stoode by him I deliuer my selfe an vnworthie and grieuous sinner vnto you the ministers of God by this corde beseeching our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche pardoned the theefe confessing hys faultes on the Crosse that throughe your prayers and for his great mercyes sake it may please him to bee mercifull vnto my soule wherevnto they all answered Amen Then sayde he vnto them drawe me out of this bedde with this Corde and lay me in that bedde strewed with Ashes which he had of purpose prepared and as he commaunded so they did He is drawne out of his bed a thing vnlike to be true and they layde at his feete and at his heade two greate square stones And thus hee beeyng prepared to death he willed that his bodie after his deceasse shoulde be conueyed into Normandie and buryed at Rouen And so after he had receyued the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde hee departed this life as afore is sayde His death about the .xxviij. yeare of his age Thus dyed this yong King in hys flourishing youth to whome through hys owne iust desertes long lyfe was iustly denyed sithe hee delyghted to begynne his gouernement wyth vnlawfull attemptes as an other Absolon agaynste hys owne naturall Father seeking by wrongfull violence to pull the Scepter out of his hande Hee is not put in the number of Kings bycause he remayned forthe more parte vnder the gouernaunce of his father and was taken oute of this lyfe before hys father so that hee rather bare the name of king as appoynted to raigne than that he maye bee sayde to haue raigned in deede His body after his death was coÌ„ueyed towards Rouen there to be buried accordingly as hee had wylled Nic. Triuet but when those that had charge to conuey it thyther were come vnto the Citie of Mauns the Bishoppe there and the Cleargie would not suffer them to go any further wyth it but committed it to buryall in honourable wyfe within the Church of Saint Iulian. When the Citizens of Rouen were hereof aduertised they were sore offended with that doing streyght wayes sent vnto them of Mauns requyring to haue the corps dâ—…liuered threatning otherwise with manye earnest othes to fetche it from them by force King Henrie therefore to sette order in thys matter commaunded that the corps of his sonne the King shoulde bee deliuered vnto them of Rouen to be buryed in theyr Citie as he himselfe had willed before his death And so it was taken vp and conueyed to Rouen The bodie of the yong kiâ—â— lastly buried at Rouen where it was eftsoones there buryed in the Churche of oure Ladie King Henrie after his sonne the king was thus deade enforced hys power more earnestly than before to winne the Citie and Castell of Lymoges whiche hee hadde besieged â—…ymoges renâ—â—ed to king â—…enrie and at length had them bothe rendred ouer into hys handes with all other Castelles and places of strength kept by his enimies in those partyes of the which some he furnished with garnisons and some hee caused to bee razed flatte wyth the grounde There rose aboute the same tyme occasion of strife and variaunce betwixt king Henry and the Frenche King aboute the enioying of the Countrey lying about Gysors cleped Veulquesine â—…eulquesine on thys syde the Ryuer of Hept whiche was gyuen vnto King Henrie the Sonne in consideration of the maryage had betwixt hym and Queene Margaret the Frenche Kinges sister For the Frenche King nowe after the death of hys brother in lawe King Henrie the sonne requyred to haue the same restored vnto the Crowne of France but king Henrie was not willing to depart with it The kings of â—…ngland and â—…rance talke â—â—gither At length they mette betwixt Trie and Gysors to talke of the matter where they agreed that Queene Margaret the widow of the late deceassed king Henrie the sonne shoulde receyue yearely during hir lyfe .1750 poundes of Aniouyn money at Paris of king Henry the father and his heires in consideration whereof shee shoulde release and quiteclayme all hir right to those lands that were demaunded as Veulquesine and others Shortly after Geffrey Earle of Brytayne came to his father and submitting himselfe was reconciled to him and also to his brother Richard Earle of Poictou An. Reg. 30 Also I finde that king Henrie at an enteruiew had betwixt him and the French king at their accustomed place of meeting betwixt Trie and Gisors on Saint Nicholas day did his homage to the same French king for the lands which he held of him on that side the sea which to doe till then he had refused The same yeare king Henrie helde his Christmasse at the Citie of Mauns Also when the king had agreed the Frenche king and the Earle of Flaunders 1184 for the controuersie that chaunced betwixt them about the landes of Vermendoys he passed through the Earle of Flanders Countrey and comming to Wysande tooke shippe and sayled ouer into Englande landing at Douer the tenth day of Iune with his daughter the Duches of Saxonie The duchesse of Saxonie deâ—…iuered of a â—…onne the which was afterwardes deliuered of a sonne at Winchester and hir husbande the Duke of Saxonie came also this yeare into Englande and was ioyfully receyued and honourably interteyned of the king his father in lawe There died this yeare sundry honorable personages as Simon Erle of Huntington that was son to SimoÌ„ Erle of Northampton after whose decease the king gaue his erledome vnto his brother Dauid or as Radulfus de Diceto sayth Death of noble men bycause the said Simon died without issue the king gaue the Erledom of Huntingt vnto Wil. king of Scots son to Erle Henry that was son to K. Dauid Also the Erle of Warwik died this yere Thomas Fitz Bernard L. chiefe iustice of the Forests which roumth Alain de Neuill had enioyed before him But now after the death of this Tho. Fitz Bernard The gouernment of the forests deuided the k. diuided his forests into sundrie quarters to euerie quarter he appointed foure iustices two of y e spiritualtie two knights of the temporaltie beside two generall wardens that were of his owne-seruants to be as surueyers aboue all other Foresters of vert venison whose office was to see that no misorder nor spoyle were committed within any groundes of Warren coÌ„trarie to the assises of Forests There dyed this yeare also diuerse Prelates as foure Bishoppes to witte Gerald surnamed la Pucelle Bishop of Chester Walranne Bishop of Rochester Ioceline Bishop of Salisburie and Bartholmew bishop of Exeter There died also diuerse Abbots vpon the .xvj. of Febuarie died Richard Archbish of Canterburie in the .xj. yeare after his first entring into the gouernment of that sea His bodie was buried at Canterburie He was noted to be a man of euill life and wasted the goodes of that Churche inordinately It was reported that before his death
Seas now called Murray land were giueÌ„ to one Warroche and his people The lande of Thalia now called Boyn Aynze Bogewall Gariot Formartine and Bowguhan were giuen to one Thalis and his people The landes of Marr Badezenoche Lochquhaber were giuen to Marrache and his people The lands of Lorne and Kintier with the hilles mountaynes thereof lying from Mar to the Irelande seas were giuen to Capitaine Nonaunce and his people The landes of Athole were giuen to Atholus another capitaine his people The landes of Strabraun and Brawdawane lying West from Dunkell were giuen to Creones and Epidithes two Capitaynes The landes of Argile were giuen to Argathelus a Capitaine The landes of Linnor Clidisdale were allotted to Lolgona a captaine The landes of Siluâ—…ia now called Kile Carrike and Cunyngham were giuen to Silurche another Capitaine The landes of Brigance nowe called Gallowaie were giuen to the compaignie called Brigandes which as their best menne were appointed to dwell next the Britons who afterwarde expulsed the Britons from Aunandale in Albany whereby it is confessed to be before inhabited by Britons The residue of the lande now called Scotland that is to say Meirnis Angas SteremoÌ„de Gowry Strahern Pirth Fiffe Striucling Callendes Calderwoode Lougthian Mers Teuedale with other the rement Dales and the Sherifdome of Berwicke were then enioyed by a nacion mingeled in marriage wyth Britons and in their obedience whose capitaine called Berynger buylded the castle towne of Berwicke vpon Twede and these people were called Pictes vppon whome by the death of this Coell these Scottes had oportunitie to vse warre wherof they ceased not vntill such time as it pleased God to appoint an other Coli king of BritoÌ„s agaynst whose name albeit they hoped for a like victory to y e first yet he preuayled and ceased not his â—…ar vntill these Scotâ—…es were vtterly expulsed out of all the boundes of Britayne in which they neuer dared to reenter vntill the troublesome raigne of Scicill kyng of Britones which was the xij king after this Coll. Duryng all which tyme the countrey was reenhabited by the Britons But then the Scots turning the ciuill discord of this realme betwene this Sycill and his brother Blede to their best auauntage arriued agayne in Albania there made one Reuther theyr king Vpon this their new arriuall new warre was made vpon them by this Sicill kyng of Britons in which warre Reuther their new kyng dyed and There as succéeded agaynst whom the warre of Britones ceaâ—…ed not vntill he fréely submitted himselfe vnto the said Sicill king of Britones at Ebranke that is Yorke where shortly after the tenth yeare of his raigne he dyed Fynnane brother of Iosine succeded by their election to the kingdom of Scottes who shortly after compelled by the warres of the same Sicill declared hymselfe subiect and for the better assuraunce of his fayth and obessaunce to the kyng of Britons deliuered his sonne Durstus into the handes of this Sicill who fantesâ—…yng y e child and hopyng by his owne succession to alter their subtiltle I will not say duplicitie maried hym in the ende to Agasia hys owne daughter This Durstus was their next kyng but for that he had maried a Britton woman thoughe she was a kynges daughter the scots hated hym for the same cause for which they ought rather to haue liked hym â—…he better and therfore not onely traiterously slewe hym but further to declare the ende of theyr malice dishenheriâ—â—â— as much as in them was the â—â—hes of the same Durstus and Agasia Hherupon new warre sprong betwene them and vs which 〈◊〉 not vntill they were contented to receyue Edeir to theyr kyng the 〈◊〉 in bloudâ—… then liuyng discended from Durstus and Agasia and thereby the bloud of Britons of the partâ—… of the mother was restored to the crowne of Albania so that nature whose law is immutable caused this hand of loue to hold For shortly after this Edeir attended vpon Castibelane king of Britons for the repulse of Iulius Caesar as their owne author Boctius confesseth Who coÌ„mauÌ„ded the same as his subiect but Iulius Caesar after his third arriual by treâ—…son of 〈◊〉 preuayled against the 〈◊〉 and thereupon 〈◊〉 this Eder into scotland and as 〈…〉 mentalies subdued all the Isle of 〈◊〉 which thoughe the liuyng Scottes 〈…〉 their head writers confesse that he cause beyond Callender woode and call downe Camelon the principall city of Picâ—…tes and in token of this victory not â—…ere from 〈◊〉 builded a round Temple 〈…〉 which remayned in some perfection vnto the raign of our king Edwarde called the first after the Conquest by whome it was 〈◊〉 but the monumeÌ„t therof remayneth to thys 〈◊〉 Marius the son of Arâ—â—ragus being king of all Britaine in his tyme one Rodericke a Scythian with a greatâ—…rable of needy souldiours came to the water of Frithe in Scotland which is an arme of the sea deuidyng Pentland from Fiffe against whome thys Marius assembled a power by whiche he slew this Rodericke and discomfited his people in Westmerland but to those that remained in lyfe he gaue the countrey of Cathenes in Scotlande which prooueth it to be within hys owne dominion Coill the sonne of this Marius had 〈◊〉 Lucius counted the first christiaÌ„ king of this nacion â–ª he conueâ—â—ed the thrée 〈◊〉 of this land into Bishoprikes and ordeyned bishops vnto eche of them the first remained at London and his power extended from the farthest part of Cornewall to Humber water the second remayned at Yorke and hys power stretched from Humber to y e farthest part of all Scotland The third remayned at Caerles vpoÌ„ the riuer of Wiske in Glamorgan in Wales and his power extended froÌ„ Seuerne thorough all Wales Some write that he made but two turned their names to Archbishops the one to remayne at Canterbury the other at Yorke yet they confesse that 〈◊〉 of Yorke had iurisdiction through all Scotland eyther of which is sufficient to proue scotlaÌ„d to be then vnder his dominion Seuerus by birth Romaine but in bloud a Briton and the lineall heire of the body of Androgius son of Luâ—… and Nephwe of Cassibelaine was shortly after Emperour and king of Britons in whose tyme the people to whom his auncester Marius gaue the land of Cathenes in Scotland conspired wyth the Scottes and receyued them from the Isles into Scotland But hereupon this Seuerus came into Scotland and méetyng with their fayth and false hartes together droue them all out of the mayne lande into Isles the vttermost bondes of all great Britayne But notwithstanding this glorious victory the Britons considering their seruitude to the Romaines imposed by treason of Androgeus auncester to this Seuerus began to hate hym whome yet they had no tyme to loue who in their defence and suretie had slayne of the Scottes and their confederates in one battaile xxx thousandes but such was the coÌ„sideration of the common sort in those dayes whose malice no tyme
hee stoode in feare of your commyng whose sayles hee behelde readie to approche towards him howesoeuer the matter shoulde fall out he chose rather to trye his fortune wyth your capitaynes than to abyde the present force of your maiestie a madde man that vnderstoode not that whether so euer he fled the power of your diuine maiestie to be present in all places where your countenance and banners are had in reuerence But hee fleeing from your presence fell into the handes of youre people of you was he ouercome of youre armies was he oppressed To be short he was brought into suche feare and as it were still looking behynde him for doubte of your comming after him that as one out of his remembrance amazed what to do he hasted forward to his death so that he neyther sette his men in order of battayle nor marshalled suche power as hee had about him but onely with the olde authors of that conspiracie the hired bands of the barbarous nations as one forgetful of so great preparation which he had made ran hedlong forwards to his destruction insomuch noble emperor your felicitie yeldeth this good hap to the cōmon welth that the victorie being atchieued in the behalfe of the Romain empire there almost died not one Romain for as I heare all those fields and hilles laye couered with none but only with the bodies of moste wicked enimies the same beeing of the barbarous nations or at the lest wise apparelled in the coūterfait shapes of barbarous garments glistering with their long yealow heares but nowe with gashes of wounds bloud all deformed and lying in sundry maners as the pangs of death occasioned by their wounds Alectus founde dead had caused them to stretch foorth or draw in their maymed limmes and mangled parts of their dying bodies And among these the chiefe ringleader of the theeues was founde who had put off those robes which in his life time he had vsurped dishonored He had dispoy◅ed himselfe of the imperiall ◅obes bycause he vvould not be knovven if ◅e chanced to be slayne so as vneth was he couered wyth one piece of apparell wherby he might be knowen so neare were his wordes true vttered at the houre of his death whiche he saw at hand that he would not haue it vnderstoode howe he was slayn Thus verily most inuincible emperour so greate a victorie was appointed to you by consent of the immortall gods ouer al the enemies whom you assayled Francones siue Franci but namely the slaughter of the Frankeners those youre souldiours also which as before I haue sayd through missyng their course by reason of the myst that lay on the seas were nowe come to the citie of London where they slewe downe right in eche parte of the same citie London in danger to be spoyled what multitude soeuer remayned of those hyred barbarous people which escaping from the bataile mente after they had spoyled the citie to haue got away by flight But now being thus slain by your souldiours the subiects of your prouince were both preserued from further daunger and tooke pleasure to beholde the slaughter of suche cruell enimies O what a manyfolde victorie was this worthie vndoubtedly of innumerable triumphes by which victorie Britayne is restored to the Empire by which victorie the nation of the Frankeners is vtterlye destroyed and by whiche many other nations found accessaries in the cōspiracie of that wicked practise are compelled to obedience To conclude the seas are purged and broughte to perpetuall quietnes Glorie you therfore inuincible Emperor for that you haue as it were gote an other worlde and in restoring to the Romain puissaunce the glorie of conquest by sea haue added to the Romain empire an element greater than al the compasse of the earth that is the mightie mayne Ocean You haue made an ende of the warre inuincible Emperour that seemed as present to threaten all prouinces and might haue spreade abroade and burst out in flame euen so largely as y e Ocean Seas stretche and the Mediterrane gulfes do reache neither are we ignorant althoughe thorough feare of you that infection did festee within the bowels of Britayn only and proceeded no further w t what furie it would haue auanced it selfe else where if it might haue bin assured of meane to haue raunged abroade so farre as it wished For it was bounded in with no bordure of mountayne nor ryuer whych garnisons appoynted were garded and defended but euen so as the shippes although we had your martiall prowes and prosperous fortune readye to relieue vs was still at oure elbowes to put vs in feare so farre as eyther seas reache or wynde bloweth for that incredible boldenesse and vnwoorthy good happe of a few captiues of the Frankeners in time of y e Emperour Probus came to our remēbrance whiche Frankeners in that season The piracy of the Frankeyners called Franci or Frācones conueying away certayn vessels from the coastes of Pontus wasted doth Grecia Asia and not without great hurt damage ariuing vpon diuers partes of the shore of Libya at length tooke the Citye of Saragose in Sicile an hauen towne in tymes paste hyghely renowmed for victories gotten by sea and after this passyng thorough the streytes of Gibralterra came into the Ocean so with the fortunate successe of their rashe presumptuous attempte shewed how nothing is shut vp in safety from the desperate boldnesse of pyrates where ships may come and haue accesse And so therfore by this your victorie not Britain alone is deliuered from bondage but vnto all nations is safetie restored which might by the vse of the seas come to as great perils in time of warre as to gayne of commodities in tyme of peace Now Spayne to let passe the coastes of Gallia with hir shores almost in sight is in suretie now Italy now Afrike nowe all nations euen vnto the fennes of Meotis are voyde of perpetuall cares Neyther therfore are they lesse ioyful the feare of danger being taken away which to feele as yet the necessitie had not brought thē but they reioyce so muche the more for this that both in the guiding of your good prouidence and also furtheraunce of fortune so great a force of rebellion by sea men is calmed vpon the entring into their bordures and Britayne it selfe whiche had giuen harburgh to so long a mischief is euidently knowne to haue tasted of your victorie with hir only restitutiō to quietnesse Britayne restored to quietnesse Not without good cause therefore immediatly when you hir long wished reuenger and deliuerer were once arriued your Maiestie was met with greate triumph and the Britayns replenished with all inwarde gladnesse The Britaynes receyue Maximian vvith great ioy and humblenesse came foorth and offered themselues to youre presence with their wyues and children reuerencing not onely youre selfe on whome they sette their eyes as on one descended downe them to from heauen but also euen
of K. Edwarde wherevppon feeling himselfe wounded hee sette spurres to the horse thinking to gallop away and so to get to his companie But being hurt to the death he fell from his horse so as one of his feete was fastened in the styrrop by reason whereof his horse drew him forth through woods and launds and the bloud whiche gushed out of the wounde shewed tokē of his death to such as followed him and the way to the place where the horse had left him Mat. VVest Fabian Simon Dun. VVil. Malm. That place hight Corphes gate or Corues gate His bodie being founde was buried without any solemne funeralles at Warham For they that enuyed that hee shoulde enioy the Crowne enuied also the buriall of his bodie within the Church but the memorie of his fame coulde not so secretely bee buried vp with the bodie as they imagined For sundrie myracles shewed at the place where his bodie was enterred made the same famous as diuerse haue reported for there was sight restored to the blind health to the sicke Myracles and hearing to the deafe which are easilyer to be tolde than beleeued Queene Alfride also woulde haue ridden to the place where he lay mooued with repentaunce as hath beene sayde but the horse wherevpon she rode woulde not come neare the graue for anye thing that could be done to him Neither by changing the sayde horse coulde the matter be holpen For euen the same thing happened to the other horses Herevpon the woman perceyued hir great offence towardes God for murthering the innocent and did so repent hir afterward for the same y t besides y e chastising of hir body in fasting and other kinde of penance shee employed all hir substance and patrimonie on the poore and in buylding and reparing of Churches and Monasteries Buylding of Abbayes in those dayes was thought to be a full satisfaction for all maner of sinnes Two houses of Nunnes shee founded as is sayde the one at Warwell the other at Ambresburie and finally professed hirselfe a Nunne in one of them that is to say at Warwell whiche house shee buylded as some affyrme in remembrance of hir first husbande that was slaine there by K Edgar for hir sake as before is mētioned The bodie of this Edwarde the seconde and surnamed the Martyr after that it had remayned three yeares at Warham where it was first buryed was remooued vnto Shaftesburie and with great reuerence buried there by the forenamed Alfer or Elfere Duke of Mercia who also did sore repent himselfe in that hee had beene agaynst the aduauncement of the sayde king Edward as yet haue hearde Elferus But yet did not he escape worthie punishment for within one yeare after he was eaten to death with Lite if the Historie he true King Edward came to his death after he had raigned three yeres or as other write three yeres and .viij. Polidor VVil. Mal. Monethes Whatsoeuer hath beene reported by writers of the murther committed in the person of this king Edwarde sure it is that if he were hast begotten as by wryters of no meane credit it should appeare he was in deede great occasion undoubtedly was giuen vnto Queene Alfred to seeke reuenge for the wrongful keeping backe of hir sonne Egelred frō his rightful succession to the crowne but whether that Edwarde was legitimate or not she might yet haue deuised some other lawful meane to haue come by hir purpose not so to haue procured the murther of the yong Prince in such vnlawfull maner For hir doing therein can neither be worthily allowed nor throughly excused although those that occasioned the mischiefe by aduauncing hir stepsonne to an other mans right deserued most blame in this matter Egelredus This Egelred or Etheldred was the .xxx. in number from Cerdicius the first King of the West Saxons through his negligente gouernment the state of the common wealth fell into such decay as wryters doe report that vnder him it may bee sayde howe the kingdome was come to the vttermost poynt or period of olde and feeble age For whereas whilest the Realme was deuided at the first by the Saxons into sundrie dominions it grew at length as it were increasing from youthfull yeares to one absolute Monarchie which passed vnder the late remembred Princes Egbert Adelstane Edgar and others so that in their dayes it might be said how it was growne to mans state but now vnder this Egelred through famine pestilence and warres the state thereof was so shaken turned vpside downe and weakened on eche parte that rightly might the season be likened vnto the olde broken yeares of mans life which through feeblenesse is not able to helpe it selfe Dunstan the Archbishop of Canterbury was thought to haue foreseene this thing and therfore refused to anoynt Egelred king whiche by the murther of his brother shoulde atteyne to the gouernment but at length he was compelled to it and so he sacred him at Kingston vpon Thames as the maner then was on the .xxiiij. day of Aprill assysted by Oswalde Archbishop of Yorke and ten other Bishops VVil. Mal. But as hath beene reported Dunstan then sayde that the English people shoulde suffer condigne punishment generally with losse of auncient liberties which before that tyme they had enioyed Dunstan also long before prophecied of the flouthfulnesse that should remaine in this Ethelred For at what time he ministred the sacrament of Baptisme vnto him shortly after he came into this world he defyled the Font with the ordure of his wombe as hath beene sayde wherevppon Dunstan beeing troubled in hys mynde By the Lorde sayth he and his blessed mother this child shall proue to be a slouthfull person It hath bene written also that when he was but tenne yeares of age and heard that his brother Edwarde was slaine he so offended his mother with weeping bycause she coulde not still him that hauing no rodde at hande shee tooke Tapers or Sizes that stoode before hir and bet him so sore with them that she had almost killed him whereby he coulde neuer after abyde to haue any such Candles lighted before him Polidor This Egelred as writers say was nothing giuen to warlike enterprises but was slouthfull a louer of ydlenesse and delyting in ryotous lustes which being knowne to all men caused him to be euill spoken of amongst his owne people and nothing feared amongst straungers Herevpon the Danes that exercised roauing on the Seas beganne to conceyue a boldenesse of courage to disquiet and molest the Sea coastes of the realme insomuche that in the seconde yeare of this Egelreds raigne Ran. Higd. 980 they came with seuen Shippes on the Englishe coastes of Kent and spoyled the Isle of Tennet the Towne of Southampton and in the yere following they destroyed S. Petrokes Abbay in Cornewall Sim. Dunel Porthlande in Deuonshire and dyuerse other places by the Sea syde specially in Deuonshire and Cornewall Ran. Higd. Also a great part of
countenaunce as one meruaylously abashed and streightwayes gaue sentence against Edrike in this wise Thou art worthy saith he of death and dye thou shalte whiche art giltie of treason both towardes God and me sith that thou hast slayne thyne owne soueraigne Lorde and my deare alyed brother Thy bloud therfore be vpon thyne owne head fith thy toung hath vttered thy treason And immediately hee caused his throate to be cut Edrike put to death and his bodie to be throwen out at the chamber windowe into the riuer of Thames This was the ende of Edryke surname de Stratten or Streona a man of greate infanie for his craftie dissimulation falshod and treason used by him to the ouerthrowe of the Englishe astate as partly before is touched Simon Dun. But ther be that concerning that cause of this Edriks death seeme partly to disagree from that whyche before is recited declaryng that Enute standing in some doubt to be betrayed thorough the treason of Edricke Encomium Eâ—… soughte occasions howe to rydde him and other whome hee lykewyse mystrusted out of the waye And therfore one daye when Edryke craued some preferremente at Cnutes handes and alledged that he had deserued to be wel thought of sith by his flight from the battaile at Ashendone the victorie therby inclined vnto Cnutes parte Cnute hearing hym speake these wordes made this aunswere And canst thou quoth he be true to me that through fraudulent meanes diddest deceyue thy souerain Lorde and maister but I will rewarde thee according to thy desertes so as from hencefoorth thou shalte not deceyne any other and so forthwith coÌ„maunded Erick one of his chief captains to dispatch him who incoÌ„tineÌ„tly cut off his head with his are or halbert Verly Simon Dunelmens sayth kyng Cnute vnderstanding in what forte both king Egelred and his sonne king Edmunde Ironside had bin betrayed by the sayde Edricke he stoode in great doubt to be lykewyse deceyued by him and therfore was glad to haue some pretended quarrell to dispatche both hyâ—… and other whome he lykewyse mystrusted as it well appeared For at the same tyme there were put to death with Edricke Earle Norman the sonne of earle Leofwyn and brother to Earle Leofryke also Adelwarde the sonne of Earle Agelmare and Brightricke the sonne of Alfegus gouernour of Deuonshire without all guilt or cause as some wryte And in place of Norman his brother Leofryke was made earle of Mercia by the king and had in great fauour This Leofricke is coÌ„monly also by writers named Earle of Chester After this likewise Cnute banished Iric and Turkyll two Danes the one as before is recited gouernor of Northumberland and the other of Norfolke and Suffolk or Eastangle Then rested the whole rule of the realme in the kings hands whervpon he studied to preserue the people in peace and ordeyned lawes according to the whiche bothe Danes and Englishmenne shoulde bee gouerned in equall state and degree Diuers greate lordes whome hee founde vnfaithfull or rather suspected he put to death H. Hunt Lordes put to death as before ye haue hearde besyde suche s he banished out of the Realme He raysed a tare or tribute of the people A 〈…〉 amounting to the summe of fourscore two thousand pound beside xj M. pound which the Londoners payde towards the maintenance of the Danish Armie In the thirde yeare of his reigne hee sayled with an armie of Englishemen and Danes into Denmarke to subdue the Vandals there 1019. King Cnute passeth into Denmarke whiche then sore annoyed and warred agaynst his subiectes of Denmarke Erle Goodwyn which had the souerain conduct of the Englishmen Erle Goodvvin his seruice in Denmarke the night before the day appoynted for the battayle gote him foorthe of the campe with his people sodeynly assaylyng the Vandals in their lodgings easily distressed them sleaing a great number of them and chaâ—…ing the residue In the morning early when Cnute herd that the Englishemen were gone foorth of their lodgings he supposed that they were eyther fled awaye or else tourned to take part with the enimies But as he approached to the enimies camp he vnderstode howe the matter wente for hee founde nothyng there but bloud deade bodyes and the spoyle For thys good seruice Cnute had the englishmen in more estimation euer after Cnute had the â—…nglishmen in estimation for their good seruice and highely rewarded theyr leader the same Earle Goodwâ—â— When Cnute had ordered all things in Denmarke as was thoughte â—…houefull he â—…tansd agayne into Englande And within a few days after hee was aduertised that the Sâ—… were made warre against his subiectes of Denmarke 1028 vnder the leading of two greate Princes Vâ—…fe and Eâ—…râ—… Mathewe Westm recounteth that at thys tyme Earle Goodwyn and the Englishmenne wrought the enterprise aboue mentioned of assaultyng the enimies campe in the night season after Cnute had fyrste loste in the daye before no small number of his people And that then the foresayde princes or kyngs as hee nameth them Vlfus and Aulafus which latter he calleth Eiglafe were constrayned to agree vpon a peace The Danish Chronicles alledge that the occasion of this warre rose hereof Albertus Crantz This Olauus ayded Cnute as the same writers reporte against kyng Edmunde and the Englishemenne But when the peace should be made betweene Cnute and Edmunde there was no consideration had of Olauus where as throught hym the Danes chiefly obteyned the victorie Herevpon Olavus was fore offended in hys mynde againste Cnute and nowe vpon occasion sought to be reuenged But what soeuer the cause was of this warre bewirte these two Princes the ende was thus That Olavus was expulsed out of his kingdome and constrained to flee to Ger. thaslaus a duke in the parties of Gastlande And afterwarde retourning into Norwayt was slayne by suche of his subiects as tooke part with Cnute in manner as in the historie of Norway it appereth more at large with the cotratretie soud in the writing of them which haue recorded the histories of those North regions But heer is to be remembred Magnus Olavus that the fame and glorie of the English nation was greately aduaunced in these warres as well againste the Swedâ—…ers as the Norwegians Fabian Polyd. H. Hunt so that Cnute began to loue and trust the Englishmen muche better than it was thought he woulde euer haue owne Shortly after that Cnute was retourned into Englande that is to wiâ—… as some haue in the .xv. yeare of his reigue Other say that he vvente forth of Denmark to Rome he went to Rome to perform his vow which he had made to visite the places where the Apostles Peter and Poule had their burial Sim. Dunel He was honorably receyued of Pope John the xx that them held the sea An. 103â—… When he had vone his deuotion there hee retourned into Englande In the yeare following 1032 VVil. Malm. Mat. VVest he made
of sundry regiōs that are situate round aboute it if the inhabitauntes were skilfull and painefull to deale withall accordingly But the abundaunce of all other things requisite for the vse of man that is found generally in our Iland maketh the people lesse carefull of these commodities and more gyuen to idlenesse For beside the great plenty of those things whiche heauen and earth do minister as grasse corne and cattell and foules of sundry kindes there is suche store of fishe in all parties of our seas especially towarde the North that the same would suffise to feede and sustayne all the people of the Iland if there were none other commodities to be found within the same For the inhabitants of all countries that border vpō vs as Fraunce Flaunders Zealande Hollande and a great part of Germany especially those whiche lie neare vnto the coast do sayle hither with great numbers of vessels dayly to fishe vpon our coasts and buie such as we haue already caught not only for their owne vse but also for the Lenton prouision of such nations as lie vpon the Leuant seas where they sell the same at theyr owne willes with very speedy vtterance Many other riche and precious cōmodities are to be gotten in the sayd I le wherof the aforenamed nations do make no small accompte beside these common things What shall I say of our wolles Dionysius Alexanotinus saith that the wool of Britaine is often sponne so fine that it is in manner comparable to the spyders draught whiche are in so high estimation in all landes bicause of their necessary vses and wherof a great part is so fine and softe that of it are made the costly skarlettes pliaunt gloues and many other grayned and delicate clothes of whiche I thought good to make this mention bycause the reporte thereof is not yet made common and generally knowē to all men Certes this I dare boldly affirme that if the kingdomes of Brytaine had suche grace giuen them from aboue as they they might once liue in vnitie or by any meanes be brought vnder the subiectiō of one Prince they should ere long feele such a sauour in this amity that they wold not onely liue frankly of their owne without any forain purchase of things but also resist all outward inuasion with smal trauayle and lesse dammage For as touching their persons and likewise theyr notable wittes apt bothe for the attayning of learnyng and knowledge of handycraftes they are inferiour to no other nation Therevnto we finde them to be couragious and hardy offering themselues often vnto the vttermost perils with great assurance so that a man may pronounce nothing to be ouer harde or past their power to performe if they woulde giue themselues to liue temperately and follow their predecessors in moderation of diet Therfore it is as I thinke that almighty God in his prouidente disposition of al things hath ordeyned their groundes otherwise plentifully indued with all kindes of commodities to be destitute and voyde of wine as forseeing that the sayde liquor whiche bringeth greatest benefite vnto other countries woulde come in the ende to be most pernicious and noysome vnto them For they are giuen to such vnnatural rauening and greedy desire of forraine thinges whilest they contempne or not regarde their owne that they cannot refrayne the immoderate vse of Wine and excesse vsed in drinking of the same In so much that we may see diuers to be ouertaken haūted not only with sundry kinds of grituous maladies common to vs them of the mayne but also many other whiche they haue not neyther be any thing at all acquainted with as experiēce dayly teacheth Some by long sicknesse and languishing greefes do grow into suche deformitie only thorow excessiue feeding greedy abuse of wine that if you knew them whē they were children and young men you shall hardly remember them when they be old and aged and that which more is in comparison of other that liue more soberly you will hardly thinke thē to be borne in the I le but rather suppose them to be chaungelings and monsters brought out of other countries to gaze looke vpon diuerse of them thorow the cōtinuall vse of wine are molested in their age with phreneticall pangs and passions seldome also shal you see those that are giuen much vnto wine and such welfare to become parents of many children sith their naturall moysture and generatiue force is much abated if not altogither extinguished by such immoderate diet But to returne to our purpose the Albanes or Brytons as Cesar in his Commentaries Tacitus in his Annales do report were very religious after the maner of religion vsed in old time For in those dayes the Priests of Brytaine named Druides were very expert both in naturall and Morall Philosophy and from thence came the first professors of that sect and opinion into Fraunce The principall seat also of their Priestes was in the I le of Man whiche was reputed at that season for the wel-spring and foūtayne of all learning and knowledge and after that their Priestes were ones conuerted to the Catholike fayth they perseuered in the same with great constancie without any note of Heresie The description of the East west and middle borders of Scotland with the most notable townes and flouds therof Chap. 2. THe Pictes had sometimes the principall most fertile parte of that countrey whiche now is vnder the regiment of the Scottes and after they had cōtinued in the same by the space of .1171 yeares ioyned in maner in perpetuall league with the Scots mainteining mutually the warres sometimes with the Brytaines Romaines sometimes also iarring with their Scottish neighbours at the last they fel into extreme hatred one w t another till it was brought to passe by the diuine prouidence that the sayde Pictes were ouerthrowen their name extinguished the kingdome vnited vnto that other of the Scots for euermore After this time furthermore although the Scottes haue bene very oftentimes assayled with most daungerous and terrible warres oftētimes inuaded by enimies from diuers regions yet such hath bene the fauour of almighty God towards them that still they flourish retaine theyr estate inuiolate Whatsoeuer wee haue generally spoken of Albion that is chiefly to be vnderstanded of the Scottes farre greater especially among the Scottes as they call them in the high lande as people that haue lesse to do with forraine Merchants therfore are lesse delicate not somuch corrupted with strange bloud and alliaunce Hereby in like sorte it cōmeth to passe that they are more harde of constitution of body to beare off the colde blastes to watche better absteyne long wherevnto also it appeareth that they are bolde nimble and thereto more skilfull in the warres As for their faith promise they holde it with greatest constancie as Hector hath set downe Towardes the Almaine sea I find that Scotland hath the Mers sometime the moste
and to ioyne his power wyth theyrs to helpe to restore them vnto their former estate and liberties so that they woulde bee contented to surrender vp into the Scottishe mens handes all such townes and Countreys from the which they had beene expulsed by great fraud and iniurie And as for the displeasures done to the Scottishe men in tymes past by ayding the Romaines agaynst them The Picts punished for their vntruthes as he thought the Pictes had felt punishment ynough for the same alreadie being reduced into most seruile and miserable bondage as iustly rewarded by almightie God for their great vntrouthes vsed and shewed towardes theyr auncient neighbours faythfull friendes and allies The Pictes were throughly pleased and satisfied with Ferguse his wordes so that within few dayes after theyr king whome they had lately chosen sith the time that the Scottish men were thus returned came vnto Ferguse The auncient league renued again betwixt the Scottes and Pictes and ratifyed the league with him according to the articles of that other whiche in tyme past had beene obserued on the behalfe of the Scottishe and Pictish nations with such solemne othes and assurance as betwixt princes in semblable cases of custome is requisite and necessarie The Scottes restored to their coūtryes Then were those Countreys restored to the Scottish men againe out of the which they had beene expelled by the Romaines power This was in the .xlv. yeare after the Scots had beene dryuen forth of Albanie and after the byrth of our Sauiour 424. 422. H. B 396. Io. Ma. The 18. yeare of the Emperor Honorius H. B 755. H.B. in the yeare after the death of Honorius the Emperour and from the firste erection of the Scottish kingdome 750. yeares complete All suche Castelles also and Fortresses as the Pictes helde within any of those Countreys which belonged vnto the Scottes were surrendred into theyr handes in peaceable wise but the residue whiche the Romains kepte were earnestly defended for a whyle though at lēgth through want of victuals other necessaries they lykewyse were deliuered If I should here say what I thinke and that mine opinion might passe for currant coyne I would not sticke to affyrme that either now first or not long before their late supposed expulsion from hence the Scottes settled themselues to inhabite here within this I le When the Scottes first got certaine seates here in this I le of Brytaine as some thinke and that they had no certain seates in the same til then But that comming either forth of Irelande or frō the westerne iles wher they before inhabited they vsed to make often inuasions into this land greatly molesting as well the Brytaynes the auncient inhabitants thereof as the Romaines that then helde the I le vnder their subiection For I can neyther perswade my selfe nor wishe other to beleeue that there was any suche continuaunce in succession of kings as their histories doe mention and as we haue here before set downe in following the same histories bycause wee will not willingly seeme to offer iniurie to their nation which peraduenture are otherwise perswaded thinke the same succession to be most true where other perchance may cōiecture not moued therto without good reason that suche kings as in their hystories are auouched to raigne one after another here in this I le eyther raigned in Irelande or in the oute Iles and that verily not successiuely but diuerse of them at one season and in diuerse places Which mistaking of the course of hystories hath bredde errours not onely among the Scottish wryters but euen among some of the Brytishe and Englishe writers also as to the learned and well aduised readers it may plainly appeare And as for Galde and some other happely which they take to be kings of Scottes althoughe they raigned in that parte of this Ile which afterwardes was possessed by Scots and after them named Scotland yet were they mere Brytaynes and had little to do with Scottes except perchaunce we may thinke that they helde the out Iles in subiection where the Scots were then inhabiting farre longer time perhaps before their settling in Brytayne than theyr hystories make mention Victorine prepareth an army to goe against the Scottes But nowe to returne where wee left After that Victorine the Romain legate was aduertised of all the foreremembred doings of the Scottishmen and Pictes he caused an armie to be leuied with all speede and hasted forth with the same vnto Yorke Victorine seeketh to persuade the Picts from taking part with the Scottes where beeing arriued hee attempted by an Heralde at armes to perswade the Pictes to forsake their confederacie lately concluded with the Scots but perceyuing he could not bring it to passe he determined to pursue both those nations with open warre and so therevpon setting forward he passed forth till he came neare vnto Camelon Victorine encampeth neare vnto Camelon with .50000 men wher he encāped with his whole armie hauing therein as the report went about fiftie thousand persons at the least Ferguse being aduertised hereof hauing in like maner alreadie assembled a mightie huge hoste Ferguse passeth the Forth both of Scottishmen and Pictes came therwith ouer the Forth and marched forth with all speed in the night season Ferguse purposeth to assayle his enimies in the dawning of the day in purpose to haue set on hys enimies verye early in the dawning of the next morning but Victorine hauing knowledge therof commaunded his men to be arraunged and set in order of battaile by the third watch of the same night so that being readie to receyue the Scottes vpon their first approch there was fought a right sore and cruell battaile with such slaughter on both partes The riuer of Carron rūneth with bloud that the ryuer of Carron neare vnto which their battailes ioyned was well neare filled with dead bodies and the water thereof so chaunged into a ruddie hewe that it seemed as though it had runne altogither with bloud In the ende whilest as yet it was doubtfull to whether side the victorie would encline there came such a sodaine shower of raine The battaile seuered by reason of a tempest mixed with suche great abundance of haylestones that neyther part was able to haue sight of other so that by reason of the violent rage of that huge storme and tempest eyther side was fayne to withdraw from the other There were slaine in this battaile such great numbers of men aswell on the one side as the other that they had small lust to ioyne in battaile againe for certaine yeares after For the Romain Lieutenant vnderstanding what losse of people he had susteyned without attempting any further exployte The lieutenāt furnishing diuerse holdes returneth into Kent appoynted certaine of his companies to lie in garrison wythin sundrie fortresses in Pictlande and wyth the residue hee returned into Kent In like sort the Scottes with their confederates the Pictes
their coūtrey men there the other that could not make shift to get away were slain anon after by the English men that one of them was not to bee founde aliue within any of the English Dominions And such was the ende of the Pictes that fledde vnto the English men for succour In this meane tyme the Scottish king Donald being restored againe to his Countrey was receyued with more ioy and honour than hee had deserued in hope yet by this scourge of aduerse fortune that he woulde haue reformed his former abuses Neuerthelesse King Donald falleth to hys old vices againe he had not bin at home any long time but that he fell to his old vicious trade of life againe remouing from his companie suche honorable personages as wished the suretie of his estate with the aduācement of the cōmon welth to the reliefe and ease of his poore miserable subiects At length the nobles of the realm perceiuing the daunger that their countrey stoode in by reason of Donaldes insolent misorder vndiscrete rule and gouernment King Donalde is laid in prisō they found meanes to apprehend and commit him vnto safe keeping but the monstrous creature within a fewe dayes after he was thus put in ward He slaieth him selfe in prison 860. in great desperation slue himselfe in the sixt yeare after he began his infortunate raigne in the yeare of our saniour 860. The same yeare that the realme of Scotlande was brought vnto such miserable state by the puissant force of the English men and Brytains as aboue is rehearsed there were sundrie wonders heard of in the countrey A young babe giueth warning vnto hys mother as in Lothian a childe of one Moneth olde and a halfe admonished the mother to flie out of that countrey for it woulde come to passe that the enimies shoulde come and take that region out of the Scottish mens hands Beasts also as they were pasturing abrode in the fieldes there roaring after a straunge sort Beastes roaryng dyed sodenly dyed Fishes likewise in shape resembling the figure of man Fishes lyke in shape to men were founde deade in the sandes of the Scottish sea In Galloway there fell such abundance of Adders and Snakes out of the skie Adders snakes fell downe out of the sky that the ayre being corrupted with the sauour of them lying on the grounde both men and beastes dyed of certain diseases which they tooke through infection thereof Such as were accounted to be skilfull in diuination affyrmed that these things did signifie an infortunate raigne with an euill ende vnto king Donalde as afterwardes it happened The interpretation of the prodigious things who hauing made away himselfe in prison as before is expressed Constantine the sonne of king Kenneth was crowned king at Scone King Cōstantine Crowned in the Chayre of Marble there according to the maner as then vsed After his first entring into the estate he would gladly haue gone in hād with the warres against y e English mē He fain would recouer his predecessours losses to haue recouered out of their possessions those countreys which they had lately taken from the Scottes in his predecessors time but his counsell aduised him otherwise He was aduised otherwise by his counsel declaring that the estate of the common wealth was so decayed by the misgouernance of his sayde predecessour that till the same were refourmed and suche intestine discorde as through licencious libertie raigned amongst his subiects might be appeased and quieted there was no hope to atchieue anye worthie enterprise abrode agaynst forraine enimies Hereupon by theyr aduertisements and good aduice Misorders are redressed hee deuised a reformation of all such misorders as were growen vp in al partes of his realme and first for the spiritualtie he ordayned that Priestes should attende their cures Priestes should onely attende their vocation and not to intermeddle with any secular businesse but to be free from going forth to the warres neyther should they keepe horses hawkes or hounds And if any of them wer found negligent in doing his duetie apperteyning to his vocation A penaltie for not doing their dueties he should for the first fault forfeyt a peece of money but for the second he should lose his benefice Youth shoulde eate but one meale a day For the youth of his realme he tooke order to brydle them the better from wanton delites and sensuall lustes that none of them shoulde haue past one meale a day and that of no fine or daintie delicates and to abstaine from all such drinke as might distemper their brayne so that if anye yong person Drunkennes punished with death either man or woman were known to be dronken they should die for it He commaunded further that all the youth of his realme shoulde exercise running wrastling shooting throwing of the dart and bowle so to auoyde slouthfulnesse that their bodies myghte with such exercises be made the more able to endure paynes and trauaile and for the same purpose he tooke order that they shoulde lye vpon the bare bourdes with one mantell onely throwne vnder them Youth to be treined vp in hardnesse so that they should tast nothing neither by day nor night that might noozell them in any wanton delytes or effeminate pleasures Kepers of bāketting houses to be banished It was also ordeyned that all such as kept vitayling houses for banketting cheare should be banished the realme with those that kept brothell houses Thus were the Scottes by obseruing of these ordinances Scottes were made sober able to abyde hardnes made within short time of gluttons excessiue feeders sober and temperate men of delicate and easefull persons hard tough and able to abide any trauail or labour were the same neuer so painfull and hereof the state of the common wealth began to grow to good perfection so that Constantines administration was lyked of the most part of all his subiects The first that went about to disquiet the prosperous raigne of that worthie Prince was one Euan Euan disquieted the king and realme a man of an aūcient house borne in the Westerne Iles. Such hath bene the vnquiet nature of the Scottish men euen from the beginning The vnquiet nature of Scottish men neuer to liue contented any long tyme eyther with peace or warre for being once a wearied with the charges of the warres they straight wayes wishe for peace and hauing in time of peace heaped togither some wealth then can they not suffer the gouernment of their superiours but either are readie to fall out with some forraine enimie or else to raise some commotion amongst themselues This Euan therefore being the kings Lieutenant of his Castell of Dunstafage in Louchquhaber Euan Lieutenant of Dunstafage conspireth agaynst the king practised a conspiracie agaynst the king with a number of other light persons being gentlemen borne mislyking the administration of things onely
made much of that little he gotte and wrote himselfe King which tytle our Hystories doe allowe him bycause hee made the waye playne enioyed it a whyle and set open the gate vnto his Countreymen Turgesius atchieued the whole exployte and brought it to perfection and in these respectes eyther of them may bee called King and Conquerour of Irelande Turgesius therefore with hys Norwegyans the seconde tyme inuaded Irelande Turgesius what he did susteyned diuerse losses and ouerthrowes but in the ende fortefying himselfe by the Sea coastes and receyuing thereby hys friendes at hys pleasure waxed so strong that hee subdued the whole I le He buyldeth Fortresses styll erecting Castelles and Fortresses as hee wanne grounde so to mayster the Irishe that with such maner of strengthes of Walles and Rampyres had not as yet beene acquaynted for tyll those dayes they knewe no defence but Woods Bogs or strokes Turgesius so brydled the Irishe Kinges and kepte them in awe Turgesius raigned in Ireland .xxx. yeares that without interruption hee raigned lyke a Conquerour thirtie yeares He cryed hauocke and spoyle where anye riche pray was to bee had sparing neyther those of the laytie nor of the Cleargie neyther Church nor Chappell abusing hys victorie verie insolently Omalaghlilen King of Methe Omalaghlilen king of Methe was in some trust with the tyrant His onely daughter Turgesius craued for his Concubine The father hauing a readie witte and watching his tyme beganne to breake with Turgesius in this wise sauing your fancie my Lorde quoth he there are dyuerse Ladyes of bloud in thys Countrey meeter bedfellowes for a King than that browne grystle and therewyth he beganne to recken vppe a number of hys Neeces and Cousins indowed as he set them forth with such singular beautie as they seemed rather Angels than mortall creatures The tyraunt as it were rauished and doting in loue of those Peerelesse peeces before hee sawe them by reason of such exceeding prayses as hee thus heard of them doubted yet least Omalaghlilen extolled them to preserue his daughter out of hys handes The policie of Omalaghlilen and the subtile father cloked his drift with modest behauiour lyngering tyme to enflame the Leachers folly as he that wished anye thing more to bee suspected than that which hee ment most earnestly to bring to passe At length when Turgesius seemed to take his delaying thus of tyme somewhat dyspleasantly he vsed thys or the like speech If I shoulde saye quoth hee that I gaue you my sole daughter wyth good wyll to be deflowred your highe wisedome woulde soone gesse that I didde but flatter you and yet if tenne Daughters were dearer to mee than your good pleasure and contentation by whose bountifull goodnesse both shee and I and wee all are supported I were vnworthie that secrete and neare frendship wherin it lyketh you to vse me As for the wenche it will be in parte honourable to hir to be required to the bedde of such a prince sith Queenes haue not sticked to come from far and yelde the vse of their bodyes to noble conquerors in hope by them to haue issue and how soeuer it be taken tyme will weare it out and redeeme it but suche a friende as you are to mee and myne neyther I nor myne shall lyue to see And verily I mean not to hazard your displesure if it were for a greater matter than the value of twentie maydenheads seeyng fathers haue not sticked to giue vp their own wiues to quench the lustes of their sonnes Therefore am I thus agreed name the daye and place separate youre selfe from the viewe of your court confeere with those that haue a deyntie insight and skilfull eyes in discerning beauties I wil send you my daughter and with hir the choyce of .xij. or .xvj. gentlewomeÌ„ the meanest of the which may be an Empresse in comparison when they are before you make youre game as you lyke And then if my chylde please your fantasy she is not too good to be at your coÌ„maundement Only my request is that if any other shall presume vpon youre leauings your maiestie will remember whose chyld she is This liberal prosfer was of Turgesius accepted whose desire was insactable with many good wordes thankes and faire promises To be shorte the same day Omalaglilen put his daughter in princelyke apparell attired after the trimmest wyse and with hir .xvj. proper yong men The lyke vvas practised by Alexander son to Amyneas king of Macedonie agaynste the Persian ambassadours Carion lib. 3. â—â— 109. beautifull and amiable to behold and so being sent to the king were presented vnto him in his priuie chamber hauyng none aboute him but a fewe dissolute youthfull persons whervpon those disguised yong striplyngs drew foorth from vnder their long womannishe garmentes theyr skeynes and valiauntly besturring them selues first stabbed their weapon poyntes thorough the bodie of the tyrant and then serued all those youthes that were aboute him with the lyke sawce they making small or no resistance at all The bruite of this murder was quickly blowen abroade thoroughe all Irelande and the Princes readye to catche holde on suche aduauntage rose in armes wyth one assente in purpose to delyuer themselues from bondage and recouer libertie All Methe and Leynister were speedyly got together The persuasion of Omalaglilen resortyng vnto Omalaglilen the authour of this practise who lyghtly lept to horsse and commending their forwarde readynesse in so naturall a quarrell sayd My lordes and frends this case neyther admitteth delaye nor requireth a policie Harte and haste is all in all whylest the matter is freshe and greene and that some of oure enimies lye still and sleepe some lamente some curse some are togither in counsell and all the whole number dismayed lette vs preuente theyr furye dismember theyr force cut off their flyght seyse vppon theyr places of refuge and succoure It is no victorie to plucke their feathers but to break their neckes not to chase them in but to rouse them out to weede them not to rake them not to treade them downe but to roote them vp This lesson the tyraunt himselfe did teache me I once demaunded of him as it were in a parable by what good husbandrie the lande might be ridde of certayne rauening fowles that anoyed it He aduysed vs to watch where they bredde and to fyre their nests aboute their eares Goe wee then vpon these Cormorantes whyche shrowde themselues in 〈◊〉 possessions and let vs so destroye them 〈◊〉 neyther nest nor roote neyther seede 〈◊〉 neyther braunche nor stumpe shall â—â—tayne of this vngratious generation Scared hadde he ended his tale but that wyth greate shoutes and clamoures they extolled the Kyng as defendoure of theyr lyues and libertyes assuring hym both of theyr bolde and hardye stomackes and speedfull expedition ioyned with theyr confederates and with a runnyng Campe swepte euerye corner of the lande rased the Castelles to the grounde chased away the straungers slewe all that
in pitch of body like a Giant K. Iohn demāded Curcy Curcies answer to king Iohn whether he could be content to fighte in his quarrel not for thee said y e Erle whose person I esteme vnworthy y e aduēture of my bloud but for y e crowne and dignitie of the Realme He taketh vpon him to defende the chalenge in which many a good man liueth against thy will I shall be content to hazard my life These words were not construed in the worst part as proceeding from an offended mind of him that was therein esteemed more playne thā wise Therefore being cherished and muche made of he was fedde so wōderfully nowe he came to large allowaunce in dyet after harde keeping that the Frenche chalenger tooke him for a Monster and fearing to deale with him priuily stale away into Spayne It is further reported that the French King being desirous to see Curcy requested K. Iohn that he might come before them and shewe of what strength hee was by striking a blowe at an helmet Herevpon forth he was broughte and presented before the Kings where was an Helmet set vpon a blocke Curcy taking a swoorde in his hande and with a sterne frowning countenance cast vpon the Kings gaue such a stroke to the helmet that cleauing it in sunder the swoorde sticked so fast in the logge that no mā there was able to plucke it foorthe excepte Curcy him selfe When he therefore had plucked foorth the sword the Kings asked him what he meant to looke vppon them with such a grimme and froward coūtenance before he gaue the blowe to the helmet he aunswered that if he had missed in his stroke he would haue killed all the whole company as well the Kings as other Then was he released of bondes and crossing the Seas towards Ireland whether he was boune Curcy departeth this life The description of Curcy was fifteene times beaten backe agayne to the Englishe shore and going into France to change the coast dyed there This Curcy was whyte of colour mightie of limmes with large bones and strong of synews tall and broade in proportion of body so as hys strength was thought to exceede of boldnesse incomparable and a warriour euen from his youth the formost in the front of euery battell where hee came and euer ready to hazard himselfe in place of most daunger so foreward in fight that oftentimes forgetting the office of a Captaine he toke in hande the part of a Souldiour pressing foorthe with the formost so that with his ouer rash violence and desire of victory he might seeme to put all in daunger But although he was thus hastie and hote in the field against his enimies yet was hee in conuersation modest and sober and very religious hauing Churchmen in great reuerence ascribing all to the goodnesse of God when he had atchieued any prayseworthy enterprise yeelding thankes to his diuine Maiestie accordingly But as seldome times any one man is founde perfecte in all things so these vertues were spotted with some vices namely too much nigardnesse in sparing and inconstancie He maried the daughter of Godred King of Man and after many conflicts and battayles had against the Irishe he conquered as before ye haue heard the countrey of Vlster and building diuers strong Castels therein he established the same vnder his quiet rule and gouernement till he and Lacy fell out as before is expressed After Curcies decesse bicause he left no heires the Earledome of Vlster was giuen vnto Hugh Lacie in recompence of his good seruice There was one of the Curcies remayning in Irelande that was Lorde of Rathermy and Kilbarrocke whome as an espiall of all their practises and informer thereof to the Kyng Walter and Hugh the sonnes of Hugh Lacy slew by reason wherof great trouble and disquietnesse ensued those Lacies bearing themselues nowe after the decesse of their father for gouernors out of checke To set the Realme in quiet king Iohn wēt into Ireland King Iohn was fayne to passe thither himselfe in person with a mayne army banished the Lacies subdued the residue of the countrey yet not conquered tooke pledges punished malefactors See more here of in England established the execution of English lawes coyned money of like valew currant sterling in both Realmes The two Lacies repenting their misdemeanors They fled into Fraunce fledde into Fraunce disguised in poore apparell and serued there in an Abbey as gardiners vntill the Abbot by their countenaunce and behauiour began to gesse their estates and apposed them so farre that they disclosed what they were beseeching the Abbot to keepe their counsels who commending their repentant humblenesse aduised thē yet to make sute for their princes fauor if it mighte be hadde promising to doe what he could in the matter and so tooke vppon him to bee a sutor for them vnto the King that was his godcept and well acquainted with him He trauelled so earnestly herein that at length he obteyned their pardons But yet they were fined Walter at four thousand They are pardoned and put to their fynes and Hugh at fiue and twentie hundred markes and herevpon Walter was restored vnto y e Lordship of Meth Hugh to the Earledome of Vlster In the yeere .1216 King Iohn departed thys life In his dayes diuers monasteries were builte in Ireland as beside those that before are mentioned in the fourth yeere of his raigne the Abbey of Dowish was founded in the sixt the Abbey of Wetherham in y e countie of Limerike by Theobald le Butler Lorde of Caeracky and in the twelfth yeere Richard Oute builded the Monasterie of Grenard Henry the third Warres betwixt Lacy and Marshall In the dayes of Henry y e thirde that succeeded his father K. Iohn great warres were reysed in Ireland betwixt Hugh Lacy and William Marshal so that the countrey of Meth was greeuously afflicted In the yeere .1228 after the death of Loundoris Archbishop of Dublin 1228 that was Lord chiefe Iustice King Henry the third vnderstanding the good seruice done by the Giraldines euer sith their first comming into Irelande The Geraldines though by wrong reportes the same had bin to their preiudice for a time sinisterly misconstrued so as the Gentlemē had still bin kept backe and not rewarded according to their good desertes The King nowe enformed of the troth made Morice Fitz Geralde Morice Fitz Geralde the sonne of Morice aforesaid Lord chiefe iustice of Ireland Lucas succeeded Loundoris in the Archbishops See Lucas Archbishop and was cōsecrated in the yere 1230. Richarde Marshall was taken prisoner in battell at Kildare Some write 1230 y t he was wounded there 1234 and within fewe dayes after died of the hurt at Kilkenny and was buried there in the quier of the Churche of the Friars Preachers neere to the place where his brother William was enterred who departed this life in the yeere 1231. In the yeere .1241 1241 Walter
themselues to the Frenche King who taking a greate pryde in his doings for that victorie passed ouer Loyre and wanne the Citie of Towrs wherein hee placed a garnison and so hauing spedde hys businesse wyth good successe bringeth home hys armie laden wyth prayes and booties Polidor King Henrie beeing thus put to the worse and not perceyuing anye readie meane howe to recouer his losses beganne to despayre in hymselfe and therefore of necessitie thought it best to seeke for peace The Earle of Flaunders seeketh to agree the Parties but hys suyte was in vaine for the enimie hauing now the aduantage would not graunt to agree vpon any reasonable conditions At the last Philip the Earle of Flaunders Mat. Paris and William Archbishoppe of Reymes with Hugh Duke of Burgoyne came to king Henrie to moue wayes of agreement and to conclude the same betwixte hym on the one partie and the French King and Earle Richarde on the other parte Earle Richarde had the Brytaynes and them of Poictou confederate wyth him vnder such conditions as hee myght not agree with his father without that they mighte bee comprysed in the agreemente A peace concluded At length they agreed vpon conditions not altogither aduauntageable to the King of Englande yet in the ende Chateau Raoul was restored to king Henrye wyth all that had beene taken from him sithe the tyme that the Frenche king and hee tooke vppon them the Crosse On the other part King Henrye did homage to the Frenche King whiche in the beginning of thys warre he hadde surrendred and renounced Thirty thoâ—…sand to the king and .xx. to the Baron of France 〈◊〉 He was bounde also to paye to the Frenche King twentie thousande Markes for the ayde whiche Earle Rycharde had receyued of him Moreouer to resigne and acquite vnto the Frenche King Ger. Do. all that whiche eyther he or hys predecessours helde or possessed within Aluergne Other Articles there were which king Henry agreed vnto sore agaynst hys will as the delyuery of the Ladie Alice or Adela and suche other which as not muche materiall wee passe ouer This peace was concluded not farre from Towrs â—…g Houed Gisors saith â—…er Do. in a place appoynted conuenient for both the Kings to meete in aboute the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paule And as writers recorde there chaunced great thunder and lightning at the very tyme when the two kings came to enteruiew and talke togither â—…ange thunâ—…r and lightâ—…ng so that the leit bolt light betwixt them two And yet notwythstanding suche thunder and lightning the ayre was cleare and nothing troubled The two Kings departed in sunder through feare thereof for that day and on the next day the like chaunce happened greatly to the terrour of them both Which moued King Henrie the sooner to condifcende to the agreement Moreouer this is not-to-bee forgotten that when all matters were quieted and accorded amongst them King Henrie requyred to haue all theyr names delyuered vnto him in wryting which had promised to take part were ioined as confederates with the French king and Erle Richard This was graunted and when the rolle was presented vnto him he founde his son Iohn the first person that was named in that register wherewith he was so troubled and disquieted in his mynde that comming to Chinon hee felte such griefe hereof that hee cursed euen the verye day in whiche he was borne and as was sayde gaue to hys sonnes Gods cursse and hys the whiche hee woulde neuer release although he was admonished to do it both of sundry Bishops and other religious and godly men Thus hath Houeden Howbeit it is not like that Earle Richarde at this tyme had procured hys brother Iohn to bee confederate with hym in hys rebellious dealings but rather bycause Earle Rycharde had some suspition leaste his father woulde make Iohn hys heyre and successour in the kingdome it might bee a pollicie wrought by the Frenche king and Earle Richarde to alienate his fathers minde from the sayd Iohn These euils were esteemed to fall vnto king Henrie by the iust iudgement of God for that being admonished dyuerse wayes as well by diuine Reuelation as by the wholesome aduise of graue menne as Hugh Bishoppe of Lincolne and others hee woulde not refourme hys lycencious appetyte of heaping vppe sinne vpon sinne but styll wallowed therein to his owne destruction Wherevpon beeing brought to suche an extremitie as ye haue heard hee was taken with a grieuous sickenesse which bringing him to vtter desperation of recouering of health he finally departed this lyfe though more through verie anguishe and griefe of hys late losse and troubles susteyned than by the force of hys bodily disease King Henrie departeth this life as wryters haue affyrmed But howsoeuer it was he ended nowe his life the sixth of Iuly in the .lxj. yeare of his age and after he had raigned xxxiiij yeares nine Monethes and two dayes whiche was in the yeare after the byrth of oure Sauiour .1189 and of the creation of the Worlde .5155 And here may be thought that the raigne of the Normans and French men ouer the realme of England tooke ende a hundred .xxij. yeares after the comming in of the Conquerour for those that raigned after this Henrie the seconde wee may rightly esteeme them to bee Englishemen bycause they were borne in Englande and vsed the English tongue customes and maners according to the nature and qualitie of the Countrey His bodie was buryed at Founteverarde whiche is an Abbey situate not farre from the Towne of the Eagle wythin the Duchie of Alancon Immediately vpon his death those that were about him applyed theyr market so busily in catching and filching awaye things that lay readie for them His surname whereof it came that the kings corps lay naked a long time tyll a childe couered the nether partes of his bodie with a short Cloke and then it seemed that his surname was fulfilled that hee had from hys childhood which was shortmantell being so called bycause hee was the first that brought shorte clokes one of Anion into England As his sonne Richarde mette the corpse going towardes the buryall sodainly there issued bloud oute of the deade bodyes Nosthrillos whiche was taken for a signifycation that it abhorred the presence of so wicked a Sonne whiche in hys lyfe tyme hadde so persecuted the father His death was signified by a marueylous straunge woonder A straunge maner of fight betwixt fishes for a fewe dayes before hee dyed all the fishes in a certayne Meere or Poole in Normandie leapt forth on lande in the nighte season and fought togyther with suche a noyse that a great multitude of men came running thither to beholde the wonder and coulde not finde one fishe aliue in the Meere He had issue by hys wyse Queene Elonor The issue of Henrie the seconde His sonnes as may appeare by that whiche alreadie is rehearsed â—…foure sonnes Henrye Rycharde
Gourney who â—…ing 〈◊〉 Marcels three yeares after â—…g known 〈◊〉 and brought toward Englande was deheaded on the sea least hee shoulde â—…se the 〈…〉 as the Bishop and other Iohn Muttinees repenting himselfe lay long hidden 〈…〉 manie and in the ende died penitently Thus was king Edwarde â—…thered in the yeare 13â—…7 on the .xxij. of September The â—…e 〈◊〉 that by this Edwarde the seconde The fond opinion of the ignoraÌ„t people after his death manye myâ—…ses were wrought So that the like opinion of him was â—…eryâ—…s as before had beene of Earle Thomas of Lancaster namely amongst the common people He was knowne to bee of a good and â—…teons nature though not of moste pregnant 〈◊〉 The nature disposition of king Edwarde the seconde And alâ—…eâ—… 〈◊〉 youth 〈…〉 into certaine light â—…rymes 〈…〉 by the companie and counsaâ—…e of euill â—…on was â—…ndâ—…ed vnto more heyâ—… 〈…〉 thought that he purged the 〈◊〉 by repentance and paciently suffered many reproâ—…s and finally death it selfe as before yee haue hearde after a most cruell maner Hee had surely good cause to repent his former trade of syuing for by his indiscreete and wanton â—…uernance there were headed and put to death during his raigne by iudgement of law to the nuÌ„ber of .xxviij. barons and knights ouer and beside such as were slaine in Scotlande by hys infortunate conduct And all these mischiefes and many mor happened not only to him but also to the whole state of the realm in that he wanted iudgement and prudent discretion to make choyse of sage and discrete counsaylers receyuing those into his fauour that abused the same to their pryuate gaine and aduantage not respecting the aduancement of the common wealth so they themselues might attaine to riches and honour for which they onely sought insomuch that by theyr couetous rapine spoyle and immoderate ambition the heartes of the common people and nobilitie were quite estraunged from the dutifull loue and obedience which they ought to haue shewed to their soueraigne going about by force to wrasâ—… him to follow theyr willes and to seeke the destruction of them whom he commonly fauoured wherein surely they were worthie of blame and to taste as manye of them did the deserued punishment for theyr disobedient and disloyall demeanors For it was not the way whiche they tooke to helpe the disfigured state of the common wealth but rather the readie meane to ouerthrow all as if Gods goodnesse had not beene the greater it must needs haue come to passe as to those that shall well consider the pitifull tragedie of this kings tyme it may well appeare But now to proceed with that which remaineth touching this infortunate Prince â–ª Hee had issue by his wife Queene Isabell His issue two sonnes Edward which was made king whilest he was yet aliue and Iohn whiche dyed yong also two daughters Eleanore which died before she came to yeares able for mariage and Ioan which was after giueÌ„ in mariage vnto Dauid king of Scotlande He was indifferently tall of stature strong of bodie and healthfull neither wanted there in him stoutnesse of stomake if his euill counsaylers had bene remoued that he might haue shewed it in honourable exploytes which being kept backe by them he coulde not doe so that thereby it appeareth of what importance it is to be trayned vp in youth with good and honest companie It is sayd that he was learned insomuch that there remaine verses which as some haue written he made whilest he was in prison Certaine it is he fauoured learning as by the erection of Oriall Colledge in Oxford Oryall and S. Marie hall in Oxford and S. Maries Hall which were of his foundation it may well bee gathered Ex centuria 4. Bale Learned men we finde recorded by Bale to liue in this kings time these as follow Iohn Dâ—…ns that subtill Logitian borne as Lelande hath gathered in a village in Northumberlande called Emyldun three myles distant from 〈◊〉 wike although other hold the coÌ„trarie 〈…〉 clayming him for theyr countreymen 〈…〉 Irishe men for theirs Robert Waâ—… 〈◊〉 Eâ—…lite Frier that wâ—…iâ—… diuerse 〈…〉 Wilton an Augustine Friers 〈…〉 borne Raâ—…fe Locksley Nicholas 〈…〉 William Whitley Thomas Ioyâ—… 〈◊〉 Ioyceâ—… William Gaynesburg â–ª Robert Bâ—… borne not farre from Notingham 〈…〉 Frier of Scarbourgh the same whome king â—…warde tooke with him into Scotlande to 〈◊〉 some remeÌ„brances of his victories although being taken by the Scottes Soâ—… in Sâ—…lande Pâ—… he was constrâ—… 〈◊〉 Robert Brâ—… to frame a dittie to 〈…〉 time Iohn Horminger a Suffolke was 〈◊〉 William Rishanger a Monke of S. 〈…〉 Historiographer â–ª Ranfe Baldocke 〈◊〉 London wrote also an Historie which was 〈◊〉 â—…tuled Historia Anglica Richard Bâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…colnshire man borne a Carmelite Frier 〈◊〉 Walsingham borne either in Walsingham 〈◊〉 Brunham as Bale supposeth a Carmelite 〈◊〉 also and wrote diuerse treatises Thomas â—…ham a Cauoâ—… Salisburie and a 〈…〉 â—…initio Robert Plunpton borne in 〈◊〉 a regular Chanonâ—… Thomas Caâ—… 〈◊〉 of Pontfret William Mansfield Iohn 〈◊〉 Robert 〈◊〉 William Askattle of Beâ—… Gaffrey of 〈◊〉 Iohn Gatisdene â–ª Tâ—… Angliens StepheÌ„â—…ton or Edâ—… Iohn â—…stone borne in Yorkeshire Iohn Wâ—… Nicholas de Lira Iewe by byrth of those 〈◊〉 had their habitatioÌ„s in England who 〈◊〉 â—…ree many treatises to his great commeÌ„dation for his singuler knowlege and zeale which 〈…〉 in disprouing the Rabines that styll sought to keepe the Iewish nation in blindnesse and 〈◊〉 hope in looking for another Messias Raâ—…â—…ton an excellent diuine Iohn Dumbleton a â—…gitian Thomas Langford borne in Mâ—… Essex Osbert Pyckertam a Carmelite Frier of Lyn in Norffolke Nicholas Oheâ—… 〈…〉 Frier William Ocham a Frier Minor 〈◊〉 wrote diuerse treatises namely against Iohn Duns and likewise against Iohn the 〈…〉 of that name in fauour of the Emperour Lewes of Bauier Richard Walingford Thomas â—…wood a CanoÌ„ of Leedes in Kent wrote a Chronicle called Chronicon CampendiariuÌ„ Robert â—…rew Robert Perserutator borne in Yorkeshire a black Frier a Philosopher or rather a Magâ—… Richarde Belgrane a Carmelite Brinkley a minorite and others King Edward the thirde â—…dward â—…e 3. EDwarde the thirde of that name the sonne of Edwarde the seconde and of Isabell the onelye daughter of Philip le Beau and sister to Charles the fifth king of Fraunce began his raigne as king of England his father yet liuing the .xxv. day of Ianuarie after the creation .5292 in the yeare of our Lorde .1327 after the account of them that beginne the yeare at Christmasse 867. after the comming of the Saxons 260. after the conquest the .13 yeare of the raigne of Lewes the fourth then Emperor the seuenth of Charles the fift king of Fraunce the secoÌ„d of Andronicus Iunior Emperor of the East almost ended and about the end of the .22 of Robert le Bruce king of Scotland as Wil. Harison in his Chronologie hath diligently recorded He was crowned at Westminster on the day of
of armes and archers a greater number than in Parliamente was firste to hym assigned hee sette from Plimmouth on the daye of the natiuitie of oure Lady They were in all three hundred sayle and finding the winde prosperous they passed ouer into Gascoigne where of the Gascoignes they were ioyfully receyued In August the Englishmen that were in Britaine warring agaynste the Frenchmenne that tooke parte with the Lorde Charles de Bloys slewe many of them and tooke the Lorde of Beaumanor the vicount of Roan and dyuers other This yeare also aboute Michaelmas the King hauing sommoned an army to be ready at Sandwich passed ouer to Caleis with the same There wente ouer with him his two sonnes Lionell of Andwerp Earle of Vlster and Iohn of Gant Earle of Richmont He found at Caleis a thousand men of armes that came to serue hym for wages forthe of Flaunders Brabant and Almaigne so that hee had about three thousand men of armes and two thousand archers on horsebacke beside archers on foote in great number â—…e Citie of â—…don The Citie of London had sente to hym fiue and twentie men of armes and fiue hundred archers all in one sute or liuerti at their owne costes and charges The second of Nouember he set from Caleis marching foorthe towardes Saint Omers wasting the Countrey by the way as he passed The Frenche Kyng beeyng the same tyme within the Towne of Sainte Omers â—…e king inâ—…eth France â—…e lord Bouâ—…t sente the Lord Bousicant vnto the Kyng of Englande that vnder colour of communication hee might viewe the Kyngs power who made such reporte thereof vppon hys returne backe to the Frenche Kyng that he determined not to fighte with the King of Englande but rather to passe before hym and so to destroy vittayles that for wantâ—… thereof the Kyng of Englande shoulde hee constreyned to returne And as he determined so it came to passe for the vittayles were so cutte off that the Englishmenne for three dayes togither dranke nothing but water â—…oissart â—…e Kyng for â—…t of victuâ—… returneth When therefore Kyng Edwarde had followed his enimies so farre as Heyden where hee brake the Parke and brents the houses within and about the Parke although he entred not into the Towne nor Castell at length for defence of vitrayles he returned backe and came agayâ—… to Caleis on Saint Martins day Auesburie being the teÌ„th after his setting foorth from thence The morrow after beeing Thursday and the twelfth of Nouember 〈◊〉 CoÌ„nestable of FraÌ„ce â—…e Conestaâ—… of France â—…mmandeth â—…tayle and other Frenchmenâ—… came to the ende of the caulsey of Caleis with letters of credeneâ—… offering battaile the twesday nexte following vnto the King of Englande in presence of the Duke of Lancaster the Earles of Northampton and the Lord Walter de Manne who in the Kings behalfe declared to the Câ—…nnestable that the King of Englande â—…e answere â—…de to him to eschew shedding of bloud woulde fight with the French King body to body so to â—…ie their right and if he liked not of that matche then if hee woulde choose three or foure Knightes to him that were neerest to hym is bloud hee shoulde choose the like number but when this offer would not be accepted the English Lordes offered battell the next day beeyng Fridaye or else on Saterday following at the Frenchemennes choyce but the Connestable of Fraunce and his company continuing on theyr first oâ—…r refused both those dayes Then the Englishe Lordes accepted the days by â—…hâ—…th assigned with condition that if they be ougthe not King Edwarde to giue that â—…yle that daye they woulde 〈…〉 prisoners so that the Frenchmenne woulde â—…wise vndertake for theyr Kâ—…ng The Contestable 〈◊〉 no aunswere ready stayed a â—…hile and after flatly refused to make any such couenaunt Finally when the English Lordes perceyued there aduersaries not to â—…e battayle as theyr wordes of the first pretended they brake ast and both parties returned home The King of Englande stayed till the twesday and payd the straungers their wages and so came backe into England The sixth of Nouembre whilest the Kyng was thus abroade in Picardy Berwike taken by Scottes the Scottes very earely in the morning of that daye came priuily to Berwike entred by fleâ—… into the towne and sâ—…eaing there or foure Englishmenne tooke it with all the goodes and persons within it those excepted which got to the Castell In a Parliamente summoned this yeare A parliament the Monday after the feast of Saint Edmonde the King the Lords and commons graunted to K. Edward 50. ss of euery sacke of woolle that shuld be carried ouer the sea for the space of sixe yeares next ensuing By this grant it was thoughte y e the K. might dispeÌ„d a M. markes sterling a day such went of woolles had the English merchants in that season The Parliament being ended the K. about S. Andrews tide set forward towards Scotland held his Christmas at new Castell About which time by letters seat froÌ„ y e Prince y e K. was aduertised of his proceedings after hys arriuall in Gascoigne wher being ioyfully receiued of the nobles other y e people of that couÌ„trey as before ye haue heard he declared to them the cause of his thither coÌ„ming tooke aduice with them how to proceede in his businesse and so about y e truth of October he set forward to passe against his enimies first entring into a countrey called Iuliake which to get her with the fortresses The procedinges of the prince of Wales in Aquitayne yeelded whom witholde any great resistaÌ„ce TheÌ„ he rode through y e countrie Armignac wasting spoiling the countrey and so passed through the landes of the vieountes de la Riuiere and after entred into the countie de l Eseraâ—… and passing through y e some came into the countie of Commyges finding the Towne of Saint Matan voyde being a good towne and one of the best in that countrey After this he passed by the lande of the Earle of â—…le till hee came within a league of Tholouse where the Earle of Armignac beeyng the French Kings Lieutenaunt in those parties and other great Lords and nobles were asseÌ„bled The Prince with his army carried there a two dayes and after passed ouer riuer of Garonne after ouer an other riuer thereaboutes a league aboue Tholouse lodging that nighte a league on the other side of Tholon seâ—… and so they passed through Tholouzaine taking daylye Townes and Castels wherein they found great riches for the countrey was very plentifull Vpon Alhallowen euen they came to Castell Naudarie and from thence they tooke the way to Carcasson Carcasson into the whiche a greate number of men of armes and commons were withdrawen But vpon the approch of the Englishmen they slipt away and got them to a strong Castell that stoode neere at hand The thirde daye after the Englishmen brente the Towne and passing foorth
Monseur de Weriners Monsiur de Vineles MoÌ„seur de Noielles MoÌ„seur Iohn de Hangestes captain of Bollongne the Lord de Rambures Mons Lioneel Darreis captaine of Graueling Monseur Peter Rasser captaine of Arde also Combernarde captaine of Tirouanne Boid Chanon captain of Montoire Iohn Chanon captaine of Lisle Stenebeck captaine of Ralingham the bastarde of Burneuille captaine of Burbourgh There were slain about lx among them as chiefe sir Robert Berengueuille the Lord of Quercos Morell de Sâ—…coses the Lord Courbet de Rempeupret and others The Englishmen had the spoyle of the Erles campe and being returned to Calais within fiue days after there issued forth about .v. C. meÌ„ Arde assaulted by EnglishmeÌ„ meaning to haue woonne the towne of Arde wyth a sodaine assault whiche they gaue to it in the nyghte tyme. But sir Mansed de Bois and the Lorde Kigme did so valiantly defend it that the Englishmen with losse of fortie of their menne were constrayned to returned vnto Calays after they had burnt the deade bodyes in an olde house for that the enimyes shoulde not perceyue what losse the Englishmen had susteyned After this the French king to auoyde perils The Marques de Pount layd in garnison at Bollongne and in other places the Marques of Pount sonne to the Duke of Bar the Earle of Dampney and sir Iohn Harpadan a Knight of great renoume and estimation The duke of Burgoine likewise sent a number of soldiers vnto Graueling vnder the leading of one Iohn VandeÌ„walle and to other fortresses alongst the coast he sent newe supplies for doubt of the English mens inuasions The king of England in deede hearing of the preparation made for warre by the Frenchmen An army sente to Caleys and to the sea leuied foure thousande men whiche hee sent vnto Calais and to the sea of the which three thousaÌ„d vnder the conduct of the kings sonne the Lorde Thomas of Lancaster and the Erle of Kent Chro. of Fla. Ia. Mar. the xxij of May as some write came vpon the coast of Flaunders and entring the hauen of Sluse burnt four great shippes which they founde there lying at ancre The fifth day after theyr comming into that hauen they went a land thinking to haue fought with the duke of Burgoigne Chro. of Fla. Iacob Mar. But as other write after they had besieged the Castel that stood in the mouth of the hauen and losing .lx. of their men The Englishmen besieged the Castel of Sluys amongest whiche they name one to beare the tytle of Earle of Pembroke whome they buryed for the tyme in the Churche of Mude fiue dayes after theyr comming thither they determined to depart from thence perceyuing the Castel would not easily be wonne but first they spoyled the Countrey about them and burnt Heys fleet otherwise called Condekyrke and diuerse other places thereabout This done they tooke vp the bodie of him whoÌ„ the Flemishe wryters call the Earle of Pembroke and got them againe to the Sea for that they were aduertysed howe the Duke of Burgoigne ment to besiege Calais Whereuppon raysing their siege thus from Sluyse Castel they returned to the defence of the towne of Caleys so muche desyred of the Frenche Nation As they returned homewards they mette with three Caricks of Genoa of the which one hauing the winde with hir ment to haue ouerthrowne the ship wherein the Lorde Thomas of Lancaster was abourde but by the good foresight of the master of the shippe that ruled the sterne sodenly turning the same the violent sway of that huge vessell comming so vpon them was auoided but yet the Carick stroke off the nose of the English ship and bruysed hir on the side Then began the fight very cruell till the Erle of Kent came to the reskue and so finally after a great conflict bloudy battaile betwixt the Carickes and English ships â—…sore fight by â—… the victorie remayned with the EnglishmeÌ„ who taking the Cariekes â—…ree Caricks â—…e taken turned their sayles towards Normandie where they arriued and burnt the townes of Hoggue Mountburg Berflie S. Petrouilles and other â—…oâ—…es in â—…ormandy 〈◊〉 to the number of .xxxvj. pasisng forth into the Countrey without resistance the space of .xxx. myles spoyling all that came in theyr way This done they returned and brought the Carickes into the Camber at Ric where one of them by misfortune of fire perished to the losse no gaine of either of the parties The D. of Burâ—…oine prepareth â—â— besiege Calays Iohn Duke of Burgoyne hauing obteyned licence to besiege Calais prepared an armie of sixe thousande men of armes xv hundred Crosbowes and .xij. thousand footmen the whiche being assembied and all necessarie prouision readie at Saint Omers hee was by the Frenche king countermaunded and not suffred to proceed any further in that weightie enterprice The chiefe â—…oâ—…e of the â—…alice betwixt â—…he Dukes of â—…urgoyne and Orleans And this was thought to be partly the cause of the malice that he conceyued agaynst the duke of Orleans supposing that through him enuying his glorie he was thus disappoynted of his purpose Whilest such doings were in hande betwixt the Englishe and Frenche as the besieging of Mark Castell by the Earle of Saint Poll and the sending forth of the English fleete vnder the gouernance of the Lorde Thomas of Lancaster and the Earle of Kent the king was mynded to haue gone into Wales agaynst the Welche Rebels that vnder their Chieftaine Owen Glendouer ceassed not to doe much mischiefe still agaynst the English subiectes But at the same time to his further disquieting there was a conspiracie put in practice agaynst him at home by the Earle of Northumberlande â—… new conspiâ—â—cie againste Hâ—…ry by the Erle of Northumberâ—…nd others who had conspired with Richarde Scrope Archbishop of Yorke Thomas Mowbray Earle Marshall sonne to Thomas Duke of Norffolke who for the quarell betwixt him and King Henrie had beene banished as before ye haue herd the lords Hastings Fauconbridge Berdolfe and diuerse others It was appoynted that they should meete all togyther wyth theyr whole power vpon Yorkeswold at a day assigned and that the Earle of NorthuÌ„berlande should be Chieftain promising to bring with him a great number of Scots The Archbishop accompanied with the Erle Marshall deuised certaine articles of such matters as it was supposed that not onely the communaltie of the Realme but also the Nobilitie founde themselues agrieued with which articles they shewed first vnto such of their adherents as were neare aboute them and after sent them abrode to theyr friendes further of assuring them that for redresse of such oppressions they woulde shedde the last droppe of bloud in theyr bodyes if need were The Archbishop not meaning to stay after he saw hymselfe accompanied with a great number of men The Archbi of Yorke one of the cheefe conspiratours that came flocking to Yorke to take his parte in this
returned agayne to Boys de Vincennes and beeing there receiued of the King and Queene of Fraunce and of the Queene his wife the thirtith day of May being Whitson euen they remoued altogither vnto Paris where the King of England lodged in the Castell of Loure and the Frenche King in the house of Saint Paule These two kings kept great estate with their Queenes The royall port of the K. of Englande at this high feast of Pentecost but the King of Englandes Court greatly exceeded so that al the resort was thither The ParisieÌ„s that beheld his princely port and high magnificence iudged him rather an Emperour than a Kyng and their owne King to be in respect to him like a Duke or a Marques The Dolphin hauyng knowledge by espials where the King of England and his power lay came with all his puissance ouer the riuer of Loyre and besieged Cosney Cosney besieged by the Dolphyn a towne scituate vpon that riuer a sixe score miles distant from Paris and appointed parte of his army to wast and destroy the confynes of the Duchie of Burgoigne to the inteÌ„t to deuide the power of the Kyng of Englande from the strength of the Duke of Burgoigne supposing as it came to passe indeede that the Duke would make hast towardes Burgoigne to defende hys owne lands In the meane time they within Cosney were so hard handled that they promised to render their towne to the Dolphin if they were not rescued by the King of EnglaÌ„d within tenne dayes King HeÌ„ry hearing these newes woulde not send any one creature but determined to goe himselfe to the reysing of that siege and so with all deligence came to the Towne of Corbeil and so to Senlis where The king falleth sicke whithout were with heate of the ayre or that he wish hys daily labour were â—…obled or weakened he began to ware sicke yea and so sicke that hee was constreyned to tarrie send his brother the Duke of Bedford to rescue them of Cosney which he did Cosney rescued by the duke of Bedford to his high honor for the Dolphin hearing that the Duke of Bedford was comming to reise his siege departed thence into Berrie to his greate dishonor and lesse gaine Aboute the same time the Duke of Britaine sent his Chancellor y e Bishop of Mauntes Titus Lâ—… The Duke of Britayne seadeth ambassadors to the K. of England with the Bishop of Vannes and others of his counsell as Ambassadors from him vnto K. Henrye with full commission to ratifie and allowe for him and his people the peace coÌ„cluded at Troyes but by reason of the Kings greeuous sicknes nothing as then was done in that matter Neuerthelesse the Duke himselfe in person came afterwardes to Amiens and there performed that which he had appoynted his Ambassadors at this time in his name to haue done and accomplished In the meane season The king of Englande is brought sickâ—… to Boys de Vincennes King Henrye waxed sicker and sicker and so in an horselitter was coÌ„ueyed to Boys de Vincennes to whome shortly after repared the Dukes of Bedforde Gloucester and the Earles of Salisburie and Warwike whome the King louingly welcomed and shewed himselfe right glad of their presence and when he saw theÌ„ pensiue for his sicknesse great danger of life wherin he presently laye His aduice vpon his death bedde he with many graue curteous pithie words recomforted them the best he could and therwith exhorted them to be trustie and faithfull vnto his son and to see that he might be wel and vertuously brought vp and as coÌ„cerning the rule and gouernaÌ„ce of his realmes during the minoritie yong yeares of his said sonne he willed them to ioyne together in frendly loue and concorde keping continuall peace and amitie with the duke of Burgoigne and neuer to make treatie with Charles that calleth himselfe Dolphyn of Vyenne by the whyche any part eyther of the crown of France or of the Duchies of Normandie and Guyenne may be lessened or dimynished and further that the Duke of Orleauns and the other Princes shoulde styll remayne Prisoners tyll hys sonne came to lawfull age least retournyng home againe they myght kindle more fyre in one day than myght be quenched in three He further aduiseth theÌ„ that if they thought it necessarye that it shoulde be good to haue his brother Humfrey duke of Glocester to be protector of Englande during the nonage of his sonne and his brother the duke of Bedford with the helpe of the duke of Burgongne to rule and to be regent of France commaunding him with fire and sword to persecute the Dolphyn til he had either brought him to reason and obeysance or else to driue and expell hym out of the realme of Fraunce And herewith he protested vnto them Titus Liuius that neyther the ambitious desyre to enlarge his dominions neyther to purchase vayne renowne and worldlye fame nor any other consideration hadde moued him to take the warres in hande but onely that in prosecuting his iust title he might in the end atteyn to a perfect peace and come to enioy those peeces of his inheritance whiche to him of right belonged and that before the beginning of the same warres he was fully perswaded by menne bothe wyse and of greate holynesse of lyfe that vppon suche intent he myghte and ought bothe beginne the same warres and follow them til he had brought them to an end iustly and rightly and that without all daunger of Gods displeasure or perill of soule The noble men present promised to obserue his preceptes and to perfourme his desires but their hearts were so pensife and replenished with sorow that one could not for weping behold an other Then he sayd the .vij. psalmes and receyued the sacrament and in saying the Psalmes of the Passion â—…e departed 〈◊〉 life ended his dayes here in this world the last of August in the yere a thousand foure hundred twentie and two The câ—…mendâ—… of kyng Henry the fifte 〈◊〉 expressed by â—…er Hall This Henry was a king whose lyfe was immaculate and his liuing without spotte Thys king was a Prince whome all men loued and of none disdayned This Prince was a captain against whome fortune neuer frowned nor mischance once spurned This captain was a shepheard whom his flocke both loued and obeyed This shephearde was suche a Iusticiarie that lefte no offence vnpunished nor frendship vnrewarded Thys Iusticiarie was so feared that all rebellion was banished and sedition suppressed Hys vertues were no more notable than his qualities were worthie of praise for in strengthe and nimblenesse of bodie from his youthe fewe were to hym comparable for in wrastling leaping and running no maÌ„ almost durst with him presume in casting of great iron barres and heauie stones he excelled commonly all menne No colde made him slouthfull nor heat caused him to shrinke and when he moste laboured his head was vncouered He
enimies whereas he aduenturing so farre from his companie to kill and slea his aduersaryes The Earle of Warwicke slaine that hee coulde not bee reskued was amongest the preasse of his enimyes striken downe and slaine The Marques Montacute thinking to succour his brother The Marques Montacute slayne was likewise ouerthrowne and slain with many other of good calling as knights and Esquiers beside other Gentlemen Some write that this battaile was so driuen to the vttermost point that king Edward himselfe was constrained to fight in his own person and that the Erle of Warwike which was wont euer to ride on horsbacke from place to place and from ranke to ranke comforting his men was now aduised by y e Marques his brother to leaue his horse and to trie the extremitie by hand strokes The number slaine at Berâ—…ld On both parties were slaine as Hall hath ten thousande at the least where Fabian sayth but .xv. C. and somewhat aboue Other wryte that there dyed in all about three thousand Vpon the kings part were slaine the Lorde Crumwell the Lord Say the Lorde Montioys sonne and heyre sir Humfrey Bourchier sonne to the L. Berners diuerse other knights esquiers and gentlemen The battaile dured the space of three houres very doubtfull by reason of the mist in skirmishing and fighting now in this place now in that but finally the victorie fell on the Kings side and yet it could not bee esteemed that his whole armie passed nine thousande fighting men as some wryte where his aduersaryes as by the same wryters appeareth were farre aboue that number But bycause those that so wryte seeme altogyther to fauour King Edwarde we may beleue as we list The Duke of Somerset and the Earle of Oxforde fledde in companie of certaine Northren menne whiche hadde beene at the battayle The Duke of Sommerset the Erle of Oxford and as some wryte the Earle of Oxford kepte forth wyth them and retyred after into Scotlande but yet as well the Duke of Somerset as the sayd Erle of Oxforde in fleeing towarde Scotlande â—…hal changed their purpose vpon the way and turned into Wales to Iasper Earle of Pembroke The Duke of Exceter being stryken downe and sore wounded The Duke of Exceter was left for deade in the field amongst other the dead bodies bycause hee was not knowne and by reason thereof comming to himselfe got vp and in greate daunger escaped vnto Westminster and there tooke Sanctuarie â—…d King Edwarde hauing got this victorie refreshing himselfe and his people a while at Bernet returned the same day vnto London lyke a tryumphaunt Conquerour â—…ading wyth hym King Henrie as a captiue prisoner and somâ—…king a solemne entrie at the church of S. Paule offred his standeâ—… The deade bodyes of the Earle and Marques were brought to London in a Coffâ—… and before they were buryed in by the sâ—… of three dayes lay open vysaged in the Cathedral church of Saint Paule to the inteâ—… that all menne might easily receyue that they â—…rydedly were deade The common brayde raunce that the King was not so ioyous of the Earles death as sorrowfull for the losse of the Marques â–ª whom hee full well knewe and no lesse was it euident to other to be his faythfull friende and well wyller for whose onely sake hee caused both theyr bodies to bee buried wyth theyr auncesters at the Priorie of Bissam On the Tuesday in Easter Weeke came knowledge to King Edwarde that Queene Margaret the wyfe of King Henrie Queene Margaret landeth with a power out of France wyth hir sonne Prince Edwarde was landed vpon Easter day at Weymouth in Dorcetshire accompanyed with Iohn Longscrother Priour of Sainte Iohns commonly called Lorde Treasorer of Englande who went ouer into Fraunce to fetche them Also the Lorde Wenlocke a man made onely by king Edwarde besyde dyuerse other Knightes and Esquires of whome part had beene long foorth of the Realme and part newly gone ouer thyther to them in companie of the Lorde Treasorer They tooke theyr Shippes at Hunflue the xxiiij of Marche as before you haue heard but through contrarie wyndes and tempestes they were driuen backe and constrayned to abide for conuenient winde whiche although it came sometyme about fitte for theyr purpose it continued not long in that ende so as if therevppon they tooke the Sea at any tyme they were forced to returne backe againe to land ere they could passe halfe the way ouer and thus being diuerse tymes vnder sayâ—…e in hope to passe the Seas hyther into Englande they were styll driuen backe againe till the thirtenth of Aprill beeing Easter euen on which day the winde comming fauourably about they tooke the Seas and sayled forward towards this land The CouÌ„tesse of Warwike hauing a ship of aduauntage arriued before the other at Portesmouth from thence she went to SouthaÌ„pton meaning to haue gone to Weymouth where she vnderstood that y e Queene was landed but here had she knowledge of the losse of Bernet field that hir husband was there slain Wherevpon shee went no further towardes the Q. but secretely gotte hirouer the water into the newe Forrest The countesse of Warwik taketh Sanctuary and tooke Sanctuarie within the Abbay of Beaulieu Queene Margaret hir sonne Prince Edward with the other that landed at Weymouth The Duke of Sommerset the erle of Deuonshire coÌ„fort Queene Margaret 〈◊〉 from thence to an Abbey neare by called 〈◊〉 Thither came vnto them Edmond duke of Somerset and Thomas Courtney Earle of Dâ—…shiâ—… with other and welcomed theÌ„ into England coÌ„forting the Queene in the best maner they â—…ulde and willed hir not to despayre of good successe for albeit they had lost one fielde whereof the Queene had knowledge the same daye beeing Monday in Easter Weeke the fiftenth of Apryll and was therefore ryght sorrowfull yet they doubted not but to assemble suche a puyssance and that very shortly forth of diuerse partes of the Realme as beeing faythfull and wholy bent to spende theyr lyues and shed the best bloud in theyr bodyes for hir sake and hir sonnes it shoulde be harde for King Edwarde to resist them with all the power hee had or coulde make Hall The presence of these noble men greatly comfort 〈◊〉 hir and relieued hir of the sorrowes that in maner ouerwhelmed hir pensiue hearte for shee doubted sore the ende of all these proceedings the which they concluded vpon to follow for the aduancement of hir and hirs specially it misgaue hir The seatâ—… whiche Queene Margaret had for lâ—… sonuâ—… that some euill shoulde chaunce to hir sonne prince Edward for she greatly weyed not of hir owne perill as she hirself confessed therefore she would gladly haue had them either to haue deferred the battell till a more conuenient time or else that hir son might haue bene conueyed ouer into France againe there to haue remayned in safetie till the chance of the next battell
and twentie years one Monethe and eyght dayes died at Westminster the ninth day of Aprill the yeare of our redemption a thousande foure hundreth foure score and three leauyng muche fayre issue that is to witte Edwarde the Prince a thirteene yeare of age Richarde Duke of Yorke twoo yeare yonger Elizabeth whose fortune and grace was after to bee Queene wyfe vnto Kyng Henry the seuenth and mother vnto the eyght Cicelie not so fortunate as faire Briget whyche representyng the vertue of hyr whose name shee bare professed and obserued a religious life in Dertforde an house of close Nunnes Anne that was after honourablye married vnto Thomas then Lorde Hawarde and after Earle of Surrey And Katherine which long time tossed in either fortune somtime in wealth ofte in aduersitie at the laste if this be the laste for yet shee liuethe is by the benignitye of hir Nephewe King Henry the eyghte in very prosperous estate and worthy hir birthe and vertue This noble Prince deceassed at his Palaice of Westminster and wyth greate funerall honour and heauinesse of his people from thence conueyed The loue of the people was enterred at Windsor A King of such gouernaunce and behauiour in time of peace for in warre eche parte muste needes bee others enimye that there was neuer any Prince of this lande attainyng the Crowne by battaile so hartelye beeleued wyth the â—…staunce of the people nor he hymselfe so speciallye in anye parte of hys life as at the time of hys deathe Whiche fauour and affection yet after hys deceasse by the crueltie mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous worlde that followed highelye towarde him more increased At suche tyme as he died the displeasure of those that bare hym grudge for Kyng Henryes sake the sixte whome he deposed was well â—…ged and in effect quenched in that that many of them were deade in more than twentye yeares of hys raigne a greate parte of a long life And many of them in the meane season growen into his fauour of whiche he was neuer strange He was a goodlye personage Description of Edvvarde the fourthe and Princely to beholde of harte couragious pollitique in counsell in aduersitie nothyng abashed in prosperitie rather ioyfull than proud in peace iuste and mercifull in warre sharpe and fierce in the fielde bolde and hardye and nathelesse no further than wisedome woulde aduenturous whose warres who so wel consider hee shall no lesse commende hys wisedome where hee voyded than his manhoode where he vanquished Hee was of visage lonelye of body mightye strong and cleane made Howbeit in his latter dayes wyth ouer liberall dyer somewhat corpulent and boorely and â—…atheles not vncomely hee was of youth greately giuen to fleshely wantonnesse from which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without a speciall grace hardely refraineth Thys faulte not greately greeued the people for neyther coulde anye one mans pleasure stretche and extende to the displeasure of verye manye and was wythout violence and ouer that in hys latter dayes lessed and well lefte In whiche time of his latter dayes this Realme was in quiet and prosperous estate no feare of outwarde enemyes no warre in hand nor none towarde but suche as no man looked for the people towarde the Prince not in a constrained feare but in a willyng and louyng obedience among themselues the commons in good peace The Lordes whome hee knewe at variaunce hymselfe in his deathe bed appeased hee hadde lefte all gathering of money whiche is the onely thing that withdraweth the hartes of Englishemen fro the Prince nor any thing intended he to take in hande by whyche hee shoulde bee driuen thereto for hys tribute 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of Fraunce hee hadde before obteyne do And the yeare foregoing his deathe 〈◊〉 hadde obteyned Warwicke And albeit that 〈◊〉 the time of his raigne hee was wyth his people so beâ—…igne coueâ—…ous and so families that no part of his vertues 〈◊〉 more esâ—…emen yet y t condition in the ende of his dayes in whyche many Princes by along continued 〈…〉 â—…tie â—…like 〈…〉 proud â—…porâ—… from â—…boâ—…ain bâ—…â—…r 〈◊〉 their beginnyng warde 〈◊〉 flye in hym grewe and increased so farre forth that in 〈◊〉 the â—…e that 〈◊〉 sawe hys hâ—…m 〈◊〉 being at Wiâ—…â—…unting thee for the Mâ—…or and Aldermâ—… of London to hym for none 〈◊〉 errande and to 〈◊〉 them hâ—…band and heâ—… mâ—…rye with hym where hee made them not so â—…ly but so friendely and so familiar cheare and fence veâ—…son from thence so freely into the Citie that no â—…ng in many dayes before gaâ—… hym eyther mâ—… heartes or more heartye fauour amongest the common people whiche oftentimes more esteeme and take for greater kindnes a little courtesie than a greate benefite So deceassed as I haue sayde this noble King in that time in whiche his life was moste desired Whose loue of hys people and their entire affection towarde him â–ª hadde bene to hys noâ—… children haâ—…ng in themselues also as manye gifts of nature 〈◊〉 many Princely vertues asmuche goodlye towardnesse at their age coulde receyue a 〈◊〉 â—…lloâ—… fortresse and fate armour if diuision dissention of their friendes had not vnarmed them and lesse them destitute and the execrable desire of souerainty prouoked hym to their destruction whiche if eyther kinde of kindnesse hadde houlden place muste needes haue bene their chiefe defence For Richarde the Duke of Gloucester by nature their vncle by office their protectour to their father beâ—… to themselfe by othe and allegiaunce boâ—…nden all the bandes broken that bindeâ—… maâ—… and man togyther wythout anye respecte of God or the worlde vnnaturally contriued to berene them not only their dignitie but also their liues But for asmuche as this Dukes demeanor ministreth in effect all the whole matter whereof this booke shall intreate it is therefore conuenient somewhat to shewe you ere wee farther goe what manner of man thys was that coulde finde in his harte so muche mischiefe to conceiue Richarde Duke of Yorke Richarde duke of Yorke a noble man and a mightie beganne not by warre but by lawe to chalendge the Crowne puttyng hys claime into the Parliament where his cause was eyther for righte or fauour so farre forthe auaunced that King Henry his bloude albeit he has a goodly Prince vtterly reiected the Crowne was by aucthoritie of parliament entailed vnto the Duke of Yorke and his issue male in remainder immediatly after the deathe of Kyng Henry But the Duke not induryng so long to carry but entendyng vnder pretexte of dissention and debate arising in the Realme to preuent his time and to take vppon hym the rule in Kyng Henry his life was with many nobles of the Realme at Wakefielde slaine leauing three sonnes Edwarde George and Richard All three as they were greate states of birth so were they great and stately of stomack greedy and ambitious of auctoritie Edvvarde and impatient of partners Edwarde reuenging his fathers deathe depriued Kyng Henry
afterwardes for hee neuer intended more to moue hir in that matter in which she thought that he and al other also saue hirselfe lacked eyther wit or truth Wit if they were so bull that they coulde nothing perceyue what the Protector intended truth if they should procure hee sonne to be deliuered into hys handes in whom they shoulde perceyue towarde the childe any euill intended The Queene with these wordes stood a good while in a greate studie And forasmuche as hir seemed the Cardinall more readie to depart than some of the remnant and the Protector himselfe readie at hande so that shee verily thought shee coulde not keepe him there but that he should incontinent bee taken thence and to conuey hym else where neyther had she time to serue hir nor place determined nor persoÌ„s appointed al things vnredie this message came on hir so sodainly nothing lesse looking for than to haue him set out of Sancturie which she thought to be now beset in such places about that he could not be conueyed out vntaken and partly as shee thought it myght fortune hir feare to bee false so well she wysse it was eyther needlesse or bootlesse wherefore if she should needes go from him she deemed it best to deliuer him And ouer that of the Cardinalles fayth shee nothing doubted nor of some other Lordes neyther whom she there sawe Whiche as she feared least they might be deceyued so was she well assured they woulde not bee corrupted then thought shee it shoulde yet make them the more warely to looke to him and the more circumspectly to see to his surety if she with hir own handes betooke him to them of trust And at the last she tooke the yong duke by the hande sayde vnto the Lordes My Lordes quoth shee and all my Lordes I neyther am so vnwyse to mystruste youre wyttes nor so suspitious to mystrust your truthes Of which thing I purpose to make you suche a proofe as if eyther of both lacked in you myghte turne bothe mee to greate sorowe the Realme to muche harme and you to great reproch For we heere is quoth she thys Gentleman whome I doubt not but I coulde heere keepe safe if I woulde whatsoeuer anye man saye and I doubte not also but there bee some abrode so deadly enimies vnto my bloud that if they wyst where any of it laye in theyr owne bodie they would let it out Wee haue also experience that the desire of a kingdom knoweth no kindred The brother hath beene the brothers bane and may the nephewes be sure of theyr vncle Eche of these children is the others defence while they be asunder and eche of theyr liues lieth in the others bodie Keepe one safe and both be sure and nothing for them both more perillous than to be both in one place For what wise Marchant aduentureth all his goodes in one ship All this notwithstanding here I deliuer him and his brother in him to keepe into youre handes of whom I shall aske theÌ„ both afore god and the world Faythfull ye be that wore I well and I know well you be wise Power strength to kepe him if you list neither lack ye of your self nor can lacke helpe in this cause And if ye cannot else where then may you leaue him here But only one thing I beseech you for the trust which his father put in you euer for y e trust that I put in you nowe that as farre as yee thinke that I feare too muche be you well ware that you feare not as farre too little And therewithall she sayde vnto the childe fare well mine owne sweete son God send you good keeping let me kisse you yet once ere you goe for God knoweth when wee shall kisse togither agayne And therwith she kissed him and blessed him turned hir backe wept and went hir way leauing the childe weeping as faste When the Lorde Cardinall and these other Lordes with him had receyued this yong duke they brought him into the starre Chamber where the Protector tooke him in his armes and kissed him O dissimulation with these wordes now welcome my Lord euen with all my very heart And he sayd in that of likelyhoode as he thought Therevpon forthwith they brought him vnto the king his brother into the Bishoppes Palace at Poules and from thence throughe the Citie honourably into the Tower out of the which after that day they neuer came abrode This that is heere betwene this marke * and tâ—…s marke * was not written by him in english bâ—…t is translated out of this History which he wrot in Latten When the Protector had both the children in his handes he opened himselfe more boldely both to certaine other men and also chiefly to the duke of Buckingham Although I knowe that many thought that this duke was priuy to al the Protectors counsaile euen from the beginning and some of the Protectors friends sayde that the duke was the first mouer of the Protector to this matter sending a priuie messenger vnto hym streight after king Edwards death But other againe which knew better the subtil wit of the protector denie that he euer opened his enterprise to the duke vntill he had brought to passe the things before rehearsed But when hee had imprysoned the Queenes kinsfolkes and gotten both hir sonnes into his owne handes then he opened the rest of his purpose with lesse feare to them whoÌ„ he thought meet for the matter and specially to the duke who being woon to his purpose he thought his strength more than halfe 〈◊〉 The matter was broken vnto the duke 〈…〉 till folkes and such as were their craftmaistâ—… in the handling of such wicked deuises 〈◊〉 who declared vnto him that the yong king was 〈◊〉 with him for hys kinsfolkes sake and if hee 〈◊〉 euer able he would â—…nge them Who wâ—…t pricke him forwarde therevnto if they 〈◊〉 they would remember their imprisonmeÌ„t or 〈◊〉 if they were put to death without doubt the yong king woulde bee carefull for their deathes whose imprisonment was grieuous vnto him And that with repenting the duke shoulde nothing auaile for there was no way left to redeeme his offence by benefites but he shoulde sooner destroy hymselfe than saue the king who with his brother and his kinsfolkes he sawe in such places imprisones as the Protectour myghte wyth a backe destroye them all and that it were no doubt but he would doe it in deede if there were any newe enterprise attempted And that it was likely that as the Protectour had prouided priuie garde for himselfe so hadde hee spyalles for the Duke and traynes to catche him if hee shoulde be agaynste hym and that peraduenture from them whome hee leaste suspected For the state of things and the dispositions of men were then such that a man coulde not well tell whom he might trust or whome he might feare These things and such like beyng beaten into the Dukes mynde brought him to that
proclayming could scant haue sufficed vnto the hare writing alone all had it bene but in Paper and scribled forth in haste at aduenture So that vpon the proclayming thereof one that was schoolmaister of Pauls of â—…aâ—…e standing by and comparing the shortnesse of the time with the length of the matter sayd vnto them y t stood about him here is a gay goodly east foule cast away for haste and a marchant aunswered him that it was written by prophecie Now then by and by as it were for anger not for couetise the Protectour sent into the house of Shores wife for hir husbande dwelled not with hir and spoyled hir of all that euer she had aboue the value of two or three thousand mark and sent hir bodie to prison And when he had a while layd vnto hir for the maner sake that she went about to bewitch him and that she was of couÌ„saile with the Lorde Chamberlaine to destroy him in conclusion when that no colour coulde fasten vpon these matters then hee layde heynously to hir charge that thing that hir selfe coulde not denie that all the world wyst was true and that naythelesse euerie man laughed at to heare it then so sodainly so highly taken that she was naught of hir bodie And for this cause as a goodlye continent prince cleane and faultlesse of himselfe sent oute of heauen into this vicious world for the amendment of mens maners he caused the Bishop of London to put hir to open penance going before the Crosse in Procession vpon a Sunday wyth a Taper in hir hande In whiche shee went in countenaunce and pace demure so womanlye and albeit she were out of all array saue hir kyrtle onely yet went she so fayre and lonely namely while the wondering of the people cast a comely rudde in hir cheekes of whiche shee before had most misse that hir great shame wanne hir much prayse among those that were more amorous of hir bodie than curious of hir soule And many good folk also that hated hir liuing and glad were to see sinne corrected yet pityed they more hir penaunce than reioyced therein when they consydered that the Protectour procured it more of a corrupte intente than any vertuous affection This woman was borne in London worshipfully friended The descriptiâ—…n of Shores 〈◊〉 honestly brought vp and verie well maryed sauing somewhat too soone hir husbande an honest Citizen yong and godly and of good substaunce But for asmuche as they were coupled ere she were well rype she not verie feruently loued for whome shee neuer longed which was happely the thing that the more easily made hir incline vnto the kings appetite when hee required hir Howbeit the respect of hys royaltie the hope of gay apparell ease pleasure and other wanton wealth was able soone to pierse a soft tender heart But when the King hadde abused hir anon hir husbande as hee was an honest man and are that coulde hys good not presuming to to â—…he a Kings Concubine left hir vp to him altogither When the king died the Lorde Chamberlaine looke hir which in the kings dayes albeit he was sore enamoured vpon hir yet he forbare hir eyther for reuerence or for a certaine friendlye faythfulnesse Proper she was and fayre nothing in hir bodie that you would haue chaunged but if you would haue wished hir somewhat higher Thus say they that knew hir in hir youth Albeit some that now see hir for yet she liueth deme hir neuer to haue bene wel visaged whose iudgement seemeth me somewhat like as though men should gesse the beautie of one long before departed by hir scalpe taken out of the charuell house for now is she old leane withered and dryed vp nothing left but riueld skinne and hard bone And yet beeing euen such who so well aduise hir vysage myght gesse and deuise which partes how filled woulde make it a fayre face Yet delyted not men so much in hir beautie as in hir pleasant behauiour For a proper wit had she and could both read well and write merrie in companie readie and quicke of aunswer neyther mute nor full of bable somtime taunting without displeasure and not without disport The king would say that he had three concubines King Edwarde three concubines which in three dyuerse properties diuersly excelled One the meriest another the wilyest the thirde the holyest harlot in his realme as one whome no man coulde gette out of the Churche lightly to any place but it were to his bed The other two were somewhat greater personages naythelesse of theyr humilitie coÌ„tent to be namelesse to forbeare the prayse of those propertyes But the meriest was this Shores wife in whom the King therefore tooke speciall pleasure For many he hadde but hir he loued whose fauoâ—…r to say the troth for sinne it were to velle the Diuell shee neuer abused to any mannes hurt but to many a mannes comfort and reliefe on where the king tooke displeasure she woulde mitigâ—… and appease hys mynde where men were out sauour shee woulde bring them in hys graâ—… For manye that had highly offended shee obteyned pardon Of great forfeytures she gat men remission And finally in many weightie suites shee stoode many men in great steaâ—… tâ—…her for none or verye small rewardes and these rather gaye than riche â–ª eyther for that shee was content wyth the deede selfe well done or for that shee delyted to bee sued vnto and to shewe what shee was able to doe wyth the King or for that wanton women and welthie hee not alwayes couetous I doubt not some shall thinke this woman to sleight a thing to bee written of and set among the remembraunces of greate matters whiche they shall specially thinke that happily shall esteeme hir onely by that they nowe see hir But me seemeth the chaunce so muche the more worthie to be remembred in howe much she is nowe in the more beggerly condition vnfriended and worne out of acquaintance after good substance after as great fauour with the Prince after as great sute and seeking to with al those that those dayes had businesse to speede as many other men were in theyr tymes which be now famous only by the infamy of theyr yll deedes Hir doyngs were not much lesse albeit they be much lesse remembred bicause they were not so euill For men vse if they haue an euill turne to write it in marble and who so doeth vs a good turne we write it in dust whiche is not worst prooued by hir for at this day shee beggeth of many at this day lyuing that at thys day had begged if shee had not beene Now was it so deuised by the Protector and his counsaile that the selfe day in which the Lord Chamberlaine was beheaded in the Tower of London and aboute the selfe same house 〈◊〉 there not without his assent beheaded at Pâ—…fret the fore remembred Lordes and Knightes that were taken from the King at Northampton and Stonie Stratforde Sir
and specially when they thinke to haue any comforte or fauoure tooke on them so highly and wroughte suche maisteries that the King was fayne to ride thither in his fyrste yeare and to put some in execution and stay the Countrey or else no small mischiefe had ensued Nowe fell there mischieues thicke Sir Thomas More againe And as the thing euill gotten is neuer well kepte thorough all the tyme of his reigne neuer ceassed there cenell death and slaughter till his owne destruction ended it But as hee finished his tyme with the best death and the most righteous that is to wit his owne so beganne hee with the most piteous and wicked I meane the lamentable murther of his innocent nephues the yong kyng and his tender brother whose death and final infortune hath nathelesse comen so farre in question that some remayn yet in doubt whether they were in his dayes destroyed or no. Not for that onely that Perkyn Werbecke by manye folkes malice and moe folkes folly Perkyn Werbecke so long space abusing the worlde was as well with princes as the poorer people reputed and taken for the younger of these two but for that also that all things were in late dayes so couertly demeaned one thyng pretended and another meant that there was nothing so playne and openly proued Close dealing is euer suspected but that yet for the common custom of close and couert dealyng men hadde it euer inwardly suspect as many well counterfaited Iewels make the true mystrusted Howbeit concerning the opinon with the occasions mouyng eyther partie we shall haue place more at large to intreate if we hereafter happen to write the tyme of the late noble Prince of famous memorie King HeÌ„rie the seauenth or percase that history of Perkin in any compendious processe by it selfe But in the meane time for this present matter I shal rehearse you the dolorous ende of those babes not after euery way that I haue heard but after that way that I haue so hearde by suche men and by suche meanes as me thinketh it were hard but it should be true Then all the other beeing remoued from them The yong 〈◊〉 and hys 〈◊〉 murâ—…d this Myles Forrest and Iohn Dighton about midnight the selie children lying in theyr heddes came into the chamber and suddaynely lappe them vp amoÌ„g the clothes so to bewrayâ—…ed them and intangled them keeping downe by force the fetherbed and pillowes hard vnto theyr mouthes that within a while smothered and stifled their breath fayling they gaue vnto God their innocente soules into the ioyes of Heauen leauing to the tormentors their bodyes dead in the bedde Which after that the wretches perceâ—…â—…ed firste by the strugling with the paines of death and after long lying still to bee throughly dead they layde theyr bodyes naked out vppon the bed and fetched Sir Iames to see them whiche vpon the sight of them caused those murtherers to burie them at the staire foote meetely deepe in the grounde vnder a greate heape of stones Then rode Sir Iames in great hast to Kyng Richarde and shewed him all the maner of the murther who gaue him greate thankes and as some say there made hym Knight But he allowed not as I haue hearde the burying in so vile a corner saying that hee would haue them buryed in a better place bycause they were a Kings sonnes Loe the honorable courage of a King Wherevpon they say that a Priest of S. Robert Brakenbery tooke vp the bodyes againe and secretely enterred them in suche place as by the occasion of his deathe whiche onely knew it could neuer since come to light Very troth is it and wel knowen that at such time as sir Iames Tirrell was in the Tower for treason coÌ„mitted against the most famous Prince King Henrye the seauenth both Dighton and he were examined and confessed the murther in manner aboue written but whether the bodyes were remoued they could nothing tell And thus as I haue learned of theÌ„ that much knewe and little cause had to lie were these two noble Princes these innocent tender childreÌ„ borne of most royal bloud brought vp in great wealthe likely long to lyue raigne and rule in the Realm by trayterous tirannie taken depriued of their estate shortlye shut vp in prison and priuily slayne and murthered their bodies cast God wot where by the cruell ambition of their vnnaturall vncle and his dispiteous tormentors Which things on euery parte well pondered God neuer gaue thys world a more notable example neyther in what vnsuretie standeth this worldly weale or what mischiefe worketh the proude enterprise of an high heart or finally what wretched ende ensueth such dispiteous crueltie For first to beginne with the Ministers Myles Forrest at Saint Marâ—… peâ—…le 〈◊〉 away Dighton indeede yet walketh 〈◊〉 alyue in good possibilitie to be hanged are hee dye But Sir Iames Tyrrell dyed at the Tower hill beheaded for treason King Richarde himselfe as yee shall heereafter heare slayne in the fielde hacked and hewed of his enimies handes haried on Horsebacke dead his heade in despite torne and tugged like a curre dogge And the mischiefe that hee tooke within lesse than three yeares of the mischiefe that hee did And yet all the meane time spente in muche payne and trouble outwarde muche feare anguish and sorowe within For I haue hearde by credible reporte of suche as were secret with hys Chamberlayne that after thys abhominable deede done hee neuer hadde quiet in hys minde The out and inward troubles of tiranâ—… Hee neuer thoughte hymselfe sure Where hee wente abroade hys eyeâ—… whitled about hys body priuily fenced hys hande euer vppon hys dagger hys countenaunce and manner lyke one alwayes readye to strike agayne hee tooke ill rest anyghtes â—…y long wakyng and musing sore weeryed with care and watche rather slumbered than slepte troubled with fearefull dreames suddaynely sometyme stert vppe lepte out of hys bedde and ranne aboute the chamber so was hys restlesse hearte continuallie tossed and tumbled with the tedious impression and stormie remembraunce of his abhominable deede Nowe hadde he outwarde no long â—…yme in rest For heerevpon soone after beganne the conspiracie or rather good confederation betweene the Duke of Buckingham and many other Gentlemen agaynste hym The occasion wherevpon the Kyng and the Duke fell out is of dyuers folke dyuers wyse pretended Thys Duke as I haue for certayne beene enformed as soone as the Duke of Gloucester vppon the deathe of Kyng Edwarde came to Yorke and there hadde solemne funerall seruice for Kyng Edwarde sente thither in the most secrete wise he coulde one Persall his trustie seruaunte who came to Iohn Warde a Chamberer of lyke secrete trust with the Duke of Gloucester desiring that in the most close and couerte manner hee myghte be admitted to the presence and speeche of hys maister And the Duke of Gloucester aduertised of hys desire caused hym in the dead of the nyghte after all other folke auoyded
neede be euen of your owne nation who bee faythfull and true to the Realme of Englande in the way of thys most godly vnion by mariage And if anye forayne power Prince or Potentate or whosoeuer bee youre ayder to nourishe styll discorde sende you an armye also howe shall they oppresse you fyll youre houses waste youre groundes spende and consume youre vittayle holde you in subiection and regarde you as slaues whyche withoute them coulde not lyue and will take youre Queene to bestowe as they lust and specially if theyr ◅ster or Kyng as perchance hee maye bee in other warres be otherwise occupyed to bee a pray to vs and a true conquest then it shall bee too late to saye wee will haue a mariage and no conquest wee wishe peace and amitie wee are weerie of battayle and miserie The stubborne ouercommed must suffer the victors pleasure and pertinacitie will make the victorye more insolent whereof you youre selfe haue gyuen the cause if they sende money and Captaynes but no Souldiers Firste if they be Captaynes who ruleth and who dothe obey whoo shall haue the honour of the enterprise and if it bee well atchieued but whether it bee well atchieued or no whyche number is that whiche shall bee slayne whose bloud shall bee shedde theyr money peraduenture shall bee consumed and theyr commaundementes obeyed But whose bodyes shall smarte for it whose landes shall bee wasted whose houses burned what Realme made desolate Remember what it is to haue a forayne power within you a strong power of youre enimies vppon you you as it were the Camp and playne betwixte them to fyght on and to be troden vpon both of y e victor of the ouercommed And imagine you see before youre eyes youre wiues and daughters in daunger of wantonnesse and insolencie of the Souldyers the proude lookes of the Captaynes and Souldiers whome you call to helpe you the contempte you shall bring your nation in and then take heede least indeede that followe which you feare that is that you shall bee by them conquered that yee shall bee by them putte from youre holdes landes ◅ackes and offices that youre lawes by them shall bee altered that youre nation shall bee by them destroyed Consider in thys Realme dyd not the Britaynes call in the Saxons for helpe and by them were putte out Where bee the Pictes once a greate nation betwixte you and vs howe dyd the nation of Fraunce putte out the Galles out of all France howe gote the Turke firste all Grecia and now alate all Hungarie but beeyng called in for to ayde and helpe And dyd not the Gothes by like meanes gette all Italy and the Lombardes one parte thereof nowe called Lombardie what looke you for more Needie Souldiers and hauing theyr weapons in theyr handes and knowing that you cannot lyue without them what wyll not they commaunde you to doe what wyll they not encroche vppon you what wyll they not thinke they maye doe and what wyll they thynke that you dare doe thys forraine helpe is youre confusion that succoure is youre detrimente the victorie so had is your seruitude what is then to bee thoughte of losse taken with them the straungers and forrayne Souldyers shall oppresse you within our power and strength without and of youre owne nation so many as loue quietnesse godlynesse and wealthe of youre Realme shall helpe also to scourge and afflicte you Is it not better to compose and acquite all thys calamitie and trouble by marriage to ende all sorrowes and battayles by suche and so honorable a peace hathe the Emperoure Spayne and Burgundye not by title of marriage howe holdeth the Frenche Kyng Britayne nowe lately annexed to that Crowne but by litle of marriage howe hathe all the greate Princes of the worlde happily and with quiet made of two Kyngdomes one of dyuers Lordshippes one of nations alwayes at warre with themselues or else in doubtfull peace one well gouerned Kingdome rule and dominion but by that godly most quiet and most amiable composition of marriage Two meanes there is of making one rule wherto title is pretended and perfect agreemente betwixte two nations eyther by force and superioritie whiche is conquest or by equalitie and loue whyche is by parentage and mariage you hate the one that is conquest and by refusing the other you enforce vpon you hatred and malice You will not haue peace you will not haue aliance you will not haue concorde and conquest commeth vppon you whether yee wyll or no. And yet if all things were considered wee feare it wyll appeare that it were better for you to bee conquered of vs than succoured of straungers lesse losse to your goodes lesse hurt to youre lands lesse dishonour to your Realme this nation which is one in tong one in Countrey and birth hauing so little diuersitie to occupie the whole than other powers come into you neyther like in language ne yet like in behauioure who shoulde rule ouer you and take you to bee but their slauis But wee eftsoones and finally declare and protest vnto you that although for the better furtherance of this godly purpose of vniting the Realmes and for the sure defence of them whiche fauoure the mariage we are compelled for the time to keepe holdes and to make fortifications in your Realm yet the kings maiesties minde and determinate pleasure is with our aduice and counsaile to be as before is declared that where fauour may be shewed not to vse rigour ▪ if by conditions you will receiue this amitie offered not to followe conquest for we desire loue vnitie concord peace and equalitie Let neither your gouernour nor your kirkemen nor those who so often hath falsifyed their faithe and promise and by trecherie and falsehood be accustomed to proroge the time feede you forth with faire wordes and bring you into the snare from whence they cannot deliuer you They wil peraduenture prouide for themselues with pentions in some other Realme and sette Souldyers straungers in your holdes to keepe you in subiection vnder the pretence to defend them against vs. But who prouideth pentions for you how are you defēded whē they be fled away who cōquereth you when the straunge Captaynes haue your holdes when your land is wasted and the Realme destroyed and the more part kept from you who will sette by the marriage of the Q. to buy a title with the warre of England to marrie the name another mightie King holdyng the land if wee two being made one by amitie bee most able to defende vs against all nations and hauing the sea for wall the mutuall loue for garrison and God for defence should make so noble and well agreeing Monarchie that neyther in peace we may be ashamed nor in warre afrayde of any wordly or foraine power why should not you be as desirous of y e same and haue as much cause to reioyce at it as we if this honour of so noble a monarchie doe not moue you to take and
The names of the captaines â—â— the rebels gouernour of the Mount Iames Rosogan Iohn Rosogan Iohn Payne Thomas Vnderhill Iohn Soleman and William Segar Moreouer of Priestes whiche were principall stirets and some of them chiefe gouernours of the Campes and after executed there were to the number of eyght whose names we finde to be as follow Robert Bocham Iohn Thompson Roger Barret Iohn Wolcock Willyam Alsa Iames Mourton Iohn Barrowe Richarde Benet besides a multitude of other Priestes whiche ioyned with them The number â—â—he rebels â—… Deuonshire The whole companies of these rebels mounted little lesse than to the number of tenne thousand stoute and valiant personages able in dede if their cause had bene good and fauoured of the Lorde and giuer of victories to haue wrought great feates But being as they were ranke and malicious traytours the almightie God confounded their deuises and brought them to their deserued confusion A straunge case that those mischieuous and wicked traytours coulde not be warned by the euill successe of their diuelish attempted outrage in the yeare last past at what time certaine sedicious persons in Cornewale fell vpon one of the K. commissioners named maister Body sent thither with others for the reformation of matters in religion in like maner as other were sent the same tyme into other shires of the Realme for the which murther a Priest being apprehended arreygned and condemned was drawne into Smithfielde and there hanged and quartered the vij day of Iuly in the sayd last yeare before mencioned to wit .1548 Other of his coÌ„plires and associates were executed and put to death in diuerse other parts of the Realme Finally nothing was left vndone whiche the enimie coulde imagine to serue his purpose for the winning of that Citie And albeit there wanted not lustie stomacks among the Citizens to withstande this outwarde force of the enimie yet in processe of time such scarcitie of breade and vittayles increased that the people waxed weary and loâ—…he to abyde such extremitie of famine Howbeit the Magistrates though it grieued them to see the multitude of the Citizens in such distresse yet hauing a speciall regarde of their dutie towarde the Prince The great loialtie of the citizens of Exceter and loue to the common wealth left no wayes vnsought to quiet the people and stay them in their dutifull obedience to resiste the enimies so that comforting the people with fayre promises and relieuing their necessities verye liberally so farre as their power might extende did in such sorte vse the matter that euery of them within resolued with one generall consent to abide the ende in hope of some speedie reliefe And in the meane while when their corne and meale was consumed the Gouernors of the citie caused branne and meale to be moulded vp in cloth for otherwise it wold not sticke togither Also they caused some excursions to be made out of the Citie to take and fetche into the Citie suche cattayle as were founde pasturing abroade neare to the walles which being brought in were distributed among the poore To conclude into suche extremitie were the miserable Citizens brought that albeit maâ—…es nature can scarcely abide to feede vpon any vnaccustomed foode yet these siely men were glad to eate horse fleshe and to holde themselues well content therewith Whylest the siege thus remained before Exceter the Rebels spoyled and robbed the countrie abroade and laying their trayterous heads togither they consulted vpon certaine articles to be sent vp to the King M. Foxe but herein such diuersitie of heades and wits was among them that for euery kinde of braine there was one maner of article so that neither appeared any consent in their diuersitie nor yet any constancie in their agreement Some seemed more tollerable other altogither vnreasonable Some woulde haue no Iustices Some no state of Gentlemenne The Priestes euer harped on one string to ring the Bishop of Rome into Englande againe and to hallowe home Cardinall Poole their countrieman After much a doe at length a fewe articles were agreed vppon to bee directed vnto the King with the names of certayne of their heades sette therevnto the copie whereof here ensueth The articles of the Commons of Deuonshere and Cornewall sent to the King with aunsweres afterwarde following vnto the same FIrst Sacrament of Baptisme forasmuch as man except he be borne of water and the holy ghost cannot enter into the kingdome of God and forasmuche as the gates of heauen â—…e not open without this blessed sacrament of Baptisme therefore we will that our Curates shall minister this sacrament at all times of neede as well on the weeke dayes as on the holy dayes 2 Item Confirmation we will haue our children confirmed of the Bishop whensoeuer we shall within the Dioces resort vnto him 3 Item Consecrating of the Lordes bodie forasmuch as we constantly beleeue that after the Priest hath spoken the wordes of consecration being at Masse there celebrating and consecrating the same there is verye really the bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Iesu Christ God and manne and that no substaunce of breade and wine remayneth after but the verye selfe same bodie that was borne of the Virgin Marie and was giuen vpon the Crosse for our redemption therefore wee wyll haue Masse celebrated as it hath bene in times past without any man communicating with the Priestes for as muche as many rudely presuming vnworthily to receyue the same put no difference betweene the Lordes bodie and other kinde of meate some saying that it is breade before and after some saying that it is profitable to no man except he receyue it with many other abused termes 4 Item we will haue in our Churches Reseruation of the Lordes bodie consecrated reseruation 5 Item we will haue holye breade and holy water in the remembrance of Christes precious bodie and bloude Holy breade and holy water 6 Item wee will that oure Priestes shall sing or saye with an audible voyce Gods Seruice in the Quiere of the Parishe Churches and not Gods seruice to be set forth like a Christmas play 7 Item The single life of Priests forasmuche as Priestes be meane dedicated to God for ministring and celebrating the blessed sacraments and preaching of Gods worde we will that they shall lyue chaste without mariage as Saint Paule did being the elect and chosen vessell of God saying vnto all honest Priestes bee you followers of me The sixe articles to be reâ—…d Item we will that the vj. Articles whiche our Souereigne Lorde King Henrie the eyght sette forth in his latter dayes shall be vsed and to taken as they were at that time Item we pray God saue King Edwarde for we be his both bodie and goodes For the pacifying of these Rebelles were appoynted by the King and his Counsaile The captaines appointed to go against the Deuonshire rebels sir Iohn Russell knight Lorde priuie seale the L. Grey of Wilton Sir
vntruely alledged that they held the same of the Kyng in capite And when such persons as were thus vexed offered to trauerse those offices they coulde not bee admitted thereto in suche due and lawfull forme as in suche causes the lawe prouideth till they hadde compounded to paye greate fynes and raunsomes Moreouer the kings Wardes after they had accomplished their full age could not be suffered to sue theyr lyueries tyll they hadde paide excessiue fynes and raunsomes vnto their greate anoyance losse and disquieting and to no lesse contempte of the sayde late King And further where as dyuers persons had bin outlawed as well as the suite of theyr aduersaries as of the sayde late Kyng they coulde not be allowed to purchase theyr charters of pardon out of the Chancery according to the lawe of the Realme till they were driuen to aunswere halfe the issues and profites of all theyr landes and tenementes by the space of two yeares whiche the Kyng receyued to hys vse by the sayde Richarde Empsons procuremente who enformed hym that hee myghte lawfully take the same although hee knewe that it was contrarie to the lawes and customes of the Realme wherevppon the people vexed and molested by suche hard dealings sore grudged agaynste the sayde late Kyng to the greate perill and daunger of hys person and Realme and subuersion of the lawes and auntiente customes thereof Also it was alledged againste the said Empson that he hadde sente forth preceptes directed vnto dyuers persons commaundyng them vppon greate penalties to appeare before him and other hys associates at certayn dayes and times within hys house in Sainte Brydes Parishe in a warde of London called Farringdon without where they makyng theyr appearances accordyng to the same preceptes were impleaded afore hym and other his sayde associates of dyuers murthers felonies outlaries and of the articles in the statute of prouisors conteyned also of wilfull escapes of Felons and such like matters and articles apperteyning to the plees of the Crowne and common lawes of the Realme And that done the sayde persons were committed to dyuers prisons as the Fleete the Tower and other places where they were deteyned tyll they hadde fined at hys pleasure as well for the commoditie of the sayde late Kyng as for the singular aduauntage of the sayde Sir Richarde Empson Moreouer whereas the sayde Empson beeing Recorder of Couentrie and there sate with the Maior and other Iustices of the peace vppon a speciall gaole delyuerie within y e Citie on the Monday before the feast of S. Thomas the Apostle in the sixteenth yeare of the late kyngs raigne a prisoner that hadde beene endited of felonie for takyng out of an house in that Citie certayne goodes to the value of twentie shillings was arraigned before them and bycause the Iurie would not finde the sayde prisoner giltie for wante of sufficient euidence as they after alledged the sayde Sir Richarde Empson supposing the same euidence to be sufficient caused them to be committed toward wherein they remayned foure dayes togyther till they were contented to enter band in fortie pound a peece to appeare before the Kyng and hys Counsell the second returne of the tearme then nexte ensuing being Quindena Hillarij and therevppon they keeping their day and appearing before the said sir Richard Empson and other of the kings counsell according to their bandes were adiudged to pay euery of them eyght pound for a fyne and accordingly made payment thereof as they were then thought well worthy so to do But nowe this matter so long past was still kepte in memorie and so earnest some were to enforce it to the vttermost against the sayd Empson that in a Sessions holden at Couentrie nowe in thys first yere of this kings raigne an inditemēt was framed against him for this matter and thereof he was found giltie as if therein he had committed some great and heynous offence againste the Kings peace his Crowne and dignitie Thus haue I thought good to shew what I find hereof to the end ye may perceiue how glad men were to find some coulour of sufficiēt matter to bring the said sir Richard Empson master Edmonde Dudley within daunger of the lawes whereby at lengthe they were not onely condemned by acte of Parliament through malice of such as might seeme to seeke their destruction for priuate grudges but in the end also they were arreigned as first the said Edmond Dudley in the Guild Hall of London the seuententh of Iuly and sir Richarde Empson at Northāpton in October nexte ensuing and beeing there condemned was from thence broughte backe againe to the Tower of London where hee remained till the time of his execution as after yee shall heare This yeare the plague was greate and raigned in diuers parts of this Realme 1510 The King kepte hys Christmas at Richemond The twelfth of Ianuary dyuers Gentlemen prepared to iust and the Kyng and one of hys priuie chamber called William Compton secretely armed themselues in the little Parke of Richmond and so came into the iustes vnknowen to all persons The Kyng neuer ranne openly before and did exceedinglye well Master Compton chanced to be sore hurt by Edward Neuill Esquier brother to the Lord of Burgeinie so that he was lyke to haue dyed One person there was that knew the Kyng and cryed God saue the Kyng and with that all the people were astonyed and then the Kyng discouered hymselfe to the great comfort of the people The Kyng soone after came to Westminster and there kepte his Shrouetide with greate banquettings dauncings and other iolly pastimes Ambassadors This yeare also came Ambassadors not only from the Kyng of Arragon and Castile but also from the Kynges of Fraunce Denmarke Scotlande and other princes whych were highly welcomed and nobly enterteyned Thys yeare An. reg 2. the Kyng celebratyng the feast of Pentecost at Greenewiche the Thurseday in that weeke with two other whome hee chose of purpose to assist hym as aydes chalenged all commers to fyghte with them at the barriers with target and punching staffe of eyghte foote long and that done to fyghte eache of them twelue strokes with two handed swordes with and against all commers none except beeyng a Gentleman where the Kyng behaued hymselfe so well and deliuered hymselfe so valiauntlye that through hys manly prowes and greate strengthe the lande and prayse of that martiall pastime was gyuen to hym and his aydes notwithstandyng that dyuers valiante and strong personages had assayled them In this seconde yeare the Kyng beeing forth on his progresse hearde euerye daye more and more complayntes of Empson and Dudley set forthe and aduaunced no doubte by the drifte of theyr deadly enimies wherefore The seuenth day hath Ioh◅ Stowe Empson and Dudley beheaded he sent writtes to the Sheriffes of London to putte them to execution and so the seauententh daye of August they were both beheaded at the Tower hil and both theyr bodyes and heads buryed
y e one at the white Friers and the other at the blacke Friers The Kyng beeyng in hys lustie youthe and muche desirous to see the nobles and Gentlemen of hys Courte exercised in warlyke feates caused thys yeare dyuers iustes and Torneys to be enterprised and he himselfe for the most part made euer one amongst them acquiting himselfe so worthely that the beholders tooke passing pleasure to see hys valiaunte demeanoure in those martiall feates Vpon New yeares day thys yeare 1511 The birth of the first begotten sonne of K. Henry the eyght at Richmonde the Queene was deliuered of a Prince to the great gladnesse of the Realme for the honoure of whome fyers were made and dyuers vessels with wyne sette abroache for suche as woulde take thereof in dyuers streetes in London and generall Processions made therevpon to lande God Godfathers at the Christenyng were the Archebyshoppe of Caunterburye and the Earle of Surrey Godmother the Lady Katherine Countesse of Deuonshire daughter to Kyng Edwarde the fourth his name was Henry In the moneth of Februarye thys yeare Ambassadors from the king of Spayne for aid against the Moores came Ambassadors from the Kyng of Arragon and Castile to require an ayde of fifteene hundred archers to be sent to the same king hauing at that time warre agaynste the Moores enimies of the Christian faith The Kyng hearing theyr message gently graunted theyr request and bicause the Lord Thomas Darcy a Knighte of the garter made humble suite to the King to be generall of that true that shoulde bee thus sent into Spayne the Kyng vppon trust of his approued valiancie graunted his desire There were appoynted to goe with him the Lorde Anthony Grey brother to the Marques Dorset Henry Guilford Weston Browne and William Sidney Esquiers of the Kings house Sir Roberte Constable Sir Roger Hastings and sir Raufe Elderton w t diuers other gentlemen to be Captaynes The King aboute thys season was muche giuen to play at tenice and at the dice which appetite certayne craftie persons aboute hym perceyuing brought in Frenchmen and Lombards to make wagers with him and so hee lost muche money but when hee perceyued theyr crafte hee eschued their company and let them goâ—… An. reg 3. 〈◊〉 at Greneâ—… the king â—…g â—…e â—…geâ—… On May daye the Kyng lying at Greenewiche rode to the wodde to fetch May and after on the same day and the two dayes nexte ensuing the King Sir Edwarde Howard Charles Brandon and Edwarde Neuill as chalengers held iustes against all commons On the other parte the Marques Dorset the Earles of Essex and Deuonshire with other as defendauntes ranne agaynste them so that many a sore stripe was giuen and manye a staffe broken On the third day the Queene made a greate banquet to the Kyng and to all them that had iusted and after the banquet done shee gaue the chiefe price to the Kyng the second to the Earle of Essex the thirde to the Earle of Deuonshire and the fourth to the Lord Marques Dorset On the fifteenth daye of the same moneth was another iustes begonne by the Kyng on the one partie and the Earle of Esser on the other Many that feared least some euill chance might happen to the King wished that hee shoulde rather haue beene a looker on than a doer and thereof spake as much as they durst but his courage was so noble that hee woulde euer be at the one ende The Lorde â—…y In this meane time the Lord Darcy and other appoynted to the viage agaynst the Mores made suche diligence that they and al theyr people were ready at Plymmouth by the middes of May and there mustered theyr souldyers before the Lord Brooke and other the Kings commissioners The Lord Darcy as Captayne general ordeyned for his prouost Marshall Henry Guylford Esquier a lusty yong man and welbeloued of the King On the Monday in the Rogation weeke they departed out of Plimmouth Hauen with foure shippes royall and the winde was so fauourable to them that the first day of Iune being the euen of the feast of Pentâ—…cost he deriued at the port of Cales in South Spayne and immediately by the aduice of his counsaile hee dispatched messengers to the Kyng whome they founde besyde the Citie of Ciuil where hee then lay and declared to him how the Lord Daâ—…ye by the King theyr maisters oppoyntmente was come thither with sixteene hundred archers and lay still at Câ—…es to know his pleasure The Kyng of Castile aunswered them gentlie that the Lorde Darcie and all other that were come from hys louyng sonne were welcome and hartily thanked them of theyr paâ—… requiring the messengers to returne to their captaine and tell him that in all hast he would send certaine of hys counsell to him And so vpon Saterday the eyght of Iune a Byshop and other of the Kings counsell came 〈◊〉 Cales and there abode till Wednesday beeing the euen of Corpus Christt at which day the Lord Capitayne tooke lande and was honorably receiued of the King of Aragons counsell and on the morrow was highly feasted at dinner and supper And at after sapper the Byshop declared the Kyng hys maisters pleasure giuing to the Lord Captayne as hartie thankes for hys paynes and trauell as if hee hadde gone forward with his enterprise against the Moores but whereas by the aduice of his counsell circumspeltly considering the suretie of his owne realme vpon perfect knowledge hadde that the Frenchmen meant to inuade hys dominions in his absence he had altered his former determinatioÌ„ taken an abstinence of war with the Mores till an other time He therefore required the Lorde Darcy to be contented to returne home againe promising him wages for all hys souldyers and if it should please hym to come to the Court he should receyue high thâ—… of the Kyng and suche cheere at there couldâ—… made him The Lord Darcy was nothing pleased wyth thys declaration but sith hee sawe there was no remedie he sayd that whatsoeuer the Kyng had concluded he could not bee againste it considering hee was sente to him but surely it was against his mind to depart home without doing any thyng agaynst Gods enimies with whome he had euer a desire to fight And as for his comming to the Court hee saide he coulde not leaue his men whome hee hadde broughte out of theyr Countrey without an head and as for y e kings banquette it was not the thing that hee desired On the nexte daye 〈◊〉 the morning money was sent to pay the Souldiers their wages for their conduction againe into England with dyuers gifts giuen to the Lorde Darcy and other Gentlemen yet notwithstanding he was hyghly displeased howbeit like a wise man hee dissimuled the matter A shrewde fray begun vpon a small sioccaon The same day being the fourtenth daye of Iune and Friday there chanced a fray to be begunne in the towne of Cales betwixt the Englishmen and them of the towne