some wryters Siluius the brother of Gurgustius as affermeth the foresayde olde cronycle was made chyef ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .v. hundred and .xxi. This in y e englyshe boke is named Seyzill Of the whych is no mencyon made nother of his reygne nor dedes excepte that Geffrey of Monmouth wryter of y e hystoryes of Brytons sayth that he reygned two yeres whyche sayenge is not accordaunte wyth other wryters But more to the coÌ„uenyency of tyme and agrement of other cronyclers accordyng to the sayeng of the forenamed old authour he reygned by y e terme of .xlix. yeres and after dyed was buryed at Caerbadon or Bathe and lefte after hym none heyre of his bodye begotten THE XXII CHAPITER IAgo or Lago y e cosyne of Gurgustius as wytnesseth Gaufryde as nexte inherytoure was made gouernour of Britayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .v. hundred .lxx. This also ys vnmynded of wryters other for restfulnesse of tyme or ellys for rudenesse of his dedes that clerkes lyste not to speÌ„de any tyme in wrytynge of such dedes Of hym is nothynge specyfyed sauynge the forenamed olde authoure ioyneth to his tyme of reygne .xxv. yeres and also he sayth he dyed wythoute issue and was buryed by hys cosyn at Caerbrank or yorke THE XXIII CHAPITER BInimacus the sonne of Sisilliê° as some wryters haue but more verytably as sayth the olde cronycle y e brother of Lago was made ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the world .iiii. thousand .iiii. huÌ„dred .lxxx and xv the whyche as his brother before hym passed his tyme without any notable actes or dedes so that of hym is no more memorye made theÌ„ of his brother For the more party they that wrote the faytes dedes of Brytons make but a shorte rehersayll of these .v. kynges y t is to saye from Ryuallo to Gorbodug sayeng that after Ryuallo succedyd Gurgustius after hym succedyd Lago to Lago succedyd Kinimacus after Kinimacus succeded Gorbodug Of these .v. kynges or rulers is made lytell other mencyon Thenne yt foloweth in the sayd olde cronicle that when this Kinimacus had reygned liiii yeres he dyed and was buryed by his brother at CaerbraÌ„k or york leuynge after hym a sonne as testyfyeth Flos historiaruÌ„ whych sonne was named Gorbodug THE XXIIII CHAPITER GOrbodug the sonne of Kinimacê° was made ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde folowynge the foresayde accompt .iiii. thousande .v. hundred and .xlix. whych all so passed his tyme lyke vnto the forenamed dukes or kynges wythout any specyall memory of honour noted by writers This by most lykelyhode to brynge historyes to accorde shulde reygne ouer the Brytons the terme of .lxiii. yeres whych terme endyd he dyed and lyeth buryed at new Troy or LoÌ„don leuyng after hym two sonnes named Ferrex and Porrex or after some wryters Ferreus and Porreus THE XXV CHAPITER FErrex wyth Porrex hys brother sonnes of Gorbodug were ioyntly made gouernours and dukes of Britayne in the yere of the worlde foure thousande .vii. hundred and .xi and contynued in amytye a certayne tyme. After whyche tyme expyred as witnessyth Policronica and also Gaufride Porrex beynge couetouse of lordeshyp gaderyd his peple vnwetynge Ferrex his brother entendynge to destroy hym wherof he beynge warned for lacke of space to assemble his people for sauegard of his persone fled sodeynly into Gallia or FrauÌ„ce and axyd ayd of a duke of Gallia named by Gaufryde Gunhardus or Suardus the the whych duke hym ayded and sent hym agayne into Brytayne with his hoste of Gallis After whose laÌ„dynge his brother Porrex with his BrytoÌ„s hym mete and gaue to hym batayll in the whyche batayll Ferrex was slayne with y e more part of his peple But here dyscordeth myn authour wyth some other wryters and wyth the cronycle of Englande for they testyfye that Porrex was slayne and Ferrex suruyuyd But whether of them was lyuyng the moder of these two brethern named widen settynge a parte all moderly pytye with help of her women entred the chambre of hym so lyuynge by nyght and hym there slepynge slew cruelly and cut into small peces And thus dyed the two foresayde bretherne after they had thus ruled Brytayne in warre and peace to the agrement of moste wryters .v. yeres THE XXVI CHAPITER HEre now endeth the lyne or of sprynge of Brute after the affermaunce of moste wryters For Gaufride saith after the deth of these forenamed bretherne great discorde arose amonge the Brytons y â— which longe tyme among them continued by meane wherof the people and couÌ„tre was sore vexed and noyed vnder v. kynges And further saith Guydo de Columna that the Brytons abhorred the lynage of Gorbodug for so myche as fyrste that one brother slew that other and more for the innaturall dysposycyon of the morder that so cruelly slew her owne chylde The cronycle of Englande sayth that after the deth of the two forenamed bretherne no ryghtfull enherytour was lefte on lyue wherfore the the people were brought in great discorde in so myche that the land was deuydyd in foure partyes So that in Albania was one ruler in Loegria or Logiers one other ruler in Cambria the thyrde duke or ruler in Cornewayle the .iiii. duke or ruler But of these .iiii. dukes the english cronicle alloweth ClotonÌ„ duke of Cornewayll for moste ryghtefull heyre Policronyca sayth that after y e deth of the foresayde two bretherne great dyscorde was in the lande whyche greuyd the people sore vnder .v. kynges But he nother reheseth the names nor the tymes of theyr regnes excepte he addeth to that the sayde dyscorde contynued tyll the tyme of Moliuncius Dumuallo So y t here appereth no tyme certayn how loÌ„ge this varyaunce and dyscorde amoÌ„g the Brytons contynued But who so lyst to loke vpon a draught made by me in english in y e beginnyng of this boke he shall se there yf he please to caste ouer the tymes and yeres there expressed that this forsayde discorde contynued nere to the terme of .li. yeres In whyche draught or conceyte yf any man here fynde erroure of his goodnes lette hym amende correcte yt and all other places where he shall by good profe fynde place of correccyon THE XXVII CHAPITER THus here endyth y e fyrst parte of this worke conteynynge or dyuyded in .vii. partes as before is shewed And in a waye of a thank to be gyuen to our moste blessyd aduocate helper of all wretches that to her lyste to call I meane y e moste blessyd vyrgyne our lady saynt Mary moder of Cryste for y t her grace hath fortheryd this worke hytherto and for to impetrate of her the grace and ayde of her moste mercyfull contynuauÌ„ce to accomplysh this worke begonne as before is shewed vnder supporte of her most bouÌ„teous grace here wyll I wyth humble mynde salute her wyth the fyrste ioye of y e .vii. ioyes whych begynneth Gaude flore virginali c.
is named Corynbratus or Corynbatus The whych for so myche as the trybute before grauÌ„ted by Guilthdak kyng of DeÌ„mark vnto the kynges of Brytayne for a perpetuyty was denayed he arrayed his army and nauye and sayled into Denmarke and there wasted and harmed the countre wyth iron and fyre in such wyse that at length the kynge of Denmarke wyth the assent of his Baronage graunted to paye and contynue the foresayde tribute yerely of a thousande pouÌ„de After whyche vyctorye thus hadde of the Danys he wyth great tryumphe retourned towarde Britayn And in kepynge of hys course he encountred wyth a nauye of .xxx. sayle besyde the yle of Orchades full of men and women of whyche flote the chyefe captayne was called after moste wryters Bartholomew The whyche when he was brought vnto the kynges presence shewyd that he wyth his people were putte or exyled out of the countre of Spayne and were named Balenses and had sayled longe tyme vppon the see to the ende to fynde some prynce that wold gyue to them a dwellynge place and they to become his subiectys holde theyr lande of hym besechynge the kynge to haue compassyon of them and to graunt to them some place to enhabyte them in that they shulde no lenger dwell in theyr shyppes coÌ„syderyng theyr vytayle was spent by reason of theyr long lyeng vpon y e see After whych request thus made by theyr captayne the kyng with the aduyse of his barons graunted vnto them a voyde and waste countre whyche was and is the farthest ile of all the iles towarde the weste the whych yle as sayth the Englyshe cronycle was then named Irelande after the name of theyr captayn called in the Englyshe cronycle Irlamal But who so wyll knowe the fyrste cause of the namynge of this yle Irlande lette hym rede the .xxxii. and xxxiii chapytres of the fyrste boke of Policronica and there he shall fynd y e more certaynly of y e fyrst namynge therof with many other thynges touchynge y e sayd yle the whych I ouerpasse for length of y e mater For there he shall be suffyciently enfourmed of that and also of other thynges Then yt foloweth in the story after this Gurguintus was retourned into his lande of Britayne he ordeyned to be stablyshed kepte y e lawes made by his forefaders exersysyd iustyce to his subiectes and guyded his lande well and nobly by the terme after moste wryters of .xix. yeres and then dyed and was buryed at newe Troye or London or at Caerleon leuynge after hym a sonne named after myne authoure Guynthelinus but after some he is named Guyntellius THE XXXIII CHAPITER GUinthelinê° or Guintellius y e sonne of Gurguintus was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of the world .iiii. thousande .viii. hundred and .liii. This is named in the englyshe cronycle Gwentolyne the whyche guyded his lande and Brytons with great mekenesse and sobernesse He hadde also a noble wyfe called Marcia instructe and lerned in many scyeÌ„ces the whych amonge other noble dedys by her done studyed and broughte forth a certayne good and conuenyent lawe amonge the Brytons the whyche was named longe after the Marcyan lawe This lawe for that yt was thought both good and necessary Aluredus whyche longe after was kynge of Englande translated oute of Bretyshe into Saxon speche and then was yt called after that translacyon in the Saxon tonge Marthehelage whych is to meane the lawe of Marcia To this womaÌ„ for her wysdome was committed all the gouernaunce of the lande in so myche as wytnessyth myne authoure Gaufryde and other she reygned as quene of Brytayne a certayne tyme after her husbande was dede But the yeres of her reygne be accompted with the yeres of her husbande or wyth the yeres of her sonne Sisillius so that no tyme asserteyned is to her deputed or sette Then yt foloweth wheÌ„ this Guinhelinus hadde reygned well and mekely by the terme of .xxvi. yeres he dyed and was buryed at newe Troy or London leuyng after hym a son named Sisillius or Cecilius THE XXXIIII CHAPITER SIsillius or Ceciliê° the sonne of Guynthelinus was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of the world .iiii. thousande .viii. hundred lxxix This in the Englysh cronycle is named Seyzyl Of whych no mencion nor worthy memory is made Al be yt that Gaufryde meaneth y t this Sisillius was but .vii. yeres of age when his father dyed wherfore the charge of the realme was committed vnto Marcia his moder the which guyded yt well and suffycyently tyll her sayde sonne came to his lawfull age and then resygnyd to hym all y e rule whyche so contynued but how longe he reygned Gaufryde expressyth not wherfore I now folowe the sayenge of the forenamed authoure called the Floure of historyes which affermeth hym to reygne onely .vii. yeres all be yt the Englyshe boke sayeth he reygned .xv. yeres whyche agreeth not so well wyth the concordaunce of other historyes tymes This Sisillius as Gaufryde wytnessyth left after him a sonne named Kymarus whome the englysh boke nameth Kymor THE XXXV CHAPITER RImarus the sonne of Sisillius was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .viii. hundred .lxxx. vi This in the englyshe boke is called Kymor of y t whych is made no mencyon nother of hys tyme of reygne nor of his dedes For the more partye of wryters reherse in moste breuest shorteste maner y t after Kimarê° reygned Elaniê° After Elaniê° Morindus But y e old cronycle whych I haue before tyme spoken of sayth that this Kymarus which he nameth Kymarchê° Elaniê° â–ª was a wylde yonge man and lyued after hys pleasure wherfore as he was in his dysporte of huntynge he was by his euyll willers slayne wheÌ„ he hadde ruled skarsly .iii. yeres THE XXXVI CHAPITER ELanius the sonne of Kymarê° as wytnessyth the foresayde Floure of cronycles but the broder of Kimarus as sayth Gaufride was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde foure thousand .viii. hundred .lxxx. and .ix. the whyche in the englyshe boke is named Howan Of this also is no meÌ„cyon made nor memory nother of acte nor of reygn but as the forenamed olde cronycle sayth that Kymarus and Elanius was one persone and reygned as before is sayde but the abouesayd writer called Floure of hystoryes sayth he reygned fully two yeres THE XXXVII CHAPITER MOrindus the bastarde sonne of Elanius as sayth Gaufryde and other was made kynge of Brytayne in y e yere of y e world foure thousande .viii. hundred .lxxx. and .xi. the whych in the englyshe cronicle is called Morwith This as witnesseth Gaufryde was goten vppon the concubyne of Elanius named Tanguestela and was a man of worthy fame in dedys of chyualry but he was so ouercome with wrath cruelnesse y t lyghtly he slew all men that hym tened or angred He was also beauteouse of persone and lyberall of gyftes and wyth that he was of a
in hys .xx. yere reygned after .xv. yeres they haue accoūted the .xv. yere whyche he reygned as crysten kynge and haue lette passe the other .xx. yere And so is it to be thought that the forsayd auctour Peter pictauiens dyd whych reason beynge alowed the sayde table maye agre wyth the sayd Peter wythoute any greate dyfference whyche testyfyeth y e sayd Lucius to reygne .lxxvii yere as kynge After whose deth in so moche that he dyed wythout any lawfull heyre a great contēcion sprange amonge the Brytons that endured by .xv. yeres as shall apere by the sequel Trouth it is after all histories that Seuerus a Romayne succeded Lucius in Brytayne But because y e tyme is nat certaynly sette whan the sayd Seuerus subdued the Brytōs therfore it is to noted that whanne it was shewed to the Romaynes of the sedicion and discorde of the Brytōs of the sleyng of the Romayns than beyng in Brytayn the senate sentte thyder the forsayd Seuerus wyth .ii legions of men whych bare thē selfe so manfully that in shorte whyle he compelled the Brytons to obey to the senate whyche Policronicon affermeth to be about the yere of our lord C.xcv. In whyche yere as hath Iacobus Philippus the sayde Seuerus began to raygne ouer the Romayns But that dysagreeth from other Cronycles For Eutropius Matheolus the forsayde Iacobus Philippus sayth that whan the sayde Seuerus had subdued the Arabyes Parthys and Gallys after many battayls he came into Brytayn where he beynge troubled wyth dyuers chaunces at laste died in y e towne of yorke where by it is to be supposed that in y e ende of hys reygn he came hether about the .xii. yere of hys reygne ouer the Romayns which was the yere of our lorde .ii. C.vii. and that after he reygned ouer the Brytons .v. yere wherefore it euydētly apereth that the forsayd dyscord dured .xv. yeres whych tyme Brytayne was wythoute a kynge Thus endeth the thyrde parte which conteyneth CC.lvi yeres SEuerus emperour of Rome as before is shewed in the .xii. yere of hys empyre and yere of oure lord .ii. C. .vii beganne hys reygne ouer the Brytōs and yere of y e world and reygned as kynge yeres .v. The fyrst persecucyon of the chrysten men was vnder this Seuerus about the yere of our lord .ii. C.x ca. lxi fo xxii Bassianus the sonn̄ of Seuerus began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. C.xii the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .vi. ca. lxii folio xxii Carassius a yonge and lusty Brytayne of vnknowē blode by meanes as in hys story sheweth began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. C. and .xviii. and yere of the worlde ruled yeres .viii. ca. lxiii fo xxiii Here agayn authours forget y e yeres of the kynges folowyng Of whyche I nat greatly maruyll For in thys tyme muche discencyon was among the Romayne prynces also amonge the Brytons cyuyll warre ceased nat For they were so styrred wyth dyscencyon and warre y t none coulde occupy the kyngedome any determynate tyme. For whyche cause and suche lyke authours coude nat assyne any certeyne tyme to the prynces as me semeth But that we maye come to some knowlege Policronicon sheweth that constantius y t was father to Constantine the great was sente by the senate into Brytayne about the yere of our lord .ii. C.lxxix and in the seconde yere of Probrus emperour that he shuld subdue to y e Romayns Coelus than there kyng From the whych tyme of the coming of the sayde Constantius vntyll the last yere of Bassianus accountynge bakwarde there passed .lxi. yeres In the tyme of whych yeres there reygned in thys Ilelande these .iiii. kynges that is to say Carassius Alectus Asclepiodotus and Coelus Allectus a duke or senatour of Rome began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .ii. C.xxvi of the worlde reygned yeres .vi. ca. lxiiii fo xxiii Asclepeodotus or after the Englysshe boke Asclepades began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde god CC.xxxii And the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .xxx. The syxt persecucyon of crysten men was about the yere of our lorde CC.xxxviii vnder Maximian The .vii. persecucyon was in y e yere of oure lorde CC.lv. vnder Decius In y e whych pope Fabyan was martyred The .viii. persecucion was in the yere of our lord CC.lx. vnder Ualeryan whych was the .xviii. yere of thys Asclepiodotus ca. lxv folio xxiiiii Coelus or Coyll erle of Colchester by exytyng of the Brytōs was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of oure lord CC.lxii reygned yeres .xxvii. Thys kyng after most wryters made the towne of Colchester in Essex ca. lxvi fo xxiiii Constancius a senatoure of Rome by reason of maryage knyt wyth Eleyn doughter of Coelus beganne to reygne as kyng of Brytayne in y e yere of our lord CC.lxxxix and of y e worlde and reygned yeres xxx The .ix. persecucyon of the crystēmen was vnder Aurelianus Saint Albon prothomartyr in the tyme of thys Constancius as some haue in y e x. persecucyō whych was vnder Dioclesian and Maximian was martyred ca. lxvii fo xxiiii Constancius surnamed the great sonn̄ of Constancius and of the holy Heleyne began his reygne ouer Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde .iii. C.xix and of the worlde and reygned as kyng yeres .x. ca. lxviii folio xxv Octauius duke of Iesses or Iewesses and after named westsaxōs by extorte power began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .iii. C. .xxix. and of the worlde and reygned yeres .liiii ca. lxxi fo xxvii Of thys kynge folowynge called Maximius or after some Maximianus wryters dyuersly speke so that some say he raygned few yeres But in the concordaunce of cronycles it playnly apereth that the sayd Maximis began to reygn ouer the Brytōs in the yere of our lord .iii. C.lxxxii that he was slayn of Theodosius the elder in the thyrd yere of his reygne whych began to reygne in the yere of our lord .iii. C.lxxxviii And so it appereth playnly that he reygned ix yeres Maximius or Maximianus the son̄ of Leonyne brother to Trahern̄ vncle to Helcyne began hys reygne ouer Brytayn in the yere of our lord iii. C.lxxxii and reygned yeres .ix ca. lxxii fo xxvii Saynt Ursula wyth her felowes in thys kynges tyme were martyred of Enanus and Melga Gracianus an offycer or feede knyght of Maximius began to oppresse the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .iii. C.xc and tyrannysed yeres iiii ca. lxxiiii fo xxviii The storyes agre that after that Gracian was slayne Brytayne was vexed a longe whyle wyth oftē dyscēsions cyuyll warre But how longe thys dyscord dyd last authours trete diuersly for some say it lasted .l. yere some .xl. some .xxx. Therfore to know y e certeynty it is requisite that we dylygently serche howe many yeres passed frō the
Dioclecyan kyng of Sirye as in the englyshe cronycle is affermyd For in all olde storyes or cronycles is not founde that any suche kynge of that name reygned ouer the Syriens or yet Assyriens nor yet any suche storye that his .xxx. doughters shuld slee theyr .xxx. husbandes as there is surmysed was put in writynge whyche yf eny such wonder hadde ben there wrought shulde not haue ben vnremembred of the wryters auctours of that partyes consyderynge that many lesse wonders are put in writynge by the sayde wryters wherfore it ys more apparant y t yt toke that fyrst name of Albyon as aboue is sayde then of Albyne doughter of the sayde Dioclecyon And as to the GeauÌ„tes that Brute founde in this yle at his arryuayll they myght be brought into this laÌ„de by some meane of shyppes or other wyse rather then to be borne of those women as there also is imagyned Of this yle the auctours Alpherd and Beda tell many wonders which in the fyrst boke of Policronycon are suffycieÌ„tly towched where it is sayd y t this yle is called an other worlde For as sayth Solinus the edge of the Frenche cliffe shuld be the ende of the world yf this yland ne were not Many other thynges ben there specyfyed the whyche I passe ouer Thys yle is closyd on all sydes with y e see stretcheth in length out of the sowth into the north hauynge in the sowthest syde Fraunce in the south y e land of Spayne in the north y e couÌ„tre of Norway in y e weste the couÌ„tre of Irland And hath in length from Totnesse to Catenessey .xv. myles beyonde Mychell Stowe in Cornewayle vpon .viii. hundred myles And to reken the brede from saynte Dauyds lande in walys called Menema to Douer clyffes it coÌ„teyneth after moste wryters .iii. hundred myles And yf yt be rekened from y e sayd place in walys vnto parmouthe in Norfolk not so much but lesse by .lx. myles after some wryters And Beda saith it coÌ„teineth ouer CC. miles And this I le was fyrste as aboue ys sayde named Albyon and secundaryly Britayne after Brute thyrde 〈…〉 of Anglis by coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„t of Egberte kynge of Anglys and of westsaxons all be yt that after some wryters yt was called Anglia after the name of the quene of this lande name Anglia albe it that therof is founde lytell authoryte This ile was fyrst coÌ„queryd by y e Romayns and so contynued vnto them as trybutary and vnder theyr rule as after in the ende of the story of Gracianus shall appere ouer .iiii. huÌ„dred yeres secondely by the SaxoÌ„s thyrdely by y e Danys fourthly by the Normans and was deuyded fyrst by Brute in thre partes as in the storie shall appere folowynge THE II. CHAPITER BRute of the auncyent and noble blode of Troyans dyscendyd of Eneas a Troyan and of the doughter of Pryame kynge of the Troyans whyche Eneas receyued of his sayde wyfe a sonne named Ascanius the whych was kynge of the countre of Italye nexte after hys father Eneas For so yt was that after the foresayde cytye of Troy was as before is sayde by the Grekes subuertyd Eneas whyche entendyd to haue sauyd from dethe the fayre Polixena doughter of kynge Pryam was for that dede by Agamemnon duke or chyefe leder of the Grekes exyled froÌ„ Troy the whyche accoÌ„panyed wyth a great nomber of Troyans wythin iii. yeres after his departynge from Troye landed in y e couÌ„tre of Italye And there after dyuerse conflyctys and bataylles hadde wyth Latynus then kynge of Italye he maryed by the agrement of the sayde Latinus hys doughter named Lauina Uppon y e which he gatte a sonne and named hym Syluius Posthumus of the whych after some wryters descendyd Brutus fyrste kynge of Albyon But for a more concordaunce of this worke and conuenyencye of yeres As testyfyeth Policronia Guydo de ColuÌ„na wryter of storyes other Ascanius the fyrste sonne of Eneas gotten vppon hys fyrste wyfe hadde a sonne named Siluius whyche after some wryters is named Siluius Eneas this Siluius Eneas was father to Brute Of this is dyuers opinyons whereof some are manyfestly shewed in the .xxvii. chapyter of the seconde boke of Polycronycon Then yt foloweth in y e story this Brute beyng of the age of .xv. yeres slewe his father in shotyng at a wyld beste And as some authours haue he slewe also hys moder in tyme of his byrth But for the laste dede by agrement of all wryters he was banyshed the countre and after by fortune landed wyth his conpanye in a prouynce of Grece where at y e tyme reygned a kyng named Pandrasus or after some wryters Pandarus y e whyche kynge as affermyth Geffrey of Monmouth was lynyally descendyd of the blode of Achylles In this prouynce Brute founde many Troyans as captiuys thrall to the Grekes wyth the whyche he conspyred faughte wyth y e Grekes sondry tymes lastely for a fynall concorde toke to wyfe the doughter of the sayd Pandrasus name Ignogen After whyche maryage solemnysyd the sayde Brute by couÌ„sayle of y e Troyans with a certayne of shyppes well vytaylled departed out of Grece and soughte his aduenture whyche after many daungers of the passed he landed wyth his company in a parte or yle of Affrica named as sayth Guydo and other Lergesia wythin whyche yle at those dayes stode an old temple dedycate in y e honoure of Diua or Diana a goddesse of mysbyleued people The whyche temple when Brute had apê‘ceyuyd anon he yode into yt where knelyng before the aulter wyth great deuocyon sayde these versys folowynge Diua potens nemorum terror syluestribus apris Cui licet amfractus ire per aethereos Infernasque domos terestria iura resolue Et dic quas terras nos habitare velis Dic certam sedem qua te venerabor in aemon Qua tibi virgineis templa dicabo choris The whyche versys are to be vnderstanden in our moder tonge as after is expowned Celestyall goddesse that weldest fryth a woode The wylde bore bestes thou feryst by thy myght Guyder of shypmen passynge the ragyone flode The infernall howses for and the erth of ryght Beholde and serche and shewe where I shall fyght Tell the certayne place where euerlastyngly A temple of virgyne to the Iâ—Balledyfpe After whyche prayer obseruaunces after y e pagan ryte with great deuocyon done and exercysed aboute y e auter of y e sayd goddesse or idolle in those days vsed Brute fill in a slepe In tyme of whyche slepe apperyd to hym the sayd goddesse and sayd to hym in maner forme as foloweth Brute sub occasum solis trans Gallica regna Insula in oceano est vndeque clausa mari Insula in oceano est habitata gigantibus olins Nunc deserta quidem gentibus apta tuit Hic de prose tua reges nascentur ipsis Totius terrae subditus orbis erit Hanc pete nanque tibi sedes erit in illa
meruelouse strength in so mych that he had not his pere wythin his realm of any man of noble byrthe In his tyme came into Brytayne a prynce oute of a countre called Mauritania the whyche countre at those dayes is assygned by Strabo y e wryter â–ª to be betwene the kyngdomes of Hungary and of Beame the whych prynce wyth his cruell fyers people wasted the laÌ„d of Britayne with iron and fyre wythout pytye wherof Morindus beynge warned in all haste gaderyd his people and hym mette and faught in such wyse that he chasyd the sayde prynce agayne to the see and toke many of his sowdyours as prysoners the whyche in satysfyeng of his cruelnesse and tyranny he caused to be put to deth in his syght by dyuerse maners of tormentes as by heedynge fleynge brennynge and other cruell execucyons Lastely as testyfyeth Guydo de Columpna and other this Morindus walkynge or rydynge vppon the see stronde espyed a woÌ„derfull monstre the whych of his corage and knyght hod he thought to sle And by a maÌ„ly corage and force assayled this monstre or beste fyghtyng wyth yt a certayne of tyme. But in conclusyon he was deuoured and swalowyd of the sayd monstre after he had reygned after moste wryters by the terme of viii yeres leuynge after hym as wytnessyth Gaufryde fyue sonnes wherof the fyrste was named GorbomaÌ„nus the secunde Archygallo the thyrde Elidurus the fourth Uigenius or Nigenius and the fyfte or yongest Peredurus THE XXXVIII CHAPITER GOrbamaÌ„nus the fyrste sonne of Morindê° was made king of Brytayne in the yere of the world foure thousande .viii. hundred .lxxx. and .xviii. This in the englyshe cronycle ys named Granbodyan the whyche as testifyeth Gaufryde was a iuste and ryghtwyse man to y e goddes and to his people and yelded to eyther partye that was his that ys to say to his goddes he yelded due reuerence sacrifyce and to the people iustyce equyte And he renewed and repayred all olde temples thorough his realme and buylded some newe And in his tyme was more welth and plente in his realme mych more theÌ„ was in any of his predecessours dayes But fynally to y e great sorow of all his Brytons he was taken wyth sykenesse and dyed wythout issue of his body when he hadde reygned after moste wryters by the terme of .xi. yeres THE XXXIX CHAPITER ARchigallo the seconde sonne of Morindus and broder vnto GorbomaÌ„nus was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of y e worlde foure thousande .ix. hundred and .x. This in the englyshe boke is named Artogayll the whyche folowed nothynge the workes of his brother but gaue hym selfe all to discencyon and stryfe and imagyned causes agayne his nobles to put them from theyr goodes and dygnytyes and in theyr places to sette and ordeyne vnnoble and of rude byrthe and maner and from the ryche by synystre and wrongfull meanes he plucked theyr ryches and goodes By whyche inordynate meanes he enryched hym self and impoueryshed his subiectes For whyche condycyons his lordes subiectes murmuryd agaynst hym and lastly of one assent toke him or more verely depryuyd hym of all honour and kyngly dygnyte when he hadde reygned after moste concordaunce of wryters fyue yeres THE XL. CHAPITER ELidâ—rus the thyrde sonne of Morindus and the brother of Archigallo was by one assent of the Brytons made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. M.ix hundred and .xv. This in y e englyshe cronycle is named Hisider or Esodyr The which became so myld and benygne to the Brytons that they gaue to hym a surname and called hym Elidure y e meke For he amoÌ„ge other dedys of mekenes as he was vpon a daye in his dysporte of huntynge in a wode nere vnto CaerbraÌ„k or yorke called Calater or after some wryters Caltras he fande his elder brother Archigallo late kynge maskelyng or wandrynge in the thykest of the woode whome louyngly and charytably he in secrete maner conueyed vnto his owne mancyoÌ„ into y e cytye then named Aldud or Acliut And as affermeth myn authour Gaufryde to th entent to brynge his brother to his former dygnytye as after foloweth the sayd Elidurus fayned hym selfe syke and in all haste sente his messagers aboute his realme to gather and assemble the Barons of his laÌ„de And when the daye of assemble was coÌ„myn and his lordes accordynge to his commaundement were present he called them one by one as they were of honour into his secrete cubycle or chamber there by his wyse dyscrete wordes as well in benygne and louynge maner as other wordes and countenaunce apperteynyng to his royall power and dygnyty he gat graunte of his sayd lordes that they shuld ayde streÌ„gth hym to theyr powers to brynge hys brother Archigallo to his former honour and regally After which grauÌ„t by the lordes made he assembled a counsayll of his Brytons at Caerbrank or yorke there caused suche meanes to be made to the coÌ„mons that in conclusion when the sayd Elidurus hadde ruled the lande .v. yeres as kynge he there resygned his crowne and all kyngly power vnto his sayde brother Archigallo THE XLI CHAPITER WHen Archigallo was thus restored to his kyngly dygnyte he remembred well the euyl lyfe that before tyme he had ladde and the punishement which he had suffred for y e same wherfore in eschewynge of lyke daunger He chaunged all hys olde condicyons and became a good and ryghtwyse man mynystryng to the people equyte and iustyce bare hym so nobly agayne his lordes and rulers vnder hym of his landes that he was belouyd dradde of all hys subiectes and so contynued duryng the terme of his naturall lyfe But fynally he payde the dette of nature when he hadde reygned nowe lastly after moste wryters .x. yeres was buryed as sayth the sayde olde cronycle at Caerbranke or yorke THE XLII CHAPITER ELidurus before named was agayne by one assent of y e Brytons made kynge in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .ix. hundred xxx But his two yonger bretherne Uigenius and Peredurus hauynge of hym indignacyon that he was for his vertue and good gouernauÌ„ce so well fauoured with the Brytons of malyce conspyryd agayne hym gatheryd an army of soudiours made a felde wyth hym And in the felde toke hym and commauÌ„ded hym vnto the towre of TroynouaÌ„t as sayth Gaufryde there as a prysoner to be sauely kepte After when he hadde reygned nowe laste by the space as wytnesseth the old cronycle .ii. yeres THE XLIII CHAPITER UIgenius and Peredurus y e yongest sonnes of Morindê° and bretherne of Elidurus before sayde were ioyntly made kynges of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde foure thousande .ix. hundred .xxxii. These two bretherne are named in y e engleshe cronycle Higanius and Petytur the whych as testyfyeth Gaufryde departed y e land betwene theÌ„ so y t all y e land from the water of HuÌ„ber westwarde fyll to Uigenius or Nigeniê° the other part of
Of whych meruayle all the housholde was greatly astonyed and yeldyd thankynge vnto almyghty god and to that holy byshoppe Uppon the morowe this holy bysshoppe toke wyth hym the herdman yode vnto the presence of y e kynge axed of hym in sharpe wyse why that ouer nyght he hadde denyed to hym lodgynge wherwyth the kyng was so abasâ—hed that he hadde no power to gyue vnto the holy man answere Then saynt Germayne sayde to hym I charge the in the name of my lorde god that thou and thyne departe from this paleys and resygne yt the rule of thy lande to hym that is more worthy this rome then thou arte The whyche all thyng by power diuyne was obserued done and the sayde herdman by the holy byshoppes authoryte was sette into y e same dygnyte Of whom after descendyd all the kynges of Brytayne THE LXXXIIII CHAPITER THys story is also confermed of Antoninê° archebysshoppe of Florence and at lengthe by hym shewyd in the .xvii. chapyter and .ix. day of the seconde part of hys worke called SomÌ„ Antonini But by whoÌ„ so euer thys story was fyrste wryten I thynke he was none that discended of the walshmen nor yet of theyr blode For they come all of Pryamys blode and not of an herdman excepte that they fetche theyr lyne from Dauyd the holy kynge prophete Thys storye semeth to be of more fame then of credence For other wryters tell thys story to be done in the region of Powys by Buly theyr kynge And also for so mych as the foresayd authour maketh no mencyon of the more Brytayne nor of the lesse it is doutefull whyther thys happe fyll in that one regyon or in that other All be yt in the lyfe of saynte Germayne it ys redde that the sayde saynte Germayne deposyd Uortiger enhaunced the herdman as before is declared as affermeth Polycronica Then it foloweth in y e story when saynte Germayne hadde restoryd some parte of Brytayne to the trewe fayth he retourned into Fraunce fro whens he was before comen But in thys sayde sayenge shuld appere dyscorde in Cronycles For as at this day was not the fayth of Cryste receyued in Fraunce as after more clerely shall appere wherfore no bysshoppe of Crystes fayth myghte then kepe any see in Fraunce And also as affermeth Iacobus Phylyppus and other holy Remigius was the fyrst y t tourned FrauÌ„ce to Crystes relygyon and that after moste concorde of wryters to be in the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred lxxx and .xix. and the .xv. yere of the reygne of Clodoueus Lewys fyrste Crysten kyng of y e realme of FrauÌ„ce Then to furnysshe or perfourme the story of Uortiger nedefull it is or necessary to retourne to the mater where we before lefte And to shewe that for so moche as the Brytons wythdrewe them from Uortyger he was therfore constrayned to holde wyth hym the Saxons By whose counsayle he after sent for Octa the sonne of Hengyst y e whych brought wyth hym an other company of Saxons when the lordes of Britayne sawe and consyderyd the greate multytude of Saxons and theyr dayly repayre into thys lande they assembled them togyder and shewed to the kyng the inconuenience and ieopardy that myght ensue to hym and hys lande by reason of the greate power of these straungers and aduertysed hym in aduoydyng of greter daunger to expelle and put them out of hys realme or the more parte of them But all was in vayne for Uortyger bare suche a mynde to the Saxons by reason of hys wyfe that he preferred the loue of them before the loue of hys owne naturall kynnesmen and frendes wherfore the Brytons of one wyll and mynde crowned for theyr kynge Uortimerus the eldest sonne of Uortyger and depryued hym of all kyngly dygnyte wheÌ„ he hadde reygned after moste concorde of hystoryes .xvi. yeres THE LXXXV CHAPITER MEroneus next of allie vnto Clodio last kyng of FrauÌ„ce for so mych as of Clodeo remayned none issue was made kyng of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred and .l and the seconde yere yere of Uortiger than kynge of Brytayne The whyche was stronge and marcyall in all hys dedes and there vnto ryght profytable for the realme And amonge other notable dedes by hym done he slewe in one day of Hunes the whyche by the commaundement of Attiâ—a inuadyd dystroyed dyuers countres as Italy Germany and other an hundreth and lxxx thousande as is wytnessyd of mayster Robert Gagwine compyler and gaderer of the actes and dedes of Frenshmen Thys forenamed Attila was kynge of Hunes and led in one hoost .ii. hundred thousand men of warre as testyfyeth Policronica And after dyuers baytayles by hym wonne he came into y e feldes called Catulyntes the whyche conteyned an hundred legys in length and .lxx. in brede wherof euery lege conteyneth .iii. Englysshe myles In the whyche feldes or playnes he was encountred wyth the power of the Romaynes in whose ayde was y e kyng of Fraunce Meroneus the kynge or duke of Burgoyne and other where after a longe fyghte was slayne on bothe sydes the foresayde hundred and .lxxx. thousand Of the whyche nomber the sayde kynge or duke of Burgoyne was one as is more playnly shewed in the .xxxiii. chapiter in the .iiii. boke of the sayd Polycronicon wyth other wonders whyche I ouerpasse Of thys Meroneus dyscendyd all the kynges of Frensshemen tyll the tyme of Pepyn the whyche was father vnto Charles the greate or emperour And fynally dyed thys Meroneus when he had reygned after moste wryters .x. yeres leuynge after hym a sonne named Chylderych or Hylderych THE LXXXVI CHAPITER CHyldericus or Hildericus the sonne of Meroneus was ordeyned kyng of Fraunce in the yere of oure lorde god .iiii. hundred .lx the .xii. yere of Uortiger than kyng of Brytayne The whiche ensued no thynge the warres of hys father but allyed hym wyth all vyce and cruelnesse in suche exterme wyse that he became odyble vnto hys subiectes wherfore the said Childerich perceyuyng the murmur grudge among the people and ferynge hys sodayne distruccyon couÌ„sayled wyth a frend and lorde of hys named Guynomadus or Guynemeus by whose counsayle in auoydynge greater paryll he auoyded secretely hys lande and yode vnto the kynge of Thurynges named Besygne of whom he was ioyously receyued But the at departynge of the kynge from y e sayd Guynemeus he toke a pece of golde and brake it in two peces wherof y e one pece he delyuered vnto the kynge that other pece he kepte to hym self sayenge to the kynge that whan so euer that he receyued from hym that pece of golde that he shulde be sure to be restored agayne to hys regally and dygnyte After the kynge was departed his lande the Frenshmen of one assent chase for theyr gouernour and hed a Romayne named Gylf whyche at that daye hadde a parte of Gallia or Fraunce in hys rule to the behofe of the Romaynes whyche parte
kynges subieccyon Henry archbyshoppe of Huntyngdon that wrote myche of the cronycles of Englande in prayse of thys noble woman Elfleda made dyuers dytyes of the whyche some ben expressyd as foloweth Cesers tryuÌ„phes were not so myche to prayse As was of Elfleda that sheldes so ofte dyd rayse Agayne her enymyes this noble ven queresse Uirago and made whose vertue can I not expresse WHen Edwarde hadde reconciled these foresayde townes he then buylded a new towne for agayn the olde towne of Nothyngham on the south syde of the ryuer of Trent and made a brydge ouer the sayd ryuer betwene the sayd .ii. twones And as wytnessyth Policronica the yere folowynge in the sayde towne or cytye of Notyngham two kinges that is to saye of Scotlande and walys yeldyd them vnto kynge Edwarde The cause why nor of warre betwene theym to be contynued is not of hym expressyd How be yt dyuers bokes of writers of cronycles of Englande as of Marianê° the Scot wyllam of Malmesbury Henry of Huntyngdon other yt is shewyd that this Edwarde subdued the kynges of Scotlande and of CuÌ„brys aboute the .ix. yere of hys reygne And of the sayde authours yt is also testifyed that about the .xx. yere of the reygne of the sayde Edwarde these sayde kynges of Scottes and Cumbrys shulde chose this kynge Edwarde for theyr chefe lord and patrone whyche shuld be about this season before expressyd Then this noble prynce Edwarde after these thynges set by hym in an order he in the northe ende of Mercia by the ryuer of Merce buylded a cytye or towne and named yt Thylwall and strengthyd yt wyth knyghtes And after repayred the cytye of Maynchester that sore was defaced with warre of y e Danys After which notable dedis by y e puyssaunt prynce fynyshed wyth the maryage of hys chylder and many other whyche I omytte and passe ouer for length of tyme fynally this noble man dyed when he hadde reygned wyth great trauayle by the terme of .xxiiii. yeres at Faryngdon and from thens conueyed to wynchester and there enteryd in the monastery of saynt Swythyne leuyng after hym dyuers sonnes as before is shewed of the which Ethelstane was eldest Francia THE CLXXXI CHAPITER CHarlys surnamed the symple sonne of Lewys the .iiii. or Ryen Fayzand began hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon as wytnessyth Iacobê° Philippus and other .ix. hundred .iiii and the thyrde yere of Edwarde the elder than kynge of Englande In tyme of whose reygne the Danys whyche contynuelly ouer the terme of .l. wynters that is to saye from y e x. yere of Charlys the Ballyd somtyme kynge of Fraunce vnto y e sayd dayes had wasted and spoyled the lande not wythstandyng y e agrementes made bytwene Charlys the emperour and them as before in y e story of the .iiii. Lewys is shewed yet they wyth greate hostes aryued in the couÌ„tre of Neustria or Normandy robbed and spoyled the countre before them and slewe the people thereof wythout pytye and from cytye to cytye kepte on theyr iourney tyll they came vnto the cytye of Roan wherof the bysshop beynge in greate drede of subuersyon of the cytye and destruccyon of the crysten people wyth in the same delyuered the cytye by appoyntment that he wyth y e people myghte departe thens wythout bodely harme whyche vnto the sayde Danys was a greate strength and hurte to the lande of Fraunce Of thys hoste of Danys was ruler and leder a myscreaunt named Rollo the whyche was a man of lowe byrthe but he was of greate strength The whyche whan he had a season rested hym and hys hoste refresshed them wythin the cytye of Roan he than set forth hys waye coÌ„mauÌ„dyng hys vawnewarde to kepe theyr iourney towarde Parys And for y e more spede to be made he shypped hys Danis ryght there and one parte he sent by the ryuer of Sean the seconde by the ryuer of Lyger or Leyr and the thyrde by the water Geronde Than the Danys that passyd by the ryuer of Leyr came at length to the cyte of Nauntes and wan that cytye by strength and slewe therin moche people And the byshop of the same named Guymerte beynge at masse they slewe at the aulter And whan they had spoyled that cytye the countre there about than yode they to the cytye of Angiers brent and robbyd it most cruelly And that done they yode vnto Towres and layde syege to that cytye The which by the presens of the holy body of saynt Martyne whych at that tyme was wythin y e cytye it was a whyle preserued But soone after the munkes feryng the sworde of the Danys fled the cytye secretly and toke the body wyth them And soone after the Danes had the towne at theyr wyll and brent the abbay before the town or staÌ„dynge without the towne and spoyled and robbed the cytye townes thorough the countre of Guyan whan the Danys had thus subdued the more parte of Neustria or Normandy They wyth theyr duke Rollo by y e ryuer of SeynÌ„ drewe towarde Parys And fyrst entred the landes of Burgoyne and Auerne in effecte to Senons wherof heryng the monkes of the monastery of Flory where the body of saynte Benet than rested they toke that holy treasoure and bare it vnto Orlyaunce layde it in the chyrche of saynt Anyan tyll the persecucyon were ouer passed Of thys monastery was at that dayes lyuynge a defensour by promyse before made whose name in latyne is called Sigillosus in FreÌ„ch Sigillophes an erle whych was taken for patrone of the same abbaye To whom in the nyght folowynge that the monkes were fled as before is sayd saynt Benet appered blamed hym y t he none other wyse had defended y e place of hys Sepulture wyth whych visyon the sayd erle beynge feryd gaderyd vnto hym vpon the daye folowyng such small power as he than myghte make set vpon the Danys and draue them backe slewe of them a great nomber And y e prayes that he there wan he offered to god and saynte Benet by whose prayers he knewe well that he opteyned that vyctory In tyme y t the Danys thus persecuted the countre of Fraunce and the kynge was not of power them to resyst for so mych as Charles knew well that the bysshop of Roan named Franke was in good fauour of Rollo he therfore sent hym in ambassade to the sayd Rollo to requyre a trewe or trewse for thre monethes the whych was grauÌ„ted The which trewse ended the sayd Rollo beseged the cytye of Chartrys Duryng whiche syege the duke of Burgoyne named Richarde wyth hys retynue assayled the Danys In tyme of which fyght Ebalde erle of Poytowe was present and draue backe y e Danys wherwyth the bysshop of the cytye beynge encoraged toke wyth hym y e smocke of our lady whyche at those dayes was kepte there wyth greate reuerence and wyth the cytesyns other issued out of
of the cytye whyche wyth all dylygence resysted them and of theÌ„ toke dyuers that robbed and sent theym to Newgate And fynally not wyth out shedyng of blode and maymyng of dyuers cytesyns the rumour and people were appeasyd whan the yonge man begynner of all thys busynesse sawe this inconuenyence ensue of hys wantonesse were it by counsayll or otherwyse feryng the sequell of the mater yode streyght vnto westmynster and there taried as a sayntwary man tyll all the mater were endyd It was not longe after or the duke of Buckyngham with iustyces and other noble men was sent down from the kynge into the cytye charged the mayre by vertue of a commyssyoÌ„ y t an enquery shulde be made of this ryot And so by vertue of the sayde coÌ„myssyon called an Oyer determyner a day was kepte at Guyldhall vpon the day of the moneth of where the sayde daye sat for iudges y e mayre as the kynges lyeutenauÌ„t y e duke of Buckyngham vpoÌ„ his ryght hande y e chyefe iustyce vppon y e lefte hande wyth many other men of name whyche I passe ouer whyle the mayre and the sayd lordes were callyng of the panels of the enquestes at y e Guyldhall the other comoners of the cytie not beyng coÌ„tent with the order many of theÌ„ secretely armed them in theyr houses and enteÌ„ded as the comon fame after went to haue ruÌ„ge Bow bell so to haue reysed gathered y e comynalty of the cytye and by force to haue delyuered such persons as before for y e robbery were commytted to warde But thys mater was so discretely handeled by the couÌ„sayll and labour of some dyscrete comoners whyche appeased theyr neyghbours in such wyse that all this fyry haste was quenchyd came to none effecte sauyng y e word was brought vnto the duke of Buckyngham that the comynalty of the cytye were in harnysse yf he taryed longe there he with the other lordes shuld be in great ieopardy with whyche vntrew tidinges he beyng fered hastely toke leue of y e mayre so deê‘â—ted vnto hys lodgyng and so ceasyd y e enquery for y e day UpoÌ„ the morow for so much as y e mayre had vnderstaÌ„dynge of y e secrete murmur he commauÌ„ded the comoÌ„ counsayle with all wardeyns of felysshyppys to apere vpoÌ„ the morow at Guyldhall where by the recorder in the kinges name the mayers as hys lyeutenaunt was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to euerych wardeins that in that after none folowynge eyther of them shuld assemble hys hoole felisshyp at theyr propre hallys there to gyue euery cytezyn streyght commaundemente that euery man see entende to see the kynges peace with in the cytye And yf they fynde any person that maketh any reasonynge wherby they myght coÌ„ceyue or espye that he fauoured any gatherynge of companyes or the delyuerey of suche persones as were in warde that the sayd wardeyns shuld with fayre wordes exorte hym to the beste and with out sygne or token therof shewynge secretly co bryng the name or names of hym or them vnto the mayre By meane of whych polycy good order the cytesyns were brought in suche a quyetnes that after that day the foresayd enquery was duely pursued iii. persones for the sayde ryot put in execucyon and hanged at tybourne whereof .ii. after some wryters were seyntwarye men of saynt Martyns and the thyrd was a shypmaÌ„ or boteman The quene wyth certeyne lordes whyche fauoured her partye dysdayned sore the rule whyche the duke of yorke bare and other specyally for that that the sayde duke bare y e name of protectour whych argued that the kynge was insuffycyent to gouerne the realme whyche as she thoughte was a great dyshonour to the kynge and to all the realme wherefore she made suche meanes and wan by hyr polycy such frendshyp of diuerse of y e lordes bothe spyrytuall and temporall that she caused y e duke of yorke to be dyscharged of hys protectourshyp the erle of Salysbury of hys chauncellershyp which was cause of newe warre as after shall appere Anno. dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lvi.  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lvii Grocer IohnÌ„ Stewarde  Thomas Canynges  Anno .xxxv.  Raufe Uerney  IN thys yere and begynnynge of the same the quene suspectynge the cytye of London demyd it to be more fauourable vnto y e duke of yorkes partye than hyrs caused y e kynge to remoue from LoÌ„don vnto Couentre and there helde hym a loÌ„g season In whyche tyme the duke of yorke was sent for thyther by pryuey seale with also the erle of Salesbury the erle of warwyke where by couyne of the quene they were all .iii. in great daunger Howe be it by monys shemeÌ„t of theyr frendes they escaped And soone after the sayd duke or erle went into the Northe and the erle of warwyke wyth a goodly companye sayled vnto Calays And shortly after were taken at Eryth wythin .xii. myles of London .iiii woÌ„derfull fysshys whereof one was called Mors Maryne the secoÌ„de a Sword fisshe the other .ii. were whalys whyche after some exposytours were pronostycacyons of warre trouble to ensue soon after In this yere also was a great fray in the Northe countrey betwene the lord EgremoÌ„de and the sonnes of the erle of Salysbury and diuers meÌ„ maymed slayen betwene them But in the ende the lord Egremonde was taken howe it was by the dome of the kynges counsayll or otherwyse the sayd lorde EgremoÌ„de was founden in suche defaute that fynally he was condempned in great summes of money to be payed vnto the sayd erle of Salysbury For lack of payment whereof or of puttynge suertye for the same the sayde lorde Egremonde was coÌ„mytted to Newgyte where after he had contynued a certayne of tyme he brake the prysone and escapyd with thre other prysoners to the greate charge of the sheryffes It was not longe after that dyscencyon vnkyndnesse fell bytwene the yonge duke of Somerset and syr IohnÌ„ Neuyll sonne vnto the erle of Salysbury beynge than bothe lodged wythin the cytye wherof the mayre beyng warned ordeyned such watches and prouysyoÌ„s that yf they had any thynge styrred he was able to haue subdued bothe partyes and to haue put theÌ„ in warde tyll he had knoweÌ„ the kynges farther pleasure wherof the frendes of bothe partyes beynge ware laboured such meanes that they agreed them for that tyme. In thys also as testyfye the Englyshe cronycle and also the French a nauye or flote of Frenchemen landyd at Sandwyche and spoyled and robbed the towne excercysed there greate crueltye Of whych flote was capytayne a Frenche knyght named after the French boke syr Guyllyain de Pomyers And thys yere after the opynyon of dyuers wryters began in a cytye of Almayne named Magounce the crafte of enprentynge of bokes whyche sen that tyme hath had wonderfull encreace as experyence at thys daye proueth In this yere also the prysoners of Newgate by neglygence of theyr kepers brake out
of all lordes spyrytuall temporall that than were there aboute By the whyche fynally after many argumentes made for so mothe as kynge Henry contrary hys honoure and promysse at the last parlyament made and assured and also for that y ◠he was reputed vnable and insuffycyent to rule the realme was than by theyr assentes deposed and dyscharged of all kyngely honoure and regally And incontinently by auctoryte of the sayde counsayll and agrement of the commons there present Edwarde the eldeste sonne vnto the duke of yorke thā was there elected and then chosen for kynge of Englande After whyche eleccyon and admyssyon the sayde erle of Marche gyuyng lawde and preyse vnto god vpō the .iiii. day of Marche accompanyed wyth all the foresayde lordes multytude of comons was cōueyed vnto westminster and there toke possessyon of the realme of Englāde And syttynge in hys astate royall in the great halle of the same wyth hys sceptre in hand a question was axed of the people than presente yf they wolde admytte hym for theyr kynge soueraygne lord the whyche wyth one voyce cryed ye ye And thā after y e accustumed vse to kynges to swere and after the othe takē he went into the abbey where he was of the abbot munkys mette wyth processyon conueyed vnto saint Edwardes shryne and there offered as kyng that done receyued homage feaute of all suche lordes as there than were present And vpō y e morowe folowynge were proclamacyōs made in accustomat places of the cytye in the name of Edwarde the .iiii. thanne kynge of Englande Vpō whych day the kyng came vnto the palays at Poulys there dyned and there restyd hym a season in makynge prouysyon to go Northwarde for to subdue hys enemyes Than vpon the saterdaye folowynge beyng the daye of Marche the erle of warwyke with a great puyssaunce of people departed oute of London northwarde And vppon wednysdaye folowynge the kynges fotemen wente towarde the same iourney And vppon frydaye nexte folowynge the kynge tooke hys voyage through the cytye wyth a great hāde of men and so rode forth at Bysshop pesgate In whych selfe same day whyche was the .xii. daye of Marche a grocer of London namyd walter walker for offence by hym done agayne the kynge was behedded in Smythfelde But hys wyfe whyche after was maryed to Iohn̄ Norlāde grocer lastely alderman had suche frendes aboute the kynge that hyr goodes were nat forfayted to y e kynges vse The kyng than so holdyng his iourney mette wyth his enemies at a vyllage .ix. myles on thys halfe yorke called Towtō or Shyreborn and vpon Palme sonday gaue vnto theym batayll The whyche was so cruell y t in the felde and chace were slayne vppō .xxx. thousande mē ouer the men of name of the whyche here after some ensue That is to saye the erle of Northumberlande the erle of westmerlande the lorde Clyfforde y e lorde Eyromonde syr Iohn̄ syr Andrewe Trollop and other to the noumber of .xi. or mo And among other at the same felde was taken the erle of Deuonshyre after the erle of wylshyre whych said erle of Deuonshyre was sente vnto yorke and there after beheded Hēry than whyche lately was kynge with the quene theyr sonne syr Edward the duke of Somerset the lord Rose and other beynge than at yorke herynge of the ouerthrowe of theyr people and greate losse of theyr men in all haste fledde towarde Scotlande And vppon the morowe folowynge the kynge wyth moche of hys people entred into yorke and there held hys Easter tyde And vpon Easter euyn tydynges were broughte vnto London of the wynnynge of thys felde wherfore at Poulys Te deum was songē wyth greate solempnyte so thorugh the cytye in all paryssh churches And thus thys goostly man kynge Hēry lost all whā he had reygned ful .xxxviii. yeres .vi. monethes odde days And y e noble moste boūteous princesse quene Margarete of whome many an vntrew surmyse was imagened tolde was fayne to flye comfortlesse and lost all that she had in Englāde for euer whan that kyng Edwarde with greate solempnyte had holden the feest of Easter at yorke he than remoued to Durham And after hys busynesse there fynysshed he retourned agayne Southwarde lefte in those partyes y e erle of warwyke to se the rule guydyng of that countrey Than the kyng coosted and vysyted the coūtreys Southwarde Eestwarde that about the begynnyng of the moneth of Iuny he came vnto hys manour of shene now called Rychemoūt In all whych pastyme purueyaūce was made for the kynges coronacyō In accōplysshyng whereof the kyng vpō the .xxvii. day of Iuny beyng fryday departed from y e sayde manour rode vnto the towre of Lōdon Upō whome gaue attēdaunce y t mayre hys bretherne all cladde in scarlet and to the noumbre of .iiii. C. cōmoners well horsed cladde all in grene And vpon the morne beynge saterday he made there .xxviii. knightes of the bath after that .iiii. moo And the same after noone he was wyth all honour cōueyed to westminster the sayd .xxxii. knyghtes rydyng before hym in blewe gownes hoodes vpon theyr shulders lyke to prestes with many other goodly and honourable ceremonyes y t whych were longe to reherse in due order And vpon the morne beyng sonday sait Peters day he was wyth great tryūphe of the archebysshop of Caunterbury crowned enoynted before the hygh aulter of saynt Peters churche of westmynster And after thys solēpnysacyon of the crownyng of y e kyng wyth also the sumptuous honorable feest holdē in westminster hall was fynysshed the kynge soone after created George hys brother duke of Clarence And in the moneth of Iuly folowynge at the stādarde in chepe y e hāde of a seruaunte of the kynges called Iohn̄ Dauy was stryken of for that he had stryken a man wythin the palays of westmynster Francia ¶ Carolus .viii CArolus or Charles the .vii. of y e name after the accompte of this boke or the vii after the Frēch hystory sonne of Charlys the .vii. or .vi beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchmē in the moneth of October in the yere of oure lorde M.iiii C. .xxii and in the begynnyng of Henry the .vi. than kyng of Englāde Of thys Charlys sundry wryters sunderly wryte in so moche as some afferme hym to be the naturall sonne of Charles the .vii some afferme hym to be the sonne of the duke of Orleaunce borne of the quene and some there ben that name hym the sonn̄ of Charles fore named gotten in the baste vppon hys mooste beauteous paramour named Agnes the whych as testyfyeth Gaguynus excelled all other women in feture beaute and for the same to be surnamed the fayer Agnes Thys in hyr myddell age dyed was so ryche y t hyr testamēt amoūted to .ix. M. scutes in golde the whyche in sterlynge money amoūteth to the summe of .x. M. li. Thā to
duke of Israell began to be theyr capytayne that is to say in the yere of the worlde .v. thousande .xlvi. or there about ca. xlvi fo xvi To make the storyes to agre and to kepe the order of the yeres begon fyrst it is to be noted that as sheweth Ranulph wyth diuers other Iulius Cesar made Brytayn trybutary to Rome in the .xlviii. yere before the incarnacyon of Chryste or in the yere of the worlde fyue thousande C.li. which was in the .ix. yere of Cassybelan From whēs takyng from y e tyme of Cassybelā before the trybute payd ix yeres for the tyme of the reygne of Lud .xi. yeres it foloweth congruently that kynge Lud beganne to reygne in the yere of the worlde fyue thousande C.xxxi And so frome the last yere of Elidure vntyll the begynnyng of the reygne of Lud or in the tyme of y e .xxxiii. kynges there passed C.lxxxvi yeres Lud the sonne of Hely last kynge of the forsayd .xxxiii was stablysshed kynge of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde fyue thousande C.xxxi and reygned yeres .ix. Thys kynge made Ludgate the westgate of London and walled a parte of the same and named the cytye Caerlud ca. xlvii fo xvi Cassibelan the brother of Lud was ordeyned kynge of Brytayn in the yere of the worlde fyue thousand C.xlii and reygned or he were made trybutary to the Romaynes yeres full and more .viii. ca. xlviii folio xvi The begynnyng of thys trybute as hath Peter Pyctauyensis Polycronycon and other authours was in the yere of the worlde .v. thousand C.li the .xlviii. yere before Cristes comynge And Eutropius sayeth in hys cronicle that Caius Iulius did conquere Brytayn by .ii. yeres before he was create emperour and he reygned as emperour .ii. yeres And furthermore the sayde Eutropius affermeth that Octauian Augustus successour of the sayde Iulius began to reygne in the yere of the worlde .v. thousande C.lviii and that he reygned full .xli. yeres before Cryste was borne whyche sayeng Iacobus Philippus and other auctours afferme wherby it foloweth that Iulius Cesar subdued Brytayne .xlviii. yeres before the comyng of Cryste and the yere of the worlde as before is sayde v. thousande C.li. And so it appereth that Cryst was incarnate in the yere of the worlde after the account of the lxx interpreters .v. M.C.xcix ¶ Thus endeth the seconde parte that conteyneth .iii. C.lxxxiii yeres CAssibelan as before is sayde was made tributarie to the Romayns in the yere of the worlde v. M.C.li and reygned after yeres vii ca. l. fo xviii Temancius or Tēnancius brother to Cassibelan was of the Brytaynes ordeyned kyng in the yere of the worlde .v. thousande C. and .lvii. and reygned yeres .xxiii. ca. lii folio xviii Kymbelinus the sonne of Thēnācius was made kyng of the Brytōs in the yere of the world .v. M.C.lxxx reygned yeres .xxxv. All wryters agre that reygnyng thys kyng oure sauyour Iesus Christ was incarnat And than began the .vi. age ca. liii folio xviii Of the tyme of thys kynge Kymbelyus reygn dyuers auctours trete very darkly for fewe of them do nat accoūt any yeres for the tyme of hys reygne excepte Peter pictauiensis the auctours of the Englysshe boke whych afferme hym to reygne .xi. yeres But Galfrido of Monmouth sayth that whanne he had reygned yeres he begate .ii. sonnes But the floure of hystoryes wytnesseth hym to reygne .xxxv. yeres and y t Iesus Chryst was borne in .xix. yere of hys reygne whych wyth other cronycles or tymes dothe somwhat better agre Guiderius the sonne of Kymbalyne was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lordes incarnacyō xvi in the yere of the worlde .v. M.ii. C.xvii and reygned yeres .xxviii. ca. liiii fo xix Aruiragus the brother of Guiderius began to reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon .xliiii. and reygned yeres .xxx. In thys tyme Glouceter was buylded of Claudius And in the .xxvi. yere of thys kynges reygne whych was the .lxx. yere of the incarnacyō of our lorde began the fyrst persecuciō of the chrysten men vnder Nero. ca. lv fo xix Marius whyche the Englysshe cronycle nameth westmere sonne of Aruiragus was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .lxxiiii. and in the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .ii. Chester towne of thys kyng was founded westmerlande also of thys kynge toke hys name And about the .xxi. yere of this kynges reygne was the second persecucyon vnder Domicianus And also the thyrd persecucyon about the xxxv yere of thys kynge vnder Tratanus ca. lvii fo xx Coilus the sonn̄ of Marius was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde C. and .xxvi. and the yere from the fyrste Adam and reygned yeres .liii. And about y e .xlv. yere of thys Coilus was the fourthe persecucyon vnder Marcus Antonius Amelius ca. lviii fo xxii Lucius the sonne of Coilus begā hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde an C.lxxx of the worlde and reygned yeres .xii. Thys was the fyrste chrysten kyng in Brytayne The image of Cryst at the north dore in the church of Poulys was founde in the ryuer of Thames by thys Lucius But an other authoure sayeth that it was founden in y e .xiiii. yere of Coilus or in the yere of the worlde C.xl. ca. lix folio xxii Of thys Lucius auctours do dout fully treate For Galfride sayth that Lucius dyed in the yere of our lorde C.lvi. And Guido de Calūpna sayth that Lucius was cristened in the fore sayd yere And Peter pictauiensis sayth that Lucius began to reygne in the yere of our lorde C.lxxx that he receyued the fayth in the .viii. yere of his reygn And the Floure of historyes sayth that he reygned .xii. yeres after the fayth by hym receyued Furthermore it is shewed in a certeyne table hangyng on the north parte of the quyre of Poules in Londont hat the sayd Lucius was crowned kyng of Brytayne in the yere of grace C.xxiii and that he reygned .lxxvii. yeres And the Englyshe cronycle agreeth therwith of hys coronacion but it sayth that he reygned but only xii yeres And so there appereth a great dyscord betwene these wryters But all agreen that the sayd Lucius was conuerted to y e fayth in the tyme of pope Eleutherius which after the concordance of many storyes was made pope about the yere of our lord C.lxxviii wherfore Galfrides sayng is to be denayd that sayth he died in the yere of grace C.lvi. and also the sayeng of Guydo for receyuyng of y e fayth And rather we oughte to gyue credence to the foresayde table or to Peter pictauiensis that affermeth y e sayd Lucius to reygne .xii. yere But some wryters that wrote the actes the reygnes of kynges haue ouerskypt as it semeth the tyme whyche Lucius reygned before he receyued the fayth And if he reygned before he receyued the fayth .xx. yeres and y t he receyued the faythe
yere of Cutbert than kyng of westsaxons reygned yeres .x. Here endeth the lyne of Meroneus begynneth the lyne of Pepyn ca. c.xlix folio .lxxix. Sygebertus the neuewe of Cutbert began hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. xlv the .v. yere of Hyldericus the second than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ii. ca. c.l. fo lxxx Kenulphus of the blode lyne of Cerdicus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xlviii and y e .vii. yere of Hyldericus thaÌ„ king of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xxxi. ca. c.li fo lxxxi Pipinus the secoÌ„d sonne of Charles Martellus was fyrst made king of FrauÌ„ce of y e blode in y e yere of our lord .vii. C. .l and the second yere of Kenulphus thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxoÌ„s reygned yeres .xviii. ca. c.liii fo lxxxi Carolomanus wyth Charlys surnamed y e great sonnes of Pepyn began to reygne ouer FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lord .v. C.lxviii the .xx. yere of Kenulphus and reygned yeres ioyntly and Charles alone .xlvii. This Charles was y e fyrst emperour of Romayns of the stok of the FreÌ„ch men and reygned .xiiii. yeres ca. c.liiii fo lxxxiii Brightricus of the forenamed blod of Cerdicus was made kyng of westsaxons in the yere of our lord .vii. C.lxxvii and y e .x. yere of Charles than king of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xvii About the .ix. yere of thys kynge the Danes fyrste entred this ile as more playnly apereth in y e story folowyng ca. c.lvii fo lxxxvi Egbertus or after the Englysshe boke Edbryght the sonÌ„ of Alumundus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in y e yere of our lord .vii. C.lxxx and .xv iÌ„ the. .xxvii. yere of Charles than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xxxviii. Thys kyng coÌ„maunded the SaxoÌ„s to be Anglys Brytayn to be named Anglia that in EnglaÌ„d ca. c.lviii fo lxxxvi Lodouicus the fyrste of y e name sonne of Charles the great beganne to reygne as emperour and kyng of FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lord .viii. C and .xv y e .xx. yere of Egbertus thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxons and reygned yeres .xxvi. ca. c.lix fo lxxxvii Adeulphus or Ethelwolphus the sonne of Egbertus began hys reygn ouer the westsaxoÌ„s and other in the yere of our lord .viii. C. and .xxxii and the .xvi. yere of Lowys the fyrst than kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xxii ca. c.lxii fo xci Charles the second of that name yongest sonne of the fyrste Lowys surnamed Balled beganne to reygn ouer the west parte of Fraunce in the yere of our lord .viii. C. .xli the .ix. yere of Adeulphus and reygned yeres .xxxviii. The countre of Flaunders in thys Charles dayes began fyrste to bere name as after in the ende of hys story is shewed ca. c.lxiii fo xcii Ethelwaldus the eldest sonne of Adeulphus began hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our â—ord viii C. .lv and the .x. yere of Charles the Balled than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned but one yere ca. c.lxvii folio .xcvi. Ethelbertus the seconde sonne of Adeulphus was auctorysed kynge of westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lorde viii C. and .lvi the .xi. yere of Charles the Ballyd yet kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .vi. In the tyme of thys kynges reygne the .vii. Iohan whyche was a womaÌ„ was admitted for pope aboute the yere of oure lorde .viii. C.lviii as sayth Iacobus Phylyppus ca. c.lxviii fo xcvi Etheldredus the thyrde sonne of Adeulphus was made kyng of westsaxons wyth other in the yere of our lorde .viii. C. .lxiii the .xviii. yere of Charles forenamed yet kynge of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .viii. In the tyme of thys kynges reygne saynte Edmond kynge of Eest Angles was martyred of the princys Danus and Martyrus ca. c.lxix fo xcvi Aluredus or Alphredus the .iiii. sonne of Adeulphus in y e yere of our lorde .viii. C.lxxii began hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s the .xxxi. yere of Charles forenamed yet kynge of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xxviii. ca. clxxi fo xcviii Lowys Balbus the secoÌ„d of that name sonne of Chales the balled began hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in y e yere of grace .viii. C.lxviii and the .vi. yere of Alerude thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxons reygned yeres .ii. ca. c.lxxiiii fo ci Lowys Charles the sonnes of Lowys Balbus beganne to reygne ioyntly ouer y e FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .viii. C. .lxxx the .viii. yere of Alurede than kyng of westsaxons and reygned yeres .v. ca. lxxv folio c.ii. Lowys the .iiii. of y e name sonne of Charles last remeÌ„bred began hys reygn ouer FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of grace viii C.lxxx and .vi the .xiiii. yere of Aluredus yet kyng of westsaxons reygned yeres viii ca. lxxvii fo c.iiii. Eudo or Oddo the sonÌ„ of Robert erle of Angeowe began hys reygne ouer the FreÌ„chmen in the yere of our lord .viii. C.lxxx .xv and the .xxiii. yere of Aluredus yet kyng of westsaxons and reygned yeres .ix. ca. lxxviii folio c.iiii. Edwarde surnamed the elder sonne of Alurede or Alphrede began hys reygne ouer the more part of Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. C. and one the .vi. yere of Eudo than kynge of Fraunce reygned yeres xxiiii ca. c.lxxix fo c.iiii. Charles surnamed the Simple sonnÌ„ of the .iiii. Lowys beganen hys reygne ouer the realme of FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lorde .ix. C.iiii y e .iii. yere of Edward than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .xxiiii. ca. c.lxxxi fo c.vi Radulphus the sonne of Rychard duke of Burgoyne began his reygn ouer FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lorde ix C. .xxii the .xxi. yere of Edward yet kyng of Englande reygned yeres .xii. ca. lxxxiii fo c.viii Ethelstanus the sonnÌ„ of Edward the elder begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the more partye of England in y e yere of our lord .ix. C. .xxv. the thyrde yere of Rauffe thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xvi. Thys kyng broughte Brytayne or EnglaÌ„de to one monarchy But yet after some wryters Alurede dyd it ca. c.lxxxiiii fo c.viii Lowys the .v. of that name and sonne of Charles the Symple begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lord .ix. C. .xxxiiii y e .ix. yere of Ethelstane thaÌ„ kyng of EnglaÌ„d reygned yeres .xxi. ca. c.lxxxvi fo c.x. EdmouÌ„d the brother of Ethelstane sonne of Edward the elder began hys reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d in the yere of our lord .ix. C. .xli. the .vii. yere of y e .v. Lowys than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .vi. ca. c.lxxxviii folio c.xiii Edredus the brother of EdmouÌ„d begaÌ„ his reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d in the yere of our lorde .ix. .xlvii and y e .xiii yere of y e forenamed Lowys yet king of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ix. ca. c.lxxxix
fo c.xiiii Lotharius the eldest sonn̄ of y e .v. Lowis was anoīted king of Fraūce in the yere of our lord .ix. C. .xl and viii yere of Edwardus thā kynge of Englād reygned yeres after moste wryters .xxxix. ca. c.xc fo c.xiiii Edwynus y e eldest son̄ of Edmoūd brother of Ethelstane was enoynted kyng of Englāde in the yere of oure lord .ix. C.lvi the secōd yere of Lothayre thā kyng of Fraūce reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xcii fo c.xvi Edgarus the secōd sonn̄ of Edmoūd brother of Edwyn begā to reygne ouer Englād in the yere of grace .ix. C. .lx y e .v. yere of Lotharius than kyng of Fraūce reygned yeres .xvi ca. c.xciii fo c.xvi Edward the son̄ of Edgare surnamed the Martyr begā hys reygne ouer the I le of Englād in the yere of our lorde .ix. C.lxxvii the .xxii. yere of Lothayre yet kyng of Fraūce and reygned yeres .iiii. ca. c.xcvi fo c.xix. Egelredus y e sonn̄ also of Edgare was made kyng of Englād in y e yere of grace .ix. C.lxxx one the .xxvi. yere of Lothayre yet king of Fraūce and reygned yeres .xxxvi. ca. xcvii folio c.xx. Lowys y e .vi. of y e name sonne of Lothayr begā his reygn ouer Fraūc in y e yere of our lord .ix. C.lxxxvi the v. yere of Egelbertus thā king of England reygned yeres .iii. In thys kyng endeth the lyne of Pepyn ca. cc.i. fo c.xxiiii Hugt Capet y e sonn̄ of Roberte y e tyraūt descended of Hugh le graūde begā to take vppō hym or vsurpe the crowne of Fraūce in the yere of oure lord .ix. C. .ix and y e .ix. yere of Egelrede and ruled yeres .ix. ca. cc.ii. folio c.xxvi Robert the sonn̄ of Hughe began to reygne ouer the Frēchmē in y e yere of our lord .ix. C.lxxx and .xviii. yere of Egelredus than kyng of Englād and reygned yeres .xxx. ca. cc.iii folio c.xxvii Edmoūde Ironsyde the sonne of Egelredus with also Canutus y e son̄ of Swanus begā to reygn ouer Englāde in the yere of our lord M. and xvii y e .xix. yere of Robert thā kinge of Fraūce reygned one yere ca. cc.iiii fo c.xxvii Kanutus which in y e Englysh boke is named Knougth begā after the deth of Edmoūd to reygn alone ouer Englād in the yere of grace M. and xix the .xx. yere of Robert thā kyng of Fraūce and reygned yeres .xix. ca. cc.v fo c.xxviii Hēry the sonn̄ of Robert begā hys domynyō ouer Fraūce in the yere of our lord M. .xxix the .x. yere of Canutus thā king of Englād reygned yeres .xxxi. ca. cc.vii fo c.xxx Harolde surnamed Harefote y e son̄ Canutus began to reygne ouer England in the yere of our lorde M. and xxxix the .x. yere of Henry thā kyng of Fraūce and ruled yeres .iii. ca. cc.viii fo c.xxxi Hardikynitus or Hardiknought y e son̄ of Canutus of Emma was made king of Englāde in the yere of our lord M. .xli the .xii. yere of Hēry thā kyng of Fraūce and reygned yeres .ii. In this kyng ended the line of the Danes that had cōtynued in thys lāde in great persecuciō aboue ii C.l. yeres ca. cc.ix. fo c.xxxii Edward the holy cōfessour son̄ of Egelredus and of Emma his laste wyfe begā hys reygn ouer the realm of Englād in the yere of oure lorde a M. and .xliii the .iiii. yere of Henry thā kyng of Fraūce and reygned in vertue and holynes yeres .xxiiii. In this kynges tyme the chapell of walsynghm̄ was fyrst bylded in y e yere of our lord M.lxi. ca. cc.x. fo c.xxxiii Philippe the fyrst of y e name and son̄ of Hēry begā to gouerne y e Frēch mē in the yere of our lord a M.lxviii and the .xvi. yere of Edward the confessour thā kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .xlviii. Godfrey of Bulyō nat Boleyn̄ ī this Philippes tyme gat by strēgth the citie of Hierusalē was crowned king of y e same in the yere of our lord M.xcix. ca. cc.xv. fo c.xxxviii Harolde y e eldest son̄ of erle Goodwyn begā to reygn ouer Englyshmē in the yere of our lord M.lxvi and y e viii yere of Philippe than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres .ix. ca. cc.xvi fo c.xxxviii Thus endeth the .vi. parte that conteyneth .iii. C.lxxxi yeres WIllyam duke of Normādy the bastarde sonne of Robert the .vi duke of the sayd prouynce begā hys reygne ouer the realme of Englande in the .xv. day of Octobre and yere of our lord M.lxvii y e .ix. yere of y e fyrst Philipe yet kyng of Fraūce reygned yere vpō .xxii. In the .xx. yere of thys kyng the church of saint Poule wyth a great parte of Lōdon was burned Thys kyns foūded the monasteryes of Batell and Barmūdesey ca. cc.xix fo c.xlii wyllyam surnamed the Rede and sonne of wyllyam Cōquerour began hys reygne ouer Englād in the moneth of Iuly yere of our lord a M.lxxx .ix .xxxi. yere of Philippe forenamed yet king of Fraūce reygned yeres .xii. ca. cc.xxiii fo c.xlvii Henry surnamed Beawclerke and thyrd son̄ of wyllyam Conqueroure begā hys reygne ouer Englād in the yere of our lord M.C. one and in the .xliii. yere of the foresayd Phylyp yet kyng of Fraūce reygned yeres xxxv ca. cc.xxvi fo c.l. Lowys surnamed the greate and sonn̄ of y e fyrst Philippe was enoynted king of Fraūce in y e yere our lord M.C. .vii and y e .vi. yere of the first Henry than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xxix. capi cc.xxx folio c.lv. Stephan erle of Boloyng sonn̄ vnto the erle of Blesens of the wyues syster of Hēry the fyrst begā hys reygne ouer Englāde in the yere of grace M.C. .xxxvi and the last yere of Lowys the great reygned yeres xix ca. cc.xxxii fo c.lvii Lowys the .viii. of y e name and son̄ of Lowys the great begā his reygne ouer Fraunce in the yere of our lord M.C.xxxvi the fyrste yere of Stephan than kyng of England reygned yeres .xliii. ca. cc.xxxiiii folio c.lx. Henry the seconde of that name sonne of Geffrey Plantaginet and of molde the emperesse begā hys reygn in Englande in the yere of our lorde M.C. and .lv and the .xix. yere of Lowys the .viii. than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xxxv. Saynt Edwarde the confessour was trāslated in the .ix. yere of thys kyng And about the .xvi. yere of hys reygne saīt Thomas of Caunterbury was martyred cap. cc.xxxvi folio c.lxii Philippe the second of that name surnamed a Deu don̄e sonne of the viii Lowys beganne hys reygne in Fraunce in the yere our lord a thousande C. and .lxxix and .xxiiii. yere of Henry the seconde than kyng of Englande and reygned yeres .xliii. ca. cc.xli fo c.lxviii Thus endeth the table of the fyrste volume FOR
THAT IN the accomptynge of the yeres of the worlde from the creacyon of Adam vnto the incarnacyon of Criste ben many sondery opynyons as the Hebrewes whych accompt for the sayde terme .iii. thousande .ix. hundred .lxiii. yeres the seuenty interpretours reken .v. M.C.lxxx and .xix. yeres Some there be that reken v. M.lxxx and .xix. yeres and some v. thousande CC. .xxviii. yeres In the thyrde boke fyrste chapyter of Polycronycon ben also shewed dyuers opinyons wherof the gretest nomber and most certayne is v. thousande and CC. yeres And in other places also some rekeÌ„ mo and some haue lesse by reason wherof the tymes ben diuersly sette and accompted as the fyrst fouÌ„dacyon of Rome the subuersyon of the famouse cytye of Troye the fyrst buyldynge of the cytye of London dyuerse other old thinges But for I se y t the accoÌ„pt of y e seuenty interpÌ„tours is of holy Beda and many other holy wryters allowed and folowyd therfore I enteÌ„dynge to shew in this rude worke folowyng what yere of y e world Brute entred fyrste thys ile then called Albyon and now England purpose to kepe the sayde accompte wherof the partyculers ensewe that is to wyt fyrste from Adam to Noeflowyd .xxii hundred and xlii yeres From Noe to Abraham flowed .ix hundred and .xlii. yeres From AbrahaÌ„ to Dauid flowyd ix hundred and xl yeres From Dauid to the captyuyte of the Iewys passed .iiii. hundred .lxxx. and v. yeres And from the captyuyte to the comynge of Christe .v. hundred .lxxx. tenne yeres The whyche in all make .v. thousande a hundred lxxx and xix yeres AFter which accoÌ„pt moste accordynge to the purpose of thys worke all be yt that dyuerse opynyons thereof ben left in writyng and of dyuerse autours the famous cytye of Troye was subuerted of y e Grekes as wytnessyth holy Eusebius and other in the yere of y e world .iiii. M. and .xxiii. Also folowyng the sayd accompt as wytnessyth the forsayde Euseby dyuerse other the cyte of Rome was begon to be buylded in the xi yere of Ezechias then kynge of Iuda the whyche yere maketh after the sayde auctours the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande foure hundred lxx And y e sayd auctours afferme that the sayd cytye of Rome was edifyed after the subuersion of Troye iiii huÌ„dred and xlvii yeres By whych reason it must folowe that is was buylded in the yere of the world as ys aboue sayde Peter pictauiensis and other testifye that Brute entred fyrste the ile of Albyon now called Englande in the .xviii. yere of the preste iudge of Israel named Hely And as after myth dyuers auctours the sayde Hely beganne to rule the Israelites the yere of the thyrde age that is from Abraham to Dauid .viii. huÌ„dred lxi whych maketh the yeres of y e worlde foure thousande and .xlv. wherunto yf there be ioyned the aboue sayd â—xviii yeres then muste yt folow that Brute shuld entre this lande in the yere of the worlde foure thousand .lxiii. To this agreeth y e auctour of Polycronicon whych sayth that Brute entred Albion .xl. yeres after the subuersyon of Troye whych xl yeres ioyned to the former sayeng of Eusebius maketh y e sayd nomber of .iiii. thousande and .lxiii. yeres Also a wryter of hystoryes called Iacobus Philippus affermeth that Troye was taken by the Grekes in the thyrde yere y t Abdon or Labdon iudged the Israelytes whych began his rule ouer the sayde Israelytes after the accorde of moste wryters in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande and .xx. wherunto yf there be ioyned thre yeres for y e third yere of his rule in whyche yere Troye as before ys sayde was taken and .xl. yeres that passed or Brute percyd Albyon yt muste folowe y e Brute entred fyrst thys I le of Albyon as before is sayd in the yere of the world .iiii. thousand and .lxiii. Then by these foresayd reasons Brute toke possession of this I le of Albyon in the yere of the worlde as before is sayde before the buyldyng of the cytye of Rome as by the foresayd reasons may be also prouyd .iiii. hundred and .vii. yeres and before the incarnacyon of our blessyd sauyour folowynge the same accompte a thousande an hundred .xxx. and vi yeres ¶ Thus endeth thaccomptynge of the yeres of the worlde from the creacyon of Adam vnto the incarnacyon of Chryste THE PROLOGE WHan I aduertyse in my remembraunce The manyfolde storyes in order duely sette Of kyngâ— princes y e whilom had gouernauÌ„ce Of Rome and Italye and other further fette As of Iewes Grekes the whyche haue no let But that men may se in order seryously How longe they reygned how successyuely Of Fraunce and other I myght lykewyse reporte To theyr great honour as of them doth appere But to Englande yf I shall resorte Ryght mysty storyes doutfull and vnclere Of names of tymes and of the duraunt yere That kynges or prynces ruled that famouse yle Almoste vncertayne how I shuld guyde my style And for of cunnynge I am full destytute To brynge to frame so great a mystery I nyll presume wythout other refute To ioyne suche a worke or yt to rectyfye To me yt semyth so farre sette awrye In tyme of yeres to other dyscordaunt That to my dull wytte yt is not atteynaunt To brynge in order a thynge of suche weyght And cause yt to agre wyth other olde storyes But yt to remytte to them that ben sleyght And sharpe in lecture and haue kepte theyr studyes And sought the bokes of many olde hystoryes And haue in cronycles full experyence To frame suche a worke by theyr great prudence And I lyke y e preÌ„tyse that hewyth the rough stone And bryngeth yt to square wyth hard strokes many That the mayster after may it ouergone And prynte therin his fygures and his storye Any so to worke yt after his proporcynary That yt may appere to all that shall yt se A thynge ryght perfyte and well in eche degre So haue I now sette out this rude warke As rough as the stone not coÌ„men to the square That the lerned and the studyed clerke May yt ouer polyshe and clene do yt pare Flowryshe yt wyth eloquence wherof yt is bare And frame yt in order that yet is out of ioynt That it with olde authours may gree in euery poynt Besechynge hym that wyll so take the payne Or any other that lyste on this to loke where any errour in this by hym is sayne It to correcte and mende this rude boke For by hym that neuer yet any order toke Or gre of scole or sought for great cunnynge This worke is gaderyd wyth small vnderstandynge Not for any pompe nor yet for great mede This worke haue I taken on hande to compyle But onely bycause that I wolde sprede The famouse honour of this fertyle yle That hath contynued by many a longe whyle In excellent honour wyth many a royall guyde Of whom
the dedes haue sprong to the world wyde But of those dedes me lyste not here to shewe For in the sequele they shall well appere And in shorte processe and in as wordes fewe As I goodly may I shall lynke in fere The storyes of Englande and fraunce so dere That to the reader yt may well be sayâ—e what kynges to gyder ruled these landes twayne And in the pryncypyll of the reygne of euery kyng As well of one and other more and lesse what yere of the worlde he toke begynnynge To guyde his realme and farther besynesse I wyll eke take to shewe and expresse what terme of yeres euery prynce dyd reygne And in what honour he dyd his tyme maynteyne The tyme also how longe the Brytons ruled And how by Saxons they lastely were put oute Then of Danes whyche both landes defoyled By theyr outrage and of theyr fury stoute Of whom both nacyons stode longe in great doute Tyll Fraunce wyth them allyed by maryage And Englande lastely voyded that lynage Then how the Normayns by wyllyaÌ„ coÌ„querour Entrede this lande and helde the seygnory A certayne of tyme tyll the hygh gouernour Restored the blode of Saxons enterly And of the Scottes that neuer coude apply To kepe theyr allegeaunce but many a tyme rebelled And to be true were full often compelled The fatall warre that hath dured so longe Twene FrauÌ„ce and Englande to both theyr damage And of the peace that hath ben vnderfonge Both by great othes and eke by maryage Of walys geryshenesse and of theyr lyght dotage How they were scourged for theyr vnstedfastnesse wyth dyuers other whyche I shall after expresse And for that London that auncyent cytye Hath euer perseueryd in vertuous noblesse To the great honour as may consydred be Of all this lande in welth and great largesse Therfore I thynke somwhat to expresse Of theyr good order and cyuyle polycy That they so longe haue ruled theyr cytye by And of theyr rulers as they are yerely chosen To rule the coÌ„monte by theyr dyscrecyon I shall you shewe and to you dysclosen The names of mayres and shyryffes of that towne And all suche actes as by reuolucyone In theyr dayes fyll so that there shall appere The prynces actes whyche chaunged yere by yere Of Fraunce also the cronycle shall ensew In his dewe order so that ye may knowe when they beganne theyr prynces to renewe And from the seruage when they were kept lowe Of the Romayns whom they dyd ouerthrowe And of theyr names that they whylom dyd chaunge Of theyr fyrst baptysme and of theyr names strauÌ„ge Thus in this boke maye you here and se Of bothe landes the cronycles entyere wyth other maters whyche regystred be Of olde wryters suche as wrote full clere Actes of prynces done both farre and nere And them engrosed wyth great dylygence wherby to theyr folowers myght growe experyence Into .vii. partes I haue this boke dyuyded So that the reder may chose where he wyll The fyrste conteyneth how the Brytons guyded This lande from Brute Moliuncius vntyll And from Moliuncius I have sette for skyll To the nynthe yere of kynge Cassibelan The seconde parte for that the Romaynes than Conquered Brytayne And thens to Seueryne The thyrde parte I haue also assygned The fourth endyth then at Constantyne The fyfte at Cadwalader I haue also dyffned At the conquest I have eke determyned The .vi. parte And of the Seuenth or laste At our redoubted prynce I haue the ende caste Henry the .vii. whom god preserue and saue And hym defende from all aduersyte Besechynge them that wyll the laboure haue This boke to rede or any parte to se That where defaute is yt may corrected be wythout dysdayne and that they wyll supporte And ayde this worke wyth all theyr comforte And for this boke includeth storyes fele And to wchyth thynges done in sondry place So that one tyme muste wyth an other dele To kepe the yeres the tyme and the space Therfore this name yt shall now purchace Concordaunce of storyes by me prouyded The auctor sans nome fynally deuysed And for thys worke may haue the better spede To prayer me thynketh yt is ryght necessarye That I shulde fall consyderynge my nede That I must haue for lacke of due studye where through that connynge and perfyte memory Of thynges taken when I was yonge and hynde Ben farre sette of and putte from my mynde By this is ignoraunce now comen in place And oblyuyon hath sette in hys fote So that knowlege from me they done race wherby in olde auctours I myght fynde some boot In latyn and frenche that in theyr dytees swoot These olde wryters haue so compendyously Sette the olde storyes in order dylygently But in this prayer I thynke nought to be vsed As dyddyn these poetys in theyr olde dayes whyche made theyr prayers to goddes abused As Iupiter and Mars that in theyr olde lawes were named goddes and fayned in theyr sawes That they were goddes of batayll and rychesse And hadde in them great vertue and prowesse For what may helpe these fayned goddes all As Saturne or Mercury or yet bryght Apollo Bacchus or Neptune or Pluto the thrall Eolus Morynos or blynde Cupido Or yet that goddesse the fayre Iuno Diana or Pallas or Ceres the fre Or yet the Musys that ben thryes thre wherto shulde I call vnto Caliope Moder of Orpheus wyth swete armony That of eloquence hath the soueraynte Or to Carmentis whyche by her fyrste studye The latyne letters fouÌ„de out perfytly Syns all these were mynystres of god immortall And hadde in them no power dyuynall wherfore to the lorde that is celestyall I wyll now crye that of hys influence Of grace and mercy he wyll a droppe lette fall And sharpe my wytte wyth suche experience That this may fynyshe wyth his assystence wyth fauour of the virgyn his moder moste excellent To whom I thus pray wyth mynde and hole entent Assit principio sancta Maria meo Moste blessyd lady comforte to suche as calle To the for helpe in eche necessyte And what thou aydest may in no wyse apalle But to the best is formyd in ylke degre wherfore good lady I praye yt may please the At my begynnynge my penne so to lede That by thyne ayde this worke may haue good spede THE FYRST CHAPITER Syns that I haue shewed vnto you what season and tyme of the yeres of y e world Brute entred fyrste this yle of Albyon me semyth yt is coÌ„uenyent that I also shew how and for what cause yt was fyrste named Albyon The whych so toke fyrst name as wytnessyth Strabo and other writers of the whyte clyues or rockes y t stande vppon the sees syde and are farre seen in clere wether and bryght dayes wherof it was of olde wryters named Albyon as yt were the whyte lande whyche sayenge affermyth also Ranulphe dyuerse other so that yt may certaynly be knowen that yt toke not that fyrste name of Albyne doughter of
Gaufryde and beraft hym the gouernaunce of the land vppon certayne coÌ„dycyons to be contynued for terme of lyfe the whyche in processe of tyme more and more were minyshyd as well by Maglaunus as by HeÌ„ninus husbaÌ„des of the forenamed Gonorild Ragan But moste dyspleased Leyr the vnkyndnesse of his two doughters consyderynge theyr wordes to hym before spoken and sworne and now founde prouyd them all contrarye For the whyche he beyng of necessyte constrayned fledde his lande sayled into Gallia for to be comforted of his doughter Cordeilla wherof she hauyng knowlege of naturall kyndnesse coÌ„forted hiÌ„ after shewynge all the maner to her husbande by his agrement receyuyd hym his to her lordes courte where he was cherished after her beste maner Longe yt were to shew vnto you y e circumstaunce of y e vtterans of the vnkyndnesse of his two doughters and of the wordes of comfort gyuen to hym by Aganippus and Cordeilla or of the couÌ„saile and purueyauÌ„ce made by the sayde Aganippus his lordes for restorynge of Leyr agayn to his dominyoÌ„ But fynally he was by the helpe of the sayde Aganippus restored agayne to his lordshyp and so possessed lyued as ruler gouernour therof by the space of .iii. yeres after In whych season dyed Aganippus And when this Leyr had ruled this lande by the terme of .xl. yeres as affermeth dyuerse cronycles he dyed and was buryed at his towne of Caerleir or Leycestre leuynge after hym for to inheryte the lande his doughter Cordeilla THE XVI CHAPITER COrdeilla the yongeste doughter of Leyr was by assente of the Brytons made lady of Brytayn in the yere of y e world .iiii. thousande iii. hundred lxxxxviii the whyche guyded the lande full wysely by the tyme or space of .v. yeres complete The whyche tyme expyred and roÌ„ne her .ii. neuewes called Margan and Cunedagiê° sonnes of her .ii. susters came vpon her land and made therin great waste and destruccyon and at the laste toke her and cast her into a stronge pryson where she beynge dyspayred of y e recouery of her estate as testyfyeth Gaufryde slewe her selfe whenne she hadde reygned as before is declared by the terme of fyue yeres THE XVII CHAPITER CUnedagius and Marganus neuewes as before is sayde of Cordeilla departyd this lande of Brytayne betwene them in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousand .iiii. hundred and .iii. That is to wyt the couÌ„trey ouer and beyond Humber fyll to Margan towarde Catenessey and the other parte of the lande towarde weste as reherseth Gaufride fyll to Cunedagius After two yeres were ronne ended some euyll dysposyd came vnto Margan and sayde that to hym yt was great reproche and dyshonour consyderynge that he was comen of Gonorilla the elder suster of Maglaunus her husbande Cunedag was descended of Ragan the yonger and Hemnius her husbande that he had not y e rule of all y e land to which sedycyous ê‘sons Margan gyuynge credence was supprysed with pryde and couetyse and anon by theyr couÌ„sayle assembled a great hoste made warre vpon his sayde brother brennynge and destroyeng his land with out mercy wherof Cunedag beynge ware in all hast gaderyd his people after certayne message sent to hym of the reconcylyacyon seynge there was no peace to be made but by the iudgement of batayll he mette wyth his brother in playne felde where y e goddes were to hym so fauourable that he slewe myche of the people of his brother and coÌ„pellyd hym to fle After whyche vyctory thus had he pursued Margan from couÌ„tre to couÌ„tre tyll he came wythin the countre or prouynce of Cambria or walys in the whyche couÌ„tre the sayde Margan gaue one other batayll vnto his brother Cunedag but for he was farre the weker he there was ouercomen and slayne in the felde whyche felde or couÌ„tre where the sayd Margan fought was slayne is to thys daye called Glaumargan whych is to meane in our vulgare tung Margan lande And thus was Margan slayne whan he hadde regned wyth his brother two yeres THE XVIII CHAPITER CUnedagius before named the sonne of Hemnius and Ragan yoÌ„ger doughter or myddell doughter of Leyr was made ruler and lorde of all Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .iiii. hundred .v. Of the whyche is nothyng worthy memorye lefte in wrytyng but that he guyded y e lande after the deth of his brother well and honorably by the terme of .xxxiii. yeres After which terme ended he dyed and was buryed at Troynouant or London leuynge for his heyre a sonne as testyfyeth Gaufryde named Riuallo or Rinallo or after some wryters Reyngnolde THE XIX CHAPITER BIuallus the sonne of Cunedagius was made gouernoure of the Brytons in the yere of the world .iiii. thousand .iiii. hundred and .xxxviii the whyche of wryters is called fortunat and restfull This Riuallus ruled y e BrytoÌ„s with great sobernesse kepte the lande in great welthe and prosperyte all be yt that of hym is lefte no specyall memorye of acte done in his tyme except myn authour sayth that in y e tyme of his reygne yt reyned blood by the space of .iii. days contynually wythin the lande of Brytayne After the whych reyne ensued so great excedynge noÌ„ber of multitude of flyes the which were to the people so noyous and coÌ„tagyous that they slewe myche people And after that as sayth an olde authour whose name is vnknoweÌ„ ensued great sykenesse and mortallytie to the great desolacyon of thys sayde lande Then yt foloweth in the story wheÌ„ this Riuallus hadde reygned after moste coÌ„cordaunce of writers by the terme of .xlvi. yeres he dyed was buryed as testyfyeth the sayde olde authour at Caerbrank or yorke leuynge after hym a sonne as wytnessyth Gaufride named Gurgustius In the tyme of the reygne of thys kynge after moste concorde of wryters y e famous cytye of Rome shuld be buylded as is shewed more playnly in the treatyse in the begynnyng of this warke THE XX. CHAPITER GUrgustius the sonne of y e fore named Riuallus was made ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousane .iiii. hundred lxxxiii This in y e cronicle of EnglaÌ„d is named Gorbodiam sonne of Reygnold Of the which is lytell memory made other of his regne or of his dedes by any authours or wryters of y e hystorye of Brytayne excepte the aboue named olde authoure and the authoure called the floure of hystoryes wytnessyth that he reygned xxxviii yeres leuynge after hym none heyre of his bodye begotten and lastely dyed and was buryed by his fader at Caerbrank or yorke Rome as aboue ys towched was fyrst buylded edyfyed in the tyme of Riuallus and after moste writers In the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .iiii. hundred .lxx after the buyldyng of TroynouaÌ„t or London .iiii. huÌ„dred .vii. yeres whych folowyng that accompte shulde be in the .xxxii. yere of the forsayde Riuallus THE XXI CHAPITER SIsillius or after
Moste virgynall floure of all moste excellent Persynge of angelles the hyest Hierarchy Ioye and be glad for god omnipotent Hath the lyft vp and sette moste worthily Aboue the nomber and gloryous company Of his blessyd sayntes wyth moste hye dignite Nexte after hym moste honoured to be This fyrst parte to be accompted from the fyrste yere of Brute vnto the laste yere of the foresayde dyscorde or vnto the fyrste yere of Mulmutius includyth of yeres .vii. hundred and foure ¶ Thus endeth the fyrste parte THE SECONDE PARTE THE XXVIII CHAPITER MUlmutius Dunuallo or as some haue Dunuallo Mulmutius the sonne of ClotenÌ„ as testyfyeth the englyshe boke also Gaufride was venquesshour of y e other dukes or rulers and began his reygn ouer the hole monarchy of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousand vii hundred .xlviii. This is named in the englyshe cronycle Donebant the whyche was a noble man causyd to be made wythin the cytye of Troynouant a temple and named it the temple of peace The whyche after some opynyons is that place or feld where y e market of wollen cloth is holden called or named Blakwelhall He also made many good laws the which were long after vsed called Mulmutiê° lawes These lawes holy Gyldas wrote wyth great dylygence out of the brettishe speche into latyne And longe tyme here after y e Aluredus kynge of England turned those lawes oute of latyne into englyshe He also gaue pryuylege to temples to plowghes cytyes and to the wayes ledynge to y e same And as some authours wytnesse he beganne the foure hye wayes of Brytayne the whych were fynyshed and perfyted of Belinus his sonne as after at length shall be declared The olde cronycle testyfyeth y t this Mulmutius whyche he in his boke nameth Molle made the two townes of Malmesbury and Uyes And all other writers afferme that this Mulmutius after he hadde stablyshyd his lande and sette his Brytons in good and conuenyent order by the aduyce of his lordes he ordeyned hym a crowne or dyademe of gold caused hym selfe to be crowned wyth great solempnyte after the vsaunce of pagane lawe then vsed And for this cause after the opynyon of some wryters he is named the fyrste kyng of Britayn And all y e other before rehersyd are named rulers dukes or gouernours Then yt foloweth in the storye when Mulmutiê° had guyded y e land well and honorably by the terme of xl yeres he dyed and was buryed in the foresayde temple of peace within Troynouant or LoÌ„don leuynge after hym two sonnes named Belinus and Brennus THE XXIX CHAPITER BElinus and Brennê° the two sonnes of Mulmutius beganne to raygne ioyntly as kynges of Brytayne in the yere of the world iiii thousande .viii. C. viii so that Belinus held to hym Loegria or Logiers walys and Cornewayll and Brennus held to his parte all y e land ouer beyonde Humber with which partycyon eyther of them was coÌ„tentyd pleasyd as testyfyeth Polycronica by the terme of .v. yeres After the whyche terme endyd and expired Brennus entendynge to haue more lande or all arose agaynste his brother Belyne and made vppon hym mortall warre In the whych warre Brennus was ouersette and was coÌ„pelled to flye the land and sayle vnto Armorica now named lytell Britayn or as sayth Gaufryde into a countre called Allebrog as after shal be more playnely declared and there allyed hym after the foresayde terme as before is sayd of .v. yeres was expyryd as affermeth Policronica For Gaufryde sayeth in his boke made of the hystory of Brytons y t after y e terme of .v. yeres afore sayde were expyred and runne Brennus by sterynge of yonge and euyll counsayll enteÌ„dyng as before is sayde sayled vnwetyng his brother into Norway and there maryed the doughter of Elfunge or Elfynge then ruler or duke of Norwaye when this was shewed vnto Belyn consyderynge the sodayne departyng in all haste he seasyd Albania and all the other lande apperteynyng to Brenne into his owne hand and strengthed the cytyes and other stronge places wyth his owne sowdyours wherof when Brenne was warned he in all possyble haste assembled a great people of the Norwayes and toke hys shyppynge to sayle into Brytayne And as he was kepynge his course vpon the see he was encountred wyth Guilthdacus kynge of Denmarke the whych had lyen in awayte for hym for loue of y e wenche y t Brennus had maryed for before tyme he had requyred her of Elfungeher fader wheÌ„ those .ii. flotê were mette strong shotte and fyght was vppon both partyes But fynally the Danes ouercame the Norwayes or Norganys and toke the shyppe by strength whych the weÌ„che was in y t whych anone was brought vnto the shyppe of Guilthdake and Brenne wyth a fewe of his shyppes lefte was fayne to sauegarde hym selfe by flyght when Guilthdake hadde thus obteyned y e vyctorye entendynge to haue sayled towarde Denmarke in shorte whyle after y e tempestes came so hydous vppon the see that hys nauye was deuyded and scatered that one frome the other in suche wyse that he was in fere to haue ben drowned And at the ende of fyue dayes not wetynge where he was wyth fewe shyppes landed in the couÌ„tre of Northumberlande where at that tyme was Belyn prouydyng defence agayne his brothers coÌ„myng wherof when word was brought vnto Belyn of the landynge of the fore sayde Danoys prynce wyth a small company he reioysed yt and coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym wyth his shyppes company to be put in sure holde kepynge It was not long after but BreÌ„ne hadde reculyd and gaderyd to gyder the more parte of hys nauye before as ye haue harde chased And when he hadde theym newely ryggyd and vytayled he herynge of the aryuayll of Guilthdacus in NorththuÌ„berlaÌ„d with his wife sent wordê of manace vnto his brother Belyn wyllyng hym to sende vnto hym his wyfe wroÌ„gfully rauyshed by Guilthdacus also to restore vnto him his land patrymony or ellys he wold shorthely inuade his lande yt for to waste his enymy to destroye The whych desyre or request of Belynus was playnely and shortely denyed whych knowlege had Brennê° shortly after landed in a parte of Albania and made towarde his brother and his brother towarde hym so y t theyr hostes met nere vnto a wood named at that day Calater or Calaterium where betwene them was a mortall batayll in so myche that mych people fyll vpon both partyes But lastly the Brytons wanne the felde and chasyd the Norganys or Norways vnto theyr shyppes chasynge sleyenge them without pyty And as affermeth myne authour y e fyght was so cruell and sharpe that there was slayne to the nomber of .xl. M. men After this dyscumfyture Brenne was constrayned to flee and wyth fewe in nomber recoueryd the lande of Gallia Belinus hauyng thus victorye of his enemyes after thankes and oblacyons made vnto his goddes after the pagane law he then assembled his lordes
after some .l. But for profe of the fyrste sayenge I haue shewed my conceyte in the tabyll before named the whych I remytte to the correccyon of such as haue ê“fyte vndertandynge in calculynge of hystoryes and tymes And here I make an ende of the seconde parte of this worke in yeldynge graces to oure moste consolatryce that moste blessed virgyne our lady saynt Mary the whyche here I agayne salute wyth the seconde of the forsayde .vii. ioyes whyche begynneth Gaude sponsa chara dei c. Be ioyous thou spouse of god moste 〈◊〉 Whyche lyke to the sonne moste clerest of syght When in the daye he shyneth moste clere The worlde illumynest by meanes full ryght And thorowe the vertue of thy full myght Causest the worlde to be resplendissaunt By meane of thy peas which is full habundaunt This seconde parte to be accompted from the last yere of the dyscorde of the Brytons to the ende of the .ix. yere of Cassybellan includeth of yeres .iii. hundred .lxxx. and .iii. THE THYRDE PARTE THE L. CHAPITER THus maye we vnderstande that by the apoyntmeÌ„t before made Cassibellan contynued styll as kynge and gouernour of this land of Brytayn whyche by moste coÌ„cordaunce of writers hadde reygned before or he were made trybutarye vppon .ix. yeres whyche sayde .ix. yeres made the yere of the worlde folowynge thaccompte before expressyd fyue thousand a huÌ„dred .l. And after he reygned by thagremeÌ„t of all writers as kyng of this lande fully .vii. yeres So that in all before the grauÌ„te of y e tribute and after he reygned vppon .xvi. yeres THE LI. CHAPITER NOwe then haue I shewyd to you how that Iulius Cesar by ayde and helpe of Androgeus erle of Kent made this land of Brytayn trybutarye to the Romaynes when Cassibelan had ben kyng of the sayd lande vppon .ix. yeres whych .ix. yeres I haue sette for the ende of the seconde parte of this worke So that the .x. yere of Cassibellan is the fyrst yere of the thyrde parte of the sayde worke Then as all writers testyfye Cassibellan contynued after the departynge of Iulius as kyng by the terme or space of .vii. yeres as before is declared In the tyme of y e whych vii yeres is none noble acte nor dede of hym put in memory or wrytynge But for some wold thynke that after Caius Iulius Cesar hadde thorough helpe of Androgeus erle of Kent and eldest sonne of Lud thus as before is sayde subdued Cassibellan that the sayd Iulius wold haue restoryd the sayde Androgeus to the crowne of Brytayne as his ryghtfull inherytauÌ„ce and clerely to haue expelled and put oute the sayd Cassibellan from all kyngly dygnyty To this answereth the olde cronycle and sayth that Cassibellan was not the sonne of Hely but that he was the eldeste sonne of Lud by reason wherof he was fyrste made kyng and so as ryghtfull heyre contynued durynge hys lyfe kynge of Brytayne The whych when he hadde reygned .ix. yeres or he were trybutary and .vii. yeres after as affermeth the sayde olde cronicle in all .xvi. yeres he theÌ„ dyed wythoute issue and was buryed at Caerbranke or yorke THE LII CHAPITER TEmanciê° or TeÌ„nancius the yongest sonne of Lud as affermeth Gaufryde was made kyng of y e BrytoÌ„s in the yere of the world fyue thousande a hundred and .lvii. This is named in the englyshe cronycle Tormace and not kynge as the sayde boke affermeth But his elder brother whych in the sayde boke is named Androgen was after the affyrmaunce of the sayd englyshe cronycle made kynge But the foresayd Gaufryde and other testyfyen that for so myche as Androgeus feryd to be euer hated of y e Brytons for his treason wroughte agaynst the kyng and the lande he therfore chase to go with Caius Iulius to Rome rather theÌ„ to be kyng of such as he thought wolde neuer haue hym in theyr loue and fauoure Then yt foloweth in y e storye this TeÌ„naÌ„cius ruled the land with great dylygence and iustyce and defended the lande well and knyghtly agayne all alyauÌ„tis and strauÌ„gers payde his trybute to the Romaynes y â— Cassibellan had graunted and lastly dyed when he had reygned after most wryters .xxiii. yeres and was buryed at Caerlud or London leuynge after hym a sonne the whyche was called Kymbeline THE LIII CHAPITER Kymbelinus or Kymbelyne the sonne of TeÌ„nancius was of y e BrytoÌ„s made kynge in the yere of the worlde .v. thousande a hundred and .lxxx. This man as wytnesseth Guydo was brought vp at Rome amonge the Romaynes there made a knyght and had of them suche fauoure that he was at lyberty to pay the trybute or not Of hym is lytell memorye made excepte all wryters agreen that in y e season that he was kynge our sauyoure Cryste Iesus was incarnate of that moste blessyd virgine our lady saynt Mary which shulde be to accorde historyes in the xix yere of his reygne Of the reygne of this Kymbelyn authours wryte dyuersly so y t some shewe no yeres and some but fewe whych can not accord wyth the tyme of other cronycles But the authour of the hystorye called Floure of historyes wytnessyth y t he reygned .xxxv. yeres The whyche sayeng who lyst to se y e table before rehersed he shall there haue knowlege that this sayd auctoure accordeth beste wyth other storyes and cronycles And when that this Kymbelyne had reygned gloryously ouer y e Brytons by all the season before expressyd he dyed was buryed at Caerlud or London leuynge after hym two sonnes named Guyderius and Aruiragus NOw before haue I shewed vnto you in y e later chapyter y t Criste was incarnate in the .xix. yere of Kymbelyne whyche maketh the yere of the worlde that is to saye froÌ„ the fyrste creacyon of Adam to the incarnacyon .v. thousande a hundred lxxx and .xix. the whyche accompt is approuyd by holy Isodore Beda and other Then Cryste was incarnate the yere of y e world as before is expressed From Noes flood or after .ii. thousande ix hundred and .lvii. After Abraham .ii thousande .xvii. After Dauid kyng of Israell a thousande and .lxxv. From or after the traÌ„smygracyon of the Iewes to Babylon v. huÌ„dred lxxx and .x. After Brute entred Britayne .xi. hundred and .xxxvi. After Alexander the great nere vppon .iii. hundred and .xxv. After the buyldynge of Rome .vii. huÌ„dred and .xxix. And in the begynnyng of y e .xlii. yere of Octauius Augustus then emperour of Rome THE LIIII CHAPITER GUyderius the fyrste sonne of Kymbalyne beganne his reygne ouer the Britons the yere of the worlde .v. thousande CC. .xvi. And the yere after Cristes incarnacyon y e xvii yere This man was welthy trusted mych in his streÌ„gth And for he thought the Romayns hadde the forenamed trybute with wronge he therfore of a knyghtly courage denyed to the Romaynes the sayde trybute wherfore Claudiê° whych was vncle vnto Caius Caligula the .iiii. emperour of Rome came into Brytayne with a great armye
coÌ„forted enforced y t Britons wyth so sharpe fyght that they were compelled to forsake the felde and toke theym to flyght whom the Frenchemen chasyd and slewe wythout mercy In the whyche chase Cramyris wyth hys wyfe and chyldern were taken and presentyd vnto Lotharius The whyche shortly after settynge a parte all faderly loue compassion and pytye causyd a great fyre to be made into the whyche he commaunded to be caste the sayde Cramyris with also hys wyfe and chyldern Or as wytnessyth the frenche cronycle they were all enclosyd in a house and the house and they to gether consumyd wyth fyre Thus the moste cruell father without pyte chastysyd y e inobedyent son to the example and lernyng of other to bere dewe obedyeÌ„ce vnto theyr parentes After this vyctory and cruell chastysement executed by Lothariê° he retourned into Fraunce And so to the sepulcre or shryne of saynte Martyne yeldynge to god and hym thankes of thys vyctorye and offeryd there many ryche gyftes And after spedde hym to Soisons where he as kynge of all Fraunce excepte the lordshyppe of Austracy whyche Theobald sonne of his brother sons Theodorich then helde The father of this Theobald was Theodobert Then Lotharius seynge hys lande in reste and quyetnesse gaue hym to huntynge and chace of wylde bestes a game of great vse amoÌ„g all FreÌ„che prynces In whyche dysporte he beyng one daye greatly trauayled caught some surfet of the whyche ensued a mortall sykenes so that he dyed shortely after when he hadde reygned as before is specifyed ouer the lordshyppe of Soysons and other by the terme of .l. wynter full And was after buryed at Soisons with great pompe leuynge after hym foure sonnes GuÌ„thranus Aribertus Chilpericus Sigebertus It is testyfyed of mayster Robert Gagwyne that saynte Radegunde borne of the countre of Thurynge of a pagan father named Bernigarius was wyfe to this LotharÌ„ whose vertuous lyfe Antoninê° in his boke called SmÌ„ Antonini in the .viii. chapyter .xii. tytle of the seconde parte of his worke shewyth coÌ„peÌ„dyously Anglia THE CIIII. CHAPITER ARthurê° the sonne of Uter Pendragon a strepelynge of .xv. yeres of age beganne his reygne as kynge of Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde v. hundred and .xvii and the thyrde yere of Lotharius then kynge of Fraunce or of a parte therof as before is declared Of this Arthure is by Gaufryde recyted a longe storye and alowed by the englysh cronycle the whyche from other wryters ys greatly dyscordaunte But yet all authours agreen that he was noble an victoryous in all his dedys Fayne I wolde declare the fame of this noble prynce to the comforte of other to folowe his marcyall dedis so that I myght somwhat iustly fye my reporte by some authoure of authoryte But the more I am in doute bycause of the sayenge of Ranulphe monke of Chestre whyche vouchyth yt vppon wyllyam wryter of hystoryes of kynges as ys rehersed at length in the .vi. chapyter of the .v. boke of PolicronicoÌ„ which is there open to euery man that ys desyrous to knowe the sayde reporte or opynyon the whyche for the leÌ„gth therof I ouerpasse And somwhat to the honour of so great a champyon as was thys Arthur I shall lay vnto the reder that he may wyth authoryte shewe vnto the herers and ther wyth gladde the welsheman that he shuld desceÌ„de of so noble a vyctour whych so many dedys of honour executed in his dayes Then as testyfyeth Polycronycon and other Arthur faught .xii. no table batayllis agayne the Saxons and of them all was victour wherfore the fyrste was vpon the ryuer of Cleuy and .iiii. the nexte were foughten vpon the ryuer Douglys which rynneth vnder the town of wygan vpon ten myles from the ryuer of Merse in Lancashyre The .vi. batayll was vppon the ryuer called Bassa The .vii. besyde LyncolnÌ„ in a wood called CelidonÌ„ The .viii. and the .ix. were foughten about yorke The .x. was about Nycolf towne whyche is named warwyk as after some wryters The .xi. was at Bathe where he longe besegyd Cerdicus kynge of westsaxons The .xii. and last was at a place called Badon or Babowe hyll in which he slewe many Saxons But that notwythstandynge he myght not clerely voyde them his lande but that they kepte theyr couÌ„tes which they were before possessyd of as Kente Southerey and Norff all be it that some authours testyfy that they held these countres as trybutaryes vnto Arthure Thys noble warryour as wytnessyth holy Gildas slew with his own hande in one daye by y e helpe of our ladye saynte Marye whose picture he bare peynted in his shelde a hundred and .xl. Saxons whyche shelde he called PrydwenÌ„ his swerd was called Caliboure and his spere was called RonÌ„ after the brytyshe tunge or speche The thyrde or fourth THE CV CHAPITER ABout the .v. yere of this Arthur after the agrement of moste wryters beganne the lord shyppe of westsaxoÌ„s vnder y e Saxon called Cerdicus Kenricus hys sonne For Denys and other wytnesse that this lordshyppe or kyngdome shulde haue his begynnynge the .lxxi. yere after the fyrste commynge of Hengiste or the yere of oure lorde fyue hundred .xxii. which agreeth wyth the .v. yere of Arthure aforesayde Thys lordshyppe conteyned the weste countre of Englande as wylt wyltshyre Somersetshyre Berkê Dors. and other as Deuonshyre and Cornewayll and hadde in the Eest syde Southampton in y e north Thamys the famouse ryuer in the south and weste the see Occean This foresayde Cerdicus whyche of some authours is named Childricus laÌ„ded fyrst at Cerdyshore which nowe is called yermouth an hauen towne in the countre of Norff. And by helpe of other Saxons then inhabyted in that countre then called eest Anglys the sayd Cerdicus at leÌ„gth obteyned the foresayde countre and named yt westsaxon or westsaxonia and reygned therin as lorde or kyng a certayne of yeres and Kenricê° his sonne after hym The fyrste chrysten kynge of this prouynce was named Kyngilsus and coÌ„uertyd by meanes of that blessed man Berinus byshoppe of Dorchester To whom Quichelinus brother of the foresayd Kyngilsus gaue the sayd cytye to make there hys see after he also had receyued baptyme of the sayde Berinus And as Guydo wytnessyth the sayde Quichelinus gaue after to the byshoppe of wynchester .vii. myles compasse of lande to buylde there a byshoppes see the whyche was accomplyshed and finyshed by Kenwalcus his son Thys kyngdome enduryd longeste of all the other whyche were .vii. in nomber or .vi. besyde thys Some wryters accompte the terme of the duraunce of thys kyngdome from Cerdicus to Egbert and some to the laste yere of Aluredus But Guydo accomptyth the enduraunce of thys kyngdome from the fyrste yere of Cerdicus vnto the laste yere of Edwarde the coÌ„fessour By reason wherof yt shuld endure fyue hundred and .liiii. yeres But moste accordyngly yt shulde be rekened from the fyrst yere of Cerdicus to the laste yere of Aluredus For he
made one monarchye of all .vii. kyngdomes in which tyme dyd flowe or passe thre huÌ„dred lxxviii yeres THE CVI. CHAPITER NOwe then I wyl returne vnto Arthur the whych by a longe tyme dwelled in warre and mortall batayll wyth y e SaxoÌ„s by meane of theyr dayly repayre into this lande The whyche also alyed them with Pictes and other nacyons and made theyr partye the strenger by y e meane But yet Arthur by his marciall knyghthod brought theym in suche frame that he was accoÌ„pted for chyef lord of Brytayne Fynally when he hadde by a longe tyme maynteyned hys warres agayne the Saxons and specyally agayne Cerdicus or Childricus kyng of westesaxons he for a fynall concorde gaue vnto the sayde Cerdicus as testyfyeth Policronica in the .vi. chapyter of his .v. boke the two couÌ„tres of Hampshyre and Somerset And when he hadde sette hys lande in some quietnesse he betoke the rule therof vnto hys neuewe Mordred and wyth a chosyn armye sayled as sayth Gaufryde and other vnto FrauÌ„ce where by the reporte of Gaufryde he wrought wonders But the wryters of Frenche cronycles touche nothynge of suche notable dedes nor yet the wryters of Romaynes mynde nothynge of suche actes done agayne theyr consull or emperoure called by Gaufryde Lucius Hybertê° Therfore I wyll spare all that longe mater remyttyng the welshemen as touchynge y e processe vnto the sayd Gaufride And here I wyll folowe Policronicon where he sayth that for as mych as the forenamed Mordred was desyrous to be kynge feryd some dele the myght of Cerdicus kyng of westsaxons he therfore drewe to hym the sayde Cerdicus by great gyftes as of townes and castelles other meanes where thorough the sayd Cerdicus to hym assented so that Mordred was at London crowned kyng of Brytayn and Cerdicus after the vse of pagaÌ„s was at wynchester then called Kaerguent crowned kyng of westsaxons when relacyoÌ„ came to Arthur of all this treason wrought by his neuewe Mordred he in all haste made towarde Brytayn as yt is redde in the englyshe cronycle laÌ„ded at Sandwyche where he was mette of Mordred and hys people whych gaue vnto hym strong batayll in tyme of his landyng and loste there many of his knyghtes as the famouse knyghte Gawyne and other But yet this not withstandyng Arthur at leÌ„gth waÌ„ne the lande and chasyd his enymyes and after the enterynge of his cosyn Gawyn and other of his knyghtes there slayne he sette forwarde his hoste to pursue his enymyes Mordred thus beynge ouersette of his vncle at the see syde withdrewe hym to wynchester where he beynge furnysshed of newe soudyours gaue vnto Arthur as sayth Gaufryde y e secoÌ„de fyghte wherin also Mordred was put to the worse and constrayned to flee Thyrdely and lastely the sayde Mordred faught wyth his vncle Arthur besydes Glastynbury where after a longe and daungerouse fyght Mordred was slayn y e victorious Arthur wounded vnto the deth and after buryed in the vale of Aualon besyde Glastynbury beforesayde Of this laste ende and buryenge of Arthur in the brytyshe bokes are tolde many fables But to oppresse y e errours of Brytons y e thynke or byleue y t Arthur yet lyueth Policroniconshe with in his forenamed chapyter of his .v. boke y t in the secoÌ„de Henryes tyme kynge of Englande the bonys of the sayd Arthur and Gwaynour his wyfe were fouÌ„den and traÌ„slated into the forsayde chyrch of Glastynbury and there newe buryed in the yere of our lord .xi. hundred .lxxx. And more specially yt is noted in the xxiii chapyter of the .vii. boke of Policronicon aboue sayde wherfore to be at coÌ„clusyon of a fyne of this noble warryour he was as before is shewed slayne or wounded to deth when he hadde reygned ouer the Britons by y e terme of .xxvi. yeres wyllynge before his deth that Constantyne the son of Cador duke of Cornewayle for so mych as of his bodye remayned none heyre that he shulde be his heyre and enheryte the land of mych Britayn after his deth Anglia THE CVII CHAPITER CONstantinus the son of Cador duke of Cornewayle by assent of the Brytons was of them crowned kynge of myche Brytayne in the yere of Crystes incarnacyon fyue huÌ„dred .xliii and the .xix. yere of Lotharius then kynge of Fraunce This was nere kynnesman vnto Arthur and was by the two sonnes of Mordred greuously vexed for so myche as they claymed the lande by the ryghte or tytle of theyr father So y t betwene hym and them were foughten many and sondry bataylles wherof nother of place nor of tyme is left any conuenyent memorye nor yet of the names of the sayde two sonnes But as dyuerse authours agreen after these forsayde batayllys thus foughten fynylly the two sonnes of Mordred were constrayned of pure force to seche strong holdes for theyr refuge â–ª wherfore that one toke London and that other wynchester wherof Constantyne beynge warned lefte not tyll he had slayne that one wythin the monastery of saynte Amphiabilâ— at wynchester and that other wythin a temple or chyrche of London whych temple is named of Gaufryde an hous of freres But y e sayeng is doutefull for at that days yt is to be supposed that there was none hous of freres within London nor by a longe tyme after when Constantine hadde thus subdued his enymyes and thought hymselfe in a maner of suertye of his regyon then fortune as she hadde enuyed his glory arreryd agayne hym his owne kynnesman named Aurelius Conanus the whych agayn hym made mortall batayll and finally or at the last slewe hym in y e felde when he hadde reygned after most accorde of wryters .iii. yeres the whych was then huryed at Stone hyenge by the sepulture of Uter PeÌ„dragon wyth great solemnytye THE CVIII CHAPITER AUrelius Conanus the cosyn of Constantync last named was crowned kyng Brytayne in the yere of our lord .v. hundred .xlvi the .xxxii. yere of Lothariê° before named then kynge of Fraunce This was noble and lyberall But he was a man that cherysshed suche as loued stryfe and dyscencyon wyth in his lande and gaue lyghte credence to them y t accused other were yt ryght or wronge And as testyfyeth Gaufryde and other he toke by strength his vncle whyche of ryght shulde haue ben kyng and caste hym in a strong pryson and after sâ—ew tyrannously the .ii. sonnes of his sayd vncle But he reioysed his reygne but shorte whyle For as wytnessyth the sayde Gaufryde when he hadde reygned two yeres he dyed were yt of the sonde of god or otherwyse leuynge after him a sonne named Uortiporius as hath the authoure of the boke named Floure of hystoryes Of this Uortiporius speketh nothynge the englyshe cronycle but telleth of two kynges that shulde reygne nexte after Constantyne both at ones wherof that one he nameth Adelbryght and that other Edyll. wherunto none other writer agreeth except that he nameth them for some of the kynges of the Saxons For aboute
that tyme reygned in kent or soone after Ethelbert or Athelbert whyche myghte be taken of some for Adelbryght And that other whyche he named Edylf myght be taken for Ella kynge of Southsaxons But this Ella shulde not by concorde of wryters be lyuynge at this tyme. It myght wyth more conuenyency accorde that yt shulde be a kynge of Deira or of NorthuÌ„berlande named Ella the whyche reygned more aboute this tyme and season Of these two kynges the sayde englyshe cronycle telleth a longe processe the whych for I fynde none authour of authoryte that wryteth or speketh of the same I passe yt ouer ye shall also furthermore vnderstande that after this daye the Brytons dayly dyscreasyd of lordshyppe and rule wythin Brytayne drewe them towarde Cambyr or walys so that the countre about Chestre was the chyefe of theyr lordshyp wythin Brytayne For dayly the Saxons landed wyth companyes and occupyed y e princypall partes of y e same as shortely here after shall appere The fyfthe kyngdome of the Saxons THE CIX CHAPITER IN the tyme of the reygne of this fore named Aurelius Conanus as wytnessyth Polycronica Guido other beganne the kyngdome or lordshyp of Brenicia vnder a Saxon named Ida the yere of our lorde .v. hundred and .xlvii and the seconde or laste yere of the sayd Conanus Thys lordshyp was in the north parte of Brytayne and grewe in short whyle more more so that fynally it was named the kyngdome of Northumberlande But ye shall vnderstande that this lordshyp was fyrste deuyded in two kyngdomes wherof the fyrste as aboue is sayde was called Brenicia and that other Deyra The meris or markis of this kyngdome of NorthuÌ„berlande were by Easte and by west the occean see by south the ryuer of Humber and so downwarde towarde the weste by the endys of y e shyres of Notynghm and Derby vnto the ryuer of Merse or Mercia and by north the Scottysshe see whyche is called forth in Scottysh in Brettyshe the werde The southsyde of thys lordshyppe was called Deyra whyche is nowe called the bysshopryke of Durham and the north syde was called Brenicia whyche were than departyd or seuered by the ryuer of Tyne Deyra conteyned the lande from Humber to the ryuer of Tyne and Brenicia included the countree from Tyne to the Scottysshe see In Brenicia regned fyrste as is aboue sayd Ida or Idas in Deyra regned fyrste Ella whych lordshyppes began bothe within .iii. yeres But in processe of tyme bothe in one were named the kyngdome of Northumberlande whych so contynued somwhyle vnder one kynge somewhyle vnder two by the terme of .iii. hundred and .xxi. yeres as sayth Ranulphe munke of Chester And after furth contynued y e name vnder Saxons and Danes tyll the comynge of Edredus brother of Ethelstane son of Edwarde y e elder The whiche Edredus in the .ix. or last yere of hys reygne ioyned thys to hys owne kyngdome By which reasoÌ„ it shulde seme that thys kyngdome endured vnder that name vpon .iiii. hundred and .ix. yeres The fyrste crysten prynce of thys kyngdome was named Edwynus that receyued the fayth of saynt Paulyne as testyfyeth Guydo In thys lordshyppe also were included these shyres and countrees nowe called yorke Notyngham shyre or Snothyngham shyre Derby shyre y e bysshopryke of Durham Copelande and other Amonge the many kynges y t reygned in thys lordshyppe whych after some wryters were to the nomber of xxiii reygned one accoÌ„pted the .viii. kynge by Guydo named Ethelfridê° sonne of Ethelricus whych Ethelfridus destroyed mo Brytons than all y e other kynges of SaxoÌ„s This was fader to saint Oswold Oswi He slewe also many of the BrytoÌ„s at a batayle that he had agayn them besyde Kaerlegyon or Chester and two thousande and a huÌ„dred of monkes of the house of Bangor as it ys testyfyed of Polycronicon in the .x. chapyter of hys .v. boke the whyche monkes were comen thyder to praye for the good spede of the Brytons And ouer thys forsayde nomber of monkes .l. fled whereby they wyth theyr leder named Brucyuall were sauyd Of suche a nomber of monkes of one house myghte be demyd a wonder But the sayd Policronica wyth Guydo and other wryters affermyn that in that house of Bangor were at those dayes for the more party thre tymes vii hundred monkes the whych lyued by the trauayle of theyr handes onely The forenamed Oswye was after Oswolde kynge of thys prouynce whych gaue wyth hys doughter Elfleda a nonne .xii. lordshyppes into y e chyrche to buylde wyth .xii. monasteryes whereof .vi. of the sayde lordshyppes were in Brenicia and .vi. in Deyra as sayth Guydo And also Ranulphe in hys .v. boke of Polycronyca and .xvi. chapyter affermyth the same THE CX CHAPITER UOrtiporiê° sonne of Aureliê° Conanus after the opynyon before sayd was ordeyned kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. hundred and .xlviii. and the .xxxiiii. yere of Clotharius thenne kynge of Fraunce Of the whych is lytell memory lefte in any cronycler or wryter excepte y t Guydo testyfyeth hym to be a vyctoryous knyght shewyng breefly that he in sondry batayles scomfyted the Saxons and defendyd hys lande and Brytons from y e daunger of them and other that the Saxons alyed them wyth In the tyme of the reygne of thys kynge a Saxon named Ella the son of Iffus began to reygne in y e south syde of the kyngdome of Northumberlande called Deyra as before is touchyd in the chapyter of the sayde kyngdome Then yt foloweth whan this Uortiporius hadde ruled the Brytons knyghtly by the terme of .iiii. yeres he dyed and was put to hys fader leuynge none heyre of hys body For as myche as all wryters agreen that the kynges of westsaxon at length subdued all the other kyngdomes and made of the hole land of mych Brytayne but one kyngdome or monarchye and all other as well of Brytons as of Saxons fayled or lefte of that all onely excepted therfore I entende to brynge in the name of euerych kyng of westsaxon froÌ„ the fyrst Cerdycus or Chyldricus ioyne them wyth the kynges of Brytons for so long as hereafter y e sayd Brytons contynued theyr reygne wythin any parte of Brytayne THE CXI CHAPITER MAlgo a duke of the Brytons and neuewe of Aureliê° Conanus as sayth the authour of the Floure of hystories begaÌ„ his reigne ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .v. hundred .lii and the .xxxviii. yere of Clotharius then styll kynge of Fraunce and also the .xv. yere of Kenricus the sonne of Cerdicus and seconde kyng of westsaxoÌ„ aforesayd accomptyng .xv. yeres of the reygne of hys fader as Guydo allowyth Thys Malgo after y e accorde of all wryters that make mencyon was y e comlyest and moost personable man of all Brytons than lyuyng therewyth endowed with knyghtly manhode The whyche wythstode y e Saxons and kepte them of that they damaged not the lande the whyche he
wyth her son Clodoueê° vnto the guydyng tuycyon of a noble man of FrauÌ„ce theÌ„ mayster of hys Paleys named Agaynus he dyed when he had reygned xiiii yeres was buryed with great pompe in the forenamed monastery Of this Dagobert is reported by myne authour also the frenche cronycle besyde other wryters that an holy ancre or heremyte of Fraunce beynge in his medytacyons shuld se a company of fendes whyche beyng in the see shuld haue amonge theym in a bote the soule of Dagobert and were conueyenge yt towarde payne But thys spiryte ceasyd not to crye to call to saynt Denis and his felowes for helpe the whyche lastely came clad in whyte vestymentes delyuered that soule from the paynes of his enymyes and conueyed it vnto euerlastynge ioy as more at length and wyth more cyrcuÌ„staunce yt ys declared in the bokys beforesayde Anglia THE CXXXIII CHAPITER CAdwallus or Cadwalyne the sonne of Cadwan lastely spoken of in y e cronycle of mych Britayn as testyfyeth Guydo Gaufryde and other beganne hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of Crystes incarnacyon .vi. hundred .xxxv y e fyrst yere of the fyrst Dagobert then kyng of Fraunce and also the .xii. yere of Kyngilsus Quichillinus then kynges of westsaxon This Cadwallus was stronge and myghty warryd strongly vpon the SaxoÌ„s nere vnto hym and wanne from them both castels and townes and droue theym backe into the lande towarde London wherof herynge Penda kynge of Mercia he assembled his SaxoÌ„s and made towarde Cadwall But he was in the ende dystressyd and fayn to seche and purchace the fauoure of Cadwal and lyue vnder his tribute This Penda after this was in great fauour with Cadwall in so myche y t he toke parte wyth Cadwall agayne his other Saxon kynges as after shall appere About thys tyme Kyngylsus one of the kynges of westsaxons was by the doctryne of y e blessyd man Berinê° coÌ„uertyd to y e ryght beleue and cristyned of hym at the citye of Dortyke or Dorchester And Oswald kynge of Northumberland was hys godfather and weddyd his doughter afterwarde And then that cytye was geuen to the byshop to the ende that he shuld there ordeyne hys see where the sayde Berinê° sat .xiiii. yeres after there was buryed tyll Beda bishop of wynchester traÌ„slatyd his body to y e citye of wynchester all be it y t the chanoÌ„s of Dorchester sayeÌ„ that the sayd bodye of holy Beryne was not taken thens but a nother in the stede of hym And yet in tokeÌ„ therof a beers of wonder worke staÌ„dyth at this day ouer that graue where y e holy man was fyrst buryed It shuld seme that this cytye of Dorchester is now called Dorset Thys see was in the tyme of wyllyam conqueroure chaunged to Lyncolne About thys tyme Sigebertus or after some Segebertus kynge of Eestenglande or Norfolke whyche reygned there next his brother Corpwaldus ordeyned letters to be lernyd and set scolys in dyuerse places of his kyngdome and ordeyned ouer theÌ„ schole maysters pedagoges as he somtyme hadde seen in Fraunce The whyche Sygebert was conuertyd to Crystes fayth by the doctryne of an holy man named Felix y e which he was fyrste acqueynted wyth in FrauÌ„ce or in Burgoyne The whych Felix came soone after that acqueyntaunce into Eestanglia or Norfolke where the kynge made hym byshop of DuÌ„wyche nowe called Thetford Lastelye the kynge betoke hys kyngdome vnto hys neuew Egritus and became a munke in an abbay whych he hym selfe buyldyd But when Penda kynge of Mercia warryd after in that couÌ„trey the sayde Sygebert was agayne hys wyll pulled oute of the sayde monastery and went in armes or as some testyfye vnarmyd wyth a whyte rod in hys hande nycely so was slayne and well nere all his hoste of knyghtes that came wyth hym to that feld By this rehersayll apperyth here dyscorde of wryters of the begynnyng of this sayd kyngdome of Eestanglis For yf yt were true that this beganne as wytnessyth Policronycon in the .iiii. chapyter of hys fyfte boke in the yere of grace .iiii. huÌ„dred lxxx and .xii as before also I haue shewed in the .lxxx. and .xvi. chapyter of this worke then myght yt not agree wyth conuenyency of tyme that this Sygebert or Sebert shulde reygne as kynge at those dayes nowe mynded wherfore y e sayenge of Guydo is more concordaunte whyche shewyth this kyngdome to haue his begynnynge in the yere of grace .v. C. .lxx as in the ende of the forsayd chapyter yt is there shortly touched Then yt foloweth in the story after the deth of this Sigebert Anna was made kyng of Eestanglis And durynge the reygne of Sigebertus befell the woÌ„der y t is tolde of that holy man Furceê° as is shewed at leÌ„gth in the .xiii. chapiter of the .v. boke of Policronicon aforesayd and in the .xiii. tytle of the .vi. chapyter of the .ii. parte of y e famous worke called Summa Antonini And about this season reygned or began to reygne the cursyd secte of y e detestable false prophete Machomet y e which syns y e tyme hath so enfected y t it hath enfectyd .ii. priÌ„cipall ê‘tes of y e world as Asia Affrica the more part of y e third named Europa dayly wynneth vpon the crysten peple great laÌ„des possessions Aboute the .vii. yere of thys forenamed Cadwall kynge of Britons reygned in Kent a Saxon kyng named Ercombertus the whyche had that pryncypate .xx. yeres nobly And amonge other of hys famous dedys he reuyued and quyckened agayne the fayth of Cryste that in some places of hys kyngedome was sore appallyd For he destroyed the temples of false goddes thorough all that countrey and ordeyned by the aduyse of his clergye the tyme of lente to be fasted He wedded the doughter of Anna kynge of Eestanglis named Sexburga of whom he receyuyd a doughter and named her Eukengoda y e whyche after was a menchon or nunne in the abbey of Brydgence in Fraunce before mynded where Ethelburga y e wyfe somtyme of Edwyn kynge of Northoumberlande serued god as in the hundred and .xxx. chapyter precedynge yt ys shewed and eyther of them was abbesse of the same place And though at those dayes there were many abbeys in thys yle of myche Brytayne yet many both of men and of women sayled into other landes as FrauÌ„ce and Burgoyne and other places because the conuersacyon and lyuynge of those countres were of more fame and perfeccyon then was then vsyd in thys yle of Brytayne About thys tyme as yt were about the .viii. yere of Cadwall dyed kyngylsus kyng of westsaxons when he had reygned with his brother and alone .xxxi. yeres And Kenwalcus his sonne was kynge after hym y e which in y e begynnyng of his reygne wolde not be crystyned forsoke hys wyfe the doughter of PeÌ„da toke to hym a nother wherfore Penda in aduengynge hys doughter gatheryd hys
hoste and chasyd Kynwalcus out of his kyngdome kept hym thens .iii. yeres By whyche season was Anna kynge of Eestanglis there conuertyd to the feyth of Cryste cristyned of Felix aforenamed then byshoppe of DuÌ„wyke or Thetforde and after he recoueryd hys kyngdome by the ayde and assystence of the sayde Anna when Kenwalcus was restoryd to hys lande he made a byshoppes see at Kaerguent or wynchestre and ordeyned there a byshop named Agilbert a frenche man of byrthe but he was called out of IrlaÌ„d The which when he had sytten there a certayn of tyme he was put theÌ„s I ne wote for what cause and in his place was set an other named wyn Of this wyn as sayeth Policronicon the towne of wynchester toke y e name as he declaryth in y e .liii. chapyter of his fyrst boke as yt were wynnes cytye But he was also putthens and then was Leutherius byshop and after Leutherius succedyd Cedda And after Theodorus the archbyshop of Caunterbury ordeyned two byshoppes to that prouynce of westsaxoÌ„ That one at wynchester to that was subiecte two couÌ„treys Southrey and South hampshyre And that other see he ordeyned at Shyreborne to the which were subiecte .vi. couÌ„treys that is to saye Berkshyre wyltshyre Somersetshyre Dorsetshyre Deuenshyre Cornewayll But in wyllyam the coÌ„querours tyme y e see of Shyreborne was tourned to Salysbury with the see of RaÌ„mysburye It was not longe after that Kenwalcus was warreyd with the kyng of Brytons the whyche fought with hym at a place called wyght Gosneborough and were of him there ouercomyn Then Cadwall assembled a newe hoste of Brytons and mette wyth Kenwalcus at a place called the hyll of Pent where after longe fyghte the Brytons were putte to flyghte YE haue harde before how that blessyd man Oswall the son of Ethelfryde was ordeyned kynge of Northumberlande the whyche contynued hys lyfe in iustyce and vertue as kynge by the terme of .ix. yeres But Penda kynge of Mercia that to hym to all crysten men had great disdayne and enuye about the ix yere of Cadwall made warre vppon Oswald and slew hym in a feld callyd Meserfeld where after hys deth god shewed for hym many myracles But after one yere of his deth Oswy his yonger brother recoueryd the kyngdome and buryed his hed in the chyrcheyarde of Lyndesar for the bodye was conueyed by the Pagans and deuyded in sundry peces But yt is sayde that the hed is nowe at Durham betwene saynt Cutberttus armes And the other parte of y e bodye whyche was longe after founden was had to the abbay of Burdeaux by Ostrida doughter of Oswy quene of Mercia where strauÌ„gnesse was made by the ruler of that hous for the receyte of those relykes tyll a myracle or dyuyne token there was shewyd But after the sayde bodye bones were brought to Glowceter to an hous of chanoÌ„s and one of hys armes is at Peterboroughe hole of fleshe fell as some haue and tellen whan Oswy had a season rulyd hys kyngdome he fande vnlefull meanes to slee Oswyn that was kynge of Deyra This Oswyn was the son of Eaufrycus eldest brother of Oswalde whyche Oswyn was good of condycyon and there wyth both meke and mylde when thys Oswyn was slayn by the consent of his neuewe Oswy then Oswy toke to hym as felow of that kyngdome his broders sonne Odylwaldus the son of Oswalde Thys Oswalde gaue vnto Cedda byshoppe of whynchester before named a grouÌ„de in a place of the North couÌ„trey in the hygh hylles called Lastyngaye for to buylde vpon an abbay which he there buyldyd after there taught his brother Chymbyllus how he shuld rule that place PeÌ„da kynge of Mercia which forgate not the strengthynge and fauourynge that Anna kynge of Eestanglys had shewyd to Kenwalchus hys doughters husband and his enymye gaderyd a power of knyghtes and yode agayne the sayde Anna slewe hym in playne batayll And the same yere one Botulphus buyldyd an abbay besyde Lindecolne or Lincolne in a place that hyght I canno And as wytnessyth Beda in the .iiii. chapiter of his thyrd boke thys yere whych shuld be the .xxi. yere of y e reygne of Cadwall Penda that of thys former vyctory was supprysyd wyth great pryde came wyth hys hoste into the boundes of Northumland entendynge to slee Oswy as before he had slayne his brother Oswalde wherof wheÌ„ Oswy was ware he assemblyd hys knyghtes made towarde hym And for affynyte of maryage y e was betwene theyr chyldren as after shall be shewed and other causes Oswy offeryd to hym many great offers to the entente to haue had hym refused that batayll to haue hadde peace with hym when Oswy perceyued the obstynacye and pryde of PeÌ„da and saw that by no reasonable offers he myghte of hym wynne no peace he sayde sens thys paynym can not receyue our gyftes and proffers that we haue offeryd to hym we shall offer theÌ„ to hym that can receyue theym And anon he made hys auowe vnto god that yf he myght haue vyctory of his enymyes he shuld offer his doughter Elfleda to hym wyth suffycyent possessyons for to buylde .xii. abbayes and after ioyned in batayll with the sayde Penda in the couÌ„trey of Ledis not farre from yorke which was so sore foughten y t the lyke therof was not seen many yeres beforne But fynally Penda was slayne and xxx of his chefe captayns with hym and yet he had thryes the people that Oswy hadde And those that scaped the shot and the swerde were for the more partye drowned in the ryuer of wynwed whyche was nere vnto the place of that batayll And among the prysoners that were taken at this felde the wyfe of Penda was one and her sonnes vncle named Egfridus was an other Then Oswy yelded hys thankes to god and accordynge to hys former promyse he offryd hys doughter Elfleda or Enfleda of the age of .iii. yeres vnto god and toke her to the lore of Hylda abbesse of Hertsey or Hertis iland And after that the sayde Hylda remoued to the abbaye of Stremshalte in the vale of whitby .xxx. myle from yorke where she was after abbesse y e sayd Elfleda also And Oswy as he had promysed gaue landes and rentes to buyld .xii. abbeys wherof .vi. were in the prouynce of BreÌ„nicia and .vi. in the prouynce of Deyra This fornamed Penda hadde dyuerse sonnes by accorde of wryters that is to meane wolferê° weda and Egfridus besyde other not mynded To this seconde sonne weda Oswy had beforetyme maryed a doughter of his by coÌ„sent of Penda his fader The whyche weda by helpe of Oswy was made kynge of south Mercia the whyche lordshyp is seueryd from the northe Mercia by the ryuer of Trent and conteyned by recorde of holy Beda fyue thousande housholdes This weda also promysed when he maryed the sayd doughter of Oswy that he shulde become a crysten man the whyche he perfourmyd
woman of great wisdome of vertuous condicion and was honorably buryed by Dagobert hyr husbande in the church of saynt Denys Soone after ensued such scarcety of corne y â— whete other greynes were at an excedynge pryce For after the rate of money nowe curraÌ„t a quarter of whete was worth .ii. markes a halfe by meane of which scarcitye myche poore people were famisshed dyed for defaut wherefore the kyng entendyng a remedy for the nedy people causyd yÌ„e house or church of saynt Denys that his fader before tyme had coueryd with plates of syluer to be rased of coueryd with lede that syluer to be dystributyd amonge the poore comoÌ„s to socoure theÌ„ agayn the great and huge famyn that then reygned all be it that this ded was somedeale withstanden by Agulphus Abbot of that place for that tyme. About the .viii. yere of his reygne the firste Pepyn that than ruled the house of Sigebert kyng of Austracy dyed And soone after dyed Agaynus mayster of the paleys of Clodoueus For which .ii. princis in eyther Countreys that they rulyd great dole and sorowe was for theym made After the deth of which sayd PriÌ„cis a noble man cosyn to Dagoberte late kynge was chosen mayster of the paleys with Clodoueus Thus kynge Clodoueus otherwyse called Lowes contynued his reygne in great peace prosperyte tyll lastly it fell in his miÌ„de that he wolde vysyte y e sepulcre of saynt Denys where after he had done certayne obseruauÌ„ces and made his prayers he wolde nedely se the holy relykes and handle them wyth the doynge whereof it semed the holy martyrs were not contentyd For immedyately ensued suche a derknes that the kynge and all that were aboute hym were wyth it greately astonyed and aferde in so mych that the kyng loste the vse of reason and wente from hym selfe more than two yeres folowynge It is wryten of some authours that the kynge handelyd the body of saynte Denys so rabbysshely that he brake one of his armes But the Frenche booke and mayster Roberte Gagwyne sayen y t he dysseueryd one of the armes from the sayd holy body the whych he after whan he was somdele restoryd to hys helthe closyd in golde and precyous stoones and restored it to the sayd monasterye and lyued vppon two yeres folowynge that he was amendyd but not lyke vnto hys former beynge so y t he lastly dyed whan he had reygned syke and hole by y e terme of .xvi. yeres not without vyce as glotony lechery excedyng aueryce And was buryed by hys parentes in the monasterye forenamed leuynge after hym thre sonnes named Clotharius Chyldericus and Theodorych After whose deth hys wyfe named Batylde became a nonne in the monastery of Corbye that she before tyme had newly renued or reedyfyed and ended there in holy lyfe THE CXXXVII CHAPITER CLotharius the eldest sonne of Clodoueus was ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon .vi. hundred .lxii and the .xxvi. yere of Cadwall than kynge of BrytoÌ„s The whych anone as he was somwhat stablysshed he made the mayster of hys palayes a myghty man and tyrannous of condycyon named Eboryn as shall appere by hys condycyons ensuynge whan the tyme conuenyent of the expressement of them shall come But of thys Clotharius is lefte nothyng in wrytynge of worthy memory excepte that the Frenche cronicle sayth that he reygned .iiii. yeres THE CXXXVIII CHAPITER THeodoricus the second sonne of Clodoueus beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxvi and the .xxx. yere of Cadwall than kynge of Brytons The whych by couÌ„ceyll of his lordes sent his yonger brother Chylderych into the lordshyp of Austracy or Lorayne to guyde that couÌ„trey wyth the ayde and assystence of wolphanus a noble man of y e countrey For Sigeberte laste kynge of that prouynce was before this tyme dede wythout heyre of hys body This Theodorych gaue hym all to slowth rest so that the gouernauÌ„ce of the realme was all in the power of the mayster of y e paleys whych was styll contynuynge the forenamed Eboryne The whyche among other cruell dedys by hym done he emprysoned the holy bishoppe of Oston called Leodegayr And lastely after many tormentes and vylanyes to hym done he raced hys eyen oute of hys hedde This dede wyth many other to the kynges dyshonour he â—momysyd which all were layd to y e kynges charge for so myche as the kynge kept most what his paleys Except y e one season of the yere in the moneth of may he shulde be broughte wyth great pompe into a place where the people shulde behold hym and gyue and offer vnto him gyftes and returne vnto y e paleys y t he was broughte fro and there to reste all the yere folowynge By meane wherof Eboryn dyd what to hym was lykynge and vexyd and troubled the people greuously wherfore by one assent y e lordes assembled theym and by authoryte depryued the kynge of all dignytye and closyd hym in a monastery there to contynue the resydue of hys lyfe when he hadde borne the name of a kynge wythout execucyon of the acte therunto belongynge .iii. yeres and the cruell Eboryn they exyled to Luxon or Luxunborgh in the prouynce of Burgoyne and not to departe thens vppon payn of hys lyfe THE CXXXIX CHAPITER CHildericus or Hildericus the thyrde sonne of Clodoueus that was sent to rule the prouynce of Austracy was ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in the yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxix. the .xxxiii. yere of Cadwal before named Of the whyche dede the sayde lordes shortely after repended theÌ„ For this Chylderych which was yonge and of lyght maners oppressyd his subiectes greuously and vsed the lawes of hys progenytours after hys pleasure and wyll wold nothynge be aduertised nor ruled by wolphanus before named y e whyche was before tyme assigned to hym for hys counceyllour and guyde But in augmentynge his malyce he caused a noble maÌ„ of his realme named Bolyde wythout gylte or trespace or greuous offence doynge to be bounden to a stake and there betyn tyll he yelded the spyrite For y e whych crueltye and other the lordes wyth the coÌ„mons murmuryd sore agayne hym ferynge lyke punyssyon wythout deseruynge wherfore they conspyryd agaynste hym and moste specyally two noble men of byrth of myghte named Iugebert Amabert which two wyth other awayted theyr tyme season wheÌ„ they myght fynde tyme coÌ„uenieÌ„t to bryng y e kyng out of lyfe And vpon a daye when y t kyng with his wyfe and small companye wyth theym were in the wood in theyr dysporte and game the sayde two lordes accompanyed purposely fell vppon hym slewe hym there and hys wyfe also great wyth chyld y e which ranne betwene her lord and them to y e entent to haue sauyd her lord and husbande from the dynt of y e sworde The whyche dede was done when y e sayde Childeriche had reygned
empyre and sette suche a man of myghte in the rome therof Thys Charlis had dyuers wyues But of the seconde named Eldegard he receyued .iii. sonnes that is to say Lewys Pepyn Charlis y e whyche Pepyn he made kynge of Longobardes or Italy as before is shewyd Of thys great conqueroure what shulde I holde lenger processe For lyke as I before shewyd of his notable dedys myght I make a great volume yf I shuld of them shew the clerenesse and the circuÌ„staunce of euery coÌ„quest that he in his tyme acheuyd But deth that is to all ê‘sones egall lastly toke him in his dymme dauÌ„ce when he had ben kynge of Fraunce with his brother alone .xlvii. yeres Of the whyche he ruled the empyre as before is shewyth .xiiii. yeres in y e yere of his age as sayen the frenche cronycles .lxxii and was buryed at Aquisgrany wyth great pompe in y e yere of our lordes incarnacyon .viii. hundred and .xv. wyth this superscripcyon vppon his toumbe Caroli Magne christianissimi imperatoris RomanoruÌ„ corpus sub hoc sepulchro condituÌ„ est which may be englished as folowith Of Charlis the great and emperour moste crysten Of Rome the bodye is hyd thys toumbe wythin Of the forenamed sonnes of Charlys suruyued y e eldest Lewys by name and the other two Pepin Charlys dyed before theyr father Anglia THE CLVII CHAPITER BRigthricus of the blood of Cerdicê° fyrst kyng of westsaxons desceÌ„dyd beganne hys reygne ouer the sayd Saxons in yere of oure lorde .vii. hundred and .lxxviii and the .x. yere of Charlis the great then kynge of Fraunce This before tyme hadde maryed one of the doughters of Offa kynge of Mercia as before is touchyd by whose ayde and power he put out of hys rule Egbert the sonne of Alcumundus the whyche Egbert at that daye was an vnder kynge or ruler in the lordshyppe of westsaxon whyche Egbert was descendyd of y e blood of the holy Genulphus of whome som parte of the storye ys declared in the .xxv. chapyter of the .v. boke of Policronica And after he was thus of Brigthricus expulsyd he saylyd into Fraunce and there exercysyd hymselfe in featys of warre wyth the knyghtes of Charlys courte durynge the lyfe of the sayde Brigthricus About the .ii. yere of thys Brigthricus was sene in great Brytayne a wonder syghte For sodeynly as men walked in y e strete crossys lyke vnto blood fell vppon theyr clothes and blood fell from heuen lyke droppes of rayne This after some exposytours betokened the commynge of the Danes into this lande the whyche entryd shortely after For as wytnessyth Polycronica aboute the .ix. yere of Brigthricus the Danys fyrste entryd this lande In defence wherof thys sayde kynge sent forth hys stewarde of housholde wyth a smalle company whych shortly was slayn But by the strength of Brygthricus and the other kynges of Saxons they were coÌ„pellyd to voyde the land for that tyme and season Brigthricus thus well knyghtly rulynge his land his wyfe named Ethelburga not wyth hym coÌ„tentyd as she oughte to be soughte dyuerse wayes and meanes how she myghte brynge her lorde oute of lyfe so that fynally she poysoned hym wyth many other of hys housholde meyny wherfore she ferynge punyshement fledde into Fraunce and by suche freÌ„dshyppe as she there hadde was well cheryshed in Charlis courte surnamed the great Of her yt is told that whan he had hadde some informacyon of the vnstablenes of this womans condycyons he at that season beynge a wydowar vppon a season in passynge of the tyme wyth her sayde nowe I put to youre choyse whyther ye wyll haue me vnto your wedded lorde or ellys my sonne staÌ„dyng here in your presence And hym that you chose hym shall you haue and enioye for your husbande But she chase y e son and lefte the father Then sayde the kynge yf thou haddest chosen me thou shuldest haue hadde my sonne But for thou haste forsaken me thou shalt haue nother of vs. And after he closyd her in an abbey where in processe a lewde man kept with her such company that she was voydyd that place and after demeaned her so vycyously that in processe of tynie she fell in such pouerte that she dyed in great penurye and myserye For the whyche mysse demeanure of this woman that she had innaturally slayne her lorde and husbande the kyng of Anglis and specially of westsaxons wolde not suffer the wyues to be callyd Sueuys nor yet suffer them to sette by them in places of great honour or kyngely sete by a long tyme after Thus as before is shewyd by the impoysonynge of his own wyfe dyed y e kynge Brigthricus when he had ruled y e westsaxoÌ„s after most concorde of writers by the terme of .xvii. yeres THE CLVIII CHAPITER EGbertus the sonne of AlcumuÌ„dê° as before is shewyd began hys reygne ouer the westsaxons in y e yere of grace .vii. hundred .lxxx. and xv and y e .xxvii. yere of Charlis the great then kynge of Fraunce Thys as before is sayde was dryuen oute of the lande of Britayne by y e streÌ„gth of Brigthricus But he hauynge knowlege of hys deth spedde out of Fraunce and in so knyghtely wyse hym demeaned that he obteyned the regiment and gouernaunce of the aboue sayde kynge Bernulphus kynge of Mercia had this Egbert in derysyon and made therof dyuerse scoffys iapynge rymes y t which he susteyned for a time But when he was somdeale stablysshed and hadde prouyd the myndes and hartis of his subiectes he lastly assembled his knyghtes and gaue to hym a batayll in a place called Elyndome in the prouynce of Hampton And all be yt that in that fyght was great dyuersyte of nomber as .vi. or viii agayne one yet Egbert had the victory For his knyghtes were lene megre pale and longe brethed so that they myghte endure to fyghte But Bernulphus knyghtes were fatte corpulent shorte brethed so that they were soone ouercome with swet and shorte labour Here is to be noted that after the deth of Offa kyng of Mercia or middell Englande of whome somwhat is touched in the story of Kenulphê° reygned his son Egfertê° after Egfertê° reygned Kenulfus or KeÌ„wolfus y e which Kenwolphus was father to y e holy martyr Kenelme to .ii. fayre vyrgyns Ouindred and Burgenulda or Ermenilda And after Kenwolfus succedyd the foresayd Kenelme and after Kenelme reygned Colwolphus and after hym succedyd Bernulphus before named Then to retourne agayne to Egbert the whych when he had as before is sayd ouercome Bernulphus he seasyd that lordshyppe into hys hande And that done he made war vppon the Kentyshe Saxons and at leÌ„gth in lyke wyse of them obteyned vyctorye And as wytnessyth Polycronica he also subdued the Northumbrys and caused the kynges of these thre kyngdomes to lyue vnder hym as trybutaryes or ioyned them to hys kyngedome as testyfyeth the authour of the Floure of hystories Thys Egbert also wanne from y e
Brytons or walshemen the towne of Chester that they hadde kepte possessyon of tyll that daye For the whych vyctoryes thus by hym obteyned he shortely after called a counsayll of his lordes at wynchester and there by theyr aduysys crowned him kyng and chese lorde of this lande that to fore thys daye is called Brytayne and sente then oute into all costes of thys lande his commaundementes and commyssyons chargyng straytly that from that day forthward the Saxons shulde be called Anglys the lande Anglia About the .xxiiii. yere of the reygne of Egbert whyche shulde be the yere of our lord as meaneth Policronica viii hundred and .xix. Kenelmus before mynded the son of Kenwolfus was admytted for kynge of Mercia beynge then a chyld of the age of .vii yeres The whyche by treason of his syster Ouendreda was slayne in a thycke wood by a tyraunt callid Hesbertus and hys bodye after founde by a pyller of the sonne beame or of lyght dyuyne that shone from his bodye towarde heuen It ys also redde of hym that a coluer bare a scrowle wryten in englyshe then vsed and lette yt fall from hyr vppon the aulter of saynte Peter in Rome wherof the wordes were these At clense in Cowbacch Kenelme Kenebern lyeth vnder Thorne hewyd beweuyd whyche is to meane in englyshe now vsyd at Clent in Cow vale vnder a thorne lyeth Kenelmus hedlesse slayne by fraude when this holy body was founde and was borne towarde the place of his sepulture his forenamed syster entendynge some derysyon or other vylanye to be done to the corps lenyd oute of a wyndowe where by the corps shulde passe And to bryng her malycyouse purpose aboute I note by what sorcery she ment there she redde the psalme of the Sauter begynnynge Deus laudem bacward But what so her entente was she there incontynently fell blynde and her eyen dystylled dropes of blood that fell vppon the Sauter boke The which in token of goddes wretche in that boke remayne at thys daye to be sene Of the holynes of thys martyr of his vertue y e legēde of sayntes reportyth the surplusage In the .xxix. yere of the reygne of Egbert or after the englyshe cronycle Edbryght the Danys wyth a great hoste enteryd the seconde tyme thys londe and spoyled the yle of Shepey in Kent or nere to kent wherof herynge the kynge Egbert assembled hys people and met wyth theym at a place callyd Carrum But he wanne of that fyghte lytell worshyppe for the Danys compellyd him and his knyghtes to forsake the felde And by presumpcyon of y e vyctorye they drewe westwarde and made a confederey wyth weste Brytons that liued in seruage By whose power they assayllyd Egbertus landes and dyd myche harme in many placys of hys domynyon and ellys where so that after thys daye they were contynuallye abydynge in one place of the realme of Englande or other tyll y e tyme of harde Kynytus laste kynge of the Danys blood so that many of theym were maryed to Englishe women and many that nowe ben or in tyme passed were called englyshe men are dyscendyd of theym And all be yt that they were many and sondry tymes dryuen out of that lande and chasyd frō one countrey to a nother as after ye shall here yet that not wythstādyng they euer gaderyd newe strengthes and power so that they abode styll wythin the lande Of the kynge of these Danys and of what people they be dyscended dyuerse opynyons of wryters there be whych now I passe ouer for so mych as I entende to shewe somewhat of theym in this worke folowynge Then it folowyth in the storye the tyme contynuyng of the persecucion of these foresayd Paganys and Danes Egbert or Edbryght dyed whē he hadde well and nobly ruled the westsaxons and other the more parte of Englande by the terme after most wryters of .xxxvii. yeres and was buryed at wynchester as sayth Guydo and lefte after hym a sonne named Athenulphus Francia THE CLIX. CHAPITER LOdouicus y e fyrst of that name and sonne of Charlis the great began hys reygne ouer y e realme of Fraūce also his empyre ouer the Romaynes in the yere of grace .viii. hūdred and .xv and the .xx. yere of Egbertus then kynge of westsaxons Thys for his mekenesse was callyd Lewys the mylde or meke In tyme of hys fathers decease he was occupyed in Guyan the whych he before tyme hadde the rule and domynyon of by commaundement of his father But when he was aduertised of his faders deth he anon sped hym toward Aquisgrani so y t y e .xxx. day after hys departyng out of Guyan he came vnto the foresayde cytye where he was mette wyth all the nobles and barons of Fraūce And fyrst or he medled or toke vpon hym any cure or charge of hys owne besynes he with most deuocyon causyd great obseruaunces and myche dyuyne seruyce to be done aboute the sepulture of his father whyche obseruaunce prayers fynyshed and endyd y e sayde Lewes commaundyd to come before hym dyuerse ambassadours that frō dyuerse prynces were sent vnto hys father Charlis and to theym gaue answers concernyng theyr legacyōs and messagis and then proceded vnto the nedes of his realm for y e weale therof and of his people wherein he beynge besyed worde was brought to hym of an ambassad royall y t was comen from Michael the emperour of Constantyne the noble Agayne the whyche he sent certayne of hys lordes to receyue them and so wyth all honour to bryng thē vnto hys presence Of whose commynge the entente was to presente hym wyth certayne ryche gyftes and to desyre hym of his amyte and frendshyppe Also soone after came vnto hym messengers from the Beneuētanys offerynge vnto his magnyfycence obligacyons and bondes to be his true lyeges and to paye to hym yerely in way of trybute .vi. thousande ducates of gold A ducate is of sondry valuys but the leste in value is .iii. s. iii d. ob and the beste .iiii. s. vii d. Then the Soysons or Saxons that were so dyuerse of condycyon beganne to murmoure and rebell agayne this Lowys wherfore or he wolde assemble any people agayne theym he sent thyder certayne persones to know y e cause of theyr rebellyon And when he was enfourmed that yt was for the takynge awaye from them of certayne lādes and possessyons by hys father he then restored agayne the sayde landes and so recouncylyd the countrey to his subieccyon For this dede some of his lordes grudged and sayde such myldenes was not to be vsyd to people of suche obstynacy and sternesse but to haue forcyd them by dynte of sworde to haue lyued in due obedyence In thys passetyme dyed pope Stephan the fourth of that name after whose deth was elected to that dygnyte the fyrste Pascall wythout cōsente or knowlege of this Lowys somdeale to the dyscontentynge of his mynde pleasure But in shorte tyme after he receyued such wordes and presentes
done by Offa kynge of Mercia for so myche as in his days flowred that famouse clerke Alcumus or Albinus the whych as sayth the frenche cronycle was fyrste fouÌ„der of the scole of Parys and of Papya as is before shewyd in y e story of Charlys the great in the thyrd chapyter of the sayde storye when Adeulphus hadde thus sped hys besynes and pylgrymage at Rome he retournyd by Fraunce where at that tyme was kyng of that lande Charlys the Ballyd of whom he was ioyouslye receyued And after he hadde dysportyd hym there a season he spousyd the doughter of the sayde Charlys in the .xx. yere of the reygne of the sayde Adeulphus as testyfyeth Policronica in the .xxx. chapiter of his .v. boke whych shuld be the yere of the reygne of the sayde Charlis the .xi. But of this mariage is nothynge touchyd in the frenche cronycle Then Adeulphus takynge leue of the kynge toke shyppynge and landed in Englande wyth his wyfe Indyth by name And for that he contrary the law made in y e tyme of Brigthricus sette his wyfe in the kynges trowne and magnyfyed her lyke a quene the lordes of his lande arose agayne hym and pullyd from hym a great parte of his domynyon and made his eldeste sonne ruler therof whyche all was done in reproche of Ethelburga whyche slew her lorde Brigthricus as before is shewyd Lastly the mater was appeasyd and he to his kyngly honour restoryd About this tyme Bertulphê° kyng of Mercia slewe wyckydly in the holy tyme of Penthecoste saynte wyl stone whose holy bodye was buryed at RepyngedoÌ„ And in y e place where thys holy wylstone was slayne stode a pyller of lyghte .xxx. dayes after And in the yere folowynge dyed the sayde Bertulphus After whose deth Burdredus was made kynge of Mercia or myddell Englande the whyche before tyme hadde spousyd the doughter of kynge Adeulphus In the later dayes of thys Adeulphus the Danys dyd myche harme in Lyndesey and also in kent and frome thens came to London and robbed and spoyled the cytye wherfore Adeulphus gaderyd his people and lastely mette wyth them in Southerey vppon a downe called Oclea and there dyscomfyted theym not wythoute shedynge of great plente of the Anglis blood and forsyd them to take the see so that after they landed in eest Anglia as after shall appere Then lastely dyed thys good kynge Adeulphus or Ethelwolphê° when he hadde ruled hys subictes nobly by accorde of moste wrytes fully .xxii. yere and was buryed at wynchester leuynge after hym four sonnys aforesayde Francia THE CLXIII CHAPITER CHarlys y e yongeste son of Lewys the mylde began hys reygne ouer the chefe part of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lorde .ix. hundred .xli and the .ix. yere of Adeulphus then kynge of westsaxons the whyche as before is sayd was surnamed Ballyd Anon as his father was buryed his brother Lothayre to whome the father as ye fore behaue harde had coÌ„myttyd y e guydynge of this Charlys by the entysynge of his brother Lewys malygned agayn this Charlis and sought many wayes to put hym from such landes as his father had gyuen hym This sayd Lothayr was after the deth of his father emperour and Lewys the yonger brother was duke or knyght of Bayon But for Charlis was yongest and had to his parte the pryncypall porcyon of Fraunce whych was called myddell Fraunce therfore his .ii. bretherne specially Lewys malygned greuously agayne hym wherof this Charlis beynge somdeale infourmed bare hym so wysely so egally to his subiectes that he hadde theyr loues and fauours and trustyd alway by theyr good ayde that he shulde be of power to wythstande theyr vnkynde malyce And lyke as the hydde fyre in processe breketh oute and shewyth great lyght and flammy blase euen so dyd thys couerde malyce at the laste breke oute to great ire and opeÌ„ wrath For after foure yeres was passyd the sayde two bretherne with oute defyaunce or groundely cause of warre assygned or assembled a great hoste suche lyke before thys daye hadde not ben sene and entryd the lymyttes of kynge Charlys Then Charlis assembled in all y e haste hys lordes and requyred theyr aydes and counsayll to wythstande the malyce of hys bretherne And when he hadde knowelege of theyr good myndes anon theyr knyghtes were gaderyd and all thynge was redy to the fyghte Nowe in thys whyle the two bretherne wyth theyr peple were comen to a place callyd Fountayns or FouÌ„tanet where to Charlis spedde hym And when both hostes were nere eyther partye made prouysyon to subdue his enymye Then were the bataylles on bothe partyes orderyd assygned to theyr standardes and capytaynes and the wynges set to the moste auauntage what shuld I lenger processe of this ordynaunce make fynally the shote of arblasters beganne on both sydes whyche ouer threwe many an horse and man and specyally the fore rydars that putte theym selfe in prese wyth theyr longe and sharpe launcys to wynne the fyrste brunte of the felde Pytye yt was to beholde the goodly bryght armyd knyghtes lyeÌ„g and walowynge wyth theyr great stedys in the felde wyth dedly woundes gapynge agayne the son y t were slayne at the fyrst encountre But when the shote was spent and the speres to shateryd then both hostes ranne to gyther wyth Rowlandes songe so that in shorte whyle the grene felde was dyed into a perfyte redde For there was heddes armes legges trunkys of ded mennys bodyes lyenge as thycke as floures growe in tyme of maye in the floryshynge medowys myserable and pyteouse yt was to beholde the persones halfe lyuynge and halfe ded with theyr grysely woundes pyteously gronynge and cryenge wythoute comforte So that there was shewyd all rygoure wythoute mercy and all crueltyes wythout compassyon Thus duryd this mortall fyghte by a longe season that doutefull yt was to knowe whyche partye hadde thauauÌ„tage of other Howbeit Charlys was putte to an afterdeale by .ii. meanes The fyrste was for so mych as Charlis entendyd to haue forborne for the reuerence of the hygh feste as the daye of the ascensyon of oure lorde that daye not to haue foughten And the seconde was that he was farre lesse in nomber whyche two causes of dysauauÌ„tage not with standynge yet in the conclusyon he wanne the honoure of that iourney But not wythoute great losse of hys peple and many of the nobles of his lande where of the frenche boke rehersith the names But for they be to vs vnknowen I passe theym ouer And as yet is testyfyed of many wryters there was slayne that daye mo Frencheman then was slayn at any felde euer before that day wherof the nomber is not expressyd for yt was so great Then Lothayre was forced to take Aquisgrany for his safegard and Lewys ellys where But Charlys wyth a small coÌ„pany that to hym were lefte folowed his Bretherne and coÌ„strayned Lothayre to forsake y e citye thens to go vnto Lyon a cytye y e standeth at
But how it beganne myne authour myndeth not But ye shall vnderstand that at this daye the cytye of London had moste housynge and buyldynge from Ludgate towarde westmester and lytell or none where y e chefe or herte of the cytye is nowe excepte in dyuers places was housing but they stode with oute order So that many townes and cytyes as Caunterbury yorke and other dyuers in Englande passed London in buyldynge at those days as I haue sene or knoweÌ„ by an olde boke somtyme in the Guyldehal of London named Domys day But after the coÌ„quest yt encreaced shortly after passed excelled all y e other About the .viii. yere of this kynges reygne the kynge maryed erle Egbertus doughter named Ethelgina or Elgina Of the whyche in processe of time he receyued a son named Edmunde whyche after was surnamed Ironsyde and .ii. other sonnes named Edwyn and Ethylstane and a doughter named Edgina In this pastyme dyed saynt Ethilwalde byshop of wynchester He was borne in wynchester and noryshed vnder holy Dunstane at Glastenbury and there shorne monke and after was chosen abbot of Abyndon in the tyme of the reygne of kynge Edredus And in the tyme of Edgar he was sacryd byshoppe of wynchester where he made an abbay of nunnes and translated saynt Swythynes body out of the erth After whyche sayde Ethelwalde holy Alphegus abbot then of Bathe was sacred byshoppe of wynchester the whyche after was archebishoppe of Caunterbury and martyred hastely of the cruell Danys as after shall be shewed About the .ix. yere of Egelredus for stryfe y t was betwene the byshop of Rochester and hym he wyth his knyghtes beseged the sayde cytye wherof holy DuÌ„stane sent to y e kyng amonyssynge hym that he shulde refrayne hym of that cruelty suffre y e byshop and his citye in peace oneles that he offended saynte Andrewe patrone of that citye But this message mylded nothyng y e kynges courage Then thys blessed man sent to hym a hundred pounde in gold wyllyng hym to refrayne of that outrage the whyche he receyued and brake the syege Then blessyd Dunstane sente this message to the kyng For thou haste preferred golde before god and syluer before the apostle and couetyse before me right so euyll happes shall come vnto the but not whyle I am in lyfe But the kynge toke lytell regarde to those wordes but contynued in his insolent cursed dedes About the .xi. yere of his reygne dyed that blessed archbyshoppe saynte Dunstane Of whom Ranulff in the xiii chapyter of his .vi. boke of Policronycon maketh rehersall of dyuers of his vertues and myracles the whyche I passe ouer and the rather bycause his legeÌ„de or lyfe is manyfest Siricus was archbyshop after hym after hym wulricus And after wulricus blessed Elphegê° was archbyshop of that see It was not longe after the deth of holy Dunstane but that the Danys perced England in many and sondry places of the lande in suche wyse that the kynge was to seke to which coste he shuld go fyrst to wythstande his enymyes And in conclusyon in auoydynge of more harme he was compellyd to appeace theym wyth great summes of money But when y e money was spent they fyll to new robbynge of the people Then the kynge graunted more money But for all that the Danys robbed and spoyled y e couÌ„trey of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d and besyeged London at the laste And for augmentacyon of the kynges sorowe Elfricus that then was mayster or admyrall of the kynges nauy fled as a false traytour And after that recoÌ„cyled fled the second tyme to the Danys wherfore y e kyng in wreche of the father commauÌ„ded the eyen of his sonne Algarus to be plucked or done out of his hedde But whyle this persecucion thus contynued by meanes of the holy byshoppe of wynchester Elphegus a peace was concluded for a tyme betwene the kyng and the Danys And the prynce or chefe captayne of them named Aulaff was so exorted by the said holy byshop y t he became a cristeÌ„ man to whome the kynge was godfather so that after the sayde Aulaff retorned to his owne without doyng of more harme so that for a whyle the warre of Danys seased But whyle that rested the blody flyx wyth a brennynge feuer vexed the people thorough the lande that myche folke therof dyed Contynuynge whyche mysery the Danys agayne assayled the lande dyd in dyuers places great harme so that for lacke of a good hed or gouernour many thynges in the land peryshed For the lordes were at such dyssencyon that one with that other that when they were assembled to speke or treate of peace betwene that one lorde and that other and yf any good thynge were dyuysed for the hurte of theyr enymyes anone the Danys were warned therof by some of the same counsayll wherof were suspected Elfricus and Edricus And to this sorowe was ioyned hunger and penury amonges the commons that eueryche of theym was constrayned to plucke and stele from other so that what by the pyllage of the Danys and inwarde theuys and brybours this lande was broughte in great mysery and myschefe THE CXCVIII. CHAPITER EGelredus then wrapped in misery lefte not to gader of hys subiectes what he myght as well by vnlaufull meanes as otherwyse For as sayth Ranulfe myne authour he wold for fayned or small causes dysheryte meÌ„ of theyr possessyoÌ„s after cause men to redeme theyr owne for great summes of money And ouer that he walowed in lechery gyuyng hym to all vycyous and incontynent lyfe of his body By whych vngracyous meanes he brought this land in such ruyne that what he myght not helpe by streÌ„gth he warred wyth money So y t from the fyrst entre of the Danys as testyfyeth Policronica in the .xviii. chapyter of his .vi. boke also Guydo wyth other authours that from the fyrst trybute of .x. thou sande pounde he broughte yt at the laste in processe of .v. or .vi. yeres to xl thousande pounde The whyche yerely durynge his lyfe and after to the commynge of saynte Edwarde was leuyed of his subiectes and named for the contynuance therof Dane gelt whyche is or was to meane money payde to the Danys or shortly Dane money In this tyme as yt were about the xv yere of his reygne dyed saynt Oswalde the archbyshoppe of Caunterbury And soone after dyed Ethelgina the quene And the body of saynte Cuthbert was translated from holy ylande to Durham in the whyche yle he helde anankers lyfe as yt is before shewyd in the storye of Cadwalader Thus contynuynge this lande vnder the greuous tribute of the Danys and also by susteynynge of many villanyes and iniuryes by the Englyshe men of the sayde Danys as after somdele shall appere this Egelredus by counsayll of his famylyers about the .xxi. yere of hys reygn maryed Emma y e doughter of Rychard duke of Normandy before mynded in the storye of Lewys the .v. and Lothayre hys sonne kynges of FrauÌ„ce The
were not of that blode as Eudo and Radulphus but admytted of the barony of Fraunce to rule the lande tyll two of that progeny that is to meane Charlys the symple and Lewys the .v were comen to theyr lawfull age So that from the fyrst yere of Pepyn whyche began his reygne in the yere of grace .vii. hundred .l. to the fyrst yere of Hugh Capet that began hys reygne in the yere of our lorde god .ix. hundred and lxxxix expyred or passed .ii. hundred .xxxix. yeres Pypyn the fader of Charlys the greate Charlys the great emperour Lowys the fyrste emperour The kynges of Germany Lothayre emperour and the sonne of Lewys the fyrst Lowys emperour the sonne of Lothayre Lothayre the seconde the son of Lothayre Charlys the .iii. and sonne of Lothayre Lewys kyng of Germany and broder vnto the sayd Lothayre Lewys the sonne of Lewys whyche was broder vnto Charlys grossu◠emperour Lewys the son of Lewys which of some ys compted emperour Arnusphus the sonne of Lewys emperour Lewys the sonne of Arnulph last emperour of Fraunce The kynges of Fraunce Charlys the ballyd the sonne of Lewys the fyrst of hys .ii. wyfe emperour Lewys Balbus the son of Charlys the Ballyd Lewys Charlys sonnes of Lewys Balbus Lewys the .iiii. and son of the foresayd Charlys Charlys the symple the sonne of Lewys the forth Lewys the .v. and the sonne of Charlys the symple Lothayre the sonne of the foresayde Lewys Lewys the sonne of Lothayr and the last kyng of that flock THE CCII. CHAPITER HUgh the sonne of Robert the tyraunt descended of Hugh legraunde beganne to take the rule or to vsurpe the crowne of Fraunce in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred and .lxxxix and the .viii. yere of Egelredus than kynge of Englande Thys as wytnessyth the Frenche Cronycle was erle of Parys and marshall of Fraunce And as sayth Antoninus he maryed one of the doughters of Edwarde the elder Thys also was named Capet for so myche as in hys youth he vsed in game to laye asyde hys felowes hodes In whose begynnyng Charlys that was the brother to Lothayre and vncle vnto Lewys the .vi. laste kynge herynge of the deth of hys neuewe Lewys wythout issue as nexte heyre wyth ayde of some lordes of Fraunce and also of Loreyn the whyche than he was lorde of gadered an army and entred Fraunce and than came to the cytye of Laone wythin whyche cytye he wyth hys wyfe and people by the treason of the bysshoppe of the same cytye was taken and delyuered wyth hys wyfe and chylder into the handes of hys enemyes the whyche sent them to Orleaunce there sauely to be kept Than thys Hugh was crowned in the cytye of Rayns and welded the lande wyth more suerty How be it the erle of Flaunders named Arnulphus or Arnolde before spoken of wolde not be vnder hys obedyence wherfore thys Hugh assembled hys kynghtes and by hys strength toke from hym the coutre of Artoys wyth many stronge holdes and castels and lastly forced the sayd Arnolde to fle into Normandy to aske ayde of Richarde the fyrste of that name before spoken of in the story of the .vi. Lewys By whose meanes after some wryters wyllyam Longa Spata fader to y e sayd duke Richarde was slayne But that not wythstandynge by frendshyp of the sayde duke Richarde thys Arnolde was reconcyled vnto the kynge and contynued after as hys subiecte In the cytye of Rayns was arch bysshoppe at thys daye a noble prelate named Arnolde sonne of baste of Lothayre and neuewe to Charlys than prysoner as before is touched The whyche for malyce that the kynge bare vnto hym for cause of the forenamed Charlys called a counsayle of the clergy of hys lande and layde agayne hym suche obieccyons that he by theyr assent was putte from that benefyce and sente hym to Orlyaunce there also to be kepte in pryson And set in hys place one Gylberte or after the Frenche boke Gerbres a connynge man in phylosophy whiche had before tyme ben tutor or mayster to Robert sonne of the sayde Hugh But after .iii. yeres pope Iohn̄ the .xvi. of that name sent downe hys maundement vnto Guyan archebysshop of Sens chargynge hym that he sholde remoue y e sayde Gerbers and restore the sayde Arnolde to hys proper see whyche was done shortely after and y e sayde Gerbers was after this preferred by one of the Othons emperour vnto y e chyrche of Rauenne and contynued there tyll the deth of the .xvii. Iohn̄ After whose deth he was electe pope of Rome and was named the secōde Siluester lyued as pope .iiii. yeres Than it followeth in the story whan thys Hugh had reygned full viii yeares and more he dyed in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred .xciii. and was buryed at saynte Denys leuynge after hym a sonne named Robert THE CCIII CHAPITER RObert the sonne of Hugh Capet beganne his reygn in the yere of our lord .ix. hundred .xcviii and the .xvii. yere of Egelredus then kynge of Englande This was cōnynge in many scyences and a man of good maner vertue He made dyuers hymnes sequences respondes as O Iuda et Hierusulem O cōstantia martyrum As sit nobis scti spūs gratia or more cōgruely Sancti spiritus assit nobis gratia wyth dyuers other In y e beginnyng of his reygn while Bowcharde erle of Meleon̄ was at the kynges court Galtyer or walter a knyghte and seruaunt of the sayde Bowcharde to whom the sayd Bowcharde hadde delyuered his castell of Meleon̄ to kepe in his absence for great gyftes the sayde walter hadde delyuered the sayde castell unto Eudo erle of Carnotens wherfore the kyng at the request of the sayd Bowcharde sente streyghte commaundement vnto the sayd Eudo chargyng hym in all goodly wyse to restore the sayde castell vnto Bowcharde The whyche commaundement he vtterly refused to obey For y e whych ȳe kyng beyng so amoued sent for Rycharde the seconde of that name then .iiii. duke of Normandy and wyth theyr both armyes besyeged the castell vppon euery parte and at length wan yt and toke the sayd walter wythin the same whom the kinge for his vntrouthe commaunded soone after to be hanged vppon a gybet and the castell to be restored vnto y e forenamed Bowcharde and after returned euery man to his owne In the tyme of the reygne of thys Robert dyd Henry then duke of Burgoyne The whyche for lacke of yssue of his body bequethed his dukedome vnto kynge Robert But the Burgonyons wythstode that legacy and drewe to theym for an hed captayne Lawdry erle of Neuers and wyth hym helde by strength or for a strength the cytye of Anxerre wherof herynge kyng Robert sente for the foresayde duke of Normandye and so spedde theym towarde Burgoyne and besyeged the forsayd cytye But at length y e cytye was yolden and Lawdry put at the kynges grace And that done the kyng with his hoste besyeged a
orderyd in his lande deuyded his sayd lande in foure partes That is to meane the fyrst princypall which at those dayes was westsaxon he helde vnder hys owne gydyng Eestenglande whych coÌ„teyned Norff. Suff. he betoke to the rule of y e erle Turkyllê° a Dane of whome somwhat is in the .iii. chapyter of y e story of Egelredê° Mercia he betoke to the subtell erle Edricus And the .iiii. Northumberlande vnto a Dane named Hircius But lyke as the man of Inde at no tyme chauÌ„ged his colour so this Edricus chauÌ„ged neuer his fals maners But not wythstandynge the great benefytes that he dayly receyued of his prynces there as he to other hadde ben false and dysceyuable in dayes past euen so nowe he demeaned hym agayne Canutus wherfore he beynge accused proued wyth defaute was commauÌ„ded of the kyng to haue iudgement The whyche was done immediatly his hedde for dyuerse causes smyten of and yt wyth the bodye for spyte caste into a fowle and fylthy place But Ranulf sayth that he was slayne by the kynges agrement wythin his paleys at London and his body wyth the hed throwne after into the towne dyche Thus wyth shame he ended that in falshode dyssymulacyoÌ„ had contynued myche of his lyfe Aboute the .ix. yere of his reygne Canutê° called a parliament at Oxenford where amonges other thynges yt was enacted that Englyshmen Danys shuld holde the lawes of Edgar lately kynge In this pastyme dyed Swanus brother to Canutus kynge of Denmarke wythout issue wherfore that lande fyll to Canutus For the which cause he wyth a stronge army sayled thyther to take the possessyon and to set the countrey in an order or after some wryters to apeas wythstande the wandelys y t then had perced that lande and done therin myche harme where GoodwynÌ„ the erle whose doughter Edwarde the confessour after maryed wyth a certayne nomber of Englyshmen fyll vpon y e wandalys by nyght dystressed theym in suche wyse that Canutus had of them his pleasure For this dede the kyng had erle GoodwynÌ„ euer after in good fauoure and loued Englyshmen more specyally And when he was returned into Englande he shortely after or before maryed Emma the wyfe lately of Egelredus Of the whych he receyued in processe of tyme a son named hym Hardicunitus or after some Hardykynitus after the Englyshe boke Hardyknough And aboute this tyme fyll voyde y â— see of Lyndesser or Durham to the whyche by dyuyne inspyracyon and knowlege receyued by a voyce from the tumbe of saynt Cuthbert blessed EdmuÌ„de after thre yere of vacacyon was electe to that see But ye shal vnderstande that thys was not saynte Edmunde of Ponteney For he was archbyshoppe of Caunterbury in the dayes of Henry the thyrde THE CXCVI. CHAPITER CAnutus about the .vii. yere of his reygne by exhortacyon of Egelnothus then archbishop of CauÌ„terbury translated the body of saynt Elphegus late archbyshoppe of the sayd see martyred by the Danys as before is shewed in the seconde chapiter of the storye of Egelredus and shryued hym in hys owne chyrche of Caunterbury foresayde In the tyme also of thys Canutus aboute the .xvi. yere of hys reygne the Scottes rebelled agayne hym wherfore he with a great army entred Scotlande at length ouercame the kynge of that lande named then Malcolyne and brought them agayne to hys subieccyon as is recorded in the bokes of Marianus the Scot. By reason of whych vyctory Canutus was then kynge of .iiii. kyngdoms of England of ScotlaÌ„d of Denmarke and Norwaye Then as wytnessyth dyuerse authours after he had betaken this lande of Englande to the gydynge of Leofricus Egelnothus and other he then returned into Denmarke And from theÌ„s he yode to Rome in the .xv. yere of his reygn made there great offerynges to saynte Peter and Poule redemed the scole of Saxons fre of all former trybute graunted as before in the storyes of Iue and Offa and other kynges of Saxons is som deale more touched whyche redempcyon of tribute as sayth Guydo was called Rome Scot. But it shall seme in that sayenge some douteth for so myche as at thys daye in dyuers places of EnglaÌ„d as in Northamptonshyre and other the peter pens are yet gaderyd Canutus also after he had in Rome accomplyshed his purpose he in hys returne towarde Englande executed wonderfull dedes of almes in releuynge of the poore and other goftly workes payde great good for raunsom of crysten prysoners amonges other of his dedes It is wytnessyd that he shulde agree with the pope that was called Benet the .viii. of that name pay to hym certayne summes of money that his archbyshoppes after y t daye myghte haue the pall wythoute payenge of money therfore And wheÌ„ he was comen in the citye of Papia in Italy in hys way home warde he there brought the arme of saynte Augustyne the doctour for a hundred pounde of syluer and a talent of golde And here is to be noted that there be thre maners of taleÌ„tes The fyrst and grettest is of y â— weyght of .vi. score pounde weyghte the seconde of the weyght of .lxxii pounde and the thyrde and leest of .l. pounde weyght Then yf we reken this talent with the leest in a pouÌ„de of gold after troye weyght is .xii. vuces and in .l. pounde is .vi. huÌ„dred vnces and euery vnce of fyne golde is worth xl s. By whyche reason this talent shulde be in value to the summe of xii hundred pounde This precyous relyque y e kyng gaue vnto his trusty frende Leofricus y e whych he myche loued and trusted and remayned at Couentre many yeres after whyle Canutus was occupyed in thys iourney coÌ„playnt was brought vnto hym of some mysse demeanurs and rule that were occupyed and exercysed in his absence wythin this realme wherfore he wrote home letters to the lordes chargynge theym straytely that all such defautes were redressed agayne hys coÌ„myng home Thys kynge as wythnesseth Guydo was of great magnyfycence and vsed suche iustyce and temperaunce that in his dayes in the weste partes of the worlde was no prynce of renowne as was Canutus And ouer that he was gretly beloued dradde of hys subiectes In the tyme of this Canutus as tessyfyeth Guillelmus de pontificibus a munke of GlasteÌ„bury named Bryghtwolde whyche was after bysshop of wylton beynge in hys contemplacyon and prayer bethoughte hym on the lynage of Englyshe kynges And in that thought fyll into a slumber in whyche tyme of his slepe he sawe saynte Peter the apostle standynge by hym and holdynge in hys hande Edwarde the sonne of Egelredus which then was in Normandy the whyche to his thynkynge he saw saynte Peter saker y e sayde Edward as kynge of Englande And shewed to hym farther how holy this Edwarde shulde be in hys lyuynge and how he shuld reygne as kynge .xxiii. yeres Then thys monke frayned saynt Peter of the ofsprynge of thys Edwarde and who shulde be
with y t she beganne to syghe and sorow sayd alas this daye is my soule comen to the laste sorow And so after that she had spoken those wordes a messanger came to her and sayde that her son and all her mayny was dede sodaynly Then she was conueyed to her owne and was full syke wherfore in haste she sent for an other son of hers that was a monke a doughter y t was a nunne at whose coÌ„myng she sayd to them in thys wyse I am the woman that haue vsed yll crafte and enyll lyuynge and in vayne I hoped to haue ben saued by your bedes and prayers But now I praye you that ye woll releue my tourmentes and paynes for of my soule the iudgement is gyuen wherfore in case that ye maye kepe my body from tourment sewe it in an hartes skyn and laye it in a troughe of stone and hyll it wyth lede close and iuste and after do bynde it wyth barres of iron in moste strongest and sure wise and cause ye .xl. ê‘sons to synge psalmes by nyght and vppon the morne as many masses And yf I lye so stylle iii. nyghtes than burye my body on the .iiii. daye But all thys was for noughte For the fyrste nyght whyle the psalmes were in sayeng y e stroÌ„ge bandes were sodaynly to brokeÌ„ and one wyth a gresely loke was sene vppon an horse backe all blacke cast thys woman behynde hym so rode forth wyth so greate crye and noyse that it was harde as sayth Polycronycon .iiii. myles thens Thys wolde I not haue shewed but that I fynde it wryten and recorded of diuers authours Than to retourne to our fourmer story as wytnessyth myne authoure Ranulfe about y e .xx. yere of y e reygne of kynge Edwarde Harolde sayled towarde Normandye to vysyte hys brother wylnotus and Hacun hys neuewe the which as ye before haue harde were layde there for pledges for the peas to beholden vppon erle Goodwyns syde agayne the kynge But he in his course of saylyng was weder dryuen by tempeste into the countre or prouynce of Pontyfe or more verely into the puynce of PouÌ„tyth where he was taken as a prysoner and sent vnto duke wyllyam of Normandy The whyche forced hym to swere that he in tyme folowynge shulde marye hys doughter that after the deth of kynge Edward he shulde kepe the lande of England to hys behofe accordyng to the wyll and mynde of Edwarde after some wryters And after the opynyon of a nother cronycle wryten in latyn the sayd Harolde for to be in the more fauour of duke wyllyaÌ„ shewed to hym that kynge Edwarde in presence of hys barony had admytted the sayde wyllyam for his heyre and couenauÌ„ted wyth hym that yf he ouerlyued the kyng he wold in saue wyse kepe the lande to hys vse For the whyche tydynges promyse wyllyam grauÌ„ted to hym hys doughter to wyfe y t than was wythin lawfull yeres of maryage wyth greate dower And for to cause Harolde to be the more stabler in hys promyse kepynge he delyuered to hym Hacun hys neuew and sonne of hys brother Swanus whyche he myche desyred and kepte styll wylnotus the brother of y e sayd Harolde After whiche couenauntes suffycyentely stablysshed and enacted Harold departed from duke wyllyam wyth greate and ryche gyftes and in processe of tyme landed in Englande And at hys comynge to the kynges presence he shewed to hym all that he had done in the foresayde maters where wyth the kynge was well coÌ„tented as affermeth the sayd latyne cronycle THE CCXIIII CHAPITER IN the .xxii. yere of kynge Edwarde as testyfyeth Ranulfe Tostius the brother of Harolde was for cause not shewed disconted in the kynges courte and went vnto Harforde in the marche of walys where at that tyme the seruauntes of Harold by coÌ„mauÌ„dement of theyr mayster were besyed to make prouysyon for to receyue the kynge But whan thys Tostius was thyder comen he cruelly slewe the sayde seruauÌ„tes of hys brother hacked them in small pecys and caste them after in meresowce or salte And that done sent worde vnto the kynge y t yf he wolde come vnto hys feest he shulde lacke no powdered mete what so euer he hadde besyde Thys cruell dede sprange wyde so that for it he was hated of all meÌ„ in so mych that hys owne tenauntes the men of NorthuÌ„berland of which prouynce he than was lorde of arose agayne hym and toke froÌ„ hym that he hadde and lastely chaced hym into Flaunders wyth a fewe persons than a waytynge vppon hym But y e vertuouse kyng Edward not beyng contented wyth the comons doynge consyderynge it to be done wythout hys aduyce and coÌ„mauÌ„dement sent thyder Harolde to do correccyon vppon the heddes or capytayns of the Northumbers wherof they beynge acerteyned coÌ„tynued theyr strength and mette wyth Harolde hys people and sent hym to vnderstaÌ„de that they were frely borne and frely nourysshed that they myght nat suffer no cruelnesse of dukes Also they had lerned of theyr elders soueraynes to meyntayn fredom or to suffer deth and to lyue in quyetnesse vnder an easy duke whan Harolde had receyued thys message and aduertysed y e strength of the NorthuÌ„bers he perceyued well that wythout greate effusyon of blode he myghte not correcte the mysse doers wherfore it semed to hym better to fauour the couÌ„tree than to take hede of the synguler profyte of hys brother so that he retorned to the kynge wyth thys answere and purchased theyr pardon of hym and also procured so y e kyng y e he assygned to them an other duke or erle that was named Malcarus And Tostius hys brother wyth hys wyfe chyldern remayned in Flaunders durynge the kynges lyfe Kynge Edwarde in the .xxii. yere of hys reygne syttyng at mete vpon Eester day in his paleys of westmynster sodaynly lowghe whan other dyd talke and eate whan thys blessyd man had dyned and was entred into his chamber his famylyers asked of hym y e cause of hys lawghyng To whom he answered for y e same selfe tyme sayd he .vii. slepers that in the mount Seleon besydes Ephesym in Asya the lasse had slepte two hundred yeres or there about vpon the ryght syde the selfe same tyme they tourned them and shall slepe agayne vpon that other syde .lxxiiii. yeres Though thys be tolde of Ranulphe other syth in thys sayenge appereth some dyscordaunce wyth other wryters also wyth the former sayenge of the sayde Ranulphe in the .xxii. chapyter of hys .iiii. boke of PolycronycoÌ„ where he sayth that the sayd .vii. slepers were closed in y e caue the fyrst yere of Decius and so sleped contynuyngly to the laste tyme or yeres of Theodocius the youger than emperour by whyche reason they shulde slepe about y e season or space of .ii. hundred yere as aboue is sayd and than arose and shewed them to that sayd Theodocius emperour and many other dyed soone after as wytnessyth
Uincencius hystorialis Antoninus Iacobus Philippus and other wherfore it can not stande wyth reasoÌ„ y t they shulde slepe vpon y e other syde after y e tournyng .lxxiiii. yeres as is aboue sayd nor that they shulde sterue in y e tyme of thys holy kynge and confessoure For hys tyme of reygne was after y e tyme of Theodociê° aforesayd more than .vi. hundred yeres But yf it be ment by some other For there are vii other slepers spoken of in y e .xxvi. chapyter of the fyrste boke of Polycronycon that hath slepte in a nother caue many yeres wherfore I remytte thys vnto other and folowe the order of the story wherein it is founde that whan this blessed kyng Edwarde had receyued by dyuyne monycyon that he shulde chaunge thys transitory and bryckell lyfe for the lyfe euerlastynge he sykened in the Crystmasse weke In tyme of whych sykenesse was shewed to hym a vysyon that he after shewed vnto suche as were about hym and sayde two men of relygion came to me that I somtyme was famylyer wyth in Normandye and shewed that they were sent from god vnto me to gyue vnto me warynynge of such thynges as foloweth And fyrste they sayde that for the dukes bysshoppes and abbotes of Englande be not goddes seruauntes but the deuyllys god hath taken thys kyngdome into the handes of enemyes for a tyme and fendes shall walke and destroble the people Than I besought god that the people myghte haue warnynge and do penaunce and be delyuered as the people were of the cytye of Ninyue Nay sayde they for these men be so indurate of harte y e they shulde do no worthy penaunce nor to them god shall shewe hys mercy nor forgyuenesse Than I asked of them whaÌ„ myghte be hope of mercy and pardoÌ„ They answered whan a grene tree is hewen downe and a parte therof cut from the stocke and layde .iii. fourlonge from the stocke and wythout mannes helpe or hande shall retourne to his stocke or rote and take agayne hys shappe and than flouryshe and brynge forth fruyte whan thys is done than maye be hope of comforte and of remedy In the tyme that this blessyd man shewed thus thys vysyon was present there wyth other Stygandus archebysshoppe of Caunterbury The whyche sayde vnto the other that the kynge raued or ellys doted for age and sykenesse as olde men done and accompted these wordes for foly and vanyte But not longe after Englande felte and conceyued thys prophecye whan it was in subieccyon of straungers and alyauntes as after shall be shewed Than who that is desyrous to knowe the exposycion of the prophecye of the grene tree lette hym rede in the ende of the lyfe of thys gloryous kynge and confessoure translated by wyllyam Caxton in the boke called the Legende of sayntes and there he shall fynde it All be it that in other places I haue sene it otherwyse interpreted the whyche I remytte to them that haue experyence in suche facultye And to conclude thys storye trouth it is that this blessyd kynge dyed the .iiii. daye of Ianuary whan he hadde reygned .xxiii. yeres vii monethes and odde days and was buryed in the monastery of westmynster y â— whych he before had gretly augmeÌ„ted repayred but nat in that maner and fourme that it is nowe in For the chyrche that nowe there standeth was so reedyfyed and buylded newe of Henry the thyrde and sonne of kynge IohnÌ„ The whiche also after some wryters translated thys blessyd kynge Edwarde from the lower parte of y e chyrche and shryned hym there he now lyeth And this kynge Edwarde laft after hym no chylde for he was accompted for a vyrgyn whan he dyed Francia THE CCXV CHAPITER PHylyp the fyrst of that name son of Henry began his dominioÌ„ ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde M.lviii the .xvi. yere of Edwarde the confessour than kynge of Englande And of thys Phylyp it is radde that he maryed a wyfe named Berta the doughter of Baldewyne erle of Holland and of Fryce Of the whyche Berta this Philyp receyued a sonne and named hym Lewis and a doughter y e was called CunstauÌ„ce But in processe of tyme he haunted so myche the company of a woman named Bertande that he hated hys laufull wyfe and at length helde her in pryson and kept that other in her stede and gatte vppon the sayd Bertrande two sonnes named Phylyp Florys and a doughter which myne authour nameth not For thys aduoutry he was often monysshed of y e pope that he shulde leue the companye of that yll woman and take to hym hys lawfull wyfe y t he so longe had holden in pryson within hys castell of Monsfruell And for he wolde not be obedyent vnto the popes couÌ„sayll he was fynally accused of pope Urbane the seconde of that name By meane wherof he was reconcyled and restored agayne to his wyfe and refused hys concubyne And in the tyme of thys Phylyp Godfrey de BollioÌ„ with many other crysten prynces at the exortacyon of Peter the heremyte sayled into the holy lande and wanne the cytye of HierusaleÌ„ out of the Sarasyns handes whyche prynces lastly crowned the sayd Godfrey kynge of the sayde cytye And after it so contynued in possessyon of crysten men by y e terme of foure score and tenne yeres vnder ix crysten kinges and lenger myght haue endured hadde not discencyon fallen amonges them selfe And so by Antoninus Peter Disrey and other it is manyfestely shewed Thys vyage after moste accorde of wryters begaÌ„ in the yere of grace M.lxxxvi and the .xxvii. yere of thys Phylyp And the sayd Godfrey was crowned kynge of the sayde cytye of Hierusalem after the affyrmaunce of y e sayde wryters in the yere of grace a thousande and foure score and .xix. Of thys Phylyp lytell worthy memory is lefte in wrytynge For lyke as hys fader Henry made hym kyng by his lyfe and suffered hym to haue the rule of the lande ryght so thys Phylyp after a certayne of tyme coÌ„mytted the rule of the lande vnto Lewys his sonne And he sette hys mynde to huntynge and other dysportes and so ladde hys lyfe in all slowthe and idelnesse Than Lewys takynge vppon hym the charge of the realme subdued the erle of Mounte Merusy other that laboured to take from the chyrche of saynt Denys certayn preuyleges and also constrayned them to restore and satysfye all hurtes and harmes to the sayde chyrche by them done Thys Lewys as affermeth the Frenche cronycle maryed the doughter of Guy erle of Cotcheforde the whyche after for nerenesse of kynne was deforced from the sayde Lewys to the greate dyspleasour of the sayde erle Guy wherfore he moued warre agayne the sayd Lewys and toke from hym certayne holdes and castelles of the whyche the castell of Gurney was one But at length Lewys had y e better of that warre and recoueryd diuers of the sayd holdes And amonges other prysoners by hym and his knyghtes takeÌ„
subtyle meanes to be agreable vnto theyr vntrouth whyche erle had to name walref But at length when thys erle walref hadde knowen the fyne of theyr entent he went vnto Lamfranke and shewed to hym the hole mater By whose counsayll he shortely after sayled vnto the kyng then beynge in Normandye and dysclosed the mater to hym and putte hym holy in hys grace and mercye when the kynge had harde of these tydynges he made good semblaunt vnto this erle walref and sped hym the faster into Englande But howe so yt was the forenamed two erles were warned of dysclosynge of this mater in such wyse y t they gaderyd to theym suche strength that y e kyng coude not haue them at his pleasure but as he was fayne by stronge haÌ„de to chase and outlawe theym And for he fayled of his purpose of them he emprysoned erle walref at wynchester and lastely caused hym to be hedded more of tyranny then of iustyce as affermeth myne authoure whose corps was buryed at the abbay of Crowlande In the .xi. yere was holden a great counsayll or synode of the clergye of the lande in saynt Paules chyrche of London where amoÌ„ges many thynges ordeyned for the rule of y e chyrch of England dyuers byshoppes sees were transported from one place to another as Selwey to Chychester KyrtonÌ„ to Exeter welles to Bathe Shyrbourne to Salysbury Dorchester to Lyncolne and the see of Lychefelde to Chester whyche thynges thus ordered wyth many other for the chyrche the sayde counsayll was dyssolued In the .xiii. yere of hys reygne after the deth of Herman byshoppe of Salysbury succeded OsmuÌ„de y e kynges chaunceller The whyche buylded there a new chyrch and brought thyther clerkes that were garnyshed wyth vertue and connynge And he hym self wrote bounde bokes that were occupyed in the dyuyne seruyce of the chyrche as the ordynall or consuetudynary the whyche at this daye is occupyed in the more partye of Englande wyth walys and Irlande and is nowe named Salysbury vse or the ordynary after Salysbury vse In the .xv. yere of his reygne Robert the eldest sonne of kynge wyllyam the whyche was surnamed Curthose or Shorthose and shorte bote also for he myght not haue the duchy of Normandy whych his father hadde somtyme assygned and gyuen vnto hym and after for hys wyldenesse hadde agayne resumed yt he wyth fauoure and ayde of y e French kynge Phylyppe and of Lewys hys sonne toke prays in that duchy and put hys father to myche trouble in so myche that at length the father the sonne met in playne felde with .ii. great hostes and eyther wyth other faught a cruell batayll It is radde that durynge thys batayll wyllyam was throweÌ„ from his horse and in great ieopardy of hys lyfe wherof hys sonne Robert beyng ware was so moued wyth pytye y t he rescowed his father and delyuered hym free from all daunger of his enymyes But howe so yt betyde of the kynge trouth yt is that many of his men were slayn his second son wyllyam the rede sore hurte so that in the ende kynge wylliam was fayn to refuse the felde and gatte at that tyme none aduauntage of his sayde sonne For the whiche dede and rebellyon thus made by the sonne y e fader accursed hym after the opynyon of some wryters whyle kyng wyllyam was thus occupyed in Normandy the Northumbers waxte sterne rebell and slewe in theyr rage walkerus the bishop of Durham but for what cause myne authour expressyth not Aboute thys tyme warynge erle of Shrewesbury made two abbayes in the worshyp of god and saynte Mylborgh wherof one was set in the suburbes of Shrewesbury and y e other at wenioke In the .xvii. yere of kyng wyllyam a cursed stryfe was arered betwene Thurstone abbot of Glastenbury a Norman and his munkes wherof a part of the cause was that the abbot despysed wold haue set a part such songe and offices as by pope Gregory and Augustyn his dyscyple of old tyme to them was assygned wolde haue compelled them to haue folowed the vse of one wyllyaÌ„ of FescampÌ„ And ouer that this Thurstone wasted and speÌ„ded the goodes of y e place inordynatly in lechery and by other insolent meanes and wythdrew froÌ„ the munkes theyr olde accustomed dyet For the whyche causes fyrst beganne great wordes wyth chydyng and after strokes and fyghtes so y t the abbot gat vnto hym armed men and fyll vppon hys munkes slewe two of them at y e hygh alter and wouÌ„ded of theym .xviii. And the munkes wyth fourmes and candelstyckes defended theym in suche wyse that they hurte many of the armed men Then the complaynte was brought before the kyng by whose iudgemeÌ„t Thurstone was agayne returned vnto Cadony froÌ„ wheÌ„s he was brought and the muÌ„kes were spredde abrode into dyuers houses thorough Englande But yt is sayde that in the tyme of wyllyaÌ„ the Rede this ThurstonÌ„ obteyned the rule of that abbay agayne for the pryce of .v. hundred pounde In the .xix. yere of his reygne kyng willyam then raysed a new maner of trybute For he caused to be gadered thorough England of euery hyde of lande .vi. sÌ„ An hyde of lande conteyneth .v. yerdes and euery yerde conteyneth foure acres And so an hyde of lande conteyneth .xx. acres an acre conteyneth .xl. perches in length and .iiii. in brede .iiii. acres make a yerde and .v. yerdes make an hyde and .viii. hydes make a knightes fee. By the whyche reason a knyghtes fee shuld welde a hundred .lx. acres and that is demed for a plough tyll a yere And not longe after he caused to be serchyd howe myche lande eche of hys barons helde how many knyghtes fees how many townes what nombre of men and of bestes were wyth in this lande wherof he commaunded a boke to be made whyche all was done For the whyche dede this lande was after greued wyth many sondry plages as after shall appere In the .xx. yere of the reygne of kynge wyllyam Canutus kynge of Denmarke wyth helpe of the Flemmynges to whome he was called wyth a great armye came towarde Englande But by the prouysyon of the kynge they were so fered that they were let of theyr iourney Then kyng wyllyam gaue vnto .iii. of his champyons .iii. byshopryches To Moryce he gaue London to willyam he gaue Thetforde and to Robert he gaue Chester whych Robert was after remoued to Couentre Of this Robert reporteth Ranulfe that he scraped froÌ„ one beme of his chirch in Couentre .v. huÌ„dred marke to fyll wyth y e hande of kyng wyllyam For erle Leofricus y t was duke of Mercia in the tyme of Edwarde the coÌ„fâ—ssour had adourned that chyrch with great ryches of golde syluer other precyous iewelles In thys yere Edgare Ethelynge whych was reconcyled vnto the kynges fauoure by lycence of the kynge sayled into Apulia Then beganne the forsayde plages to sprynge For greate morayne fell vppon the brute bestes and brennyng
The fyrste yere of hys reygne he subdued Irlande And soone after Thomas Beketh whyche after was byshoppe of Caunterbury was made chaunceller of Englonde This kynge caste downe dyuers castellys that before in tyme of kynge Stephan were buylded other for dyspleasure of the owners or ellys for the fere they shulde be strengthed agayne hym And also he banyshed many of the lordes and gentylmen that kynge Stephan hadde in hys fauoure Aboute the thyrde yere of hys reygne in the moneth of October were sene in the fyrmament two sunnys and in the mone was sene a redde crosse But of thys wonder sheweth the authoure of Cronica cronicaruÌ„ and sayth that aboute thys tyme in Italy in the moneth of Nouember appered thre sunnys by the space of thre owres in the weste and the yere folowynge appered thre monys whereof the myddle mone hadde a redde crosse ouerthwarte the face whyche there ys noted for a prodygy or a token of the scysme that after fell amonges the cardinallys for eleccyon of the pope AlexaÌ„der the thyrd whyche scysme by meane of the fyrste Frederyke then emperoure endured almoste .xx. yeres Also aboute this tyme Adryan the fourthe of that name was pope an Englysheman borne in the towne of saynte Albon of whome is more declared in the begynnynge of the .xxii. chapyter of the .vii. boke of Polycronycon Also in thys yere the kynge wente wyth a stronge armye into walys and after he hadde sette that countrey in an order and quyet he buyldyd a stronge castell at Rutlande and founded the abbaye of Basyngewerke In the .vi yere of hys reygne thys Henry maryed hys seconde son Henry vnto the kynges doughter of FrauÌ„ce that is to meane Lewys the viii whyche the sayde Lewys receyued of hys seconde wyfe named Constaunce the doughter of the kyng of Spayne as before ye haue harde in the seconde chapyter of y e story of the sayd Lewys This mayden was named Margaret By reason of whych maryage was appeased the warre that was begonne betwene Fraunce and Englande for the landes of Poyâ—owe and other the whyche kynge Henry helde by reason of hys wyfe In y e whych warre mych harme was done and more wolde haue ensued yf yt hadde not by thys meane haue ben agreed In the .vii. yere of his reygn Theobalde archbyshoppe of Caunterbury dyed and Thomas Beket chaunceller of Englande was archebysshoppe â–ª after hym of whome more shall folowe In the same yere kyng Henry with a stronge hoste yode to Scotlande and made so cruell warre vppon willyam kynge of that lande that lastely he was taken and dyd to the sayd Henry recompensacyon in yeldynge vnto hym the cytye of Carlell the castell of Bamburghe the newe castell vpon Tyne wyth dyuers other holdes and a great parte of Northumberlande the whyche he hadde wonne from the borderers And after fewtye and homage done by the sayde wyllyam vnto the kynge and a certayne summe of money by hym promysed wythin .ix. monethes folowynge the kynge suffred hym to go at large But an other authour sayth that the kynge of Scottys was not taken but strongely besyeged in a towne or castell so that fynally he was forced to agree to the foresayde couenauntes In the .viii. yere the cytye of CauÌ„terburye was fyred by neglygence a great part therof brente And in that season the archbyshoppe Thomas beganne to replye agayne y e kynges mynde for thynges that the kynge dyd exercyse agayn the liberties of the chyrche THE CCXXXVII CHAPITER IN the .ix. yere of hys reygne the kynge for dyuerse causes coÌ„cernyng y e nedes of his realme called a parliament at hys towne of Northampton Durynge whyche parlyament dyssencyon fell betwen the kynge and Thomas archbyshop of Caunterburye for dyuerse actes and ordinaunces that the kyng there procured to passe agayne the lybertyes of holy chyrch the whych Thomas gaynstode and denyed wherfore the kynge toke a great dyspleasure with Thomas in so myche that shortely after he was fayne to flee the lande and in processe of tyme spedde hym to Rome where he complayned hym to Alexaunder the .iii. of that name then pope and there contynued and in Fraunce and in other places in poore estate by terme of .vi. yeres and more when kynge Henry hadde certayne vnderstandynge that Thomas was thus departed out of hys lande he seased his maners and temporall landes into hys hande so that hys mouable goodes were spoyled and rauenyd amonge the kynges offycers In the .xiiii. yere of his reygne the kynge crowned Henry hys eldest sonne then lyuynge kynge of Englande at westmynster whyche was done to the derogacyon or harme of the archbyshoppe Thomas as yt is wytnessyd in hys legende and for that doynge Roger archbyshoppe of yorke whyche crowned hym was accursed But an other authour sayth that the kynge crowned Henry hys sonne to the ende he myght haue ful power and authoryte to rule thys lande and the people of the same whyle hys father was occupyed in Normandye and other countreys where hys landes laye In myche of thys season that thys blessyd man Thomas was thus banyshed the lande the kynge sente ouer byshoppes and proctours to complayne vppon hym to the pope for well nere all the bishoppes of Englande were agayne hym And yf any toke hys parte they durste not speke for the displeasure of theyr temporall lorde so that this blessed man defended the quarell of the chyrche alone In the .xvi. yere of y e reygne of kyng Henry Lewys the kynge of FrauÌ„ce agreed kynge Henry and the archbysshoppe the kynge then beynge in Normandye Uppon whyche agrement thys blessyd man came to hys owne chyrche of Caunterbury and there so restynge hym sente for such persones as had spoyled and taken perforce the goodes of the chyrche aduertysynge theym by fayre meanes to restore the sayde goodes and to be reconcyled to the chyrche as trewe crysten men shulde But when he sawe that he myght not reconcyle theym by fayre meanes he then vsed compulsaryes and denounced them accursed but if they restored the goodes of the chyrche by a certayne day wherewyth the partyes beynge agreued sayled ouer to the kynge into Normandye and shewyd vnto hym greuous complayntes and more greuouse then the cause or mater requyred For the whych the kynge which hadde not yet quenched the bronde of malyce in hys harte the whyche he bare agayne thys holy man gaue lyght credence vnto those complayntes and was sore ferueÌ„tly amoued agayne the holy man Thomas in so myche that vppon a daye herynge the complayntes of this blessyd mannes aduersaryes he sayd in oppeÌ„ audyence of hys knyghtes that yf he had any good knyghtes about hym he had ben adueÌ„ged of that traytour longe or that tyme. At the tyme of whyche wordes vtterynge was present syr wyllyam Bryton syr Hugh Moruyle syr wyllyam Tracy and syr Regnolde fytz Urle whych foure knyghtes thynkyng that they shuld to theyr mayster do a synguler pleasure yf they slewe thys blessyd man hastely takynge aduyse
land of Barry wyth great strength and wasted the countrey of Guyan wythout mercy wherof kynge Henry beynge warned in all haste assembled hys people then beynge in Normandye and dâ—ew hym towarde the Frenche kynge whyche then hadde layde syege vnto the castell called in frenche Raoull or the castell of Roaull when both hostes were nere and lykely to haue ioyned medyatours were sente vppon bothe partyes to treate a peace By meane wherof in processe a trewce was taken for a certayne terme so that eyther hoste departed wythoute strykynge of stroke at that season About thys tyme dyed Rycharde archebyshoppe of Caunterbury Of hym yt is redde that a voyce or vysyon was shewed to hym saynge to hym in the mouthe of Cryste For thou haste wasted the goodes of my chyrch I shal rote the out of y e erthe with which wordes he was so frayd that he dyed shortly after Then was Baldewyn byshoppe of worceter admytted to that see though the munkys of Caunterburye wythsayde yt wyth all theyr power In the .xxx. yere of the kynge Heraclius patryarke of Hierusalem came in to England to haue ayde agayne the Sarazyns that had wonne great parte of the landes that Cristen men had in the holy lande and for to defende the holy cytye whyche by Saladyne prynce of Surey was wonne shortely after For by the reporte of Peter Dysroy whyche made a boke in frenche of the wynnynge and losynge of the sayde cytye yt appereth that yt was woÌ„ne by Godfrey de Bulyon in the yere of Crystes incarnacyon a thousande .lxxx. and .xix and so coÌ„tynued vnder the rule of .ix. crysten kynges tyll the laste kynge named Guyde Lesyngham or Lesynguam loste yt wyth the holy crosse in the yere of our lorde .xi. hundred lxxx and .ix. whych maketh the yere of the reygn of thys kyng Henry the xxxiiii Then yt foloweth in the story this Heraclius made besy request vnto the kynge for ayde and profered to hym the keys of the cytye and of our lordes graue and letters of Luciê° y e thyrd of y t name then pope chargyng him that he shuld take vppon hym y e iourney to haue mynde of the othe y t he before time had made The kyng deferred this answere and Baldwyne the archbyshop preached exhorted men to take y e crosse by whose meanes many there were y e auowed that iourney Lastely the kynge gaue answere and sayde that he myghte not leue hys lande wythoute kepynge nor yet leue yt to the praye and robbory of Frenchemen But he wolde gyue largely of hys owne to suche as wolde take vppon theym that vyage wyth thys answere the patryarke was dyscontent and sayde we seke a man and not money welnere euery crysten regyon sendyth vnto vs money but no lande sendyth to vs a prynce Therfore we aske a prynce that nedeth money and not money that nedeth a prynce But the kynge layde for hym suche excuses that the patryarke departed from hym dyscontentyd and comfortelesse wherof the kynge beynge aduertysed entendynge somwhat to recomforte hym wyth pleasaunte wordes folowed hym vnto the see syde But the more the kynge thought to satysfye hym wyth hys fayre speche the more the patryarke was dyscontented in so myche that at the laste he sayde vnto hym Hytherto thou haste reygned gloryously But here after thou shalt be forsaken of him y t thou at thys tyme forsakeste Thynke on hym what he hath gyuen to the and what thou haste yelden to hym agayne Howe fyrste thou were false vnto the kyng of Fraunce and after slewe that holy man Thomas of Caunterburye and lastely thou forsakeste the proteccyon of Crystes fayth The kyng was amoued wyth these wordes sayde vnto the patriarke Though all the men of my lande were one bodye and spake wyth one mouth they durste not speke to me such wordys No wonder sayde the patryarke for they loue thyne and not the. That ys to meane they loue thy goodes temporall and fere the for losse of promocyon but they loue not thy soule And when he hadde so sayde he offeryd hys hedde to the kynge sayenge Do by me ryghte as thou dyddest by that blessyd man Thomas of Caunterburye For I hadde leuer to be slayne of the then of y e Sarasyns For thou arte worse then any Sarasyn and thy people folowyth praye and not a man But the kynge kepte hys pacyence and sayde I maye not wende oute of my lande for myne owne sonnes wyll arryse agayne me when I were absent No wonder sayde the patryarke For of the deuyll they coÌ„me and to the deuyll they shall and so departyd from the kynge in great ire After the patryarke was thus departyd the kynge sente JohnÌ„ his seconde sonne into Irlande In the whyche vyage he spente the kynge great goodys and dyd lytle profyte or none In the .xxxi. yere of kynge Henry the Iewes crucyfyed a chylde in the towne of Burye in Suff. named Robert for whome god shewyd after many myracles And the .xxxii. yere the kynge made a vyage into Irlande to redresse thynges there oute of order But fortune was to hym so contrarye that he loste hys trauayle lyke as the yere before hys sonne IohnÌ„ had done In the .xxxiii. yere of thys kynge Henry at Dunstable in the ayre was sene a crucyfyxe and Cryste nayled theron whyche apperyd vysybly to many a mannys syghte And in thys yere the kynge loste the countrey of Aluerne when he hadde spente great goodes aboute the defence of the same Howe be yt of this warre speketh nothynge the frenche cronycle THE CCXI. CHAPITER IN the .xxxiiii. yere of the kynge Rycharde the erle of Poytowe arrered warre agayn king Henry hys father toke party with the Frenche kynge By meane of the whyche warre all suche summys of money as were before gatheryd by dymys and otherwyse for the helpynge of the croysye to be made into the holy lande by the sayde Rycharde and by many other nobles of the lande were spente in the same innaturall warre wherfore the kynge sayled into Normandy with a stroÌ„ge armye But or the kynge were there landed the sayde Rycharde by helpe of the Frenchemen hadde wonne the cytyes of Towres of Meaus and also the castellys of Raoull and Gysours wyth other At the laste the Frenche kyng Phylyppe the second wyth the sayde Rycharde came vnto the cytye of Cenomanna entendyng to laye syege vnto the same wherof kynge Henry beynge warned sette the suburbes on fyre bycause hys enmyes shuld in theÌ„ haue no socour But the flame of the fyre was by the wynde dryuen into the cytye so sharpely that the kyng was compelled to forsake yt wherwyth y e kynge was so amoued that in hys departynge from the cytye he sayde these wordes For thou haste taken from me thys daye the cytye that I moste loued in the worlde I shall acquyte the for after thys tyme I shall bynome the that thynge y t shuld most haue pleased the in me whych ys myne
harte After thys he loste more dayly so that hys enymyes preuayled strongely agayne hym It is rede of hym that he shulde be at so great an after deale in thys warre that hastely he shuld put hym in the kynge of Fraunces mercy his honoure and hys crowne reserued But this is doutefull of credeÌ„ce For sure I am yf the Frenche kyng had suche auauntage of hym yt shulde not haue fallen throughe the boke but haue ben regystred in the moste auauntynge maner where as in the frenche cronycle is touched no word of lyke mater But trowth yt ys that fortune was to him contrary in such wyse that wyth or for anger and impacyence he fell into a feuer wherof he lastely dyed in the castell of Conomeus or of Chynon in Normandye in the moneth of Iuly when he had reygned .xxxiiii. yeres and .viii. monethes wyth oddes dayes and was buryed at Fount Ebrade wyth thys epytaphy vppon his tombe Sufficit hic tumulus cui non sufficerat orbis Res breuis est ampla cui fuit ampla breuis Rex Henricus eram mihi plurima regna subegi Multiplicique modo duxque comesque sui Cui satis ad votum non essent omnia terrae Climita terrae modo sufficit octo pedunâ— Qui legis haec pensa discrimina mortis in me Humanae speculum conditionis habe Quod petis instante operare bonum quia mundus Transit incaâ—tos mors inopina rapit The whyche versys are thus myche to meane in sentence ¶ Suffysyth nowe this graue to whom all erthly thynge Syffysyd not my mynde so hyghe was sette Tyme that was shorte my name wyde dyd sprynge whyche fame by deth is into shortenesse fette Kynge Henry was I called no man I thought my bette whose mynde sometyme all erth not suffysed viii fote of ground now hath my bodye comprysed Thou that thys redest the parell of deth and in me Thou mayste beholde the course of euery wyght That erthely is wherfore prouyde and se That thou well maye do shortely do yt and tyght Defer not the tyme for I ascertayne the ryght The world is transytory and vnwarely men taketh Cruell deth from whome non estate escapeth Gerardus CambrensÌ„ whyche in hys boke of dystynccyons sette oute the lyfe of thys Henry sayth dredefull yt is to allege agayne hym that maye putte a man oute of lande and to descrybe hym wyth many wordes that may exyle a man wyth one worde wherfore yt were a notable dede to tell the sothe of a prynces dedys and offende the prynce in no meane But yet when the prynce ys passed and gone then men wyll talke without fere that before tyme they spared for fere Then to folow the sooth this kyng Henry noryshed stryfe amonge hys chyldern wyth all dylygeÌ„ce hopyng therby to lyue hym selfe in the more reste when men wolde aske of hym when he wolde leue his great dedes he vsed to answere that the worlde shulde fayle or a courageouse harte shulde sease of great dedes He was pereles in chyualry in warre and in lecherye He wedded Elyanoure wyfe of Lewys kynge of Fraunce contrary to the commaundement of hys father For he hadde shewed to hym that he hadde lyen by her when he was the sayde kynges stewarde He reygned .xxvi. yeres somdeale to hys wordely blysse and foure yeres somwhat to hys payne but the laste fyue yeres to hys great troweble and sorow Farthermore the sayd Gerarde descryueth the progenye of thys Henry whyche I ouer passe because yt is so common Rycharde hys sonne wolde often tell that wonder and vsed to saye no meruayle though they greued the peple that were comon of such kynd For of y e deuyll they came and to the dyuyll they shall It ys also redde of thys Henry that in a chaumber at wyndesore he caused to be paynted an egle wyth foure byrdes wherof thre of theym all rased the bodye of the olde egle and the fourth was cratchynge at the olde eglys eyen when the questyon was asked of hym what thyng that pycture shuld sygnyfye yt was answered by hym thys olde egle sayde he is my selfe and these .iiii. eglys betoken my foure sonnes the whyche sease not to pursue my deth And specyally my yongeste sonne IohnÌ„ whyche nowe I loue moste shall most specyally awayte and imagen my deth Francia THE CCXLI. CHAPITER PHylyp the seconde of that name surnamed Dyeu done or gyueÌ„ of god and sonne vnto y e viii Lewys beganne to reygne ouer the realme of Fraunce in the yere of our lorde .xi. hundred and .lxxix and the .xxiii. yere of Henry the seconde than kynge of Englonde whyche sayde Phylyppe reygned somwhat of tyme by the lyfe of hys father which tyme is accompted vnto the reygne of hys father Thys in the fyrst yere of hys reygne for the great enormytyes that the Iewes vsed wythin the realme of Fraunce as crucyfyenge of chyldren and exercysynge of theyr detestable vsery he after due profe made put the malefactours to dethe and the other in auoydynge more daunger he exyled and put clere out of hys realme This Phylyp also as before in the story of Henry the seconde is towched excyted the sonnes of the sayde Henry to make warre vppon theyr father by whyche meane thys Phylyppe gate many holdes and townes from the sayde Henry wythin hys duchy of Guyon But after the deth of Henry thys Phylyppe gaue ouer all the sayde holdes and townes vnto Rycharde the eldeste sonne of the sayde Henry and receyued of hym homage for the same And as wytnessyth the French cronycle the sayd Rychard in token of obedyence was present at the coronacion of the sayd Phylyppe But ye shall vnderstande that than he was not kynge of Englande .x. yeres after But yf yt so were that he were present at the sayd coronacyon yet was he duke of Guyon onely Aboute the thyrde yere of hys reygne Eraclius patryarke of Hierusalem came into Fraunce and requyred ayde of thys kynge Phylyppe to wythstande the furye and persecucyon whyche Saladyne prynce of Turkes hadde excuted and dayly contynued in the countrey of Palestina agayne the Cristen to the great destruccyon of theym and vndoyng of the countrey and great ieoperdye of the losynge of the holy cytye of Hierusalem For thys the kynge assembled a great counsayll at hys cytye of Parys where the sayde Eraclius made requeste to the kynge as before he hadde done to Henry the seconde For he was in Fraunce in the yere of our lorde .xi. hundred .lxxx. and two and in Englande he was in the yere of grace .xi. hundred .lxxx. and .vii. After whyche counsayll there so holden yt was agreed that the kynge wyth ayde of the byshoppes and other of the spyrytualtye shulde ayde the sayde patryarke the whyche where sette forthe in all possyble haste But after the reporte of Peter Dysroye whyche made a recule or lytle boke of the wynnynge and losyng of Hierusalem they with mo crysten prynces were dryuen by tempeste of the
see vnto the porte of Damas where vnder coloure of a fayned trewce they were taken and caste the moste parte of theym in pryson And when kynge Phylyppe hadde thus delyuered the patryarke he then gatheryd hys knyghtes and made an armye agayne Hugh duke of Burgoyne the whyche at that season and tyme hadde beclypped the castell of Uergye wyth a stronge syege and hadde promysed not to departe thens tyll such tyme as he had wonne that holde by appoytement or otherwyse And for the defence of rescouse that myghte be made for the same he hadde maÌ„ned foure castellys or towres there vnto adioynaunte wyth great strength of men of armys But after the kynge was thyder comen wyth hys hoste the sayde towrs were sone ouertourned and y e kynge wyth a certayne of hys people of Guy capytayne of the sayde castell of Uergy was ioyously into the same receyued and rendred to hym the castell and became hys lege man where wyth the sayde Hugh beynge â—ore amoued and dyscontented seynge there he was dyspoynted of his purpose departed thens wyth hys ordynaunce and people and robbed and spoyled the couÌ„tre there aboute sparynge nother chyrche nor howse of relygyoÌ„ in so cruell and greuous maner that the bysshoppes and abbottes of that partye of Burgoyne made pyteous request vnto the sayd Phylyp that he of his specyall grace wolde ayde and socoure them and theyr chyrches agayne the tyranny of the sayde duke Hugh The kynge beynge moued wyth thys pyteous requeste made sharpe warre vppon the sayde Hugh and at length wan from hym a stronge castell named Chastelone where wyth all the duke was put to suche a studyall and fere that he was forsed to seche meanes of treaty and of peace wherof the coÌ„clusyon was that he shulde paye vnto the chyrches before by hym hurted harmed .xxx. thousande pownd whyche conclusyon taken and surelye sette for the same the kynge retorned vnto Parys where the kyng so restynge hym a certeyne of tyme and hauynge experyence of the intollerable and foule stenches that dayly grewe by the fylthe of the erthe and myre in the stretes made prouysyon dylygently wyth ayde and helpe of the cytesens whyche as than hadde londe wythin the cytye that the stretes were shortely paued after And at thys tyme whanne the cytye was thus paued as affermen many authours the name of it was chaunged from Lutesse or Lewcesse vnto Parysse THE CCXLII. CHAPITER IN the .vii. yere of thys kynge Phylyp as sayth the FreÌ„che boke Margarete syster vnto thys Phylyp late wyfe vnto Henry late deceased and eldeste sonne of Henry the seconde kynge at this day of Englande was maryed vnto Belas kynge of Hungry In the .x. yere of thys kyng Phylyp the cytye of Hierusalem was taken of Saladyne prynce of Egypte and Guy de Lesyngnan laste crysten kynge of that cytye wyth the holy crosse was taken in the felde whych after that daye came neuer into crysten mennes possessyon Of thys sorowe heuynesse worde was broughte vnto kynge Phylyp wyth requeste of ayde to reskue certeyne cytyes as yet rested vnder the domynyon of the crysten as Tyre Tryple and Antioch wyth other small holdes For sauegarde wherof many nobles of Fraunce toke vpon them the crosse as the duke of Burgoyn the erle of Flaunders Theobalde erle of Bloyes the erle of Rochfoâ—d the erle of Champayne wyth many other noble knyghtes whyche for lengthe I passe ouer and also the reporte of theyr dedys for so myche as it coÌ„cernyth nothyng the mater that I haue promysed to speke of In this iourney also kynge Phylyppe enteÌ„ded to haue gone and for the same great taskes dymys were leuyed through oute his realme the whyche to this daye are called Saladynes dymes But the lette of this iourney as sayth the french cronycle was Rycharde duke of Guyan and after his father Henry the seconde that made warre vppon the Frenche kynge as before is touched in the storye of the sayd Henry Duryng whyche warre the sayde Henry dyed in the .xi yere of thys sayde Phylyppe About thys season and tyme the Iewes whych by meane of great gyftes had agayn purchased theyr dwellynge wythin the couÌ„trey of FrauÌ„ce wherof a wedowe was lady and mastresse called Branous in absence of the kynge toke a Crysten man surmysed agayne hym felonye and murder For the whyche by fauoure of the sayde lady the sayde Iewes set a crowne of thorne vppon the sayd crysten mannys hedde and after scourged hym and lastely in derysyon of Crystes relygyon and despyte of the same crucyfyed the same persone wherof when the kynge was enfourmed in all haste he sent into the sayd couÌ„trey or castell of Brayon and surprysed the sayde Iewys so sodaynly that none escaped and brent there of them to the nomber of .lxxx. for theyr malycyouse and abhomynable dede In the .xi yere of the reygne of thys Phylyppe dyed Isabell the quene of FrauÌ„ce his wyfe a womaÌ„ of good fame and of great vertue In the .xii. yere of his reygne as sayth the frenche boke thys Phylyp toke vppon hym the crosse hauynge promyse of kyng Rychard then newly crowned kyng of EnglaÌ„d to kepe company wyth hym in that iourney But he kept not promyse wherwith thys Phylyppe beynge dysconteÌ„ted sayled before and layde syege vnto the cytye of Acon or Acre From this sayenge varyeth Policronica and also Peter Desroy For Polycronycon sayth that after the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce hadde made suerty betwen them for performauÌ„ce of this iourney they both to gyther taryed at Turon in Fraunce for to abyde the somer tyde And at spryngynge of the yere they of one wyll purpose toke theyr vyage towarde the holy lande that ys to wytte that one by water and that other by land and mette agayne in Cecilia where the FreÌ„che kynge deê‘ted from hym and so sayled to the sayde cytye of Acone or Acre and layde hys syege there vnto In whych pastyme kyng Rycharde warred vppon the kynge of Sypres hym wyth his land subdued after came vnto AconÌ„ where the Frenche kyng had longe lyen at syege without gettynge of any great auauntage of his enymyes saynge vnto kynge Rycharde that he hadde spared the wynnynge of the towne tyll hys commynge to the ende that he at his commyng myght be parteyner as well of the honoure as of the wynnynge But how it was such vnkyndenesse fell betwene theym there after they hadde woonne the sayde towne as after in story of kynge Rycharde shal be shewed that this kyng Phylyppe retourned into Fraunce shortely after In the whych returne the sayde Phylyppe sykened and the duke of Burgoyne dyed And when kyng Phylyppe a season had soiourned in FrauÌ„ce he maryed Iugebert the doughter of the kynge of Denmarke The whyche maryage as sayth Ranulfe was desyred of the Frenche kynge to haue wyth her graunted the tytle whyche the Danes had vnto the crown of England wyth also .x. thousand markes of syluer for to wynne wyth y
erledome of Aungeou and two hundred knyghtes prysones of Normans and Englyshe wyth a great summe of money It was not longe after that the duke of Brytayne was departyd from the kynge but that he wyth suche power as he myght make entred the countrey of Aungeou to take therof possessyon where in shorte space he was encountred of kynge John̄ and fought to geder a cruell batell In the whyche in the ende the duke was put to the worse for the more parte of hys people were slayne and hym selfe wyth Hugh le Bruns Godfrey de Lesygnan and many other nobles of Fraunce and also of Brytayne were taken prysoners wyth whyche tydynges the Frenche kyng was greuously dyscontentyd And where as at that tyme he had becleped y e castell of Arches wyth a strong syege he remoued from thens and and yode to the citye of Towres and brent a part therof But as testifyeth the frenche cronycle he taryed not the commynge of kynge Iohn̄ But for that wynter was commynge towarde he ceasyd of hys warrys for that yere and so drewe hym into Fraunce ⸫ In the yere folowynge whyche was the yere of this Phylyp .xxiiii of kynge Iohn̄ the .iiii. yere y e warre newely began whyche I ouer passe for as mych as yt shall be shewyd in the storye of kynge Iohn̄ In the .xxvi. yere thys Phylyppe Almaricus a studyent of Paris held certayne opynyons of heresye Of the whyche when he was abiured he toke suche thought that he dyed shortely after It was not longe after but that other clerkys and studyauntys helde an other erronyous opynyon cōcernynge y e vnyon of the trynyte Of the whyche nomber Peter byshoppe of Parys and one Garyne a man of great connynge were two the whyche were degraded after cōsumyd wyth fyre and the body of the forenamed Almaricus was agayne taken oute of the erthe and after brent Nere about the .xxx. yere of the reygne of thys Phylyppe for consyderacyon as sayth the frenche boke that Iohn̄ kynge of Englande had exylyd dyuerse of hys byshoppes and taken from them theyr possessyons and goodes the whyche to this kynge Phylyp were comen for ayde and socour he therfore mouyd with pytye assembled a great hoste and entendyd to haue sayled into Englande to haue refourmed these maters wyth the whyche hoste he passed tyll he came to Grauenynge by lande where he appoynted hys nauey to mete wyth hym And to the same place also Ferrande then erle of Flaundres had affermely promysyd to come wyth the ayde of hys Flemynges where the kynge for hym taryed a certayne of tyme. But shortely after the kynge was ascertayned that the sayde erle was alyed wyth kynge Iohn̄ hys enymye and purposed to ayde hys partye in all that he myghte wherof the occasyon was as affermeth the sayde Frenche cronycle for so myche as Lewys eldest sonne of kynge Phylyppe helde from the sayde Farrande two castellys or townes named saynte Omer and Are. when kynge Phylyppe apperceyued that he was thus of the erle dyspoynted he by coūsayll of his Baronye putte by hys iourney into Englande and assayled the countrey of Flaundres and so yode vnto Cassyle a lytell from Grauelynge wyth sharpe assaute wanne the sayd towne and so from thens to Brugys and commaunded hys nauy to be brought vnto the hauē of Sluse whyche is wythin shorte waye of Brugys And when he hadde executed hys pleasure at Brugys leuyng a certayn of his peple for to strength hys Nauy he yode vnto Gaunte and there rested hym and hys people In whyche season Regnolde erle of Boleyne Guyllyam longe Espe or Guyllyam wyth the longe sworde wyth a crewe of Englyshe men aryued in Flaundres to whom shortely drewe Ferraunde the erle wyth a great power of Flemynges The whyche shypped theym in small caruyles and barkes and other shyppys of aduaūtage and wyth a fyerse corage sette vppon the Frenche kynges nauey lyenge at Sluse as before is shewed where was foughten a stronge and cruell batayll But in the ende the Flemynges hadde the vyctorye and hadde the rule of all the frenche flote the whyche in nomber as testyfyeth the sayd frenche cronycle were a thousande ten sayle The whyche for nomber and greatnesse myghte not all lye wythin the hauyn but spradde a great parte of the ryuer besyde whyche so lyenge wythout the hauen the Flemynges conueyed thens and after layde ordinaunce to the towne of Sluse and assyeged yt Kynge Phylyppe herynge of the losse of hys nauye and of the assautynge of the towne of Sluse in all haste spedde hym thyther and there in suche wyse resysted hys enymyes that he slew of them vpon two thousande and toke of theym dyuerse prysoners and rescued the towne But for he sawe he myght not recouer hys shyppes beynge wythin the hauyn he causyd theym to be dyscharged of vytell and other necessaryes and after set them on fyre and the towne also and that done toke certayne hostages of Brugis of Gaunte and of Ipre and so retourned into Fraunce THE CCXLV CHAPITER WHen kynge Phylippe was returned into Fraunce yt was not longe after that by the meanes of some well dysposyd persones he was reconcyled and toke to hym his lawfull wyfe Ingeberta or Ingebert doughter of the kynge of Denmarke whyche was great comforte to all hys people And thys yt nowe apperyth that the sayde Ingebert was from her lorde or husbande by the terme of .xvi. yeres and more as before yt is touched in the seconde chapyter of thys storye In the yere of grace .xii. hūdred .xiiii. as sayth the frenche boke whyche maketh the yere of the reygne of this Philyppe .xxxv Otho the .iiii. of that name and duke of Saxony whyche of some of the electours was chosen for emperour in the quarell of kyng Iohn̄ intred y e prouince of Henaude and there beynge accompanyed with Reygnolde erle of Boleyne Farraunde erle of Flaundres and dyuerse other nobles as well of Englande Saxonye and other places made prouysyon to fyght wyth kynge Phylyppe whyche then warred in Flaūdres so that the Frenche kynge was at the castell of Peron and Otho was at the castell of Ualensyens or Ualenseus About Mary Madgdaleyns tyde the Frenche kynge in wastyng y e coūtrey of Flaūdres came vnto the town of Turney and Otho returned from the foresayde castell and came vnto the castell or towne named Mortenge the whyche was but .vi. myle from Turney wherof herynge the kynge entendyd to haue set in shorte tyme vppon hys enymyes But by the aduyse of hys barons he was letted for so myche as the wayes and places were streyghte and narowe towarde hys enymyes For the whyche consyderacyon by counsayll of hys sayde barones he was letted and retourned towarde Henawde for to haue more larger playnes So that after saynte Iamys daye he retourned purposynge that nyghte to haue lyen and also his hoste at the castell called Lylly But he was letted of hys purpose For Otho whych was warned of hys remouynge demed
shewed in folio clxxiiii Lorde Talbot was slayne as appereth fo cc Lorde Egremonde was commytted to Newgate as is shewed fo ccii Lorde wellys conspyred agayne the kynge folio ccxviii Lorde chamberlayne beheded as is shewed fo ccxx Losse of Normandy as is shewed folio cxcviii Lowys sonne vnto the French kyng warred in Englande fo xvii Lowys retourned into Fraunce as appereth fo xviii Lowys sayled into the holy lande folio xxv Lowys gaue sentence agayne the barons fo xxxvi Lowys the .ix. of that name and son̄ of Phylyp the seconde beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of oure lorde M.CC. and .xxiii and the .vi. yere of the thyrde kynge Henry than kyng of Englande and reygned yeres .iii. By thys kynge retourned the blode of Charles into y e possessyon of the crowne of Fraunce folio xlvi Lowys the .x. of that name a chylde of .xii. yeres and sonne of the abouenamed the .ix. Lowys whyche is named saynt Lowys began his reygne ouer Fraunce in the yere of our lord M.CC. and .xxvi and the .ix. yere of the iii. Henry than kinge of Englād and reygned yeres .xliii as appereth folio xlvii Lowys the .xi. by accompt and sonne of Phylyp the .iiii beganne to reygn ouer Fraunce in the yere of our lord M.CCC and .xv and the .viii. yere of the seconde Edwarde than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .ii. folio lxxxiii Lowys the .xii. of y e name afte the accōpt of thys boke .x. after the frēche accōpt wherof y e cause is before shewed son̄ of the laste Charles begā to rule y e Frenchmē in y e yere of our lord M.iiii C. and .lviii .xxxvi. yere of Hēry the .vi. thā kyng of Englande reygned yeres .xxvi. fo ccix Lowys refused lordes company and counsayll fo ccix Lowys rescueth Parys fo ccx Losse of townes and castelles in Normandy folio cxxxvii MAruayles sene in the fyrmament folio xii Mayre of London presenment loke in folio xxvii Mayr and hys bretherne foūd gylty in hurtyng the cōmons fo xxix Mayre and cytezeyns agreed to the lordes fo xxxi Macys of syluer were fyrste graūted to offycers of London fo xci Men of Norwyche enraged fo xlv Manhode of Mathew de Roya foli liiii Marchaunte straungers encroched vpō the cytezyns of Lōdon and were punysshed fo lix Maddocke a walshman rebelled as it is shewed fo lxi Mariage of the .ii. Edward fo lxxiiii Malyce sprange amonge the lordes of Flaunders fo lxxxv marueylous heyle fylle fo lx Mychaell Tony mayre of London adiuged loke in fo lvi mortmayne was fyrst enacted fo lvi Mortymer was howgely auaunced folio lxxxvii Mortymer was put to deth as it is shewed fo lxxxviii money borowed of the cytye of London folio xcii Martyn Pysdo Parycyen was put to cruell deth fo cxxxv maner of cysme in the church of Rome loke in fo cxxxviii Maner of the metyng of the kynges of Englande of Fraunce fo cxlvii many knyghtes of the bathe made folio clxiii Maruayles of Thamys fo clxx masses ordeyned by kyng Henry the fyfte as it is shewed in folio clxxviii Maner of treaty betwene the landes of Englande and of Fraunce loke in folio clxxxviii maryage was dyspoynted fo cxcii Maryage concluded fo cxciii manhode of chalons fo cxcv Maximilian and the Frenche kynge dyscorden fo ccxxviii Margaret syster vnto Edwarde the iiii departed from London towarde the see fo ccxvii monycyon dyuyne was gyuen to the Frenche kynge fo clviii Mountague a noble man was slayn folio clx mummyng made for treason as is shewed fo clxv Murder was punysshed fo clxvii NOumbre of wardes in y e citye of London fo ii Names of twelfe perys of England folio xxx New tolle was brought vp fo xliiii Nycholas Brembre wyth other was put to deth fo cxliiii Nauye of Frenchemen dystressed as is shewed fo lv Newe coyne of syluer was stryken folio lvii New dyspleasure kynge Rycharde toke agayne y e cytye of London fo cl Newe coyne of golde smitten as appereth in fo clxx OCtoboon the popes legate was pursued of the clergy of Englande for causes shewed in fo xxii Occasyon of the fraye in Fletestrete folio cxlv Occasyon of dyspleasure betwene kynge Rycharde and the duke of Glouceter fo cxlix Of the chere and curious receyuyng of kyng Henry by the Frēnche kyng folio xxxii Offycers charged and dyscharged as it is shewed folio xxxiii Of kyng Iohn̄s pledges fo cviii Ordre of seruytoures in the tyme of quene Katherins coronaciō fo clxxvi Orleaunce that cytye was besyeged folio clxxxii Othes sworne by the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce for peace kefolio cvii Olyuer Dāman and Danyell sometyme chyef counsayllours of Lowys the Frenche kynge were hanged as appereth fo ccxxviii PReface of thys werke as apereth fo I Peace was taken betwene the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce folio xi Phylyp kynge of Fraunce warred vpon kyng Iohn̄ fo xi Phylyp brake the peace fo xii Pope Innocente sente vnto kynge Iohn̄ fo xiii Parlyamente holden at London folio xix Pyers of Pountfret for hys vertue put to deth fo xvii Parlyament holden at Mertone folio xxii Periurye was punysshed as appereth fo xxv Parlyament holden at Oxenforde as apereth fo xxx Parlyament holden at westmynster folio xxxi Parlyament holden at Oxenforde as is shewed fo xxxvi Parlyament holden at westmynster folio xxxviii Parlyament holden at westmynster folio xlv Peace was made betwene the kynge and Gylbert de Clare as is shewed folio xliii Punysshement of Londoners as is shewed fo xl Phylyp the thyrde of that name and sonne of saynte Lowys was made kynge of Fraunce in the yere of our lorde M.CC.lxx and the .liii. yere of the thyrde Henry than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .xv. fo li Phylyp the .iiii. of that name and son̄ of the .iii. Phylyp la beawe or fayre began to reygne ouer Fraunce in y e yere of our lorde a M.CC.lxxxvi the .xiiii. yere of the fyrste Edwarde than kyng of England and reygned yeres .xxxix. fo lxviii Phylyp the .v. of that name and surnamed the longe sonne of the fourth Philyppe and brother to Lowys the xi by accompt begā hys reygne ouer Fraunce in the yere of grace a M.iii C. and .xvii the .x. yere of Edwarde the .ii. than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .v. fo lxxxiii Phylyppe de Ualoys erle of Ualoys and the sonne of Charlys de Ualoys brother to the fourthe Philippe was nat wythoute some stryfe chosen and ordeyned for protectoure of the lande of Fraunce and after kyng of the same the .ii. daye of February in the yere of oure lorde M.iii. C. and .xxviii and the .ii. yere of Edwarde the .iii. than kyng of Englande and reygned in greate trouble yeres .xxii. fo cxvi Phylyppes actes in Italye as appereth folio liiii Parlyament holden at westmynster folio lvi Plees remoued from London as is shewed fo lvi
Caunterbury wyth the other exylys landed in Englande and after in processe of tyme met wyth the kynge at wynchester where the kyng receyuyd hym with a ioyouse coūtenaūce and after there was assoyled of the sayde archebyshop But yet was not the interdiccyon of the land releasyd for so myche as the kyng at that day hadde not made restitucyon vnto the archbyshope and other accordynge to the thyrde artycle before rehersyd For the whych as testyfyeth the Englyshe boke he payed vnto the archbyshoppe thre thousande marke and to the other by partyculers .xv. thousande marke After whyche thynges performed and done the interdyccyon was adnullyd and fordone in the moneth of Iuly and yere of our lord xii hundred and .xii when yt had standen in force full .vi. yeres as mych as from the .xxvi. daye vnto the moneth of Iuly whyche is vppon .iii. monethes and odde dayes Anno domini M.CC.xiii  Anno domini M.CC.xiiii  Raufe Eylande  Henry fyz Alwyn  Anno .xiiii.  Constantyne le Iosne  IN thys .xiiii. yere of the kyng for that he wolde not holde the lawes of saynte Edwarde and also for displeasure that he bare to diuers of them for they wolde not fauoure hym agayne the pope and for other causes whyche here be not manyfestyd the kyng fell at dyssencyon with hys lordes in so mych that great people were reysyd on eyther partyes But for the kynges partye was the stronger the erle of Chester with the other lordes toke the cytye of London and helde them therin a certayn of tyme. The whych cronycle of Caxton wyth other sayen that a great parte of this varyaūce betwene kyng Iohn̄ and his barons was for because the kynge wolde wythout skylfull dome haue exyled the sayde erle of Chester whyche to hym hadde no cause but for so myche as before seasons he hadde often tymes aduysed the kynge to leue hys cruelnesse and his accustomed auowtry the whych he exercysyd wyth his brothers wyfe and other But by the meanes of the archebyshoppe of Caunterbury and other prelatys a peace was taken for a whyle In this yere vppon the daye of the translacyon of saynt Benet or y e .xi. day of Iuly a great parte of the Borough of Southwarke was brent And in the moneth of Auguste nexte folowynge was great and myche harme done in London by fyre Soone after to stablyshe the peace betwene the kynge and hys lordes an assemble was made on Berham downe where the kynge and the lordes mette wyth great strenght vpon eyther syde where a charter or wrytyng was dyuysed and made there sealyd by the kynge so that the baronye was wyth yt contentyd and departyd in peasyble wyse eueryche man into hys countrey Anno domini M.CC.xiiii  Anno domini M.CC.xv.  Martyne fyz Alys  Roger fyz Aleyn  Anno .xv.  Peter Batte  IN thys .xv. yere of the kynge the peace whych in the laste yere was betwene kyng Iohn̄ and his baronyes agreed was by the kynge vyolate and broken wherfore the lordes assembled to them great powers made sharpe cruell warre vppon the kynge in so myche that he was constrayned to sende into Normandye for ayde and socoure into other places Then shortely after came into Englande a Norman knyghte whyche brought wyth hym a companye of Normannes Flemmynges Pycardes This knyght or capitayn was named Foukes de Brent y e whiche wyth his company was so cruell that he destroyed as well relygyous houses as other and wrought mych harme to the lande and putte the lordes to the worse Then the kynge made Foukes and other of hys company wardeyns of castellys strūge holdes in Englād The lordes seyng the kynge perseuer in hys wronge and wolde in no wyse be enduced to holde his owne grauntes but to execute all thynge after pleasure and nothynge after lawe or iustyce cast in theyr myndes howe they myghte brynge the lande in a better rule or state and by one aduyse and consent wrote vnto Phylyp kyng of Fraūce that he wolde sende some noble man into Englande and they wolde rendre y e lande vnto hym In this whyle kyng Iohn̄ causid to be drawen and hangyd at London one Pyers of Pomfrette for the sayde Peter had monyshed dyuers mysse happes that shulde come to hym for his vycyous lyfe and also for he had often warned kynge Iohn̄ that he shuld reygn but .xiiii. yeres the whyche he ment wythout payenge of trybute For after he was become feodary to the pope he thought the pope reygned as pryncypall lorde of the land and not he For the whyche and for other malyce he putte that vertuous man to deth Of whom in y e .xxxiii. chapiter of the .vii. boke of Policronycon are many vertues shewed the which I ouer passe for lengthynge of the tyme. Anno domini M.CC.xv.  Anno domini M.CC.xvi.  Salomon Basynge  Roger fyz Aleyn  Anno .xvi.  Hugh Basynge  UPpon saynt Andrewes euen or the .xxix. daye of Nouember in the .xvi. yere of hys reygne kynge Iohn̄ after he had lyen a certayne of tyme wyth hys ordynaunce aboute the castell of Rouchester in Kent he wanne the sayde castell and toke therin certayne gentylmen that hadde conspyred agayne hym the whyche he sente to dyuers prysons And the barons helde theym to gyther at London abydynge the commynge of Lewys son to the Frenche kynge the whyche nere about ascencyon tyde landed in Englande wyth a stronge armye and so came to Rochester and layd syege to the castell and wāne yt wyth lytle payne for so mych as yt was greatly febled wyth the assaurys lately made by kynge Iohn̄ and syn that tyme not suffycyently repayred And when he had wonne the sayde castell he caused all the straungers therein taken to be hanged and after came to London where certayne allyaunces and couenauntes were stablished betwene the lordes hym and receyued of them homage as affermeth Policronicon And after theyr maters betwen them there fynyshed he with the lordes departed from London and gatte the castellys of Rygat of Gylforde and and of Frenham and from thens to wynchester where the cytye was yelden vnto them wyth all the holdes and castellys there about as wolnesey Odyham and Beawmere And about saynte Margaretes daye he wyth the lordes came agayne to London at whose commynge the towre of London was gyuen vp to theym by appoyntement And where Roger fyz Aleyn hadde tyll that tyme rulyd the cytye of London as mayre he for so myche as he was accusyd to the lordes to be fauorable to the kynges partye was then dyscarged of that offyce and one called Serle Mercer was chosen in hys place and so cōtynued tyll Mychelmas folowynge In thys passe tyme kynge Iohn̄ beynge thus ouer sette wyth hys lordes sent messengers to y e pope shewynge to hym the rebellyon of hys lordes and how they laboryd hys destruccyon wherfore the pope in all haste sent a legate
and the frenche boke sayth .xv. M. marke Anno domini M.CC.xviii  Anno domini M.CC.xix  Thomas Bokerell  Robert Serle  Anno .ii.  Rafe Gylande  IN thys seconde yere of kynge Henry when the lande was voyded of the stranÌ„gers then inquysycyons were made to knowe what persones hadde fauored the partye of Lewys agayne the kynge of the whyche the kynge pardonyd many of the lay fee. But y e spyrytuall were put to suche fynes y e they were compellyd to laye that they myghte to pledge to please the kynge and ouer that to sue to Rome to be assoylyd And thys yere Ranulphe erle of Chester for consyderacyons hym mouynge toke hys iourney into the holy lande But one cronycle sayth he toke that iourney vppon hym for so myche as hadde contrarye hys allegeaunce made homage vnto Lewis aboue named and for malyce whych he bare towarde kynge IohnÌ„ entendyd at the tyme of that homage doynge to haue made the sayde Lewys kynge of Englande Anno domini M.CC.xix  Anno domini M.CC.xx.  Benetle Ceytur  Robert Serle  Anno .iii.  wyllyam Blounde  IN thys thyrde yere of kynge Henry a parlyament was holden at London by vertue wherof was graunted to the kynge .ii. s. of euery plough lande thorough England whych was for y e charge that he before had wyth Lewys warre Also this yere saynt Thomas of Caunterbury was traÌ„slated in the .vii. day of this moneth of Iuly the whyche was done wyth so great a charge vnto mayster Stephan Langton then archibishop of Caunterbury that the charge therof was not contented many yeres after y e deth of the said Stephan And thys yere as wytnessyth Polycronycon kynge Henry began the new worke of the chyrche of westmynster whyche after that sayenge shuld be in the .xii. yere of hys age Anno domini M.CC.xx.  Anno domini M.CC.xxi  IohnÌ„ wayle  Robert Serle  Anno .iiii.  Iosnele Spycer  IN thys yere Alexander kynge of Scottes maryed dame Iane or Iohan the syster of kynge Henry And this yere was great harme done in Englande by vyolence of a whyrlewynde and fyry dragons and spyrytys were sene fleynge in the ayer And this yere were proclamacyons made in London and thorough out Englande y e all straungers shuld auoyde the lande by Mychelmasse next folowyng except such as came wyth marchauÌ„dyse and to make sale of them vnder the kynges saufe coÌ„duyt which was chefely made to auoyde Foukes de Brent and his complycys whyche kepte the castell of Bedforde agayne the kynges wyll and pleasure And in thys yere was kynge Henry secondaryly crowned at westmynster the .xvii. daye of May. And thys yere the cytye called Damas in the holy land was by crysten men gotten from the Turkys And thys yere came out of the holy lande into Englande Ranulphe erle of Chester and beganne to buyld the castellys of Charteley of Bestone after he buylded the abbay of Delartesse of y e whyte oâ—der For charge and coste of whyche sayde castellys abbay he toke toll thorough all hys lordshyp of all such as passyd y e way wyth any chafire or marchaundyse Anno domini M.CC.xii.  Anno domini M.CC.xxii  Rycharde wymbeday  Robert Serle  Anno .v.  IohnÌ„ wayell  IN thys .v. yere of kynge Henry at Oxenforde was holden a generall couÌ„sayll of the byshoppes and clergye of thys lande In tyme of whyche counsayle a man was taken the whyche shewyd hym selfe to be Cryste and preached many thynges of errour whyche the clerkes at those dayes vsyd And to approue that he was Iesus the sonne of god and that he was comen to refourme those errours and other he shewyd the carectys and tokens of woundes in hys bodye handes and fete like to Iesus that was nayled on the crosse Then he was apposyd and approuyd a false dyssymuler wherfore by dome of y e counsayll he was iudgyd â—o be nayled to the crosse and so delyueryd to the executours the whyche at a place callyd Alburburye nayled hym to a crosse tyll he was dede Also this yere the kynge layde syege vnto the castell of Bedforde that Fowkys de Brent hadde so longe holden by strength Thys syege beganne vppon the euen of the Assencyon of our lorde and so contynued tyll our Lady daye assumpcyon In whyche passetyme many stronge assautys were made to the great losse of men on bothe partyes But fynally aboute thys foresayde daye of assumpcyon yt was taken by fyerse assaute wherein was taken the forenamed Fowkys de Brent and vpon the noÌ„ber of .lxxx. souldyours wherof the more parte were put to deth and the sayde Fowkys after he had lyen a certayne of tyme in pryson was for his fynaunce delyueryd and flemyd the lande And in this yere came the frere Mynors fyrst into Englande These are graye freres of the order of saynte Fraunces whych yf that be trewe they shulde come in to Englande vppon .vi yeres before the deth of saynt Fraunces For after affyrmaunce of the authoure of Cronica cronicarum Iacobus Philippus and other saynte Fraunces dyed in the yere of grace .xii. huÌ„dred and .xxvii. And that order was fyrst confyrmed of Honorius the thyrde of that name pope of Rome in the yere of grace .xii. hundred and .xxiiii. Thys order fyrste beganne vnder a fewe nomber of frerys at the cytye of Caunterbury and after came vnto London and restyd theym there tyll they hadde an house there foundyd by Isabell wyfe of Edwarde the seconde as after shall be shewyd in the storye of the sayde Edwarde all be yt the sayde house was begonne of Margarete the wyfe of Edwarde the fyrste Anno domini M.CC.xxii  Anno domini M.CC.xxiii  Rycharde Renger  Robert Serle  Anno .vi.  Ioseus le Iosne  IN thys .vi. yere of the reygne of kynge Henry a conspyracy was made by one Constantyne the sonne of Arnulphe wythin the cytye of London for the whyche he was drawen and haÌ„ged the morow folowynge our Lady daye Assumpcyon This conspyracy was dysclosed by a cytezyn named walter Bokerell and was so heynous greuous to y e king that he was in mynde purpose to haue throwen downe y e wallys of the cytye But when he had well conceyued that the persones whych enteÌ„ded this coÌ„spiracy were but of the rascallys of the cytye that none of y e heddys or rulers of the same were therunto consentynge he aswagyd hys ire and greuouse dyspleasure whych he entendyd towarde the cytye Anno domini M.CC.xxiii  Anno domini M.CC.xxiiii  Rycharde Iyoner  Robert Serle  Anno .vii.  Thomas Lamberde  IN this seuenth yere Iohan kynge of Hierusalem came into Englande and requyred ayde of kyng Henry to wynne agayne that holy cytye but he retourned wyth small comforte And about this tyme IohnÌ„ the sonne of Dauid erle of Angwyshe in Scotland and nere kynnesman vnto Ranulphe of Chester
chamber at hys maner of woodstoke entendynge to haue slayne the kynge But he was espyed by a woman and taken and so conueyed to Couentre and there arreygnyd of that dede where after lawfull prouys of hys malycyous entent made he for the same was there drawen hanged And in thys yere vppon the euen of saynte Botolphe or the xxvi daye of Iuny was borne at westmynster Edward that after was surnamed Longeshanke This after his father was kynge Anno domini M.CC.xxxix  Anno domini M.CC.xl.  Remonde Bengly  wyllyam Ioynour  Anno .xxiii.  Rafe Aschewy  IN this .xxiii. yere of kyng Henry before the tyme of the eleccyon of the shryues of London one Symōde fyz Mary whych before in the .xvii yere of the kynge had ben in that offyce had purchased a cōmaundement of the kynge dyrected to the mayre and rulers of the cytye y t they shulde cause hym to be electe to that offyce for that yere folowynge But the mayre wyth the heddes of the cytye consyderynge that commaundement to be a derogacyon vnto the lybertyes of y e cytye wythstode yt and chase the forenamed Rafe Ashwy put the sayde Symonde by for the whyche he complayned hym to the kynge Then the kynge sente for the mayre and the rulers of the city and hadde vnto theym many wordes of dyspleasure for the dysobeyenge of his cōmaundement and fardermore discharged willyam Ioynour which that yere was agayne chosen newely to be mayre for the yere folowynge and chargyd the cytesyns to procede to a newe eleccyon for theyr mayre whyche then to satysfye the kynges pleasure chase Gerarde Batte By whose meanys and good polycye the sayde mayr wyth the cytesyns demeaned theym so well to the kynge that they obteyned hys gracious fauour and causyd the forsayde Symonde to fayle of his purpose and was not after admyttyd to that offyce tyll he hadde submyttyd hym to the rule of the mayre and rulers of the same cytye The whyche Symonde behaued him so well after that he was admyttyd for an alderman But in short processe after he demeanyd him so yll and so contraryously vnto the weale and good order of the cytye that he was dyscharged of hys aldermanshyp and dyschargyd from all rule and counsayll of the cytye as in the .xxxiiii. yere of thys kynge folowynge is touched Anno domini M.CC.xl.  Anno domini M.CC.xli  Iohn̄ Gysors  Gerarde Batte  Anno .xxiiii.  Mychaell Tony.  IN thys .xxiiii. yere of kynge Henry saynte Paulys chyrch of London was newely halowyd And the great Chaan of Tartarys before in the seconde yere of kynge Iohn̄ myndyd or touched of theyr begynnynge in thys yere after he had from the Turkys wonne myche of the Eest landes he sent an hoste into the lande of Hūgary the whych held the people of that countrey so shorte that as witnessyth the authour of Policronica and other they were constrayned of necessyte to ete theyr own chyldren and other vnlefull metys But the authoure of Cronica cronicarum sayth that this mysery fell to the peple of Hungary in the yere of our lorde .xii. hundred and .xxi. whyche after that sayenge shulde be in the fyfte yere of thys kynge Anno domini M.CC.xli  Anno domini M.CC.xlii  Iohn̄ Uyoll  Remonde Bengley  Anno .xxv.  Thomas Duresyne  IN this .xxv. yere of kynge Henry Gerarde Batte was agayn chosen mayre for this present yere And after whose eleccyon he was by the worshipfull of the citye conueyed vnto woodstoke and presentyd after the custome vnto the kynge But the kynge enfourmed of hys laste yeres dealynge by suche as ought to hym no good wyll sayde that he wolde not admytte hym to that offyce tyll such tyme as he came to westmynster wyth whyche answere the sayde Gerarde wyth his companye returned vnto London It was not longe after or the kyng came to westmynster where accordynge to theyr dutye the cytesyns of London agayn awayted vppon the kynge to know his pleasure where the kynge callyd before hym the sayde mayre and after certayne questyons to hym put he caused hym to be sworne in his presence After whyche othe to hym geuen the kynge charged hym by vertue of the same that he shulde not take of the bakers and bruers and other vytellars of the cytye .xl. pounde whyche other of his predecessours and also he that laste yere hadde taken And also that he incontynently after hys commynge to London shuld restore vnto the sayd vytellars and other cytesyns all suche money as he hadde wyth wronge in that precedyng yere taken of the comynaltye of the citye But for the sayde Gerarde allegyd for hym certayne consideracyons be sechynge the kynge to pardon hym of that restytucyon the kynge in dyspleasure swore a great othe that he shulde not that yere be mayre nor at any tyme there after And so the commons certyfyed of the kynges pleasure chase in his place or stede Reyner de Bungaye And this yere the kynge yode into walys wherof herynge Dauid then prynce of walys mette wyth the kyng at Ruthlande and submyttyd hym to the kynges grace Also this yere the blessyd Edmunde archebyshoppe of Caunterbury beynge at Pountnay in the prouynce of Burgoyne dyed and there was buryed was after translatyd into y e same place within .x. yeres after his deth by commaundement of Innocent the fourthe then pope of Rome because of his manyfolde myracles whyche god shewyd for hym after hys deth All be yt in hys legende yt is shewyd that he dyed twentye myle from Pountnay called Soly and was after buryed and translated at Poūtnay Of this blessed man Polycronycon shewyth many vertuyes in the .xxxv. chapiter of his .vii. boke whyche here I ouer passe for lengthynge of the tyme. And thys yere one wyllyam of the Marshe was at London for treason drawen and hanged Thys yere also were alder men fyrste chosen wythin the cytye of London whyche then hadde the rule of the cytye and of the wardes of the same and were then yerely chaūgyd as now the shryues be chaūged Anno domini M.CC.xlii  Anno domini M.CC.xliii  Iohn̄ fyz Iohn̄  Remonde Bongley  Anno .xxvi.  Rafe Ashewy  IN this .xxvi. yere of kyng Henry Bonyface was sacryd archbyshoppe of Caunterbury And this yere the kyng wyth a fayre company saylyd into Normandy whyche vyage as sayth y e frenche cronycle was made by the styrynge of a Frenche man named erle of the Marche for so myche as y e sayd erle refusyd to do homage vnto Alphons brother vnto Lewys the .x. of that name and surnamed saynte Lewys then kynge of Fraunce Thys Lewys the yere before hadde maryed his sayde brother vnto the doughter of the erle of Tholouse and hadde gyuen to his sayde brother the erledome of Poyteau wyth all the landes of Aluerne By reason wherof he wold haue causyd the sayd erle of Marche to haue done
homage vnto the sayde Alphōs for such landes as the sayd erle held of the sayde erledome of Poytyers But for y e sayd erle of Marche knew well that the ryght of Guyan belongyd to the kinge of England he therfore and for other allyaunces made bewene kynge Henry and hym refusyd the doynge of that homage and after came to kynge Henry and excytyd hym to make warre vppon the Frenche kynge By reason wherof the kynge made prouysyon and so landed with a stronge power at Burdeaux After the affyrmaunce of the frenche boke this erle of the Marchis had maryed the mother of kyng Henry Then it folowyth in this whyle the Frenche kynge warryd vppon y e landes of the erle of Marche and hadde wōne .ii. castellys of his named Foūteneys and Uyllers wyth dyuerse other whych I passe ouer And when he had beten downe some of them some storyd with new soudyours he then went vnto a castel named Maucoune and brake a brydge after him for so myche as he was warned that the kynge of Englande was nere vnto hym At the sayd brydge was a lyttell skyrmyshe but lytle harme was there done Then the Frenche kynge toke the way ouer the ryuer of Tharent towarde Taylbourgh wastyng and destroyenge the countrey as he went and so forth towarde the town callyd Saynces And kynge Henry wyth hys hoste made towarde hym in al that he myght In kepyng this course the vawarde of the kynge encountryd wyth the erle of Boleyne whyche was vppon the Frenche kyngys partye That season the erle of Saynces bare the banner of y e erle Marches beyng in y e vaward of the kynge Betwene these two erles was sore fyght so that many a man vppon both partyes was slayn among the whych the sayde erle of Saynces was slayne Then came on bothe strengthes vppon eyther syde so that both kynges fought in that batayll and great slaughter of men was vppon both sydes But in the ende the Frenche men were vyctours toke prysoners .xxii. men of name as knyghtes and of hygher degre and .iii. clerkes of great fame and ryches besyde other to the nomber of .v. hūdred of meane people as wytnessyth the frenche boke But of these men of name nor yet of the ryche clerkes none is named nor yet shewyd what good they payed for theyr raōsome wherfore me lyste to wryte no farther of this great victory all be it y t the sayd boke sayth farther that kyng Henry for fere tourned backe vnto Burdeaux and there made meanes to the kynge of Fraunce for a peace But of all thys fynde I no worde in the englyshe cronycles Then the erle of Marches by meane of his sonne was reconcyled vnto the Frenche kynge amd restoryd to hys landes excepte thre castellys whyche were named Mespyne Cretaye and Estardye the whyche the Frenche kynge retayned in his owne possessyon And soone after came vnto the Frenche kynge the lordes of the castellys of Myrabell of Mortaynge submyttynge theym also vnto the kynges grace besechyng hym of pardon that they hadde so to his hygh dyspleasure fauored hys enymy the kynge of Englande And after came in dyuerse other lordes capytaynes so that he was in possessyon of all the countrey of Guyan Poyteau vnto y e ryuer of Gyroūde I haue rehersyd the more of thys cronycle of Fraunce to the entente that the reders may well apperceyue the pryde and boste of the Frēchmen For in all theyr wrytynge when they come to any mater that soūdyth any thynge to theyr honour yt is wryten in the lengest and most shewyng maner to theyr honour and worshyppe But as I haue sayde before in the v. capyter of the storye of the .ii. Phylyppe kynge of Fraunce yf yt sound any thynge to theyr dyshonour then shall yt be abreuyatyd or hyd that the trouth shall not be knowen And that appereth well here by theyr own wrytynge For in y e .vii. yere of kyng Iohn̄ yt is shewyd howe Phylyppe the seconde then kynge of Fraunce had wonne all Normandy and Guyan And yet at thys daye thys kynge Lewys warryd agayne in the same countrey so that they euer tell of the wynnyng but they touche nothynge of the agayne losynge Then yt folowyth in the storye when kynge Henry hadde as before is sayde concludyd the foresayde peace of the which by myne authour is no terme sette the kynge retourned into Englande Anno domini M.CC.xliii  Anno domini M.CC.xliiii  Hugh Blount  Rafe Ashewy  Anno .xxvii.  Adam Basynge  IN this .xxvii. yere the kynge returned from Burdeaux into Englande And thys yere the plees of the crowne were kept in the towre of London And thys yere Gryffyth whych was sonne of Lewelyn lately prynce of walys entendyng to haue broken pryson fell ouer the wall of the inner warde of the towre of London and brake hys necke Anno domini M.CC.xliiii  Anno domini M.CC.xlv  Rafe Spycer  Mychael Tony.  Anno .xxviii.  Nycholas Batte  IN thys .xxviii. yere of kynge Henry as testyfyeth Polycronycon a Iew dygged the grounde in a place in Spayn called Tholeet to the entent to make him a more larger vyne yerde where in tyme of his dyggynge he fande a stone closyd on all partyes But for he perceyued yt to be holowe he brake the stone and founde therein a boke as bygge as a sawter wyth leuys all of tree This boke was wryte in nthre dyuers languagys in greke in ebrewe and in latyne and the mater therof was of thre worldes that shuld come Of the whyche he poyntyd the commynge of Cryste to the begynnynge of the thyrde worlde whyche was expressyd in thys maner of wyse In the begynnynge of the thyrde worlde goddes son shall be borne of a mayde when the Iewe had well beholden the contentys of the boke and sawe that yt conteyned so longe tyme as from Adam to Anticriste and shewyd many prophecyes that were fulfyllyd and paste he anon renouncyd hys iudaisme or Moysen lawe and was crystyned and lyued after as a crysten man Anno domini M.CC.xlv  Anno domini M.CC.xlvi  Robert Cornehyll  Iohn̄ Gysors  Anno .xxix.  Adam Bewly  IN thys .xxix. yere Nycholas Batte contrary the ordynaūce before in the .xiiii. yere of thys kynge made was agayne chosen shryue of London For the whych he was conuycte of periurye and so dyscharged and punyshed And for y t Mychaell Tony whych for this yere also was chosen mayre was by deposycyon of the Aldermen founde gyltye in the sayde cryme of periurye therfore he was deposyd from his offyce punisshed And for hym was chosen mayre Iohan Gysours and for Nicholas Batte was chosen shryue Robert of Cornhyll In this yere also as testyfyeth Ieffrey of Monmouth Robert Grosehed thē byshoppe of Lyncolne wyth other prelatys of y e land complayned theym vnto the kynge of the waste of the goodes and patry monye of the chyrche whyche dayly was
after smote hym wych hys crosse vpon the lefte syde Upon the morne after the pope was fouÌ„den dede and hys bedde all blody But of thys is nothynge in the cronycle or storye of Innocent After that sayenge of Polycronycon this byshoppe Grostehede shuld dye in the .xxxvii. yere of thys kynge Henry the whyche sayenge agreeth better with the storye except that the sayde pope lyued after the deth of the sayde byshoppe .vi. yere Anno domini M.CC.l.  Anno domini M.CC.li.  Humfrey Basse.  IohnÌ„ Norman  Anno .xxxiiii.  wyllyam fyz Rycharde  IN this .xxxiiii. yere was an excedynge wynde the whyche in sondry places of England dyd great harme whyche was in the begynnynge of this yere vppon the daye of Symon and Iude. About thys tyme in the duchy of Burgoyne as testyfyeth Fasciculus temporuÌ„ and other an hyll remouyd from hys proper place and glode by many a myle and lastely ioyned hym vnto other hyllys In the whyche glydynge or ronnynge the sayde hyll oppressyd or slewe v. thousande people And thys yere Symon fyz mary alderman of London for hys dysobedyence and euyll counsaill that he gaue vnto Margarete Uyell before in the xxxi yere of thys kynge touchyd wyth other secret labours and maters entendyd by hym to the hurte of the cytye was dyschargyd of hys aldermanshyppe and put oute of the counsayll of the cytye Anno domini M.CC.li.  Anno domini M.CC.lii  Laurence Frowyke  Adam Basynge  Anno .xxxv.  Nycholas Batte  IN thys .xxxv. yere of kynge Henry beganne the frere Augustynes to buylde or inhabyte them in walys in a place callyd woodhouse And in this yere maryed kyng Henry his doughter Mary or after some wryters Margarete vnto Alexander kynge of Scottys at the cytye of yorke and dyd receyue homage of the sayde Alexander for the kyngedome of Scottes or for the prouynce of Scotlande in lyke maner as many of his progenytours had done dyuerse and many tymes before as in this worke both before thys tyme and also after is shewyd Anno domini M.CC.li.  Anno domini M.CC.lii  wyllyam Durham  IohnÌ„ Toleson  Anno .xxxvi.  Thomas wymborne  IN thys .xxxvi. yere the kynge graunted vnto the shryues of London that they shulde yerely be alowyed of .vii. pounde for certayne pryuyleges or grounde belongynge to saynte Paules chyrche the whych at this daye is allowyd by the Barons of the kynges excheker to euerey shryue when they make theyr accompte in the offyce of the pype Also thys yere was grauÌ„ted by the kynge for the citesens more ease that where before tyme they vsyd yerely to present theyr mayre to y e kynges presence in any such place as he then were in Englande that nowe from thys tyme forthwarde they shulde for lacke of the kynges presence beynge at westmynster presente theyr mayre so chosen vnto the barons of hys Excheker and there to be sworne admyttyd as he before tymes was before the kynge Anno domini M.CC.lii  Anno domini M.CC.liii  IohnÌ„ Northampton  Nycholas Batte  Anno .xxxvii.  Rycharde Pycarde  IN thys .xxxvii. yere the water of the see aboute the daye of saynte Paulyn in the moneth of Ianuary rose of suche heyghte that yt drowned many vyllagys and housys nere vnto yt in dyuerse places of Englande And thys yere the kynge the quene and syr Edwarde his son wyth Bonyface archebyshoppe of Caunterburye and dyuerse other nobles of the realme sayled into Normandye and taryed at Burdeaux a certayne of tyme. But of theyr dedys or cause of theyr saylynge thyther is no mencyon made in the cronycle of England How be yt in the FreÌ„che boke yt is shewed y t the cause was to ioyne Edwarde the kynges sonne vnto the syster of y e kyng of Spayne by maryage This yere also the water of Thamys sprange so hygh that yt drowned many housys about the waters syde by meane wherof myche maâ—chaundyse was peryshed and loste And thys yere the cytezyns hadde graunted of the kynge that no cytesyns shulde paye scauage or tolle for any bestes by them brought as they before tymes hadde vsyd Anno domini M.CC.liii  Anno domini M.CC.liiii  Robert Belyngton  Rycharde Hardell  Anno .xxxviii.  Ranfe Aschewye  IN thys .xxxviii. yere by procurement of syr Rycharde erle of Cornewayll for dyspleasure whyche he bare towarde y e citye for exchauÌ„ge of certayne grounde to the same belongynge the kynge vnder coloure that the mayre hadde not done due execucyon vppon the bakers for lackynge of theyr syzys seased the lybertyes of the cytye That ys to be vnderstanden that where the mayre and comynaltye of the cytye hadde by the kynges graunte the cytye to ferme wyth dyuerse customys and offyces for astynted and ascertayned summe of money now the kyng sette in offycers at hys pleasure the whiche were accomptable vnto hym for all reuenues and profytes that grew wythin the sayde cytye But wythin foure dayes folowynge the feste of saynte Edmunde the byshop or by the .xix. daye of Nouember the cytesyns agreed wyth the sayde erle for .vi. hundred marke After whych agrement wyth hym concluded they soone after were restoryd vnto theyr lybertyes This yere syr Edward the kynges sonne and heyre was maryed vnto Eleanour y e kinges sister of Spayn And in the Cristmas weke the kyng landed at Douer and y e quene wyth hym wyth many other lordes when the kynge was comen to London he was lodgyd in the towre where he sent for to come vnto hym the mayre and the shryues wyth whom he resoued greuously for the escape of one callyd IohnÌ„ Gate This IohnÌ„ had murderyd a pryour allyed vnto the kynge The mayre layde the charge of this mater from hym vnto y e shryues for so myche as to theym belonged the kepynge of all prysons wyth in the cytye so that the mayre returnyd home and the shriues remayned there as prisoners by y e space of a moneth after or more And in theyr places and for theym were chosen Steuen Oystergate Henry walmoode But how the old shryues passyd out of the kynges daunger I fynde not Anno domini M.CC.liiii  Anno domini M.CC.lv.  Stephan Oystergate  Rycharde Hader  Anno .xxxix.  Henry walmoode  IN this .xxxix. yere in the feaste of saynte Etheldrede dame Eleanour wyfe vnto the kynges son syr Edwarde came vnto London where she was honorably receued of the cytesyns and the cytye rychely curteyned and garnyshed wyth dyuerse ryche clothes where the kynge was present at her commynge And she was honorably coÌ„ueyed through the cytye to saynte IohnÌ„s wythoute Smythfelde and there lodgyd for a whyle But after she was remouyd vnto Sauoy It was not longe after y t the kyng seasyd the lybertyes of the cytye for certayne money whyche y e quene claymed for her ryght of the cytesyns so that about saynte Martyns tyde in
lost foreuer and vnrypped the house in dyuers places that the rayne and other wederyng myghte entre as than fyll about y e tyme soone after Crystmas And thus contynuyng in theyr fury and rage after the dyspoylynge and defasyng of these foresayd houses as men nat knowynge what they than dyd yode streyght in greate nombre vnto the place of the templers there nere where at that season kyng Philyp with a certayn of hys barōs was than lodged there kept the entrees of that place in suche wyse that no man myghte yssue nor entre but at theyr pleasures and suche metes as were brought thyder to the kynges vse and hys housholde they cast it in the myre and fylth of the strete The kyng and his lordes seynge the rage of thys rude and vnresonable people sent vnto them the prouost of y e cytie with some of hys lordes the whyche gaue vnto them so pleasaunt comfortable wordes that at length he retourned theym in peasyble maner to theyr houses But vpon the morowe folowynge the kyng nat forgettyng thys rage and ryot of the people cōmaunded many of the sayde comons to be attached and to be sent vnto dyuers prysons And vpon Candelmasse euyn folowyng for the same ryot .xxviii. of thē were hanged at .iiii. entrees of y e cytie of Parys y e is to say .vii. at Louure vii towarde the partyes of saynt Antoyne .vii. at a place toward the roule other .vii. in a place towarde nostre Dame or notyr Dame whych execucyon caused the cominaltye of y e cytie to lyue longe after in great fere In the .xxi. yere of the reygne of kyng Philip whyche maketh the yere of our lorde .xiii. C. and .vii. all be it that other wryters affyrmeth it to be in the yere of grace .xiii. C. and .xi. all the templers in Fraunce were destroyed theyr goodes possessions thorugh crystendom gyuē by auctoryte of a synode kept by Clement the v. than pope at the cytye of Narbon in Fraunce vnto y e relygyō of knyghtes of saynte Iohn̄ Baptyst Thys ordre of templers was destroyed for theyr detestable heresy whereof they were cōuyct in .x. artycles expressed in the frenche cronycle at length which here I passe ouer for lengthe of the matter also for the rehersall therof is nat fruytefull to all herers or reders In the .xxiii. yere of his reygn this kyng Philippe for asmoche as he by some of the electours of the Empyre was chosen Emperoure he therfore with a great army sped hym toward Rome and passed thorugh Almayne tyll he came vnto the duchye of Qua rantayne Of whyche duchye the people receyued hym with all honoure And after he passed the mountaynes and so came vnto Padua where also he was ioyously receyued where he tarienge a season receyued from My layne ambassadours the whyche offered to hym that cytye with all couenable seruyce And after hys people was to hym more plenarli assembled be than departed from Padua yode vnto Mylayne whome the lordes of the cytye met vpon the waye conueyed hym vnto the mayster paleys of the cytye and there lodged hym within fewe days after brought hym with great solempnyte vnto the cathedrall churche and there crowned hym kyng of Lōbardy called hym Augustus Thā he departed from Mylayn and spedde hym to the cytye of Cremoyne layd siege to the same But it was to hym shortly yolde Frō thēs he passed to y e cyte of Bresse where he was holdē out a lōge whyle Thyder to hys ayde came many soudyours of y e towne of Pyze made there many sharpe assautes In whych assautes Guyde Namoure y t was marshal of the kynges hoost dyed of hurtes y t he there toke In pcesse of tyme shortly folowing y e rulers of Bres offered meanes of treaty But y e kyng was so amoued with y e dethe of hys marshall y t he wolde graūt to thē no cōdycional peas but to stāde at his grace mercy wherefore they fynally seyng no better meane offered vnto hym y e keys of the cytye Thā kyng Philip for othe before made or for some other excellēcy caused anone y e part of the towne dyche fore agayn hys pauiliō to be fylled the walle of y e cytye with as many houses as stode betwene the walle the mayster palays of the cytye to be throwyn downe y t he with hys hoost myght entre y e streyght waye so to go or ryde vnto the sayd palays And whē all thyng was ordered to hys deuyse he entred by y e way the cytye of Cremō therin taryed a certayn season toke hys counsayll with y e Gebellynys how he myghte the cytye of Rome wynne And whā he had fynys shed y e coūsayl he toke certayn hostages of thys cytye of Cremō y e whych he set vnto Pyze to be kept so sped hym towarde Rome gettyng many cyties other holdes by y e way lastly he came vnto y e cytie named Bowlon la Grasse whyther cam vnto hi a car dynall or legate sent frō pope Clemēt the .v to treate of y e state of y e empyre But how it was the cōtynuaūce or fyne of thys iournay tourned nat to the honour pleasure of the Frēchmē For after the metyng of the kynge thys legate y e matter is no more touched For the Frēch kyng was agayn in Fraūce or the legate myght bryng vnto hym any answere frō the pope Also it is the more suspect for of this matter speketh nothyng mayster Robert Gagwyne whyche leueth nothynge out of hys boke y e may soūde to the auauncemēt of the French nacyon In the .xxiiii. yere of the reygne of kyng Philip was brent in dyuers places of Fraunce vpon .lx. templers for the heresy before rehersed And in the yere folowynge a new rebellyon began in Flaunders Of the whyche Robert erle of Flaūders was accused but he acquyt hym self after Guy hys sonne was attached for the same and sent to pryson Fro the whych he after escaped for fere of profe to haue ben iustyfyed agayne hym retourned vnto Gaunt where he was defēded fro hys aduersaries so that the Holanders Brabāders helde theyr partye agaynst the Frēch kyng also agayne theyr owne erle whych so contynued without any notary batayll tyll the .xxvi. yere of the reygne of kyng Philip. In the which yere vpon the euyn of mary Magdaleyn at the towne of Courtray in Brabande was by the bysshops and other spyrituall men of Fraunce and Flaundres a peace cōcluded wherof the condycyons were y t the Flemynges shuld haue pardō forgyuenesse of all theyr former rebellyon aswell agayne the kynge as theyr naturall duke And for thys they shuld paye a certayne summe of syluer wherof the summe is nat expressed ouer that they shulde at theyr proper costes expenses bete downe certayne strēgthes holdes as the Frēche kynges depute wolde to them
other and there was taken the erle of Lancastre syr Roger Clyfforde syr Iohan Moubraye syr Roger Tuckettes syr wyllyam Fyzwyllyam with dyuerse other ladde vnto porke And thys feelde was foughten as wytnesseth Polycronycon the .xv. daye of Marche in the ende of y t yere of oure lorde a thousande thre hundreth twenty It was nat longe after that syr Hugh Daniell and syr Barthew de Bladysmoore were taken And syr Thomas erle of Lancastre was brought agayn to his owne towne of Pountfret where he was broughte in iugement before syr Aymer de Ualaunce erle of Penbroke syr Iohan Brytayne erle of Rychemounde syr Edmunde of woodstoke erle of Kent syr Hughe Spenser the father â–ª and syr Roberte Malmestorp iustyce wyth other and before them fynally adiuged to haue hys hedde stryken of whereof execucyon was done the twelef daye of Aprell in the begynnyng of the yere of grace after the rekenynge of the chyrche of EnglaÌ„de M.CCC.xxi Of this erle Thomas are dyuerse opynyons For some wryters shew of hym to be a seynt But PolicronicoÌ„ in y e .xlii. chapytre of hys .vii. boke sheweth otherwyse But what so euer erthlye men in such thynges deme it is farre frome the secrete iugemente of god so that to hym and hys sentence such thynges are to be referred From thys tyme forthwarde by y e terme of .v. yeres ensuyng y t fortune of the Spensers hugely encreased And as faste the quenes dyscreased tyll she was releued by the kynge of of Fraunce than Charles the .v. of y e name and brother vnto hyr as after shal be shewed Than to retourne vnto oure former mater vpon the foresayde daye that erle Thomas was thus put in execucyon syr Roger Tutkettes syr wyllyam FizwyllyaÌ„ syr waren of Iselde or Isell syr Henry of Bradborne syr willyaÌ„ Cheyny Barones knyghtes were drawen hanged theyr hedes smytren of and sent vnto London whyche all were putte to deth at PouÌ„tfrete foresayd with an esquyre called Iohan Page And at yorke soone after was drawen heded syr Roger Clyfford syr IohnÌ„ Moubray syr Goselyne Danyell Barons And at Brystowe syr HeÌ„ry womyngton syr Henry Monforde Banerettes at Glowceter syr IohnÌ„ Giffard syr wyllyaÌ„ Elmyngbrydge knyghtes and at London syr IohnÌ„ Tiers or Tryers baron and at wynchelsâ—e syr Thomas Culpepyr knyght and at wyndesore syr Fraunceys walden ham baron and at Caunterbury syr Barthew de Bladismoore syr Bartholl de Asbornham baronys And at Cardeeffe in walys was putte to lyke execucyon syr wyllyaÌ„ Flemyng knyght vpon whose soules and all crysten Iesus haue mercy whan the kyng had thus subdued his barons he soone after aboute the feast of the assencyon of oure Lorde kepte hys parlyamente at yorke Durynge whyche parlyament syr Hugh Spenser the father was made erle of wynchester and syr Andrew of Harkeley erle of Carleyle or after some wryters Cardoyll and dysheryted all suche as before hadde holden wyth the erles of Lancastre and of Hereforde except syr Hugh Dandell and fewe other the whych syr Hugh was receyued to grace by reason that he had maryed a kynneswoman of the kynges There was also ordeyned or soone after that mayster Roberte Baldok a man of euyll fame shuld be chauÌ„celer of EnglaÌ„de Than forfaytes tynes were gathered into the kynges treasoury without sparyng of pryui leged places or other so that what myght be fouÌ„de all was seased for y e kyng By reason wherof moche treasoure was brought vnto the kynges coffers besyde great thynges y t were brybed and spoyled by the officers of dyuers shyres Anno domini M.CCC.xxi  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxii  Rycharde Constantyne  Hamonde Chykwell  Anno .xv.  Rychard Hakeney  IN thys .xv. yere the kyng gadered the .vi. peny of temporall mennes goodes through Englande Irelande walys that to hym was graunted at the foresayd parlyameÌ„t for the defence of the Scottes which was payed wyth great murmoure grudge consyderyng the manyfolde myseryes that the common people at those dayes were wrapped in This yere also the sone appered to mannes syght as blode and so continued by the space of .vi. houres that is to meane in the moneth of Octobre and laste daye of the sayde moneth from vii of the clocke in the mornyng tyll one of the same day After some wryters about thys tyme y e Scottes entendyng to wynne an enterpryse in Irelande and for to wynne that contrey to theyr obeysaunce entered it with a stronge hoste vnder theyr capytayne Edwarde le Bruze brother to the Scottisshe kyng But howe it was by ayde of Englysshe men or of them selfe the Irysshe quyt them so well and bare theÌ„ so manfully that they vaynquysshed the Scottes and chased theÌ„ out of that countrey In y e whych chase fyght y t sayd Edward le Bruze many of the noble men of Scotlande were slayne Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.xxii.  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.xxiii  IohnÌ„ Grantham  Hamonde Chykwell  Anno .xvi.  Rycharde of Ely  IN this .xvi. yere y e kyng made greate prouysyon for to make a voyage into Scotland so y t about the begynnyng of August he entred that countrey But the Scottes consyderyng the great multytude of his hoste drewe them into the mountaynes other places where as the Englysshemen myght nat wynne to theÌ„ and all to the entent for to wery and tyre the kynges great hoste Than diâ—erse maladyes fell amonge the Englysshmen so that many of theÌ„ dyed and were loste in that iournay aswel for lacke of vytayl as by infyrmyte sykenesse so that the kyng for theyse causes other was constrayned to retourne into Englande about y e natyuyte of our Lady where of the scottes beynge enfourmed syr Iamys Dowglas with other capytayns of y e Scottes wyth a stronge hooste folowed or costed y e kyng in suche wyse that about the feest of saynte Luke they had almooste taken the kynge at dyner at an abbey called Bella Launde or Beyghlande Thant he kynge of pure constraynte defended hym and withstoode the Scottes as he myghte But after shorte and weke fyghte the kynge was compelled to flee by that meane to saue hym selfe In thys skyrmysshe was taken syr Iohan Brytayne erle of RychemoÌ„de and the kynges treasoure was there spoyled and borne away and the ordenaunce belongynge to the hoste great parte of it was by the Scottes conueyed into Scotlande Than the Scottes in theyr retournyng homewarde wan the castell of Norham robbed the towne of Northallerton and other Of thys losse and harmes way syr Andrewe of Harkeley put in wyte by mysledynge of the kynges hoste as in the nexte yere shal be shewed Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxiiii  Adam Salesbury  Symon Franceys  Anno .xvii.  IohnÌ„ of Oxynforde  IN thys .xvii. yere the kyng beynge enfourmed that he hys people were so put vnto dyshonoure as in the precedyng yere is touched
Derbye and of Northampton wyth other and for the Frenche kynge the dukes of Burbon of Burgoyne with other for hys party But thys agremente stoode to lytle effecte For it nat wyth standynge the warre betwene these two kynges was contynued so that eyther fortyfyed theyr frendes and allyes And soone after happened that where Iohan duke of Brytayn dyed wythout issu variaunce fel betwene Charles de Bloys and IohnÌ„ erle of Mountforde for the tytle of that dukedome so that betwene theÌ„ mortall warre was exercysed as in the story of Phylyppe de Ualoyes shall after more playnly be declared whyche warre so contynuynge the kynge of EnglaÌ„de ayded y e party of the erle of Mountforde and the FreÌ„ch king ayded Charles de Bloys And ouer that duryng the terme of y e sayde treuce the French kyng made warre vpon the Gascoynes as after shall apere And in Scotlande some styrynge was made thys yere by excytynge of the Frenche kynge in so mych that the kynge was fayne to sende thyder a crewe of soudiours to strength suche holdes as he there helde And in thys yere was y e quene delyuered of a man chyld at y e towne of Langeley the whyche after was named Edmunde and surnamed Edmunde of Langley Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xli  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xlii  IohnÌ„ Luskyn  Symond Fraunces  Anno .xvii.  Rycharde Kyslyngbury  IN thys .xvii. yere kynge Edwarde at the request of dyuers of hys yonge lordes and knyghtes suffered to be exercysed certayn poyntes and feates of warre as iustys turnamentes and other whych were executyd at Dunstable where the kynge and the quene were present wyth the more partye of the lordes and ladyes of the lande Thys yere dyed the forenamed IohnÌ„ duke of Brytayne by reason of whose deth the warre as in the precedynge yere is touchyd grewe bytwene the sayde Charlys de Bloyes and the erle of Mountforde Thys Charlys de Bloyes made his claym to that duchery by tytle of his wyfe that was doughter of Guy vycount of Lymogys and seconde brother of the foresayde IohnÌ„ duke of Brytayne And IohnÌ„ erle of Mountfort claymed by the tytle that he was thyrde brother vnto the forenamed duke But of thys mater I entende to shewe more playnely and of the ende therof in the story of Phylyp de Ualoys as before I haue sayde and rather there than here bycause the fayte therof was not done in Englande but in Brytayne wherof the sayde Phylyppe pretendyd rule and chyefe sygnory Anno domini M.CCC.xlii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xliii  IohnÌ„ Stewarde  IohnÌ„ Hamonde  Anno .xviii.  IohnÌ„ AyleshmÌ„  IN thys .xviii. yere the kynge shortely after Easter callyd a parlyament at westmynster In tyme wherof Edwarde hys eldeste sonne was creatyd prynce of walys And many ordynauÌ„ces for the weale of y e lande there were enactyd whych for length I passe ouer In thys yere also Clement the .vi. of y e name whyche newly was made pope toke vpon hym to gyue dyuers bysshopryches and benefyces which then fell voyde in Englande wherwyth the kynge was nothynge contented in so mych that he sent out coÌ„myssyons and strayte commaundementes that no man in tyme folowynge shulde present or inducte any suche persone or persones that so by the pope were promoted wythout y e agremente of the kynge as farre as towchyd hys prerogatyue The sayd pope Clement was fyrste archebysshoppe of Roan and munke of saynt Benettes order a Frencheman of byrth and before called Peter a man of excellent cunnyng but a waster of goddes patrymony promoted to y e dygnyte by instaunt laboure of the Frenche kyng which sent hys sonne IohnÌ„ duke of Normandy the duke of Burgoyn vnto the cytye of Auynyon or AuygnoÌ„ to procure and further the eleccyon By meane wherof he was there chosen pope aboute the vii day of May and tronysed in the sayd moneth of May in the begynnynge of the yere of grace after thaccompte of the chyrche of Englande M.CCC .xliii. By meanes and fauoure of whyche pope the Frenche kynges causes and maters betwene kynge Edwarde and hym were some deale promoted For as testyfieth the Frenche boke the French kyng thys yere put to deth one mayster HeÌ„ry de Malestrete a graduat man and brother vnto syr Godfrey de Malestrete knyght lately also put to deth by the sayde Frenche kynge for theyr fydelyte whyche they bare towarde kyng Edward as hys feodaryes wherof kynge Edwarde made hys coÌ„playnt vnto the pope of thys and other thynges to be done contrary the constytucyons of the former peace concluded by the two cardynalles and had therof no remedye In thys yere also kynge Edwarde made a coyne of fyne golde and named it the Floryne that is to say the peny of the value of syxe s. viii d. the halfe peny of the value of thre s. iiii d and the far thynge of the value of .xx. d. whyche coyne was ordeyned for hys warres in Fraunce for the golde therof was nat so fyne as was the noble whyche he before in hys fourthen yere of hys reygne had caused to be coyned Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xliii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xliiii  Geffrey wychyngham  Iohan Hamonde  Anno .xix.  Thomas Legge  IN thys .xix. yere the kyng held a solempne feaste at hys castell of wyndsore where betwene Candel masse and lent were holden or executed many marcyall actes as iustes tournamentes with diuerse other at the whyche were present many strauÌ„gers of other landes And in y e ende therof he there deuysed the order of the garter and after stablisshed it as at thys daye it is contynued In this yere about midsomer kyng Edward wyth a stronge armye sayled vnto Sluse and so into lytle Brytayne But for he was dyspoynted of the ayde of the Flemynges by reason of the deth of hys trusty frende Iaques de Artyuele whyche than was slayn of the Flemynges of Gaunt by a coÌ„spyracy that they made agayne hym by suche as fauoured the partye of y e French kyng he tourned home into Englande agayne the same yere leuynge behynde hym the erle of Salysbury with a stronge company to ayde IohnÌ„ erle of MouÌ„tforde agayn syr Charles de Bloys The whyche IohnÌ„ by the ayde of the EnglysshmeÌ„ wan diuerse townes holdes in Brytayne vpoÌ„ the sayd syr Charles his FrenchmeÌ„ But in the ende of thys yere he was taken with such sykenes y t he dyed in a towne called Corentyne After whose deth the sayd Charles posseded the more parte of the duchye of Brytayne Thys yere the kyng sent y e erle of Derby with a stroÌ„g army into GuyaÌ„ for to ayde the erle of NorthaÌ„pton whome y e kynge before had left there at Burdeaux to streÌ„gth that couÌ„trey agayne the French men To whome after the dethe of the forenamed syr IohnÌ„ erle of Mountforde drewe many of the soudyours that were on his partye Anno domini M.CCC.xliiii Â
golde garnysshed wyth stone perle vppon the kynges hede as he passed by And that done he rode to Paulys and there offered and so rode vnto westmynster where the mayre and hys company takyng theyr loue returned vnto London Uppon the morowe whyche was the fyftene daye of the moneth of the sayde mayre and hys bretherne yode vnto westmynster presented there y t kynge wyth two guylte basyns and in theym two thousande nobles of golde besechynge hym in moste humble wyse to be good and gracyouse lorde vnto the cytye The whyche he accepted ryghte fauourably and gaue vnto theym many comfortable wordes And the thyrde daye folowynge they receyued a newe confyrmacion of all theyr olde Fraunchyses and lybertyes wherfore by counsayll of theyr frendes they ordeyned an aulter table of syluer and ouer gylte therein ymagery grauen enameled moste curiously of the story of saynte Edwarde the whiche was valuyd at a M. marke presented that also gaue it vnto the kynge the which he shortely after offered to the shryne of saynte Edwarde wythin the abbay where yet it staÌ„des at thys daye And for the great zele loue whych y e fore sayde bysshop of LondoÌ„ ought vnto the cytye that by hys meanes theyr lybertyes were agayne restored they therfore of theyr owne goodly dysposycion after hys decease accustomed them and yet at thys daye done to go yerely vpoÌ„ the feestfull dayes folowynge y t is to say fyrst the morow after SymoÌ„de Iude whych daye the mayer taketh his charge at westmynster to Paulys there to saye in the west ende of y e churche where he lieth grauen Deprofundis for hys soule and all crysten in lyke maner vpoÌ„ Alhalowen daye Crystmasse daye ii the nexte days folowyng Newe yeres daye Twelf day and CaÌ„delmas day wyth also the morowe after Myghelmasse day vpon the whyche the shyryfes yerely takeÌ„ theyr charge at westmynster All whych .ix. days nat all onely the mayer hys bretherne vse thys progresse and kepe thys obsequy but also all the craftes of the cytye in theyr lyueryes vse the same yerely And whan the kyng had wythdrawen as aboue is sayde hys displeasure froÌ„ the cytye thanne at Hyllarye terme folowyng y e feest of Cristmas all the kynges courtes and plees of the crowne wytl other retourned froÌ„ yorke to westmynster Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xciii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xciiii Grocer Drewe Barentyne  IohnÌ„ Hadley  Anno. xvii  Rycharde whytyngton  IN thys mayers begynnyng xvii yere of kyng Rycharde y t is to meane the moneth of NoueÌ„bre certayn gentylmen of ScotlaÌ„de entendynge to wynne honoure chalenged certayne poyntes of armes As fyrste the lord Moryf chalenged the erle of Nothyngham marshall of Englande syr wyllyaÌ„ Darel knyght chaleÌ„ged syr Peter Courtnay knyght Cokborne esquyer chalenged syr Nycholas Hawberke knyght which feates of armes were done in smythfelde of London But Marse was so frendely vnto the Englyshmen that the honoure of y e iournay went wyth them in so moche that the erle marshall ouerthrewe hys appellaunte so brused hym that in his returne towarde Scotlande he dyed at yorke And syr wyllyam Darell refused his appellaÌ„t or they had ronne theyr full courses And the thyrde of them that is to wyt Cocborne was throwen at the secoÌ„d copyng to grouÌ„d horse and man And vpon the .vii. day of Iuny folowyng dyed y t gracyouse woman quene Anne and lieth now buryed at westmynster by hyr lorde kynge Rycharde vpoÌ„ y e southsyde of saynt Edward shryne to whose soul al cristeÌ„ our lord be mercyfull And thys yere in the moneth of Septembre as witnesseth the Frenche cronycle by meanes of the erle of Derby and other whych than were in Fraunce for the kynge of Englandes partye and the duke of Burbone the erle of Ewe vpon the French partye wyth other a trewes was concluded at saynte Omers for .iiii. yeres But nat wythstandyng that peace the Frenchmen and Englyshemen ranne togyther sundry tymes whanne the one espyed to haue any auauntage vppon that other Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xciiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xcv Mercer wyllyam Brampton  IohnÌ„ Frenshe  Anno. xviii  Thomas Knolles  THys .xviii. yere of kynge Rycharde he shortly after Crystmas wyth a strong army sayled into Ireland The whych iournay was more to hys charge than honoure For the maner wherof syn it souÌ„ded to no honoure of the prynce myne auctor therfore lyste nat in his boke to make any loÌ„ge processe of y e mater In this yere also or about this tyme began the heresy of IohnÌ„ wycclyffe to sprynge in Englande the whyche was greatly auaunced by meane of the scysme in the churche hangynge at those dayes betwene two popes sittynge at ones the whyche began as before is shewed in the .xxiiii. yere of Charles the .vi. thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce Urban the .vi. and Clement the syxt contynued vnder Bonyface the .ix. and Benet the .xiii. Of whyche erronyouse oponyons of the sayd heresy who so is desyrouse to se the contentes of them let them serche cronica cronicarum and there he shall se theÌ„ brefely set out In thys yere also was wonderful teÌ„pest of wynde by the space of Iuly August specially SepteÌ„bre by violence wherof in sundry places of this lande greate and wonderfull hurte was done bothe of churches and houses Thys yere dyed Constance secoÌ„d wyfe to IohnÌ„ duke of LaÌ„castre and lyeth buryed at Leyceter Anno domini M.CCC.xcv  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCC.lxcvi Uyâ—tener Roger Elys  wyllyam more  Anno. xix  wyllyam Sheryngham  IN the begynnynge of thys mayres yere and .xix. yere of kynge Rycharde and .xviii. daye of Nouembre as affermeth y e Frenche cronycle kyng Rycharde beynge thaÌ„ at Calays spowsed or toke to wyfe wythin the churche of saynt Nycholas Isabel the doughter of Charles the .vi. than kyng of Fraunce whych lady Isabell as wytnesseth the sayde Frenche story at the day of hyr marryage was wythin .viii. yeres of age And as it is regestred in one of y e bokes of guyldehalle of London the Frenche kynge in propre persone came downe wyth a goodly companye of lordes and knyghtes vnto a towne called Arde whyche standeth vppon the vtter border of Pycardy where wythin hys owne domynyon a ryche and sumptuouse pauylyon was pyght And in lyke maner a litle beyonde Guynys wythin the english pale was another lyke pauylyon pyghte for kynge Rycharde so that betwene the two sayde pauylyons was a distaunce of .lxx. pace And in the mydway atwene bothe was ordained y e thyrde pauylion at y e which bothe kinges coÌ„ming from eyther of theyr tentes sondry tymes there met had communicacion eyther with other the wayes or distaunce atwene set with certayne persones apoynted standynge in arme .ii. and .ii the one syde beynge set with Englysshemen and that other with Frenche And a certeyne distauÌ„ce from eyther of the ii first sayde pauilyons stode
admytted it were nedefull vnto the realme in auoydyng of all suspeccyon and surmyses of ylle dysposed persones to haue in wrytynge and regestred the manyfolde crymes and â—efautes before done by the sayd Rycharde late kynge of Englande to the ende that they myghte fyrste be openly shewed vnto the people and after to remayne of recorde amonge the kynges recordes The whyche were drawen and compyled as before is sayde in .xxxviii. artycles and there shewed redy to be radde But for other causes than more nedefull to be preferred the redynge of the said artycles at that season were diffâ—ered and put of whyche artycles for that that they wolde aske longe tyme to wryte also wolde to some reders â—e but small pleasure to rede I haue therfore lefte theym out here of thys worke which at lengthe are sette ouâ— in the boke of the Mayres and yere of Drewe Barentyne than mayre of London Than for so moche as the lordes of the parlyament hadde well consydered this voluntary renouncement of kynge Rycharde and that it was behouefull necessary for the weale of the realme to procede vnto the sentence of his deposayll they there appoynted by auctorytie of the states of the sayde parlyament the bisshop of saynte Asse the abbotte of Glastenburye the erle of Gloucester the lorde of Barkeley wyllyam Thyrnynge iustyce Thomas Erpyngham and Thomas Graye knightes that they shulde gyue and â—ere open sentence to the kynges deposicyon whervpon the sayde commyssyoners leynge there their hedes together by good delyberacion good couÌ„sell and auysement and of one assent agreed amonge them that the bishop of saint Asse shulde publisshe the sentence for theym and in their names as foloweth In the name of god Amen we IohnÌ„ bysshope of saynt Asse or Assenence IohnÌ„ abbot of Glastynbury Rycharde the erle of Glocester Thomas lorde of Berkeley wyllyam Thyrnynge Iustyce Thomas Erpyngham and Thomas Graye knyghtes chosen and deputed specyall commyssaryes by the thre estates of thys present parlyament representynge the hole bodye of the realme for all suche maters by the sayd astates to vs committed we vnderstandynge and considerynge the manyfolde crymes hurtes and harmes done by Rycharde king of EnglaÌ„de and mysgouernaunce of the same by a longe tyme to the great decaye of the sayde lande and vtter ruyne of the same shortly to haue ben ne had the especiall grace of our lorde god therevnto put y e soner remedy also furthermore auertysinge y t the sayde kinge Rycharde knowyng his owne insufficiencie hath of his owne mere volunte and fre wyll renounced and gyuen vp the rule and gouernaunce of this lande with all ryghtes and honoures vnto y e same belongynge and vtterly for his merytes hath iuged hym selfe nat vnworthy to be deposed of all kyngely mageste astate royall we the premysses well consyderynge by good and dilygente delyberacyon by the power name and auctoryte to vs as aboue is sayd coÌ„mytted pronounce discerne and declare the same kynge Rycharde before thys to haue be to be vnprofytable vnable vnsufficyent and vnworthy to the rule and gouernauÌ„ce of the foresayde realmes and lordeshyppes all other thappurtenaunces to the same belongynge And for the same causes we pryue him of all kyngely dygnyte and worshyppe of any kynglye worshyppe in him lefte And we depose him by our sentence â—ifynityfe forbyddynge expressely to all archebysshoppes bysshoppes all other prelates dukes marqueses erles barons and knyghtes to all other men of the foresayd kyngdome and lordeshyppes or of other places belongynge to the same realmes and lordeshippes subiectes and lyeges what so euer they be y t none of them from this tyme forthwarde to the foresaid Rycharde as kynge lorde of y e foresayde realmes lordeshyppes be neyther obedyeÌ„te nor attendaunt After whiche sentence thus openlye declared the said astates admytted forthwith the same persones for theyr procuratours to resygne and yelde vp vnto kynge Rycharde all theyr homage fealtie whyche they had made oughte vnto hym before tymes and for to shewe vnto hym if nede were all thynges before done that concernyd his deposynge The whych resygnacyon at that tyme was spared and put in respite tyll the morowe nexte folowynge And anone as thys sentence was in thys wyse passyd and that by reason therof the realme stode voyde without hede or gouernoure for the tyme the said duke of Lancaster rysing froÌ„ y e place where he before sate standing where all myght beholde hym he mekely makynge the sygne of the crosse vppon his forhede and vpon hys breste after sylence by an officer was commaunded sayd vnto the people there beyng these wordes folowyng In the name of the father sonne and holy ghoste I Henry of Lancastre clayme the realme of Englande and the crowne with all the appurtenaunces as I that am dyscended by ryght lyne of the bloode commynge from that good lorde kynge Henry the thyrde through y e ryght that god of hys grace hath sente to me wyth helpe of my kynne of my frendes to recouer the same y t which was in point to be vndone for defaut of good gouernaunce due iustyce After whyche wordes thus by hym vttered he retourned set him down in the place where he before had sytten Than the lordes apperceyuynge and herynge thys clayme thus made by thys noble man eyther of theym frayned of other what he thoughte And after a dystaunce or pauâ—e of tyme the archebysshope of Cauntorbury hauyng notycyon of the lordes myndes stode vp asked of the commons yf they wolde assente to the lordes whych in theyr myndes thoughte the clayme by the duke made to he ryghtefull and necessary for the welthe of the realme of them all wherunto with one voyce they cried ye ye ye After whyche answere the sayde archebysshop goynge vnto the duke settynge hym vpon hys kne had vnto hym a fewe wordes The whyche ended he rose takynge the duke by the ryght hande â–ª ladde hym vnto the kynges sete wyth greate reuerence sette hym therein after a certayne knelynge and orison made by the sayde duke or he were therein sette And whan the kynge was thus set in hys trone to the greate reioysynge of the people the archebysshoppe of Cauntorbury beganne there an oracion or colacyon in maner as after foloweth Uâ—â— dominabitur in populo primo ReguÌ„ capitulo .ix. These ben the wordes of the hygh and mooste myghty kynge spekynge to Samuel hys prophete techyng hym how he shuld chose and ordeyne a gouernoure of hys people of Israel whan the sayde people asked of hym a kynge to rule theym And nat wythout cause maye these wordes be sayde here of oure lorde the kynge that is For yf they be inwardely conceyued they shall gyue to vs mater of consolacion and comforte whan it is sayde that a maÌ„ shall haue lordeshyp and rule of the people nat a chylde For god threteneth nat vs as he sometyme thret the people by I saye sayenge
saued And in the moneth of Iâ—ny folowynge the cardynall of wynchester with a warly company passed the see entendynge to haue made warre vpon the heretykes or lollers inhabyted in the countre of Prage But how it was for nede of men that the regeÌ„t hadde in FrauÌ„ce the cardynall chauÌ„ged his purpose and taryed there a season with the sayde regent After some wryters it was for to strengthe and replenysshe certayne holdes that weked by reason of a coÌ„flycte that the Englysshemen hadde with the Frenchemen At the whiche the lorde Talbot was taken prysoner and the lorde Scalys with many other to the nombre of .iii. M. Englysshe men were slayne and taken But after the opynyon of the FreÌ„che cronycle this vyctorye shulde be opteyned by Iane or Iohan called in Frenche la puzele de dieu in the .xi. yere of this kynge Of y e forsayd heretykes of Prage speketh somdeale the auctour of Cronica Cronicarum and sheweth that the chyef capytaynes of theym were named Procapius Saplicius and Lupus a preest with other bothe lerned and vnlerned And PolicronicoÌ„ sheweth in y e .xix. chapyter of his laste boke that in the twelfe yere of kynge Henry the foresayd thre capytaynes were slayne with one mayster Peter clerke beynge an Englyssheman taken on lyue with dyuers other and of y e sayd heretykes slayne at .ii. iournayes ouer two and twenty thousandes Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.xxix  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.xxx  wyllyam Ruffe  wyllyam Estfelde mercer  Anno .viii.  Raffe Holande  IN this eyght yere vpon y e day of saynt Leonarde the .vi. day of Nouembre kynge Henry beynge vpon the age of nyne yeres was solemply crowned iÌ„ saint Peters churche of westmynster At whose coronacyon were made syxe thyrty knyghtes of the bathe And after that solempnyzacyon in the sayde churche fynysshed an honorable feest in the great hal of westmynster was kepte where y e kynge syttyng in his astate was serued with .iii. courses as here vnder ensueth Frument wyth venyson Uyand royall planted losynges of golde Bore hedes in castelles of golde and enarmed Befe wyth motten boylyd Capon stewyd Sygnet rosted Heyron rosted Great pyke or luce A rede leche wyth lyons coruyn therein Custarde royall wyth a lyoparde of golde syttyng therin and holdyng a floure delyce Frytour of sunne facyon wyth a floure delyce therein A sotyltye of saynt Edwarde and saynt Louys armyd vppon eyther hys cote armoure holdyng betwene them a fygure lyke vnto kyng HeÌ„ry standynge also in hys cote armoure and a scrypture passyng from theym both sayeng beholde .ii. parfight kynges vnder one cote armour And vnder the fete of the sayde sayntes was wryten thys balade Holy sayntes Edwarde and saint Lowice Conserue this braunche borne of your blessed blode Lyue amonge cristen moste soueraygne of price Enheritour of the flouredelice so gode This sixt Henry to reygne and to be wyse God graunt he may to be your mode And that he may resemble your knightehude and vertue Pray ye hertely vnto our lord Jesu Uiand blank barred wyth golde Gely party wryten noted wyth Te deum laudamus Pygge endored Crane rosted Byttore Conyes Chekyns Partryche Pecok enhakyll Great Breme A whyte leche planted wyth a rede antelop wyth a crowne aboute hys necke wyth a chayne of golde Flampayne powdered wyth leopardes floure delyce of golde A frytoure garnysshed wyth a leopardes hede .ii. Estryth feders A sotyltie an emperour a kynge arayed in maÌ„telles of garters which fygured SigismuÌ„de y e emperour and HeÌ„ry the .v. And a fygure lyke vnto kyng HeÌ„ry y e .vi knelyng tofore them wyth this balade takkyd by hym Agayne miscreauÌ„tes the emperour SigismuÌ„de Hath shewed his myght which is imperiall And Henry the .v. a noble knyght was founde For Christes cause in actes marciall Cherysshed the churche to lossers gaue a fall Gyuyng example to kynges that succede And to theyr braunche here in especiall Whyle he doth reygne to loue god drede Quynces in compost BlauÌ„d sure powderyd wyth quarter foyles gylt Uenyson Egrettes Curlew Cok and partryche Plouer Quayles Snytes Great byrdes Larkys Carpe Crabbe Leche of .iii. colours A bake meate lyke shylde quartered red whyte set wyth losynges gylt floures of borage A frytour cryspyd A sotyltie of oure Lady syttynge wyth her chylde in her lappe and she holding a crowne in her haÌ„de Saint George saynt Denys knelynge on eyther syde pÌ„sented to her kyng Henryes fygure beryng in haÌ„de thys balade as foloweth O Blessed lady Christes mother dere And thou saynt George that called art her knight Holy saint Denys o marter moste entere The sixt Henry here present in your syght Shedeth of your grace on hym your heueÌ„ly lighte His tender youth with vertue doth auaunce Borne by discent by title of right Iustly to reygne in Englande in Fraunce THis soleÌ„pne coronacyon with all honour and ioye finysshed prouycyon was made for the kynges iournay into Fraunce In whyche passetyme that is to meane vpon y e xxiii daye of Ianuary an heretyke was brent in Smythfelde And vpon the morowe next folowynge was in that felde foughten a stronge fyght betwene IohnÌ„ UptonÌ„ Appellant IohnÌ„ Downe Defendant But for they quyt theym bothe so manfully the kynge at length relesed theyr quarell and pardoned theÌ„ of theyr trespas Than vppon saynt Georges day folowyng or the .xxiii. day of Apryll the kynge toke shyppynge at Douer and landed the same daye at Calays hauynge in hys company .ii. dukes of yorke and Northfolke thre bysshoppes of Bathe Ely and Rochester eyght erles that is to meane of Huntyngdon Stafforde warwyke Orenforde Deuynshyre Morteyne of Ewe and of Urmund and .xi. barons that is to saye lord Bowchier Beawmounde Typtost Fytzwater Roos Arundell Awdeley Fawcunbrydge Gray Codnoor the lorde Scroope and the lorde wellys In thys tyme and season that the kynge laye thus at Calays many skyrmysshes were foughten betwene the Englysshemen and the Frenchemen in dyuers partyes of Fraunce And greately the Frenchemen preuayled by y e helpe of a woman which they as before is touched named the Mayden of god So that lastly she wyth her company came to a towne called Compeyne to the entent to remoue the syege layde thereunto by y e duke of Burgoyne and other of the Englysshe capytaynes And theruppon the .xxiii. daye of May she gaue batayll vnto Englysshmen and Burgonyons and faughte wyth theym longe tyme. But in the ende by the manhode of a Burgonyon knyghte named syr IohnÌ„ Luxemburghe she was taken on lyue and her company dystressed and she caryed to the citie of Roan and there kept a season for so moch as she feyned her with child But whanne the contrary of it was knowen she was there foriuged and brente Of thys woman Gaguynus maketh a great processe of her parenty and of her fyrste takynge vppon her whereof a parte I entende to shewe after in the .vi. yere of Charles nexte folowynge kynge of
Bathe of Salysbury of Norwyche of Ely of Rochestre the whiche so conueyed hym into the churche and there made his oblacyons And that done he toke agayne his stede at the west dore of Paules and so rode forth vnto westmynker where agayne he was of the abbot couent receyued with procession and by them coÌ„ueyed vnto saynt Edwardes shryne and there taryed a whyle Te deum was songe in the Quyer And that finysshed he was of his lordes conueyed vnto his palays And than the mayre with his cytezyns returned ioyusly to London Than vpon the saterday folowynge beynge the .xxiii. day of Februarii the mayre and aldermen yode vnto the kyng and presented hym with an hamper of golde therin a thousande pouÌ„de of fayre nobles for the whiche the kynge yelded vnto them louynge thankes This yere also by reason of y e sowdyours of Calays a restraynte was made there of the wolles for they were not coÌ„teÌ„t of theyr wages wherfore the regent of FrauÌ„ce beynge thaÌ„ Capytayne of Calays came downe thyder in the easter weke At whiche tyme beynge the wednesdaye in the sayde weke many sowdyoures were arested and put in warde And whan he had so done he rode to Tyrewyn there by the meanes of the bysshop of Tyrewyn he maried y e erle of saint Paules doughter and shortly after returned to Calays and caused the sayde sowdyours to be enquyred of and fynally .iiii. of them were demed to dye whiche .iiii. y t is to say Iohan Maddely Iohan Lundaye Thomas Palmer and Thomas Talbot were beheded at Calays the .xi. day of Iuny And an hundreth and .x. sowdyours were banysshed the towne ouer syr score banysshed before that tyme. And vpon mydsomer euen folowynge the sayd lorde regent with his newe spouse came vnto London and so taryed in Englande tyll the later ende of August Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xxxii  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xxxiii  Iohan Olney  Iohan Parneys Fysshmonger  Anno .xi.  Iohan Paâ—dystey  IN this .xi. yere after some wryters was by the auctoryte of pope MartynÌ„ the .v. of that name y e couÌ„sayl of Basyle gadered Duryng the whiche the heretykes of Prage otherwyse called of Bohemy or Beme were somoned thyder The whiche vnder a suertye or saufe coÌ„duyte sent thyder for theÌ„ with other an Englysshe Clerke named mayster Peter a renegate The whiche defended so styfly theyr erronyous opynyons that they returned without reconsylyacyon Thus haÌ„gynge this couÌ„sayll pope Martyn dyed for hym wâ—schosen Eugeny the fourth The whiche beyng admytted demeaned hym so nycely in the begynnynge that he was put out of Rome dyuers prynces toke partye agayne hym in suche wyse that he was lykely to be deposed But after he bare hym so sadly y t he recouered such as he had loste contynued the see by the space of .xvi. yeres and ruled so that of some wryters he is called Eugeniê° gloriosus And that is of relygyous men for vnto theym he hadde a specyall zele and fauoure And vpon the eyhgte day of Iuly kynge Henry this yere beganne his parlyamet at westmynster and so contynued it tyll it was Lammas and than it was aiourned vnto saynt Edwardes daye And this yere in the southe weste appered a sterre whiche was lyke to a blasynge sterre and of some it is so named The erle of HuntyngdonÌ„ also this yere was sente into Fraunce with a warly company and dyd ther great feates as saythe the Englyssh cronycle But of y t is nothynge towched in the Frenche boke Anno dnÌ„i M.iii. C.xxxiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.iii. C.xxxiiii  Thomas ChaltonÌ„  Iohan Brokley draper  Anno .xii.  Iohan Lynge  IN this .xii. yere and .ix. daye of Nouembre the terment of the erle of saynt Pawle father vnto the duchesse of Bedforde was solemply holdeÌ„ in Pawles churche of LondoÌ„ where the more partye of astates of this realme were present And the .ix. day of Marche folowynge the lorde Talbot with a goodly company passed thoroughe the cytye of London towarde the see into Fraunce where he wrought moche wo vnto y e FreÌ„ch men wherof the partyculers be not towched Contynuynge the foresayd warre in FrauÌ„ce the towne of saynt Denys which is within .ii. Englyssh myles of Parys was goten by treason or practyse of one named Iohan Notyce a knyght of OrleauÌ„ce from Mathew Gougth and Thomas Kyryell capytayns and slewe there many Englysshemen and many they toke prysoners But soone after the sayde capytaynes with strengthe taken to theym of the Parysyens and other layde suche a stronge syege rounde aboute the sayde towne of saynt Denys that fynally they agreed to redelyuer y e towne yf they were not rescowed of the Frenche kynge within fyftene dayes so that y e sayde dayes expyred it was retourned to the EnglysshemeÌ„ But this not with standynge the Frenchemen wanne dayly vpon the Englysshe men both in those partyes and also in NormaÌ„dy AmoÌ„g whiche gaynes y e FreÌ„che Gaguyne bryngeth in a matyer of game as he reherseth to y e mockage of Englysshemen and saythe that in this yere and feest of Myghelmas at a place called Fewgeri in Guyan a stronge fyghte was foughten bytwene the Englysshmen and the FreÌ„chemen Durynge the whiche one named Boosaprest a FreÌ„ch Knyght for fere fledde frome that fyghte and hydde hym in a couerte of busshes and there stoode styll tyll the fyghte was ended and the Englysshemen scomfyted and scared Of the whiche two of aduenture to sauegarde them selfe fledde to the sayd thycke busshe where the cowarde Frenche knyghte stode The whiche whan he hadde espyed and lerned of theym that the Frenche partye hadde wonne the felde he became so coragyous that he forced the sayde two Englysshemen to become his prysoners and so with theym entredde the hoste of the FrenchemeÌ„ and bare a countenauÌ„ce as he hadde wonne theym in the foresayd fyght But at lengthe whan all his demeanoure was knowen he was for his feate hadde in great derysyon and by his chefe capytayne named GuyllaÌ„ de saynt Albyne pryued of his prysones And in this season also the erle of Arundell whiche in Normandy had manly borne hym herynge that one Hyrus a Frenche capytayne hadde fortyfyed a stroÌ„ge castell named Gerborym before distroyed of Englysshe men toke with hym a certayn of sow dyoures and gyrde the castell with a stronge syege and assawted it by sondry tymes maÌ„fully as sayth the FreÌ„che cronycle But Gagwyne in his cronycle sayth that or the syege were fully layde or the castell were fully repayred the sayd Hyrus with his company yssued out of the castell gaue vnto y e sayd erle a cruell skyrmysshe in the whiche the sayde erle receyued a deedly wounde and dyed shortly after And that vyctory so by y e FreÌ„che men optayned that castell was to y e hurte of the Englysshemen reedyfyed and a place called DyeppÌ„ with other also wonne from them Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xxxiiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.
retourne to thys Charlys lykely it is that he was nat y e naturall sonne of the forenamed Charlys for as moche as hys sayd father ordeyned and wylled the realme of FrauÌ„ce vnto Katheryne hys doughter and wyfe vnto kynge HeÌ„ry the .v and agreed wyth the consente of the more parte of y e lordes of hys realme bothe spyrituall temporall that duryng hys lyfe the sayd kynge Henry shuld be regeÌ„t of FrauÌ„ce after hys deth to be kyng of the sayd regâ—oÌ„ as more at lengthe before I haue shewed vnto you in the .vii. yere of the sayd Henry the .v. But whether he be hys legyttymat sonne or nat where uppoÌ„ I purpose no leÌ„ger to stande trouth it is that he was by his father admitted made dolphyne of Uyen by reason wherof he was in a greate auctoryte wan to hym fauoure of som lordes of FrauÌ„ce whych stroÌ„gly maynteyned hys partye durynge the lyfe of kyng HeÌ„ry the .v after all y t season whyle the duke of Bedforde occupyed there as regent of that regyoÌ„ was of some parties of FrauÌ„ce reputed for kyng Howe be it he was neuer crowned so loÌ„ge as the sayde duke of Bedforde lyued Neuerthelesse he by meane of polycy hys freÌ„des so defended hym selfe that lytle by the EnglyshemeÌ„ was wonne vpoÌ„ hym of suche laÌ„des as he fyrste was in possessyon of But polytykely he defended theym lytle and lytle so preuayled agayne them that in the ende he all onely wanne nat to hym the possessioÌ„ of that prouince y t which is named FrauÌ„ce but also he wanne to hym in the ende the kynge of Englandes olde enherytaunce that is Normandy wyth all domynyons to the same apperteynynge The maner of wynnynge of them I woll nat in thys story speke of for so moche as in the former yeres of kynge Henry the .vi. I haue there expressed the maner of somme parte therof But that I shall speke of theÌ„ shal be of thynges done betwene hym other prynces And for that I before in the .viii. yere of HeÌ„ry the vi promysed in the .vi. yere of thys Charles to shewe vnto you som what of the maydeÌ„ or pucel which y e FreÌ„ch men named la pucelle de dieu her for a messenger from god to be sente reputed I shall here folow y e saying of Gaguyne whyche sayeth as foloweth In the .vi. yere or there aboute to rekyn from the deth of thys Charles father a weÌ„che or mayden beyng bred in a strete or vyllage called in latyne Ualli color in thys tyme beynge sproÌ„ge to the age of .xx. yeres or there about hauing to father a poore man named Iakes Delarch and hyr mother Isabell she also berynge the name of Iane or Iohan required by dyuers sundry tymes an vncle of hyrs beyng prefecte of the foresayde vyllage that he wolde presente hyr vnto the FreÌ„che kynge for thynges coÌ„cernyng greatly the weale of hym of hys realme whyche sayd prefect after many delayes for so moche as in hyr wordes he had lytle truste yet at leÌ„gthe hyr sayd vncle beynge named Robert Baudryncourt sent hyr wyth a coÌ„uenyent company vnto the kyng wyth letters certyfyenge hym of all the maner of thys mayde wherof the sayd Charles beynge asserteyned thought he wold vse som meane to knowe the vertue of thys wenche And for he had perfyghte experyence that before tymes thys woman had neuer sene hys persone he thoughte he wolde chaunge hys rome and habyte to se whether she by hyr vertue coulde knowe hym frome other and that done he standynge amonge other of his familiers as one of them she was called into the chaumber demaunded yf euer before tyme she had sene the kynge And after she hadde answered nay she was byddeÌ„ to espye oute the kynge whych there stode amonge that companye The whyche anone wythout dyfficulte him fande and saluted as king And all be it that he refused hyr reuereÌ„ce sayd y t she erred in hyr choyse yet she parseuered kneling at his fete and sayde that by goddes purueyauÌ„ce she was taught that he was hyr very soueraygn prince none other wherfore the kynge all hys lordes had in hyr the more affyauÌ„ce that by hyr the laÌ„de shulde be releuyd whych at that daye was in passyng mysery Than after dyuers questyoÌ„s to hyr made what was the cause of hyr thyther commynge she answered sayd that she was sent frome god to stablisshe the kynge in hys realme and that by hyr she beynge leder capytayne of hys people by dyuine grace onely the kynge shulde shortely subdue hys enemyes By reasoÌ„ of which wordes the kyng wyth hys lordes were somedeale comforted Upon thys armour sword was sought for this maydeÌ„ the whych as sayeth my sayd auctour was fouÌ„den myraculously wherof the processe to me appereth so darke faÌ„tastycall y t therewith me list nat to blot my boke but suffre it to passe by Than thys weÌ„che being purueyed of all thinges necessary to the warre a company of knyghtes soudyours to hyr by the kynge was assygned And so she rydynge as a man in maÌ„nes habyte contynued by the space of .ii. yeres more and dyd many wonderful feates and gat from the Englysshemen many stroÌ„ge townes and holdes wherefore amonge Frenchemen she was wordshypped for an auÌ„gell or a messynger sent frome god to releue theyr great myserye And as affermeth the sayd auctour she by hyr prouydence caused the sayd Charles as kynge of Fraunce to be crowned at Raynes in the yere of oure lord M. foure hundreth and .xxix. All be it nouther the Frenche cronycle nor other whyche I haue sene testyfyeth that but affermyn that he was nat crowned duryng the lyfe of the duke of Bedforde But almyghty god whyche for a season suffereth suche sorcery and deuelyssh ways to prospere reygne to the correccyon of synners lastely to shewe hys power and that good men shuld nat fall into any erroure he sheweth the clerenesse of suche mystycall thynges and so he dyd in thys For lastely she by a knyghte Burgonyon was taken after sent to Roan and there breÌ„t for her demerytes as in the .viii yere of Henry the .vi. is more at leÌ„gth shewed ThaÌ„ the tyme forth passyng and coÌ„tynuall warre betwene Englande FrauÌ„ce contynuyng among many trybulacions by thys Charles susteyned one that was hys owne sonnÌ„ named Lewys comforted and assysted by the dukes of BurboÌ„ and AleÌ„son wyth other meÌ„ of name rebelled agayne hys father and warred vppon hym and by strengthe wan frome hym certeyne townes strong holdes For remedy whereof the sayde Charles made warre vppon the forenamed duke of Burbon and wasted wyth iron and fyre the countreyes of the sayde duke of Burbon By meane whereof after thys vnkyndely warre hadde duryd by the space of syxe monethes or more a peace and vnyte betwene the father sonne was treated by meanes of the erle of Ewe a coÌ„corde vnite betwene
them was fynally coÌ„cluded he y e sayd Lewys all suche as wyth hym were reteyned or allied were for thys offeÌ„ce by y e sayd Charles clerely pardoned one persone all only excepted named Iaket or Iakis by whose treason the castell of Maxente was loste and taken for whyche offence he was after drawen hanged also quartered ThaÌ„ in processe of tyme folowyng the flemynges of GauÌ„te rebelled agayne theyr duke or erle named Philyp The cause of whyche rebellyon was for that he areryd a greuouse taske vpoÌ„ salte put the people ther by to greuouse charge wherevppon dedely warre betwene the duke and hys subiectys arose to the dystruccioÌ„ of moche people vpoÌ„ bothe partyes wherof the cyrcumstauÌ„ce were loÌ„g to wryte Howe be it in the ende y e duke or erle by ayde of the FreÌ„che kynge was vyctour helde them of GauÌ„te so streyghte that they were compelled by force to bye theyr peace wyth great summes of money to theyr other many folde domages About the .xxxi. yere of thys sayde Charles came vnto hym from pope Nycholas the .v. of that name an ambassade for to requyre ayde agayne the Turkys for the defeÌ„ce of CoÌ„stantyne the noble whyche the Turkys purposed shortly after to assayle To whyche ambassade by the sayd Charlys it was answeryd that to hym it was right greuouse to here of the intollerable persecucyoÌ„ whych y e cristeÌ„ dayly susteyned of the Turkys But he was of y e Englysh nacyoÌ„ so vexed and warred that he myghte nat leue hys laÌ„de wythout an hedde to the coÌ„forte of other to lose hys owne But to the entent that he before tymes myght haue warred vppon the sayd Turkys he for that cause onely had offered vnto the kynge of Englande many reasonable offers And if of the Englysshe party any lyke offers myghte be to hym profered he wolde gladly theym accepte turne hys spere incoÌ„tyneÌ„tly agayn the fore named Turkes And ouer that he wolde for the furtherauÌ„ce of the matter sende wyth them vnto the kynge of EnglaÌ„de certayne ambassadours to se yf that as yet any reasonable peace myght be betwene them coÌ„cluded For accomplisshemeÌ„t wherof as testyfyeth myne auctour Gaguynus he sente the archebysshop of Raynes wyth other honorable persones The whych whan they to kyng Henry and hys counsayll hadde shewyd theyr legacyoÌ„ it was to them shortly answered that at suche season as the EnglysshemeÌ„ hadde wonne agayne so moche laÌ„de as the Frenchemen by cawtelys had woÌ„ne from theym thaÌ„ were it good tyme season to treate of accorde nat before By reason of whiche answere the popes ambassade retourned to Rome wythoute ayde or comforte And thus y e FreÌ„che wryters lay euer the charge froÌ„ theyr prynce put it vnto other But of thys ambassade or answere fynde I no memory of any Englysshe wryters Aboute the .xxxiiii. yere of y e reygn of thys Charlys Lewys hys sonne before named beynge a maÌ„ of greate lyberalitye and largesse thought his father departed nat wyth hym of his mouables possessyoÌ„s as he hadde cause to do For the whych by coÌ„fort of yoÌ„ge persones as he had aboute hym he rebelled thys seconde tyme agayne hys sayde father by reason of hys largesse lyberalyte drewe vnto hym moche waÌ„ton wylde people wyth theyr assystence warred vppoÌ„ hys fathers freÌ„des entendyd to depryue hys father of all gouernauÌ„ce of the realme wherof herynge hys father in all possyble haste gathered to hym greate strengthe and spedde hym towarde hys sayd sonnÌ„ But whaÌ„ Lewys was warned of the coÌ„myng of hys father wyth so great an hoste consydered hys quarell wekenesse he wyth a fewe persones fledde towarde Burgoyne whereof herynge the father sente in all â—haste people to kepe the passages and dyd that he myghte to haue stopped hym of hys waye But that prouysyon notwythstandynge the sayd Lewys escaped and came sauely vnto the presence of Phylyppe then duke of Burgoyne the whyche hym receyued wyth gladde chere and entreatyd hym accordyng to his estate and so kepte hym durynge his fathers lyfe Nowbeit he made for hym great sute and labour to wynne him to his fathers grace But all was in vayne For what by obstynacy of the same y t he wolde not submytte hym to his father and comme vnto hys presence when he was sente for for the great stomacke of the father that he wold not be condycyoned with of the son thys varyaunce contynued bytwene them as aboue is sayd y e terme of his fathers lyfe In the whyche passe tyme thys Charlys concluded a maryage bytwene hys doughter called Magdaleyne and Ladyslaus kyng of Beme Hungary and of Polayne But whyle the bryde wyth great apparayle and pompe was conueyed towarde her husbande to be maryed her sayde husbande was taken sodenly with sykenesse and dyed with in .xxiiii. houres after that he fyrste coÌ„playned hym whych was by force of poysone as most wryters agreen Of whych tydynges when Charlys was asserteyned he therwyth toke such a peÌ„syffenesse that he dyed shortely after whan he had ruled a parte and the hole realme to reken from y e deth of hys father .xxxvi. yeres How be it of Frenche wryters no certeyne terme of hys reygne to hym is assygned for so myche as kyng Henry the vi longe after the deth of hys father was alowyd in Parys and many other Cytyes of FrauÌ„ce for souerayne and kynge of that regyon Thys Charlys thus beynge dede lefte after hym two sonnes that is to saye Lewys that after hym was kynge and a yonger named Charlys wyth y e forenamed doughter named Magdaleyne or after some Margarete And after wyth greate pompe hys corps was conueyed vnto saynt Denys and there buryed Francia Lewys the .xi. LEwys the .xi. of y â— name after the accompte of thys boke and .x. after the Frenche accompte whereof y e cause is before shewed sonne to Charles last dede beganne his dominyon ouer the realme of Fraunce in the moneth of October in the yere of grace M.iiii hundreth and .lviii. and the .xxxvi. yere of Henry the .vi. than kynge of Englande This of Gaguinus is called the sturdy or fel Lewys The whiche at the tyme of his fathers deth beyng as aboue is sayd vnrecouÌ„syled in the prouynce of Burgoyne herynge of the deth of his father wyth ayde of the foresayd duke Phylyp shortly entred y e realm of Fraunce toke vpon hym y e rule in euery good cytie town as he passyd as kyng of y e same so y t many lordes hed offycers drewe vnto hym By meane wherof he was stronge put such vnto sylence as after y e wyll purpose of his father wolde haue preferred his yoÌ„ger son named Charlys Than this Lewys by strengthe of his frendes was shortely after at Raynes crowned kynge of Fraunce After whyche solempnyte fynysshed he repayred vnto Parys and there by consent of hys counceyll made a law y t no man of what degre
into Englande named Gualo or Swalo the whyche after hys commynge commaunded Lewys to returne into Fraunce and laboryd to the vttermost of his power to appease the kynge and hys baronye But all hys laboure was in vayne Anno domini M.CC.xvi.  Anno domini M. CC.vxii  IohnÌ„ Trauers  wyllyam Hardell  Anno .xvii.  Andrewe Newlande  IN thys .xvii. yere of kynge Iohan the warre betwene hym and his lordes styll contynuynge he dyed of the flyxe as testyfyeth Polylycronycon at the towne of Newerke vppon the daye of saynte Calyxte the pope or the .xiiii. day of October How be yt the Englyshe boke or cronycle sayeth that he dyed at Sebynyshede an abbay aboute LyncolnÌ„ by the impoysonynge of a munke of the same house the daye after saynte Luke or the .xviii. daye of October and was buryed at the cytye of wynchester But the authour of Policronycon sayth he was bowelled at Crongthon abbaye and buryed at worceter in the myddle of the quyer of munkes when he hadde reygned xvi yeres .vi. monethis .iiii. dayes leuynge after hym two sonnes Henry and Rycharde wyth sondry doughters Of thys IohnÌ„ yt is redde that he founded the abbay of Belewe in the new forest in recompensacyon of the paâ—ysh chyrches which he there ouer turnyd to enlarge that forest and an abbay of blacke munkes in the cytye of wynchester where after y e sayeng of the englyshe cronycle he shulde be buryed This kynge IohnÌ„ also after some wryters maryed one of hys doughters vnto Otto the fourth of y e name emperour of Almayne and duke of Saxony the whyche helde warre agayne kynge Phylyppe of Fraunce as in the .v. chapyter of the storye of the sayde Phylyp before is declared whyche Otto for hys rapyne and extorcyon done to the chyrch of Rome was accursyd and the sayd Phylyp and also kynge IohnÌ„ for theyr dysobedyence to the chyrche were also accursyd the whyche warred eyther wyth other so that eyther of theÌ„ greuyd and vexid other to the great hynderauÌ„cis of them and eyther of them For the whyche consyderacyon a metrycyan made these balades of them as foloweth O quam mirabilia good lorde thy workes been In punyshement of synners by thy myght wondersly As by old storyes yt is playnely seen One synner the other hath correcte vtterly As Alexander wyth Iulius Pompey and Tholomy And many other whych as thy scourgys were To punyshe synners and theym self also dere In lyke wyse nowe reader yf thou lyste take hyde And well reuolue in mynde thys hystorye Of these thre prynces and loke well on theyr dede Thou shalte conceyue that they dyd wyckydly I meane kynge IohnÌ„ Phylyppe and Ottony whyche vnto synne made them selfe so thrall That of pope Innocent they were accursyd all wherfore god sufferyd that one the other to greue And warre chase wyth dedely hate and stryfe Glad that one the other to mischeue Manassynge eche other wyth spere sworde and knyfe wyth cruell batayll durynge theyr synfull lyfe wherfore I maye conclude in factis horum That multa sunt flagella peccatoruÌ„ HEnry the thyrde of y e name eldest son of kyng IohnÌ„ a chylde of the age of .ix. yeres beganne hys reygne ouer the realm of Englande the .xx. daye of the moneth of October in the yere of our lorde M. two hundred and .xvi and the .xxxvi. yere of the seconde Phylyp yet kyng of Fraunce ye haue before harde of the cruell warre whyche Lewys son vnto the Frenche kynge wyth the ayde of the baronys of Englande maynteynyd agayne kynge IohnÌ„ The whyche after the deth of the sayde IohnÌ„ contynued for as mych as then some of the lordes that before hadde maynteyned the quarell of Lewis now forsoke hym toke parte with this Henry as theyr naturall and souerayne lorde wherof the chefe were the erles of Penbroke of Chester the whych wyth theyr retynewe helde sharpe warre wyth the sayde Lewys his affynyte the whych enteÌ„dyd to haue ben kynge of Englande by reason of couenauÌ„tes made wyth certayne lordes of the lande when he was fyrste sent for by them wherfore the forsayd erles wyth the other of theyr partye to make theyr partye the stroÌ„ger proclaymed the sayde Henry kynge of Englande vppon the foresayde .xx. daye of Octobre thorough the cytye of London and in all possyble haste after made prouysyon for hys coronacyon so that vppon the daye of Symonde and Iude next ensuynge he was crowned at Glouceter of Peter then byshoppe of wynchester Lewys the Frenche kynges son beynge then at Lyncolne In which yere stode styll as gouernoure of the cytye of London tyll Mychelmas nexte folowynge Anno domini M.CC.xvii  Anno domini M.CC.xviii  IohnÌ„ Trauers  wyllyam Hardell  Anno .i.  Andrewe Newlande  SO soone as the kynge was crowned coÌ„myssyons where sent ouer in his name into all places of Englande to gather strength of men to wythstand the forenamed Lewys to put hym wyth his Frenche men and other allyaunces out of the land whych then hadde vnder theyr rule and custodye the castellys of Berkhamsted of Hertford dyuers other And for thys Lewys wold not sease of hys warre and retourne into Fraunce therfore the foresayd Gwalo or Swalo the popys legate accursyd hym fyrste by name and after all such as hym maynteyned or fauored in thys warre agayne kynge Henry Then the forenamed erlys accompanyed wyth wyllyam erle Marshall of Englande wyllyam le Bruyz erle of Ferrys wyth many other yode to Lyncolne and wanne that town vppon the strauÌ„gers where was slayne a French man called erle of Perches wyth many other souldyours And there was takeÌ„ of EnglyshmeÌ„ Serle erle of wynchester and HuÌ„â—ryde Bohum erle of Herforde wyth dyuerse other of name And in thys whyle Lewelyn prynce of walis for that he ayded the partye of Lewys was accursyd and his lande enterdyted After the towne of Lyncolne was thus woÌ„ne from the Frenchmen Lewys wyth other parte of his souldyours drewe towarde London for so myche as word was brought to hym that his fader had sent to hym a new company of souldyours the whyche shulde lande in Englande shortely Trouth yt was that such an ayde of souldyours was made by the FreÌ„che kyng coÌ„myttyd to a capytayn whyche in the cronycle is named Eustace the muÌ„ke the whych was encouÌ„tryd vpon the see with a capytayn or mayster of the .v. portis called Hubert at Burgh gaue to hym batayll and scomfyght hym at length sent the hed of y e sayd Eustace vnto y e kynge when Lewys harde of these tydyuges and consydered howe dayly his strength mynyshed he was more inclynable vnto peace so y e in coÌ„clusion he toke money as sayth Policronica yelded vp his castellis strengthis which he held after was assoyled so returned into FrauÌ„ce But of this money y e Lewis receyued ben diuers opinyons for the englyshe boke namyth yt a thousande marke