of Elie certaine persons whiche being armed mette the Bishoppe of Rochester Lorde Tresourer deliueryng to hym Letters from the Pope the contentes of the whiche were not knowen and foorthwith they shranke awaye but the Kinges seruauntes made suche pursute after them that some of them they tooke and bringing them before the Kynges Iustices Suche as deliuered the Pope letters hanged vppon their arreignement they were condempned and suffred deathe on the gallowes Great discorde rose also aboute thys time Dyscorde betvvixt Priestes and Friers or rather afore betwixte the Clergie and the foure orders of Friers as in the booke of Actes and Monumentes sette foorthe by master Foxe yet maye reade more at large In this yeare Iohn of Gaunt Earle of Richemont sonne to the Kyng Tho. VVals Iohn fo Gau◅ married 1359 An. reg 33. the nineteenth daye of Maye married the Ladie Blaunche daughter to Henrye Duke of Lancaster at Reading and bicause they were cousins within the degrees of consanguinitie forbidden by the Churche Lawes to marrie a dispensation was procured of the Pope to remoue that obstacle and lette This yeare the Kyng sette workemenne in hande to take downe muche olde buildings belonging to the Castel of Windsor VVinsor castell repared Additions to Triuet and caused diuers other faire and sumptuous workes to bee erected and sette vp in and aboute the same Castell so that almoste all the Masons and Carpenters that were of any accompte within this lande were sente for and employed aboute the same workes the ouerseer wherof was Wyllyam Wickham the Kyngs Chaplein by whose aduice the Kyng tooke in hande to repaire that place the rather in deede bycause hee was borne there and therefore hee tooke greate pleasure to bestowe coste in beautifying it with suche buildings as maye appeare euen vnto this daye Moreouer this yeare in the Rogation weeke was a solempne Iustes enterprised at London for the Maior A solempne Iustes at London and his four and twentie brethren as chalengers did appoint to aunswere all co◅ers in whose name and steede the Kyng wyth hys four sonnes Edwarde Caxton The king vvith his four ◅onnes are of the chalengers parte Lionell Iohn and Edmunde and nineteene other greate Lordes in secrete manner came and helde the fielde with honour to the great pleasure of the citizens that behelde the same Yee haue hearde howe the Frenchemen refused the peace whiche was accorded betwixte King Edwarde and theyr King as then prisoner here in Englande Wherevppon King Edwarde determined to make suche warre againste the Realme of Fraunce that the Frenchemen shoulde bee gladde to condiscende and agree to reason and firste hee commaunded all manner of Frenchemenne other than suche as were prisoners to auoide out of Englande The Frenche King remoued He departed from Hertfourt the .xxix. of Iulie Hee also appointed the Frenche King to bee remoued from the Castell of Hertforde where hee then remained vnto the Castell of Somerton in Lincolneshire vnder the garde and conduct of the lord William Deincourte Polidore beeyng allowed fourtie shillyngs the daye for the wages of twoo and twentie men at armes twentie archers and twoo watchemenne as thus for himselfe and Sir Iohn Kirketon Banerettes eyther of them foure shillings the daye for three Knightes Sir Wyllyam Collevill in place of the Lorde Roberte Collevill that coulde not trauayle hymselfe by reason of sickenesse Sir Iohn Deincourte and Syr Saer de Rocheforte eche of them twoo shillings the daye seuenteene Esquiers eche of them twelue pence the daye eight archers on horse backe euery of them sixe pence the daye and twelue archers on foote three pence and the twoo watchemen eyther of them sixe pence the daye whiche amounteth in the whole vnto nyne and thirtie shillings the daye and the odde twelue pence was allowed to the saide Lorde Deincourte to make vp the summe of fortie shillings This haue I noted the rather to giue a lighte to the reader to consider howe chargeable the reteining of men of warre is in these dayes in respect of the former times But now to our purpose The King prepareth to make a iourney into Fraunce Froissart The Duke of Lancaster The King meanyng to passe ouer hymselfe in person into Fraunce he caused a mightie army to bee mustered and put in a redinesse and sente beefore hym the Duke of Lancaster ouer to Callais with foure hundreth speares and twoo thousande Archers where the saide Duke ioyned with suche strangers as were alreadye comme to Callais in greate numbers and togyther with them entred into the Frenche dominious and passing by Saincte Omers and Bethune came to Mount sainct Eloy a goodly Abbey and a rich a two leagues distant from Arras and there the hoste tarried foure dayes and when they hadde robbed wasted all the Countrey thereaboute Bray ass◅l◅d they rode to Bray and there made a greet assaulte at the which a Baneret of England was slain with diuers other When the Englishemenne sawe they coulde winne nothing there they departed and followyng the water of Some came to a town called Che◅sye where they passed the riuer and there ◅ried Allhallowen daye and the night following The same daye the Duke of Lancaster was aduertised The Kyng◅ arri◅ C◅e that the Kyng was arriued at Callais the seuenteenth daye of October Froissart commaunding hym by letters to drawe towardes him with all his companye The Duke according to the Kings commaundement obeyed and so retourned towarde Callais The King beeyng there arriued with all his power tooke counsell whiche way he shulde take Polidor Some aduised him first to inuade Flaunders and to reuenge the iniurious dealing of the Earle and the Flemings but hee woulde not agree to that motion for hee purposed fully eyther by plaine force to make a conqueste of Fraunce or else vtterlye to destroye and waste the countrey throughoute with fire and sworde Herevppon hee sette forewarde the fourthe of Nouember and passing throughe the countreys of Arthois and Vermendois hee came before the Citie of Reimes There wente ouer with him in this iourney and with the Duke of Lancaster Froissart his foure sonnes Edwarde Prince of Wales Lionell Earle of Vlster Iohn Earle of Richemond and the Lorde Edmunde his yongest sonne Also ther was Hēry y e said Duke of Lancaster with the Earles of Marche Warwike Suffolke Herford who also was Earle of Northampton Salisburie Stafford and Oxford the Byshoppes of Lincolne and Durham the Lords Percie Nevyll Spēcer Kirdistō Rosse Manny Cobhā Moubrey de la Ware Willoughbie Felton Basset Fitz Water Charleton Audeley Burwasche and others beside Knyghtes and Esquiers as Sir Iohn Chandos Sir Stephan Goussanton Sir Nowell Loring sir Hugh Hastings sir Iohn Lisle Sir Richarde Pembruge and others The siege was layde before Reimes aboute Sainct Andrewes tide Rei◅s ◅sieged and continued more than seuen weekes but the Citie was so well defended by the Bishop and the earle
Duke of Yorke haue attempted to set forthe his title to the Crowne as hee afterwardes didde to the greate disquieting of the Realme and destruction of Kyng Henry and of many other noble men beside This is the opinion of menne but gods iudgementes are vnsearcheable against whose decree and ordinaunce preuaileth no humaine counsaile But to conclude with this noble Duke he was no doubt a right mirrour of an vpright and politike gouernour bending all his endeuoures to the aduauncement of the common wealth no lesse louing to the poore commons than beloued of them again Learned he was and wise full of curtesie and voide of all pride and ambition a vertue rare in personages of suche high estate albeit where the same chaunceth most commendable But sithe the praise of this noble man deserueth a large discourse and meete for suche as haue cunning howe to handle the same I referre the readers vnto Maister Fores booke of Actes and Monumentes fyrste Volume Page 833. In this sixe and twentieth yere of the raign of this King An. reg 26. but in the firste of the rule of the Queene I finde nothing done worthye of rehearsall within the Realme of Englande but that the Marques of Suffolke by greate 〈◊〉 of the Kyng and more desire of the Queene was erected to the title and name of Duke of Suffolke whiche dignitie hee shorte time inioyed for Richard duke of Yorke being greatly alyed by hys wife to the chiefe Peeres and Potentates of the Realâ—…e ouer and beside hys own progeny perceiuing the king to be a ruler not ruling and the whole burthen of the realm to reste in the ordinaunces of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke began secretly to allure his friendes of the Nobilitie and priuily declared vnto them hys tytle and ryghte to the crowne and likewise didde he to certaine wise and sage gouernours and rulers of diuers Cities and Townes whych priuy attempt was so pollitickely handled and so secretly kepte that his prouision was ready before his purpose was openly published and his friendes opened themselues ere the contrary parte coulde them espie for in conclusion time reueled truthe and olde hidde hatred soddainely sprong out as yee maye hereafter both learne and heare During these doings Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester 1448 and called the riche Cardinall departed out of this worlde and was buried at Winchester The deathe of the Bishoppe of â—…Vinchester â—…s description This man was sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster deseâ—…ded of an honourable linnage but borne in baste more noble in bloud than notable in learning hault of stomacke and highe of countenaunce riche aboue measure but not very liberall dysdainfull to his kinne and dreadefull to hys louers preferring money before friendeshippe manye things beginning and fewe performing hys couetous insaciabilitie and hope of long lyfe made hym bothe to forgette God his Prince and hymselfe of the getting of his goodes both by power Legantine and spirituall bribery I will not speake but the keeping of them for his ambitious purpose was bothe greate losse to hys naturall Prince and natiue countrey for hys hydden riches might haue well holpen the King and his secret treasure might haue relieued the communaltie when money was seâ—…nte and importunate chardges were dayly immenent An. reg 27. After the deathe of this Prelate the affaires in Fraunce were neither well looked to nor the gouernors of the countrey wel aduised Sir Frauncis Suriennes for an english capitain called sir FraÌ„cis Suriennes surnamed the Aregonois of the countrey wher he was borne a man for his wit and actiuitie admitted into the order of the Garter tooke by skaling soddainely in the nyght of the euen of our Lady day in Lent Fongieres a Town on the Fronters of Normandy belonging to the Duke of Britaine called Fougiers spoylyng the same and killing the inhabitantes The Duke of Britaigne beeing hereof aduertised sent worde by the bishop of Remines to the Frenche Kyng beseching him of his aid and counsaile in the matter The French King foorthwith sent his â—…uer Iohn Hauart and Iohn Cosinet one of the Maisters of his requestes to the King of Englande and to the Duke of Somerset he dispatched Peter de Fontaines the Maister of his horse to the whiche messengers aunswere was made aswell by the Kyng as the duke that the fact was done without their knowledge And for the truce to be kepte and not onely restitution but also amends to be made to the Duke of Britayne a daye of dyet was appoynted to be kepte at Louniers where the commissioners on both partes being assembled the frenchmen demaunded amendes wyth no small recompence The Englishemen aunswered that without offence nothing by Iustice ought to be satisfied affirming the doing of Sir Frauncis Sureinnes to be only his act without consent eyther of the Kyng of Englande or of the Duke of Somerset hys lieuetenaunt and Regent But whiles wyth long delay they talked of this matter at Louniers certain Frenchmen by aduertisement of a wagoner of Louniers Pont de Larcâ—… taken by the Frenchmen by a subeâ—… 〈◊〉 vnderstaÌ„ding that the town of Pont de Larche was but slenderly manned The wagoner laded his wagon and passed forward hauing in his companye twoo strong Varlettes clad like Carpenters wyth greate axes on their shoulders and hereto le Seigneur de Breze wyth a chosen company of men of armes lodged himselfe in a bushement neare to the gate of Saint Andrewe and Capitayne Floquet accompanied wyth sir Iames de Cleremont and another greate companye priuily lurked vnder a woode towarde Louniers When all things were appointed for the purpose earely one morning about the beginning of the moneth of October deuised to take the same town on this maner The wagoner came to the gate and called the porter by name praying hym to open the gate that hee myghte passe to Roan and retourne agayne the same nyght The Porter whiche well knewe the voyce of hys customer tooke little heede to the other twoo companions and so opened the one gate and sent another fellowe of hys to open the formoste gate When the Chariot was on the drawe bridge betwene both the gates the chariot Maister gaue the Porter money and for the nonce let one peece fall on the grounde and while the Porter stouped to take it vp the wagoner wyth hys dagger stroke hym in at hys throate so that he cried for no helpe and the .ij. great lubbers slewe the other porters and with their axes cut the axeltree of the wagon so that the drawe bridge coulde not be shortly drawen vppe This done they made a signe to Capitaine Floquet whyche wyth all speede entred the Towne slewe and tooke all the Englishemenne and amongest other the Lorde Fauconbridge Capitaine of the saide Towne was taken prisoner The losse of this place was of no small importance being the very kay passage ouer the riuer of Seyne from France into Normandy
Richard Fitz Iames. This yeare also the Lorde Cazimire Marques of Brandenburg accompanyed with an Erle a Bishop and a great number of gentlemeÌ„ well apparailed came in ambassade froÌ„ the Emperor Maximilian were triumphantly receiued into LoÌ„don lodged at Crosbies place Theyr Message was for three causes one to comfort the King in hys tyme of heauinesse for the losse of hys wyfe The seconde for the renuing of amitie and the olde league The thirde which was not apparant was to moue the king to marrye the Emperours daughter the Ladie Margaret Duches dowager of Sauoy The two first tooke effect For the King vpon Passion Sunday road to Paules in great triumph the sayd Marques ryding on his left hand And there the Bi. made to the K. an excellent consolatorie oration concerning the death of the Queene And there also the king openly sware to keepe the new renouate league amitie during their two 〈◊〉 But the third request whether theire was on the mans side or the womaÌ„s neuer sâ—…ted to any coÌ„clusion The Ladie Margaret the kings daughter aâ—â—ied as ye haue heard to the king of Scots was appointed to be conueyed into Scotland by the Erle of Surrey and the Erle of NorthuÌ„berland as wardeÌ„ of the Marches was coÌ„maunded to deliuer hir at the confines of both the realmes And so herevpon after hir comming to Berwike she was coÌ„ueâ—…ed to Lamberton kirke in ScotlaÌ„d where the king of Scots with the flower of al the nobles and gentlemen of Scotland was readie to receyue hir to whom the Erle of Northumberland according to his commission deliuered hir The sayd Erle of Northumberland that day what for the ryches of his coat being goldsmithes work garnished with pearle and stone and what for the galiant apparell of his Henâ—…men braue trappers of his horse beside foure C. talmen well horsed and apparalled in his colours was aâ—…ed both of the Scots and English men more like a Prince than a subiect From Lamberton the foresayd Ladie was conueyed to Edenbourgh The mariagâ—… betwene the king of Scoâ—… and Lady margaret king Henry eldest daughter there the day after king Iames the fourth in the presence of all his nobilitie espoused hir feasted the English Lordes and shewed iustes and other pastimes very honorably after the fashion of that couÌ„trey And after all things were finished according to their coÌ„mission the erle of Surrey withal y e english lords ladies returned into their â—…ey In this yere the king kept his high Court of Parliament in the which An. reg â—… diuers acts estemed necessarye for the preseruation of the coÌ„mon wealth were established amongst other it was eâ—… that theeues murderers duely conuicted by the law to die and yet saued by theyr bookes shoulde be committed to the Bishops custodie After this a subsedie was granted both of the temporaltie and spiritualty so that ParliameÌ„t ended But the king now drawing into age and willing to fill his chests with abundance of treasure was not satisfied with this only subsedie but deuised an other meane how to enrich himselfe 1504 as thus He considered that the English man little regarded the keeping of penal lawes and preâ—…ial statutes deuised for the good preseruation of the common welth wherfore he caused inquisition to be made of those that had transgressed any of the same lawes so that there were but few noble meÌ„ marchants farmers husbandmen grosâ—…ts or occupiers that coulde clearely proue themselues faultlesse but had offended in some one or other of the same lawes At the first they that were found guiltie were easily fined But after there were appointed two masters surueyers of his forfeyts the one sir Ri. Empson the other EdmoÌ„d Dudley both lerned in the lawes of the realme who meanyng to satisfie their princes pleasure and to â—…e their commission executed to the vttermoste seâ—…ed litle to respect the perill that might 〈◊〉 â—…sâ—… Wherevpon they hering furnished with a sort of 〈◊〉 commonly called Proâ—…ters â—…ters or as they themselues will be named 〈…〉 troubled many â–ª a man whereby they waâ—… them great hatred and the King by suche rigâ—… 〈…〉 kings last the loue and 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 people before time had bene towardes him so that he for setting thâ—… worke 〈◊〉 they for â—…ng of it in suche extreeme wise â—…an into obloquâ—… the subiectes of this realme The king after he had gotten a greate â—…sse of money 1505 togyther hauing pitie of the people which oppressed with the sharp proceedings of his greedie officers cried dayly to God for veÌ„geance ment to haue depriued them of theyr offices as some write and that suche money as had beene violently â—…acted shoulde haue beene restored and deliuered againe if hee had not beene preuenby death And yet by his last will he commaunded that it should be duly and truly perfourmed but in the meane season manye mens Coffers were eâ—…tied An. reg 21. In this verie season and the yeare of our lord 1506. Elizabeth Queene of Castile dyed without issue male 1506 by reason whereof the inheritaunce of Castile bycause that kingdome is not partible descended to Ladie Iane his eldest daughter by king Ferdinando the which was maryed to Philippe Archeduke of Austriche Wherefore the yeare following about the sixth day of Ianuarie hauing a great nauie prepared he intituled nowe king of Castile sayled out of Flaunders with his wife towardes Spaine but by a mightie tempest of winde and soule 〈…〉 the whole nauy was dispersed and spâ—…nkled 〈…〉 in diuerse places on the coast of Englande the kings shippe with two other Vesselles were 〈◊〉 by tempe â—…on the weâ—… part of the Realme to the Port of Wâ—…mont in Dorâ—…yrâ—… The king 〈…〉 with the toâ—… of the 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 â—…o the minde of his Coâ—…â—…ame a bunde 〈◊〉 refresh himselfe Whoâ—… it was know at that straunge shippes 〈◊〉 arriued in that place Philip Archduke of Austrich landeth in the west partes of Englande 〈◊〉 coâ—… thither a great 〈◊〉 â—…ll of 〈…〉 of the countâ—… 〈…〉 to be enimies But 〈…〉 that the king of Spaâ—… was then 〈…〉 of weather sir Thomas â—…ard â—…ighâ—… 〈◊〉 of the company 〈…〉 with great â—…blenessâ—… vnto him and did what he could to haue him to his houseâ—… being not â—…re off and so to cause him to stay â—…ll such â—…mâ—… king Henrye â—…ight be â—…rytified of his arriuall to whom with 〈…〉 he sent diuerse posts to aduertise him of K. Philipâ—… landing In this meane while came people 〈◊〉 all â—…des vppon and 〈…〉 of the â—…singe Princes comming And â—…g other thâ—… caâ—… sir Iohn Caâ—… with a goodly and of 〈◊〉 Which sir Iohn and sir Thomas Trenth â—…treated the king of Castâ—… 〈◊〉 to depart vntil such time as he had spoâ—… with the king The king of Castile excused him by necessitie of his weightie enterpriâ—… 〈◊〉 when he perceyued that if he would proffer to go â—…bourde to 〈◊〉 shâ—… againe
breÌ„ned in Smithfield by the byshops apointment notwithstaÌ„ding the coroners quest indited doctor Horsey with one Io. Spalding otherwise called belringer Charles Ioseph the somnar of the murthered howbeit vpon his arreignement through great suite and corruption of money as many iudged the Kings attorney declared Doctor Horsey not to be giltie The thyrd day of February 1515 the King made a solemne iustes at Westminster â—…uste at Westminster where hee and the Lord Marques Dorset tooke vpon them to answer all commers and so did acquiting themselues right worthily This yeare also was a Parliamente called whiche began the fifth of October and helde tyll Easter in the which diuers actes were made as y e acte of apparell and that of labourers with other Also in this Parliament were diuers subsedyes graunted to the King toward his greate costes and charges that hee hadde susteyned by his voyage into Fraunce and his other warres This yeare dyed at Roane by poison as was reported the Archbyshop of Yorke Doctor Benbrick Archbyshop of Yorkâ—… is empoysoned at Roane and Cardinall called Doctor Benbricke whiche was the Kings Ambassador there This was a wyse man and of a iolly courage Then was the Bishop of Lincolne preferred to the Archebyshopricke of Yorke who in that season bare al y e rule about the King so that what he sayd was obeyed in all places The first day of Ianuary The deathe 〈◊〉 the French 〈◊〉 the Frenche Kyng departed this life after he had bin married to the Lady Mary of Englande the tearme onely of fourescore and two dayes The king of England being therof aduertised caused a solemne obsequie to bee kept for him in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paule wyth a costly hearse At the whiche many nobles were present The counsaile of Fraunce by the kings appoyntment assigned fourth hir dower and the Duke of Suffolke put in officers The Duke of Suffolke winâ—… the good will of the Queene dowâ—…gâ—… of France Polidor and then was the Queene deliuered to the duke by Indenture who behaued himselfe so towards hir that he obteyned hir good will to be hir husband It was thought that when the king created him Duke of Suffolke he perceyued hys systers good will towarde the sayde duke and that he ment then to haue bestowed hir on him but that a better offer came in the way Hal. But howsoeuer it was now he wanne hir loue so as by hir consent he wrote to the king hir brother meeklye beseeching him of pardon in his request whiche was humbly to desire him of his good will and contentation The king at the first stayed but after long suyte and speciallye by meane of the Frenche Queene hirselfe and other the Dukes friendes it was agreed that the Duke shoulde bring hir into England vnmaried and at his returne to marie hir in Englande but for doubt of change he maried hir secretly in Paris at the house of Clugny as was sayde After he had receyued hir with hir dower appoynted An. reg 7. The french Queene maried to the Duke of Suffolke and all hir appâ—…ell iewels and householde stuffe delyuered they tooke leaue of the new Frenche king and so passing through Fraunce came to Calais where she was honorably enterteyned and after openly maryed with great honor vnto the sayde Duke of Suffolke Doctor West as then nominated Bishop of Elie remained behinde at Paris to go through with the full conclusion of a new league betwixt the king of England and the new French king This yere in September the king being at his manour of O king after his returne from his progresse which he made that yeare into the west partes the Archebishoppe of Yorke came thither to him whilest bee soiourned there The Archbisshop of Yorke elected Cardinall a letter was brought to the sayde Archbishop from Rome aduertising him that hee was elected Cardinall which letter incontinently he shewed to the king disabling himselfe in wordes though his intent was otherwise and so the king did encourage him and willed him to take that dignitie vppon him and called him from thenceforth my Lorde Cardinal But his Hat Bul nor other ceremonies were not yet come In Nouember the king assembled his highe Court of Parliament at Westminster A Parliament at Westminster wherein diuerse actes made in the sixth yeare were reformed and altered and espicially the act of apparel and the act of laborers as by the booke of statutes more plainly appeareth At the ende of this ParliameÌ„t Doctor Warham Archbishop of Canterburie and as then lord Chauncellour perceyuing howe the new Lorde Cardinall medled further in his office of Chauncellourship than he could well suffer except hee should aduenture the kings displeasure for thys and for other considerations gaue vp his office of Chauncellor into the kings handes and deliuered to him the great seale which incontinently was deliuered by the king vnto the Lorde Cardinall and so was he made Lorde Chauncellor Cardinall Wolley made L. Chancellor He was no sooner in that office but hee directed forth Commissions into euerie shire for the execution of the statutes of apparell and labourers and in all his doings shewed himselfe more loftie and presumptuous than became him which caused him to be greatly mislyked of many and the more for that his base byrth was knowne of all men so that the nobilitie as reason was disdeyned to be at his correction In the end of Nouember The Cardinals hatte receyued by the Kenâ—…ishe Gentlemen with gret solemnitie the Cardinals hat was sent into Englande which the Gentlemen of Kent receyued and brought to London wyth such tryumph as though the greatest Prince in Europe had bene come to visit the king And on a Sunday in Saint Peters Church at Westminster he receyued the habite Hat piller other such tokens of a Cardinal And now that he was thus a perfite Cardinall he looked aboue all estates whiche purchased him great hatred and disdaine on all sides After the ende of the Parliament sir Edward Poynings labored to be discharged of the keping of Turney The Lorde MoÌ„tioy made gouernour of Tourney bicause he could not haue helth there and so he was discharged and sir WilliaÌ„ Blunt Lorde Mountioy was sent thither to haue that rowmth and for Marshall was appoynted sir Sampson Norton Immediately vppon their comming thither chaunced a great ryot raysed by the souldiers so that to appease theÌ„ the Lord Mountioy was put in ieopardie of his life A mutenye amoÌ„gst the soldiers at Tourney In conclusion to quiet theÌ„ sir Sampson Norton was banished the towne for euer but what the matter was I haue not found rehersed by any wryter After that the Citie was appeased and euery thing thought to bee forgotten diuerse of the offenders were executed and diuerse banished the towne Some fled and were confined both out of Englande and the towne This yeare the new league accorded betwixt the king and
The Bishops â—…cte hard aâ—…câ—…ste the â—…es for y e Bishops replyed sore againste them yet after the same were qualified after an indifferent and reasonable sorte they passed and were established for actes Also there was a bill agreed vnto touchyng the releasse of all the summes of money whyche the King hadde receyued by way of loue in the fiftenth yeare of his raigne as before yee haue hearde There was also a Booke sente downe to the commons Articles exhibited againste the Cardinall conteyning articles which the Lords had put to the King against the Cardinall whiche Booke was redde in the common house and was signed by the Cardinals owne hande Also there was a writing shewed which was sealed with his seale by the which he gaue to the King all his mouables and vnmouables On the daye of the conception of our Lady the King lying at Yorke place at Westminster Creations in the Parliamente time created the Vicounte Rochfort Earle of Wilshire and the Vicounte Fitz Water Earle of Suffex and the Lord Hastings Earle of Huntington The seuententh of December the King gaue his royall assent to all things done by the Lords and commoÌ„s and so proroged his court of Parliament till the next yeare The K. whiche all this while sith the doubte was moued touching his marriage absteyned froÌ„ the Queenes bedde was nowe aduertised by his Ambassadors which he hadde sent to dyuers Vniuersities for the absoluing of his doubt that the sayde Vniuersities were agreed and cleerely concluded that the one brother mighte not by Gods lawe marrie the other brothers wise earnally knowen by the first mariage and that neither the Pope nor y e court of Rome could many wise dispense with the same For ye must vnderstand that amoÌ„gst other things alledged for disprofe of the mariage to be lawfull euidence was giuen of certaine wordes whiche Prince Arthur spake the morrowe after he was first married to the Queene whereby it was gathered that hee knew hir carnally y e night the paâ—…ed The wordes were these as we finde them y e Chronicle of master Edward Hall In the morning after he was risen from the bedde in which he had sayde with his all night he called for drinke whych hee before time was not accustomed to doe At whiche thing one of his Chamberlaynes maruelling required the cause of his brought To whome hee aunswered merily saying I haue this nighte bene in the middest of Spayne whiche is a hote region and that iourney maketh me so drie and if thou haddest bene vnder that hote climate thou wouldest haue bin drier than I. Agayne it was alledged that after the deathe of Prince Arthur the King was deferred from the title and creatioÌ„ of Prince of Wales almost halfe a yeare whiche thing could not haue bene doubted if she had not bin carnally knowen Also she hir selfe caused a Bull to be purchased in the which were these words vel forsan coguitam that is and peraduenture carnally knowen whiche wordes were not in the first Bull graunted by Pope Iuly at hir seconde in 〈◊〉 to the King which second Bull with that â—…ause was only purchased to dispense with the seconde matrimony although there were carnall copulation before which Bull needed not to haue bin purchased if there had bin no carnall copulation for then the first Bull had bin sufficient To conclude when these and other matters were layd forth to proue that which she denyed the carnall copulation betwixte hir and Prince Arthur hir Counsellers left that matter and fell to perswasions of naturall reason and lastly when nothing else would serue they stoode stiffe in the appeale to the Pope and in the dispensation purchased from the Court of Rome so that the matter was thus shifted off and no end likely to be had therein The King therefore vnderstanding now that the Emperour and the Pope were appointed to meete at the Citie of Bonony alias Bologna where the Emperour shoulde be crowned Ambassadors sent to Italy sente thither in Ambassade from hym the Earle of Wilshire Doctor Stokestey elected Byshop of London and his Almoner Doctor Edward Lee to declare both vnto the Pope and Emperour the law of God the determinations of Vniuersities in the case of his mariage and to require the Pope to do iustice accordyng to trueth and also to shewe to the Emperoure that the King did moue this matter onely for discharge of his conscience and not for anye other respect of pleasure or displeasure earthelye These Ambassadors comming to Bonony were honorably receyued and first doyng theyr message to the Pope had aunswere of him that he would heare the matter disputed wheÌ„ he came to Rome and according to right he woulde do iustice The Emperors aunswere to the Ambassadors The Emperour aunswered that he in no wise woulde be againste the lawes of God and if the Court of Rome would iudge that the matrimony was not good he could be content but he solicited both the Pope and Cardinals to stand by the dispensation whiche he thought to be of force ynough to proue the mariage lawfull With these aunsweres the Ambassadors departed and returned homewardes till they came on this side the Mountaynes and then receyued letters from the King which appoynted the Earle of Wilshire to goe in ambassade to the French King which then lay at Burdeaux making shift for money for redeeming of hys children and the Byshop of London was appoynted to goe to Padoa and other Vniuersities in Italy to know their full resolutions and determinate opinions in the Kings case of matrimony and the Kinges Almoner was commaunded to returne home into England and so he did In the Lente season of this yeare 1530 The Cardinaâ—… licensed to repaire into Yorkeshire the Kyng licenced the Cardinall to repaire into his diocese of Yorke commanding him after his comming thither not to returne Southward without the Kings speciall licence in writing Aboute the same time Thomas Cromwell Thomas Cromwell that had serued the Cardinall was admitted to the kings seruice The Cardinall comming to Southwell which is within the dioces of Yorke lay there all this yeare This yeare the Isle of Maite was assigned to the Lord maister of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem and to his breethreÌ„ the knights hospitalers An. reg 22. In the beginning of this yeare was the hauing and reading of the new Testament in Englishe translated by Tyndall Ioy and others forbidden by the King The new Teâ—…tament Tranâ—…ated into Englishe with the aduice of hys counsell and namely the Byshoppes which affirmed that the same was not truely translated and that therein were prolognes and prefaces sounding to heresie with vncharitable rayâ—…ing against Bishops and the Cleargie The King therefore commaunded the Byshops that they calling to them the bâ—…st learned men of the Vniuersities should cause a new traÌ„slation to be made that the people without danger might reade the same for their better instruction in the
twentith yeare after his comming into this land he obteyned the title of the West partes thereof and gouerned there as King so that the Kingdome of West Saxons began vnder the sayde 〈…〉 icus in the .519 519 of Christ as 〈…〉 shall be shewed Thus may yee see that if Aurelius Ambrosius did succeede after Vortigerne and raigned in the tyme supposed by the Brittish histories 〈◊〉 before is alledged the lande euen in his dayes was full of trouble and the olde inhabitauntes the Britaynes sore vexed by the Saxons that 〈…〉 ed the same so that the Britaynes dayly were hampered and brought vndersubiection to the valiante Saxons or else driuen to remoue further off and to giue place to the victorers But nowe to proceede with the succession of the Brittishe Kings as in their Histories wee fynde them registred whiche I delyuer suche as I fynde but not suche as I do wishe being written with no suche couloure of credite as we may safely put foorthe the same for an vndoubted truth Vter Pendragon AFter that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead his brother Vter Pendragon whome Harrison calleth Math. West noteth Aurelius Vterius Ambrosianus was made King in the yeare of our Lorde 500 500. in the seuenth yeare of the Emperour Anastasius and in the sixteene yeare of Clodoueus King of the Frenchmen The cause why hee was surnamed Pendragon was for that Merlyne the greate Prophete likened him to a Dragons head that at the tyme of his natiuitie maruellously appeared in the firmamente at the corner of a blasing Starre as is reported But Harrison supposeth that hee was so called of his wisedome and serpeÌ„tine subtiltie or for that he gaue the Dragons head in his Banner About the same time Vter departed out of this life saith Polydore so that his accompte agreeth nothing with the coÌ„mon accompte of those authors whom FabiaÌ„ and other haue folowed For either must we presuppose that Vter reigned before the time apointed to him by the said authors either else that the siege of Badon hill was before he began to reigne as it should seeme in deede by that which Wil. Malmsbury writeth therof as hereafter shal be also shewed Finally according to the agreemente of the Englishe writers Vter Pendragon died of poyson when he had gouerned this land by the ful terme of .16 yeres The deceasse of Vter Pendragon Stonchenge chorea gigantn was after buried dy his brother Aurelius at StonheÌ„g otherwyse called Chorea GigantuÌ„ leauing his son Arthur to succede him Here must ye not that the scottish chronicles declare that in al the warres for the more parte wherein the Britons obteyned victorie against the Saxons the Scots ayded them in the same warres and so likewyse did the Picts but the same chronicles do not only varie from the Brytish writers in accompt of yeres but also in the order of things done as in the same Chronicles more playnly may appere and namely in the discourse of the incideÌ„ts which chanced during the reign of this Vter For wher as the British histories as ye haue heard attribute great praise vnto the same Vter for his victories atchieued against the Saxons and theyr king Occa whom he slew in battaile and obteined a greate victorie the Scottishe writers make other report affirming in deed that by the preseÌ„ce of bishop Germane hee obteyned victorie in one battaile against them but shortly after the Britons fought again with the Saxons were discomfited although Occa in following the chase ouer rashly chaunced to be slaine after whose deceasse the Saxons ordeyned his sonnâ—… named also Occa to succeede in his place who to make himselfe strong against all his enimies sent into Germanie for one Colgerne the whiche with a greate power of Tentshmen came ouer into this our Britayne and conquered by Oâ—…s appointment the countrey of Northumberland situate betwene Tyne Tweede as in the Scottish chronicles it may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Brytons at what time Germane bishop of Aurerre was presente Hector Boetius affirmeth by the authoritie of Veremond that wrote y e Scottishe chronicles to haue chanced the secoÌ„d time of his coÌ„ming ouer into this lande where Beda anoncheth it to be at his first bring here Againe the same Boetius writeth that y e same victory chaÌ„ced in the dayes of Vter Pendragon whiche can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touchyng the tyme of y e death of y e sayd German for where he departed this life before the yere of oure Lorde 459. as aboue is noted Vter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yere of our Lord .500 475. sayth â—â— arison or as the same Hector Boetius hath .503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Vter began to reign In deede some writers haue noted that the third bataile which Vortimer sought against the Saxons was the same wherin S. Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluya as before ye haue heard whiche seemeth to be more agreeable to a truthe and to stand also with that which holie Bede hath writen touching the time of the beeing heere of the sayd German than the opinion of other whiche affirme that it was in the tyme of the reigne of Vter The like is to bee founde in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the tyme specially of the reignes of the Brytish kings that gouerned Brytaine aboute that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius beganne his reigne in the yeare of our Lorde .498 and ruled but seuen yeres and then suceeded Vter whiche reigned .xviij. yeres and departed this life in the yeare of our Lorde .521 BVt here is to be remeÌ„bred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Vter had against y e Saxos and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battayle by him and his power In those olde writers whiche haue registred the Acts of the Englishe saxon kyngs wee fynde no suche matter but wee fynde that after the deceasse of Hengist hys sonne Osca or Occa reygned in Kente .24 yeares Osca 34. hath Henry Hnnt. in corrupted copies defendyng hys kyngdome onely and not seekyng to enlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irâ—…rike sonne to the same Oth succeeded more resemblyng their father than their grandfather or greate grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the Chronicles but whether they reigned ioyntely together or seuerally a parte eyther after other it is not certaynly perceyued King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus ledde was of more strength than the other whiche Kenrike gouerned he set fyrst vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easily ouercome the other Mat. VVest Hen. Hunt Stuff and VVightgar Math. VVest noteth the yere of
sonne of Redwalde and after was slaine himselfe Ethelferd slainâ—… hauing raigned ouer the Northumbers about .xxij. yeares This battaile was fought neare to the water of Idle The sayde Ethelferd had issue by his wyfe Acca the daughter of Alla and sister to Edwine two sonnes Oswalde being about two yeares of age and Oswyn about foure yeares the which their father beeing thus slaine were by helpe of their gouernours conueyed away into Scotland with all speede that might be made Hen. Hunt Math. VVest hath 34. Ceovulf king of the West Saxons after hee had raigned the space of .xij. yeares departed this life who in his time had mainteyned great warre agaynst many of his neghbours the which for briefenesse I passe ouer One great battaile he fought agaynst them of Sussex in which the armies on both sides susteyned great domage The South Saxons sustaine the greater losse but the greater losse fell to the South Saxons Cicegiscus AFter the foresayde Ceovulf raigned Cinegiscus or Kingils whiche was the sonne of Ceola that was sonne to Cutha or Cutwyn the sonne of Kenricke which was sonne to king Certicke In the fourth yeare of his raigne VVil. Malm. sayeth that Oâ—…nichilinus was the brother oâ—… Cinegiscus he receyued into felowship with him in gouernaunce of the kingdome his sonne Richelinus or Onichelinus and so they raigned ioyntly togither in great loue and concorde a thing seldome seene or heard of They fought with the Brytaynes at Beandune Beandune or Beanton where at the first approch of the battailes togyther the Brytaynes fled but to late for there died of them that were ouertaken .2062 In this meane time Beda li. 2. cap. 4. Laurence Archbishop of Canterburie that succeeded next after Augustine admitted thereto by him in his life time as before is sayde did his indeuour to augment and bring to perfection the Church of Englande the foundation wherof was lately layde by his predecessor the foresayde Augustine and studied not onely for the encrease of this new Church which was gathered of the Englishe people but also he was busie to employ his pastor like cure vpon the people that were of the olde inhabitants of Brytaine and likewise of the Scottes that remayned in Irelande For when he had learned that the Scottes there in semblable wise as the Brytains in theyr Countrey ledde not theyr lyues in many poyntes according to the Ecclesiastical rules aswel in obseruing the feast of Easter coÌ„trarie to the vse of the Romain church as in other things he wrote vnto those Scottes letters exhortatorie requyring them moste instauntly to an vnitie of Catholique orders as myght bee agreeable with the Church of Christ spredde and dispersed through the worlde These letters were not written onely in his owne name but ioyntly togyther in the name of the Bishops Melitus and Iustus as thus To our deare brethren the Bishops Abbots through all Scotland Laurence Mellitus Iustus Bishops the seruants of the seruants of God wishe health Where as the Apostolike Sea according to hir maner had sent vs to preach vnto the Heathen people in these west partes as otherwise through the worlde and that it chaunced vs to enter into this Ile which is called Brytayne before we knewe and vnderstoode the state of things wee had in greate reuerence bothe the Scottes and Brytaynes which beleeued bycause as we tooke the matter they walked according to the custome of the vniuersall Churche but after we had knowledge of the Brytaynes we iudged the Scottes to be better but we haue learned by Byshop Daganus comming into this I le and by Columbanus the Abbot coÌ„ming into France that the Scottes nothing differ in theyr conuersation from the Brytaynes for Bishop Dagan comming vnto vs would neyther eate with vs no nor yet within the house where wee did eate The sayde Laurence also with his fellow Bishops did write to the Brytaines other letters worthie of his degree doing what hee coulde to confyrme them in the vnitie of the Romaine Church but it profited little as appeareth by that which Beda wryteth About the same tyme Mellitus the Bishop of London wente to Rome to commune wyth Pope Boniface for necessarie causes touching the the Church of Englande and was present at a Sinode holden by the same Pope at that season for ordinances to bee made touching the state of religious men and sate in the same Sinode that with subscribing he might also with his authoritie confirme that whiche was there orderly decreed This Sinode was holden the third kalends of March in the last yeare of the Emperour Focas which was about the yeare after the byrth of our sauiour .610 Mellitus at his returne brought with him from the Pope decrees commaunded by the sayd Pope to be obserued in the English Church with letters also directed to the Archbishop Laurence and to king Ethelbert Cadwan This Cadwan being established King shortly after assembled a power of Brytaynes and went agaynst the foresayde Ethelfred King of Northumberlande who beeing thereof aduertised did associate to him the most part of the Saxon Princes and came forth with his armie to meete Cadwane in the fielde Herevpon as they were readie to haue tryed the matter by battaile certayne of theyr friendes trauayled so betwixte them for a peace that in the ende they broughte them to agreement Galf. Mâ—â— so that Ethelferd should kept in quiet possession those his Countreys beyonde the Ryuer of Humber and Cadwan should hold all that which belonged as yet to the Brytaines on the south side the same ryuer Thys Couenaunte wyth other touching theyr agreement was confyrmed wyth othes solemnlye taken and pledges therewith delyuered so that afterwardes they continued in good and quiet peace withoute vexing the one the other What chaunced afterwardes to Edelfred yee haue before hearde rehearsed the whiche for that it soundeth more lyke to a truth than that whiche followeth in the Brytishe Booke wee omitte to make further rehearsall passing forth to other doings which fâ—…ll in the 〈…〉 son whilest 〈◊〉 Cadwane had gouernment of the Brytaynâ—…s raigning as king once them the tearme of .xxij. or as other haue but .xiij. yeares and finally was slaine by the NorthuÌ„â—…ers â—…ohn Hard. as before hath bene and also after shall be shewed In the .viij. yeare after that Cadwan began to raigne Ethelbert king of Kent departed this life in the .xxj. yeare after the comming of Augustin with his fellowes to preach the fayth of christ here in this Realme and after that Ethelbert had raigned ouer the Prouince of Kent aboute the tearme of .lvj. yeares as Bede hath but there are that haue noted three yeares lesse he departed this worlde VVil. Malm. Beda li. 2. ca. 5 as aboue is signified in the yeare of oure Lorde .617 on the .xxiiij. daye of Februarie and was buryed in the I le of Saint Martine within the Churche of the Apostles Peter and Paule without the Citie of Canterburie where
in secular causes they were nowe forbidden so to doe Many other things were for meane of reformation artycled both for spirituall causes and also concerning ciuill ordinaunces as dissenabling children to be heyres to the parentes whiche by them were not begotte in lawfull matrimonie but on coÌ„cubines Nunnes concubines whether they were Nunnes or secular women Also of paymeÌ„t of tithes performing of vowes auoyding of vndecent apparell and abolishing of all maner of Ethnish vsages and customes that sounded contrarie to the order of Christianitie Curtayling horses as curtayling Horses and eating of Horses flesh These things with many other expressed in .xx. principal articles as we haue sayd were first concluded to be receyued by the Church of the Northumbers in a Councell holden there subscribed by Alfwold king of the NorthuÌ„bers by Delberke Bishop of Hexham by Eaubalde Archbishop of Yorke Hygwalde Byshop of Lyndisferne Edelbert Bishop of Whiterne Aldulfe Byshoppe of Myeth Ethelwyne also an other Byshop by his deputies with a number of other of the Clergie and Lordes also of the temporaltie as Duke Alrike Duke Segwulfe Abbot Aldberiâ—…ke and Abbot Erhard After this confirmation had of the Northumbers there was also a counsell holden in Mercia at Cealtide in the which these persons subscribed Iambert or Lambert Archbishop of Canterburie Offa King of Mercia Hughbright Bishop of Lichfield Edeulfe Bishoppe of Faron with Vnwone Bishop of Ligor and nine other Bishops beside Abbots and three Dukes as Brorda Farwalde and Bercoald with Earle Othbalde But nowe to returne backe to speake of other doings as in other parties of this lande they fell out 764 Aboute the yeare of our Lorde .764 the Sea of Canterburie beeing voyde one Iambert or Lambert was elected Archbishop there and in the yeare .766 the Archbishop of Yorke Egbert departed this lyfe Simon Dun. hath .780 in whose place one Adelbert succeeded The same tyme one Aswalde or Alfewolde raigned ouer the Northumbers beeing admitted King after that Ethelbert was expulsed and when the same Alfwolde had raigned tenne or as other haue .xj. yeares he was trayterously He begin his raigne Anno 779 as hath Simon Dunel and raigned but ten yeares and without all guilt made away and murthered by his owne people The chiefe conspiratour was named Siga and his bodie was buried at Hexam The same Alfwolde was a iust Prince and worthilye gouerned the Northumbers to hys highe prayse and commendation He was murthered as before yee haue hearde the .xxiij. of September in the yeare of our Lorde .788 788 Mat. VVest Simon Dun. 792 In the yeare .792 Charles king of Fraunce sent into Brytaine a booke which had beene sent vnto him from Constantinople conteyning certaine articles agreed vpon in a Synode wherein were present aboue the number of three hundred Bishops quite contrarie and disagreeing from the true fayth namely in thys that Images ought to be worshipped which the Church of god vtterly abhorreth Agaynst this booke Albinus that famous Clearke wrote a treatise confirmed with places taken out of holy Scripture whiche treatise with the booke in name of all the Bishops and Princes of Brytayne he presented vnto the king of Fraunce In the yeare .800 on Christmasse euen chanced a marueylous tempest of winde Simon Dun. 800 which ouerthrew whole Cities and townes in diuers places and trees in greate number beside other harmes which it did as by death of Cattell c. In the yeare following a great part of the Citie of London was consumed by fire Brightrichus This Brightrike was procreate of the â—â—ue of Cerdicius the first king of West Saxons and xvj in number from him He was a man of nature quiet and temperate more desirous of peace than of warre and therefore he stoode in doubt of y e noble valiancie of one Egbert which after succeeded him in the kingdome The linage of Cerdicius was in that season so coÌ„fouÌ„ded and mingled that euerie one as he grew to greatest power stroue to be king and supreme gouernor But specially Egbertus was knowne to be one that coueted the place as hee that was of the blouâ—… royall and a man of greate power and lustiâ—… courage King Brightrike therefore to liue in more suretie banished him the lâ—…nde Egbert banished and appoynted him to goe into Fraunce Egbert vnderstanding for certaine that this his departure into a forraine Countrey shoulde turne to his aduauncement in time to come obeyed the kings pleasure About the thirde yeare of Brightrykes raigne there fell vpon mens garmentes as they walked abrode A straunge wonder Crosses of bloudie colour and bloud fell from heauen as drops of raigne Mat. VVest VVil. Malm. Hen. Hunt Danes Some tooke this wonder for a signification of the persecution that followed by the Danes for shortly after in the yeare ensuing there arryued three Danish shippes vpon the English coastes against whome the Lieutenant of the parties adioyning made forth to apprehend those that were come a lande howbeeit aduenturing himselfe ouer rashly amongest them he was slaine but afterwardes when the Danes perceyued that the people of the Countreyes aboute beganne to assemble and were comming agaynst them they fled to theyr shippes and left their pray and spoile behinde them for that time These were the fyrst Danes that arryued here in this lande beeing onely sente as was perceyued after to viewe the Countrey and coastes of the same to vnderstande howe with a greater power they myght bee able to inuade it as shortly after they did and warred so wyth the Englishe men that they got a greate partâ—… of the lande and helde it in theyr owne possession In the tenth yeare of King Brightrykes raigne there were seene in the ayre fyrie Dragons flying whiche betokened as was thought two grieuous plagues that followed Fyrst a greate dearth and famine and secondly the cruell warre of Danes Famine and warre signified which shortly followed as yee shall heare Finally after that Brightrike had raigned the space of .xvj. yeares he departed this life and was buried at Warham Some wryte that hee was poysoned by hys wife Ethelburga Ran. Cestren li. 5. cap. 25. Brightrike departed this life whom he maryed in the fourth yeare of his raigne Shee was daughter vnto Offa King of Mercia as before yee haue heard Shee is noted by wryters to haue beene a verye euill woman proude and high mynded as Lucifer Ethelburga hir conditions and wicked nature and therewyth disdaynfull Shee bare hir the more stately by reason of hir fathers greate fame and magnificence whome shee hated shee woulde accuse to hir husbande and so put them in daunger of theyr lyues And if she might not so wreake hir rancour shee woulde not sticke to poyson them And so it happened one daye as shee ment to haue poysoned a yong Gentleman agaynste whome shee hadde a quarell the King chaunced to taste of that Cuppe and dyed therof as before ye haue heard Hir
Bath VVinbornâ—… and maried a Nunne there which he had defloured and attempted many things against his brother WhervpoÌ„ the king came to Bath though Adelwold shewed a countenance as if he would haue abyd the chaunce of warre within Wynborne yet he stale awaye in the night H. Hunt Adelvvolde fleeth to the Danes fled into NorthuÌ„berland wher of the Danes he was ioyfully receiued The king toke his wife being lefte behind restored hir to y e house from whence she was taken Some haue written VV. Malm. that this Adelwolde or Ethelwolde was not brother vnto king Edwarde but his vncles sonne After this king Edwarde prouiding for the suretie of his subiectes against the forrays which the Danes vsed to make fortifyed diuers cities and townes and stuffed them with great garrisons of souldiors to defend the inhabitants and to repulse the enimies And surely the englishmen were so invred with warres in those dayes The Englishe nation practised in vvarres goe commonly avvay vvith the victorie that the people being aduertised of the inuasion of the enimies in any part of their countrey would assemble oftentymes without knowledge of king or capitayne and setting vpon the enimies went commonly awaye with victorie by reason that they ouermatched them bothe in number practise So were the enimies despised of the englishe souldiours and laughed to scorn of the king for their foolishe attempts H. Hunt Yet in the third yeare of king Edwards reigne Ethelwolde his brother came with a Nauie of the Danes into the parties of the eastangles Essex yelded to Athelvvold and euen at the first the Essex men yelded themselues vnto him In the yere folowing he inuaded the countrey of Mercia with a mightie armie wasting and spoyling the same vnto Cryâ—â—de Ran. Higâ—â— and there passing ouer the Thames rodâ—… foorth til he came to Basingstoke or as some bookes haue Briâ—…tenden 〈◊〉 harying the countrey on eche syde and so returned back into East angles with great ioy triumph The yere next ensuing the Danes with a great armie entred into Mercia to rob spoile y e countrey against whom king Edward sent a mightie host assembled togither of the Westsaxons and them of Mercia the which set vpon the Danes as they were returning homeward slew of theÌ„ an huge multitude together with their chief capitaines and leaders as king Halden and kyng Eolwils erle Vther erle Scurfa diuers other In the yeare .912 or as Simon Dunel hath 908. the Duke of Mercia Edrid or Etheldred H. Hunt departed this life and then king Edward seysed into his handes the Cities of London and Oxford and all that part of Mercia which he helde But afterwards he suffered his sister Elflede to enioy the most part therof except the sayde cities of London and Oxford whiche he still retayned in his owne hande This Elfleda was wyfe to the sayd duke Edrid or Etheldred as before you haue hearde Of whose worthy actes more shall be sayde hereafter In the nynthe yeare of his reigne kyng Edwarde buylt a castell at Hartforde and likewise he buylded a towne in Essex at Wightham VVitham and lay himself in the meane time at Maldon otherwise Meauldun bringing a great part of y e countrey vnder his subiection which before was subiect to y e Danes In the yere folowing the armie of the Danes departed froÌ„ NorthaÌ„pton Chester in breach of the former truce Chester or rather Leycester as I thinke slew a greate number of men at HocehneretoÌ„ in Oxfordshire And shortly after their return home an other coÌ„panie of them weÌ„t foorth and came to Leighton where the people of the countrey beeing assembled togither Ligetâ—…ne fought with them and put them to flight taking froÌ„ them all the spoyle whiche they had got and also their horses In the .xj. yere of king Edw. a fleet of Danes compassed aboute the West partes and came to the mouth of Seuerne so toke prayes in Wales They also tooke prisoner a Welche bishop named Camelgaret Irchenfielde at Irchenfield whome they led to their ships but king Edward redemed him out of their hands paying to them .xl. lb for his raunsom After that the armie of Danes went foorth to spoyle the countrey about Irchingfield but the people of Chester Hereforde and other townes and countreys therabout assembled togither and giuing battayl to the enimies put them to flight and slewe one of their noble men called Earle Rehald Danes discomfited and Geolcil the brother of Earle Vter with a great part of their armie and draue the residue into a Castell whiche they besieged till the Danes within it gaue hostages and couenanted to depart out of the kings lande The king caused the coasts about Seuerne to be watched that they should not breake into his countrey But yet they stale twice into the borders neuertheles they wer chased slain so many as coulde not swim and so get to their ships Then they remayned in the I le of Stepen in great miserie for lacke of victuals The yle of Stepen Deâ—…omedun Danes sayle into Irelande bycause they coulde not go abroade to get any At length they departed into Northwales from theÌ„ce sayled into Ireland The same yeare king Edward came to Buckingham with an armie and ther taried a whole moneth building two castels the one vpon the one side of the water of Ouse and the other vpon the other side of the same riuer He also subdued Turketyllus an Erle of the Danes that dwelte in that countrey Turketellus an earle with all the residue of the noble men and barons of the shires of Bedforde and Northampton In the .xij. yere of K. Edwards reigne y e Kentishmen Danes fought togither at Holme but whether partie had the victorie writers haue not declared Si. Dunelm Simon Dunelm speaketh of a batayle which the citizens of Canterbury fought ageinst a number of Danish rouers at Holme wher the Danes were put to flight but that should be as he noteth an .8 yeres before this supposed time as in the yere .904 whiche was aboute the thirde yere of king Edw. reigne After this other of the Danes assembled theÌ„selues togither An. 912. Sim. Dun. in Staffordshire at a place called TotteÌ„hal fought with the Englishmen after great slaughter made on bothe parties the Danes were ouercome and so likewise were they shortly after at Woodfield or Wodenfield And thus K. Edw. put the Danes to the worse in eche place commonly where hee came and hearing that those in NorthumberlaÌ„d ment to breake the peace he inuaded the countrey and so afflicted the same that the Danes whiche were inhabitants there gladly continued in rest and peace But in this meane tyme Polidore Erick king of Eastangles Ericke the king of those Danes which helde the countrey of eastangle was about to procure new warre and to allure other of the Danes
his power as then did soiourne Where when both the campes were pitched and one lying not farre from the other at the first certaine light skirmishes were procured by both partes betwixt the light horsemen wherewith at length being the more prouoked to displeasure they come into the fielde with their whole maine battailes right fiercely encountering eche other The Albions and Saxons encounter in battaile so that as it appeared their force was not so great but their mortall hate was euen as much or rather more if the hystories say right Aurelius hasteth forth to London Aurelius Ambrose hauing thus got the vpper hande of his enimies hasteth forth with all speede vnto London where hauing both the Citie and tower deliuered into his handes hee recouered the whole Ilande from the possession of the Saxons and such of them as were apt men able to beare armor and to serue in the warres he coÌ„maunded to depart forth of the land The other that were minded to tarie behinde their fellowes that were thus forced to depart became subiectes to the Britains and couenanted to become christians Thus much haue I written touching Aurelius Ambrose according to the report of the Scottish wryters but more hereof ye may reade in the hystorie of Englande where ye shall finde this matter set forth more at large For y t which wee write here is but to shewe in what sort the Scottishe writers make relation of the warres which their nation had with the Saxons when they began first to set foote here in this lande To our pupose then In the meane time Aurelius hauing thus recouered the lande out of the Saxons hands and now remaining at London did all the honor he coulde ymagine both vnto Loth the Pictish king and also vnto Conranus generall of the Scottishe men acknowledging howe that by theyr ayde chiefly hee had got the vpper hande of his enimyes By support of Scottes and Pictes Aurelius confesseth â—…e got the hâ—…torie of the Saxons and so hee willed to haue it notified amongst his subiectes Hereto heâ—… caused the league to be renued betwixt the Scottes Pictes and Brytaynes the auncient ordinaunce for the Countreyes beyond Humber The league betwixt Scottes Pictes and Britains is renued beeing appointed to remayne vnto the Scottishe men and Pictes also that the Saxons shoulde bee reputed common enimyes to all the three Nations and that vpon inuasion made by any forraine power the Scottes Pictes and Brytanes should ayde one another as occasion serued This league beeing concluded with these articles of couenauntes was the more strongly confyrmed by reason of such affinitie and allyaunce as then also ensued For whereas Aurelius had two sisters the one named Anne and the other Ada virgins both Anne the daughter of Aurelius giuâ—â— in mariage vnâ—…to Loth king of Pictes Anne beeing the elder was gyuen in maryage vnto King Loth by whome certaine yeares after hee had issue two sonnes Mordred and Walwan or Galwan with a daughter named Thametes Ada beeing the yonger syster was maryed vnto Conranus Ada maried vnto CoÌ„ranus generall as is sayde of the Scottishe armye Howbeit she lyued not past two yeares after but dyed in trauayle of childe which also dyed wyth the mother And so ended the alyance of Aurelius and Conranus The Brytaynes beeing delyuered through the victorie and meanes afore rehearsed from the cruell handes of the Saxons enioyed ioyfull peace certaine yeares after but in the meane time dyuerse of those Saxons which were lycenced to remayne in Brytayne counterfeyting to become Christians vsed neuerthelesse to make sacryfice vnto Idolles according to the manner of the Gentyles whereof theyr Priestes beeing accused and condemned Diuers Saxons Idolaters are burned suffered death by fyre for that offence accordingly as the lawe dyd then appoynt them Whilest these things 〈…〉 Congâ—… 〈◊〉 the Scottes being worâ—◠〈◊〉 long 〈◊〉 The deuâ—â— of Congall departed this â—…e and was buried in the I le of Iona otherwise called Câ—â—kill with all kingâ—… pompe and accustomed ceremonies He raigned ouer the Scottishmen aâ—…ut xx yeares in great fame and glorie This Conranus otherwise also called by some Goranus being established king first tooke order that the sonnes of his brother Congall being within age shoulde be brought vp in the I le of Man vnder the gouernance of certainâ—… wyse instructors and scholemaisters to be trayned in learning and vertuous discipline according to an auncient ordenance thereof made and enacted Also doubting least peace and quietnesse nowe after long warres The earnest diligence of Conranus for maintenance of good orders amongst his subiects should minister matter to his people of raysing some commotion to the disturbance of all ciuill order and politike gouernment within his realme hee code as it had bene in circuite rounde about the same making inquirie of all maner offenders on whom he caused due punishment to be executed without respect eyther of kyth or kinne And amongst other enormities which he vnderstoode to be vsed in maner through al his couÌ„treys this as hee thought was most greeuous that the husbandmen and other commons of the Countrey being euil intreated and misused at the gentlemens handes durst not complaine nor procure any redresse by reason whereof when they were oppressed or suffered any manner of wrong or iniurie A goodly ordenance deuised by Conranus for reliefe of his commons they were without remedie to haue the same reformed he ordeyned therefore that the names of al such offenders with the maner of their offences shoulde bee secretly registred in a booke euerie yeare by certaine Inquisitours thereto chosen and appoynted and if it chaunced that those which were thus accused might afterwardes be founde guiltie before the kings Iustices by matter plainly proued agaynst them they shoulde then be sure to bee punished according to the measure of their offences This custome of accusations commonlye called moâ—…tements continueth euen vnto these our dayes Conranus himselfe as 〈◊〉 reported The king present at Assises vsed much to be present at Assyses and Sessions to see the laid as they 〈◊〉 either 〈◊〉 to passe the time in hunting within some Forteâ—â— or those â—…ere to the place where his Iustices 〈◊〉 Nowe whilest Conranus king of Scottes thus studiâ—… for the good gouernment of his people Aurelius Ambrose fell sicke of a consumption Aurelius Ambrose the king of Brytaine fell 〈◊〉 of a consumption whiche brought him to such weaâ—…nesse that all recouere of health in him was dispayred Occa and Pascentius return into Britaine whereof Occa and Pascentius soâ—…nes to Hengist beeing aduertised returned with a mightie power of Saxons into Brytain which as Hector Boetius sayth they named at that preâ—â— Engests land Vter the brother of Aurelius lay also the same time sore sicke of a flixe in the parties of Wales so that to auoyde dissention that was raysed among the Brytaynes about the appoynting of a generall to go agaynst the enimies
able to followe anye greate waye in the chase The third bataile of the englishmen vanqu◅hed at Roslyn 1302. Thys victorie fell to the Scottes in manner as before is rehersed vppon Sainct Mathewes daye in the yeare after the byrthe of oure Sauiour .1302 The glorye of thys victorie was greate consydering that thirtie thousand Englishemen well furnyshed and thoroughly appoynted for warre The matter is amplified by the Scottes to the vttermost shoulde be thus in one daye vanquished wyth an handfull of Scottishmen For as theyr Hystories make mention they passed not eyghte thousande at the moste and therefore all menne supposed that it came to passe by the singular fauoure and grace of almyghtie GOD. But yet the Scottes dydde not long enioye the benefytes of so notable a victorie The gret preparation of K. Edward to reade the Scottes For kyng Edwarde hearyng of thys discomfiture of his people at Roslyng gathered a myghtie armye of Englishemenne Gascoynes Irishemen and suche Scottes as tooke hys parte and hauyng all hys furniture and purueyaunce readye bothe by sea and lande he set forwarde with the same to inuade the Scots on eche side The Scottes perceyuyng they were not of puissaunce able to resist his inuasion The Scottes withdraw to their holdes withdrew to their strengthes by meanes wherof the Englishe armie passed through all Scotland The englishe armie passed through Scotland from the South parts to the North. euen from the South partes to the North and found fewe or none to make resistance excepte Wallace and suche as followed his opinion whyche were fledde to the mountaynes and wooddes to eschewe the malice of the Englishmen It is sayde that king Edwarde requyred by a messenger sente vnto thys Wallace King Edward sendeth vnto Wallace that if he woulde come in and be sworne his liege man and true subiecte he shoulde haue at his handes greate Lordshippes and possessions within Englande to mayntayne his porte as was requisite to a manne of righte honourable estate Wallace refuseth the offers of K. Edward But Wallace refused these offers saying that he preferred libertie wyth small reuenues in Scotlande before any possession of landes in Englande were the same neuer so greate consideryng he myght not enioye them but vnder the yoke of bondage The Castell of Sterlyng at the same tyme was in the kepyng of one sir William Vthred knighte who woulde not render it to king Edwarde by any summonaunce or other meanes tyll after three moneths siege he was constrayned to gyue it ouer vnder these conditions The castell of Sterling rendred that all persons being within the castell shoulde departe by safe conduyt with bagge and baggage at their pleasure Neuerthelesse K. Edward caused the said six Williā Vthred to be conueyd to London This Vthred the Scottishe bookes name Olifer wher he remained as prisoner many yeares after Sundry other Castelles were taken by force the same tyme by king Edwarde and all suche as resisted beyng founde within anye of them slayne without mercie or raunsome The castell of Vrquhard taken by force Amongest other the castell of Vrquhard in Murraylande was taken by force and not one lefte alyue that was founde in the same one Gentlewoman only excepted who beyng great with chylde was in that respecte preserued She was the wyfe of Alexander Boyis lord of that house though by reason she was got into poore apparell the Englishmen tooke hir but for some other woman of meaner estate She therefore with hir lyfe saued being suffered to depart got hir ouer into Ireland where she was delyuered of a sonne that was named at the Font stone Alexander the whiche when Scotlād was recouered out of the Englishmēs hands came to king Robert le Bruce requiring him to be restored vnto his fathers heritage being as then in the occupation of other possessors King Robert doubtfull what to doe heerein for he thought it neyther cōuenient that a prince shoulde take landes or possessions from noble menne whyche hadde bene gyuen to them in rewarde of theyr manhoode shewed in defence of the realme neyther iudged hee it reason to keepe hym from his rightfull inheritaunce that hadde loste hys father his friendes and all his whole substaunce in the lyke cause and quarell by iniurie of the common enimies Wherefore to qualifie the matter hee deuysed thys meane he gaue vnto thys Alexander Boyis certayne other landes in Mar nothyng lesse in value consideryng the largenesse and fertilitie than the other of Vrquharde were and willed hym to content hym selfe with those in recompence of suche as belonged to his father to the intent that all parties myght bee satisfied and no man shoulde seeme to haue wrong in being depriued of his rightfull possessions This Alexander Boyis hadde afterwardes hys name chaunged and was called Forbes for that he slewe a Beare in those parties by greate and singular manhoode The beginning of the name of the Forbesses And so the surname of the Forbesses had begynning as descended from hym Scotlande beyng subdewed by the mightye puissaunce of kyng Edwarde he wente aboute to abolyshe all the olde Statutes and aunciente constitutions of the Realme trustyng by that meanes that Scottes lyuyng togyther wyth Englyshemen vnder one vniforme maner of Lawes they shoulde fynally sort themselues to bee of one mynde and opinion as wel touchyng the supreme gouernemente of theyr publyque weale as also in all other thyngs touchyng the frendly societie of lyfe Hee brente all the Chronicles of the Scottyshe Nation with all manner of Bookes Chronicles other bookes brent as well those conteynyng diuine seruice as any other Treatyses of prophane matters to the ende that the memorye of the Scottes shoulde perishe and thereto appoynted greeuous punnishementes for them that shoulde disobeye hys commaundementes herein in keeping any of the sayde bookes vndefaced And he ordeyned also that the Scots shuld occupie church bookes after the vse of Sarum and none other Moreouer he cōpelled al such scottishmen as wer of any singular knowledge in lerning or literature to be resident in Oxford Scottishmen learned commaunded to be resident in Oxforde doubting lest the Scottish nobilitie encreasing in politik prudence by their instructions should seeke to throw off the yoke of bondage Thus king Edward going about as the Scottish writers do report to extinguish the name of Scots together with their rule empire passed through the most part of all the boundes of Scotlande and vppon verye hate whyche he hadde to the Scottishe antiquities at his comming to Camelon he commaūded the round temple standing ouer against the same to be throwne downe which was builded as before is shewed in the honour of Claudius the Emperor The temple of Claudius was at Colchester not in Scotland what soeuer Hector Boetius or ouer dreame thereof and the goddesse Victoria But for that his cōmandemēt was not immediatly put in execution he chaunged his purpose and apointed only
to the Queene his mother Some bookes haue thre thousande pound she hauing assigned to hir a thousand poundes by yeare for the maintenaunce of hir estate being appointed to remayne in a certayne place and not to goe else where abroade yet the King to comforte hir woulde lyghtely euerye 〈◊〉 once come to visite hir After that the Earle of Marche was â—…ted as ye haue hearde dyuers noble men that were departed the Realme bycause they coulde not abyde the pride and presumption of the sayd Earle Adam Merâ—…uth howe returned Aâ—… the sonne and heyre of the Earle of Arundell the Lorde Thomas Waâ—…e the Lorde Henry Beaumont sir Thomas de Rosselyn Sir Foulâ—…e Fitz Wâ—…reyne Sir Gryffyn de la â—…oole and 〈…〉 other 1331 An. reg 3. Edvvard â—…alâ—… commeth â—…to Englande In the fifth yeare of King Edwardes 〈◊〉 Edward 〈…〉 came 〈◊〉 of Fraunce 〈◊〉 Englande and obteyned suche 〈◊〉 for our the assistance of the Lorde Henrye Beaumont the Lord Dauid of Scrabogy Earle of 〈◊〉 the Lorde Geffrey de Mowbray the lord Walter Câ—…yâ—… and other that king Edward granted hym licence to make his prouision in Englande to passe into Scotlande wyth an 〈◊〉 of men to attempte the recouerie of his right to the crowne of Scotlande with condition that if he recouered it he shoulde acknowledge to holde it of the kyng of Englande as superiour Lorde of Scotlande The commyng awaye of Edwarde Balliolie oute of Fraunce is dyuerselye reported by writers Caxton some saye that hee was ayded by the French king whose sister he had maryed and other saye â—…ohn Barnabie that he being in prison in Fraunce for the escape of an Englishman one Iohn Barnabye Esquier which had slaine a Frenchman by chance of quarelling in the town of Dampierre where the same Barnabie dwelled with the saide Edwarde Balliol it so came to passe that the Lord Henrie Beaumont hauing occasion of busynesse wyth the Frenche Kyng The Lorde Beaumont that fauoured him wâ—…ll came ouer into Fraunce and there vnder standing of Balliols imprisonement procured his deliueraunce and brought him ouer into Englande and caused him to remayne in seâ—… wise at the Manor of â—…all vppon 〈◊〉 Yorkeshire with the Ladie â—…esâ—…ie till hee had purchased the Kinges graunt for him to make his promisâ—… of men of warre and ships within the Englishe dominions In the â—…te yeare of King Edwards raigne Reignolde Erle o Gelderland maried the Ladie Eleanor sâ—…er to this King Edwarde the thirde 1332. An. reg 6. Croxden The Earle of Gelderlande who gaue vnto the sayde Earle wyth hir for hir portion fifteene thousande poundes sterlyng Isabell the kinges daughter was borne also this yeare at Woodstocke After that Edwarde Balliol had prepared and made readâ—… his purueyances for his iourney and that his men of warre wer assembled come togither being in al not paste 〈…〉 of armes and about twoo thousande archers and other footemen hee tooke thoseâ—… at Rauenspurgh in Yorkeshire and 〈◊〉 thence directing his course Northewarde he arriued at lengthe in Scotland Edvvard Ballioll crovvned K. of Scotland wher he atchieuing gâ—…t victâ—…es as in the Scottish chronicle yee may reade more at large was finally crowned king of that Realme It may seeme a wonder to many â—… that the king of Englande woulde persuit Edwarde Balliol to make his prouision thus in Englande and to suffer his people to aide him againste his brother in lawe Kyng Dauid that had married his sister as before yee haue heard In deede at the firste hee was not â—…erie readâ—… to graunt theyr sute that moued it The cause that moued K. Edvvarde to ayd the Ballioll but at lengthe hee was contented to dissemble the matter in hope that if Edwarde Balliol had good successe hee shoulde then recouer that againe whiche by the conclusion of peace during his minoritie hee had throughe euill counsel resigned out of his handes The Scot â—…neuerthelesse in December chased theyr newe Kyng Edwarde Balliol out of Scotlande so that hee was faine to retire into Englande and celebrated the feaste of the Natiuitie at Carleil in the house of the Friers minors and the morrows after beeing Sainct Stephens daye hee wente into Westmerlande where of the lorde Clifforde hee was right honourably receyued Ro. Southwell Edvvard Ballâ—…oll chased out of Scotlande 1333 to whome hee then graunted Douglas Dale in Scotlande whiche had bene graunted to the saide lord Cliffords grandfather in the dayes of Kyng Edwarde the first if hee might at any time recouer the Realme of Scotlande out of his aduersaries handes After thys he went and lay a tyme with the Ladie of Gynes An. reg 7. that was his kinsewoman Finally about the .x. day of Marche hauing assembled a power of Englishemen and Scottishmen he entred Scotlande Borvvike besieged and besieged the towne of Berwike duryng the whyche siege many enterprises were attempted by the parties and amongest other the Scottes entred Englande by Carleile doing muche mischiefe in Gillestande by brennyng killyng robbing and spoylyng The king aduertised hereof thought himselfe discharged of the agreement concluded betwixte him and Dauid Bruce the sonne of Rob. Bruce that had married hys syster and therfore tooke it to be lawfull for hym to ayde his cousin Edw. Ballioll the lawfull king of Scottes The Scottish writers confesse that the Scottishemen lost to the number of .xiiij. thousande Bervvike deliuered On the morrowe folowing being S. Margarets day the towne of Berwike was rendred vnto king Edward with the Castell as in the Scottishe Chronicle ye maye reade with more matter touchyng the siege and battaile aforesayde and therefore here in fewe words I passe it ouer King Edward hauing thus spâ—… his busines left a power of men with Edward Balliole The lord Richard Talbot vnder the conduct of the lord Richard Talbot and returned himselfe backe into Englande appoynting the Lorde Percye to bee gouernoure of the Towne of Berâ—…re and sir Thomas Greye knight his lieutenant The Lord Iohn Daroy lorde chiefe Iustice of Ireland The Lorde Iustice of Ireland commeth into Scotlande leauyng the Lord Thomas Burgh his deputie in that countrey paâ—…d ouer wyth an armye into Scotlande to ayde the Kyng who as ye haue hearde was there the same tyme in person And so by the kyng on one syde and by the Irishmenne on an other Scotlande was subdued and restored vnto Balliole who the morrowe after the Octaues of the Natiuitie of our Ladie helde a Parliament at Sainct Iohns towne in the whiche he reuoked made voyde all actes whyche the late King of Scots Roberte Bruce hadde enacted or made and further ordeyned that all suche landes and possessions as the sayde Bruce hadde giuen to any manner of person should bee taken from them and restored to the former and true inherytoure Thys yere about the twelfth of October Simon Mepham Archbish of Canterbury departed this life in whose place succeded Iohn Steet
wherwith hee seemed highly offended To conclude hee sayd that he woulde aunswere the letters of the Kyng and commons as touching the poyntes conteyned in the same The Cardinals after they hadde hearde these thynges departed as if they hadde bin sore offended and troubled therewith and the Knyghte taking hys leaue of the Pope departed also forth of the chamber and without anye longer abode got him away towardes Burdeaux aboute other of the Kyngs businesse doubting least if 〈◊〉 had stayed longer hee myghte haue bin kepte there agaynste his will The Pope sente aunswere indeede but neuerthelesse the King proceeded in prohibiting such prouisions Of beneâ—… inhibited 〈◊〉 the Kyng and collations within his Realme on payne of emprisonmente and death to the intruders thereby as after yee shall perceyue This yeare aboute Midsomer â—…es in Smithfielde there were solemne Iustes proclaymed by the Lorde Roberte Morley whiche were holden in Smithfielde where for challengers came foorthe one apparelled lyke to the Pope bringing with hym twelue other in garmentes lyke to Cardinals whyche tooke vppon them to aunswere all commers for there courses On the defendantes side ranne the Prince of Wales with many Earles Barons Knyghtes and Esquires innumerable so that those Iustes continued three dayes togither to the greate pleasure of the beholders Thys coigne was ordeyned for hys warres in Fraunce the golde whereof was not so fine as the Noble whiche in the fourteenth yeare of hys raigne hee hadde caused for to bee coigned This yeare Tho. VVâ—… A chamber built â—…iâ—… the Casteâ—… Windsor called the round 〈◊〉 the King caused a great number of artificers and labourers to be taken vp whome hee set in hande to buylde a chamber in the Castell of Windesor whiche was called the rounde table the floore whereof from the center or middle poynte vnto the compasse thoroughout the one halfe was as Wals writeth an hundred foote and so the diametre or compasse rounde about was two hundred foote The expenses of this worke amounted by the weeke first vnto an hundred pounde but afterwardes by reason of the warres that followed the charges was deminished vnto two and twentie pounde the weeks as Thomas Walsingham writeth in his larger booke entituled the History of Englande or as some Comes â—…ane vnto nyne poundes â—…ow out of â—…enry de Leiâ—…ster The Isle of â—…an This yeare also William Montagew Earle of Salisbury conquered the Isle of Man out of the hands of the Scottes whiche Isle the Kyng gaue vnto the sayd Earle and caused him to bee entituled and crowned King of Man This Isle as Robert Southweâ—…â—…teth was wonne by the Scottes about the second yeare of Edwarde the second his raigne who in the yeare before to witte Anno Christi 〈◊〉 had giueÌ„ the same Isle vnto Peers de Ganaston whome hee had also made Earle of Cornewall This order is dedicated vnto Sainct George as chiefe patrone of menne of warre and therefore euery yeare do the knightes of this order kepe solemne his feast with many noble ceremonies at the Castell of Windesor where King Edwarde founded a Colledge of Canons or rather augmenting the same ordeyned therein a Deane with twelue Canons Seculars eight peticanoÌ„s and thirteene vicars thirteene Clearkes and thirteene Choristers The Knightes haue certayne lawes and rules apperteyning to their order amoÌ„gst the whiche this is chiefly to be obserued as Polidor also noteth that they shall ayde and defende one another and neuer turne their backes or runne away out of the fielde in tyme of battell where hee is present with hys soueraigne Lorde his Lieutenaunte or deputie or other Captayne hauyng the Kynges power royall and authoritie and whereas his banners standertes or pennous are spredde The residue of the lawes and rules apperteyning vnto this noble order I doe heere purposely omitte for that the same in other place conueniente by others maye bee expressed so farre as shall bee thoughte expediente But nowe touching these sixe and twentie noble menne and Knightes whyche were firste chosen and admitted into the same order by the fyrste Soueraigne and founder thereof thys Kyng Edwarde the thyrde theyr names are as followe Firste the sayde noble Prince King Edwarde the thirde The Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewalle and Earle of Chester hys eldest sonne Henry Duke of Lancaster The Earle of Warwike The Captall de Bench alias Buz or Beufe Raufe Earle of Stafforde William Montacute Earle of Salisbury Roger Lord Mortimer Iohn Lord Lisle Bartholmew Lord Burwasch or Berghesech The Lord Iohn Beauchampt The Lord de Mahun Hugh Lord Courtney Thomas Lord Holand Iohn Lord Gray Richard Lord Fitz Simon Sir Miles Stapleton Sir Shomas Walle Sir Hugh Wrottessley Sir Neele Loringe Sir Iohn Chandos Iames Lord Audeley Sir Otes Holand Sir Henry Eme. Sir Sanchet Dabrichcourt Sir Walter Panell The occasion that moued King Edward to institute the order of the garter The cause and firste occasion of instituting this order is vncertayne But there goeth a tale amongst the people that it rose by this meanes It chanced that Kyng Edwarde finding eyther the garter of the Queene or of some Laâ—… The 〈…〉 〈◊〉 whome hee was in loue beeing fallen 〈…〉 legge stouped downe and tooke it vp 〈◊〉 diuers of his nobles founde matter to tell 〈◊〉 talke their fancies merily touching the Kyngs affection towards the woman vnto whome hâ—… sayde that if hee liued it shoulde come to passe that most high honor should be giuen vnto theâ—… for the garters sake and there vpon shortly and he deuised and ordeyned this order of the garter with such a posey whereby he signified that hys Nobles iudged otherwise of him than the 〈◊〉 was Though some may thinke that to noble 〈◊〉 order had but a meane beginning 〈…〉 bee true yet many honorable degrees of 〈…〉 hadde their beginnings of more 〈…〉 â—…aâ—…e things than of loue whiche beeing or 〈◊〉 â—…osed is most noble and commendable hâ—… 〈◊〉 it selfe is couered vnder loue as the 〈…〉 sayth Nobilitas sub amere iacet William de Montagewe Earle of 〈◊〉 burie Kyng of Man and Marshall of â—…de Addition 〈◊〉 Adam Mâ—…mouth â—… Triâ—… was so brused at y e Iustes holdeÌ„ heere at Windsor as before yee haue hearde that hee â—…rted thys life the more was the pitie within eyghte dayes after About the same time the Kyng ordeyned a certayne coigne of fine golde and named it the Florene which coigne was â—…uised for his warres in Fraunce for the golde thereof was not so fine as was the Noble which in the fourteenth yeare he had 〈◊〉 to be coigned but this coigne continued not long After the feast of the holy Trinitie the Kyng held a Parliament at London in the whych hee asked a tenth of the Cleargie and a fifteenth of the laytie about which demaunde there was no finall altercation but at length he had it graunted for one yeare The same time the Archbyshop of Canâ—…rbury helde a conuocation of all the Cleargie at London in
the same betweene the seconde and .xv. yeare of hys raigne as well for the siluer as for the leade after the siluer was fined from it Also Iohn Moneron succeeding in the same office accomptant of the profytes of the same Mynes from Michaelmasse Anno .xix. of hys raigne vnto the secōd of Nouember Anno .xxiij. yeelded vpon his account both the siluer and the lead thereof remayning Moreouer hee let by indenture in the .xxxij. yeare of hys reigne vnto Iohn Ballancer and Walter Goldbeater his Mynes of Golde Syluer and Copper in the Countie of Deuonshyre for tearme of yeares There is an account thereof remayning and by the same as it appeareth was aunswered for the first yeare .xx. markes The seconde yeare the patenties dyed and the king then disposed the same to others In the eight and twentith yere of his raigne hee committed by Indenture his sayde mines in Deuonshire to one master Iohn Hanner and one Herman Raynithorp of Boheme Myners yeelding to the Kyng y e tenth part of the Oores as well of the gold and siluer as of the leade and copper that shoulde bee gotten foorth of the sayde mynes In this Kings dayes there liued many excellent men both in learning in vertue and in martial prowes as partly is touched in this discourse of his raigne as firste the saide noble and most valiant King the Prince of Wales his son surnamed the blacke Prince the Dukes of Lancaster Iohn of Gant sonne to the King and hys father in lawe Duke Henry Edmonde Earle of Cambridge and after Duke of Yorke the Erles of Warwike Huntington Salisburie Stafford Northampton Arundell and others the Lorde Reginald Cobham the Lord Basset the Lorde Thomas Holland the Lord Walter de Manny an Hennier the Lord Edward Spēser the Lord Iohn Chandos the Lord Iames Audeley Sir Iohn Copeland Sir Thomas Felton sir Robert Knolles who as I haue said being borne in Cheshire of meane parētage through his manly prowesse most skilfull experience in y e warres grew to be right famous Sir Hugh Caluerley borne in the same shire the Capitall de Beufe a Gascoigne Sir Thomas Percy Sir Hugh Hastings Sir Baldwine Freiuille Sir Iohn Harleston Sir Iames Pipe Sir Thomas Dagworth and that valiant Englishe Knight Sir Iohn Haukewood whose fame in the parties of Italy shal remaine for euer where as their histories make mention hee grewe to such estimation for his valiant atchieued enterprises that happie might that Prince or common wealth accompt them selues that mighte haue his seruice and so liuing there in such reputation sometimes he serued the Pope sometimes the Lordes of Millane Now this Prince or commō wealth now that other whiles none at all but taking one towne or other woulde keepe the same till some likyng entertaynement were offered and then would hee fell such towne where he had thus remayned to them that would giue him for it according to his mind Bernabo Lord of Millane gaue vnto hym one of his base daughters in marriage with an honorable portion for hir dower This man was borne in Essex as some write and at the fyrste became a Taylor in London and afterwardes going into the warres in Fraunce serued in roomth of an archer but at length he became a Captayne and leader of men of warre highly cōmended and liked of amongst the souldiers in so much that when by the peace concluded at Bretigny in the yeare 1360. great numbers of Souldiers were discharged out of wages they gote themselues togither in companies and without commaundemente of any Prince by whose authoritie they mighte make warre they fell too of themselues and sore harried and spoyled dyuers Countreys in the Realme of Fraunce as partly ye haue heard amongst whome this Sir Iohn Hawkewood was one of y e principall Captaines and at length went into Italy to serue the Marques of Montferato againste the Duke of M◅lane although I remember that some write how hee came into that Countrey with the Duke of Clarence but I thinke the former report be true But it may well be that he was ready to attende the sayd Duke at his comming into Italie And this muche concerning such famous Captaynes as serued this noble King Edward the thirde although for breefenesse I passe ouer diuers other no lesse famous and worthy for their high manhood and tried valiancie to be remembred thā these afore mentioned Of learned men these we finde by Iohn Bale registred in his Centuaries Iohn Baconthorp borne in Blackney in Northfolke a Frier Carmelite and prouinciall of his order so excellently learned as well in Diuinitie as in both the ciuill and canon lawes that he proceded Doctor in either facultie at Oxford and Paris and wrote diuers treatises to his high and singular commendation William Ockam Iohn Bloxham a Carmelite Frier Nicholas Triuet borne in Northfolke sonne to Sir Thomas Triuet Knight and one of the Kings Iusticiers proued excellently learned and wrote diuers treatises and amongst other two histories and one booke of Annales He was by profession a blacke Frier and departed this life about the seconde yeare of this King Edward the third Anno Christi .1328 William Alnewike borne in Northumberland in the Towne whereof hee tooke name a Frier Minor Iohn Tanet borne in the Isle of Tanet an excellēt Musition and a Monke in Canterbury Hugh of Saint Neote a Carmelite Frier in Hertfortshire a notable deuine as those dayes gaue William Alton borne in Hampshire a blacke Frier and a Diuine Richarde Stradley borne in the marches of Wales a Monke and a deuine writing certaine treatises of the Scripture W. Herbert a Welchman a Frier Minor wrote also certaine treatises of diuinitie Richard Comington a Frier of the order of the cordeliers a Preacher and a writer of diuinitie William Exeter a Doctor of Diuinitie and a prebendarie Canon in Exeter whereas it is thought he was borne Lucas Bosden a Westerne man and by profession a Carmelite Frier Thomas Walleis a Dominike Frier a great Diuine as by suche bookes as hee wrote it may appeare Thomas Pontius a Monke of Canterbury Iohn Ridewalle a grey frier Henry Costesay or Cossey a frier minor Geffrey Alievant borne in Yorkeshire a frier Carmelite Iohn Euersden a Monke of Bury in Suffolke an Historiographer Simon Burneston a doctor of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge and prouinciall of the friers Dominike or blacke friers as they called them heere in Englande Walter Burley a doctor of Diuinitie who in his youth was brought vp not onely in Martin Colledge in Oxforde but also in the Vniuersities and Scholes abroade beyonde the Seas in Fraunce and Germanye and afterwardes for hys wisedome good demeanor and learning hee was reteyned with the Byshoppe of Vlmes in Suabenlande a Region in hyghe Germanye Amongst other Treatises whiche he compiled being manye and namely of naturall Phylosophie he wrote a commentarie of the Ethikes of Aristotle and dedicated the same vnto the sayde Bishoppe a worke whiche hath bin highly
Connestable of the Tower and therefore it greued him not alitle that the Esquiers had broken frō him and kept themselues thus at Westminster vnder protection of that priuiledged place Heerevpon it was concluded that Sir Raufe Ferrers and the sayd Alane Boxhull taking with them certayne men in armour to the number of a fiftie persons shoulde goe and fetch them by force from Westminster vnto the Tower agayne The morrow therefore after Saint Laurence day being y e eleuēth of August these two knights accompanyed with certayne of the Kyngs seruauntes and other to the number afore mentioned came into the Church at Westminster whilest the sayde Esquiers were there hearing of the high Masse which was then in celebrating and first laying hands vppon Iohn Shakell vsed the matter so with him that they drewe him foorthe of the Church and ledde him straight to the Tower but when they came to Roberte Hall and fell in reasoning with him hee woulde not suffer them to come within his reache and perceyuing they meante to take him by force he drew out a falcheō or short sword which he had girt to him and therewith layde so freely about him trauersing twice round about the Monkes quier that til they had beset him on eache syde they coulde doe him no hurt but at length when they hadde got him at that aduauntage A cruell murther in Westminster churche one of them cloue hys head to the very braynes and an other thrust him through the body behinde with a sworde and so they murthered him amongst them They slewe also one of the Monkes that woulde haue hadde them to haue saued the Esquiers life Much adoe was made aboute this matter for the breakyng thus of the Sainctuarie in so muche that the Archbysh of Canterbury and fiue other Bishops his suffraganes openly pronounced all them that were presente at this murder accursed and lykewise all such as ayded or counselled them to it chiefly and namely sir Alane Boxhull and sir Raufe Ferreis Captaynes and leaders of them The king the Queene and the Duke of Lancaster were yet excepted by speciall names The Bishop of London a long time after euery Sunday Wednesday and Friday pronounced thys excommunication in the Church of Saint Paul at London The Duke of Lancaster though excepted in the same yet in behalfe of his friends was not a little offended with the Byshops doings in so muche that in a Counsell holden at Windesore to the which the Byshop of London was called but would not come nor yet ceasse the pronouncing of the curse notwithstanding the Kyng had requested him by his letters the Duke sayd openly that the Bishops froward dealings were not to be borne with but saith he if the King would commaund me I should gladly goe to London and fetch that disobediente Prelate in despite of those rybauldes for so he termed them the Londoners These wordes procured the Duke muche euill will as well of the Londoners as of other for it was commonly sayde that whatsoeuer had bin done at Westminster concerning the murther there committed in the Churche was done by his commaundement About the feast of Saint Luke A Parliamente at Gloucester was a Parliamente holden at Gloucester for the displeasure as was thought which some of the Counsell had conceyued againste the Londoners or rather as some tooke it for feare of them least if any thyng were done contrary to their myndes they should be about to hinder it if the Parliament had bene kept neere to them for many things as some iudged were meant to haue bin put foorthe and concluded in thys Parliamente albeit fewe in effect came to passe of those matters that were surmised sauing that it was enacted that the Kyng shoulde haue a marke of the Merchauntes for euery sacke of theyr woolles for thys presente yeare and for euery poundes worth of wares that was broughte in from beyonde the Seas and heere solde sixe pence of the byers Also certayne priuiledges were graunted in thys Parliamente to Merchaunte straungers that they myghte buye and sell in grosse or by retayle within thys Realme as in the Printed booke of Statutes it appeareth Thys yeare came messengers from the newe elected Pope Vrbane with letters The Pope sendeth to the King for ayd to require the Kynges assistaunce and ayde agaynste suche Cardinals as hee named Scismatickes that hadde elected an other Pope whome they named Clemente whyche Cardinalles sente lykewise theyr messengers with letters to besieche the Kyng to ayde them with hys fauourable assistaunce but through perswasion of the Archbyshoppe of Caunterbury Vrbanes request was graunted and Clementes reiected About the same tyme to witte Barwike Castel wonne by the Scottes on Thurseday before the feast of Saint Andrewe the Apostle the Scottes by stealth entred by nyght into the Castell of Barwike and slewe Sir Robert Boynton a ryghte valiant Knighte that was Connestable thereof permitting his wife Children and seruauntes to departe with condition that within three weekes next ensuing they shoulde eyther paye them three thousande markes or else yeelde theyr bodyes agayne to prison The morrowe after the same Scottes fetched a great bootie of Cattell out of the countreys next adidyning but immediately after the Earle of Northumberland was aduertised hereof he hasted thither with foure hundred armed men and assaulting the Castell on eache side after two houres defence Alexander Ramsey was only saued as Froys hath wanne it slaying of the defendauntes about eight and fortie referning onely one of the whole number aliue that he might enforme the Englishmen thoroughly of y e Scottish mens purposes Barwike Castell recouered by the Earle o◅ Northumberland At this enterprice was the Earle of Northumberlāds eldest sonne spreading there first his banner doing so valiantly that hee deserued singular commendation as likewise dyd Sir Alane de Heton and Sir Thomas de Ilderron with those of the surname of the Herons euery of these hauing their quarters assigned to assault thus was the Castell recouered the ninth day after the Scottes had entred the same so that they enioyed not long that victorious exployte Bycause this enterprice was taken in hande againste the couenaunte of the truce the Earle of Northumberlande before he attempted to recouer the Castell sente to the Earle of Marche in Scotlande to vnderstand if he would anow that which his countreymen had done touching the winning of that Castell who sente him knowledge agayne that he neyther vnderstoode of their enterprise nor woulde bee partakers with them therein but if it so pleased the Erle of Northumberland he would come himselfe and help to recouer it to the King of Englāds vse out of those Scottishmens hands whiche withoute publyke authoritie Sir Roberte Rous a valiāt Captayne 1379 had made that exployte This yere sir Roberte Rous Captayne of Chierburgh was called home after hee hadde taken Sir Oliuer de Clisson and atchieued manye other worthy aduentures against the kings enimies
Matelonne or Martelonne the lord de la Valle and the bastard of Bourbon with other to the number as some haue writtē of fiue C. But Enguerant de Monstrellet affirmeth that vpon their returne into Fraunce there wāted not aboue .lx. persons of all their cōpanies After they had lain thus one against an other y e space of .viij. dayes as before is sayde vitails began to fail so that they were enforced to dislodge The Frēch Welchmē withdrew into Wales and though the Englishe men followed yet empeached with the desart grounds and barren coūtry through which they must passe as ouer felles and craggie mountaines from hill to dale from marish to wood from naught to worse as Hall sayth without vitailes or succor the king was of force constrained to retire with his army and returne againe to Worcester in which returne the enimies took certaine cariages of his laden with vytayles The French men after the armies were thus withdrawne returned into Britain The French men returne home making small bragges of their painfull iourney This yeare at London An. reg ◅ the Earle of Arundell maried the bastard daughter of the king of Portingale the king of Englande and the Queene with theyr presence honouring the solemnitie of that feast whiche was kept wyth all sumptuous royaltie the morrowe after Saint Katherines daye And on the day of the Conception of our Ladie the Ladie Philip King Henries daughter was proclaymed Queene of Denmarke Norwey and Sweden in presence of suche Ambassadours as the last Sommer came hither from the king of those Countreys to demaund hir in mariage for him and had so trauayled in the matter that finally they obteyned This yeare the first of Marche 1406 A parliament a Parliament began which continued almost all this yeare for after that in the lower house they hadde denyed a long time to graunt to any subsidie yet at length a little before Christmasse in the .viij. yeare of his raign they granted a .xv. A fiftenth gr◅ted by the te◅poraltie to the losse and great domage of the comunaltie for through lingring of time the expenses of knights and burgesses grewe almost in value to the sum that was demaunded Moreouer A new kind◅ of subsidie g◅ted by the clergie by the Clergie a new kinde of subsidie was graunted to the King to bee leuied of stipendarie priests and Friers mēdicants other such religious men as sung for the dead celebrating as they termed it Anniuarsaries euery of thē gaue halfe a marke in reliefe of other of the Clergie that had still borne the burthen for them before Whervpon now they murmured and grudged sore for that they were thus charged at that present The same time the Erle of Northumberland and the Lorde Bardolfe warned by the Lord Dauid Fleming that there was a conspiracie practised to delyuer them into the King of Englandes hands fledde into Wales to Owen Glendouer This cost the Lorde Fleming his life The l. Fleming left ◅ life for g◅ knowledge the erle of ◅thumberland of that wh◅ was m◅◅galest him for after it was knowne that hee hadde disclosed to the Earle of Northumberlande what was ment agaynst him and that the Earle therevpon was shyfted awaye certaine of the Scottes fiue the said Lord Fleming Whervpon no small grudge rose betwixt those that so slue him and the sayde lord Flemings friends For this other matters such dissention sprung vp amongst the Scottish Nobilitie that one durst not trust another Dessenti◅◅mōg the ◅tish nobilitie so that they were glad to sue for a truce betwixt Englande and them whiche was graunted to endure for one yeare as in some bookes we finde recorded This truce being obteyned Robert King of Scotland vpon considerations as in the Scottish historie ye may read more at large sent hys eldest sonne Iames intituled prince of Scotland a childe not past nine yeres of age to be conueyed into Fraunce ◅ewen yeares sayth Hard. vnder the conduct of the Earle of Orkency The prince of Scotland stayd here in Englād and a Bishop in hope that hee myght there both remayne in safetie and also learne the French tongue But it fortuned that as they sayled neare to the Englishe coast about Flambrough heade in Holdernesse their shippe was taken and stayed by certaine Mariners of Claye a towne in Norffolke that were abrode the same time and so he and all his companie being apprehended the xxx of Marche was conueyed to Wyndsore where though he had letters from his father which he presented to the king conteyning a request in his sonnes behalfe for fauour to bee shewed towardes him if by chaunce hee landed within any of his dominions yet was he deteyned and as wel he himselfe as the Earle of Orkney was committed to safe keeping in the tower of London but the Byshop got away and escaped as some write by what means I know not By the Scottishe writers were finde that thys chaunced in the yeare .1404 that is two yeares before the time noted in diuerse English writers as Tho. Wals and other But Harding sayth it was in the .ix. yere of king Henries raigne to wit in An. 1408 but whensoeuer it chanced it is to be thought that there was no truce at that pri◅nt betweene the two realmes but that the war to as rather open sithe diuerse Englishe rebelles styll remayned in Scotlande Hall and were there succored to the high displeasure of King Henrie By authoritie of the Parliament that all this time continued the Braytons that serued the Queene with two of his daughters were banished the realme Robert Halome Chauncellor of Oxforde Rob. Holome Archbishop of Yorke as then beeing in the Popes Court of Rome was created Archbishop of Yorke Moreouer the same time the Pope gaue vnto Thomas Langley the bishoprike of Durham which by the death of Walter Skirlaw was thē voyde In the sommer of this yeare the Ladie Philip the kings yonger daughter was sent ouer vnto hir affianced husband Erick king of Dēmark The K. and the Queene brought hir to Lyane where she toke shipping Tho. VVals Norway Sweden being cōueied thither with great pomp and there maried to the said king where she tasted according to y e cōmon speech vsed in praying for the successe of suche as matche togither in mariage both ioy some sorow amōg There attended hir thither Hērie Bowet Bishop of Bath and the L. Richard brother to the duke of Yorke An. reg 8. The Duke of Yorke restored a◅ liberty In the Parliament which yet continued the Duke of Yorke was restored to his former libertie estate and dignitie where many supported that he had bin dead long before that time in pryson Edmond Holland Erle of Kent was in suche fauour with king Henrie The erle of kent in fauour with the king that he not onely aduanced him to high offices and great honors but also to his great costs
Kyng at length was deposed and his sonne slayn and his Queene sent home agayne with as muche myserie and sorrowe as she was receyued with pompe and triumph such is the instabilitie of worldly felicitie and so wauering is false flattering fortune This yere after the deceasse of Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury succeeded Iohn Stafford in gouernment of that sea being translated from Bathe and Welles He was the .lxj. Archbishop as Polydore noteth During the tyme of the truce Richard duke of Yorke and dyuers other capitaines repaired into Englande both to visite their wyues children and frendes and also to consult what shuld be done if the truce ended For the whiche cause a Parliament was called An. reg 24. in the which it was especially cōcluded that by good foresight Normandie mighte be so furnished for defence before the ende of the Truce 1446 that the Frenche king should take no aduantage through wante of tymely prouision for it was knowne that if a peace were not concluded the Frenche kyng did prepare to imploye his whole puissance to make open warre Herevppon money was graunted The Duke of Somerset made Regent of Normadie an armye leuyed and the Duke of Somerset appoynted to be Regent of Normandie and the Duke of Yorke therof discharged I haue seene in a Register booke belongyng somtime to the Abbey of S. Albons that the D. of Yorke was established Regent of France after the decease of the duke of Bedford to continue in that office for the terme of .v. yeres which being expired he returned home and was ioyfully receiued of the king with thanks for his good seruice as he had full well deserued in tyme of that his gouernement and further that now when a newe Regent was to be chosen sent ouer to abide vpon safegard of the countreys beyond the seas as yet subiect to the English dominion the said duke of Yorke was estsoones as a man most mete to supplie that roomth appointed to go ouer again as Regent of Fraunce with all his former allowances But the Duke of Somersette still maligning the Duke of Yorkes aduauncement as hee had soughte to hinder his dispatche at the firste when he was sent ouer to be regent as before ye haue heard he likewyse nowe wrought so that the king reuoked his graunt made to the duke of Yorke for enioying of that office the terme of other fiue yeares and with helpe of Williā Marques of Suffolke obteyned that graunt for him selfe Whiche malicious dealing the Duke of Yorke mighte so euill heare that in the ende the heate of displeasure burst out into suche a flame as consumed at length not only bothe those two noble personages but also many thousandes of others though in dyuers tymes seasons as in places hereafter as occasion serueth it shal more euidently appeare But nowe to returne to the Parliament The Marques of Suffolke supposing that all men had as well lyked his doinges duryng the tyme of hys Legation in Fraunce as the same pleased himselfe The Marques of Suffolkes requestes the seconde daye of Iune in the fyrst Session of this Parliamente before all the Lordes bothe Spirituall and Temporall in the hygher house assembled openly eloquently and boldly declared his payne trauaile and diligence susteyned in his sayde Legation as well for the takyng and concluding an abstinence of warre as in the making of the marriage opening also to them that the sayd truce expired the firste of Aprill next comming except a small peace or a farther truce were concluded in the meane season and therfore he aduised them to prouide and forsee things necessarie for the warre as though no concorde shoulde succede least happly the Frenchemen perceyuing them vnprouided wold take theyr aduantage and agree neyther to peace nor amitie saying vnto them that syth hee hadde admonyshed the Kyng and them accordyng to hys duetie if anye thyng happened otherwyse than well hee was therof innocente and guyltlesse and hadde acquyted hymselfe like a true and louyng subiecte and a faythfull counsayloure praying the Lordes to haue it in remembraunce Lykewyse on the morrowe after he descended into the common house accompanyed with certain Lordes and there declared the same matter to the Knyghtes Citizens and Burgeses praying the Commons for hys discharge that as well all hys dooyngs and proceedyngs in the Kyngs affaires beyonde the sea as also his aduertisemente and counsell opened to the Lords and Commons nowe together assembled might bee by the Kyng and them enacted and enrolled in the Recordes of the Parliament Wherevppon the morrow after the Speaker William Burleye and the company of the lower house repayred vnto the Kyngs presence then syttyng amongst the Lordes of the vpper house and there humblye required that the request of the Marques myght be graunted and so likewise the Lords made the like petition kneling on their knees in so muche that the Kyng condescended to their desires and so the labors demeanors diligences and declarations of the sayde Marques together wyth the desyres not only of the Lordes but also of the commons as wel for the honor of him and his posteritie as for his acquitall discharge were enacted enrolled in the records of the Parliament By y e Quenes meanes shortly after also was the said Marques aduaunced so in authoritie that hee ruled the Kyng at his pleasure and to his hyghe preferment obteyned the wardships both of the bodye and landes of the Countesse of Warwike and of the Ladie Margaret sole heire to Iohn Duke of Somerset whiche Ladie was after mother to King Henry the seuenth and beside that caused the kyng to create Iohn de Foys sonne to Gaston de Foys Earle of Longvile and the Captaw de Bueff Earle of Kendall whiche Iohn had maryed his neece and by his procurement the king elected to the order of the garter the sayde Gaston and Iohn his sonne giuyng to the sonne towards the mayntenaunce of hys degree landes and castelles amounting to the summe of one thousande poundes whiche landes name and style the issue and lyne of the sayde Earle of Kendale at this daye haue and enioye These things being thus in doing the French king seeyng that the Towne of Mans was not deliuered accordyng to the appoyntement taken by force of the mariage raysed an armie for to recouer the same Wherof the king of England beeing aduertised least the breache of the truce should come by him caused the towne to be deliuered without any force A commotion in Norvviche This yeare was a great commotion in Norwiche agaynst the Prior of the place At length the Citizens opened the gates to the Duke of Norffolke whiche came thyther to appease the matter though at the fyrst they woulde not suffer hym to enter The chiefe offenders were accordyng to their demerites The liberties of Norvviche seased into the kings handes greuously punished and executed and the Mayre was discharged of hys office Sir Iohn Clyfton
the feast of the Natiuitie of our Sauiour Christ happened on which day all the English Lordes went with their solemnitie to the chiefe Churche of the Citie and there eche gaue fayth and promise to other The Erle himselfe first tooke a corporall othe on his honour promising that incontinent after he shoulde be possessed of the Crowne and dignitie of the Realme of Englande be would be conioyned in matrimonie with the Ladie Elizabeth daughter to king Edwarde the fourth Then all the companie sware to him fealtie and did to him homage as though he had beene that tyme the crowned king and annoynted Prince promising faythfully and firmly assuring that they would not onely lease theyr worldly substaunce but also be deprited of their lyues and worldly felicitie rather than to suffer king Richarde that tyraunt longer to rule and raigne ouer them Which solemne othes made and taken the Earle of Richmonde declared and communicated all these doings to Fraunces Duke of Brytayne desyring and most heartily requiring him to ayd him with a greater armie to conduct him into his Countrey whiche so sore longed and looked for his returne and to the which he was by the more part of the nobilitie and comunaltie called and desired which with Gods ayde and the Dukes comfort he doubted not in short time to obtaine requiring him farther to prest to him a conuenient sum of mony affyrming that all such summes of money whiche hee had receyued of his especiall friends were spent and consumed in preparation of his laste iourney made towarde Englande which summes of money after his enterprise once atchieued he in the worde of a Prince faythfully promised to repay and restore againe The Duke promised hym ayde and helpe vpon confidence whereof hee rigged his shippes and sette foorth hys Nauye well decked with ordinance and warlikely furnished wyth all things necessarie to the intent to saile forward shortly and to lose no time In the meane season king Richard apprehended in diuerse partes of the realme certain gentlemen of the Erle of Richmonds faction and confederation whiche eyther intended to sayle into Brytayne towarde him or else at his landing to assyst and ayde him Amongst whom sir George Browne sir Roger Clifforde and foure other were put to execution at London and sir Thomas Senetliger which had maried the Duches of Exceter the kings owne sister Thomas Ram and dyuerse other were executed at Exeter Beside these persons diuerse of his houshold seruants whō either he suspected or doubted were by great crueltie put to shamefull death After this he called a Parliament The Erle of Richemond attaynted in Parlament in the which he attaynted the Erle of Richmond and all other persons which were fled out of the realme for feare or any other cause as enimies to him and to their naturall Countrey and all their landes goods and possessions were confiscate and seased to the kings vse And yet not content with thys pray whiche no doubt was of no small valour and moment hee layde on the peoples neckes a great tax and tallage and surely necessitie to that acte in maner him compelled For what wyth purging and declaring his innocencie concerning the murther of his Nephewes toward the world and what with cost to obteyne the loue and fauour of the comunaltie which outwardly glosed and openly dissembled with him he gaue prodigally so many so great rewards that now both he lacked scarce wist honestly how to borow In this troublous season nothing was more maruelled at thā that the Lord Stanley had not bene taken and reputed as an enimie to the King considering the working of the Ladie Margaret his wife mother to the Earle of Richmond but forasmuch as the enterprise of a woman was of him reputed of no regard or estimation and that the Lord Thomas hir husband had purged himself sufficiently to be innocent of all doings and attempts by hir perpetrated cōmitted it was giuen him in charge to kepe hir in some secrete place at home without hauing any seruant or companie so that from thenceforth she shuld neuer send letter or messenger vnto hir son nor any of his friends or cōfederates by the which the king might be molested or troubled or anye hurt or preiudice might bee attempted agaynste his realme and comunaltie Which commaundemēt was a while put in execution and accomplished according to his dreadfull commaundement Yet the wilde worme of vengeance wauering in his heade coulde not bee content wyth the death of dyuerse gentlemen suspected of treason but also he must extende his blondy furie agaynst a poore gentlemā called Collingborne for making a small rime of three of his vnfortunate counsaylers which were the Lord Louell sir Richard Ratcliffe his mischieuous Minion and sir Williā Catesby his secrete seducer which meetre or ryme was thus The Cat the Rat and Louell our Dogge Rule all England vnder an Hogge Meaning by the hog the dreadful wild Bore which was the kings cognisance but bycause the first line ended in dogge the Metrician could not obseruing the regiments of metre end the seconde verse in Bore but called the Bore an hog This Poetical scholemaister corrector of Breeues and Longs Collingburne executed caused Collingborne to bee abbreuiate shorter by the head and to be deuided into foure quarters Collingborns inditement Here is to be noted that beside the rime which is reported by some to be the only cause for which this gentleman suffred I finde in a regyster booke of Inditements concerning felonyes and treasons by sundrie persons committed that the sayde Collingborne by the name of Willyam Collyngborne late of Lidyarde in the Countie of Wilkshire esquier and other his associates were indited in London for that that they about the tenth day of Iulie in this second yeare of King Richardes raigne in the Parishe of Saint Botulphes in Portsoken warde had solicited and requested one Thomas Yate offring to him for his paynes eyght pounde to goe ouer into Brytayne vnto Henrie Erle of Richmond Thomas Marques Dorset Iohn Cheyney Esquier and others whiche in the last Parliament holden at Westminster had beene attainted of sundrie high treasons by them practised wythin the kings dominion to declare vnto them that they shoulde doe verie well to returne into Englande with all such power as they might get before the feast of Saint Luke the Euangelist next ensuing for so they might receyue all the whole reuenues of the realme due at the feast of Saint Michaell nexte before the sayde feast of Saint Luke and that if that sayde Earle of Richmonde and his partakers following the counsaile of the sayde Collingborne would arriue at the hauen of Pole in Dorcetshire he the sayd Collingborne and other his associates woulde cause the people to rise in armes and to leuie warre agaynst king Richarde taking part wyth the sayde Earle and his friendes so that all things shoulde be at theyr commaundements Moreouer to moue the sayde Earle to sende the
prosperitie in battayle agaynste his enimyes was maruellous hys dealing in tyme of perilles and daungers was colde and sober with great hardynesse If anye treason were conspired agaynste hâ—…m it came oute woonderfully Hys buyldings most goodly and after the newest east all of pleasure And so thys King lyuing all his tyme in fortunes fauour in high honour wealth and glorie for hys noble actes and prudent policies is woorthy to bee regystred in the Booke of fame least tyme the consumer of all worthie things shoulde blotte out the memorie of his name here in Earth whose foule wee truste lyueth in Heauen enioying the fruition of the Godhead and those pleasures prepared for the faythfull Of learned menne that lyued in hys dayes as Maister Bale noteth them these are recorded Firste George Rippeley a Carmelite Frier at Boston seene in the Mathematikes and wrote dyuerse Treatises and after hys decease was accounted a Nigromancien Iohn Erghom borne in Yorke a blacke Frier a doctour of Diuinitie professed in Oxforde studious of Prophesies as by the tytle of the workes whiche hee wrote it maye appeare Iohn Parceuall a Chartreux Monke Thomas Maillorie a Welchman borne wrote I wote not what of King Arthure and of the rounde Table Iohn Rousse borne in Warwikeshyre a diligent searcher of antiquities wherevpon few Libraries were any where to bee seene in Englande and Wales where he made not searche for the same and wrote sundrye Treatises of Hystoricall Argumentes He deceassed at Warwicke the fourtenth of Ianuarye in the yeare 1491. and was buryed in our Ladye Churche there Thomas Scrope otherwise surnamed Bradley descended of the noble familye of the Scropes professed sundrie kyndes of Religion as that of the order of Saint Benette and Saint Dominicke and likewyse hee became a Carmelite and last of all hee fell to and preached the Gospell in heare and sackecloth tyll hee vnderstoode hymselfe to bee in the displeasure of Walden and other that coulde not away with such singularitie in hym or other sounding as they tooke it to the daunger of bringing the doctrine of the Romishe Church in mislyking with the people for then hee withdrewe hymselfe to his house agayne and there remayned twentie yeares leading an Ankers lyfe but yet after that tyme hee came abroade and was aduaunced to bee a Bishoppe in Irelande Dromorensiâ—… Episcopus and wente to the Roades in Ambassade from whence being returned hee went barefooted vp and downe in Norffolke teaching in townes and in the countrey abroade the tenne commaundements Hee lyued tyll hee came to bee at the poynte of an hundred yeares olde and departed thys lyfe the fiftenth daye of Ianuarie in the yeare of oure Lorde 1491. and was buryed at Lessolfe in Suffolke Iohn Tonneys a Diuine and an Augustine Frier in Norwiche wrote certaine Rules of Grammer and other things printed by Richarde Pynson Geffrey surnamed the Grammarian Iohn Alcock Bishoppe of Elie chaunged a Nunâ—…ie at Cambridge into a Colledge named Iesus Colledge aboute the yeare of Chryst 1496. The chiefe cause of suppressing the Nunrie is noted to bee for that the Abbesse and other of the Conuent lyued dissolute lines Stephen Hawes a learned Gentleman and of suche reputation as hee was admitted to bee one of the priuie Chamber to King Henrie the seauenth William Byntre so called of a towne in Norffolke where he was borne by profession a Carmelite Frier in Burnham a great diuine William Gasâ—…on an Augustine Frier in Liâ—…ne and at length becaâ—…e prouinciall of his order Roâ—…e Faâ—…n a Citizen and Marchaunt of London an Hystoriographer hee was in his time in good estimation for his wysedome and wealthe in the Citie so that hee bare office and was â—…cesse in the yere 1494 William Celling borne beside Feuer hauâ—… in Kente a Monke of Canterburie Thomas Bouerchier discended 〈◊〉 the noble â—…ge of the Earles of Essex was first Byshoppe of Ely and after remooued from â—…nte to Canterburye succeeding Iohn Kempe in that Arbishoppes Sea at length created by Pope Paule the seconde a Cardinal Philippe Bronâ—…de a Dominicke Frier a deuine Iohn Myles a Doctor of both the lawes Ciuill and Canon he â—…yed in Oxforde in the Colledge of Brâ—…semose newly founded in the dayâ—… of this King Henrye the seuenth by William Smyth Bishoppe of Lyncolne Richarde Shiâ—… Bishop of Chichester and imployed in Ambassadâ—… to diuerse Princes as a manne moste meete thereto for his singular knowledge in learning and eloquence Robert Viduns Vicar of Thakesteede in Essex and a Prebendarie Canon of Wâ—…lles an excellent Poete Peter Kenighale a Carmelites Frier but borne of Worshipfull lygnage in Fraunce hauing an Englisheman to his father was student in Oxforde and became a notable Preacher Iohn Mortan fyrst Bishoppe of Elie and after Archbishoppe of Canterbury the .lxiij. in number that ruled that Sea he was aduaunced to the dignitie of a Cardinall and by King Hâ—…e the seuenth made Lorde Chauncellour a worthye Counsaylour and a modest hee was borne of worshipfull Parentes in Dorseâ—…shire and departed this life in the yeare of oure Lorde 1500. Henrye Medwall Chaplaine to the sayde Morton Edmunde Dudley borne of noble Parentage studyed the lawes of this lande and profited highly in knowledge of the same hee wrote a booke intituled Arbor Reipublicae the â—…ret of the common wealth of this man yet haue heard before in the life of this king and more God wylling shall be saide in the beginning of the nexte king as the occasion of the Historie leadeth Iohn Bâ—…kingham an excellent Schootman William Blackney a Carmelite Frier a doctor of diuinity and a Nigthmancâ—… Vâ—…n .iiij. King Henry the eyghte H. the eight NOwe after the death of this noble Prince Henrie the seuenth 1509. An. Reg. 1. his sonne Henrie the viij began his raigne the .xxij. day of April in the yeare of the worlde .5475 after y e byrth of our sauioure 1509. and in the xviij yere of his age in the .xvj. yeare of Maximilian then being Emperour in the .xj. yeare of Lewes the .xij. that then raigned in Fraunce and in the .xx. of king Iames the fourth as then â—…sing ouer the Scottes Whose style was proclaymed by the blasse of a trumpet in the Citie of London Henry the eight proclamed king the xxiij daye of the sayde Moneth with muche gladnesse and reioysing of the people And the same day he departed from his manour of Richmonde to the Tower of London where he remained closely and secretely wyth hys Counsayle till the funeralles of his father were finished Polidor Although this king nowe comming to the Crowne was but yong as before is sayde yet hauing beene in his firste yeres trained vp in lerning dyd for respect of hys owne suretye and good gouernement of his people prudently by aduice of his graundmother the Countesse of Richmonde and Darbie elect and choose forth diuers of the moste wise and graue personages to bee of his priuie Counsayle namely such as he knewe
desire of diuerse and of many sore despised and abhorred so that Proclamations were procured forth for the condemnation and prohibiting of his bookes as before you haue hearde Finally hee was apprehended at Andwarpe by meanes of one Philips an Englishman and then scholer at Louaine After hee had remayned in prison a long time and was almost forgotten the Lorde Cromwel wrote for his deliuerance but then in all haste bycause hee woulde not recant any part of hys doctrine hee was burned as before you haue heard On May day were solemne iustes kept at Greenwich An. reg â—… and sodainly from the iustes the king departed not hauing aboue six persons with him and in the Euening come to Westminster Of this sodaine departing many men mused but most chiefely the Queene who the next day was apprehended 〈◊〉 Anne â—…ued to Tower and brought from Grenewich to the Tower of London where shee was arraigned of high treason and condemned Also at the same tyme were apprehended the Lorde Rochford brother to the sayde Queene and Henrie Norrice Marke Smeton William Brereton and sir Francis Weston all beeing of the kings priuie Chamber These were likewise committed to the tower and after arraigned and condemned of high treason All the Gentlemen were beheaded on the skaffold at the Tower hill 〈◊〉 Anne beheaded but the Queene with in sworde was beheaded within the Tower And these were the wordes whiche shee spake at the houre of hir death the .xix. of May. 1536. Good christian people I am come hither to die for according to the law and by the lawe I am iudged to die and therefore I will speake nothing against it I am come hither to accuse no man nor to speake any thing of y t whereof I am accused condemned to die but I pray God saue the king and send him long to reigne ouer you for a gentler nor a more mercifull prince was there neuer and to me he was euer a good a gentle and a soueraigne Lorde And if any person will meddle of my cause I require them to iudge the best And thus I take my leaue of the worlde and of you all and I heartily desire you all to pray for me Oh Lorde haue mercie on me to God I coÌ„mende my soule Iesu receyue my soule diuerse tymes repeting those wordes till that hir heade was striken off with the sworde Bycause I might rather say much than sufficiently ynough in prayse of this noble Queene as well for hir singular witte and other excellent qualities of mynde as also for hir fauouring of learned men zeale of religion and liberalitie in distributing almes in reliefe of the poore I wyll referre the reader vnto that which master Foxe in his seconde volume of Actes and Monumentes doth write of hir where he speaketh of hir maryage Pag. 1198. and .1199 and also where hee maketh mention of hir death Pag. 1233. and .1234 of the impression .1570 Immediately after hir death in the weeke before Whitsuntide The king maryed Ladie Iane Seymer the King maryed the Ladie Iane Seymer daughter to sir Iohn Seymer knight whiche at Whitsuntide was openly shewed as Queene And on the Tuesday in Whitsunweeke hir brother sir Edwarde Seymer was created Vicont Beauchampe and sir Water Hungerforde Lorde Hungerford A Parliament The .viij. of Iune beganne the Parliament during the which the Lorde Thomas Howarde without the kings assent affled the Ladie Margaret Dowglas daughter to the Queene of Scottes and Nece to the King The Lord Th. Howard attainted of treason for which acte he was attainted of treason and an acte made for like offenders and so he dyed in the Tower and she remayned long there as prisoner In the time of this Parliament the Bishops and all the Cleargie of the Realme helde a solemne conuocation at Paules Church in London where after much disputation and debating of matters they published a booke of religion A booke published concerning religion by the king intituled Articles deuised by the kings highnesse c In this booke is speciallye mentioned but three Sacraments Also beside this booke certaine Iniunctions were giuen forth whereby a number of their holy dayes were abrogated and specially those that fell in haruest time Thomas Cromwel Secretarie to the king and maister of the Rolles was made Lorde keeper of the priuie Seale and the ninth of Iuly the Lorde Fitzwaren was created Earle of Bath and the morrow after the sayd Lorde priuie seale Thomas Cromwell was created Lorde Cromwell The .xviij. of Iuly he was made knight and Vicar generall vnder the King ouer the spiritualtie and sat dyuerse times in the conuocation amongest the Byshoppes as head ouer them The .xxij. of Iuly Henrie duke of Richmont and Somerset erle of Northampton base sonne to the King begot of the Ladie Tailebois departed this life at Saint Iames and was buryed at Thetford in Norffolke In September Thomas Cromwell Lorde priuie seale and Vicegerent sent abroade vnder the kings spirituall priuie Seale certayne Iniunctions commanding that the Parsons Eurates shoulde teach theyr Parishioners the Peter Noster the Aue and Creede with the ten Commaundements and Articles of the fayth in Englishe These Articles and Iniunctions being established by authoritie of Parliament and now to the people deliuered bred a greate mislyking in the heartes of the common people whiche had beene euer brought vp and trayned in contrary doctrine and herewith diuerse of the Cleargie as Monkes Priestes and other tooke occasion hereby to speake euill of the late proceedings of the King touching matters of Religion affyrming that if speedie remedie were not in tyme prouided the fayth would shortly be vtterly destroyed and all prayer and diuine seruice bee quite abolyshed and taken away Many sinister reportes slaunderous tales and feigned fables were blowne abroade and put into the peoples eares and diuerse of the Nobilitie did also what they could to styrre the commons to rebellion faythfully promising both ayde and succor agaynst the king The people thus prouoked to mischiefe and deceyued through ouer light credence incontinently as it were to mainteyne that Religion whiche hadde so manye yeares continued and beene esteemed they stiffely and stoutly conspired togither A trayterous conspiracie and in a part of Lincolnshyre they first assembled and shortly after ioyned into an armie being as it was supposed of men apt for the warres in number about twentie thousande Agaynst these rebels with all the hast that might be the king in proper person vppon intelligence thereof had marched towardes them being furnished with a warlike armie The Lincolnshire men in armes agaynst the king perfectly appoynted of all things that to suche a companie shoulde apperteyne The rebels hearing that his person was present with his power to come thus agaynst them began to feare what woulde follow of theyr doings and suche nobles and gentlemen as at the firste fauoured theyr cause fell from them and withdrew so that they beeing destitute
and bishop of saint Assaph wrote agaynste Erasmus for his Translation of the newe Testament to his small praise as he handled the matter Thomas surnamed Philomelus a Londoner an excellent Poet William Grocine verye experte in bothe toungs Greeke and Latine Thomas Spencer a Carmelite Frier born in Norwich Henry Bullocke William Latymer Young a Monke of Ramesey Arnolde of London wrote certayne collections touchyng Historicall matters Thomas Lupset a Londoner a learned young man departyng thys lyfe in the xxxvj yeare of his age aboute the yeare of our Lorde .1532 he wrote sundry vertuous treatises William Melton Chancellour of Yorke Iohn Sowle a Carmelite Frier of London and a Doctour of Diuinitie Iohn Batemanson a Chartreux Monke and Prior of his house at London Richard Whitford Thomas Attourborne in Norffolke and fellowe wyth Bilneye in sufferyng persecution vnder Cardinall Wolsey Henry Bradshawe borne in Chester where hee was professed a blacke Monke wrote the lyfe of saincte Werbourgh and a certayne Chronicle Iohn Paulsgraue a Citizen of London wrote Instructions for the perfecte vnderstandyng of the Frenche tong Iohn Skuyshe a Cornysheman wrote certayne abbreuiations of Chronicles wyth a treatise of the warres of Troy Anthony Fitzherbert a Iudge wrote an Abridgement of the lawe Iohn Litleton wrote also of the principles of the Lawe but hee lyued before thys season to wit in the dayes of Wilfride Holme wrote a treatise of the rebellion in Lincolueshire and in the Northe after the manner of a Dialogue Iohn Constable an excellent Poet and rhetoritian Iohn Hilier Edwarde Foxe student in the Kings Colledge in Cambridge was aduanced to the Bishoppes sea of Hereford and was imployed in dyuers Ambassades from Kyng Henry the seauenth both into Germanie and Italy Iohn Lambert alias Nichols borne in Norffolke of whome yee haue hearde in the Historie of thys Kyng howe hee suffered for the controuersie of the Sacrament George Fulberye Iohn Hoker Thomas Lanquet wrote an Epitome of Chronicles also of the winnyng of Bollongne Iohn Shepre Leonard Coxe he wrote dyuers treatises one in English rhetorike wherof Bale maketh no mention Thomas Soulmon borne in the yle of Gernsey verie studious in histories as by his writings notes it appeareth Iohn Longlande Bishoppe of Lyncolne Maurice Chauncy a chartreux Monke Cutbert Tunstall bishop of Duresme Richard Sampson Alban Hill a Welchman an excellent Physition Richard Croke verye experte in the Greeke toung Robert Whittington borne in Staffordshire neere to Lichfielde wrote dyuers Treatises for the instruction of Grammarians Iohn Aldrige Bishop of Carleil Iohn Russell gathered a Treatise intitled Superiure Caesaris Papae he wrote also CoÌ„mentaries in Cantica William Roye Simon Fish a KeÌ„tishman borne wrote a booke called the Supplication of Beggers Iohn Powell and Edwarde Powell Welchemen wrote against Luther Edward died in Smith field for treason in denying the Kings Supremacie in the yeare .1540 Iohn Houghton gouernour of the Charterhouse Monks in London dyed lykewyse for treason in the yeare a thousand fyue hundred thirtie and fyue Iohn Rickes being an aged man forsaking the order of a Frier Minor whyche he had first protessed imbraced the Gospell George Bulleyn lorde Rocheforde brother to Queene Anne wrote dyuers Songs and Sonettes Frauncis Bigod knyght borne in Yorkshire wrote a booke agaynst the Clergie entituled De impropritationibus and translated certain books from Latin into English he died for rebellion in the yere a thousand fiue hundred thirtie and seuen Richarde Wyse Henry Morley Lorde Morley wrote diuers treatises as Comedies and tragedies the lyfe of Sectaties and certain rithmes William Thynne restored Chancers workes by his learned and painful corrections Iohn Smith somtime Schoolemaister of Heyton Richard Turpine borne of a woorshipfull familie in Englande seruyng in the garnison of Caleys wrote a chronicle of his tyme he dyed in the yeare a thousande fyue hundred fortie and one and was buryed in Saint Nicholas churche in Caleys Sir Thomas Wiat knighte in whose prayse muche myght be said as wel for his learning as other excellent qualities mete for a man of his calling he greatly furthered to enriche the Englishe tongue hee wrote diuers master in Englishe mettes and translated the seuen Penitentiall Psalmes and as some write the whole Psalter Hee dyed of the pestilence in the West countrey bering on his iourney into Spayne whether hee was sent ambassadour from the king vnto the Emperour in the yeare a thousand fiue hundred fortie and one Henry Howard Earle of Surrey sonne to the Duke of Norffolke delyted in the lyke studies with Sir Thomas Wyat wrote diuers treatises also in Englishe metre he suffered at Tower his as in the historie of this King before ye haue hearde Iohn Fielde a citizen and Lawyer of London wrote sundrye Treatises as hys owne aunsweres vnto certaine articles ministred to him by sir Thomas More the Byshoppe of Rochester Raffell and others When hee was in prison for religion he wrote also a treatise of mans free-will de serno hominis arbitrio and Collections of the common lawes of the land c. Tristram Reuell Henrye Brinklowe a Merchaunt of London wrote a lyttle booke whiche hee published vnder the name of Roderik Mors also a coÌ„plaint vpoÌ„ London c. Robert Shinglaton 〈◊〉 of a good family in Lancashire wrote a treatise of the seauen Churches and other thinges as of certaine prophecies for the whiche as some write he settled at London being conuicte of treason in the yeare .1544 William Parrey a Welcheman wrote a booke entituled Speculum Inuenum Of strangers that lyued here in thys kings dayes and for their workes whiche they wrote were had in estimation these we fynd recorded by Maister Bale Bernarde Andreas a Frenche man borne in Tolouse an Augustin Frier and an excelleÌ„t Poet Adrian de Castello an Italian of CorneloÌ„ a towne in Thuscayne he was commended vnto Kyng Henry the seuenth by the Archebishoppe Morton and therevppon was fyrste made Bishop of Hereforde and after resigning that sed was aduaunced to Bath and Welles Andreas Ammonius an Italian of the citie of Luâ—…a secretarie to the K. wrote dyuers treaches Iames Caleo an Italian also of Paula in Lumbardie by profession a Carmelite Frier an ernest defender of the diuorce betwixt the Kyng and the Ladye Katherine Dowager disproouyng the marryage betwixt them to be in any wyse lawfull King Edwarde the sixthe Edwar. the sixt AFter it had pleased Almightie God to call to hys mercye that famous Prince Kyng Henrye the eigthe the Parliament as yet continuing and now by his death dissolued the executors of the sayd Kyng and other of the Nobilitie assembling themselues togyther did firste by sounde of trumpet in the palace at Westminster King Edvvard proclaymed and so through London cause his sonne and heire Prince Edward to be proclaymed king of this realme by the name of Edward the sixt King of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defender of the faith and of the churches
to be confronted therevvith as he seeth cause For the continuation thereof I vsed the like order in suche copies and notes as Maister VVolfe in his life time procured me sauing that in these laste yeares I haue inserted some notes as concerned matters of vvarre betvvixte vs and the Scottes bicause I gotte them not till that parte of the English Historie vvas paste the presse For Irelande I haue shevved in mine Epistle Dedicatorie in vvhat sorte and by vvhat helpes I haue proceeded therein onely this I forgotte to signifie that Giraldus Cambrensis and Flatsbury I had not till that parte of the Booke vvas vnder the presse and so being constreyned to make poste haste coulde not exemplifie out of them all that I vvished neither yet dispose it so orderly as had bene conuenient nor penne it vvith so apte vvordes as might satisfie either my selfe or those to vvhose vevve it is novv like to come And by reason of the like haste made in the Impression vvhere I vvas determined to haue transposed the moste parte of that vvhiche in the Englishe Historie I had noted concerning the Conqueste of Irelande by Henry the seconde out of Houeden and others I had not time thereto and so haue lefte it there remayning vvhere I firste noted it before I determined to make any particular collection of the Irishe Histories bicause the same commeth there vvell inough in place as to those that shall vouchsafe to turne the Booke it may appeare For the computation of the yeares of the vvorlde I hadde by Maister VVoulfes aduise follovved Functius but after his deceasse Maister VVilliam Harison made mee partaker of a Chronologie vvhiche hee had gathered and compiled vvith moste exquisite diligence follovvyng Gerardus Mercator and other late Chronologers and his ovvne obseruations according to the vvhiche I haue reformed the same As for the yeares of our Lorde and the Kings I haue sette them dovvne accordyng to suche Authours as seeme to bee of beste credite in that behalfe as I doubte not but to the learned and skilfull in Histories it shal appeare ▪ Moreouer this the Reader hath to consider that I do beginne the yeare at the natiuitie of our Lorde vvhiche is the surest order in my fantasie that can bee follovved For the names of persons tovvnes and places as I haue bene diligent to reforme the errours of other vvhich are to be ascribed more to the imperfect copies thā to the Authours so may it be that I haue somevvhere committed the like faultes either by negligence or vvant of skill to restore them to their full integritie as I vvished but vvhat I haue performed asvvell in that behalfe as others the skilful Reader shall easily perceyue and vvithal cōsider I trust vvhat trauel I haue bestovved to his behofe in these tvvo volumes crauing onely that in recompence thereof he vvill iudge the best and to make a frendly cōstruction of my meanings vvhere ought may seeme to haue escaped either my penne or the Printers presse othervvise than vve could haue vvished for his better satisfaction Many things being taken out as they lie in Authours may be thought to giue offence in time present vvhiche referred to the time past vvhen the Authour vvritte are not onely tollerable but also allovvable Therefore good Reader I beseech thee to vvay the causes and circumstances of such faultes and imperfections and consider that the like may creepe into a far lesse volume than this and shevv me so much fauour as hath bene shevved to others in like causes and sithēce I haue done my good vvil accept the same as I vvith a free and thākful minde do offer it thee so shall I thinke my labour vvell bestovved For the other Histories vvhiche are already collected if it please God to giue abilitie shall in time come to light vvith some such briefe descriptions of the forreyn regions vvhereof they treate as may the better suffise to the Readers contentation and vnderstanding of the maters conteyned in the same Histories reduced into abridgements out of their great volumes And thus I ceasse further to trouble thy pacience vvishing to thee gentle Reader so much profite as by reading may be had and as great cōfort as Goddes holy spirite may endue thee vvith FINIS ¶ The names of the Authours from whome this Historie of England is collected A. AElius Spartianus Aelius Lampridius Asserius Meneuensis Alfridus Beuerlacensis Aeneas Siluius Senensis Auentinus Adam Merimowth with additions Antoninus Archiepiscopus Florentinus Albertus Crantz Alexander Neuill Arnoldus Ferronius Annius Viterbiensis Amianus Marcellinus Alliances genealogiques des Roys Princes de France Annales D Aquitaine per Iean Bouchet Annales de Bourgoigne per Guilaume Paradin Annales de France per Nicol Giles Annales rerum Flandricarū per Iacobum Meir Antonius Sabellicus Antonius Nebricensis Aurea Historia B. BIblia Sacra Beda venerabilis Berosus Brian Tuke knight Blondus Forliuiensis Berdmondsey a Regester booke belonging to that house C. CAesars Commentaries Cornelius Tacitus Chronica Chronicarum Chronica de Dunstable a booke of Annales belōging to the Abbey there Chronicon Io. Tilij Chronica de Eyton an historie belonging to that colledge although compiled by some Northern-man as some suppose named Otherborne Chronicles of S. Albon Chronica de Abingdon a booke of Annales belongyng to that house Chronica de Teukesbury Claudianus Chronicon Genebrard Chroniques de Normandie Chroniques de Britaine Chronique de Flandres published by Denis Sauage Continuation de Historie Chronique de Flandres by the same Sauage Couper Cuspinianus Chronica Sancti Albani Caxtons Chronicles Carion with additions Crockesden a register booke belonging to a house of that name in Staffordshire D. DIodorus Siculus Dion Cassius Dominicus Marius Niger E. EDmerus Eusebius Eutropius Encomium Emmae an old Pamphlet written to hir conteyning much good matter for the vnderstanding of the state of this realme in hir time wherein hir prayse is not pretermitted and so hath obteyned by reason thereof that title Enguerant de Monstrellet Eulogium Edmond Campion F. FAbian Froissart Franciscus Tarapha Franciscus Petrarcha Flauius Vopiscus Siracusanus Floriacensis Vigorinensis G. GViciardini Francisco Guiciardini Ludouico Gildas Sapiens Galfridus Monemutensis aliàs Geffrey of Monmouth Giraldus Cambrensis Guilielmus Malmesburiensis Galfridus Vinsauf Guilielmus Nouoburgensis Guilielmus Thorne Gualterus Hemmingford aliàs Gisburnensis Geruasius Dorobernensis Geruasius Tilberiensis Guilielmus Gemeticensis de ducibus Normaniae Guilielmus Rishanger Guilielmus Lambert Georgius Lillie Guilamme Paradin H. HIginus Henricus Huntingtonensis Humfrey Lhuyd Henricus Leicestrensis Hector Boece Historie Daniou Histoira Ecclesiastica Magdeburgensis Henricus Mutius Historia quadripartita seu quadrilogium Hardings Chronicle Halles Chronicles Henricus Bradshaw Henricus Marleburgensis Herodianus I. IOhannes Bale Iohannes Leland Iacobus Philippus Bergomas Iulius Capitolinus Iulius Solinus Iohannes Pike with additions Iohannes Functius Iohn Price knight Iohannes Textor Iohannes Bodinus Iohannes Sleidan Iohannes Euersden a Monke of Bury Iohannes or rather Giouan villani a Florentine Iohannes Baptista
other mens occasioÌ„ or throwgh their own default 〈…〉 By other mens occasion as one way for example when some couetous man espying a further commoditie in theyr commons holdes and tenures doth find such meanes as therby to wipe many out of their occupyings turne the same vnto their priuate gaynes Herevpon it followeth that although the wise better minded At 〈…〉 these 〈…〉 do so behaue themselues that they are worthyly to be accompted among the second sort yet the greater part commoÌ„ly hauing nothing to stay vpon are wilfull and thervpoÌ„ doe eyther prooue idle beggers or else continue starke théeues till the gallowes doe eate them vp Such as are ydle beggers thorow theyr owne default are of two sortes and coÌ„tinue theyr estates either by casual or â—…ere voloÌ„tary meanes Those that are such by casuall meanes are iustly to be referred either to the first or second sort of poore but degenerating into the thriftlesse sort they doe what they can to coÌ„tinue their miserie with such impediments as they haue to stray and wader about as creatures abhorring all labour and euery honest exercise Certes I call these casuall meanes not in respect of the originall of their pouertie but of the continuance of the same from whence they will not be deliuered thorow their owne vngracious lewdnesse and froward disposition The voluÌ„tary meanes procede froÌ„ outwarde causes as by making of corrosiues and applying the same to y e more fleshie parts of their bodies and also laying of Ratsbane Sperewoort Crowfoote and such like vnto theyr whole meÌ„bers thereby to raise piteous and odious sores and mooue the goers by such places where they lie to lament their miserie and bestowe large almes vppon them Vnto this neast is another sort to be referred more sturdie then the rest which hauing sound and perfite lymmes doe yet notwithstanding sometime counterfâ—…ict the possession of al sortes of diseases Diuers times in their apparell they will be like seruing men or labourers Often tymes they can play the mariners and séeke for ships which they neuer lost But in fine they are all théeues and Caterpillers in the common wealth and by the word of God not permitted to eate sith they doe but licke the sweate from the true laborers browes and bereue y e godly of that which is due vnto theÌ„ to mainteine their excesse consuming the charitie of well disposed people bestowed vpon them after a most wicked horrible and detestable maner It is not yet .50 yeares sith this trade began but how it hath prospered sithens that tyme it is easye to iudge for they are nowe supposed of one sexe and another to amount vnto aboue .10000 persons as I haue harde reported Moreouer in counterfaiting the Egyptian roges they haue deuised a laÌ„guage among themselues which they name Gaâ—…ting but other pedlars Frenche A speache compact 30. yeares since of English a great nomber of odde words of their owne diuising without all order or reason and yet such is it as none but themselues are able to vnderstand The first deuiser thereof was hanged by the necke a iust reward no doubt for his desartes and a common ende to all of that profession â—…homas â—â—rman A Gentleman also of late hath tâ—…ken great paines to search out the secrete practizes of this vngracious rable And among other things he setteth downe and describeth .22 sortes of them whose names it shal not be amisse to remeÌ„ber whereby each one may gather what wicked people they are and what villany remaineth in them The seueral disorders and degrees amongst our idle vagabonds 1. Rufflers 2. Vprightmen 3. Hookers or Anglers 4. Roges 5. Wilde Roges 6. Priggers of prauÌ„cers 7. Palliardes 8. Fraters 9. Abrams 10. Freshwater mariners or whipiackes 11. Dummerers 12. Dronken Tinkars 13 Swadders or pedlers 14 Iackemen or patricoes Of vvomen kinde 1. Demaunders for glimmar or fire 2. Bawdie baskets 3. Mortes 4. Autem Mortâ—â— 5. Waâ—…king Mortâ—â— 6. Dores 7. Delles 8. Kinching Mortes 9. Kinching Cooes The punishment that is ordained for this kind of people is very sharpe and yet it can not restraine them froÌ„ their gadding wherfore the ende must néedes be Martiall lawe to be exercised vpon them as vpon théeues robbers despisers of all lawes and enemies to the commoÌ„ wealth and welfare of y e land What notable roberies pâ—â—feries 〈…〉 rapes and stealings of children they doe vse which they disfigure to begg withal I nede not to rehearse but for their idle râ—…ging about the countrie the law ordeineth this maner of correction The Roge being appreheÌ„ded committed to prison and tried in y e next assizes whether they be of Gâ—…ole deliuerie or seâ—â—ions of the pear if he happen to be conuicted for a vagabond either by inquest of office or the testimonie of two honest and credible witnesses vpon theyr other he is then immediatly adiudged to be gréeuously whipped burned thorow the gristell of the right eare w t an hot iron of the compasse of an inch about as a manifestation of his wicked life and due punishment receyued for the same And this iudgement is to be executed vpon him except sâ—…me honest person worth fiue poundeâ—◠〈◊〉 the Quéenes bookes in goods or twentie shillings in lands or some rich â—…ousholder to be aâ—â—owed by the Iustices wil be bouÌ„d in a recognisance to retaine him in his seruice for one whole yeare If he be takeÌ„ the seconde time and proued to haue forsaken his sayd seruice he shall then be whipped againe bored likewise thorowe the other eare and sette to seruice from whence if he depotte before a yeare be expired and happen afterward to be attached againe he is condemned to suffer paines of death as a fellâ—â— except before excepted without benefite of clergie or sanctuarie as by the statute doth appere Among roges and idle persons finally we finde to be comprised al Proctors that go vp and downe with counterfeit licences Cosiuers and suche as go about the countrey vsing vnlawfull games practizers of Phisâ—…ognomie and Palmestrie teâ—â—ers of fortunes â—…enâ—…ers bearwards players minstrelâ—…s iugglers pedlers tinkers schollers shipmen prisoners gathering for fées and others so oft as they be taken without sufficient licence Each one also that harboroweth or aideth them with meat or money is tared and compelled to fine with the Quéenes maiestie for euery time that he shall so succoure them as it shall please the Iustices of peace to assigne so that the taxation excéede not xx shillings as I haue bene informed And thus much of the poore and such prouision as to appoynted for them within the Realme of England Of sundrie punishments appoynted for malefactors Cap. 6. THe greatest and most gréeuous punishment vsed in EnglaÌ„d for such as offend against the state is drawne from the prisone to the place of execution vpon an hardle or Sled where they are hanged til they be half dead and then taken downe and quartered after that their meÌ„bers and
to driue Constantine out of Gallia which he acordingly performed for after certayne bickerings he slew y e sayd Constātine at Arles although not without great bloudshed He pursued also y e residue of y e Britains driuing thē to y e very Sea coasts where they shrouded thēselues amōg the other Britayns y t before wer settled in the countrey there antiently called as before we sayd Armorica y t is a region lying on y e sea coast for Ar in the Brittish tong signifieth vpon Moure perteining to the Sea And as this Constantine y e father was slayn by Cōstantius so was Cōstans y e son killed at Vienna by one of his owne Captaynes named Gerontius wherby it came to passe y e Honorius shortly after hauing thus obteined y e victory of both these vsurpers recouered the Isle ◅ Harrison but yet not till the yeare next following and that by the high industrie great diligence of that valiant Gentleman Earle Constantius The slaughter of Constantine and his sonne hapned in the first yeare of the .297 Olympiade 465. after the comming of Cesar .162 after the building of Rome the dominicall letter being A. and the golden number .13 so that the recouering of the Ilande fell in the yeare of oure Lord .411 411 Heere also is eftsoones to bee considered the valure of the Brittishe Souldiers who following this last remembred Constantine the vsurper did put the Romayne state in great daunger and by force brake through into Spayne vanquishing those that kept the streights of y e mountaynes betwixt Spayne and Gallia nowe called France an exployt of no small consequence sith thereby the number of Barbarous nations gote free passage to enter into Spayne whereof ensued many battayles sackings of Cities and townes and wasting of the countreys accordingly as the furious rage of those fierce people was moued to put their crueltie in practise If therefore the Britayne writers hadde considered and marked the valiant exploytes and noble enterprises which the Brittish aydes armyes and legions atchieued in seruice of the Romayne Emperours by whome whilest they had the gouernement ouer thys Isle there were at sundry times notable numbers cōueyed forth into the parties of beyonde the Seas as by Albinus and Constantius also by his sonne Constantine the great by Maximus and by this Constantine both of them vsurpers if I say the Brittish writers had taken good note of the numbers of the Brittishe youth thus conueyed ouer from hence and what notable exploytes they boldly attempted and no lesse manfully atchieued they needed not to haue giuen eare vnto the fabulous reportes forged by their Bardes of Arthur and other their Princes worthy indeede of high cōmendation And pitie it is that theyr fame shoulde bee brought by suche meanes out of credite by the incredible and fonde fables whyche haue bin deuised of their actes so vnlike to be true as the tales of Robin Hood or the iestes written by Ariost the Italian in his booke entituled Orlando Furioso sith the same writers had otherwise true matter ynough to write of concernyng the worthy feates by their countreymen in those dayes in forraine parties boldly enterprised and no lesse valiantly accomplished as also y e warres whiche nowe and then they maynteyned against the Romaynes here at home in times whē they felte themselues oppressed by their tyrannical gouernement as by y t which is written before of Caratacus Voadicia Cartimādua Venusius Galgagus or Galdus as some name him and diuers other who for their noble valiancies deserue as much prayse as by tong or pen is able to be expressed But nowe to returne vnto the Brittish historie we will proceede in order with theyr Kings as wee fynde them in the same mentioned and therefore we haue thought good to speake somewhat further of Gracian from whome ◅ haue digressed Gracianus Gildas maketh no mention of these two Kings Guanius and Melganor of the Hunnes Gildas but rehearsing this great destruction of the lande declareth as before yee haue hearde that the Scottes and Pictes were the same that dyd all the mischiefe whome hee calleth two nations of beyonde the Seas the Scottes comming out of the Northwest and the Pictes out of the Northeast by whome as hee sayeth the lande was ouerrunne and broughte vnder foote manye yeeres after Therefore the Britaines beeyng thus vexed spoyled and cruelly persecuted by the Scottes and Pictes if wee shall so take them sente messengers with all speede vnto Rome to make suite for some ayde of menne of warre to bee sente into Britayne wherevpon immediately a legion of Souldiers was sente thyther Anno .414 414 the whiche easily repulsed the enimies and chased them backe with greate slaughter to the great comfort of the Britaines y e which by this meanes were deliuered from present danger of vtter destruction as they thought But the Romaynes beeing occasioned to depart agayne out of the lande appointed y e Britaynes to make a wall as had bin made aforetime by the Emperors Adrian Antoninus Seuerus ouerthwart the coūtrey from sea to sea Beda Policro stretching from Pennelton vnto the Citie of Aclud whereby the enimies might be stayed from entring the lande but this wall being made of turfe and soddes rather than with stones after the departure of the Romanes was easily ouerthrowen by the Scottes Pictes which eftsoones returned to inuade the cōfines of the Britaines and so entring the countrey wasted and destroyed all afore them according to their former custome Gildas Policrus Beda Mat. VV◅ Herevpō were messengers with lamentable letters agayn dispatched towards Rome for new ayde against those cruell enimies with promise that if the Romaynes would now in this great necessitie help to deliuer the land they should be assured to finde the Brittaynes euermore obediente subiectes and ready at their commaundement Blondus Valentinianus pitying the case of the poore Britaynes appoynted another legion of Souldiers of the which one Gallio of Rauenna had the leading to goe to theyr succours Gallio Rauenas sent into Britayne the which arriuing in Britayne set on y e enimies and giuing them the ouerthrowe slewe a great number of them chased y e residue out of the countrey Thus the Britaynes being brought generally into suche extreame miserie they thought good to trie if they might purchase some ayde of that noble man Actius Actius whiche at that time remayned in Fraunce as yet called Gallia gouerning the same as Lieutenant vnder the Emperour Honorius and herevpon taking counsel togither they wrote a letter to him the tenor whereof ensueth To Actius thrice Consull The lamentable request of vs the Britaynes beseecheth you of ayde to bee ministred vnto the prouince of the Romane Empire vnto our countrey vnto our wiues children at this presente the whiche stande in most extreame perill For the barbarous people driue vs to the Sea and the Sea driueth vs backe vnto them agayne hereof rise two kindes of
required to haue one Ciuilis by name sent to hym to haue the rule of the prouinces in Britayne in steede of the other gouernours Theodos◅ required to haue Ciuilis sent to him a man of sharpe witte and an earnest maynteyner of iustice Hee likewise required that one Dulcitius a Captayne renoumed in knowledge of warlike affayres Dulcitius mighte bee sente ouer to him for his better assistance These things were done in Britayne Agayne in hys eyght and twentie booke the same Marcellinus reciting further what the same Theodosius dyd atchieue in Britaine hath in effect these wordes Theodosius verily a Captayne of worthy fame taking a valiant courage to hym and departing from Augusta London cal◅ Augusta whyche men of olde tyme called London with Souldiers assembled by greate diligence did succoure and releeue greatly the decayed and troubled state of the Britaynes preuenting euery conuenient place where the barbarous people myghte lye in wayte to doe mischiefe and nothing hee commanded the mean Souldiers to doe but that which he with a cheerefull mind would firste take in hand to shew them an example By this meanes accomplishing the roomth of a valiant Souldier and fulfilling the charge of a noble Captayne hee discomfyted and putte to flight sundry nations whome presumption nourished by securitie emboldned to inuade the Romayne prouinces And so the Cities and Castels that had bin sore endomaged by manyfolde losses and displeasures were restored to their former state of welth y e foundation of rest and quietnesse being layde for a long season after to ensue But as these things were a doing a wicked practise was in hande lyke to haue burst forth to the grieuous daunger of setting things in broyle if it had not beene stayed euen in the beginning of the first attempt Valentinus Valeria now ◅tiermarke There was one Valentinus borne in the parties of Valeria adioyning to Pannonia now called Stiermarke a man of a prowde and loftie stomacke brother to the wyfe of Maximinus which Valentinus for some notable offence had beene banished into Brytayne where the naughtie man that coulde not rest in quiet deuised how by some commotion hee might destroy Theodosius who as he sawe was onely able to resist his wicked purposes And going about many things both priuily and apertly the force of his vnmeasurable desire to mischief stil encreasing he sought to procure aswell other that were in semblable wise banished men and inclined to mischiefe lyke to him selfe as also diuerse of the souldiers alluring them as the time serued with large promises of great wealth if they would ioyne with hym in that enterpryse But euen now in the verie nicke when they should haue gone in hande with their vngracious exployt Theodosius warned of theyr intent boldly aduaunced himselfe to see due punishmēt executed of the offenders that were forthwith taken and knowne to be guiltie in that conspiracie Dulcitius is ◅ppointed to ◅ut Valentinus to death Theodosius committed Valentine with a few other of his trustie complices vnto the Captaine Dulcitius commaunding him to see them put to death but coniecturing by his warlike skill wherin he passed all other in those dayes what might follow he woulde not in any wise haue any further enquirie made of the other conspirators least through feare that might be spread abrode in many the troubles of the Prouinces now well quieted should be againe reuiued After this Theodosius disposing himselfe to redresse many things as neede requyred all danger was quite remoued so that it was moste apparant that fortune fauoured him in suche wise that she left him not destitute of hir furtheraunce in any one of all his attempts he therefore restored the Cities and Castels that were appoynted to be kept with garisons and the borders he caused to be defended and garded with sufficient nūbers to keepe watch and warde in places necessarie And hauing recouered the Prouince whiche the enimies had gotten into their possession hee so restored it to the former state that vpon his motion to haue it so a lawfull gouernour was assigned to rule it and the name was chaunged so A part of Brytayne called Valentia as from thenceforth it should be called Valentia for the Princes pleasure The Areani a kinde of men ordeyned in tymes past by our elders of whom somwhat we haue spoken in the actes of the Emperour Constance being now by little little fallen into vices he remoued from theyr places of abyding being openly conuicted that allured wyth brybes and fayre promyses they had oftentymes bewrayed vnto the barbarous Nations what was done among the Romaines for this was theyr charge to runne vp and downe by long iourneys and to giue warning to oure Captaines what sturre the people of the next confines were about to make Theodosius therfore hauing ordred these and other like things most worthily to his high fame The prayse of Theodosius was called home to the Emperours Court who leauing the Prouinces in most triumphant state was highly renowmed for his often and moste profitable victories as if he had bene an other Camillus or Cursor Papyrius and with the fauor and loue of all men was conueyed vnto the Sea side and passing ouer with a gentle winde came to the Court where he was receyued wyth great gladnesse and commendation being immediately appoynted to succeed in rowmth of Valence Iouinus that was master of the horses Finally he was called by the Emperor Gratianus to be associate with him in the Imperiall estate after the death of Valence in the yeare after the incarnation of our sauiour .379 and raigned Emperor surnamed Theodosius the great about xvj yeares and two dayes VVil. Har. But now to our former matter Hereto also may that be applyed which the foresayd Marcellinus wryteth after in the same booke touching the inuasion of the Saxons VVolf Lazi the which as Wolf Lazius taketh it entred then first into great Britaine but were repulsed of the Emperour Valentinianus the fyrst by the conduct of Seuerus Seuerus The same yeare sayth he that the Emperours were the thirde tyme Consuls there brake forth a multitude of Saxons and passing the seas entred strongly into the Romain confines a natiō fed oftentimes with y e slaughter of our people the brunt of whose first inuasion Nonneus Comes Erle Nanneus susteyned y e which was appointed to defend those partyes an approued captain with continuall trauaile in warres verie expert but then encountring with desperate and forlorne people when he perceyued some of his souldiers to be ouerthrowne and beaten downe and himself woūded not able to abyde the often assaults of his enimies he obteyned this by enforming the Emperour what was necessarie and ought to be done Seuerus Coronell of the footemen insomuch that Seuerus maister or as I may cal him Coronell of the footemen was sent to helpe and relieue things that stoode in daunger the which bringing a sufficient power with him for
the state of that businesse when he came to those places he deuiding his armie into partes put the Saxons in suche feare and trouble before they fought that they did not so muche as take weapon in hande to make resistaunce but being amased wyth the sight of the glyttering ensignes and Eagles figured in the Romaine standardes they streight made sute for peace and at length after the matter was debated in sundrie wise bycause it was iudged that it shoulde be profitable for the Romaine common wealth truce was graunted vnto them and many yong men able for seruice in the warres deliuered to the Romaines according to the couenants concluded After this the Saxons were permitted to depart without impechment so to returne from whence they came the which being now out of al feare and preparing to goe their wayes dyuerse bands of footmen were sent to lie priuily in a certaine hid vally so embushed as they might easily breake forth vpon the enimies as they passed by them But it chaunced farre otherwise than they supposed for certaine of those footemen styrred with the noyse of them as they were comming brake forth out of time and being sodenly discouered whilest they hasted to vnite and knit themselues togither by the hideous crie and shoute of the Saxons they were put to flight Yet by and by closing togither againe they stayed and the extremitie of the chaunce ministring to them force though not sufficient they were dryuen to fight it oute and beeing beaten downe wyth great slaughter had dyed euery mothers sonne if a troupe of Horsemen armed at all poyntes beeing in like maner placed in an other syde at the parting of the way to assayle the enimies as they shoulde passe aduertysed by the dolefull noyse of them that foughte had not speedilye come in to the succours of theyr fellowes Then ranne they togyther more cruellye than before and the Romaines bending themselues towardes theyr enimies compassed them in on eche syde and with theyr drawne swordes slue them downe right so that there was not one of them left to returne home to theyr natiue Countrey to bryng newes howe they had spedde nor one suffred to liue after the death of his fellowes And although an indifferent man that shoulde iudge hereof might with cause reproue so vniust and dishonorable dealing yet the thing being well weyed and considered he would not thinke euill of it that a wicked knotte of theeues and Robbers shoulde at length paye after the pryce of the Market Thus were the limittes of the Romain Empyre preserued at that time in Brytaine whiche should seeme to be about the yere of our lord .399 Honorius the Emperour After this in the time of the Emperour Honorius also the Scottes Pictes and Saxons did eftsoones inuade the frontiers of the Romaine Prouince in Brytaine as appeareth by that which the Poet Claudianus wryteth in attrybuting the honour of preseruing the same frontyers vnto the sayde Emperour in his booke intituled Panegericus tertij Consolatus which fell in the yeare .396 as thus 396 Claudiâ—â— Ille leues Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos Edomuit Scotumque vago mucrone secutus Fregit Hyperboreas remis audacibus vndas Et geminis fulgens vtroque sub axe tropheis Tethyos alternae refluas calcauit arenas The nimble Mores and Pictes by right so callde he hath subdude And with his wandring sworde likewise the Scottes he hath pursude He brake with bolde courageous oare the Hyperbore in waue And shyning vnder both the Poles with double trophyes braue He marcht vpon the bubling sandes of either swelling seas The same Claudian vpon the fourth Consulship of Honorius sayth Quid rigor aeternus cali quid frigora prosunt Ignotumque fretum maduerunt Saxone fuso Orcades incaluit Pictonum sanguine Thule Scotorum cumulos fleuit glacialis Hiberna N.R. VVhat lasting colde what did to them the frostie Clymates gaine And sea vnknowne bemoysted all with bloud of Saxons slaine â—…ule some â—…e to be Iseâ—…de some â—…tland The Orkneys were with bloud of Picts hath Thule waxed warme And ysie Irelande hath bewaylde the heapes of Scottish harme The same prayse gyueth he to Stellco the sonne in lawe of Honorius and maketh mention of a Legion of Souldiers sent for oute of Brytayne in the Periphrases of the Scottish warres Venit extremis legio praetenta Britannis Quae Scoto dat fraena truci ferroque notatas Perleget exanimes Picte mâ—…riente figuras N.R. A legion eke there came from out the farthest Brytaines bent VVhich brideled hath the Scots so sterne and markes with yron brent Vpon their liuelesse limmes doth reade whiles Pictes their liues relent He rehearseth the like in his second Panegericus of Stilico Inde Calidonio velata Britannia monstro Ferro Picta genas cuius vestigia verrit Caerulus Oceanique aestum mentitur amictus Me quoque vicinâ—…s pereuntem gentibus inquit Mâ—…ntuit Stilico totam quum Scotus Hibernaâ—â— Monit infesto spumauit remige Thetis Illius â—…ffectum curis ut bella timerem Scotâ—â—â—…e Pictum tremerem ne littore totâ—… Prospicorem dubâ—â— venturum Saxona ventis N. â—… Then Brytaine whom the monsters did of Calidone surrounde VVhose cheekes were scorcht with steele whose garments swept the ground Resembling much the marble hew of Ocean seas that boile Sayd she whom neighbour nations did conspire to bring to spoile Hath Stilico munited strong when raysde by Scots entice All Ireland was and enmies oares the salt sea some did slice His care hath causde that I all feares of Scottish broyles haue bard Ne do I dread the Picts he looke my countrey coasts to gard Gainst Saxon troupes who chaunging winds sent sayling hitherwardes Thus may it appeare Brytayne afflicted by inuasion of barbarous natioÌ„s that in the tyme when the Romaine Empyre beganne to decay in like maner as other partes of the same Empyre were inuaded by barbarous nations so was that part of Brytayne which was subiect to the Romaine Emperours grieuously assayled by the Scottes and Pictes and also by the Saxons the whiche in those dayes inhabiting all alongst the Sea coastes of lowe Germanie euen from the Elbe vnto the Rhine did not onely trouble the seate by continuall rouing but also vsed comming a land into dyuerse partes of Brytayne and Gallia inuading the countreys and robbing the same with great rage and crueltie To the which Sidonius Apollinaris thus alludeth wryting to Namatius Sidon Apol. li. 8. Epist The Messenger did assuredly affyrme that lately ye blewe the trumpet to warre in your nauie and betwixt the office one while of a mariner and another while of a souldier wafted about the crooked shores of the Ocean Sea agaynste the fleete of the Saxons The piracie of the Saxons of whome as many Rouers as ye beholde so many Archpyrates ye suppose to see so doe they altogyther with one accorde commaund obey teach and learne to play the partes of Rouers that euen
out of his kingdome by the brother nephew of Hengist of whome in the firste booke we haue made mention firste requiting his banishemente with greate detrimente and losse to those his enimies wherein he was partaker by iust deserte of his vncles worthy praise for that he stayed for a great many yeres the destruction of his countrey which was now running hedlong into vtter ruine and decay But Arthurs graue no wâ—…ere appeareth but the others tombe as I haue sayde was founde in the dayes of William the Conqueror king of England vpon the seaside and conteyned in length fourtene foote where he was as some say wounded by his enimies and cast vp by shipwrack But other write that he was slayne at a publike feaste or banket by his owne countreymen Thus hathe William Malmesburye But here you muste consider that the sayde Malmesburie departed this lyfe about the beginnyng of the reigne of kyng Henry the seconde certayne yeres before the boanes of Arthur were found as before ye haue hearde But now to speak somwhat of queene â—â—hera or Gâ—â—vee Io. Leland so â—…he iudge that 〈◊〉 â—…he name of hir excellent beautie by 〈…〉 or Gâ—…nâ—… in the Welch toâ—…ng 〈…〉 Quene Guryhere so that she was named 〈◊〉 or rather â—â—â—â—…lean euen as you 〈◊〉 say the faire or beautyfull Leonore or Helene She was brought vpon the house of Cador Earle of Cornewall 〈◊〉 Arthur maryed hiâ—… and as it appeareth by writers she was â—…aill reported 〈…〉 and breache of land to hiâ—… husbande in sorte as for the more paiâ—…e women of excellente beautie hardly escape the venimous blast of will to 〈◊〉 and the sharpe assaultes of the followeâ—… of â—…enus The Brâ—… historie affirmeth that should not onely 〈…〉 paâ—…yâ—…ng wyth â—…ordred 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 thâ—â— absence she consented to take him to husbande It is lykewyse founde recorded by an olde wâ—…yter that Arthure besieged on a tyme theÌ„ marishes neere to Glastenburye for displeasurâ—… that he bare vnto a certayne Lorde that hyghte Melâ—… whiche hadde rauished Gumnere and ledde hâ—â— into those Marshes and there dyddâ—… keepe hir Hir corps notwithstandyng as before is recited was enterred togyther wyth Arthurs so that it is thought she liued not long after his deceasse Arthur had two wynes as Giralouâ—… Cambrensis affirmeth of whiche the latter sayth hee was buryed wyth hyde and hiâ—… boanes founde with his mone Sepulchre so deuided yet that two partes of the Tombe towardes the heade were appoynted to receyue the bones of the man and the thyrde parte towardes the feete conteyned the womans boanes a parte by them selues Here is to bee remembred that Hector Boetius wryteth otherwyse of the death of Arthure than before in thys booke is mencioned and also that Guenâ—…ere beeyng taken prysonâ—… by the Pictes was conueyed into Scotlande where fynally shee dyed and was there buryed in Aâ—…gus as in the Scottishe Chronicle further appeareth And thys may be true if he hadde three sundrye wyues eche of them bearing the name of Guenhere as sir Iohn Price doth auouche that hee had Bycause of the contrarieâ—…ie in wryters touchyng the greate actes atchieued by this Arthur and also for that some difference there is amongest them aboute the tyme in whyche he should reigne many haue doubted of the truthe of the whole historie whyche of hym is written as before ye haue hearde The Britishe histories and also the Scottishe Chronicles doe agree that he lyued in the days of the Emperour Iustinian about the fifteenth yeare of whose reigne hee dyed whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde 542. 542. as Harrison also confirmeth Howbeit some write farther from all lykely 〈◊〉 that he was aboute the tyme of the Emperor â—…eno who began his reign about the yeare of our Lord. 47â—… The 〈◊〉 of the booke 〈◊〉 Aurea historia affirmeth Aurea historia Leland that in the 〈…〉 of Cerdicus king of Weast Saxons Arthur the warriour râ—…fe amongest the Brytâ—…ns Also Diâ—â—neuâ—… writeth that 〈◊〉 fyghtyng oftentymes with Arthur if he were ouercome in one 〈◊〉 he â—…ose 〈◊〉 an other 〈◊〉 more tâ—â—rce had 〈◊〉 to giue battayle that before At lengthe Arthure 〈…〉 VVestsexon after the â—…elfth yeare 〈…〉 〈◊〉 gaue vnto 〈…〉 his homâ—… 〈◊〉 and â—â—aplâ—◠〈◊〉 the shyres of 〈…〉 and Somerset the whiche 〈…〉 â—…erdiems named West 〈◊〉 This Ceâ—…icius or 〈◊〉 came into Britayne aboute the yeare of our Lorde 491. and 〈◊〉 yere after his 〈◊〉 hither that is to witte about the yeare of our Lorde â—… he beganne gaâ—â— his raigne 〈◊〉 the West Saxons and gouerâ—â—â— the 〈◊〉 kyng by the space of the yeares as before ye haue heard But to followe the course of oure Chronicles accordingly as we haue begunne we muste allowe of their accompte herein as in other places and so proceede Constantine After the death of Arthur his cousin CoÌ„stantine the son of CadoÌ„r duke or earle of Cornwall beganne his reigne ouer the Brytayns in yeare of our Lorde .542 whiche was aboute the .xv. yeare of the Emperour Iustinianus almost ended the .29 of Childebert K. of Fraunce 54â—… and the first yeare welnere complete of the reigne of Totiles kyng of the Gothes in Italy Arthur when he perceyued that he should dye Galfriâ—… Mat. VVâ—… ordeyned this Constantine to succeede him and so by the consent of the more parte of the Brytons he was crowned kyng but the sonnes of Mordred sore repined thereat as they that claymed the rule of the land by iuste title and clayme of inheritaunce to them from theyr father descended Ciuill warre Herevpon followed ciuill warre so that dyners batayles were stricken betwene them and in the ende the two brethren were constrayned to withdrawe for refuge the one to London and the other to Winchester but Constantine parsriving them firste came to Wynchester and by force entred the Citie and slewe the one brother that was fledde thyther within the churche of Saincte Amphibalus And after commyng to London entred that Citie also and findyng the other brother within a Churche there slewe hym in lyke maner as he had done the other And so hauing dispatched his aduersaries he thoughte to haue purchased to himselfe safetie but shortly after Aurelius Conanus his own kinsman one Aurelius Conanus arreared warre agaynst him who ioyning with him in battaile Constantine slayne slew him in the field after he had reigned foure yeares His body was conueyed to Stonehenge and there duryed besyde his auncestour Vter Pendragon Of this Constantine that seemeth to be ment whiche Gildas writeth in his booke entitled De excidio Brytannia Gildas where inueying agaynste the rulers of the Brytons in his tyme hee writeth thus Britayn hath kings but the same be tyrants Iudges it hath but they be wicked oftentymes pilling and harmyng the innocent people reuenging and defending but whome suche as bee giltie persons and robbers Hauing many wyues but yet breakyng wedlocke Oftentymes swearyng and yet forswearing
deade one Iohn a man of great holinesse was admitted Bishop and after that Bishop Wilfride was restored after he had remayned a long time in exile The sayde Iohn was remoued to the Church of Yorke Iohn Archbyshop of York the same beeing then voyde by the death of the Archbyshoppe Bosa At length the foresayd Iohn aweried with the cares-of publyke affayres resigned his Sea and got him vnto Beuerley He resigneth his See 721 where hee lyued a solitarie lyfe for the space of foure yeares and then dyed about the yeare of our Lorde .721 King Osrike as then reigning in Northumberlande Hee continued Byshoppe for the space of .xxiiij. yeares and buylded a Churche and founded a Colledge of Priests at Beuerley aforesayde in which church he lyeth buried The same yeare or in the yeare after that king Ecgfride was slaine Lother king of Kent departed this life 686. hath Mat West Lother king of Kent dyeth of a wounde the .viij. Ides of Februarie of a wounde by hym receiued in a battaile whiche he fought agaynst the South Saxons the which came in ayde of Edricke that was sonne vnto his brother Ecgbert and had mainteyned warre agaynst his vncle the sayde Lother euen from the begynning of his raigne till finally he was nowe in the sayd battaile striken through the bodie with a dart and so died thereof after he had raigned .xj. yeares and .vij. Monethes It was thought that hee was disquieted with continuall warres and troubles and finally brought to his end before the natural course of his time for a punâ—…shment of his wicked consent giuen to the putting to death of his cousins Ethelbert and Ethilbrit as appeared in that when they were reported to be Martyrs bycause it was knowne they dyed innocently VVil. Malm. hee mocked them and made but a ieast at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him therof Capgâ—â—â— their 〈◊〉 and gaue as it were in recompence to theyr mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the buylding of a Monasterie Then Ceadwalla king of the West Saxons being thereof aduertised supposing the time now to bee come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentish men all the displeasure he coulde entred with an armie into their Countrey and beganne to wast and spoyle the same on eche side till finally the Kentishmen assembling themselues togither gaue battaile to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was dryuen from hys companie and constrayned to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued hym sette fyre thereon and burned both the house and Mollo within it to Ashes Mollo 〈◊〉 to king Ceadwalla 〈◊〉 death Yet dyd not Ceadwalla herewith depart oute of the Countrey but to wreake his wrathe and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother hee wasted and destroyed a greate parte of Kent ere hee returned home and left as it were an occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell as after shall appeare The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuerse had coueted the place and sought to ataine therto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for y e space of sixe yeares togither at length in the .vij. yeare after the death of Edrick â—…ictred is â—…ade king of â—…ent Withred an other of the sonnes of king Ecgbert hauing with diligente trauaile ouercome enuie at home and with money redeemed peace abrode was with great hope conceyued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the .xj. of Nouember .205 after the death of Hengest and raigned .xxxiij. yeares not deceyuing his subiectes of their good conceyued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie cyuill warre agaynst him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the West Saxons whiche ment to haue made him warre till with money he was made his friend A little before that Withred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent Hen. Hunt Beda li. 5. ca. 8 Webhard and Nitred kings â—…y vsurpation â—…nd not by â—â—ccession as H. Hunt wriâ—…eth there raigned two kings in that countrey Suebhard or Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia geÌ„tis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the Archbishop Theodorus being of the age of .88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lorde .690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare .692 the first day of Iuly one Brightwalde was chosen to succeede in the Archbishops sea of Canterburie Wictredus and Suebhardus as then raigning in Kent but whether Wicttedus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nitred it forceth not for certain it is by the agreement of writers that till Wictred obteyned the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernment and diuerse there were that sought and fought for it Brightwald the first Archbishop of the English nation But this ought to be noted y t the forenamed Brightwalde was the eight Archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sea of Canterburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were straungers borne and sent hither from Rome Inas king of VVest Saxons Bycause that now the rule of the Brytaines commonly called Welchmen The Brytaynes ceasse to raign in this lande ceassed in thys Realme as by confession of their awne wryters it appeareth and that in the ende the whole Monarchie of the same Realme came to y e hands of y e kings of West Saxons we haue thought meete to referre things general vnto y e raignes of y e same kings as before wee did in the Brytaine Kings reseruing the particuler doings to the kings of the other Prouinces or kingdomes as the same haue fallen out and shall come to hande This Inas which some mistaking theâ—… for an u do wrongfully name Iue or Iewe Fabian Henric. HuÌ„t proued a right excellent Prince hee was discended of the auncient lynage of the kings of the West Saxons as sonne to one Kenred that was sonne to Ceolwald the sonne of Cutha or Cutwyne that was sonne to Kenrick the sonne of Certicus â–ª the first king of West Saxons But he was aâ—â—itted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to rest in his worthie person than for the successiue ofspring of which he was descended The first voyage that â—…e made was agaynst the Kentishmen on whom 〈◊〉 purposed to reuenge the death of his cosin Mollâ—… the griefe where of as yet he kept in fresh memoriâ—… Mat. VVest VVil. Malm. But when the Kentish men perceiued that to resist him by force they were nothing able they attempted by money to buy theyr peace and so obteined their purpose vppon payment made to him of .xxx. M. markes of siluer
West Saxons By his diligence that Abbay was greatly aduaunced The Abbey of â—…almesburie beeing afore that tyme founded by one Medulfe a Scottish man but of so small reuenues afore Aldhelmes tyme that the Monkes were vneth able to lyue thereon Also the same Aldhelme was a greate furtherer vnto king Inas in the buylding of Glastenburie Ethelard In the first yeare of Ethelardes raigne hee was disquieted with ciuill warre which one Oswalde a Noble manne discended of the royall bloud of the West Saxon Kings procured agaynst him but in the ende when he perceyued that the kings power was too strong for him hee fledde oute of the Countrey leauing it thereby in rest In the yeare .729 in the Moneth of Ianuarie there appeared two Comets or blasing Starres Mat. VVest 729 Blasing starres right terrible to beholde the one rising in the morning before the rising of the Sunne the other after the setting thereof so that the one came before the breake of the day and the other before the closing of the night stretching forth theyr â—…erie brandes towardes the North and they appeared thâ—…s euerie morning and 〈◊〉 the space of a fourtnight togither â—…enacing 〈◊〉 it were some great destruction or common mishap to follow The Saâ—…aâ—…ins shortly after entred Fraunce and were ouerthrowne Finally when king Ethelard had raigned the tearme of fourtene yeares â—…urrent hee departed this life In the yeare of our Lorde .731 731 Beâ—â—walde Archbyshoppe of Canterburie departed this lyfe the fifth Ides of Ianuarie after he had gouerned that Sea by the space of .xxxvij. yeares .vj. Monethes and fourteene dayes in whose place the same yeare one Tacâ—…ine was ordeyned Archebyshoppe that before was a Priest in the Monasterie of Bruydon wythin the Prouince of Mercia Bishops what prouinces they gouerned Hee was consecrated in the Citie of Canterburie by the reuerende Fathers Daniell Byshoppe of Wynchester Ingwalde Byshoppe of London Aldwine Byshop of Lichefielde and Aldwulfe Bishop of Rochester the .x. day of Iune being Sunday And thus in that season the Prouince of Canterburie was gouerned touching the Ecclesiasticall state by the Archbyshoppe Tacwine and Byshoppe Aldvulfe â–ª 〈◊〉 Prouince of the East Saxons by Bishop Ingwald the prouince of East Angles by Bishop Eadbertus and Hadulacus the one keeping his Sea at Elsham and the other at Dunwich The Prouince of the West Saxons was gouerned by the foresayd Daniel and by Forthere which succeeded next after Aldhelme in the Sea of Shereburne This Forthere in the yeare of our Lorde .738 left his Bishoprike Mat. VVest and went to Rome in companie of the Queene of the West Saxons Many as well Kings as Bishops noble and vnnoble Priestes and laymen togither with women vsed to make such iourneyes thither in those dayes The Prouince of Mercia was ruled by the foresayde Aldwine Byshop of Lichfielde and one Bishop Walstod holding hys Sea at Herforde gouerned those people that inhabited beyond the riuer of Seuerne toward the West The Prouince of the Wiccies that is to meane of Worcester one Wilfride gouerned The South Saxons and the I le of Wight were vnder the Bishop of Winchester In the Prouince of the Northumbers were foure Bishops that is to say Wilfride Archbyshop of Yorke Edilwalde Bishop of Lindisferne Acca Bishop of Hexham and Pecthelmus Byshoppe of Whiterne otherwise called Candida Casa hee was the fyrst that gouerned that Church after the same was made a Bishops Sea And thus stood the state of the Englishe Churche for Ecclesiasticall gouernours in that season Ethelbald K. of Mercia of what puâ—â—â—ance he was And as touching temporall gouernment king Ceolvulf had the soueraigne Dominion ouer all the Northumbers but all the Prouinces on the south side of Humber with theyr kings and rulers were subiect vnto Edilbalde or Ethelbald king of Mercia The nation of the Picts were in league with the English men and gladly became partaker of the Catholike peace and veritie of the vniuersall Church Those Scots which inhabited Brytaine contenting themselues with theyr owne boundes went not about to practise any deceytfull traynes nor fraudulent deuises agaynst the Englishmen The Brytaynes otherwise called Welchmen though for the more part of a peculiar hatred they did impugne the English Nation and the obseruaunce of the feast of Easter appoynted by the whole Catholike Churche yet both deuine and humaine force vtterly resisting them they were not able in neyther behalfe to atteyne to theyr wyshed intentions as they whiche though they were partly free yet in some poynt remayned styll as thrall and mancipate to the subiection of the English men whiche Englishe men sayth Bede now in acceptable peace and quietnesse of time manye amongest them of Northumberlande laying armour and weapon asideâ—… applie themselues to the reading of holy Scriptures more desyrous to be professed in Religious houses then to exercise feares of warre but what wyll come thereof sayth he the age that followeth shall see and beholde With these wordes doth Bede ende his Hystorie continued tyll the yeare of our Lorde .731 whiche was from the comming of the Englishe men into thys lande aboute â—…85 yeares according to his accounte In the yeare following that is to wit 7â—…2 7â—…2 in place of Wilfride the seconde Egbert was ordeyned Bishop of Yorke This Egbert was brother vnto an other Egbert VVil. 〈◊〉 the which as then was King of Northumberlande by whose helpe hee greatly aduaunced the Sea of Yorke and recouered the Pall so that where all the other Bishoppes that helde the same Sea before him sithe Paulines dayes wanted the Pall and so were accounted simply but particuler Bishoppes nowe was hee entituled by the name of Archbishop He also gotte togyther a great number of good bookes which he bestowed in a librarie at Yorke In the yeare .733 on the .xviij. 733 Kalendes of September the Sunne suffered a great Eclipse aboute three of the Clocke in the after Noone in so muche that the Earth seemed to bee couered wyth a blacke and horrible Pentise In the yeare .735 that reuerende and profounde learned manne Beda departed this lyfe 735 Beda departed this life beeing .lxxij. yeares of age vpon Ascention day which was the .vij. Kalendes of Iune and .xxvj. of May as Mat. West hath diligently obserued Harison addeth hereto that it is to bee read in an olde Epystle of Cutbert Monke of the same house vnto Cuthwyne that the sayd Beda lying in hys death bed translated the Gospell of Saint Iohn into Englishe and commaunded his brethren to bee diligent in the reading and contemplation of the bookes and not to exercise themselues wyth fables and friuolous matters Finally he was buryed in the Albey of Eâ—â—uie distaunt fiue myles from Wyremouth are Abbay also in the North partes not farre from Newcastell as is before remembred Hee was brought vp in those two Abbays and was scholer to Iohn of Beuerlay Howe throughly hee was seene in all kyndes of good
the feast of Saincte Andrewe nexte ensuyng the late mencioned agreement Fabian And this shoulde seeme true for wheras these Authours whiche reporte Ran. Higd. that Earle Edryke was the procurer of his death they also write that when he knewe the acte to be done hee hasted vnto Cnute H. Hunt and declared vnto hym what he had brought to passe for his aduauncement to the gouernement of the whole realme Whervppon Cnute abhorryng suche a detestable facte sayde vnto hym Bycause thou haste for my sake made awaye the worthyest bodye of the world I shall rayse thy head aboue all the Lordes of Englande and so caused him to be put to death Thus haue some bookes Howbeit this reporte agreeth not with other writers whiche declare howe Cnute aduaunced Edryke in the beginning of his reigne vnto high honour and made hym gouernour of Mercia Some thinke that he vvas Dâ—…e of Mercia before and novv had Essex adioyned therto and vsed his counsell in manye things after the death of king Edmund as in banishing Edwin the brother of kyng Edmunde with his sonnes also Edmunde and Edward His body was buryed at Glastenbury neere his vncle king Edgar With thys Edmunde surnamed Ironsyde fell the glorious Maiestie of the English kingdome The whiche afterwarde as it had beene an aged bodye beyng sore decayed and weakened by the Danes that nowe got possession of the whole yet somewhat recouered after the space of .xxvj. yeres vnder kyng Edward surnamed the Confessor and shortely thervpon as it had bin falne into a resiluation came to extreme ruine by the inuasion and conquest of the Normans as after by gods good helpe and fauorable assistance it shall appeare Canute or Cnute Canute shortely after the death of king Edmunde assembled a Councell at London in the whiche he caused all the nobles of the realme to do vnto him homage in receiuing an othe of loyall obeysance Hee deuided the realme into foure parts assigning Northumberlande vnto the rule of Irke or Iricius Mercia vnto Edrike Eastangle vnto Turkyl reseruing the west part to his own gouernance He banished as before is sayd Edwyn the brother of king Edmunde but such as was suspected to bee culpable of Edmundes death he caused to be put to execution wherof it should appeare that Edrick was not then in any wyse detected or once thought to bee giltie VV. Malm. The foresayd Edwyn afterwards returned and was then reconciled to the Kings fauour as some do write and was shortly after trayterously slaine by his owne seruants Ran. Higd. He was called the king of Churles King of Churles VVil. Mal. Other write that he came secretely into the realme after he had bin banished and keeping himselfe closely out of sighte at length ended his lyfe and was buried at Tauestocke Moreouer Edwyn and Edwarde the sonnes of king Edmund were banished the lande and sent first vnto Sweno king of Norway to haue bin made awaye Ran. Higd. but Sweno vppon remorse of conscience sent them into Hungarie where they founde great fauour at the handes of king Salomon in so muche that Edmunde married the daughter of the same Salomon but had no issue by hir Edward was aduaunced to marry with Agatha the daughter of the Emperour Henrye and by hir had issue two sonnes Edmunde and Edgar surnamed Adelyng as many daughters Margarete and Christine of the whiche in place conuenient more shall be sayd When Kyng Cnute hadde established thynges as hee thoughte stoode moste to his suretie he called to remembrance that he had no issue but two bastarde sonnes Harrolde and Sweno Polidore K. Cnute marieth Queene Emme the vvidovv of Egelred in Iuly anno 1017. begotten of his concubine Alwyne Wherfore he sent ouer vnto Richarde Duke of Normandie requiring that he mighte haue Queene Emme the widow of king Egelred in mariage so obteyned hir not a little to the wonder of manye which thought a great ouersight both in the woman and in hir brother that woulde satisfye the requeste of Cnute herein considering hee hadde bin such a mortall enimie to hir former husbauÌ„d But Duke Richarde did not only consent Polidore that hys sayd sister should be maryed vnto Cnute but also he hymselfe tooke to wyfe the Lady Hestâ—â—tha syster to the sayd Cnute Heere ye haue to vnderstande that this mariage was not made without greate consideration and large couenants granted on the part of king Cnute for before he could obtain queene Emme to his wife it was fully condiscended and agreed that after Cnutes deceasse the crowne of Englande should remaine vnto the issue borne of this mariage betwixte hir and Cnute The couenant made at the mariage betvvixt Cnute and Emme whiche couenant although it was not perfourmed immediatly after the deceasse of kyng Cnute yet in the ende it tooke place so as the right seemed to bee deferred and not to be taken awaye nor abolished for immediatly vpon Haroldes death that had vsurped Hardicnute succeeded as right heire to the crown by force of the agreement made at the tyme of the mariage solemnised betwixt his father and mother and being once established in the Kingdome hee ordeyned his brother Edwarde to succede hym whereby the Danes were vtterly excluded from all ryghte that they hadde to pretende vnto the Crowne of this land and the Englishe bloud restored thereto The Englishe bloud restored The praise of Quene Emme for hir vvisedome chiefly by that gracious conclusion of this mariage betwixt king Cnute and Queene Emme for the which no small prayse was thoughte to bee due vnto the sayd Queene sith by hir politike gouernement in making hir matche so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir lyne the Crowne was thus recouered out of the handes of the Danes and restored againe in time to the right heire as by an auncient treatise whiche some haue intitled Encomium Emmae Encomium Emmae and was written in those dayes it doth and may appere Whiche booke although there bee but fewe Copies thereof abroade gyueth vndoubtedly greate light to the historie of that tyme. But nowe to our purpose Cnute the same yeare in whiche he was thus maryed Mat. VVest thorought perswasion of his wyfe Queene Emme sent away the Danishe nauie armie home into Denmark giuing to them fourscore and two thousande poundes of siluer whiche was leuied thoroughout this lande for their wages In the yeare a thousande and eighteene VVil. Mal. Edrycke de Streona Erle of Mercia was ouerthrowen in his owne turne for being called afore the King into his priuie chamber and there in reasoning the matter about some quarell that was piked to him hee beganne very presumptuously to vpbrayde the king of suche pleasures as he had before tyme done vnto him I did sayde he for the loue which I bare towardes you forsake my soueraigne Lorde king Edmunde and at length for your sake slewe him At whiche wordes Cnute beganne to change
and made warre agaynst the King there who yet in the ende by practise founde meanes to slea the foresayde Guyon and his sonne Gourin so that Rou or Rollo hauing thus lost his father and brother was compelled to forsake the countrey with all those that had holpe his father to make warre agaynst the king And thus dryuen to seeke aduentures at length he became a Christian and was created Duke of Normandie by gift of Charles King of Fraunce surnamed Le Simple whose daughter the Ladie Gilla hee also maried but shee departing this life withoute issue hee maryed Popce daughter to the Earle of Bessin and Bayculx whome hee had kept as his wyfe before hee was baptised and had had by hir a sonne named VVilliam Longue espee and a daughter named Gerlota William Long espee or Longa Spâ—…ta had to wife the Ladie Sporta daughter to Hubert Earle of Senlis by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normandy who maryed the Ladie Agnes the daughter of Hugh le Grande Earle of Paris of whome no issue proceeded but after hir deceasse he maryed to his seconde wife a Gentle woman named Gonnor daughter to a knight of the Danishe line by whoÌ„ hee had three sonnes Ye must note that there was one Richarde duke of Normandie before Rollo Richarde that was after Duke of Normandie the third of that name Robert Mauger He had also by hir three daughters Agnes otherwise called Emme maried first to Egelred king of Englande and after to King Cnute Helloye otherwise Alix bestowed vpon Geffrey Earle of Britaigne and Mawde cowpled in mariage with Euldes Earle of Charters and Blais Richard the thirde of that name maried Iudith sister to Geoffray Earle of Brytaigne by whome he had issue three sonnes Richarde Robert and William and as manye daughters Alix maried to Reignault Earle of Burgoyne Alienor maried to Baldwin Earle of Flaunders and the thirde dyed yong beeing affianced to Alfonse King of Nauarre Their mother deceased after she had beene maried tenne yeares and then Duke Richard maried secondly the Ladie Estric sister to Cnute king of Englande and Denmarke from whome hee purchased to be deuorced and then maried a Gentlewoman called Pauie by whom he had issue two sonnes William Earle of Arques and Mauger Archbishop of Rouen Richarde the fourth of that name Duke of Normandie eldest sonne to Richarde the thirde dyed withoute issue and then his brother Robert succeeded in the estate whiche Robert begatte vppon Arlete or Harleuina daughter to a Burgesse of Felais William surnamed the bastard afterwardes Duke of Normandie and by conquest king of England Hitherto haue we continued the Hystorie of this land wherein may appeare the variable chaunges of states by course of times and especially foure notable Conquests as first by the Romans secondly by Saxons thirdly by the Danes and now lastly by the Normans in euerie of which alterations of the state what is chiefly to be considered bycause wee haue partly touched the same in the Proheme we here omit to make any further discourse and so proceede to the second Booke as followeth 1577. THE Historie of Scotlande conteyning the beginning increase proceedings continuance Actes and Gouernemente of the Scottish nation from the originall thereof vnto the yeare 1571. Gathered and written in the English tongue by R. H. AT LONDON ¶ Jmprinted for Iohn Hunne God saue the Queene ¶ The Authours out of whome this Historie of Scotlande hath bene gathered Hector Boece Iohannes Ferrarius Pedemontanus Iohannes Maior Iohannes Fourdon Rogerus Houeden Richardus Southvvell VVilhelmus Paruus siue NeoburgeÌ„sis Albertus Crantz Aeneas Siluius Edward Hall Richard Grafton Iohn Stovv And others ⧠TO THE RIGHT Honorable the Lorde Robert Dudley Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbigh Knight of the most noble order of the Garter Maister of the Queenes Maiesties Horse and one of hir highnesse priuy Counsell IT may seeme right honorable a gret presumptioÌ„ in me to haue taken in hand the collection of this Scottish history and other of diuers regioÌ„s considering so many sufficient men as liue in these dayes far more able to performe the same But where at the motion of a special frend I vndertooke to deale therin Reginald VVolfe more vpoÌ„ trust of his promised ayde than of mine owne abilitie it pleased God to cal him to his mercy before the worke could be fully brought to end but yet to answere the expectatioÌ„ of his frends and trust which he had coÌ„mitted to theÌ„ and me in this behalf I haue done my good will to accoÌ„plish part of that which in his life time was intended although not to my wished desire by reason of such wantes as had bene supplied if he had liued to haue seene it published himself It resteth right noble Earle that it may please your Honor to accept my doinges in good parte to whom I offer this parcell of my trauayles in this Historie of Scotlande in regarde of the honour due to your noble Father for his incomparable valure well knowen and approued aswel within that realme as els where in seruice of two Kings of most famous memory Henry the .viij. and Edward the sixte sounding so greatly to his renowme as the same can not passe in silence whilest