouer this in the high waie toward Stonie Stratford where the king lay they had bestowed certeine of their folke that should send backe againe line 40 and compell to returne anie man that were gotten out of Northampton toward Stonie Stratford till they should giue other licence For asmuch as the dukes themselues intended for the shew of their diligence to be the first that should that daie attend vpon the kings highnesse out of that towne Thus bare they folke in hand But when the lord Riuers vnderstood the gates closed and the waies on euerie side beset neither his seruants nor himselfe suffered to gone out perceiuing line 50 well so great a thing without his knowledge not begun for naught comparing this manner present with this last nights chéere in so few houres so great a change maruellouslie misliked Howbeit sith he could not get awaie and keepe himselfe close he would not least he should séeme to hide himselfe for some secret feare of his owne fault whereof he saw no such cause in himselfe he determined vpon the suertie of his owne conscience to go boldlie to them and inquire what this matter might meane line 60 Whom assoone as they saw they began to quarrell with him and saie that he intended to set distance betweene the king and them and to bring them to confusion but it should not lie in his power And when he began as he
was a verie well spoken man in goodlie wise to excuse himselfe they tarried not the end of his answer but shortlie tooke him and put him in ward and that doone foorthwith went to horssebacke and tooke the waie to Stonie Stratford where they found the king with his companie readie to leape on horssebacke and depart forward to leaue that lodging for them bicause it was too streight for both companies And assoone as they came in his presence they light adowne with all their companie about them To whome the duke of Buckingham said Go afore gentlemen yeomen kéepe your roomes And thus in a goodlie araie they came to the king and on their knées in verie humble wise saluted his grace which receiued them in verie ioious and amiable manner nothing earthlie knowing nor mistrusting as yet But euen by and by in his presence they piked a quarrell to the lord Richard Greie the kings other brother by his mother saieng that he with the lord marquesse his brother the lord Riuers his vncle had compassed to rule the king and the realme and to set variance among the states and to subdue and destroie the noble bloud of the Realme Toward the accōplishing wherof they said that the lord marquesse had entered into the Tower of London thence taken out the kings treasure and sent men to the sea All which things these dukes wist well were doone for good purposes and necessarie by the whole councell at London sauing that somewhat they must saie Unto which words the king answered What my brother marquesse hath doone I cannot saie but in good faith I dare well answer for mine vncle Riuers and my brother here that they be innocent of anie such matter Yea my liege quoth the duke of Buckingham they haue kept their dealing in these matters farre fro the knowledge of your good grace And foorthwith they arested the lord Richard and sir Thomas Uaughan knight in the kings presence and brought the king and all backe vnto Northampton where they tooke againe further counsell And there they sent awaie from the king whom it pleased them and set new seruants about him such as liked better them than him At which dealing he wept and was nothing content but it booted not And at dinner the duke of Glocester sent a dish from his owne table vnto the lord Riuers praieng him to be of good chéere all should be well inough And he thanked the duke and praied the messenger to beare it to his nephue the lord Richard with the same message for his comfort who he thought had more néed of comfort as one to whome such aduersitie was strange But himselfe had béene all his daies in vre therewith therefore could beare it the better But for all this comfortable courtesie of the duke of Glocester he sent the lord Riuers and the lord Richard with sir Thomas Uaughan into the north countrie into diuerse places to prison and afterward all to Pomfret where they were in conclusion beheaded In this wise the duke of Glocester tooke vpon himselfe the order and gouernance of the yoong king whome with much honor and humble reuerence he conueied vpward towards the citie But anon the tidings of this matter came hastilie to the queene a a little before the midnight following and that in the sorest wise that the king hir son was taken hir brother hir sonne hir other fréends arrested and sent no man wist whither to be doone with God wot what With which tidings the quéene in great flight heauinesse bewailing hir childes reigne hir freends mischance and hir owne infortune damning the time that euer she dissuaded the gathering of power about the king gat hir selfe in all the hast possible with hir yoonger sonne and hir daughters out of the palace of Westminster in which she then laie into the sanctuarie lodging hir selfe and hir companie there in the abbats place Now came there one in likewise not long after midnight from the lord chamberleine to doctor Rotheram the archbishop of Yorke then chancellor of England to his place not farre from Westminster And for that he shewed his seruants that he had tidings of so great importance that his maister gaue him in charge not to forbeare his rest they letted not to wake him nor he to admit this messenger in to his bed side Of whom he heard that these dukes were gone backe with the kings grace from Stonie Stratford vnto Northampton Notwithstanding sir quoth he my lord sendeth your lordship word that there is no feare for he assureth you that all shall be well I assure him quoth the archbishop be it as well as it will it will neuer be so well as we haue seene it And therevpon by and by after the messenger departed line 10 he caused in all the hast all his seruants to be called vp and so with his owne houshold about him and euerie man weaponed he tooke the great seale with him and came yet before daie vnto the queene About whom he found much heauinesse rumble hast and businesse cariage and conueiance of hir stuffe into sanctuarie chests coffers packs fardels trussed all on mens backs no man vnoccupied some lading some going some discharging some comming for more some breaking downe the walles to bring line 20 in the next waie and some yet drew to them that holpe to carrie a wrong waie such made their lucre of others losse praising a bootie aboue beautie to whome the poets verse may be well applied to wit Ferrea non Venerem sed praedam saecula laudant The quéene hir selfe sate alone alow on the rushes all desolate and dismaid whome the archbishop comforted in best manner he could shewing hir that he trusted the matter was nothing so sore as she tooke it for and that he was put in good hope and out of feare line 30 by the message sent him from the lord chamberleine Ah wo woorth him quoth she for he is one of them that laboreth to destroie me and my bloud Madame quoth he be yée of good chéere for I assure you if they crowne anie other king than your sonne whome they now haue with them we shall on the morow crowne his brother whome you haue here with you And here is the great seale which in likewise as that noble prince your husband deliuered it vnto me so here I deliuer it vnto you to the vse and behoofe of your line 40 sonne and therewith he betooke hir the great seale and departed home againe yet in the dawning of the daie By which time he might in his chamber window sée all the Thames full of boates of the duke of Glocesters seruants watching that no man should go to sanctuarie nor none could passe vnsearched Then was there great commotion and murmur as well in other places about as speciallie in the citie the people diuerslie diuining vpon this dealing And line 50 some lords knights and gentlemen either for fauour
and so deadlie fought as was in that kings daies that dead is God forgiue it his soule In whose time and by whose occasion what about the getting of the garland keeping it leesing and winning againe it line 20 hath cost more English bloud than hath twise the winning of France In which inward war among our selues hath beene so great effusion of the ancient noble bloud of this realme that scarselie the halfe remaineth to the great infeebling of this noble land beside manie a good towne ransacked and spoiled by them that haue beene going to the field or comming from thence line 30 And peace long after not much surer than war So that no time was therein which rich men for their monie and great men for their lands or some other for some feare or some displeasure were not out of perill For whom trusted he that mistrusted his owne brother Whome spared he that killed his owne brother Or who could perfectlie loue him if his owne brother could not line 40 What maner of folke he most fauoured we shall for his honour spare to speake of Howbeit this wote you well all that who so was best bare alwaie least rule more sute was in his daies to Shores wife a vile and an abhominable strumpet than to all the lords in England except vnto those that made hir their proctor Which simple woman was well named honest line 50 till the king for his wanton lust and sinfull affection bereft hir from hir husband a right honest substantiall yoong man among you And in that point which in good faith I am sorie to speake of sauing that it is in vaine to keepe in counsell that thing that all men know the kings greedie appetite was insatiable and euerie where ouer all the realme intollerable line 60 For no woman was there anie where yoong or old rich or poore whome he set his eie vpon in whome he anie thing liked either person or fauour speech pase or countenance but without anie feare of God or respect of his honour murmur or grudge of the world he would importunelie pursue his appetite and haue hir to the great destruction of manie a good woman and great dolor to their husbands and their other freends which being honest people of them selues so much regard the cleannesse of their house the chastitie of their wiues and their children that them were leauer to leese all that they had beside than to haue such a villanie doone them And all were it that with this and other importable dealing the realme was in euerie part annoied yet speciallie yee heere the citizens of this noble citie as well for that amongest you is most plentie of all such things as minister matter to such iniuries as for that you were neerest at hand sith that neere heere abouts was commonlie his most abiding And yet be yee the people whome he had as singular cause well and kindlie to intreat as anie part of his realme not onelie for that the prince by this noble citie as his speciall chamber the speciall well renowmed citie of this realme much honourable fame receiueth among all other nations but also for that yee not without your great cost sundrie perils ieopardies in all his warres bare euen your speciall fauor to his part Which your kind minds borne to the house of Yorke sith he hath nothing worthilie acquited there is of that house that now by Gods grace better shall which thing to shew you is the whole summe and effect of this our present errand It shall not I wot well need that I rehearse you againe that yee haue alreadie heard of him that can better tell it and of whome I am sure yee will better beleeue it And reason is that it so be I am not so proud to looke therefore that yee should reckon my words of as great authoritie as the preachers of the word of God namlie a man so cunning and so wise that no man better woteth what he should saie and thereto so good and vertuous that he would not saie the thing which he wist he should not saie in the pulpit namelie into the which no honest man commeth to lie Which honorable preacher yee well remember substantiallie declared vnto you at Paules crosse on sundaie last passed the right title that the most excellent prince Richard duke of Glocester now protector of this realme hath vnto the crowne and kingdome of the same For as the worshipfull man groundlie made open vnto you the children of king Edward the fourth were neuer lawfullie begotten forsomuch as the king leauing his verie wife dame Elizabeth Lucie was neuer lawfullie maried vnto the queene their mother whose bloud sauing that he set his voluptuous pleasure before his honor was full vnmeetlie to be matched with his and the mingling of whose blouds togither hath beene the effusion of a great part of the noble bloud of this realme Wherby it may well seeme the mariage not well made of which there is so much mischeefe growne For lacke of which lawfull coupling also of other things which the said worshipfull doctor rather signified than fullie explaned which things shall not be spoken for me as the thing wherein euerie man forbereth to say that he knoweth in auoiding displeasure of my noble lord protector bearing as nature requireth a filiall reuerence to the duchesse his mother For these causes I say before remembred that is to wit for lacke of other issue lawfullie of the late noble prince Richard duke of Yorke to whose roiall bloud the crowne of England and of France is by the high authoritie of parlement intailed the right and title of the same is by the iust course of line 10 inheritance according to the cōmon lawes of the land deuolued commen vnto the most excellent prince the lord protector as to the verie lawfullie begotten sonne of the foreremembred noble duke of Yorke Which thing well considered and the great knightlie prowesse pondered with manifold vertues which in his noble person singularlie abound the nobles and line 20 commons also of this realme and speciallie of the north part not willing anie bastard bloud to haue the rule of the land nor the abusions before in the same vsed anie longer to continue haue condescended and fullie determined to make humble petition to the most puissant prince the lord protector that it maie like his grace at our humble request to take vpon him the guiding and line 30 gouernance of this realme to the wealth and increase of the same according to his verie right and iust title Which thing I wote it well he will be loth to take vpon him as he whose wisdome well perceiueth the labor and studie both of mind and bodie that come therewith to whomsoeuer so will occupie the roome as I dare say hee will if he take it Which roome I warne you well is no childs office And that the
himselfe as king had it shewed vnto him that he should not reigne but his vncle shuld haue the crowne At which word the prince sore abashed line 30 began to sigh and said Alas I would my vncle would let me haue my life yet though I leese my kingdome Then he that told him the tale vsed him with good words and put him in the best comfort he could But foorthwith was the prince and his brother both shut vp all other remooued from them onelie one called Blacke Will or William Slaughter excepted set to serue them and sée them sure After which time line 40 the prince neuer tied his points nor ought rought of himselfe but with that yoong babe his brother lingered with thought and heauinesse vntill this traitorous death deliuered them of that wretchednesse For sir Iames Tirrell deuised that they should be murthered in their beds To the execution whereof he appointed Miles Forrest one of the foure that kept them a fellow fleshed in murther before time To him he ioined one Iohn Dighton his owne horssekéeper a big broad square and strong knaue line 50 Then all the other being remooued from them this Miles Forrest and Iohn Dighton about midnight the séelie children lieng in their beds came into the chamber suddenlie lapping them vp among the clothes so to bewrapped them and intangled them keeping downe by force the fether-bed and pillowes hard vnto their mouths that within a while smoothered and stifled their breath failing they gaue vp to God their innocent soules into the ioies of heauen leauing to the tormentors their bodies dead in the line 60 bed Which after that the wretches perceiued first by the strugling with the paines of death and after long lieng still to be thoroughlie dead they laid their bodies naked out vpon the bed and fetched sir Iames to sée them which vpon the sight of them caused those murtherers to burie them at the staire foot meetlie déepe in the ground vnder a great heape of stones Then rode sir Iames in great hast to king Richard and shewed him all the maner of the murther who gaue him great thanks and as some saie there made him knight But he allowed not as I haue heard the burieng in so vile a corner saieng that he would haue them buried in a better place bicause they were a kings sonnes Lo the honourable coucourage of a king Whervpon they saie that a priest of sir Robert Brakenberies tooke vp the bodies againe and secretlie interred them in such place as by the occasion of his death which onelie knew it could neuer since come to light Uerie truth is it and well knowne that at such time as sir Iames Tirrell was in the Tower for treason committed against the most famous prince king Henrie the seauenth both Dighton and he were examined and confessed the murther in maner aboue written but whither the bodies were remooued they could nothing tell And thus as I haue learned of them that much knew and little cause had to lie were these two noble princes these innocent tender children borne of most roiall bloud brought vp in great wealth likelie long to liue reigne and rule in the realme by traitorous tyrannie taken depriued of their estate shortlie shut vp in prison and priuilie slaine and murthered their bodies cast God wot where by the cruell ambition of their vnnaturall vncle his despiteous tormentors Which things on euerie part well pondered God neuer gaue this world a more notable example neither in what vnsuertie standeth this worldlie weale or what mischeefe worketh the proud enterprise of an high heart or finallie what wretched end insueth such despiteous crueltie For first to begin with the ministers Miles Forrest at S. Martins péecemeale rotted awaie Dighton in déed yet walketh on aliue in good possibilitie to be hanged yer he die But sir Iames Tirrell died at the Tower hill beheaded for treason King Richard himselfe as ye shall hereafter heare slaine in the field hacked and hewed of his enimies hands haried on horsse-backe dead his haire in despite torne and tugged like a curre dog and the mischéefe that he tooke within lesse than three yeares of the mischeefe that he did and yet all in the meane time spent in much paine trouble outward much feare anguish and sorow within For I haue heard by credible report of such as were secret with his chamberleine that after this abhominable déed doone he neuer had a quiet mind Than the which there can be no greater torment For a giltie conscience inwardlie accusing and bearing witnesse against an offendor is such a plague and punishment as hell it selfe with all the féends therein can not affoord one of greater horror affliction the poet implieng no lesse in this tristichon Poena autem vehemens ac multo saeuior illis Quas Caeditius grauis inuenit Radamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore testem He neuer thought himselfe sure Where he went abroad his eies whirled about his bodie priuilie fensed his hand euer vpon his dagger his countenance and maner like one alwaies readie to strike againe he tooke ill rest a nights laie long waking and musing sore wearied with care and watch rather slumbered than slept troubled with fearefull dreames suddenlie sometime start vp lept out of his bed and ran about the chamber so was his restlesse heart continuallie tossed and tumbled with the tedious impression and stormie remembrance of his abhominable déed Now had he outward no long time in rest For herevpon soone after began the conspiracie or rather good confederation betweene the duke of Buckingham and manie other gentlemen against him The occasion where vpon the king and the duke fell out is of diuerse folke in diuerse wise pretended This duke as I haue for certeine béene informed as soone as the duke of Glocester vpon the death of king Edward came to Yorke there had solemne funerall seruice for king Edward sent thither in the most secret wise he could one Persall his trustie seruant who came to Iohn Ward a chamberer of like secret trust with the duke of Glocester desiring that in the most close and couert maner he might be admitted to the presence and spéech of his maister And the duke of Glocester aduertised of his desire caused him in the dead of the night after all other folke auoided to be brought vnto him in his secret chamber where Persall after his maisters recommendations shewed him that he had secret sent him to shew him that in this new world he would take such part as he would wait vpon him with a thousand good fellowes if need were line 10 The messenger sent backe with thanks some secret instruction of the protectors mind yet met him againe with further message from the duke his master within few daies after at Notingham whither the protector from Yorke with manie gentlemen of the north countrie to the
preiudiciall to Iohn Catesbie knight Thomas Reuell and William Ashbie esquiers in of vpon the manour of Kirkebie vpon Wretheke in the countie of Leicester nor in of and vpon anie other lands and tenements in Kirkebie aforesaid Melton Somerbie Thropseghfield and Godebie which they had of the gift feoffement of Thomas Dauers Iohn Lie And further notwithstanding this atteindor diuerse of the said persons afterwards were not onelie by the king pardoned but also restored to their lands and liuings Moreouer in this present parlement he caused proclamation to be made that all men were pardoned and acquited of their offenses which would submit line 10 themselues to his mercie and receiue an oth to be true and faithfull vnto him wherevpon manie that came out of sanctuaries and other places were receiued to grace and admitted for his subiects After this he began to remember his speciall freends of whome some he aduanced to honour and dignitie and some he inriched with goods and possessions euerie man according to his deserts and merits And to begin his vncle Iasper earle of Penbroke he created duke of Bedford Thomas lord Stanleie was line 20 created earle of Derbie and the lord Chendew of Britaine his especiall fréend he made earle of Bath sir Giles Daubeneie was made lord Daubeneie sir Robert Willoughbie was made lord Brooke And Edward Stafford eldest sonne to Henrie late duke of Buckingham he restored to his name dignitie possessions which by king Richard were confiscat and atteinted Beside this in this parlement was this notable act assented to and concluded as followeth to the pleasure of almightie God wealth line 30 prosperitie and suertie of this realme of England and to the singular comfort of all the kings subiects of the same in auoiding all ambiguities and questions An act for the establishing of the crowne in the line of Henrie the seauenth BE it ordeined established and enacted by this present parlement that the inheritance of the crown of this realme of England also of France with all the preheminence and dignitie roiall to the same apperteining all other seigniories to the king belonging beyond the sea with the appurtenances thereto in anie wise due or apperteining shall rest remaine and abide in the most line 50 roiall person of our now souereigne lord king Henrie the seuenth and in the heires of his bodie lawfullie comming perpetuallie with the grace of God so to indure and in none other Beside this act all atteindors of this king enacted by king Edward and king Richard were adnihilated and the record of the same iudged to be defaced and all persons atteinted for his cause and occasion line 60 were restored to their goods lands and possessions Diuerse acts also made in the time of king Edward and king Richard were reuoked and other adiudged more expedient for the common wealth were put in their places and concluded After the dissolution of this parlement the king remembring his fréends left in hostage beyond the seas that is to wit the marquesse Dorset sir Iohn Bourchier he with all conuenient spéed redéemed them and sent also into Flanders for Iohn Morton bishop of Elie. These acts performed he chose to be of his councell a conuenient number of right graue and wise councellors ¶ This did he that he might the more roiallie gouerne his kingdome which he obteined and inioied as a thing by God elected and prouided and by his especiall fauour and gratious aspect compassed and atchiued Insomuch that men commonlie report that seauen hundred nintie seauen yéeres passed it was by a heauenlie voice reuealed to Cadwalader last king of Britains that his stocke progenie should reigne in this land beare dominion againe Wherevpon most men were persuaded in their owne opinion that by this heauenlie voice he was prouided ordeined long before to inioy obteine this kingdome Which thing K. Henrie the sixt did also shew before as it were by propheticall inspiration at such time as the earle of Penbroke presented the said Henrie at that time a proper child vnto Henrie the sixt whome after he had beheld and a good while viewed the comelinesse of his countenance and orderlie lineaments of his bodie he said to such peeres as stood about him Lo suerlie this is he to whome both we and our aduersaries leauing the possession of all things shall hereafter giue roome and place so it came to passe by the appointment of God to whose gouernement gift and disposing all realmes and all dominions are subiect as king Dauid confesseth saieng Omnia sunt regno subdita regna Dei Now although by this meanes all things séemed to be brought in good and perfect order yet there lacked a wrest to the harpe to set all the strings in a monocord and perfect tune which was the matrimonie to be finished betweene the king and the ladie Elizabeth daughter to king Edward Which like a good prince according to his oth promise he did both solemnize consummate shortlie after that is to saie on the eightéenth daie of Ianuarie By reason of which marriage peace was thought to descend out of heauen into England considering that the lines of Lancaster and Yorke were now brought into one knot and connexed togither of whose two bodies one heire might succeed to rule and inioie the whole monarchie and realme of England year 1486 which before was rent and diuided into factions partakings whereby manie a mans life was lost great spoiles made of peoples goods wast of wealth worship and honor all which ended in this blessed and gratious connexion authorised by God as our Anglorum praelia saith Hoc Deus omnipotens pacis confecerat author CiuilÃsque habuit tandem contentio finem Shortlie after for the better preseruation of his roiall person he constituted and ordeined a certeine number as well of archers as of diuerse other persons hardie strong and actiue to giue dailie attendance on his person whom he named yeomen of his gard which president men thought that he learned of the French king when he was in France For it is not remembred that anie king of England before that daie vsed anie such furniture of dailie souldiers ¶ In this same yéere a new kind of sickenes inuaded suddenlie the people of this land passing through the same from the one end to the other It began about the one and twentith of September and continued vntill the latter end of October being so sharpe and deadlie that the like was neuer heard of to anie mans remembrance before that time For suddenlie a deadlie burning sweat so assailed their bodies and distempered their bloud with a most ardent heat that scarse one amongst an hundred that sickened did escape with life for all in maner as soone as the sweat tooke them or within a short time after yéelded the ghost Beside the great number which deceassed within the citie of London two
losse and punishment Howbeit this iudgement was altogither affectionate and parciall in hir behalfe besides that it was reasonable in great measure all circumstances considered for she was not lightlie induced to doo as she did neither stood it with the frailtie of a woman to withstand the temptations of a mightie man or rather a reaching tyrant But such was hir chance by hir lightnesse and inconstancie that she wan the displeasure of manie men and for that cause liued after in the abbeie of Bermondseie beside Southwarke a wretched and a miserable life where not manie yeares after she deceassed and is buried with hir husband at Windsore Though fortune thus ruleth manie things at hir plesure yet one worke that this quéene accomplished cannot be forgotten for in the life time of hir husband king Edward the fourth she founded and erected a notable colledge in the vniuersitie of Cambridge for the finding of scholers and students of the same vniuersitie and endowed it with sufficient possessions for the long maintenance of the same which at this daie is called the Quéenes colledge When all things in this counsell were sagelie concluded and agréed to the kings mind he returned to London giuing in commandement that the next sundaie insuing Edward the yoong earle of Warwike should be brought from the Tower through the most publike streets in all London to the cathedrall church of saint Paule where he went openlie in procession that euerie man might sée him hauing communication with manie noble men and with them especiallie that were suspected to be partakers of the late begun conspiracie that they might perceiue how the Irishmen vpon a vaine shadowe mooued warre against the king and his realme But this medicine little auailed euill disposed persons For the line 10 earle of Lincolne sonne to Iohn de la Poole duke of Suffolke and Elizabeth sister to king Edward the fourth thought it not méet to neglect and omit so readie an occasion of new trouble Wherefore they determined to vphold the enterprise of the Irishmen and other complices of this conspiracie so that consulting with sir Thomas Broughton and certeine other of his most trustie freends he purposed to saile into Flanders to his aunt the ladie Margaret duchesse of Burgognie line 20 trusting by hir helpe to make a puissant armie and to ioine with the companions of the new raised sedition Therefore after the dissolution of the parlement which then was holden he fled secretlie into Flanders vnto the said ladie Margaret where Francis lord Louell landed certeine daies before Héere after long consultation had how to proceed in their businesse it was agreed that the earle of Lincolne and the lord Louell should go into Ireland and there to attend vpon the duchesse hir counterfeit nephue and line 30 to honor him as a king and with the power of the Irishmen to bring him into England Now they concluded that if their dooings had successe then the foresaid Lambert misnamed the earle of Warwike should by consent of the councell be deposed and Edward the true earle of Warwike deliuered out of prison and annointed king King Henrie supposing that no man would haue béene so mad as to haue attempted anie further enterprise in the name of that new found counterfeit earle he line 40 onelie studied how to subdue the seditious conspiracie of the Irishmen But hearing that the earle of Lincolne was fled into Flanders he was somwhat mooued therewith and caused soldiors to be put in a readinesse out of euerie part of his realme and to bring them into one place assigned that when his aduersaries should appeare he might suddenlie set vpon them vanquish and ouercome them Thus disposing things for his suertie he went towards S. Edmunds burie and being certified that line 50 the marquesse Dorset was comming towards his maiestie to excuse himselfe of things that he was suspected to haue doone when he was in France he sent the earle of Oxford to arrest the said marquesse by the waie and to conueie him to the Tower of London there to remaine till his truth might be tried year 1487 From thence the K. went foorth to Norwich and tarrieng there Christmasse daie he departed after to Walsingham where he offered to the image of our ladie and then by Cambridge he shortlie returned line 60 to London In which meane time the earle of Lincolne had gotten togither by the aid of the ladie Margaret about two thousand Almains with one Martine Sward a valiant and noble capteine to lead them With this power the earle of Lincolne sailed into Ireland and at the citie of Diuelin caused yoong Lambert to be proclaimed and named king of England after the most solemne fashion as though he were the verie heire of the bloud roiall lineallie borne and descended And so with a great multitude of beggerlie Irishmen almost all naked and vnarmed sauing skains and mantels of whome the lord Thomas Gerardine was capteine and conductor they sailed into England with this new found king and landed for a purpose at the pile of Fowdreie within a little of Lancaster trusting there to find aid by the means of sir Thomas Broughton one of the chéefe companions of the conspiracie The king had knowledge of the enimies intent before their arriuall and therefore hauing assembled a great armie ouer the which the duke of Bedford and the earle of Oxenford were chéefe capteins he went to Couentrie where he was aduertised that the earle of Lincolne was landed at Lancaster with his new king Héere he tooke aduise of his councellors what was best to be doone whether to set on the enimies without further delaie or to protract time a while But at length it was thought best to delaie no time but to giue them battell before they should increase their power and therevpon he remooued to Notingham there by a little wood called Bowres he pitched his field Shortlie after this came to him the lord George Talbot earle of Shrewesburie the lord Strange sir Iohn Cheinie right valiant capteins with manie other noble and expert men of warre namelie of the countries neere adioining so that the kings armie was woonderfullie increased In this space the earle of Lincolne being entered into Yorkeshire passed softlie on his iournie without spoiling or hurting of anie man trusting thereby to haue some companie of people resort vnto him But after he perceiued few or none to follow him and that it was too late now to returne backe he determined to trie the matter by dint of sword and herevpon directed his waie from Yorke to Newarke vpon Trent But before he came there king Henrie knowing all his enimies purposes came the night before the daie of the battell to Newarke and tarrieng there a little went thrée miles further and pitching his field lodged there that night The earle of Lincolne certified of his comming was nothing abashed but kept still on his iournie and at a
me as if I had come out of hell into heauen as the onelie type and garland of hir noble stirpe and linage But forsomuch as she being onelie Dowager of the duchie of Burgognie and hauing nothing but hir dowrie proper to hir selfe was not of power to helpe me with men and munitions of warre as she would gladlie haue doone for the recouerie of my fathers relme rightfull inheritance I therefore am driuen to seeke further aid and succour And therefore by hir counsell and aduertisement with this small handfull of men of warre and souldiers I am repaired to your presence for succours of whome as the publike fame is spred ouer the whole world there was neuer man by wrong or iniurie chased or driuen out of his countrie region or inheritance or by extort power and tyrannie kept out of the same as I my selfe from mine infancie haue beene whose request was frustrate and denied at your hand Therefore by the maiestie of your realme countrie I desire heartilie with praier as I can I beseech and exhort you to helpe and releeue me now in my extreame necessitie And if it chance me by your aid and succour to recouer possesse my fathers realme and dignitie not onelie I but all the kings of our linage which hereafter shall obteine the same shall be so much obliged and bound vnto you that they must needs thinke that dooing to you all the pleasure and benefits that they can line 10 yet with all thanks that can be giuen your great kindnesse can neuer in full measure be recompensed When he had thus said the king bad him be of good comfort and promised him that whatsoeuer he were it should neuer repent him of his comming to him Shortlie after year 1496 hauing this Perkin with him in companie he entered into England with a puissant line 20 armie and caused proclamation to be made to spare all those that would submit themselues vnto Richard duke of Yorke Héerewith they began the warre in most cruell maner with slaughter of men burning of townes spoiling of houses and committing of all other detestable enormities so that all the countrie of Northumberland was by them in maner wasted and destroied At length when the souldiers were laden with spoiles and saciate with bloud perceiuing that no succoures came out of England vnto the line 30 new inuented duke contrarie to that which he had made them to beleeue would come to passe they determined to retire rather with assured gaine than to tarrie the vncerteine victorie of that counterfeit duke and so therevpon they withdrew backe into Scotland inriched with preies and booties It is said that Perkin Warbecke being returned into Scotland with the king of Scots vnder a cloked pretense should sore lament the great slaughter spoile and damage which had béene doone at this last roade made into England and therefore as one line 40 that bare a naturall loue toward his natiue countrie besought the king of Scots that from thensefoorth he would no more so deface his naturall relme and destroie his subiects with such terrible fire flame and hauocke as who should saie he being ouercome now with compassion did bewaile the cruell destruction of his naturall countrie of England But the Scotish K. told him that he seemed to take thought for that which appeared to be none of his sith that not so much as one gentleman or yeoman for ought he line 50 could see would once shew themselues readie to aid him in the warre begun for his cause in his name within that realme which he pretended so cléerelie to apperteine to him The king of England being certified of this inuasion prepared an armie with all diligence to haue resisted the Scots but they were returned yer the English power could assemble togither Now when the king was truelie certified that the Scotish king was returned home he staied all the preparations line 60 made at that time to go against him But yet meaning to be reuenged of the wrongs doone to him by king Iames and his people he first called a parlement and in that assemblie of three estates of the realme he declared the cause of the instant warre and how necessarie it should be for the suertie and wealth of the realme of England to haue that warre pursued against those enimies that had begun it To this motion all the nobilitie wholie agréed And to the maintenance of that warre a subsidie was by whole assent of the parlement fréelie giuen and granted Which paiment though it was not great yet manie of the common people sore grudged to pay the same as they that euer abhorre such taxes and exactions At the same parlement were diuerse acts and statutes made necessarie expedient as was thought for the publike weale of the realme In the meane season the king of Scots perceiuing that the Englishmen would shortlie go about to reuenge the iniuries doone to them by him and his people assembled eftsoones a puissant armie year 1497 that he might either defend his realme against the English power attempting to inuade his countrie or else afresh to enter into the English borders And thus these two mightie princes minded nothing more than the one to indamage the other But the king of England would not deferre one houre by his good will till he were reuenged and therefore prepared a mightie armie to inuade Scotland and ordeined for chéefteine thereof the lord Daubeneie But as this armie was assembled and that the lord Daubenie was forward on his iournie towards Scotland he was suddenlie staid and called backe againe by reason of a new commotion begun by the Cornishmen for the paiment of the subsidie which was granted at the last parlement These vnrulie people the Cornishmen inhabiting in a barren countrie and vnfruitfull at the first sore repined that they should be so greeuouslie taxed and burdened the kings councell as the onelie cause of such polling and pilling and so being in their rage menaced the chéefe authors with death and present destruction And thus being in a rose two persons of the same affinitie the one called Thomas Flammocke a gentleman learned in the lawes of the realme and the other Michaell Ioseph a smith men of stout stomachs and high courages tooke vpon them to be capteins of this seditious companie They laid the fault and cause of this exaction vnto Iohn Morton archbishop of Canturburie and to sir Reginald Braie bicause they were cheefe of the kings councell Such rewards haue they commonlie that be in great authoritie with kings and princes The capteins Flammocke and Ioseph exhorted the common people to put on harnesse and not to be afeard to follow them in that quarrell promising not to hurt anie creature but onelie to sée them punished that procured such exactions to be laid on the people without anie reasonable cause as vnder the colour of a little trouble with the Scots which
which was called Peter Uacz de Cogna with whome I dwelled an whole yeare which said knight had but one eie And bicause I desired to see other countries I tooke licence of him and then I put my selfe in seruice with a Britan called Pregent Meno which brought me with him into Ireland Now when we were there arriued in the towne of Corke they of the towne bicause I was arraied with some cloths of silke of my said maisters came vnto me threatned vpon me that I should be the duke of Clarences sonne that was before time at Dublin But forsomuch as I denied it there was brought vnto me the holie euangelists and the crosse by the maior of the towne which was called Iohn Leweline and there in the presence of him and others I tooke mine oth as the truth was that I was not the foresaid dukes sonne nor none of his bloud And after this came vnto me an Englishman whose name was Stephan Poitron and one Iohn Water and laid to me in swearing great oths that they knew well that I was king Richards bastard sonne to whome I answered with like oths that I was not Then they aduised me not to be afeard but that I should take it vpon me boldlie and if I would so doo they would aid and assist me with all their power against the king of England not onelie they but they were well assured that the earle of Desmond Kildare should doo the same For they forced not what part they tooke so that they might be reuenged on the king of England and so against my will made me to learne English and taught me what I should doo and saie And after this they called me duke of Yorke second sonne to king Edward the fourth bicause king Richards bastard sonne was in the hanâ—s of the king of England And vpon this the said Water Stephan Poitron Iohn Tiler Hughbert Burgh with manie others as the foresaid earles entered into this false quarell and within short time others The French K. sent an ambassador into Ireland whose name was Loit Lucas and maister Stephan Friham to aduertise me to come into France And thense I went into France and from thense into Flanders from Flanders into Ireland and from Ireland into Scotland so into England When the night of the same daie being the fifteenth of Iune was come after he had stood all that daie in the face of the citie he was committed to the Tower there to remaine vnder safe kéeping least happilie he might eftsoones run awaie and escape out of the land to put the king and realme to some new trouble For he had a woonderfull dextèritie and readinesse to circumuent a heart full of ouerreaching imaginations an aspiring mind a head more wilie I wisse than wittie bold he was and presumptuous line 10 in his behauiour as forward to be the instrument of a mischeefe as anie deuiser of wickednesse would wish a féend of the diuels owne forging nursed and trained vp in the studie of commotions making offer to reach as high as he could looke such was his inordinate ambition wherewith he did swelâ— as coueting to be a princes peere much like the tode that would match the bull in drinking but in the end she burst in péeces and neuer dranke more as the poet telleth the tale by the imitation of the fabler saieng line 20 cupiens aequare bibendo Rana bouem rupta nunquam bibit ampliùs aluo In this yeare was an Augustine frier called Patrike in the parties of Suffolke the which hauing a scholer named Rafe Wilford a shoomakers sonne of London as Stow noteth had so framed him to his purpose that in hope to worke some great enterprise as to disappoint the king of his crowne and seat roiall tooke vpon him to be the earle of Warwike insomuch that both the maister and scholer hauing counselled betwéene themselues of their enterprise line 30 they went into Kent there began the yoong mawmet to tell priuilie to manie that he was the verie earle of Warwike and latelie gotten out of the Tower by the helpe of this frier Patrike To which saiengs when the frier perceiued some light credence to be giuen he declared it openlie in the pulpit and desired all men of helpe But the danger of this seditious attempt was shortlie remooued and taken awaie the maister and scholer being both apprehended line 40 and cast into prison and atteinted The scholer was hanged on Shrouetuesdaie at saint Thomas Waterings and the frier condemned to perpetuall prison For at that time so much reuerence was attributed to the holie orders that to a préest although he had committed high treason against his souereigne lord his life was spared in like case as to anie other offendor in murther rape or theft that had receiued anie of the three higher holie orders The chéefe cause saith Edward Hall of this line 50 fauour was this bicause bishops of a long time and season did not take knowledge nor intermix themselues with the search punishment of such heinous and detestable offenses by reason whereof they did not disgrade and depriue from the holie orders such malefactors and wicked persons which without that ceremonie by the canon lawes could not be put to death Furthermore what should a man saie it was also vsed that he that could but onelie read yea although line 60 he vnderstood not what he read how heinous or detestable a crime so euer he had committed treason onelie excepted should likewise as affines alies to the holie orders be saued and committed to the bishops prison And to the intent that if they should escape and be againe taken committing like offense that their liues be no more to them pardoned it was ordeined that murtherers should be burnt on the brawne of the left hand with an hot iron signed with this letter M. and théeues in the same place with this letter T. So that if they which were once signed with anie of these marks or tokens did reiterate like crime offense againe should suffer the paines and punishments which they had both merited and deserued Which decrée was enacted and established in a session of parlement kept in the time of this kings reigne and taken as I coniecture of the French nation which are woont if they take anie such offendor to cut off one of his eares as a sure token and marke hereafter of his euill dooing Perkin Warbecke as before ye haue heard being now in hold by false persuasions and great promises corrupted his kéepers Stranguish Blewet Astwood and long Roger seruants to sir Iohn Digbie lieutenant of the Tower Insomuch that they as it was at their arreignment openlie prooued intended to haue slaine their maister and to haue set Perkin and the earle of Warwike at large Which earle of Warwike had beene kept in prison within the Tower almost from his tender yeares that is
out in gold with his word or posie and all his men in russet sattin white with hosen to the same and their bonets of like colours demanding also licence of the queene to run which to him granted he tooke place at the tilts end Then came next the marquesse Dorset and sir Thomas Bullen like two pilgrims from saint Iames in taberds of blacke veluet with palmers hats on line 20 their helmets with long Iacobs staues in their hands their horsse trappers of blacke veluet their taberds hats and trappers set with scalop shels of fine gold and strips of blacke veluet euerie strip set with a scalop shell their seruants all in blacke sattin with scalop shels of gold in their breasts Soone after came in the lord Henrie of Buckingham earle of Wilshire himselfe and his horsse apparelled in cloth of siluer embrodered with his posie or word and arrowes of gold in a posie called La maison du refuge line 30 made of crimsin damaske brodered with roses arrowes of gold on the top a greihound of siluer bearing a tree of pomegranats of gold the branches whereof were so large that it ouerspred the pageant in all parts Then entered sir Giles Capell sir Rouland with manie other knights richlie armed and apparelled And thus began the iusts which was valiantlie atchiued by the king and his aids among whom his grace atteined the prise These iusts finished euerie man line 40 withdrew the king was disarmed and at time conuenient he and the queene heard euensong and that night all the ambassadors supped with the king and had a great banket After supper his grace with the quéene lords ladies came into the White hall within the said palace which was hanged richlie the hall was scaffolded and railed on all parts There was an enterlude of the gentlemen of his chapell before his grace and diuerse fresh songs that doone his grace called to him a great man or a lord of Ireland line 50 called O neall whome in the presence of the said ambassadors he made knight then the minstrels began to plaie the lords ladies began to danse Now in the midst of this pastime when all persons were most attentiue to behold the dansing the king was suddenlie gone vnknowen to the most part of the people there vnlesse it were of the quéene and certeine other Within a little while after his departing the trumpets at the end of the hall began to sound Then was there a deuise or a pageant vpon whéels line 60 brought in out of the which pageant issued out a gentleman richlie apparelled that shewed how in a garden of pleasure there was an arbor of gold wherin were lords and ladies much desirous to shew pastime to the quéene ladies if they might be licenced so to doo who was answered by the quéene how she all other there were verie desirous to sée them and their pastime Then a great cloth of arras that did hang before the same pageant was taken away and the pageant brought more néere It was curiouslie made and plesant to behold it was solemne and rich for euerie post or piller thereof was couered with frised gold therin were trees of hathorne eglantine rosiers vines and other pleasant floures of diuerse colours with gillofers and other hearbs all made of sattin damaske siluer and gold accordinglie as the naturall trees hearbs or floures ought to be In this arbor were six ladies all apparelled in white satin and greene set and embrodered full of H. and K. of gold knit togither with laces of gold of damaske and all their garments were replenished with glittering spangels gilt ouer on their heads were bonets all opened at the foure quarters ouerfrised with flat gold of damaske the orrellets were of rolles wrethed on lampas doucke holow so that the gold shewed through the lampas doucke the fassis of their head set full of new deuised fashions In his garden also was the king and fiue with him apparelled in garments of purple sattin all of cuts with H. and K. euerie edge garnished with frised gold and euerie garment full of posies made of letters of fine gold in bullion as thicke as they might be and euerie person had his name in like letters of massie gold The first Cure loial the second Bon voloire the third Bon espoir the fourth Valiant desire the fift Bon foy the sixt Amour loial their hosen caps and coats were full of posies with H. K. of fine gold in bullion so that the ground could scarse appeere yet was in euerie void place spangles of gold When time was come the said pageant was brought foorth into presence and then descended a lord and a ladie by couples and then the minstrels which were disguised also dansed and the lords and ladies dansed that it was a pleasure to behold In the meane season the pageant was conueied to the end of the palace there to tarie till the danses were finished so to haue receiued the lords ladies againe but suddenlie the rude people ran to the pageant and rent tare and spoiled the pageant so that the lord steward nor the head officers could not cause them to absteine except they should haue foughten and drawen bloud and so was this pageant broken Then the king with the queene and the ladies returned to his chamber where they had a great banket and so this triumph ended with mirth gladnes At this solemnitie a shipman of London caught certeine letters which he sold to a goldsmith for three pounds fourtéene shillings eight pence by reason wherof it appéered that the garments were of a great value After this great ioy came a sorowfull chance for the yoong prince which was borne vpon New-yeares day last past vpon the two and twentith daie of Februarie being then the euen of saint Matthie departed this world at Richmond and from thence was caried to Westminster and buried The king like a wise prince tooke this dolorous chance wonderous wiselie and the more to comfort the quéene he dissembled the matter and made no great mourning outwardlie but the queene like a naturall woman made much lamentation how beit by the kings good persuasion and behauiour hir sorow was mitigated but not shortlie In the moneth of Februarie this yeare came ambassadors from the king of Arragon and Castile to require an aid of fiftéene hundred archers to be sent to the same king hauing at that time war against the Moores enimies of the christian faith The king hearing their message gentlie granted their request And bicause the lord Thomas Darcie a knight of the garter made humble sute to the king to be generall of the crue that should be thus sent into Spaine the king vpon trust of his approued valiancie granted his desire There were appointed to go with him the lord Anthonie Greie brother to the marquesse Dorset Henrie Guilford Weston Browne and William Sidneie esquiers
at libertie and deliuered beyond Fonterabie so came safelie home into France Then a French herald appointed to accompanie the ambassadour Grandeuill brought the writing of the combat vnto the emperor bicause Grandeuill refused to medle with it To the which the emperor fiue moneths after line 30 or thereabouts sent an answer by one of his heralds who being arriued at Paris meant vpon the sudden to present his letters vnto the French king But the king getting intelligence thereof the tenth of September sitting within his great hall of his palace at Paris aforesaid before the table of marble in a roiall seat addressed and set vp for him sixtéene steps in height appointed to giue audience to the said herald On his right hand sate in chaires the king of Nauarre line 40 the duke of Alanson and Berrie the earle of Foix and Arminacke And on the same side sate also vpon a bench the duke of Uandosme a peere of France lieutenant generall and gouernor of Picardie don Hercules de Est eldest sonne to the duke of Ferrar duke of Chartres and Montarges who latelie before had maried the ladie Rener a daughter of France the duke of Albanie regent and gouernor of Scotland the duke of Longueuille great chamberleine of France And néere to them vpon line 50 another bench sate the presidents and councellors of the court of parlement and behind them manie gentlemen doctors and learned men On the left hand were set in chaires prepared for them the cardinall Saluarie the popes legat the cardinall of Burbon and duke of Laon a peere of France the cardinall of Sens chancellor of France the cardinall of Lorrain the archbishop of Narbon the ambassadors of the kings of England and Scotland of the segniorie of Uenice of Millan of the Cantons of the Suisses line 60 and of Florence On an other bench sate the bishop of Transiluania ambassador for the king of Hungarie the bishop and duke of Langres one of the peeres of France the bishop earle of Noion an other of the peeres of France th'archbishop of Lion primat of all France the archbishop of Burges primate of Aquitaine the archbishops of Aux and Rouen the bishops of Paris Meaux Lizeux Mascon Limoges Uabres Conserans and Terbe And behind them sate the masters of the requests and the councellors of the great councell On either side the kings seate stood the earle of Beaumont great master and marshall of France the lord de Brion admerall of France lieutenant generall and gouernor of Burgognie And behind the same seat were manie knights of the order that is to wit the earle of Lauall lieutenant generall and gouernor of Britaine the lord of Montmerancie the lord Daubignie capteine of an hundred lances and of the Scotish gard the earle of Brienne Lignie and Roussie the lord of Fleuranges marshall of France the lord of Ruffoie the lord of Genoilliac great esquier and master of the artillerie of France Lois monsieur de Elenes the lord of Humiers and the earle of Carpie Behind them was the earle of Estamps prouost of Paris and with him manie gentlemen of the kings chamber among the which was the earle of Tancaruill the lord of Guien the son of the earle of Rousâ—ie the son of the lord of Fleuranges the lord de la Rochpot the lord Donartie great master of the waters and forrests the lord of Lude the lord of Ianlie the lord de Uillebon bailie of Rouen the baron of Chasteau Morant the lord de la Loue the vicount de la Motheaugroing and the lord of Uertes And besides these the masters and officers of the houshold gentlemen waiters with the more part of the two hundred gentlemen or pensioners as we terme them At the entrie into the said throne or tribunall seat were the capteins of the gards and the prouost of the houshold And before the king knéeled the vshers of the chamber vpon the one knée and at the foot of the step that went vp to the kings seate were the prouosts of the merchants and escheuins of the towne of Paris Beneath in the hall the gates whereof were still open there was an infinite number of people of all nations and in presence of them all the king made this declaration The cause wherefore I haue made this assemblie is for that the emperour elect hath sent to me an herald of armes who as I coniecture and as the same herald hath said and as his safe conduct importeth hath brought me letters patents and autentike concerning the suertie of the field for the combat that should be betwixt the said elected emperour and me And forasmuch as the said herald vnder colour to bring the suertie of the field may vse certeine fictions dissimulations or hypocrisies to shift off the matter whereas I desire expedition and to haue it dispatched out of hand so that by the same an end of the warres which haue so long continued may be had to the ease and comfort of all christendome to auoid the effusion of bloud and other mischéefes which come thereof I haue wished it knowne to all christendome to the end that euerie one may vnderstand the truth from whence procéedeth the mischéefe and the long continuance thereof I haue also caused this assemblie to be made to shew that I haue not without great cause enterprised such an act for the right is on my side and if I should otherwise haue doone mine honor had béene greatlie blemished A thing which my lords that are of my bloud and other my subiects would haue taken in euill part And knowing the cause of the combat and my right they will beare with it as good and loiall subiects ought to doo trusting by Gods helpe to procéed in such sort therein that it shall plainelie appéere if the right be on my side or not and how against truth I haue béene accused for a breaker of my faith which I would be loth to doo nor at anie time haue meant so to doo The kings my predecessors and ancestors whose pictures are ingrauen and set héere in order within this hall which in their daies haue successiuelie atchiued glorious acts and greatlie augmented the realme of France would thinke me vnworthie and not capable to be their successor if against mine honor I should suffer my selfe to be charged with such a noâ—e by the emperour and should not defend my person and honor in the manner and forme accustomed And herewith he declared the whole case as it stood First how being taken at Pauia by fortune of war he neuer gaue his faith to anie of his enimies consenting to be led into Spaine caused his owne gallies to be made readie to conueie him thither Where at his arriuall he was committed to ward within the castell of Madrill garded with a great number line 10 of harquebuziers others Which vncourteous dealing found in the emperor so much gréeued him that he fell sicke
suddenlie start backe and lash at the legs of the horsse or foine him in the bellie and sometime did they reach at the rider also whereby Clement Paston in the arme and diuerse in other parts of their bodies otherwise in this chase were hurt Some other laie flat in a furrow as they were dead thereby past by of the Englishmen vntouched and as was reported the earle of Angus confessed he couched in that sort till his horsse hapt to be brought him Other some were found to staie in the riuer couring downe his bodie vnder the root of some willow tree with scant his nose aboue water for breath Some for lightnesse cast awaie shoos and doublets and ran in their shirts and some were séene in this race all breathlesse to fall flat downe and haue run themselues to death Before this at the time of the onset which the English horssemen gaue there came eastward fiue hundred of the Scotish horsmen vp along this Fauâ—side braie streight vpon the English ordinance and cariage The lord protector as yée haue heard most speciallie for doubt hereof placing himselfe by the same caused a péece or two to be turned toward them with a few shots whereof they were soone turned also and fled to Daketh But had they kept on their purpose they were prouided for accordinglie For one parson Keble a chapleine of his graces and two or thrée other by and by discharged foure or fiue of the carts of munition and therewith bestowed pikes billes bowes and arrowes to as manie as came so that of carters and other there were soone weaponed about a thousand whome parson Keble and the other did verie handsomlie dispose in arraie and made a pretie muster line 10 To returne now after this notable strewing of their footmens weapons began a pitifull sight of the dead corpses lieng dispersed abrode some their legs off some but hought and left lieng halfe dead some thrust quite through the bodie others their necks halfe a sunder manie their heads clouen with other thousand kinds of killing After that and further in chase all for the most part killed either in the head or in the necke for the horssemen could not well reach them lower with their swords And thus with bloud line 20 and slaughter of the enimie this chase was continued fiue miles in length westward from the place of their standing which was in the fallow fields of Undreske vntill Edenburgh parke and well nigh to the gates of the towne it selfe and vnto Lith and in breadth nie foure miles from the Forth sands vp toward Daketh southwards in all which space the dead bodies laie as thicke as a man may note cattell grasing in a full replenished pasture The riuer ran all red with bloud a signe of great slaughter so that line 30 in the same chase were slaine to the number of ten thousand men some saie aboue fouretéene thousand as I doo find by this report concerning the battell Millia bis septem sunt morte absumpta Scotorum Caetera pars certam quaerit fugiendo salutem To conclude considering the smalnesse of the Englishmens number and shortnesse of the time which was scant fiue houres from one till well nigh six the mortalitie was so great as it was thought the like afore time had not béene séene One great line 40 cause whie the Englishmen spared so few of them was thought to be their tyrannous vow by them made which the Englishmen certeinly heard of that whensoeuer they fought and ouercame they would kill so manie and spare so few a sure proofe whereof they plainelie had shewed at the first onset giuen where they killed all and saued not a man that came within their danger An other respect was to reuenge their great and cruell tyrannie shewed at Paniar hough where they slue the lord Euers whome otherwise they might haue taken prisoner and saued and line 50 cruellie killed as manie else of our men as came into their hands An other occasion also was their armor among them so little differing all clad alike in iacks couered with white leather doublets of the same or of fustian and most commonlie all white hosen not one with either chaine brooch ring or garment of silke vnlesse chains of latten drawne foure or fiue times along the vpper stocks or to vse master Pattens words the thighs of their hosen and doublet sleeues for cutting line 60 This lacke for difference in apparell was the chiefest cause that so manie of their great men and gentlemen were killed and so few saued The outward shew the resemblance or signe whereby a stranger might discerne a poore man from a gentleman was not among them to be séene as for words and goodlie profers of great ransoms were as rife in the mouths of the one as the other And it came here to passe that after at the examination and counting of the prisoners there were found taken aboue twentie of their common countrie people to one of their gentlemen whome no man need to doubt the Englishmen had rather haue spared than the other if they could haue séene anie difference betweene them in taking And yet verelie considering the case as it stood the Englishmen shewed more grace and tooke more to mercie than the respects before mentioned might séeme to haue required For beside the earle of Huntleie who in good armor appointed likest a gentleman of anie among them but could not then escape bicause he lacked his horsse and hapned to be taken by sir Rafe Uane and beside the lord of Yester Hobbie Hambleton capteine of Dunbar the master of Sanpoole the lard of Wimmes taken by Iohn Bren a brother of the earle of Cassils and besides one Montrell taken by Cornelius comptrollor of the ordinance in the armie and one Camals an Irish gentleman and beside manie other Scotish gentlemen more taken by diuerse others The prisoners reckoned in the marshals booke were numbred to aboue fiftéene hundred Touching the slaughter sure they killed not so manie as for the time oportunitie they might if they had minded crueltie For the lord protector mooued with pitie at the sight of the dead bodies and rather glad of victorie than desirous of slaughter soone after by gesse fiue of the clocke staid the standard of his horssemen at the furthest part of their campe westward caused the trumpets to sound a retreat Whereat also sir Rafe Sadler treasuror whose great diligence at that time and readie forwardnesse in the chiefest of the fraie before did woorthilie merit no small commendation caused all the footmen to staie and then with much trauell great paine made them to be brought in some order againe which was a thing not easilie doone by reason they all as then were somewhat busie in applieng their market the spoile of the Scotish campe where was found good prouision of white bread ale otencaks otemeale mutton butter in pots chéese
were persuaded than vanquished taught than ouerthrowne quietlie pacified than rigorouslie persecuted Ye require to haue the statute of six articles reuiued And know you what ye require Or know ye what ease ye haue with the losse of them They were lawes made but quicklie repented too bloudie they were to be borne of our people yet at the first in deed made of some necessitie Oh subiects how are ye trapped by euill persons We of pitie bicause they were bloudie tooke them awaie and you now of ignorance will aske them againe You know full well that they helped vs to extend rigour and gaue vs cause to draw our sword verie often And since our mercie mooued vs to write our lawes with milke and equitie how are ye blinded to aske them in bloud But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you wit the same hath béene adnulled by parlement with great reioise of our subiects and not now to be called in question And dareth anie of you with the name of a subiect stand against an act of parlement a law of the realme What is our power if lawes should be thus neglected Or what is your suertie if lawes be not kept Assure you most suerlie that we of no earthlie thing vnder the heauen make such reputation as we doo of this one to haue our lawes obeied this cause of God to be throughlie mainteined from the which we will neuer remoue a heares bredth nor giue place to anie creature liuing but therein will spend our whole roiall person our crowne treasure realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our high honor For herein resteth our honor herein doo all kings knowledge vs a king And shall anie one of you dare breath or thinke against our kingdome and crowne In the end of this your request as we be giuen to vnderstand ye would haue them stand in force till our full age To this we thinke that if ye knew what ye spake ye would not haue vttred the motion nor neuer giuen breath to such a thought For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your king now as we shall be Shall ye be subiects hereafter and now are ye not Haue we not the right we shall haue If ye would suspend and hang our dooings in doubt vntill our full age ye must first know as a king we haue no difference of yeares but as a naturall man and creature of God we haue youth and by his sufferance shall haue age We are your rightfull king your liege lord the souereigne prince of England not by our age but by Gods ordinance not onelie when we shall be one and twentie yeares of age but when we were of ten yéers We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloud and descent from our father king Henrie the eight If it be considered they which mooue this matter if they durst vtter themselues would denie our kingdome But our good subiects know their prince and will increase not diminish his honor inlarge his power not abate it knowledge his kingdome not deferre it to certeine yeares All is one to speake against our crowne and to denie our kingdome as to require that our lawes maie be broken vnto one and twentie yeares Be we not your crowned annointed and established king Wherein be we of lesse maiestie of lesse authoritie or lesse state than our progenitors kings of this realme except your vnkindnes your vnnaturalnesse will diminish our estimation We haue hitherto since the death of our father by the good aduise and counsell of our deare and intirelie beloued vncle the duke of Summerset and gouernor and protector kept our estate mainteined our realme preserued our honour defended our people from all enimies We haue hitherto béene feared and dread of our enimies yea of princes kings and nations Yea herein we be nothing inferiour to anie our progenitors which grace we acknowledge to be giuen vs from God and how else but by good obedience line 10 good counsell of our magistrates and by the authoritie of our kingdome England hitherto hath gained honour during our reigne it hath woone of the enimie and not lost It hath béene maruelled that wée of so yoong yeares haue reigned so noblie so roiallie so quietlie And how chanceth that you our louing subiects of that our countrie of Cornewall and Deuonshire will giue occasion to slander this our realme of England to giue courage to the enimie to note our realme of line 20 the euill of rebellion to make it a preie to our old enimies to diminish our honour which God hath giuen our father left our good vncle and councell preserued vnto vs What greater euill could ye commit than euen now when our forren enimie in Scotland and vpon the sea seeketh to inuade vs to doo our realme dishonour than to arise in this maner against our law to prouoke our wrath to aske our vengeance and to giue vs an occasion to spend that force vâ—on you which we meant to bestow vpon our enimies to line 30 begin to slaie you with that sword that we drew forth against Scots and other enimies to make a conquest of our owne people which otherwise should haue beene of the whole realme of Scotland Thus farre we haue descended from our high maiestie for loue to consider you in your simple ignorance and haue béene content to send you an instruction like a father who of iustice might haue sent you your destructions like a king to rebels And now we let you know that as you sée our mercie abundantlie line 40 so if ye prouoke vs further we sweare to you by the liuing God ye shall féele the power of the same God in our sword which how mightie it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuat man can iudge how mortall no Englishman dare thinke But suerlie suerlie as your lord and prince your onlie king and maister we saie to you repent your selues and take our mercie without delaie or else we will foorthwith extend our princelie power and execute our sharpe sword against you as against infidels line 50 and Turks and rather aduenture our owne roiall person state and power than the same should not be executed And if you will proue the example of our mercie learne of certeine which latlie did arise as they perceiuing pretended some griefes and yet acknowledging their offenses haue not onelie most humblie their pardon but féele also by our order to whome onelie all publike order apperteineth present redresse of their griefes In the end we admonish you of line 60 your duties to God whome ye shall answere in the daie of the Lord of your duties toward vs whom ye shall answere by our order and take our mercie whilest God so inclineth vs least when ye shall be constreined to aske we shall be two much hardened in heart to grant it
how prone the people are to rise by routs vpon occasions of discontentments how hastie and headie to vndertake dangerous enterprises how wilfull and obstinate to persist in their pernicious proceedings how cold-harted and hopelesse when they see the course of their plots of perilous policie line 60 either interrupted vndermined or ouerthrowne and finallie what a reprochfull reward redoundeth both to the ringleaders in rebellions as also what falleth to the shares of all such as shake hands and become confederats to the furthering and strengthening of riots mutinies insurrections commotions and hurlieburlies Wherby the state is disquieted that more is the prince drawne into a conceipt of suspecting his subiects loialties besides a wicked president to posterities without feare of shame remorse of conscience regard to allegiance or foresight of afterclaps to attempt the like Now it resteth that for the further truth and knowledge hereof we adde a new report new I meane in respect of the publication hauing not heretofore béene printed though old enough and sufficientlie warranted by the reporter who vpon his owne notice hath deliuered no lesse in writing than himselfe vpon verie good and infallible grounds obserued and hath left testified in the discourse following wherein there is not one word either added or inuerted but all things from point to point agreeable to the written copie The description of the citie of Excester and of the sundrie assaults giuen to the same collected and gathered by Iohn Vowell alias Hooker gentleman and chamberleine of the same Excester or Exceter is a famous and an ancient citie being the metropole and Emporium of the west parts of England situated and lieng in the prouince sometime called Dumnonia that is to saie the countrie of vallies for whereas are manie hilles as that countrie is full of hilles and mounteins there are manie vallies But neâ—â— corruptlie it is named Deuonia or Deuonshire and not Daneshire of the Danes as some would haue it Of the first foundation thereof by reason of the sundrie inuasions of forren nations who with their hostilities and cruell warres did burne and destroie the same there remaineth no certeine memoriall neither among the records of the said citie ne yet in anie one other writer But most certeine it is that it was first builded and founded by the Britons or Brutes For the names which they gaue and vsed are yet at this present had in remembrance as well among the chronographers of this land as also among the Cornish people who were sometimes one with this prouince but now in a countie of themselues and next bordering to this and in the same diocesse And they are the remanent of the bloud of Brutus For when Cadwallader king of this land by reason of a great famine and pestilence was driuen to forsake the same to flie into little Britaine named Armorica which is now vnder the dition of the French king diuers the most part of his people fled some into Wales and some into Cornwall where euer since they and after them their posteritie haue remained and continued The old chronographers searchers and writers of antiquities doo find that this citie was called Corinia and thereof the cathedrall church of the same was as Bale saith named Ecclesia Coriniensis which name if it were first giuen by Corinus as Leland writeth who after the arriuall of Brutus into this land was made the first duke of this whole west countrie of Deuon and Cornewall which were both comprised vnder the name of Corinia and wherof this citie euer hath beene and is the metropole and alwaies parcell sometime of the kingdome then of the duchie and after of the earledome and now againe of the duchie of Cornwall then out of doubt this citie is of no lesse antiquitie than the said names doo import It was also called Augusta Of this name there were diuerse cities so named by the Romans but this onelie was named Augusta Britannorum and so called as some thinke by the Romans at the conclusion of the peace made at the siege of this citie betwéene king Aruiragus and Uespasian coronell of the Romane armie vnder Claudius Augustus The Britons in their toong or language doo call this citie by sundrie names the first and eldest in remembrance is cair Penhulgoile that is to saie the prosperous chiefe towne in the wood as dooth appeere by Geffreie of Monmouth and Ponticus Virunnius It was also called Pennehaltecaire that is the chiefe citie or towne vpon the hill as dooth appéere in a trauerse betweene the bishop deane and chapiter of this citie of the one partie and the maior bailiffe and communaltie of the other partie concerning their liberties But the names which the Cornish people doo at these presents remember reteine are speciallie thrée Pennecaire Caireruth Caireiske Pennecaire line 10 signifieth and is to saie the chéefe citie Caireruth signifieth the red or reddish citie so called and taking the name of the ground and soile wherevpon it is situated which is a red earth Caireiske is the citie of Iske being so called of the riuer which the Britons name Iske and flotesh fast by the same And of this name Houeden in his chronicle maketh mention saieng thus Anno Domini 877 exercitus Danorum ab Wareham nocte quadam foedere dirupto ad Exeancestre diuerterunt quod Britannicè dicitur Caireiske line 20 Ptolomeus the famous astronomer who was about the yéere of our Lord 162 Coell being king of this land nameth this citie Isca and the riuer Isaca And Bale the searcher of antiquities following the same opinion dooth also name the citie Isca and the inhabitants therein Iscans But vnder correction be it spoken a man maie well thinke that Ptolomeus being in Alexandria and so farre distant from this land was misinformed or the print mistaken For it is most likelie that the riuer should be named Isca according to the British spéech wherein line 30 it was called Isca and which name by transposing of the two middle letters dooth at this present remaine being now named Icsa or Era. But whatsoeuer the censures and opinions of Ptolomeus and of Bale who wrote onelie vpon report be herein it is certeine that the names which the Brutes or Britons gaue were of longest continuance And this citie was called by their denominations by the space of fiftéene hundred yéeres vntill the comming line 40 of the Saxons the Picts and the Scots into this realme which was about the yéere of our Lord foure hundred and fiftie For they where and whensoeuer they preuailed in anie place did for the most part alter and change the names of all places townes accounting it a great renowme as also a perpetuall memoriall of their chiualrie to giue new names either of their owne deuises or of their owne natiue countries for so is it writen of them Picti Scoti Angli Daci Normanni in hac insula rerum
shew all obedience to heathen kings shall we not willinglie and trulie be subiect to christian kings If one ought to submit himselfe line 50 by humilitie to another ought we not all by dutie to be subiect to our king If the members of our naturall bodie all follow the head shall not the members of the politicall bodie all obeie the king If good maners be content to giue place the lower to the higher shall not religion teach vs alwaie to giue place to the highest If true subiects will die gladlie in the kings seruice should not all subiects thinke it dutie to obeie the king with iust seruice But you haue not onelie disobeied like ill subiects but also taken stoutlie line 60 rule vpon you like wicked magistrates Ye haue béene called to obedience by counsell of priuat men by the aduise of the kings maiesties councell by the kings maiesties frée pardon But what counsell taketh place where sturdinesse is law and churlish answers be counted wisdome Who can persuade where treason is aboue reason and might ruleth right and it is had for lawfull whatsoeuer is lustfull and commotioners are better than commissioners and common wo is named common-wealth Haue ye not broken his lawes disobeied his councell rebelled against him And what is the common-wealth worth when the law which is indifferent for all men shall be wilfullie and spitefullie broken of head-strong men that séeke against laws to order lawes that those may take place not what consent of wise men hath appointed but what the lust of rebels hath determined What vnthriftinesse is in ill seruants wickednes in vnnaturall children sturdinesse in vnrulie subiects crueltie in fierce enimies wildnes in beastlie minds pride in disdainfull harts that floweth now in you which haue fled from housed conspiracies to incamped robberies and are better contented to suffer famine cold trauell to glut your lusts than to liue in quietnesse to saue the common-wealth and thinke more libertie in wilfulnesse than wisedome in dutifulnesse and so run headlong not to the mischiefe of other but to the destruction of your selues and vndoo by follie that ye intend by mischiefe neither séeing how to remedie that ye iudge faultie nor willing to saue your selues from miserie which stifneckednesse cannot doo but honestie of obedience must frame If authoritie would serue vnder a king the councell haue greatest authoritie if wisedome and grauitie might take place they be of most experience if knowledge of the common-wealth could helpe they must by dailie conference of matters vnderstand it best yet neither the authoritie that the kings maiestie hath giuen them nor the grauitie which you know to be in them nor the knowledge which with great trauell they haue gotten can mooue you either to kéepe you in the dutie ye ought to doo or to auoid the great disorder wherin ye be For where disobedience is thought stoutnesse and sullennes is counted manhood and stomaching is courage and prating is iudged wisedome and the eluishest is most méet to rule how can other iust authoritie be obeied or sad counsell be followed or good knowledge of matters be heard or commandements of counsellors be considered And how is the king obeied whose wisest be withstanded the disobedientest obeied the high in authoritie not weied the vnskilfullest made chiefe capteins to the noblest most hurt intended the braggingest braller to be most safe And euen as the viler parts of the bodie would contend in knowledge gouernement with the fiue wits so doo the lower parts of the common-wealth enterprise as high a matter to striue against their dutie of obedience to the councell But what talke I of disobedience so quietlie Haue not such mad rages run in your heads that forsaking and bursting the quietnesse of the common peace ye haue heinouslie and traitorouslie incamped your selues in field and there like a bile in a bodie naie like a sinke in a towne haue gathered togither all the nastie vagabonds and idle loiterers to beare armour against him whome all godlie and good subiects will liue and die withall If it be a fault when two fight togither and the kings peace broken and punishment to be sought therefore can it be but an outragious and a detestable mischiefe when so manie rebels in number malicious in mind mischiefous in enterprise fight not among themselues but against all the kings true and obedient subiects and séeke to prooue whether rebellion may beat downe honestie and wickednesse may ouercome truth or no If it be treason to speake heinouslie of the kings maiestie who is not hurt thereby and the infamie returneth to the speaker againe what kind of outragious horrible treason is it to assemble in campe an armie against him and so not onelie intend an ouerthrow to him and also to his common-wealth but also to cast him into an infamie through all outward and strange nations and persuade them that he is hated of his people whome he can not rule and that they be no better than vilans which will not with good orders be ruled What death can be deuised cruell enough for those rebels who with trouble seeke death and can not quench the thirst of their rebellion but with the bloud of true subiects and hate the kings mercifull pardon when they miserablie haue transgressed and in such an outrage of mischiefe will not by stubbornesse acknowledge themselues to haue faulted but intend to broile the common-wealth with the flame of their treason and as much as lieth in them not one-to annoie themselues but to destroie all others He line 10 that is miscontented with things that happen and bicause he cannot beare the miserie of them renteth his heare and teareth his skin mangleth his face which easeth not his sorrow but increaseth his miserie maie he not be iustlie called mad and fantasticall and woorthie whose wisedome should be suspected And what shall we saie of them who being in the common-wealth feeling a sore greeuous vnto them and easie to haue béene amended sought not the remedie but haue increased the gréefe and like frantike beasts raging against their head doo teare line 20 and deface as much as lieth in them his whole authoritie in gouernement and violentlie take to themselues that rule vpon them which he by policie hath granted vnto other And who weieng well the heauinesse of the fault maie not iustlie saie and hold them to be worse herein than any kind of brute beasts For we sée that the sheepe will obeie the shepheard and the neat be ruled by the neatheard and the horsse will know his line 30 keeper and the dog will be in aw of his maister and euerie one of them féed there and of that as his kéeper and ruler dooth appoint him goeth from thence and that as he is forbidden by his ruler And yet we haue not heard of that anie heard or companie of these haue risen against their heardman or gouernour but be alwaies
number of things waxeth lesse and by scarsitie be inhansed compelleth men to abate their liberalitie in house both to their owne and also to strangers And where the rich wanteth what can the poore find who in a common scarsitie liueth most scarselie and feeleth quickliest the sharpnesse of staruing when euerie man for lacke is hungerbitten Which if ye had well remembred before as ye now maie after perceiue ye would not I thinke so stiffe-neckedlie haue resisted and indangered your selues in the storme of famine whereof ye most likelie must haue the greatest part which most stubbornlie resisted to your owne shame and confusion Experience teacheth vs that after a great dearth commeth a great death for that when men in great want of meat eat much ill meat they fill their bodies with ill humors and cast them from their state of health into a subiection of sickenesse bicause the good bloud in the bodie is not able to kéepe his temper for the multitude of the ill humors that corrupteth the same And so grow great deadlie plagues and destroie great numbers of all sorts sparing no kind that they light on neither respecting the poore line 10 with mercie nor the rich with fauour Can ye thereforethinke herein when ye see decaie of vittels the rich pinch the poore famish the following of diseases the greatnesse of death the mourning of widowes the pitifulnesse of the fatherlesse and all this miserie to come thorough your vnnaturall misbehauiour that ye haue not dangerouslie hurt the commons of your countrie with a dolefull and vncurable wound These things being once felt in the common-wealth line 20 as they must néeds be euerie man séeth by and by what followeth euen a great diminishment of the strength of the realme when the due number that the realme dooth mainteine is made lesse and thereby we be made rather a preie for our enimies than a safetie for our selues And how can there be but a great decaie o◠people at the length when some be ouerthrowne in warre some suffer for punishment some pine for famine some die with the campes diet some be consumed line 30 with sickenesse For although ye thinke your selues able to match with a few vnprepared gentlemen and put them from their houses that ye might gaine the spoile doo ye iudge the refore your selues strong inough not onelie to withstand a kings power but also to ouerthrow it Is it possible that ye should haue so mad a frensie in your head that ye should thinke the number ye sée so strong that all ye sée not should not be able to preuaile to the contrarie With what reason could ye thinke that if ye bode the hot line 40 brunt of battell but ye must néeds feele the smart speciallie the kings power comming against you which if ye feare not belike ye know not the force thereof And so much the greater number is lost in the realme that both the ouercommer and the ouercommed be parties although vnlike of one realme and what losse is not onelie of either side but of both that dooth plainlie redound to the whole Then where so great and so horrible a fault is committed as woorse can not be mentioned of from the line 50 beginning and bringeth in withall such penurie such weakenes such disorder in the common-wealth as no mischiefe besides could doo the like can anie man thinke with iust reason that all shall escape vnpunished that shall escape the sword and not manie for terrour and examples sake should be looked vnto who haue beene either great dooers in such a disordered vilanie or great counsellors to such an outgrowne mischiefe séeing the onelie remedie of redressing wilfull faults is a iust and seuere punishment line 60 of such whose naughtie déeds good men ought to abhorre for duties sake and ill men maie dread for like punishments sake and a frée licence to doo mischiefe vnpunished is so dangerous that the sufferance of one is the occasion of the fall of a great number and womanish pitie to one is a deceitfull crueltie to the whole intising them to their owne destruction by sufferance which would haue auoided the danger by fore punishment And in such a barrennesse of vittels as must néeds come after so rauening a spoile it must néeds be that some though few shall be so nipt with egernesse of famine that they shall not recouer againe themselues out of so fretting a danger So in a generall weakenesse where all shall be féebled some must needs die and so diminish the number and abate such strength as the realme defended it selfe withall before Which occasion of neuer so few comming of so great a cause if ye should make iust amends for not of recompense which ye could not but of punish-went which ye ought how manie how diuerse and how cruell deaths ought euerie one of ye often suffer How manie came to the camps from long labour to sudden ease and from meane fare to stroieng of vittels and so fell in a maner vnwares to such a contrarie change that nature hir selfe abiding neuer great and sudden changes can not beare it without some grounds entered of diseases to come which vncircumspect men shall sooner féele than thinke of and then will scarselie iudge the cause when they shall be vexed with the effect It is little maruell that idlenesse and meat of an other mans charge will soone feed vp fat like men but it is great maruell if idlenesse and other mens meat doo not abate the same by sickenesse againe and speciallie comming from the one and going to the other contrarie in those who violentlie séeke to turne in a moment the whole realme to the contrarie For while their mind changeth from obedience to vnrulinesse and turneth it selfe from honestie to wildnesse and their bodies go from labour to idlenesse from small fare to spoile of vittels and from beds in the night to cabins and from swéet houses to stinking camps it must néeds be by changing of affections which alter the bodie and by vsing of rest that filleth the bodie and by glutting of meats which weakeneth the bodie with cold in the nights which accraseth the bodie and with corrupt aire which infecteth the bodie that there follow some grieuous tempest not onelie of contagious sickenesse but also of present death to the bodie The greatest plucke of all is that vehemencie of plague which naturallie followeth the dint of hunger which when it entereth once among men what darts of pangs what throwes of paines what showts of death dooth it cast out How manie fall not astonied with the sickenesse but fretted with the paine How beateth it downe not onelie small townes but also great countries This when ye sée light first on your beasts which lacke fodder and after fall on men whose bodies gape for it and sée the scarsenesse of men to be by this your foule enterprise and not onelie other
marquesse of Excester cousine germane to king Henrie the eight as is said before For the said king and he were descended of two sisters Elizabeth and Katharine two of the daughters of king Edward the line 30 fourth which propinquitie of bloud notwithstanding the said marquesse for points of treason laid against him suffered at the tower hill the thirtith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the eight to the great dolour of the most of the subiects of this realme who for his sundrie vertues bare him great fauour and goodwill After whose death this yoong gentleman his sonne being yet a child was committed prisoner to the tower where he remained vntill the beginning of line 40 the reigne of this quéene Marie as before you haue heard This gentleman as it appeared was borne to be a prisoner for from twelue yeares of age vnto thirtie he had scarse two yeares libertie within the which time he died and obteined quiet which in his life he could neuer haue In the moneth of Maie next following cardinall Poole who had bin a great labourer for peace betwéene the French king and the emperour being accompanied with Stephan Gardiner bishop of Winchester and chancellor of England line 50 the erle of Arundell lord steward and the lord Paget were sent by the king and quéene ouer the sea to Calis from thence went to the towne of Marke where they met with the ambassadors of the emperor and the French king From the emperour were sent the bishop of Arras with others From the French king was sent the cardinall of Loraine and the constable of France In this treatie cardinall Poole sat as president and vmpier in the name of the queene of England This peace was greatlie laboured line 60 where at the first there was much hope but in the end nothing was concluded wherefore the seauenteenth daie of Iune this assemblie was dissolued and the English ambassadours returned againe into England ¶ In this moneth of August in Suffolke at a place by the sea side all of hard stone and pibble called in those parts a shelfe lieng betwéene the townes of Oxford and Alborough where neuer grew grasse nor any earth was euer séene there chanced in this barren place suddenlie to spring vp without any tillage or sowing great abundance of peason whereof the poore gathered as men iudged aboue an hundred quarters yet remained some ripe some blossoming as manie as euer there were before To the which place rode the bishop of Norwich and the lord Willoughbie with others in great number who found nothing but hard râ—ckie stone for the space of thrée yards vnder the roots of those peason which roots were great and long and verie swéet in tast to the mouth of the eater c. On Bartholomew euen after the Lord maior and aldermen of London had rid about Bartholomew faire they came to Christes hospitall within Newgate where they heard a disputation betwéene the scholers of Paules schoole saint Anthonies schoole and the scholers of the said hospitall for whome was prouided thrée games which was three pennes the best pen of siluer and gilt valued at fiue shillings woone by a scholer of saint Anthonies schoole and the maister of that schoole had six shillings eight pence the second a pen of siluer parcell gilt valued at iiij shillings woone by a scholer of Paules schoole his maister had fiue shillings in monie the third a pen of siluer valued at thrée shillings woone by a scholer of the said hospitall and his maister had foure shillings And there were two preests maisters of arts appointed for iudges which had each of them a siluer rule for their paines valued at six shillings eight pence the peece The disputation being ended the maior and aldermen entred the hall where the children of the hospitall vse to dine and had fruit wine and so departed King Philip went ouer seas and landed at Calis on the fourth of September where he was honorably receiued by the lord deputie the maior of the staple of Calis an alderman of London named sir Andrew Iud presenting his maiestie with a purse a thousand marks of gold in it that night the king was lodged in staple inne and on the morrow he departed from Calis towards Brussels in Brabant to visit the emperor his father he gaue at his departing among the souldiors of the towne of Calis a thousand crownes of gold and there accompanied him in his iournie of English lords the earle of Arundell lord steward of the quéenes house the earle of Penbroke the earle of Huntington and others On Michaelmasse euen the prisoners that laie in the counter in Bredstréet were remoued to a new counter made in Woodstréet of the cities purchase building the which remoouing was confirmed by a common councell assembled at the Guildhall for that purpose On the last of September by occasion of great wind and raine that had fallen was such great floods that that morning the kings palace at Westminster and Westminster hall was ouerflowne with water vnto the staire foot going to the chancerie and kings bench so that when the lord maior of London should come to present the shiriffes to the barons of the excheker all Westminster hall was full of water And by report there that morning a whirriman rowed with his bote ouer Westminster bridge into the palace court and so through the staple gate and all the wooll staple into the kings stréet and all the marshes on Lambeth side were so ouerflowne that the people from Newington church could not passe on foot but were caried by bote from the said church to the pinfold neere to saint Georges in Southworke About this time the bishop of Lincolne Glocester and Bristow were sent in commission to Oxford by the popes authoritie to examine Ridleie and Latimer vpon certeine articles by them preached which if they would not recant and consent to the popes doctrine then had they power to proceed in sentence against them as heretikes and to commit them ouer to the secular power Those two doctors neuertheles stood constantlie to that which they had taught and would not reuoke for which cause they were condemned and after burned in the towne ditch at Oxford the sixtéenth daie of October In the time of whose examination bicause the bishops aforesaid declared themselues to be the popes commissioners neither Ridleie nor Latimer would doo them any reuerence but kept their caps on their heads wherefore they were sharplie rebuked by the bishop of Lincolne and one of the officers was commanded for to line 10 take of their caps Of these men and the maner of their death ye may read at large in the booke of the monuments of the church The one and twentith of October a parlement was holden at Westminster in the which amongst other things the queene being persuaded by the cardinall and other of hir clergie that she
50 hours fight the enimie entered Which when the lord Greie beheld he leaped to the top of the rampire wishing of God that some shot would take him When one that stood next him by the scarffe suddenlie pulled him downe otherwise the effects had well declared the earnestnes of the praier for he was not yet vp againe when a canon shot grated vpon the same place from whence he fell And thus verie narrowlie hée scaped the danger of that shot which if it had hit him would no doubt haue wrought his dispatch For what is the weake frame of a mans bodie to mightie line 60 forts and strong castels builded of timber and stone beside the iron worke therewith compact oftentimes redoubling the strength of the same And yet these we see by experience ruinated battered and laid leuell manie times with the thundering shot of this dreadfull artillerie an engine of no great antiquitie and not vsed among ancient warriours in former ages but a late deuise of a Franciscan frier pitie it is that euer he was borne to set abroch such a pestilent inuention as the poet noteth shewing also the vse and the mischéefous effect therof as followeth Tormenti genus est ex ferro aut aere coactum Quod Franciscanus frater reperisserefertur Vt capias paucis validissima castra diebus Quae vix cepisses armis toto prius anno c. But to proceed The fight within the bulworke yet lasted to the great slaughter of them that defended it Herevpon my lord Greie presentlie called to maister Lewes Diue and others that were about him to follow him to the gate The maze was such that besides his sonne maister Arthur Greie and now lord Greie maister Lewes Diue capteine Brickewell and halfe a doozen of armed corslets not a man else did follow him By this means the Englishmen were cleane driuen out of the bulworke the enimie yet not daring to passe the braies gaue them that escaped good leisure to recouer the gate where my lord Greie holding the wicket himselfe receiued them in Upon the taking of this bulworke the souldiors of Whiteleies bulworke and the base court in discomfiture abandoned their charges flieng to the castell so that more than the Kéepe and the bodie of the castell no part was free from the enimie My lord Greie hauing receiued all his caused the gates to be rammed vp Thus were the cheefe bulworks and vtter lims of the castell of Guisnes obteined by the French on saint Sebastians daie being the twentith of Ianuarie but yet not without great expense of bloud on both sides for of the French part there were slaine in those assaults aboue the number of eight or nine hundred and of the English not manie fewer amongst whom the greatest losse lighted vpon those few Spaniards and Wallons that were come to assist the English at that present It was now night when a trumpetter came to the ditches side in the base court sounded a summons who being called vnto asked what he would told that he was sent to my lord Greie by the duke of Guise with offer of a parlée if it would be harkened vnto The souldiors no sooner heard these newes but forsaking the walles came all in rowt togither confusedlie speaking to their chiefteine the said lord Greie praied him to harken to the message to haue consideration of their liues which so long as anie hope remained they willinglie had ventured The lord Greies answer was that he maruelled either what causelesse mistrust of his caring for them was now come vpon them or what sudden vnwoonted faintnesse of mind had so assailed them as to cause them in such disorder to forsake their places and leaue the walles naked and he willed them to returne to the same My lord Greie hereof tooke counsell and it was thought good not to reiect the offer the extremitie on euerie side weied The trumpetter receiuing answer accordinglie departed without long abode returned againe requiring in the dukes behalfe hostages for a truce during the parlee from vs he minding to deliuer the like into the castell From him in fine monsieur Desâ—rees and a gentleman of the kings chamber were sent in and maister Arthur Greie my lords sonne and maister Lewes Diue were put out Monsieur Dandelot in the braies receiued them and caried them ouer the vnfortunate bulworke being come vpon naked and new slaine carcases some of them spralling yet and groning vnder their feet were onelie the earth they trod on So passing downe the breach somewhat to the ease of the former heauie sight they saw it and the ditch little lesse fraught with the enimies corpses Then to the campe they came and were lodged in the said Dandelots tent The next daie in the morning the lord Greie was to mâ—et the duke abrode betweene them willinglie one houre was spent in talking without agreement onelie vpon this point that the lord Greie would haue his bands depart with their ensignes displaied which would not be yeelded vnto so he returned the hostages also therevpon were sent in Monsieur Destrées not being yet come foorth my lord was no sooner entered againe but that the souldiers eftsoones forsaking the walles willinglie to the present cutting of all their owne throtes if monsieur Destrées himselfe had not béene with a few capteins gentlemen of the lord Greies owne retinue came and met him crieng vpon him to haue pitie vpon them The lord Greie herewith staied and pausing a while had line 10 this speach The onelie pitie if fond I cannot saie that I haue of you hath caused me this daie to make such offers of composition as neither your honesties nor my honour nor either of our duties in my thought maie well beare which refused to take harder to the vtter defacing of our credits sith the best would blot it If I would souldiers your selues me thinketh in vengeance thereof should turne your weapons vpon me and sacrifice so hartlesse a capteine rather line 20 than to take it as a token of a pitifull capteine ouer you and to yéeld thanks for the same We haue begun as becommed vs we haue yet held on as dutie dooth bind vs let vs end then as honest dutie and fame dooth will vs. Neither is there anie such extremitie of despaire in our case but that we maie yet dearelie inough sell our skins yer we lose them Let vs then either march out vnder our ensignes displaied or else herewith die vnder them displaied The soldiers herewith in a mutinie flatlie answered line 30 that they for his vainglory would not sell their liues The desperatnesse of their case was not vnknowne vnto them said they and that their liues in other seruice might yet auaile their prince and countrie In this now further to venture was but like oxen to be thrust to the butcher That his lordship was not to expect anie one blow at their hands Herewith
end should not be had of that ciuill dissention which hath so long continued betwixt the king of Spaine and his subiects in those countries not onelie to the hinderance of themselues but also of others that haue to trade among them speciallie for traffike line 20 sake and intercourse of merchandize But at length they haue compounded their controuersies and are growen to a full agréement and perfect conclusion of peace which God grant may take place so effectuallie as may turne to the quietnesse and publike commoditie not onlie of those countries but of their neighbors whereby merchants and passengers may in suertie passe to and fro without disturbance so as no occasion be giuen of breach of leagues and amities betwixt princes and countries but that the same line 30 may be mainteined to Gods glorie and the suertie of the christian commonwealth In this yeare the right honorable Walter Deuereux earle of Essex and Eu earle marshall of Ireland vicount Hereford and Bourcher lord Ferrers of Chartlie Bourcher Louaine knight of the most noble order of the garter fell sicke of a loosenesse of his bodie the one and twentith of August being fridaie and for the space of two and twentie daies togither he was so grieuouslie tormented therwith that line 40 finallie on saturdaie the two twentith of September he departed out of this transitorie life passing from hence to the ioies of heauen as by his godlie end all that were about him gaue testimonie The losse of this noble man was greatlie béemoned aswell by the English as Irish for the noble courage vertuous qâ—â—lities and tender zeale to the aduancement of thâ— commonwealth which appéered in him ¶ So that it were a fowle fault in the highest degree line 50 not to laie vp some commemoration of so worthie and well deseruing a gentleman both of prince and people in perpetuall records which I will doo by Gods grace none otherwise than I am lead by such matter yea memorable matter as I find in a funerall sermon made by the reuerend father in God Richard bishop of saint Dauis at the buriall of this right honorable earle of Essex in the parish church of Caermerthin in Wales where the said bishop taking for his text these words of S. Iohn in the 14 of line 60 the reuelation Audiui vocem de coelo dicentem Beati mortui c. I heard a voice from heauen saieng Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord c. After he had discoursed vpon the text as the spirit of God gaue him vtterance he descended at last to a particular treatise tending wholie to the praise of this right noble man saieng in sort as followeth Behold the heauie hand of God for our sins vpon all the whole countrie in the death of this noble man which is not onelie a messenger of Gods wrath towards this towne and countrie wherein he was borne but also in verie déed a great losse to the whole realme And although this countrie who shall misse so noble and so worthie a ruler and magistrate that bore them so great affection so readie to benefit all and hurt none and for the high calling he was of so able to pleasure and to doo good although I saie this countrie by the death of this noble earle is most earnestlie eâ—â—ectuallie cited to appéere before the Lord and to fall to a reckoning yet doo I beléeue that the queenes maiestie hir highnesse councell and all the nobilitie of the realme may hereby receiue admonition and cause of further circumspection and aduigilancie For such valiant and couragious noble men are the bulworks and walles of defense of the whole realme They saie the realme is walled about bicause it is inuironed with the sea but I hold rather with their iudgements that make the fidelitie and true harts of the subiects and especiallie of such of the nobilitie that haue made themselues by Gods especiall grace expert to gouerne and rule vnder hir maiestie aswell in warre as peace the strong towers of defense both of hir maiestie and hir highnesse realme This noble earle was one of these number for I beléeue there is no prince in the world that had a more faithfull noble subiect than hir maiestie had of him in his time And for the notable valiantnesse experience and vertues that were in him I am persuaded that hir maiestie if he had liued might haue vsed his seruice to be a terrour to all enimies forren or domesticall And now that I may speake somewhat of his great nobilitie his excellent vertuous and worthie qualities first I thinke I may saie thus much in a generalitie that it was easie for a man of any iudgement that should behold his countenance and behauiour to find in him nobilitie maiestie and honor planted by the especiall gift of God euen from his mothers wombe When I consider the nature of nobilitie with the causes efficient and finall it séemeth vnto me that nobilitie may be compared vnto a riuer or a floud which in the originall issueth out of foure principall wels and all the foure rise out from the compasse of one hill The welles of nobilitie are prudence fortitude iustice and temperance the hill whence they spring is the feare of God or true religion Although this worthie earle by progenie was of noble bloud whose ancestors were of great honour which of it selfe if a man degenerat not too far from his forefathers deserueth honorable acceptation in this world yet was he not therewith satisfied as it may appéere by his studie and trauell in his life time for he séemed to be of that iudgement that Alphonsus king of Aragon of whome we read in stories was of When a certeine man tooke in hand to set out the land and praise of his nobilitie he stood much in recitall that he was a king a kings sonne a kings nephue a kings brother and such like titles The king interrupting his tale answered that he neuer estéemed much of that kind of glorie and that it was the praise and commendation of his ancestors who by vertue and worthie qualities had deserued such high callings and honour and not of him and that his praise stood not in that which might fall vnto him by testament but in the imitation and performing of the noble acts prowesse and valiantnesse of his forefathers This noble earle likewise not answered to his expectation in that he was a noble man by bloud and inheritance gaue himselfe wholie all the daies of his life to purchase and win the nobilitie that springeth immediatlie from the verie originall founteins of the same as parâ—lie I will put you in remembrance of We will begin with prudence which may be thus defined Prudence is a power or facultie of the mind giuen of God whereby man is made wise prouident and circumspect and whereby man atteineth knowledge cunning and expertnesse in all matters that the children
was the féet to the lame I was a father to the poore and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligentlie I brake the chawes of the vnrighteous man and plucked the preie out of his téeth Here we find that who soeuer will doo iustice must not onelie doo no wrong but must also with all his might succour and comfort the helplesse and oppressed In this part of iustice there was neuer noble man more forward than this good earle He was the comfortable refuge of all such as were in aduersitie or oppressed by power Of Titus Uespasianus emperor of Rome we read that he answered one of his freends admonishing him to hold his hands and not to make his liberalitie and gentlenesse common to all men saieng that it becommeth not a prince to let anie man part from him with a heauie hart This worthie erle was of like mind for he was so full of humanitie and compassion that he would be loth to let anie distressed part from him without some comfort and ease In so much that in him if euer in anie man this adage Homo homini Deus A man a god to man was as truelie performed as in tyrants the contrarie adage that is Homo homini lupus A man a woolfe to man Wee read in chronicles of emperors kings noble men which for their bountifulnesse gentlenesse affabilitie line 10 and goodnesse deserued some honorable addition to their names as amongst the emperors Antoninus pius Anthonie the vertuous amongst the British kings Elidorus pius Elidor the godlie and amongst noble men in the time of king Richard the second sir Thomas Montacute the good earle of Salisburie and in the time of king Henrie the sixt sir Thomas Beuchampe the good earle of Warwike This noble earle for the verie like qualities hath trulie deserued to be called the good earle the vertuous earle line 20 and the valiant earle of Essex Temperance is the founteine of nobilitie it is a vertue whereby a man obserueth a moderation a reasonable meane in the vse of all things perteining to bodie mind it is the mother of all other vertues without which the rest are blemished and disgraced In the Dutch chronicles that tell of the liues of emperors the first qualitie that is noted is temperat or not temperat as an argument of the rest of his life and dooings for he is thought vnworthie to rule line 30 others that can not rule himselfe This noble earle had a speciall grace and an excellent gift of God in obseruation of this vertue whether you respect diet or the suppression of all vicious affections I haue diuerse times noted in him when vnderstanding was brought vnto him of some Thrasonicall contumelious word spoken by some glorious inferior aduersarie against him he would neuer be stirred to anie perturbation of mind thereby but with graue wisedome and magnanimitie contemne it and smile deriding line 40 the vanitie and waiwardnesse of that cankered stomach that vomited such sowre rotten infection for he did effectuallie consider that it became no better a noble hart to take in receiue wranglings brallings chafings and anger than it is conuenient to dawbe a golden piller with mire and claie Salomon was of that mind and therefore saith Be not thou hastie to be angrie for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles I haue had occasion by that I noted in his lordship to call to remembrance this saieng of line 50 Christ A good man out of the good tresure of his hart bringeth foorth good things the euill man out of the euill treasure of his hart bringeth foorth euill things For though occasion were ministred yet should you neuer heare him vtter anie opprobrious words no not against his aduersarie so pure immaculate did he studie to preserue the nobilitie of his mind There be some that count themselues worthie honor estimation when they teare God in péeces with chafing and horrible oths which this noble earle detested and line 60 abhorred as a matter not onelie vndecent but also repugnant to the nature of true nobilitie attributing due reuerence to the name of the Lord thereby proouing the founteins of his nobilitie to spring out of the hill of the feare of God But what was his religion what faith God had blessed him withall what godlie disposition he was of and how abundantlie God had inriched him with his holie spirit the confession of his faith his spéeches naie rather his sermons in his sickenesse afore his death shall testifie for euer For I receiued by the relation of such as are woorthie credit and were present about him although not all yet manie of his learned godlie saiengs at that time Concerning his saluation he reposed his affiance and sure trust in the bloud of Iesus Christ. He forgaue all the world and by inuincible faith apprehended laied hold and imbrased remission of his sinnes in the merits of the sacrifice of Christs bodie offered vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world Trentals masses diriges pardons and such other papisticall trifles he vtterlie contemned as wicked and blasphemous against the death and passion of Christ. He fared like the children of Israell in the wildernesse which when they were stinged with serpents euen to death yet when they lookt vp to the brasen serpent they were made whole safe and sound So this noble earle grieued with the remembrance of his former vnthankefull life as he iudged immediatlie directed the eies of his mind to the passion of Christ and foorthwith felt such health of soule that he was filled with ioie in the holie Ghost and all his delight was in meditation of the ioie of the world to come and the fruition of the presence of God for euer insomuch that fiue or six daies before he died he shewed himselfe more like an angell from heauen than a man compassed with flesh and bloud My lord the archbishop of Dublin as I was informed could mooue him in no question or article perteining to saluation that he was not readie in and learnedlie and godlie resolued yea and made such answers in all things that my lord of Dublin had them in great admiration and affirmed that his spéeches at that time should serue him for sermons as long as he liued How trulie he relinquished the vanities of this world and how effectuallie he thirsted after the ioies of the life to come his godlie admonitions ministred vnto such as visited him and his heauenlie lessons exhortations to his seruants shall testifie for euer for they were such that his seruants report they shall neuer forget and such as they shall be the better for whilest they liue Thus haue I brieflie and partlie declared vnto you both the life and death of this worthie magistrate to the end we should consider how seriouslie God dooth call vs to a reckoning by the losse of such a good magistrat
those that bled till they died stroue so much with their sickenesse that the bloud issued out at their vents but yet had perfect memorie euen to the yéelding of their breath as was verie well perceiued by sir William Babington who neuer ceased to call vpon God in his great agonie c. This reported W. B. as a certeine truth to stop the flieng rumors of those that as he saith haue spoken vntrulie in this behalfe and published their owne fantasies On sundaie the fourth of August betwéene the houres of nine and ten of the clocke in the forenone whilest the minister was reading of the second lesson in the parish church of Bliborough a towne in Suffolke a strange and terrible tempest of lightening and thunder strake thorough the wall of the same church into the ground almost a yard déepe draue downe all the people on that side aboue twentie persons then renting the wall vp to the reuestre clef◠the doore and returning to the steeple rent the timber brake the chimes fled toward Bongie a towne six miles off The people that were striken downe were found groueling more than halfe an houre after whereof one man more than fortie yeares and a boie of fiftéene yeares old were found starke dead the other were scorched The same or the like flash of lightening and cracks of thunder rent the parish church of Bongie nine miles from Norwich wroong in sunder the wiers and whéeles of the clocks slue two men which sat in the belfreie when the other were at the procession or suffrages and scorched an other which hardlie escaped The tower on London bridge being taken downe and a new foundation drawne sir Iohn Langleie lord maior of the citie of London laid the first stone on the eight and twentith line 10 daie of August in the presence of the shiriffes of London the two bridgemasters which new tower was finished in the moneth of September Anno 1579. The thirtith daie of Nouember Cutbert Maine was drawne hanged and quartered at Lanceston in Cornewall for preferring Romane power The seuentéenth of Ianuarie one Simon Penbrooke dwelling in saint Georges parish in Southworke being a figureflinger and vehementlie suspected to line 20 be a coniurer by commandement of the ordinarie iudge for those parties appeared in the parish church of saint Sauiors in Southworke at a court holden there Which Simon being busied in interteining a proctor and hauing monie in his hand leaned his head vpon a pew wherein the proctor stood which after he had doone a certeine space the proctor began to lift vp his head to sée what he ailed and found him departing out of life and streightwaie the said Simon fell downe ratling a little in the throte and neuer line 30 spake word after This was doone euen as the iudge came into the church who said it was the iust iudgement of God towards those that vsed sorcerie and a great example to admonish other to feare the iustice of God After his clothes being opened there were found about him fiue diuelish bookes of coniuration and most abhominable practises with a picture of tin of a man hauing thrée dice in his hand with this poesie Chance dice fortunatlie diuerse papers of such like matters as he had dealt in for men such line 40 men I meane as are mentioned in Leuiticus the twentith chapter and sixt verse If anie soule turne himselfe after such as woorke with spirits and after soothsaiers to go a whooring after them saith the Lord I will put my face against that soule and will cut him off from among my people The third daie of Februarie Iohn Nelson for denieng the quéenes supremasie and such other traitorous words against hir maiestie was drawne from Newgate to Tiburne and there hanged line 50 bowelled and quartered And on the seuenth of the same moneth of Februarie Thomas Sherewin was likewise drawne from the tower of London to Tiburne and there hanged bowelled and quartered for the like offense The fiue and twentith of Februarie Iohn de Loy a Frenchman and fiue English gentlemen was conueied from the tower of London towards Norwich there to be arreigned and executed for coining of monie counterfeit And on the ninth of March seuen pirats were hanged at Wapping line 60 in the ouze beside London The ladie Margaret countesse of Lennox deceased on the tenth of March year 1578 at hir house in the parish of Hackneie besides London and was buried at Westminster on the third of Aprill The one and thirtith and last of Maie Martine Frobisher with fifteene saile of good ships manned vittelled and otherwise well appointed departed from Harwich in Essex on his third voiage towards Cataia And on the one and thirtith and last daie of Iulie after manie attempts and sundrie times being put backe by Ilands of ice in the streicts he recouered his long wished port and came to anchor in the Ilands newlie by hir maiestie named Meta incognita where as in the yeare before they fraught their ships with the like stone or gold ore out of the mines and then on the last of August returning thense arriued safelie in England about the first of October The two and twentith of Ianuarie being thursdaie about seuen of the clocke at night Iohn Cassimere countie palatine of Rhene duke of Bauare landing at the tower of London was there by diuerse noble men and others honourablie receiued and conueied by cresset light and torch light to sir Thomas Greshams house in Bishops gate street where he was receiued with sounding of trumpets drums fiefs and other instruments of musicke and there both lodged and feasted till sundaie next that he was by the nobilitie fetched and conueied to the court at Westminster where after he had talked with hir maiestie he returned vnto Summersets house at the strand and was there lodged In the wéeke following he hunted at Hampton court On sundaie the first of Februarie he beheld a valiant iusting and running at the tilt at Westminster On the next morrow in the same place he saw them fight at barriers with swords on horsse backe On tuesdaie he dined with the lord maior of London on wednesdaie with the dutchesse of Suffolke at hir house called the Barbican in Red crosse stréet on thursdaie at the Stilliard c. On sundaie the eight of Februarie the quéene made him knight of the garter by deliuering to him the collar putting the garter on his leg at White hall And on the fourteenth of Februarie he departed from London to Rochester homewards with great rewards giuen to him by the quéenes maiestie the nobilitie men of honour the lord maior of London and other citizens of that citie The same moneth of Februarie to wit on the fourth daie and in the night next following year 1579 fell such abundance of snow that on the fift daie in the morning the same snow was found in London to lie two foot
about ten yeares died and was buried in his owne church 6 Alfwoldus as Matthew Westminster writeth was next bishop after Algarus and consecrated by the aduise of Dunstane in the yeare 952. In this time Odogarus earle of Deuon and father in law to king Edgar builded the abbeie of Tauestoke and king Edgar called home all the monkes of saint Peters which were dispersed and without anie abbat and made Sidemannus abbat who was afterwards bishop This Alfwoldus after sixtéene yeares that he was consecraâ—eâ— died and was buried in his owne church 7 Alfwolfus as Dicetus affirmeth was consecrated bishop in the yeare of our Lord 969 and after nine yeares died and was buried in his owne church 8 Sidemannus of an abbat was made a bishop in the yeare 978. In this mans time the Danes ouerran and spoiled the whole countries of Deuon and Cornewall burned the towne of Bodmen and the cathedrall church of saint Petrokes with the bishops house Wherevpon the bishops sée was remoued from thense to saint Germans where the same continued vntill the remouing and vniting thereof vnto Crediton Sidemannus in the twelfe yeare after his consecration died and was buried at Crediton in his owne church 990. 9 Alphredus whome Dicetus calleth Alfricus abbat of Malmesburie was consecrated bishop and installed at Crediton he was taken for a learned man because he wrote two bookes the one intituled Derebus coenobij sui and the other De rerum naturis In this bishops time king Ethelred endowed the bishoprike of saint Germans with lands liberties and priuileges The Danes made a fresh inuasion in and vpon all Deuon and Cornewall burned and spoiled the abbie of Ordolphus at Tauestoke they besieged Excester and being remoued from thense were fought withall at Pinneho about thrée miles from the citie and ouerthrowne Alphredus after he had béene bishop about nine yeares died in the yeare 999 and was buried in his owne church 10 Alwolfus as Dicetus writeth was the next bishop In his time Sweno king of Denmarke by intisement of one Hugh then earle of Deuon came with a great host and besieged the citie of Excester tooke it and burned it and with great crueltie vsed the people vntill in the end Almarus then earle of Deuon and the gentlemen did yéeld and submit themselues and so obteined peace This Alwolfus about the fiftéenth yeare of his bishoprike in the yeare 1014 died and was buried in his owne church 11 Arnoldus by the report of the archdeacon of London succéeded Alwolfus and was installed at Crediton In this mans time king Canutus gaue to Athelwold abbat of S. Peters of this citie great gifts and sundrie priuileges in recompense of his fathers great iniuries Arnoldus in the fiftéenth yeare of his bishoprike 1030 died and was buried in his owne church 12 Leuigus or Leuingus abbat of Tauestoke and nephue to Brithwaldus bishop of Cornewall was chosen the next bishop and according to the orders then vsed consecrated and installed He was in great fauour and credit with king Canutus vppon whome he attended in pilgrimage to Rome and after his vncle the bishop of saint Germans being dead obteined of the king that the bishops sée was remoued from saint Germans vnto Crediton and both were thereby reduced and vnited into one bishoprike and so hath euer since continued Hée was after the death of Brithegus bishop of Worcester remoued to that church and there died and was buried as some suppose but some affirme that in the time of Hardicanutus the king at the accusation of Alfredus then archbishop of Yorke for that he should be consenting to the death of Alfredus the sonne of Etheldred that he should be deposed of his bishoprike there and so did returne vnto Tauestoke where he died But Dicetus affirmeth that he purged himselfe of this crime and by that meanes was restored both to the fauour of the king and to his bishoprike againe and died bishop of Worcester It is recorded that he was bishop of Crediton fiftéene yeares 13 Leofricus a man descended of the bloud and line of Brutus but brought vp in the land of Lothoringia or Loreine was so well commended for his nobilitie wisedome and learning that king Edward the Confessor had him in great fauour and made him first one of his priuie councell then lord chancellor of all England and lastlie the bishoprike line 10 of this prouince being void he was made consecrated and installed bishop of the same By him and by his meanes the bishops sée was remoued from Crediton vnto this citie of Excester for at his request king Edward togither with quéene Edith his wife came to Excester remouing the monkes from hense to Westminster did also remoue the bishops sée from Crediton vnto his citie and did put the bishop in possession For he conducting the bishop on the right hand and the quéene on the line 20 left hand brought him to the high altar of his new church and there placed him in a seat appointed for him He suppressed sundrie houses or cels of religion within his sanctuarie and appropriated and vnited them to his owne church as also by the good liberalitie of the king obteined great reuenues possessions priuileges and liberties to be giuen vnto the church In this mans time William duke of Normandie made a conquest of this whole realme as also in the yeare 1068 besieged this line 30 citie of Excester which after by composition he restored to his former estate againe Also in his time Richard de Brion a noble man of Normandie the sonne of Baldwin of Brion of Albred the néece to the Conqueror was made baron of Okehampton warden of the castell of Excester and vicount of Deuon This Leofricus after that he had well and worthilie ruled his church and diocesse by the space of three and twentie yeares he ended his daies in peace and died in the yeare 1073 and was buried line 40 in the cemiterie or churchyard of his owne church vnder a simple and a broken marble stone which place by the since inlarging of his church is now within the tower of the same where of late in the yeare 1568 a new monument was erected in the memorie of so good woorthie and noble a personage by the industrie of the writer hereof but at the charges of the deane and chapter 14 Osbertus or Osbernus a Norman borne and brother to an earle named William was preferred to this bishoprike and in the yeare 1074 was line 50 consecrated and installed to the same Polydorus writeth that one Galfrid who ioined with Odo earle of Kent and bishop of Baion against William Rufus should be bishop of Exon but it was not nor could not so be In this mans time William the Conqueror and William Rufus his sonne died This Osbertus or Osbernus after he had béene bishop thirtie yeares was blind and died and lieth buried in his owne church
of the sea which passeth that waie twise a daie doo make it crooked that place being occupied by the enimie might greatlie hinder and annoie the sailing thereof And therefore the citizens of Antwerpe following the aduise and platforme laid forth by the prince of Orange bestowed great cost in fortifieng that place which hath a great tower with great bulworks rampires and ditches and is so well strengthned and flanked to the purpose and hath the water so at commandement that as now it is not to be woone by anie force The next daie being mondaie the ninetéenth daie of Februarie his highnesse departed thense to make his entrie into the renowmed citie of Antwerpe The roiall interteinement of the right high and mightie prince Francis the French kings onelie brother by the grace of God duke of Brabant Aniou Alanson Berrie c into the citie of Antwerpe IN all great and statelie shewes and assemblies they that are the authors and setters foorth of them indeuour to beautifie and commend as much as they can the things which they offer to the sight of those whome they intend to honour and of those which resort thither from strange places to delight themselues with the beholding of them The ancient historiographers describe vnto vs manie great triumphes and statelie interteinements of emperours kings and great capteins and they forget not to put into their writings the great costlinesse and charges and whatsoeuer else was set foorth to the shew to content the eies of the beholders And albeit that neither gold siluer pretious stones tapistrie cloth of silke fine linnen diuersities of vessels nor varietie of paintings were spared but all such things haue inriched those shewes yet notwithstanding there is not anie thing that hath yéelded greater grace beautie and contentment to such assemblies than the multitude and brightnesse of armorie and of things perteining to martiall affaires as engines artillerie and shewes of cities and castels beaten downe or taken by force from the enimies And therefore in the Romane empire which excelled all the other not onlie in conquests martiall discipline and politike order of gouernment but also in sumptuousnes and roialtie although infinit numbers of line 10 publike games and exercises were exhibited by them being the greatest lords of the world who not onelie spared not anie thing that was in their owne power but also made the cities and countries which were anie waie bound vnto them to send vnto them whatsoeuer rare and exquisit things they could come by to serue their turnes in the shewes which they exhibited to the people yet notwithstanding their triumphes haue so borne the bell aboue all the rest that the word triumphing which commeth thereof hath line 20 béene applied to all high great and statelie dooings Not that in their other shewes anie thing was spared which might content the eies euen of couetous folke or satisfie the bloudthirstie harts of such as tooke no pleasure but to behold the sheading of bloud yea oftentimes of mans bloud before their eies but in their triumphings nothing was so glorious as the armorie and personages of the great capteines that had béene conquerors which thing contented the beholders far more without all comparison line 30 And therefore when men intend to betoken the exceeding huge greatnesse of Rome they terme it the triumphant Rome which importeth as much as the rich wealthie and victorious Rome replenished with great numbers of noble capteines and valiant souldiors And this terme is come of the great numbers of triumphs which were séene there in the times of the Scipios Paules Claudies Metelles Pompeis Cesars and others True it is that the other shewes also were verie glorious and beautifull to behold and did I wote not how tickle the harts of such line 40 as were fed with the beholding of their riches and of the infinite numbers of lions tigres panthers beares and swordplaiers incountring one another to the death but yet the beholding of a goodlie companie of men armed in goodlie armour marching in good order besides the contenting of the sight which is far better than to sée riches dooth also wonderfullie rauish mens minds and driue the beholder into an astonishment setting him after a sort besides line 50 himselfe and yet neuerthelesse filling him with a ioy and contentation surmounting all others For as in the pleasures of the bodie those seeme greatest which doo most alter the senses with their pleasantnes so fares it also with the delights of the mind which become so much the greater when admiration being matched with them dooth also moreouer rauish the vnderstanding and set a man as it were out of his wits And therefore when great personages who can better iudge of matters than plaine simple folke can doo make discourse of things that are beautifull line 60 and desireable to behold they speake of gold siluer pretious stones pictures vessels tablets and diuers other exquisit iewels but yet they passe ouer those things stand not vpon them But when they come to talke of faire armour good horsses and such other things as belong to knighthood and chiualrie then they make such tariance vpon them as they hold it for a thing fullie agréed vpon granted that in beautie and glorie nothing is comparable to a goodlie armie Onelie this matter remaineth still in question vndecided namelie whether is the pleasanter sight to sée three or foure great battels of footmen well appointed in bright armour well flanked with small shot and with their great ordinance before them or to sée as manie squadrons of horssemen or else two or three hundred ships furnished with their flags and banners and ranged in order as if they were readie to giue battell But as for the rest of all goodlie things all men are fullie agréed that they come nothing néere to anie of those thrée and much lesse doo them all thrée togither if a man might behold them all at once as it is reported that at one instant a man might haue séene the great armie of Xerres both footmen and horssemen ranged in battell raie and also the two fléets of the Persians and of the Greekes fighting vpon the sea by Salamine where by the wisedome and valiantnesse of Themistocles the Gréekes got that famous victorie of the Persians In mine opinion that is the caâ—â—e why the glad receiuing and ioifull entering of Francis duke of Brabant into the citie of Antwerpe seemed so goodlie and roiall to all such as saw it in somuch that there hath not beene anie of them which hath not confessed that he neuer saw the like And yet were there verie manie present at it as well of the same countrie as of strangers which haue séene manie statelie and roiall meetings both in the same citie and in other cities of the low countries and also in other great cities of other countries as Paris London Rone and Lions and yet neuertheles the common voice is that this last
couered with tapistrie On the front of the theater on the highest part thereof were the armes of the marqueship of the holie empire and a little beneath them on the right hand did stand the armes of Brabant with a wreath of fruits and on the left hand stood the armes of the citie of Antwerpe Also there were set vp two banners of silke azured with the armes of Aniou in one partition were written these same verses O noble prince whose footsteps faith and gentlenesse preserue Receiue thou here the honour which thy vertue dooth deserue That these low countries maie at length take breath by meanes of thee And thou a father to vs all in name and dooings bee After that euerie man had taken his place and silence was made the states of Brabant began their oration by the mouth of monsieur de Hesseiles doctor of both the lawes secretarie to the said estates and one of their councell The summe whereof was that the barons noblemen deputies of the chiefe cities and of the other good townes representing the states of the duchie and countrie of Brabant hauing now the good hap to sée among them and to behold face to face the prince in whome next vnto God they had wholie set the hope of their deliuerance and of the establishing of their ancient rest and libertie did highlie thanke the almightie Lord which had shewed them that fauour taking it for an assured warrant that he of his infinite goodnesse and prouidence had not forgotten nor forsaken their iust quarrell but had chosen his highnesse to be the defender of his people and the administrer of his iustice to the end that to Gods glorie and to his owne honour and renowme the stormes of all troubles of all other things that annoied their estate might by the beames of his princelie maiestie wisedome and prowesse be chased awaie and the brightnesse of their former prosperitie heretofore knowne to all nations be made to spring vp shine foorth againe In respect wherof they gaue his highnesse most humble thanks for the singular loue and good will which he of his owne onelie motion and princelie disposition had vouchsafed to continue towards them vnto that instant notwithstanding all the crosse dealings and practises that cunning heads could skill to put foorth to the hinderance of their affaires forsomuch as they were not ignorant that for their calamities and miseries sakes nothing could haue fallen in which could haue made more to the fauour and furtherance of their case Which thing they had esteemed and would estéeme for euer as a péerelesse president of his incomparable staiednes and rare constancie for the which and for the great number of his other benefits and gratious dealings towards them they were euer should be bound to acknowledge themselues indebted to his highnesse with all faithfull obedience and were readie that daie by Gods grace to submit themselues to him as his humble vassals and subiects And although they doubted not but that his highnesse did well vnderstand and was fullie satisfied not onelie of the generall causes which had vniuersallie mooued the states of the prouinces of the low countries togither to sue to him for succour and to put themselues into his hands but also of the particular causes which the states of that duchie and countrie of Brabant had to renounce their obedience to the king of Spaine yet notwithstanding to the intent to put his highnesse in remembrance therof and to confirme that sacred resolution line 10 and high enterprise of his builded therevpon and moreouer to yeeld some reason of all their dooings to the princes and noblemen and vnto the rest of that whole companie who for the honour of his highnesse were come thither of courtesie to further the solemnitie of his interteinment to the intent that at this his repaire thither which alwaies was called ioifull they might vtter the more good will and gladnesse of heart they would saie no more but this that as long as the dukes of Brabant speciallie since the falling line 20 of that duchie into the hands of the dukes of Burgognie and other the famous ancestors of his highnesse gaue themselues vnto the gouerning of their subiects by themselues thereby making it to appéere that they loued them and were not carelesse of them they reaped so great commodities and notable seruices at their hands that their names and puissances became oftentimes renowmed yea and sometimes dreadfull to the greatest monarchs kings and common-wealths of christendome whereof their line 30 warres and conquests made proofe howbeit that of those things as of matters familiarlie knowne by the histories it was not requisit to make discourse in that place and time which were appointed to greater matters But after that their dukes and princes either by other allurements or being withheld in their other countrie and seigniories began to leaue them for a time and afterward at length to forget them abandoning them to the pleasure and will and sometimes also to the lust and couetousnesse of their vnder line 40 officers whereof the king of Spaine had lastlie finished and perfected vp the worke leauing them disdainefullie as husbandlesse and fatherlesse vtterlie destitute of his presence by the space of twentie yeares it came to passe that hauing altered changed almost all the whole state of the countrie and committed the offices to such as by the lawes and priuileges of the countrie were not capable of them or rather to such as would giue most for them and yet the vnsatiable couetousnesse malice and excéeding line 50 tyrannicall lordlinesse of the Spaniards being not contented therewith in the end when they had abused the whole common-wealth after their owne lust they grew into so great pride that they fell to snatching of the priuat goods and substance of the inhabitants to liuing vpon the labour and sweat of the poore yea and to rauishing the chastitie of mens wiues and daughters and to fill vp the measure of all abhomination and crueltie they fell to taking awaie the liues to sucking the bloud of those which line 60 sought by all meanes to please them Wherevpon in the end the great and righteous God who hath a care of his seruants being offended thereat made that people who had aforetimes beene of great valour to call to mind their former state and libertie and gaue them both will and courage to mainteine the same in such sort as they had receiued from their forefathers Which thing they said could not be better doone than by the election which the said states of Brabant vnited with the other prouinces had made of his highnesse person to be their prince and lord of purpose to bring all things backe to their former order hauing first sought howbeit in vaine for all remedies of their mischiefes and of the disorders of the estate from the causes and welsprings thereof Declaring that the dukes in old time had
the basen which I held with one hand whilest with a handkercher in the otâ—er I wiped from his face and brest a great cold sweat that euen smelt of death as also I perceiued his nostrils to be closed vp his eies sunke and heard the ratling and bloud that stopped him vp Euerie bodie being gone forth I said vnto him My lord straine not your selfe line 60 to speake much onelie begin with the chiefest matters and those that most trouble your conscience and for the rest I will instruct you Then ioining his hands and lifting vp his eies vnto heauen he began to sigh mourne and sob with extreame contrition and griefe which when I perceiued I still indeuoured to assure him in talking to him of God and of the merits of the bloud of Iesus Christ wherein the greater delight that he conceiued the more did he detest himselfe as a most miserable sinner then might you haue séene among much sweat which as pearles ran downe his haire and heard the great teares trickeling downe his eies whiles with great paine he accused himselfe After this diuerse spéeches passed with certeine actions betweene the monsieur and Berson which to omit is lesse offensiue than to publish To procéed then the monsieur lieng in his agonie be thought him amongest other things of his familie and said Alas I mone none but my poore seruants withall that I shall die without celebration of mine Easter will not the Lord grant me that grace Then I promised him that God would heare so iust a petition and therefore willed him a while to haue patience it should not be the first miracle that euer our Lord had wrought Hauing thus spoken certeine ceremonies were solemnlie commensed and finished not without manie speeches interchanged betwéene the monsieur and Berson insomuch that saith he I can not rehearse all that he said vnto me but this I dare assure you that if his health had continued I was thereby in hope of most profitable effects to all christendome and to the estate and quietnesse of our France But we were not worthie our sinnes crieng for vengeance to God who as he punisheth nations by giuing them wicked princes so dooth he also chastise them by taking from them the good euen at such time as they are readie to reléeue vs and afterward we haue cause to lament and moorne His health after this first fit continued a while but by reason of a crum of bread that stucke in the vuula and thereby procured a violent cough with spitting of bloud he fell into it againe and from thensefoorth kept his bed sometimes well and sometimes ill yet eating his meat reasonablie well howbeit gathering no force to the substance of his bodie Finallie the same daie that the physicians after the view of the operation of a medicine had conceiued a better opinion of him than before being saturdaie the ninth of Iune about eight of the clocke at night he was taken with a maruellous shortnesse of wind and a paine in one of his sides and séeing himselfe so taken before anie man spake to him he sent for me saieng Now is the time that I must die you haue greatlie abused me howbeit they vsed all diligence But about midnight when there was no further hope they sent for me When I was come I found the good prince laid in his estate of whome trulie I had no other opinion but that death was at hand and therefore was verie importunat to speake vnto him fearing least he should haue died without the sacrament which so greatlie he had longed for One commendable matter I noted in the nobilitie there present which was that there was not one but did importunatlie vrge to speake vnto him of God for mine owne part I was verie vnpatient euerie one was in feare to speake first One there was that willed me to change mine apparell to put on a blacke garment least he should conceiue anie mistrust How said I can I so doo He hath sent for me and knoweth my clothing if by my spéech he should know me and then find my clothing changed he will enter a greater apprehension of death than before therefore consider of it if anie thing fall out amisse it will be a perpetuall reproch to vs all In the end monsieur Fougier his steward a verie wise man so ordered the matter and with such discretion that he brake with him of it At that time was he ouercome with a drowsie sléepe and still holden with a short wind accompanied with continuall sweats and sometime would aske Doo men die thus On the tenth daie of Iune which was sundaie after diuers ceremoniall actions dispatched and spéeches to and fro vttered with pitifull sighs on all sides of inward setled sorow the monsieur desired that he might sléepe a while but his sleepe was not long yer he awaked when betwixt him and Berson all the rest being gone something was said and doone which belike was not for euerie eare eie to heare or see In the end Berson perceiuing by manifest indications that death preased vpon him vsed these words to the monsieur some of likeliehood being then within the hearing My lord in the beginning of your sickenesse you I made a ioint promise vnto God wherwith I am burdened now therefore I doo vnburden my selfe thereof vnlesse you will helpe to burden me againe We are witnesses that you haue loued God now is the time that you must acknowledge him you are verie sicke but your soule is line 10 sound in your bodie If it please our good God to grant you life he granteth it to the end you should amend so should your selfe be happie and we content that you should liue If he vouchsafe â—o call you into paradise how blessed shall you be or where may you be better So that whatsoeuer happen be it life be it death still shall you be content and happie Resolue your selfe therefore wholie in the will of God All we here are your faithfull seruants and those who euermore haue desired to be so fortunate as to be honored line 20 with your commandements whose eies and eares haue alwaies beene open to heare and obeie you and to fulfill your will neuer did you command anie thing but you were immediatlie obeied Now know you that your selfe are Gods seruant him you must obeie and to his will must you wholie resolue your selfe whether it be his will you should liue or is his pleasure you should die still saie His will be doone line 30 Then with a forced speech this good prince said His will be doone Take no care my lord said I for anie worldlie matters Greatnesse riches and renowme doo perish Paradise is to be found and possessed It is a great matter to be a kings sonne but it is much greater to be the child of God You are now as a child new borne you want nothing but the food of the children
and that the same sundaie morning that the earle murthered himselfe at night he saw the dag lieng vnder the earles beds head The dag was bought not manie daies before of one Adrian Mulan a dagmaker dwelling in east Smithfield as by the said Mulan was testified Viua voce vpon his oth in the open court at the time of the publike declaration made of these matters in the Starchamber All these particularities considered with the depositions and proofs of the witnesse concerning the earles death first how he came by the dag secondlie how long he had kept the same and in what secret maner thirdlie the earles bolting of his chamber dore in the inside fourthlie the blow of the dag fiftlie the breaking vp of the earles chamber doore by the lieutenant of the Tower and lastlie the finding of the earle dead as aforesaid what is he so simple that will thinke or imagine or so impudent and malicious that will auouch and report that the earle of Northumberland should haue béene murthered of purpose by practise or deuise of anie person affecting his destruction in that manner If men consider the inconuenience happened thereby as well in matter of state as commoditie to the quéenes maiestie lost by the preuention of his triall who can in reason coniecture the earle to haue béene murthered of policie or set purpose as the euill affected line 10 séeme to conceiue If the earle had liued to haue receiued the censure of the law for his offenses all lewd and friuolous obiections had then béene answered and all his goods cattels and lands by his atteindor had come vnto hir maiestie and the honour and state of his house and posteritie vtterlie ouerthrowne the consideration and feare whereof appeareth without all doubt to haue béene the principall and onelie cause that made him laie violent hands vpon himselfe If line 20 obiections be made that to murther him in that sort might be a satisfaction to his enimies who could be pacified by no meanes but with his bloud that séemeth to be as improbable for that it is commonlie discerned in the corrupt nature of man that when we are possessed with so profound a hatred as to seeke the death of our enimie we imagine and wish his destruction to be had with the greatest shame and infamie that can be deuised thinke you not then that if the earle of Northumberland had anie line 30 such enimie that knew the danger wherein he stood and that his triall and conuiction by law would draw vpon him the losse of his life lands and goods fame honor and the vtter subuersion of his house would be so kindharted vnto him as to helpe to take awaie his life onelie saue him all the rest I suppose there is no man of iudgement will beléeue it But to returne to the maner of the earles death It was declared by the lord Hunsdon and the lord chiefe baron that the dag wherewith the earle murthered line 40 himselfe was charged with thrée bullets and so of necessitie with more than an ordinarie charge of powder to force that weight of bullets to worke their effect The earle lieng vpon his backe on the left side of his bed tooke the dag charged in his left hand by all likelihood laid the mouth of the dag vpon his left pap hauing first put aside his wastecote and his shirt being onelie betwéene the dag and his bodie which was burnt awaie the breadth of a large hand discharged the same wherewith was made line 50 a large wound in his said pap his heart pearsed and torne in diuerse lobes or péeces thrée of his ribs broken the chinebone of his backe cut almost in sunder and vnder the point of the shoulder blade on the right side within the skin the thrée bullets were found by the lord Hunsdon which he caused the surgion in his presence to cut out lieng all three close togither within the breadth and compasse of an inch or thereabout the bullets were shewed by his lordship at the time of the publication made in the court at the Starchamber line 60 And whereas it hath béene slanderouslie giuen out to the aduantage of the earle as the reporters suppose that he was imprisoned kept in so streict narrow and close roome with such penurie of aire and breath that thereby he grew sickelie and wearie of his life and that to haue béene the cause chieflie why he murthered himselfe if it were so that he died by the violence of his owne hand which they hardlie beléeue To answer that péeuish and senselesse slander there was much spoken by the lord chiefe baron who had viewed and caused verie exactlie to be measured the chambers and roomes within the prison where the earle laie being part of hir maiesties owne lodging in the Tower The particular length and breadth of the said chambers rooms and the qualitie of the lights and windows expressed by the said lord chiefe baron I can not repeat but well I doo remember it was declared that all the daie time the earle had the libertie of fiue large chambers and two long entries within the vtter doore of his prison thrée of which chambers and one of the entries laie vpon two faire gardens within the Tower wall and vpon the Tower wharfe with a pleasant prospect to the Thames and to the countrie more than fiue miles beyond The windowes were of a verie large proportion yéelding so much aire and light as more cannot be desired in anie house Note therefore how maliciouslie those that fauour traitors and treasons can deliuer out these and the like slanderous spéeches to the dishonor of hir maiestie noting hir councellors and ministers with inhumanitie and vncharitable seueritie contrarie to all truth and honestie When the lord chiefe baron had finished this discourse of the manner of the earles death with the circumstances and had satisfied the court and auditorie concerning the qualitie of the prison where the earle had remained sir Christopher Hatton knight hir maiesties vicechamberlaine who as it séemed had béene speciallie imploied by hir maiestie among others of hir priuie councell in the looking into and examining of the treasons aforesaid aswell in the person of the earle as of others and at the time of the earles commitment from his house in S. Martins to the Tower of London sent vnto him from hir maiestie to put the earle in mind of hir maiesties manifold graces and fauors in former times conferred vpon him procéeding from the spring of hir maiesties princelie and bountifull nature and not of his deseruings and to aduise him to deliuer the truth of the matters so cléerelie appearing against him either by his letters priuatlie to hir maiestie or by spéech to maister vicechamberlaine who signified also vnto him that if he would determine to take that course he should not onlie not be committed to the Tower but should find grace fauor at hir maiesties hands
countries and so continued in all ancient times when the seuerall prouinces thereof as Flanders Holland and Zeland and other countries to them adioining were ruled and possessed by seuerall lords and not vnited togither as of late yeares they haue béene by intermarriages and at length by concurrences of manie and sundrie titles haue also béene reduced to be vnder the gouernement of their lords that succéeded to the dukedome of Burgundie whereby there hath béene in former ages manie speciall aliances and confederations not onelie betwixt the kings of England our progenitors and the lords of the said countries of Flanders Holland Zeland and their adherents but also betwixt the verie naturall subiects of both countries as the prelats noblemen citizens burgesses and other communalties of the great cities and port townes of either countrie reciprocallie by speciall obligations and stipulations vnder their seales interchangeablie for maintenance both of commerce and intercourse of merchants also of speciall mutuall amitie to be obserued betwixt the people and inhabitants of both parties as well ecclesiasticall as secular and verie expresse prouision in such treaties conteined for mutuall fauours affections and all other friendlie offices to be vsed and prosecuted by the people of the one nation towards the other By which mutuall bonds there hath continued perpetuall vnions of the peoples hearts togither and so by waie of continuall intercourses from age to age the same mutuall loue hath béene inuiolablie kept and exercised as it had beene by the worke of nature and neuer vtterlie dissolued nor yet for anie long time discontinued howsoeuer the kings and the lords of the countries sometimes though verie rarelie haue béene at difference by sinister meanes of some other princes their neighbours enuieng the felicitie of these two countries And for maintenance and testimonie of these naturall vnions of the peoples of these kingdoms and countries in perpetuall amitie there are extant sundrie authentike treaties and transactions for mutuall commerce intercourse and streict amitie of ancient times as for example some verie solemnelie accorded in the times of king Henrie the sixt our progenitor and Philip the second duke of Burgundie and inheritour to the countie of Flanders by the ladie Margaret his grandmoother which was aboue one hundred fortie yeares past the same also renewed by the noble duke Charles his son father to the king of Spaines grandmoother and husband to the ladie Margaret sister to our great grandfather king Edward the fourth and after that of new ofttimes renewed by our most noble sage grandfather king Henrie the seuenth and the archduke Philip grandfather to the king of Spaine now being and in latter times often renewed betwixt our father of noble memorie king Henrie the eight and Charles the fift emperor of Almaine father also to the present king of Spaine In all which treaties transactions and confederations of amitie and mutuall commerce it was also at all times speciallie and principallie conteined in expresse words by conuentions concords and conclusions that the naturall people and subiects of either side should shew mutuall fauours and duties one to the other and should safelie freelie and securelie commerce togither in euerie their countries and so hath the same mutuall and naturall concourse and commerce béene without interruption continued in manie ages farre aboue the like example of anie other countries in christendome to the honour and strength of the princes and to the singular great benefit and inriching of their people vntill of late line 10 yeares that the king of Spaine departing out of his low countries into Spaine hath beene as it is to be thought counselled by his councellors of Spaine to appoint Spaniards forrenners and strangers of strange bloud men more exercised in warres than in peaceable gouernement and some of them notablie delighted in bloud as hath appeared by their actions to be the chiefest gouernours of all his said low countries contrarie to the ancient lawes and customes thereof hauing great plentie of noble line 20 valiant and faithfull persons naturallie borne and such as the emperour Charles and the king himselfe had to their great honours vsed in their seruice able to haue béene imploied in the rule of those countries But these Spaniards being méere strangers hauing no naturall regard in their gouernement to the maintenance of those countries and people in their ancient and naturall maner of peaceable liuing as the most noble and wise emperor Charles line 30 yea and as his sonne king Philip himselfe had whilest he remained in those countries and vsed the counsels of the states and naturall of the countries not violating the ancient liberties of the countries but contrariwise these Spaniards being exalted to absolute gouernement by ambition and for priuat lucre haue violentlie broken the ancient lawes and liberties of all the countries and in a tyrannous sort haue banished killed and destroied without order of line 40 law within the space of few moneths manie of the most ancient and principall persons of the naturall nobilitie that were most worthie of gouernement And howsoeuer in the beginning of these cruell persecutions the pretense therof was for maintenance of the Romish religion yet they spared not to depriue verie manie catholikes and ecclesiasticall persons of their franchises and priuileges and of the chiefest that were executed of the nobilitie none was in the whole countrie more affected to that religion line 50 than was the noble and valiant countie of Egmond the verie glorie of that countrie who neither for his singular victories in the seruice of the king of Spaine can be forgotten in the true histories nor yet for the crueltie vsed for his destruction to be but for euer lamented in the harts of the naturall people of that countrie And furthermore to bring these whole countries in seruitude to Spaine these forren gouernours haue by long intestine warre with multitude of Spaniards and with some few Italians and Almains line 60 made the greater part of the said countries which with their riches by common estimation answered the emperour Charles equallie to his Indies in a maner desolat and haue also lamentablie destroied by sword famine and other cruell maners of death a great part of the naturall people now the rich townes and strong places being desolate of their naturall inhabitants are held and kept chieflie with force by the Spaniards All which pitifull miseries and horrible calamities of these most rich countries and people are of all their neighbours at this daie euen of such as in ancient time haue beene at frequent discord with them through naturall compassion verie greatlie pitied which appeared speciallie this present yeare when the French king pretended to haue receiued them to his protection had not as the states of the countrie their deputies were answered that certeine vntimelie and vnlooked for complots of the house of Guise stirred and maintained by monie out of Spaine disturbed the good and
countrie in the minoritie of the yoong king there haue risen some inward troubles which for the most part we haue in fauor of the king and his gouernors vsed meanes to pacifie so as at this daie such is the quietnesse in line 60 Scotland as the king our deare brother cousine by name Iames the sixt a prince of great hope for manie good princelie respects reigneth there in honor and loue of his people and in verie good and perfect amitie with vs and our countrie And so our actions at that time came to so good successe by the goodnesse of God as both our owne realme and that of Scotland hath euer since remained in better amitie and peace than can be remembred these manie hundred yeares before and yet nothing hereby doone by vs nor anie cause iustlie giuen but that also the French kings that haue since succéeded which haue béene thrée in number and all brethren haue made and concluded diuerse treaties for good peace with vs which presentlie continue in force on both parties notwithstanding our foresaid actions attempted for remoouing out of Scotland of the said French forces so transported by the onelie direction of the house of Guise And therefore to conclude for the declaration of our present intention at this time we hope it shall of all persons abroad be well interpreted as we know it will be of such as are not led by parcialitie that vpon the often and continuall lamentable requests made to vs by the vniuersall states of the countries of Holland Zeland Guelders and other prouinces with them vnited being desperat of the king of Spaines fauours for our succours to be yéelded to them onelie for their defense against the Spaniards and other strangers and therewith finding manifestlie by our often and importunat requests and aduises giuen to the king of Spaine no hope of reliefe of these their miseries but rather an increase thereof by dailie conquests of their townes and slaughter of their people though in verie truth we cannot impute the increase of anie late cruelties to the person of him that now hath the title of generall gouernor shewing his naturall disposition more inclinable to mercie and clemencie than it seemeth he can direct the hearts of the Spaniards vnder him that haue béene so long trained in shedding of bloud vnder the former Spanish gouernors and ioining therevnto our owne danger at hand by the ouerthrow and destruction of our neighbours and accesse and planting of the great forces of the Spaniards so néere to our countries with precedent arguments of manie troublesome attempts against our realme we did therefore by good aduise and after long deliberation determine to send certeine companies of souldiors to aid the naturall people of those countries onelie to defend them and their townes from sacking and desolation thereby to procure them safetie to the honor of God whome they desire to serue sincerelie as christian people according to his holie word and to inioie their ancient liberties for them and their posteritie and so consequentlie to preserue and continue the lawfull and ancient commerce betwixt our people and those countries and ours And so we hope our intention herein and our subsequent actions will be by Gods fauour both honorablie interpreted of all persons sauing of the oppressors themselues and their partizans in that we meane not hereby either for ambition or malice the two roots of all iniustice to make anie particular profit hereof to our selfe or to our people onelie desiring at this time to obteine by Gods fauour for the countries a deliuerance of them from warre by the Spaniards and forraines a restitution of their ancient liberties and gouernement by some christian peace and thereby a suertie for our selues and our realme to be frée from inuading neighbors and our people to inioie in those countries their lawfull commerce and intercourse of friendship merchandize according to the ancient vsage and treatâ—ies of intercourse made betwixt our progenitors and the lords and earles of those countries and betwixt our people and the people of those countries And though our further intention also is or maie be to take into our gard some few townes vpon the sea side next opposite to our realme which otherwise might be in danger to be taken by the strangers enimies of the countrie yet therein considering we haue no meaning at this time to take and reteine the same to our owne proper vse we hope that all persons will thinke it agreeable with good reason and princelie policie that we should haue the gard and vse of some such places for sure accesse and recesse of our people and souldiors in safetie and for furniture of them with vittels and other things requisit and necessarie whilest it shall be néedfull for them to continue in those countries for the aiding thereof in these their great calamities miseries and imminent danger and vntill the countries may be deliuered of such strange forces as doo now oppresse them and recouer their ancient lawfull liberties and maner of gouernement to liue in peace as they haue heretofore doone and doo now most earnestlie line 10 in lamentable manner desire to doo which are the verie onelie true ends of all our actions now intended howsoeuer malicious toongs maie vtter their cankred conceits to the contrarie as at this daie the world aboundeth with such blasphemous reports in writings and infamous libels as in no age the diuell hath more abounded with notable spirits replenished with all wickednesse to vtter his rage against professors of christian religion But thereof we leaue the reuenge to God the searcher of hearts line 20 hoping that he beholding the sinceritie of our heart will grant good successe to our intentions whereby a christian peace may insue to his diuine honor and comfort to all them that loue peace trulie and will séeke it sincerelie An addition to the declaration touching the slanders published of hir maiestie AFter we had finished our declaration there came to our hands a pamphlet written in Italian printed at Milan intituled Nuouo aduiso directed to the archbishop of Milan conteining a report of the expugnation of Antwerp by the prince of Parma by the which we found our selfe most maliciouslie charged with two notable crimes no lesse hatefull to the world than most repugnant and contrarie to our owne naturall inclinâ—â—ion line 40 The one with ingratitude towards the king of Spaine who as the author saith saued our life being iustlie by sentence adiudged to death in our sisters time the other that there were some persons procured to be corrupted with great promises and that with our intelligence as the reporter addeth in a parenthesis in these words as it was said that the life of the prince of Parma should be taken awaie And for the better proouing and countenancing of this horrible lie it is further added in line 50 the said pamphlet that it pleased the Lord God to discouer this and
of them were likewise arreigned at Westminster who pleading not giltie were tried by a iurie found giltie and had iudgement accordinglie The effect of whose treasons shortlie to touch them were these Iohn Sauage remaining long in France at Rheims was persuaded by doctor Gilbert Gifford that great honor should redound to him if he would take in hand to change religion to inuade the realme by forren power to dispossesse the quéene of England and to proclame the Scotish queene and set hir in hir place All which Sauage promised to doo or else to lose his life and therevpon returned into England where he imparted his purpose to Anthonie Babington requiring his aid therein Then Iohn Ballard préest also persuaded the said Babington to the purpose before expressed promising him aid of threescore thousand men that secretlie should be landed and told him both how when as he thought Wherevpon Babington promised and concluded to make a slaughter vpon the councell of hir maiestie in the Starchamber then to haue sacked London to haue burned the nauie and chéefest ships to kill or displace the lords knights and magistrats that remained true subiects to our right lawfull quéene and realme and also to haue cloied and poisoned the greatest ordinance c. These were their purposes Now touching the names of the traitors their behauiours and speaches with the maner of their executions you shall vnderstand that vpon the twentith daie of September being tuesdaie Iohn Ballard a preest and first persuader of Babington to these odious treasons was laid alone vpon an hurdell and six others two and two in like sort all drawne from Tower hill through the citie of London vnto a field at the vpper end of Holborne hard by the high waie side to saint Giles in the field where was erected a scaffold for their execution a paire of gallows of extraordinarie hight as was that wherevpon haughtie Haman was hanged for his ambition c the place likewise so railed to kéepe off horssemen as the people might plainelie see the execution On the first daie the traitors were placed vpon the scaffold that the one might behold the reward of his fellowes treason Ballard the preest who was the first brocher of this treason was the first that was hanged who being cut downe according to iudgement was dismembred his bellie ript vp his bowels and traitorous heart taken out throwne into the fire his head also seuered from his shoulders was set on a short stake vpon the top of the gallows and the trunke of his bodie quartered and imbrued in his owne bloud wherewith the executioners hands were bathed and some of the standers by but to their great loathing as not able for their liues to auoid it such was the throng beesprinkled This Ballard at the verie time of his death not denieng his treason died an obstinate papist and in his protestation doubtfullie said that If he had offended the queens maiestie or anie man else he was sorie and so conditionallie desired forgiuenesse The malicious affection of his heart towards hir highnesse appeared in the trembling passage of death that whereas his treasons were impious odious and damnable as the most wicked to wit his confederats for the most part confessed as the common fame goeth that they excéeded the greatnesse of hir maiesties mercie which maie not be measured where there is anie measure in offending And yet in his desire of remission at hir highnesse hands he added this condition If as one that doubted if he had offended hir person Next vnto this préest Anthonie Babington was made readie to the gallowes who in euerie point was handled like vnto Ballard in whome a signe of his former pride was to be obserued For whereas the rest through the cogitation of death were exercised in praier vpon their knées and bare-headed he whose turne was next stood on his féet line 10 with his hat on his head as if he had béene but a beholder of the execution Concerning his religion he died a papist His treasons were so odious as the sting of conscience compelled him to acknowledge himselfe a most gréeuous trespasser against the diuine maiestie and the quéens highnesse Next vnto Babington Sauage was likewise prepared for the execution This notable traitor as the fame goeth was the man that conferred with doctor Gifford at Paris and by the confirmations of the line 20 English fugitiues at Rhemes was resolued and resolutelie determined to kill the quéene It is likewise said that vpon the apprehension of Ballard the préest Babington accellerated and hastened this Sauage to dispatch his resolution and that he onelie deferred the matter for the making of a court-like sute of apparell When Sauage was executed Barnewell was made readie to die an obstinat papist who for his treason made conscience his best excuse howbeit a line 30 rotten conscience which was infected with the murther of a vertuous quéene which sith it was so bad few there were that heard him but forbad their conscience to pitie him otherwise than charitablie to be sorowfull for his offense deseruing so shamefull a fall and damnable before God and man After this Barnewell Tichborns turne was serued a proper yoong gentleman whose humilitie and mone moued much compassion Tilneie one of the queens maiesties pensioners next vnto Tichborne made worke for the hangman a wretch well worthie of line 40 death who went about to take awaie hir highnesse life The last of these seuen that suffered was Edward Abington whose father was an officer of good credit in hir highnesse house and for manie aduancements was bound to saie God saue good Q. Elisabeth But his sonne was a notable papist an archtraitor who at his death did all that in him laie to fix a feare in the hearts of the ignorant multitude with this speech that there could not choose but be great effusion of bloud in England verie shortlie But line 50 Gods prouidence maketh it apparant that the prophesies of traitors prooue not euermore scripture For Throgmorton the traitor said that before one yeare was expired the prosperitie peace of England should be turned into generall calamitie Howbeit the date of that diuination is out they both as maie béetide the rest of that rebellious rout in their appointed time by Gods grace partakers of semblable destinie This Abington was the last of the first seuen that were executed and thus ended line 60 that daies worke to the comfort of Israell for that the execrable thing which troubled the whole land and highlie offended the diuine maiestie was taken awaie On the daie following according to generall expectation being the one and twentith daie of September Salisburie was laid alone vpon an hurdell and other six two and two in like maner all drawne from Tower hill through the citie of London vnto the former place of execution Salisburie was the first
of a marriage that gaue suspicion of treason against him Herein we your maiesties most louing and obedient subiects earnestlie depend vpon your princelie resolution which we assure our selues shall be to God most acceptable and line 40 to vs no other than the state of your regall authoritie maie affoord vs and the approoued arguments of your tender care for our safetie vnder your charge dooth promise to our expectation A REPORT OF HIR MAIESTIES most gratious answer deliuered by hir selfe verballie to the first petitions of the lords and commons being the estates of parlement in hir chamber of presence at Richmond the twelfe daie of line 50 Nouember 1586 at the full almost of eight and twentie yeares of hir reigne Whereof the reporter requireth of all that were hearers a fauorable interpretation of his intent because he findeth that he can not expresse the same answerable to the originall which the learned call Prototypon THe bottomlesse graces and immesurable benefits bestowed vpon me by the almightie are and haue béene such as I must not onelie acknowledge them but line 60 admire them accounting them as well miracles as benefits not so much in respect of his diuine maiestie with whome nothing is more common than to doo things rare and singular as in regard of our weakenesse who can not sufficientlie set foorth his woonderfull works and graces which to me haue béene so manie so diuerselie folded and imbroidered one vpon another as in no sort I am able to expresse them And although there liueth not anie that maie more iustlie acknowledge themselues infinitelie bound vnto God than I whose life he hath miraculouslie preserued at sundrie times beyond my merit from a multitude of perils dangers yet is not that the cause for which I count my selfe the deepeliest bound to giue him my humblest thanks or to yéeld him greatest recognition but this which I shall tell you hereafter which will deserue the name of woonder if rare things and seldome séene be worthie of account Euen this it is that as I came to the crowne with the willing hearts of my subiects so doo I now after eight and twentie yeares reigne perceiue in you no diminution of good wils which if happilie I should want well might I breath but neuer thinke I liued And now albeit I find my life hath béene full dangerouslie sought and death contriued by such as no desert procured yet am I therein so cleare from malice which hath the propertie to make men glad at the fals and faults of their foes and make them séeme to doo for other causes when rancor is the ground as I protest it is and hath béene my gréeuous thought that one not different in sex of like estate and my neere kin should fall into so great a crime yea I had so little purpose to pursue hir with anie colour of malice that as it is not vnknowen to some of my lords here for now I will plaie the blab I secretlie wrote hir a letter vpon the discouerie of sundrie treasons that if she would confesse them and priuatlie acknowledge them by hir letters to my selfe she neuer should néed be called for them into so publike question Neither did I it of mind to circumuent hir for then I knew as much as she could confesse and so did I write And if euen yet now that the matter is made but too apparant I thought she trulie would repent as perhaps she would easilie appeare in outward shew to doo and that for hir none other would take the matter vpon them or that we were but as two milke maids with pailes vpon our armes or that there were no more dependencie vpon vs but mine owne life were onelie in danger and not the whole estate of your religion and well dooings I protest wherein you maie beléeue me for though I maie haue manie vices I hope I haue not accustomed my toong to be an instrument of vntruth I would most willinglie pardon and remit this offense Or if by my death other nations and kingdoms might trulie saie that this realme had attained an euer prosperous and florishing estate I would I assure you not desire to liue but gladlie giue my life to the end my death might procure you a better prince And for your sakes it is that I desire to liue to kéepe you from a woorse For as for me I assure you I find no great cause I should be fond to liue I take no such pleasure in it that I should much wish it nor conceiue such terror in death that I should greatlie feare it and yet I saie not but if the stroke were comming perchance flesh and bloud would be mooued with it and séeke to shun it I haue had good experience and triall of this world I know what it is to be a subiect what to be a souereigne what to haue good neighbors and sometime méet euill willers I haue found treason in trust séene great benefits little regarded and in stead of gratefulnesse courses of purpose to crosse These former remembrances present féeling and future expectation of euils I saie haue made me thinke An euill is much the better the lesse while it indureth so them happiest that are soonest hense and taught me to beare with a better mind these treasons than is common to my sex yea with a better heart perhaps than is in some men Which I hope you will not meerelie impute to my simplicitie or want of vnderstanding but rather that I thus conceiued that had their purposes taken effect I should not haue found the blow before I had felt it and though my perill should haue béene great my paine should haue béene but small and short wherein as I would be loth to die so bloudie a death so doubt I not but God would haue giuen me grace to be prepared for such an euent chance when it shall which I refer vnto his good pleasure And now as touching their treasons and conspiracies togither with the contriuer of them I will not so preiudicat my selfe and this my realme as to saie line 10 or thinke that I might not without the last statute by the ancient laws of this land haue procéeded against hir which was not made particularlie to preiudice hir though perhaps it might then be suspected in respect of the disposition of such as depend that waie It was so far from being intended to intrap hir that it was rather an admonition to warne the danger thereof but sith it is made and in the force of a law I thought good in that which might concerne hir to proceed according therevnto line 20 rather than by course of common law wherein if you the iudges haue not deceiued me or that the books you brought me were not false which God forbid I might as iustlie haue tried hir by the ancient laws of the land But you lawiers are so nice in sifting and scanning euerie word and letter that manie times you stand more vpon forme
strangelie saued from drowning 41 b 30. Hanged for fauouring rebels 943 a 60 Butterwife set on the pillorie 702 b 40 C. CAdwallon prince of Wales slaine 103 b 20 Caen taken by the English 559 b 60. Besieged and yéelded to the French king 630 a 50 Cages and stocks ordeined 792 a 10 Caldwell doctor in physicke founder of surgerie lecture in London note 1349 a 20 c. Deceaseth his distributions in his life and bequests after his death his commentaries vpon Paulus Aegineta and other books his infirmitie that was his end his age 1369 b 10 c. His armes blasoned his epitaph 1370 a 10 20 Calendar ¶ Sée Kalendar Calis the French commissioners would haue rased to the ground 480 a 40. PreparacioÌ„ made to win it the enimies frustrated 536 b 10 40. Besieged note the commodiousnesse of that towne 373 b 10. Surrendred to Edward the third vpon what conditions 377 b 60. Inexpugnable note 375 a 10. Six burgesses thereof presented to Edward the third 378 a 10. yéelded to the king of England 378 a 30. Made a colonie oâ— English a practise to betraie it Edward the third passeth ouer secretlie thither 378 a 30 40 b 40 60. Not furnished with a sufficient number of men deliuered to the French 1135 a 10 b 60. Rifled spoiled by the French the poorest auoid out of the same conquered and lost in lesse than eight yéeres how long in possession of the kings of England 1136 a 10 50 b 10 20. Hauen the Frenchmens mening to destroie the same disappointed 878 b 50. How the French were in loue with it after it was lost note the words of the lord Cordes 771 a 20. King Henrie the seauenth saileth thither 788 a 10 c. The mart of all English commodities kept there 778 a 20. The duke of Burgognies armie of 40000 men 613 b 60. Besieged he breaketh vp his sieâ—e and flieth 614 a 20 b 30. A report that Richard the second ment to resigne it into the French kings hands 462 b 10. The ioie that the French made euerie waie for the getting of it 1136 b 60 1137 a 10. The French king goeth to visit Calis 1141 b 20. The losse thereof with what indignation quéene Marie taketh it 1149 b 40. Might haue béene recouered from the French 1150 b 60. The eleuenth king from the conquest got it and the eleuenth againe after him lost it 1161 b 10. Quéene Marie pensile for the losse of it the cause of hir sicknesse and death 1151 b 10 20. Triumphs in France for the geâ—ting againe thereof 1141 a 30. ¶ Sée Calis Duke and Uictorie Caluerleie knight a valiant capteine 418 b 60. He recouereth Marke castell 419 a 10. His exploits against the French 419 b 10. His valiantnes 422 b 50 Cambridge quéene Elisabeths progresse thither 1206 b 20 c. Presenteth a â—aire statelie cup to quéene Elisabeth 1299 a 10. ¶ Sée Emanuell college Campeius refuseth to giue iudgement in the matter of Henrie the eight his vnlawfull mariage with quéen Katharine 908 b 50 60. ¶ Sée Cardinall Campians description of cardinall Woolseie 917 b 20 ¶ See préests seminarie Campbell a Scotish pirat or rouer taken on the sea 872 b 20 Canons regular put in préests places 100 a 10. Of Yorke refuse to receiue the archbishop of Canturburie as their primat 147 b 60 Canonizing of kings déere 691 a 40 Canturburie ¶ Sée archbishoprike Canutus ment to haue attempted a subduing of London and what hindered 7 a 30. Discomfited by the Normans retireth to his ships 7 a 40. ¶ See Osâ—orne Cardinall Campeius sent into England about Henrie the eight his vnlawfull mariage 906 b 60 Sent from the pope the causes of his staieng at Calis receiued with great pompe what trash was inclosed in his chests the pomp of him and Woolseie going to the court 845 a 10 c. Of Canturburie thought the fittest man to deale with the quéene for surrendring hir sonne 717 a 50 he vseth another waie to persuade hir 720 b 20. De Comos letter to Parrie touching resolution to kill the quéene 1388 b 10 c. Gualo commeth ouer into England 192 a 20. A couetous prelat and fauourer of king Iohn 187 b 20. Iohannes de Anagnia prohibited to passe no further into England than Douer 120 a 60 b 10. Nicholas sent into England to take awaie the interdiction 181 b 20. Octauianus legat into Ireland 110 b 30. And what words Richard the first vsed to him against Rome 123 b 50. Otho commeth into England the lords grudge at his receiuing without their knowledge he is praised for his sober behauiour strifes by him are compounded 221 b 30 c. He holdeth a synod at London he goeth to Oxford a fraie betwixt his men the scholers his cooke slaine he complaineth to the king he cursseth the misdooers 222 a 10 c. Made to blush at a Charterhouse moonks words 225 b 10. Lieth in the wind still for the popes profit 224 a 40 c b 40. Beginneth to looke to his owne commoditie 224 a 10. His persuasions to the English cleargie touching tribute to the pope frustrate 208 a 40 50 c b 10. Peito become a begging frier 1365 b 10. Petrus Hispanus sent from the pope the cause of his comming his demand of monie of religious houses 315 b 50 60. He preacheth cursseth Bruse the vsurper 316 a 10. Piergot his trauell to treat a peace betwéene both kings of England France 388 b 40 note Poole made archbishop of Canturburie 1132 a 10. Was to reduce the church of England to the popes obedience 1092 a 10. Sent for home into England 1092 b 60 The councell diuided about the receiuing of him 1093 a 10. Arriueth at Douer his restitution in bloud commeth to the parlement house his oration there tending to the publike estate 1122 all Against the pope 1365 a 60. CoÌ„meth to Pauls crosse in great pompe 1126 a 60. A supplication exhibited vnto him his authoritie apostolike note 1123 a 60. His malâ—ce against Henrie the eight 1134 b 60. Boners letter touching persecution vnto him staieth Boners crueltie somewhat a papist but no blâ—udie papist halfe suspected for a Lutheran at Rome an errant traitor seditious and impudent his treasons detected by his owne brother woorse than a pagan 1164 all Unkind to Henrie the â—ight that brought him vp the manner of his death anâ— distribution of his goods 1165 a 10 20 c. Deceaseth described 1162 a 60 earnest in burning the bones of the dead b 10 articles touching the cleargie to be inquired of in his visitation 30 c and the laitie 1163 a 30. Of Praxed liberall of the faculties note 428 b 60 429 a 10 c. Uiuiano of S. Stephans in mount Celio 100 a 40. Of Winchester complained against by the duke of Glocester 620 a 50 c. Otherwise called the rich cardinall deceaseth note 627 b 20. Woolseie ¶ Sée Woolseie Cardinall commeth into
Richard king Richard that it might haue béene after said that he was speciallie chosen by God and in maner by miracle But this deuise quailed either by the protectors negligence or the preachers ouermuch diligence For while the protector found by the waie tarieng least he should preuent those words and the doctor fearing that he should come yer his sermon could come to these words hasted his matter thereto he was come to them and past them and entred into other matters yer the protector came Whome when he beheld comming he suddenlie left the matter with line 10 which he was in hand and without anie deduction therevnto out of all order and out of all frame began to repeat those words againe This is the verie noble prince the speciall patrone of knightlie prowesse which as well in all princelie behauior as in the lineaments fauor of his visage representeth the verie face of the noble duke of Yorke his father this is the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the verie print of his visage the sure vndoubted image the plaine expresse likenesse of the noble duke line 20 whose remembrance can neuer die while he liueth While these words were in speaking the protector accompanied with the duke of Buckingham went through the people into the place where the doctors commonlie stand in the vpper storie where he stood to hearken the sermon But the people were so farre fro crieng K. Richard that they stood as they had béene turned into stones for woonder of this shamefull sermon After which once ended the preacher gat him home and neuer after durst looke out for shame but line 30 kept him out of sight like an owle And when he once asked one that had béene his old friend what the people talked of him all were it that his owne conscience well shewed him that they talked no good yet when the tother answered him that there was in euerie mans mouth spoken of him much shame it so strake him to the heart that within few daies after he withered and consumed awaie for verie thought and inward pine procured by irrecouerable cares whose nature is noted by obseruation of their effects line 40 Attenuant vigiles corpus miserabile curae Then on the tuesdaie following this sermon there came to the Guildhall in London the duke of Buckingham accompanied with diuerse lords and knights mo than happilie knew the message that they brought And there in the east end of the hall where the maior kéepeth the Hustings the maior and all the aldermen being assembled about him all the commons of the citie gathered before them After silence commanded vpon great paine in the protectors line 50 name the duke stood vp and as he was neither vnlearned and of nature maruelouslie well spoken he said vnto the people with a cleare and lowd voice in this maner of wise The duke of Buckinghams oration to the assemblie of the maior aldermen and commoners FRiends for the zeale and heartie line 60 fauour that we beare you we be comen to breake vnto you of a matter right great and weightie and no lesse weightie than pleasing to God and profitable to all the realme nor to no part of the realme more profitable than to you the citizens of this noble citie For whie that thing that we wote well ye haue long time lacked and sore longed for that yee would haue giuen great good for that yee would haue gone farre to fetch that thing we be come hither to bring you without your labour paine cost aduenture or ieopardie What thing is that Certes the suertie of your owne bodies the quiet of your wiues and your daughters the safegard of your goods of all which things in times past ye stood euermore in doubt For who was there of you all that would reckon himselfe lord of his own goods among so manie grens traps as was set therefore among so much pilling and polling among so manie taxes and tallages of which there was neuer end oftentimes no need Or if anie were it rather grew of riot and vnreasonable wast than anie necessarie or honourable charge So that there was dailie pilled fro good men and honest great substance of goods to be lashed out among vnthrifts so far forth that fifteenes sufficed not nor anie vsuall names of knowne taxes but vnder an easie name of beneuolence and good will the commissioners so much of euerie man tooke as no man could with his good will haue giuen As though that name of beneuolence had signified that euerie man should paie not what himselfe of his owne good will list to grant but what the king of his good will list to take Which neuer asked little but euerie thing was hawsed aboue the measure amercements turned into fines fines into ransoms small trespasses into misprison misprison into treason Whereof I thinke no man looketh that we should remember you of examples by name as though Burdet were forgotten that was for a word spoken in hast cruellie beheaded by the misconstruing of the laws of this realme for the princes pleasure With no lesse honour to Markam then cheefe iustice that left the benefit dignitie of his office rather than he would assent to the dishonestie of those that either for feare or flatterie gaue that iudgement What Cooke your owne worshipfull neighbour alderman and maior of this noble citie who is of you so either negligent that he knoweth not or so forgetfull that he remembreth not or so hard hearted that he pittieth not that worshipfull mans losse What speake we of losse His vtter spoile and vndeserued destruction onelie for that it hapned those to fauour him whome the prince fauoured not We need not I suppose to rehearse of these anie mo by name sith there be I doubt not manie heere present that either in themselues or in their nigh friends haue knowne as well their goods as their persons greatlie indangered either by feigned quarels or small matters aggreeued with heinous names And also there was no crime so great of which there could lacke a pretext For sith the king preuenting the time of this inheritance atteined the crowne by battell it sufficed in a rich man for a pretext of treason to haue beene of kinred or aliance neer familiaritie or legier acquaintance with anie of those that were at anie time the kings enimies which was at one time and other more than halfe the relme Thus were neither your goods in suertie and yet they brought your bodies in ieopardie beside the common aduenture of open warre which albeit that it is euer the will and occasion of much mischeefe yet is it neuer so mischeeuous as where any people fall at distance among themselues nor in none earthlie nation so deadlie and so line 10 pestilent as when it hapneth among vs and among vs neuer so long continued dissention nor so manie batels in that season nor so cruell
amongst the which were the earle Fernaugus the bishop of Constance and manie other notable personages And amongst the dead were the earle of saint Agnau and his sonne the earle of Chasteaurousse the sonne of the marshall of France Biron monsieur de Saisonall gouernor of Uilnord the sonne of the lord Miranbeau and others A maruellous act of citizens in their defense without anie soldiors against old soldiors and tried men of armes and number of so great nobilitie A maruellous continencie clemencie of rough citizens against their enimies in kéeping their hands from the killing of prisoners whome they had in their power and surelie a woonderfull worke of God The prince of Orange with others had refused to go foorth and his danger was not small with other gentlemen more and lords of the religion The prince Dolphin the earle Lamall and others were with the duke lookers on and intercessors for their friends whom they reckoned dead After that fact the duke with his campe was forced for lacke of vittels and necessaries to retire him with his armie toward Machlin and from thense with great difficultie passing great waters with losse of manie a man got to Dermond where he was kept in by the generall Norris with three and twentie ensignes Englishmen and Scots so that he lacked vittels and necessaries whereby he was forced as also to haue his prisoners restored to enter into a treatie with the estates to surrender all the townes by his men possessed and to retire him to Dunkirke where further with the estates by intercession of princes was hoped a reconcilement to be made But he séeing the countrie vnwilling and finding himselfe sicke as it was thought of melancholie he retired from Dunkirke toward France And so as he was retired the prince of Parma for king Philip caused Dunkirke to be besieged few Frenchmen left within it And as the states Generall and the prince of Orange would haue sent thither to rescue the towne the marshall Biron with his Frenchmen and Swissers the Flemings chéeflie they of Gaunt partlie for hatred of the French and partlie that manie now were become Spanish would not suffer him to come ouer into Flanders whereby Dunkirke was forced to surrender and this losse being imputed to the duke increased his sickenesse so that he died at Chasteau Thierie the tenth of Iulie 1583 was roiallie buried at saint Diones by Paris ¶ But before we passe the absolute cōmemoration of the monsieur sith in some remembrances we haue atteined to a perfection it shall not be amisse héere to annex the manner of his sicknesse as also the verie speeches which he vttered as they are reported by Iames Berson Parisien preacher to the French king and to the said monsieur in a discourse by him published vnder the title of A funerall complaint c. Wherein whatsoeuer is spoken deserueth the greater credit for that the said Berson was vpon his owne certeine knowledge able to giue out the truth and therfore intimateth to the readers of his treatise that they are not to looke for either flatteries or hautie proud and lieng arguments he being the man who assuredlie was able to answer and beare witnes of the pietie religion and departure of monsieur a sonne of France and the kings onelie brother in the fauor of God as the same vpon whome he reposed himselfe concerning his conscience soule and saluation and hauing from the beginning of his sickenes administred vnto him the holie sacrament and did assist him to the end You are therfore to vnderstand that after my said lords crosse haps and danger of life in the low countries and his returne into his duchie of Castle Thierie his naturall brotherlie resolution taken to go alone to Paris there to yéeld him selfe to his maiesties armes a déed to be accounted and taken as a strong bulworke against whatsoeuer the popular and enuious slanders after his returne home he conceiued an extreame contentation in dailie hearing of sermons yea not satisfied with the onelie hearing of them he greatlie delited to talke of the same also to haue the same repeated vnto him Thus did our Lord in conuenient time dispose his soule which he purposed shortlie to visit in his next sickenesse and that was an ague that continued without equalitie vntill the thirtéenth of March and then he fell into so strange a iudgement that all euen the physicians began to doubt of him For a flux of bloud issued so continuallie out of his nose and mouth that they were still forced to hold him line 10 a basen whereinto he voided the pure and cléere bloud When all men were as it were astonied therat himselfe began with a perfect mind and vnderstanding to saie My friends helpe me will you suffer a christian prince thus to die Now is the time come that God will call me to account cause monsieur Berson to come hither When I came ha monsieur Berson said this good prince I am dead I must acknowledge my God my frend flatter me not I will reconcile my selfe line 20 Alas I am a great sinner will not God haue mercie on me Will not he forgiue me I answered There is no dout my lord but vpon humbling your selfe before his holie maiestie with contrition you shall obteine remission of your sinnes My lord you are verie sicke I will not flatter with you but your whole life and your selfe resteth in the hands of God Sickenes is naturall or sent by God for a warning if your disease be naturall there is hope we will vse all means for remedie On the one side the physicians line 30 are here readie who shall imploie themselues On the other side all the world is in praier deuotion for your health If it procéedeth from God it is a warning to you for the rest of your life to the end to draw you neerer to him either else to aduertise you of your naturall condition that is that you are mortall must once paie this debt and restore your soule to God who lent it to you at whatsoeuer time he shall call for it Now my lord sith we can not certeinlie discerne the one from the other is it not best line 40 for you to conforme your will to Gods will Also in case God granteth you to ouerliue this sickenesse are you not resolued to better your life and to liue more in his feare than before Againe if he be determined to call you out of this world are not you content to go into Abrahams bosome and there to rest vnder the protection of his mercie Resolue your selfe my lord you haue a goodlie soule I am said this good prince fullie resolued in the will of my God let him doo with me whatsoeuer line 50 shall please him onelie that he will vouchsafe to haue mercie on me I wold reconcile me but I shall hardlie speake and in truth the bloud still belched out into
ordinance the victorie and the cause why the rebels preuailed not was bicause all the catholikes had not béene dulie informed that the queenes maiestie was declared to be as they terme it an heretike which want of information to the intent to make the rebels mightier in number and power was diligentlie and cunninglie supplied by the sending into the realme of a great multitude of the seminaries and Iesuits whose speciall charge was to informe the people thereof as by their actions hath manifestlie appéered A supplement to amend the former errour And though doctor Sanders hath thus written yet it may be said by such as fauoured the two notable Iesuits one named Robert Persons who yet hideth himselfe in corners to continue his traitorous practise the other named Edmund Campion who was found out being disguised like a roister and suffered for his treasons that doctor Sanders treason is his proper treason in allowing of the said bull and not to be imputed to Persons and Campion Therefore to make it plaine that these two by speciall authoritie had charge to execute the sentence of this bull these acts in writing following shall make manifest which are not fained or imagined but are the verie writings taken about one of their complices euen immediatlie after Campions death although Campion before his death would not be knowen of anie such matter Whereby may appéere what trust is to be giuen to the words of such pseudomartyrs Facultates concessae pp. Roberto Personio Edmundo Campiano pro Anglia die 14 Aprilis 1580. PEtatur à summo domino nostro explicatio bulla declaratoria per Pium Quintum contra Elisabetham ei adhaerentes quam catholici cupiunt intelligi hoc modo vt obliget semper illam haereticos catholicos vero nullo modâ— obliget rebus sic stantibus sed tum demum quando publica eiusdem bullae executio fieri poterit Then followed manie other petitions of faculties for their further authorities which are not néedfull for this purpose to be recited but in the end followeth this sentence as an answer of the popes Has praedictas gratias concessit summus pontifex patri Roberto Personio Edmundo Campiano in Angliam profecturis die 14 Aprilis 1580. Praesente patre Oliueriâ— Manarco assistence The English of which Latine sentences is as followeth Faculties granted to the two fathers Robert Persons and Edmund Campion for England the fourteenth daie of Aprill 1580. LEt it be asked or required of our most holie lord the explication or meaning of the bull declaratorie made by Pius the fift against Elisabeth such as doo adhere or obeie hir which bull the catholikes desire to be vnderstood in this maner that the same bull shall alwaies bind hir and the heretikes but the catholikes it shall by no meanes bind as matters or things doo now stand or be but hereafter when the publike execution of that bull maie be had or made Then in the end the conclusion was thus added The highest pontife or bishop granted these foresaid graces to father Robert Persons Edmund Campion who are now to take their iournies into England the 14 daie of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and eightie Being present the father Oliuerius Manarke assistant Hereby it is manifest what authoritie Campion had to impart the contents of the bull against the quéens maiestie howsoeuer he himselfe denied the same for this was his errand And though it be manifest that these two Iesuits Parsons and Campion not onelie required to haue the popes mind declared for the bull but also in their owne petitions shewed how they and other catholikes did desire to haue the said bull to be vnderstood against the quéene of England yet to make the matter more plaine how all other Iesuits and seminaries line 10 yea how all papists naming themselues catholikes doo or are warranted to interpret the said bull against hir maiestie and hir good subiects howsoeuer they will disguise it you shall see what one of their fellowes named Hart who was condemned with Campion and yet liueth did amongst manie other things declare his knowledge thereof the last daie of December in the same yeare one thousand fiue hundred and eightie in these words following The bull of Pius Quintus for so much line 20 as it is against the quéene is holden amongest the English catholikes for a lawfull sentence and a sufficient discharge of hir subiects fidelitie and so remaineth in force but in some points touching the subiects it is altered by the present pope For where in that bull all hir subiects are commanded not to obeie hir and she being excommunicate and deposed all that doo obeie hir are likewise innodate and accurssed which point is perillous to the cathâ—likes for if they obeie hir they be in the popes cursse line 30 and if they disobeie hir they are in the quéenes danger therefore the present pope to reléeue them hath altered that part of the bull and dispensed with them to obeie and serue hir without perill of excommunication which dispensation is to indure but till it please the pope otherwise to determine Wherefore to make some conclusion of the matters before mentioned all persons both within the realme and abroad maie plainelie perceiue that all the infamous libels latelie published abroad in sundrie line 40 languages and the slanderous reports made in other princes courts of a multitude of persons to haue béene of late put to torments and death onelie for profession of the catholike religion and not for matters of state against the queenes maiestie are false and shamelesse and published to the maintenance of traitors and rebels And to make the matter seeme more horrible or lamentable they recite the particular names of all the persons which by their owne catalog exceed not for these fiue and line 50 twentie yeares space aboue the number of thrée score forgetting or rather with their stonie and senselesse harts not regarding in what cruell sort in the time of quéene Marie which little excéeded the space of fiue yeares the quéenes maiesties reigne being fiue times as manie there were by imprisonment torments famine and fire of men women maidens and children almost the number of foure hundred besides such as were secretlie line 60 murthered in prisons and of that number aboue twentie that had béene archbishops bishops and principall prelats or officers in the church lamentablie destroied and of women aboue thrée score and of children aboue fortie and amongest the women some great with child and one out of whose bodie the child by fire was expelled aliue and yet also cruellie burned examples beyond all heathen crueltie And most of the youth that then suffered cruell death both men women and children which is to be noted were such as had neuer by the sacrament of baptisme or by confirmation professed or was euer taught or instructed or euer had heard of anie other kind
of religion but onelie of that which by their bloud and death in the fire they did as true martyrs testifie A matter of an other sort to be lamented in a christian charitie with simplicitie of words and not with puffed eloquence than the execution in this time of a verie few traitors who also in their time if they excéeded thirtie yeares of age had in their baptisme professed and in their youth had learned the same religion which they now so bitterlie oppugned And besides that in their opinions they differ much from the martyrs of quéene Maries time for though they which suffered in queene Maries time continued in the profession of the religion wherein they were christened and as they were perpetuallie taught yet they neuer at their death denied their lawfull quéene nor mainteined anie of hir open and forren enimies nor anie procured rebellion or ciuill warre nor did sow anie sedition in secret corners nor withdrew anie subiects from their obedience as these sworne seruants of the pope haue continuallie doone And therefore all these things well considered there is no doubt but all good subiects within the realme doo manifestlie sée and all wauering persons not being led cleane out of the waie by the seditious will hereafter perceiue how they haue béene abused to go astraie And all strangers but speciallie all christian potentats as emperours kings princes and such like hauing their souereigne estates either in succession hereditarie or by consent of their people being acquainted with the verie truth of these hir maiesties late iust and necessarie actions onelie for defense of hir selfe hir crowne and people against open inuadours and for eschewing of ciuill warres stirred vp by rebellion will allow in their owne like cases for a truth and rule as it is not to be doubted but they will that it belongeth not vnto a bishop of Rome as successour of saint Peter and therein a pastour spirituall or if he were the bishop of all christendome as by the name of pope he claimeth first by his bulles or excommunications in this sort at his will in fauour of traitors and rebels to depose anie souereigne princes being lawfullie inuested in their crownes by succession in bloud or by lawfull election and then to arme subiects against their naturall lords to make warres and to dispense with them for their oths in so dooing or to excommunicat faithfull subiects for obeieng of their naturall princes lastlie himselfe to make open warre with his owne souldiers against princes moouing no force against him For if these high tragicall powers should be permitted to him to exercise then should no empire no kingdome no countrie no citie or towne be possessed by anie lawfull title longer than one such onelie an earthlie man sitting as he saieth in saint Peters chaire at Rome should for his will and appetite without warrant from God or man thinke méet and determine an authoritie neuer chalenged by the Lord of lords the sonne of God Iesus Christ our onelie Lord and sauiour and the onelie head of his church whilest he was in his humanitie vpon the earth nor yet deliuered by anie writing or certeine tradition from saint Peter from whome the pope pretendeth to deriue all his authoritie nor yet from saint Paule the apostle of the gentils but contrariwise by all preachings precepts and writings conteined in the gospell and other scriptures of the apostles obedience is expresselie commanded vnto all earthlie princes yea euen vnto kings by especiall name and that so generallie as no person is excepted from such dutie of obedience as by the sentence of saint Paule euen to the Romans appeareth Omnis anima sublimioribus potestatibus sit subdiâ—a that is Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers within the compasse of which law or precept saint Chrysostome being bishop of Constantinople writeth that Euen apostles prophets euangelists and moonks are comprehended And for proofe of saint Peters mind herein from whome these popes claime their authoritie it can not be plainelier expressed than when he writeth line 10 thus Proinde subiecti estote cuiuiâ— huâ—ane ordinationi propter Dominum siue regi vt qui superâ—mâ—eâ—a siue praesidibus ab eo missis that is Therefore be you subiect to euerie humane ordinance or creature for the Lord whether it be to the king as to him that is supereminent or aboue the rest or to his presidents sent by him By which two principall apostles of Christ these popes the pretensed successors but chieflie by that which Christ the sonne of God the onelie maister of truth said to Peter and his fellow apostles Reges gentium line 20 dominantur vos autem non sic that is The kings of the gentils haue rule ouer them but you not so maie learne to forsake their arrogant and tyrannous authorities in earthlie and temporall causes ouer kings and princes and exercise their pastorall office as saint Peter was charged thrise at one time by his Lord and maister Pasce oues meas Féed my shéepe and peremptorilie forbidden to vse a sword in saieng to him Conuerte gladium tuum in locum suum or Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam that is Turne thy line 30 sword into his place or Put thy sword into the scabbard All which precepts of Christ and his apostles were dulie followed and obserued manie hundred yeares after their death by the faithfull and godlie bishops of Rome that dulie followed the doctrine and humilitie of the apostles and the doctrine of Christ and were holie martyrs and thereby dilated the limits of Christs church and the faith more in the compasse of an hundred yeares than the latter popes haue line 40 doone with their swords and cursses these fiue hundred yeares and so continued vntill the time of one pope Hildebrand otherwise called Gregorie the seuenth about the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée score and fourtéene who first began to vsurpe that kind of tyrannie which of late the late pope called Pius Quintus and since that time Gregorie now the thirteenth hath followed for some example as it séemeth that is where Gregorie the seuenth in the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée score and line 50 fourtéene or thereabout presumed to depose Henrie the fourth a noble emperor then being Gregorie the thirtéenth now at this time would attempt the like against king Henrie the eights daughter and heire quéene Elisabeth a souereigne and a maiden quéene holding hir crowne immediatlie of God And to the end it may appeare to princes or to their good councellors in one example what was the fortunat successe that God gaue to this good christian emperor Henrie against the proud pope Hildebrand line 60 it is to be noted that when the pope Gregorie attempted to depose this noble emperor Henrie there was one Rodulph a noble man by some named the count of Reenfield that by the popes procurement vsurped the name of the emperor who was ouercome by the