suche doynge for the ensample that therof myght ensewe The monkes sayde yetCryste alowed nother the olde dweller nor yet the persone But who so wolde take the crosse of penaunce vppon hym and folow Cryste in vertuous lyuynge he shulde be hys dyscyple For thys was holden a generall counsayle of bysshoppes and all the clergy of the land at wynchester where holy DuÌ„stane helde wyth the vertuous And whyle they were there in greate argument for thys mater as dyuers wryters testyfyeÌ„ a rode there beyng or standynge in the wall spake myraculously and sayd that Dunstanes wayes was good and trewe But for all thys the stryfe seased not In so mych that a new assemble of the clergye and other was appoynted after at a place called the strete of Calue where the counsayle was kept in an vpper lofte In thys counsayle DuÌ„stane was greuously despysed and rebuked of some vnskylfull meÌ„ But yet he kept hys opynyon grounded vpon iustyce and vertue And whyle they were there in thys greate dyuysyon and argument whyche waye shulde be admytted and alowed sodeynly the ioystes of the lofte fayled and the people fell downe so y t many were slayne greuously hurte But holy Dunstane escaped wyth fewe other that toke hys partye vnhurte This wonder with the other caused sylence amonges them that enteÌ„ded to maynteyne this foresayd quarell so that Dunstane had all hys wyll Thus passynge the tyme of the reygne of Edwarde the kynge he came vppon a season from huntyng in the forest or woode after some wryters nere to the castell of Corfe in y e west countre where he losynge hys company and seruauntes resorted vnto the castell before sayd where at that tyme hys moder with her sonne Egelredê° kept her housholde whan the quene was warned of hys commynge anone she called to a seruauÌ„t of hers whych she mych trusted and tolde to hym all her counsayle shewynge to hym forther how he shulde behaue hym in accomplysshynge of her wyll and mynde And that done she went towarde the kynge and receyued hym wyth all outwarde gladnesse and desyred hym to tary wyth her that nyght But he in curteyse maner excused hym selfe for spede desyred to drynke vpon hys horse syttyng y e whych was shortly brought And whyle the cuppe was at hys mouth the seruaunt before of the quene enfourmed strake hym to the herte wyth a sworde or a longe dagger sharpe on both sydes After whiche stroke by the kynge receyued he toke the horse wyth the spores and ranne towarde the place that he was comen fro or ellys suche waye as he supposed to mete of hys company But he bled so sore that for fayntnes he fyll from hys horse hys one fote beynge faste in the styrroppe By reason wherof he was drawen of y e horse ouer wayes and feldes tyll he came to a place named than Corysgate where he was founden dede And for y e maner of hys deth was vnknoweÌ„ â–ª and also he for kynge not knowen he was buryed vnworthely at the towne of warehmÌ„ and there rested by the terme of .iii. yeres after In whyche tyme and season god shewed for hym dyuers myracles as syghte to the blynde helthe to the syke and herynge to y e defe wyth dyuers other whyche I ouer passe wherof herynge hys stepmoder began to take repentaunce and entended to vysyte hym by way of pylgrymage But how or for what cause she entended inwardly I can nat saye but the horse or beest y t she rode vpon myght not nyghe y e place by a certayne space for betynge or any other thynge that to hym myght be done by man But after this by her meanes he was translated from theÌ„s to SeptonÌ„ that now is called Shaftesbury there buried with great honour But syn that tyme parte of his bodye was translated to the abbaye of Leof besyde Hereforde in the edge of walys and some parte therof to AbyndonÌ„ And yt is reported that at Shaftesbury remayne hys lunges and ben shewed in the place that is called Edwardysstowe For the murder of this blessed man yt is sayde as before is shewed in the story of Edgar that his stepmother fouÌ„ded two monasteryes of women y e one at Ambrisbury and that other at warwell In the whyche place of warwell in her latter dayes she refusynge the pompe of the worlde helde there a solytary and strayte lyfe and ended her lyfe wyth great penaunce and repentaunce and was there buryed when she dyed Thus as ye haue harde was this vertuous yonge kynge Edwarde martyred wheÌ„ he had reygned after most wryters .iiii. yeres leuyng none yssue wherfore the rule of the lande fyll to Egelredus his brother THE CXCVII CHAPITER EGelredus the sonne of Edgar and Alfrida or Estryld his last wyfe beganne his reygne ouer Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix huÌ„dred .lxxxi and the .xxvi. yere of Lothayre then kynge of Fraunce This is named of some wryters Etheldredus and in the englyshe cronycle Eldrede In whose begynnyng the grounde waxed bareyne and all myseryes before bodyd by the apperynge of the blasynge starre in the dayes of Edwarde the martyr nowe beganne to take place and encreace vppon the erth This as the other of his ê“genytours was crowned kyng at Kyngestone of the holy archbysshoppe Dunstane and of Oswalde archebyshop of yorke To whome as yt is redde in the lyfe of saynt Dunstane amonges his prophecyes that in the day of his coronacyon he sayd vnto the kynge for thou comest to this kingdome by the deth of thy brother in whose deth Englyshemen coÌ„spyred with thy wykked moder they shall not be wythout blood shedynge and sworde tyll there come people of vnknowen tunge and brynge them into thraldome And thys trespace shall not be clensyd wythoute longe vengeaunce Of this Egelredê° wryters agreen that he was goodly of shappe and of vysage but that was mynged wyth lechery and cruelty It is also redde that when holy Dunstane shuld crysten hym as he helde hym ouer the fonte he felyd the holy lyker wyth y e fruyte of his wombe wherfore holy Dunstane sware by god and by hys mother this shal be vnkynde to god and his chyrche whych fayled not in his forth goynge for he was vngracyous in his begynnynge wretched in y e myddell of his lyfe and hatefull to men in the ende therof In the seconde yere of his reygn a cloude was sene in Englande the whyche appered halfe lyke blood the other halfe lyke fyre and chaunged after into sundry colours dysaperyd at the laste In the thyrd yere of his reygn y e Danys aryued in sundry places of his lande as in the yle of Thanet besyde Kente in Cornewayll and Sussex and dyd in those costes myche harme And after some of theym came to London but there they were put of How be yt they destroyed a great part of Chestershyre And in the ende of the same yere a great parte of the cytye of London was wasted with fyre
towne toke ê‘tye wyth the duke brake out vppon the nyght and fyred the town and brent a great parte therof In this while dyed and was drowned Eustace the sonne of kynge Stephan and was buried at Feuersham in Kent in the abbay that his father before had buylded Thybaude archbyshop of Caunterbury left not to labour conclude y e peace betwene y e kyng the duke endeuored hym selfe therin so dylygently wyth the assystence of other that in the yere folowynge the peace was coÌ„cluded vppon dyurese condycyons wherof one was that y e kyng shulde contynue as kynge durynge his lyfe and immedyatly after y e conclusion of this peace the sayd Henry shuld be proclaymed in all the chefe cytyes and townes of Englande for heyr apparant be kynge after the deth of the sayde Stephan and that the kynge shulde take hym for hys son of adopcyon and ryghtefull heyr vnto the crowne To the whyche couenauÌ„tes iustly to be holden y e kyng was fyrste sworne and after his lordes spyrytuall and temporall and so yode bothe to London where they were royally receyued And when y e kyng had fested the duke and gyuen to hym ryche gyftes he toke leue of the kynge and so returned into Normandye as affyrmeth the sayde authour the Floure of historyes Howe be yt the cronycle of England sayth that the accorde was made vpon dyuysyon of the lande betwene theym that is to meane that both shuld reygne to gyther and eyther of them to enioye halfe the lande But how that dyuysyon was made or whych parte of the lande eueryche of them shulde hold no meÌ„cion therof is made And the former accorde shuld be as abue is sayde concluded .viii. days folowynge the Epyphanye of our lorde in the towne of Oxenford And y e kyng dyed in the moneth of October folowyng when he had reygned .xviii. yeres full and odde monethes and was enterred in theforsayde abbay of Feuyrsham Of dyuers authours as Ranulfe and other yt is recorded that thys Stephan lyued in great vexacyon and trouble all the terme of hys reygne It is sayde also that thys Stephan maryed Molde or Mawde the doughter of Mary the whyche was the doughter of Henry the fyrst and countesse of Boloyne by whome he claymed the tytle to be crowned as by the yonger doughter of Henry the fyrst and Henry shorte mantell claymed by the elder But after most certenty of wryters this Stephan was sonne of Eustace erle of Boloyne and of Mary syster vnto Molde that was maryed vnto Henry the fyrste whych Molde and Mary were doughters of Margarete wife of Malcolyn kyng of Scottes whyche Margaret was syster to Edgare Ethelynge and doughter of Edwarde the outlawe that was the sonne of Edmunde Ironsyde Then the eldest syster Molde bare Molde the empresse by Henry the fyrste And Molde y e empresse doughter of Henry the fyrst hadde by her second husbande Geffrey Plantagenet Henry the seconde And so by Henry shorte mantell or Henry the seconde returneth the bloode of the Saxons to the crowne of Englande and so it dyd by Stephan but moste conuenyently by Henry the fyrst as by the dyssent of his mother By whych reason yt foloweth that the blood of willyam conquerour continued but .lxx. yeres yf it be accompted from y e fyrst yere of wyllyam Conquerour vnto the laste yere of Henry the fyrste Thys kynge Stephan at the request of Molde hys wyfe buylded in the yere of grace .xi. hundred .xl y e abbey of Coggeshale in Essex and set therin whyte muÌ„kes Also about the same tyme he founded the abbay of Feuersham in Kent where he nowe corporally resteth And the thyrde he founded in Furneys in Lancashyre and all he garnyshed wyth munkys of Cysteaux order dyed as before is sayde wythout yssue of his body Francia THE CCXXXIIII CHAPITER LEwys the .viii. of that name son of Lewys y e great began his reygn ouer the Frenche men in y e yere of our lord .xi. hundred .xxxvi y e fyrst yere of Stephan then kyng of Englande This also is called the yonger Lewys in whose begynnynge Iohannes de teÌ„poribus dyed Thys IohnÌ„ was somtyme a squyer in the house of Charlys the conquerour the whyche lyued ouer .iii. hundred yeres for whyche cause he was named IohnÌ„ of tyme as he y t myght remeÌ„ber thinges done of longe tyme passed This Lewys at y e tyme of his fathers deth was in the countrey of Guyan for to receyue the dower of his wyfe Elyanour as before in the storye and seconde chapyter of kyng Stephan is touched But when he harde of y e deth of his father he sped hym into FrauÌ„ce where after the necessaryes for the weale of his realme ordeyned he maryed his wyues syster named Alys vnto Arnolde erle of Uermendoze After whyche maryage solempnysed tydynges were broughte vnto hym that the crysten people beynge in the holy lande as warryours vppon the Turkes and Sarasyns were dystressed and ouerthrowen and dyuerse stronge holdes from them taken and wonne wherfore by the exhortacyon of that holy muÌ„ke Bernarde whych at this day is called saynt Bernard y e sayd Lewys wyth also Conradus the .iii. of that name then emperour of Almayne wyth Alphon then kynge of Spayne wyth dyuerse other nobles of Fraunce other prouynces toke vpon them the crosse and prouyded for the expedycyon of that iourney in the .iiii. yere of hys reygne after some wryters But of the takyng of hys iourney dyuers writers holde diuers oppinyons so that the doute resteth betwene the yere of our lord .xi. hundred .xl and the yere of .xi. hundred and .l. when all thynges were redy for that iourney the kynge the quene wyth the floure of the chyualry of FrauÌ„ce set forthwarde vppon that iourney and came in processe of tyme vnto Constantyn the noble where he met wyth Conradus the emperour and Alphons kynge of Spayne whom the prynce Emanuell then emperour of Constantyne the noble receyued ioyusly and made to theym by his outwarde contenaunce louynge and frendely chere and promised vnto theym ayde in that iourney bothe of vitayll and also for guydes for the nexte and surest waye But he contrary to his promyse dyd dysapoynte theym and nothynge ayded theym For he delyueryd vnto theym meale myngeled wyth lyme wherof grewe myche harme to the crysten hoste after And also he assygned vnto them suche guydes as brought them into places and couÌ„treys of sterylyte and other daunger so that hastely the Frenche kyng wyth great dyffyculte and losse of his men came vnto the citye of Danas and becleped yt with a stronge syege the whych he assauted and enpayred very sore and was lykely to haue wonne yt yf he had assauted y e place styll where he began But by counsayll of some false crysten men the whyche as wytnesseth Peter Dysroye and other had taken mede of the Turkes the kynge by theyr counsayll remoued the ordynaunce from the weker place vnto y
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
Cedwalla was but one persone the whyche was laste kyng of Britons and of westsaxons Also for so mych as they ioyned next vnto Cambria or walys If I shuld here bryng in the cause of the auoydynge of thys lande by Cadwaladyr as is rehersyd by Gaufryde yt wolde aske a longe tracte of tyme and also to me yt apperyth the more doutefull that yt is not testyfyed of the authour of Policronycon consyderynge the great nomber of authours whyche he sought and allegyd for his authoryte as yt shewyth in the fyrste chapyter of his fyrst boke And specyally syns that holy Gyldas and Bede is amonge the sayde authours accomptyd y e whych dyd great dilygence in serchynge of the dedes and actes of the Brytons and of the aungellis monycyon that to hym was geuen with also the prophecye of Merlyn that the Brytons shulde not recouer this lande tyll the relykes of Cadwaladyr wyth other of holy saintes were brought hyther out of Rome I hold that for no part of my beleue though many welshemen yt do wherfore to folowe the moste authoryte as before is sayde when this Cadwaladyr had reygned thre yeres he went to Rome there lastely dyed and was buryed in the chyrche of saynt Peter with this epythaphye or superscrypcyon vppon his toumbe as foloweth in metyr Culmen opus sobolem pollencia regna triumphos Eximias proceros moenia castra lares Quaeque patrum virtus quae congesserat ipse Cadwald armipotens linquit amore dei The whyche versys may be englysshed in maner as foloweth worshypfull ryches kynred triumphes assuryd Plenteous welth wyth clothes rychly dyghte Houses castellys and townes stroÌ„gly muryd And other honours whyche by hys parentes myght And his ownes this marcyall vertuous knyghte Cadwalde the stronge descendyd of kynges bloode For Crystes loue renouncyd all hys good And thus here endeth the lyfe rule of the Brytons nowe called welshemen whych toke that name of theyr duke or leder as sayth Guydo called wallo or Guallo or ellys of a quene of walys named Galaes or walaes But how so y e name came first to theÌ„ onw are they called welshe meÌ„ y t somtyme were named Brytons or Brutons descendyd fyrste of Troyans and after of Brute lastely of DuÌ„wallo Moliuncius or Molmucius DuÌ„wallo All be yt they were gretly mynglyd or medelyd wyth other nacyoÌ„s as Romayns Pictes other as by the redyng of the premisses ye may wel perceyue know And now be they englyshe that in theyr begynnyng were named SaxoÌ„s or Anglis But yet for so myche as welchmeÌ„ extolle so hougely theyr blode allyauÌ„ce fetchyng yt froÌ„ Pryam but not from Eneas regarded so lytle the progeny or lynyall descent of y e SaxoÌ„s or Anglis therfore to y e enteÌ„t to kele somwhat theyr hygh corage or to oppÌ„sse in ê‘ty their brutyshe blastê I will bryng in here y e sayng of Guydo other y e auauÌ„ce the blode or dyssent of the SaxoÌ„s to be farre aboue the Britons as they y t ar descendyd of goddes men immortall where the Britons clayme the ofsprynge to come of men they were mortall not moste to be alowed in honour yf they thynke vppon Eneas vntrouth and treason Then to folowe the foresayde authour Guydo that sayth woden of whom the Saxons taken theyr orygynall was y e sonne of Frealoffe the sonne of Fredewolfe the sonne of Flyn the son of Flokwald the son of Geta that was the sonne of Minos that is nexte in honour to Pluto god of hell and chefe iudge of his infernall iurisdyccyon Therfore ye welshe men here after nurture lere And dyspyse not SaxoÌ„s that ben to god so nere Thus then apperyth by the conueyaunce of this worke y t the last or thyrd yere of Cadwaldyr was y e yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxxx. vi which maketh the yere of y e worlde .v. thousand .viii. huÌ„dred .lxxx. .v. By which reason yt apperyth that the Britons had the rule of this land for the more party to reken froÌ„ the fyrst coÌ„mynge of the duke or leader Brute by the space of a thousande .viii. hundred xxii yeres And thus here an ende of the fyfte parte of this worke for the consyderacyon before rehersyd that Briton kynges after this day reygned none in this realme and the Saxons or Anglis began fully to haue domynyon therof wherfore as before tyme I haue vsed and done in the other parties before specyfyed so now I here agayn salute and gyue thankes to that moste excelleÌ„t virgyn our lady saynt Mary with the .v. ioyes of the forenamed seuen ioyes begynnynge Gaude mater miserorum c. Thou mother to wretches and other disconsolate Hayll and be glad for god of worldes all To them that here in this presente state Done to the worshyppe he rewarde shall Wyth condygne meryte passynge all temporall In heuen to be stallyd wyth moste felicyte Euermore to reygne with thy sonne and thâ— This .v. parte to be accompted from the laste yere of the mysery of Brytons or the fyrste yere of Constantyne brother to kynge of Armorica vnto the thyrd or last yere of Cadwaladyr includyth of yeres CCliii Thus endyth the fyfte parte THE SEXTE PARTE After that Cadwaladyr was thus departyd y e londe as some authours meane this lande of Brytayne was in great dyscensyon by meane of the Brytons and Saxons by the terme of a .xi. yeres And ouer that the mortalyte before spoken of encreasyd so hugely and therewyth great hunger famyne ouer sprad the lande that by occasion of one and other the people of this realme was wonderfully mynyshed lassed so ferforthly that as wytnessyth Gaufryde also the englyshe cronycle the quycke bodyes suffysed not to bury y e ded But in so mych as of this spekyth not the muÌ„ke of Chester nor other authours as before is shewyd in the forsayde table the whych I remytte to the correccyon of such as be lerned and not onely to englyshe reders as there is fortherly declaryd I therfore as before is sayd folow the sayd Ranulph muÌ„ke of Chester where he sayth that Iewe or Iue was kynge of westsaxons next after y e forenamed Cadwaladyr The whych I shall fyrst shew the story of and so of the successours of hym in that kyngedome for that that they subdued lastly all the other kyngedomes and somdeale touche of the other kyngdomes or lordshyppes as tyme conuenyente shall requyre in expressynge of the storyes of the sayd westsaxon kynges tyll the lande be brought agayne to one monarchye And for the dyuysyon of the sayde kyngdomes stande somdeale farte asonder so that to the reders yt were somwhat paynfull to serche for eueryche of them I therfore haue sette them out in the compasse folowyng that yt maye appere to the reder the begynnynge of eueryche of theym and howe longe a season or tyme eyther of the sayde kyngdomes contynued or enduryd the names also of euery kyngdome and in what parte of
from the sayde pope that he was well satysfyed and pleasyd And for at those days in Fraūce was vsyd of prestes and men of the chyrche precyouse and shewynge vesture and golden and riche starynge gyrdelles with rynges and other ornamentes of gold the sayde Lowys purchasyd of the pope a correccyon for all suche as vsyd suche dysordynate apparell and causyd theym to vse and were browne sad colours accordynge to theyr honoures and sadnes This Lowys hadde thre sonnes that is to saye Lothayre whome he made felowe of the empyre Pepyn the seconde whome he made duke of Guyan and Lowys the thyrde to whom he betoke the rule of Bayton To this yongeste sonne worde was broughte that Bernarde a ruler in Italy had assembled a great power wyth y e aydes of two other captaynes named Iylys and Reyner the whyche Charlis the great by his lyfe greatly fauouryd occupyed y e strēgthys of the mountaynes and entendyd to kepe the countrey of Italye from the subieccyon of his father the emperoure wherof he gyuynge his father knowlege strong power was gaderyd as well by the father as by Lothayre his sonne and sped theym towarde the mountayns But when the sayde Bernarde was ware of the emperours commyng wyth so great a strength and consyderyd his lacke of power to mayntayn his purpose wyth also the great mercy and pytye that he knew to be in the emperour he submytted hym holy to hys grace and mercy and dyscoueryd to hym the authours of that rebellyon the whyche thys Lowys causyd vnder safe kepynge to be hadde vnto the cytye of Aquisgrany The whyche rebellys were the byshop of Mylayne the byshop of Cremoun and the bysshoppe of Orleaunce The kynge passed all the wynter folowyng at the foresayde cytye and lastely caused to be broughte before hym the foresayde transgressours examyned the cyrcumstaunce of the foresayd treason and after remytted them to the rygour of Lowes where by processe they were condemnyd to deth as many of them as were temporall men Then the emperour hauynge compassion of the forenamed Bernarde for so myche as he was the sonne of Pepyn laste kynge of Italy and his nere kynnesman transmutyd the sentence of deth vnto perpetuyte of pryson and losynge of hys syghte But for the sayde Bernarde Reyner and other chase rather to dye thē to lyue in pryson wyth that deformyte they passyd by dinte of the sworde were beheddyd within or nere to the sayd cytye of Aquisgrani And the sayde bysshoppes were depryued of theyr dygnyteys put into pryuate houses of relygyon And whyle thys Lewys was occupyed in lytell Brytayne in subduynge of that countrey Lothayre the eldest sonne of thys Lewys was sent to rule the lōdes of y e empyre where he bare hym ryght nobly and executed dyuers actes for the weale of the empyre But in thys season .ii. frendes of hys father and hys were for certeyne crymes to them put moste cruelly condēpned to vyle deth with in the cytye of Rome wherof heryng Lothayre than beyng at the cytye of Papy sent worde therof to hys father in all hasty wyse the which was lyke to haue turnyd y e pope to greate trowble yf he by polytyke and wyse meanes had not shortly pacifyed the mater That one of the foresayd two persones so condempned was scrybe to the pope and that other was Donar ye shall vnderstande that thys Lewys hadde two wyues by the fyrste he had the forenamed thre sonnes and of the seconde he receyued a son and named hym Charlys the which whan he came to mannes stature was surnamed Charlys y e bolde He loued entyerly thys Charlys wold often kysse hym in the presence of his brethern For the whych they enuyed theyr sayd brother and also dysdayned theyr father as here after shall appere Thus in processe of tyme Lewys gaue vnto thys Charlys the coūtrey of Neustria or Normādy the which causyd greate dyscencyon amonge the bretherne and also for thys and other causes Lotharius toke partye agayne hys father THE CLX CHAPITER THys seconde wyfe of Lewys was named Indith y e which was accusyd to the pope to be within suche degre of allyaunce to hyr husbonde that she myghte not lawfully contynewe hys wyfe wherfore contrary to the wyll of Leuys by the laboure of some bysshoppes other lordes of Fraūce she was deuorcyd from hym and put into a house of nonnys and there straytly kepte But Lewys for a tyme susteyned thys iniuryes to y e ende y t he myght know whyther his sonnes fauoured the cause or not But in processe of tyme whan he hadde experyence of hys frendes and of hys sonnes he thā assembled to hym a strong hoste and recoueryd hys wyfe malgre to all hys enmyes For the whych dede Lothayre wyth dyuers of the Barons of Fraunce assemblyd theyr people and entendyd to depryue Lewys from all imperyall and kyngly dygnyte wherfore Lewys ferynge hys sonne and hys assystens also for the entent that he myghte assemble the strength of y e empyre he yode vnto Magunce And after he hadde purueyed and garnysshed hys retynewe he retornyd toward Fraunce and met wyth some of hys enemyes and them subdued and so kepte on hys iourney tyll he came to Aquysgrany where he restyd hym and hys people Thus contynuynge thys dyssencyon the sonnes sent wrytyng to the pope than beynge named Gregory y e fourth requyrynge hym of ayde and counceyle to deuyse a concorde and peace bytwene theyr fader and them At whose request and for to cause a naturall charyte to be quyckenyd bytwene the father hys .iii. sonnes he came in hys proper persone into Fraunce and endeuoryd hym to the vttermoste of hys wyttes to agree to the sayd parties In the tyme of this entreaty made by the pope I can not saye for what cause many of the lordes on the partye of Lowys forsooke hym and fled to the sōnys partye so that the emperoure was in great feere of hym selfe of hys parson whan Lewys had seen his frendes thus in tyme of hys nede refuse flee frome hym and lefte hym in great feere and daūger of straūgers he than thoughte better for hym to put hym selfe vnder the Rule and tuycion of hys owne chyldren than to abyde the doute of the sayde straūgers wherfore he sent vnto his sayd sonnes requyrynge theym to prouyde for his safegarde and assurynge of his person and that he were not there oppressyd or murdryd And within shorte space after this message sent to theym withoute answere of them agayne receyuyd he rode towarde theym smally accompanyed where of than Lothayre and hys brother hauynge warnynge in all homble wyse encountred hym and receyued hym vppon theyr knees and so cōueyed hym wyth all reuerēce vnto theyr pauylyon or tent And after for a begynnyng of a peace to be stablysshed bytwene hym and them he to satysfye theyr myndes refused the forenamed Indith and closyd her in a place of relygyon called Torton as
sayd Policronica sayth And for this Lewys was mylde he was often troubled of hys own men and of other tyll he delte wyth them more sharpely and wysely and ruled the people more straytly It is there also shewyd that when this Lewys had promotyd a yonge man named Frederyke to the see of Utryke and to hym hadde gyuen sadde and good exhortacyon that he shuld folowe the stablenes of hys antecessours and that he shulde purpose the sothe and trouth wythoute excepcyon of persones and punyshe mysdoers as well the ryche as the poore the sayde byshoppe shulde answere to hym and saye I beseche thy magestye syr emperour to take in pacyence that I maye dysclose to the that thynge that hath long walowed turned in my mynde Say thy plesure sayd the emperour I praye thy syr emperour shewe me thy mynde whyther is more accordynge to attame thys fyshe here presente fyrste at the hedde or at the tayle The emperour answered shortely and sayd at the hedde the fyshe shall be fyrste attamyd So yt is lorde emperoure sayd the byshoppe that crysten fayth maye cause the to cease of thyne erroure that thy subiectes be not boldyd to folowe thy mysdoynge wherfore fyrste forsake thou thy vnlawefull wedloke that thou haste made wyth Indyth thy nere kynnes woman By meane of those wordes the kyng was reconcylyd and lefte the company of his wyfe tyll he hadde purchasyd a lycence of the pope And the emperour forgaue the sayde byshop all trespassys but the woman hyred two knyghtes that slewe hym in his vestymentes when he hadde ended hys masse After thys the empresse was falsely accused of wronge cryme and made a menchon But the same yere the emperoure delyueryd her from that habyte when he hadde suffycyently prouyd the sayde cryme to be false Then to retorne where I lefte whā this Lewys had longe lyen in thys agonyous sykenes and knewe well that he amendyd nothynge but feblyd more and more he commaundyd his iewellys to be broughte before hym wherof by hys owne hand he haue a parte vnto the chyrche of Rome and to Lotharius his sonne there presente he gaue his crowne his sworde commaundynge hym straytly vppon his blessynge that he shuld haue in honour hys moder Indith that to Charlis his brother he shulde owe true loue amyte that he shuld hym his lādes deffende to the vttermoste of his power Then the lordes spirituall and temporall and specyally the archebysshoppe of Meaws made a lamentable requeste to the emperoure for his sonne Lewys that he wolde accepte hym to his grace and mercye and to forgyue hym hys insolente and wanton wylde dedys wherof when the emperour harde he fell in suche wepynge that he myghte not speke of a good whyle after And when he hadde refrayned hym therof he remembryd to y e lordes the many and great benefytes y t he had done to hym and the innaturall vnkyndnes that the sayd Lewys had agayn shewyd vnto hym how often tymes he had perdoned his vnkynd sonnes trespasse And finally all this not wythstandyng he was at y e oure in perfyte charite wyth hym and forgaue hym as he trusted to be forgyuen prayenge the lordes there present and specyally chargynge y e sayd byshop that he wold shew vnto hys sayd son that great daunger that he was in agaynst god for the dyspleasures done to him and specially that he was a cause of the abrygement or shortynge of hys dayes Then to brynge this story to effect wherof yf I shuld declare the special tyes therof wolde aske a longe tyme for ye shall vnderstand that these .ii. storyes of the great Charlis and of this Lewys occupye in Frenche of leuys of great scantelyn ouer .lxiiii wherfore I conclude y t he dyed lyke a good crysten prynce when he had ben emperour of Rome and kynge of Fraunce by the terme of .xxvi. yeres and was buryed wyth great solemnyte at Meaws or at Mettis by hys mother Hyldegarde as sayth mayster Robert Gaguyne in the yere of hys age .lxiiii leuynge after hym the foresayde thre sonnes Lothayre Lewys and Charlys the Ballyd Anglia THE CLXII CHAPITER ADeulpus or Ethelwolphus the son of Egbertus beganne hys reygne ouer the westesaxons or Anglys in the yere of oure lordes incarnacyon .viii. hundred and .xxxii and the xvii yere of Lewys the mylde then kynge of Fraunce Thys in his youth was wyllynge to be a preste and was enteryd the order of subdeacon But there after by dyspensacyon of Pascall the fyrst of that name pope he was maryed to Osburga a woman of lowe byrthe By whome he hadde foure sonnes that is to meane Ethelwalde Ethelbert Etheldrede and Alurede the whyche after theyr father reygned as kynges of Englād that one after that other as after shall appere This Adeulphus after he hadde a certayne tyme ben kyng he went to Rome and toke wyth hym his yongest sonne Alurede or Alphrede and taryed there by the space of a yere In the whyche season he repayred the Saxon scole the whyche before tyme was there founden by Offa kynge of Mercia as Guydo sayeth and other but more veryly of Iue kynge of westsaxons as sayth the authoure of the Floure of historyes And for that he graunted of euery house of his kyngdome a peny as in his storye is before shewyd But thys scole was sore decayed and the house therof lately brent the whyche thys Adeulphus newely repayred and sette yt in better order then yt before was vsyd Thys kynge also to refourme the greuouse correccyons that he sawe there executyd to Englyshe men for spyrytuall offensys as in werynge of irons and guyues he graunted of euery fyre house of hys lande .i. d as Iue foresayde hadde done By the whyche sayenge yt shulde seme that by these two kynges shuld be grauntyd vnto Rome .ii. d. of euery fyre house thorough theyr lande But that maye not be so vnderstande for thys Rome scot ys gaderyd of euery house a peny wythout more wherfore yt muste folowe that yt is mysse taken of wryters that allege this dede to that one kynge for that other How be yt yt maye stande by reason that Iue made the fyrste graunte and this kynge after confermyd the same But the authoure of Cronica cronycarum sayth that thys Adeulphus graunted to saynte Peter these sayde Peter pens and spekyth no word of Iue nor of none other It is also shewyd of this kynge by Policronica that he shulde for the acquytynge of the chyrches of Englād of all maner of kynges trybute payed yerely to Rome thre hundred markes That ys to meane to saynte Peters chyrche a hundred markes to the lyghte of saynt Paule a hundred marke and to the popys treasorye a hundred marke And ouer all thys of hys pure deuocyon he offred to god to saynte Peter the .x. parte of hys moueable goodes And also one cronycler sayth that thys kynge founded fyrste the vnyuersytye of Oxynforde whyche was lykely to be
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
of theyr pryncys y t is to mene the corps of Lewys and theyr naturall prynce Phylyppe hys son and of the obseruaunces done and great assembles of the lordes spirytuall and temporall to welcome theyr prynce and doynge of theyr duties euery man according to honour But after al these ceremonies in due order fynyshed prouysyon was made for the coronacyon of the kynge The whyche was crowned at the cytye of Raynes vppon the daye of the assumpcyon of our lady in the yere of grace .xii. hundred .lxxi. SHortely after that the solempnyte of this coronacyon was passed kynge Phylyppe for his recreacyon rode into the countrey of Uermendoyse where after he had derestyd hym a season Robert erle of Artoys requyred hym to vysyte hys countrey where he was receyuyd of the burgeysys of Artoys wyth great honour and gladnes and there was feastyd with all disport and gladnes by a certayne of tyme after The whiche expyryd he returned into FrauÌ„ce About the thryde yere of his reygne the erle of Foys contrary y e kynges pleasure toke partye agayn Getarde a knyght lorde of the castell of Casseboun or Tasseboun y e which before had slayn y e brother of the erle of Armenac specyall freÌ„d of the sayd erle of Foyz whyche sayde two erles to reuenge the deth of theyr sayd brother pursued the sayde Gerarde so narrowly that for his sauegarde he refused his owne castell and fled vnto a castell of the kynges and there helde hym wyth his wyfe chyldren and substauÌ„ce But when the two erles were ware therof they sped them thyder wyth theyr powers and layd syege to the castell and in the ende threwe it downe to the grounde and slewe all the souldyours that they there founde as well the kynges seruauntes as other hopynge to haue founde theyr enymye Gerarde the whyche was escapyd thens secretly when the rumour of this dede came vnto the kynge he dysdayned sore that dede and toke yt ryght grevously In so myche that he called hys lordes and by theyr counsayll assembled hys knyghtes and entred wyth force the prouince of the erle of Foyz The whyche herynge of the kynges great dyspleasure fortyfyed hys castell and there helde hym The which was so besette wyth rokkes of stone that the kynge myght not wynne to yt wyth ease wherfore the kynge coÌ„maunded the rokkes to be cutte with masons and other worke men made a solempne othe that he wold not depart thens or he hadde the erle and his castell at his pleasure when the erle hadde beholden the great power of his enymyes and the prouysyon of the kyng to wynne his castell wyth other ieopardyes he made meanes to the kynge for grace and fynally putte hym and his into his mercy Then the kynge commauÌ„ded hym to be bounde and so to be conueyed to the casrell of Beauquesu where he was imprysoned by an hole yere after And the kyngâ—â—eased all hys landes and set a certayne of hys knyghtes to kepe hys castell and caryed hys wyfe and chyldren wyth hym into Fraunce But after a yere runne the kynge was so laboured to by the frendes of the sayd erle that he was eularged from pryson and vppon suertye suffred to serue in the kynges courte where he bare hym so well y t fynally the kyng made hym knyght restored hym to all his laÌ„des But what fyll of y e erle of Armenac the story sheweth not Aboute the .vi. yere of his reygne kynge Phylyppe maryed Mary the doughter of the erle of Burbon or after some the doughter of Iohan the duke of Braban the whych he loued entyerly wherof Peter de Broshe then beynge lorde chamberlayne hauynge enuy and disdayn sought the wayes and meanes to mynyshe the great loue betwene her lord and her and fonde by his meane that a sonne of y e kynges named Lewys was prysoned the whyche dede he by subtyle secrete meanes as though yt had nothyng comen of hym layde yt to y e charge of the quene For this y e kyng made many maner of inquysycyons as well by sorcery as other But in al his workes he found his quene gyltlesse wherfore he sufferyd the mater to passe tyll he myght haue more assured profe in that mater Aboute thys season Ferdinandus kynge of Castyle that before tyme hadde maryed Blanche doughter of saynt Lewis dyed leuyng after hym two sonnes borne of y e sayd Blanch named Ferdinande and Alphons whych by couenaunt at the mariage made shulde be heyres vnto the kyngdome of Spayne and Castyle But the father of this Ferdinande so beynge dede contrary hys honour and promise wrote vnto the lordes of Castyle amonestynge theym that they shulde admytte for theyr kynge hys seconde son named SaÌ„xyon or Sanxio and swere to hym both feautye homage The whyche was all done accordyng to hys commaundement so that Blanche was dyspoynted of her dower and her chyldern of theyr ryght and enherytauÌ„ce For y e which kyng Phylyppe her brother was greuously dysconteÌ„tyd and for reforma cyon therof sente vnto the kynge of Spayn his chefe boteler wyth other desyryng hym to perfourme all such couenauÌ„tes as betwene hym and his fader were coÌ„cluded at the maryage of his syster Blanche or at the laste yf that he refusyd y t to do y t he wold sende hys sayde syster wyth her two chyldern sauely into Fraunce In coÌ„clusyon y e mother wyth her two chyldern were brought by the sayde boteler vnto the kynge wythoute other pleasure other in worde or in dede For the whyche he the yere folokyng gaderyd a stronge hoste and passed wyth theym by Poyteau and Gascoyne tyll he came vnto a towne ioynynge to the border of Spayne named Sainterre where the kyng met another party of his hoste There by counsayll of some of his lordes the kynge concluded to retourne into Fraunce for daunger of wynter that was coÌ„mynge and other hyd causes But the rumour in the hoste went y t some of the kynges counsayll hadde receyued rewardes of the kynge of Spayn By meane wherof the kyng loste that iourney and returned into Fraunce to his great dyshonour and damage In tyme of kynge Phylyppes returne into Fraunce tydynges were broughte to hym that Eustace de Beau Marche whom the kyng had appointed to haue the gydyng of the countrey or kyngdome of Nauarye was besyeged in the citye of Pampulyne wherfore y e kyng coÌ„maunded y e erle of Artoys to spede hym thyder to rescowe the sayde Eustace The whyche behauyd hym so manfully that he rescowed the sayde Eustace and chasyd Garsymerans chefe styrrer of that rebellion and brought the people of that countrey agayne to due subieccyon whyle the erle of Artoys was thus occcupyed in the sayd countrey messangers came to hym from the kynge of Spayne requyrynge hym sene that he was so nere that he was so nere y t he wold come disport him there for a season wher of y e erle of Artoys sent kyng Philip worde hauyng of hym
than they by the fyrst metyng had auaūced thē self And yfayde of Guy de Namour sone vnto the erle of Flaunders had nat the soner been comyn vnto them the sayde erle of Artoys had that day wonne the renowne of the felde Thā the sayd Guy with a fresshe compapany of Almaynes and other bolde sowdyours coragyously entred the felde and bete downe y e Frenchemen egerly Than was the medle newe begon in so feruent wyse that men horse fyll downe to the grounde wondersly thycke And euer the erle of Artoys where so euer he wente he slewe moche people before hym But the Flemynges kept them so hole togyder y t he myght neuer dysseuer them and slewe of the nobles of Fraunce great plentye whiche mortalite thus contynuynge y e stremes of blode ran wonders to beholde And alway the Frenche partye weked more more Lastly the erles of saynt Poule and of Boleyn with Robert the sonne of this erle of Cleremounte and other with the nombre of .ii. M. horsemen seynge the rage and woodnes of the Flemynges whiche so cruelly slewe and bet downe the Frenche men settynge a parte all honour and knyght hode shamefully fled out of the feld leuyng the erle of Artoys in y e myddel of his enemyes whiche lyke vnto the lyon rampaunte contynued in one sleynge kyllynge the Flemynges without mercy or pyte But the Flemynges lyke wood tygres were so enraged vpon the Frenchemen y e they wolde neuer leue them tyll they by pure force draue them into theyr tentes where they slewe of theym a a great multytude In this batayll were slayne the foresayd erle of Artoys Godfray de Braban nere kynnesman to the sayd erle lorde of wyrson Adam the erle of Dabenmale Iohn̄ the sonne of y e erle of Henaut Rauf de Neell cōstable of Fraunce Guy his brother marshal of the hoste Renolde de Try Esmer chamberlayne of Cancaruyle Iaques y e sonne of Godfrey de Braban Pyers Floot Iohan Bruillis maister of y e arbalasters knyghtes many mo mē of name to the nombre of CC. and aboue besyde esquyers and other men of lower degrees as yomen gromes pages to the nōbre of .xii. M. The whiche after this vyctorye the Flemynges dyspoyled and suffred the caryns of them to lye in y e felde that all wylde bestes fowles myght them perysshe and deuoure whan this yonge knyght syr Guy hadde thus opteyned vyctorye of the Frenchmen he reioyced not a lytle and soone therafter layde syege vnto the I le or a castell soo named and gat it also were it by trecheri or other wyse Then the townes of Iper of Gaunt of Douaye and diuers other of that countre obeyed to hym and cōdyscended and agreed to take partye eyther of them with other agayne the Frenche kynge Than kynge Phylyp herynge of the great dysconfyture of his men made countenaunce of mournynge and specyally for his true knyght the erle of Artoys Kynge Phylyp then after for to reuenge the foresayd dyspleasure to hym doone by y e Flemynges assembled by our lady day Assumpsion next ensuynge an excedynge nombre of men of armes entendynge to haue entred Flaundres vtterly to haue destroyed a great parte of that countre so drewe towarde his enemyes so that he pyght y e tētes of his vanward within .ii. myles of his enemyes and there lay to his excedynge charge cōsiderynge the great multytude of his hoost by all y e moneth of Septēbre Of y e nōbre of this hoost I haue doubte to wryte For mayster Gagwyn sayth y e nōbre was so great y t it may nat be byleued y t sheweth wel by y e expressemēt of y e nōbre made by y e Frenche cronycle For he saythe they were an hūdreth tyme an C.M .xl. tymes .xl. M. By whiche sayeng somdele appereth how y e Frenchmē cā make men soūge But how it was for all this great excedynge nōbre of Frēchmē y e Flemynges laye styll vnhurte or assawted And fynally vp on a great substancyall cause as ye after shal here this great hoste was dissolued or returned euery mā to his awne kynge Phylyp with smal honour into Fraūce wherof y e Frēchmē sayth y e occasion or cause was thus Kynge Edward of Englāde whiche vnto y e Flemynges bare great affeccion cōsideryng y e great daunger they were in and he at y e tyme myght nat thē ayde nor socour of a pollicy cast in his mynde with an heuy or mornynge coūtenaūce shewed vnto y e quene syster vnto kyng Phylyp y e he was very heuy sorowfull for his brother hers y e kyng of Fraūce wherof whē wherfore she had frayned the cause he answered sayde y t he had certayne knowlege y t at suche tyme as the Flemynges he shulde mete in batayle that his lordes cōpany shulde leaue hym amonge his enemyes for he was solde vnto them before hande wherof whan y e quene was thus ascertayned anone in all possible hast she sent letters messangers vnto the Frenche kynge counfaylynge hym to be well ware of that treason and daunger To the whiche he gyuynge credence shortely after sente frome hym the sayd great company of people and he with a certayne as aboue is sayd retourned īto Fraunce After whyche departynge the flemynges were so bolde y ◠forthe wyth they entred into Pycardy the countre of Artoys and spoyled brent dyuers townes of the same But in the yere folowyng as testyfyeth the sayd frēche cronicle y e Flemynges of Bruges were foughten with of Otthon than duke of Burgoyn to whome by reason of maryage the Frenche kyng had gyuen the erledome of Artoys he of them slewe with the ayde of the Frenchemen .xv. thousande In thys .xvii. yere about mydsosomer Phylyp an other sonne of the erle of Flaundres whyche had by a certayn terme passed ben in the court of Charles de Ualoys by hym put in truste to receyue certayne summes of money in Scicill to y e vse of pope Bonyface the .viii sodaynely departed and with a stronge company of Almaynes came into Flaundres to ayde assiste his brother whome the Flemynges or Brabanders receyued with great ioy by the comforte of hym inuaded the borders landes of the Frenche kyng boldly assautyd the castell of saynt Omers But for they there gat none aduauntage but loste many of theyr men they forsoke that yode vnto a towne belongyng to the Frēche kyng called Thorouan Moryne the whyche in processe they wanne and spoyled About thys tyme dyed Bonyface the .viii. of that name than pope a man of euyll name and fame the whyche by hys trechery caused hys predecessour Celestyne the .v. that was a good holy man to resygne and leue his papacie And by thys meane when thys sayd Celestyne had syttē in Peters chayre a short tyme this Bonyface espyeng hys innocency whyche was all sette to the seruice of
hys promesse take partye with hym wherby they and other enemyes to y ◠comon welth myght be recoūceyled whereunto the kynge answered and sayd that the regēt had brokē y e sayd accorde For where he by hys dylygēce laboure had brought the cytezyns to a nere poynt of recōciliacyon submyssiō the regent by the meane of that assaute whyche he made vnto the towne caused the sayd cytezeyns to renoūce all theyr former graunt to bynde them vpō theyr former wyl fulnesse After whyche answere thus gyuen by the kyng the regēt caused his people to passe y e ryuer of Sayne by a brydge made of botes and so to brenne the towne of Uyttry diuers other townes robbed pylled the coūtrey there about Upō the .xiiii. day of Iuly dyuers of the towne of Parys issued oute of the towne with the ayde of the Englyshmen endeuoured them to haue socoured the sayde towne of Uyttry with also to haue destroyed y e brydg At whych iournay they bare them so well that with theyr shotte they woūded many of theyr enemies and toke prysoner the regentes marshall named syr Reynolde de Fountaynes with dyuers other after retourned vnto theyr cytye Upon the .xix. day of Iuly y e quene Iohn̄ syster vnto y e kyng of Nauern̄ with the archebysshop of Lyons the bysshop of Parys with certayne other temporall persones of the cytye yode vnto a place assygned withoute the towne where with them met the regent certayne of hys coūsayll at lengthe cōcluded an unyte and cōcorde betwene the sayd regent cytesyns without farther payne or exacciō to be put vnto them excepte that the sayd cytesyns shuld humbly submytte thē vnto the regent in aknowlegyng theyr offēce askyng of hym mercy grace for the same ouer y t to be ordered forther as the kynge of Nauerne the sayd quene Iohn̄ with the duke of Orleaūce the erle of El cāps wolde deme adiuge and that graunted the regēt to opyn all ways passages as well by lāde as by water that al marchaūtes may passe as they before tymes vsed in lykewise they of the cytye to opyn the gates of the towne and to receyue all straungers AFter whych agremente thus cōcluded agreed with all other before made betwene the kyng the regent to be maynteyned vpholden the regēt sent from hym moch of hys people appoynted the sayd bisshoppes the other for the towne to mete with hym y e .iiii. day folowynge at a place called Laiguy syr Marne where he wolde haue also the kynge of Nauerne the other to perfyghte and clerely fynysh the sayd agremēt vpō thys made proclamacions thorough the hoste that a good and perfyght peace was agreed wherefore many of the hoste for dyuers causes theym mouynge yode towarde the cytye trustyng there gladly louynglye to be receyued But vpōn y e morne whan they came vnto the gates they fande them watched with harnessed men whyche wolde none suffre to entre but suche as them lyked amōg the whyche one named Macequetta seruaunte of the regētes was mysse entreated And nat withstādyng that accorde yet the mouable goodes of suche as were with the regent had houses within the cytie where disperbled and stroyed Upon the .xxi. day of Iuly euyn of mary Magdaleyne a stryfe began to kyndell within the cytye so that y e cytesyns complayned them vpon the Englysshemen surmysynge agayne thē dyuers causes By meane wherof the comonte in a fury yode vnto the palaye of Necl where at y t tyme many of the capytaynes of the Englysshemen dyned wyth the kynge of Nauerne vpon whome they fell sodeynly and slewe of them vpō .xxiiii. after in diuers places of y e citie toke the other deale to the noūbre of .iiii. C. or thereupon and closed theym in dyuers prysons with whych doyng the kynge of Nauerne with also the prouoste and other the gouernoures of the cytye were right fore discontented wherfore vpō the day folowyng the kynge assembled the comynaltye at theyr comon halle entendynge by plesaūt wordes to haue caused them to haue ben repētaunt of the murder of the foresayd capytaynes also to haue gotten the remenaunte oute of pryson But the more the kynge spake for the Englysshemen the more woder were they dysposed agayne theym sayenge y t those whyche were within the cytye shulde nat alonely be putte to deth but also suche as were at sait Denys whyche there spoyled that towne countrey enuyron and had had suche wordes vnto the kynge y t in the ende he wyth the prouost the other gouernoures were fayne to graunte vnto them that they wolde go with theym for to helpe to dystres the sayde Englysshemen And so the same daye agayne nyght the comōs yssued by the gate of saynt Honoure the kynge of Nauerne with the prouost theyr company went out by y e wyndemylle so that in the sayd assēbles of the kynge the comons were noumbred vppon .xvi. C. speres and of foote men vpon .viii. M. whan the kynge with hys company was comē into the feelde where the sayd wyndemylle stādeth he houed there well vp on halfe an houre to se what y e other company wolde do The whych sent out .iii. speres to espye where the Englyshmen were and espyed of theym vpō .xl. or .l. that apered by a woddes syde nere vnto saynt Clow and wenynge that the sayde Englysshemen there had bē no mo retourned shewed what they had sene whereupon the sayde comons in all haste spedde theym thyther And whā they were within the daunger of theyr shotte y e Englysshmen issued oute of dyuerse parties of the wode and woūded and slewe many of them wherwith the other beynge fered fled incontinently whome the Englysshemen pursued so cruelly that they slewe of the fote men vpon .vi. C. in all whych season the kyng of Nauern̄ and also y e prouost with theyr peple stode styl neuer moued towarde thē for theyr defence or ayde After thys scomfyture thus susteyned by the Parysyens the kyng lefte the cytye and rode vnto saynt Denys and the prouoste wyth hys company returned vnto Parys where he was receyued wyth hydyous noyse and crye aswel of womē as mē for y t he so cowardly had suffered hys neyghbours to be woūded and slayne By reasō of this the murmure of the people encreased dayly more and more agayne the prouost so that in maner a party was taken betwene the prouoste and the other gouernours of the cytye and the comynaltye For the comons wolde haue put to deth many of the prysoners of the Englysshemen but y e prouost with hys affynyte let them and preserued them from theyr fury and malyce And vpon the .xxvii. daye of Iuly beynge frydaye the sayd prouost beyng encōpanyed wyth .viii. score or ii C. mē in harnesse yode vnto Louure and other prysons and toke out y e sayd Englysshemen
waters whyche they myghte sonest attayne â—nto and so wyth greate dyffyculte saued theym selfe In meane tyme whereof the chauÌ„ber beynge wyth the same tyred grewe in so greate a flame that in shorte whyle the more parte of that lodgynge was consumed to y e great fere of y e kynge and other astates thaÌ„ there beynge presente and augmentynge agayne of his former sykenes so that certayne appoyntementes to be holdeÌ„ betwene hym and Rychard kynge of Englande were for that tyme put of IN the .xvi. yere of thys Charles the maryage of peace betwene bothe realmes was concluded and fynysshed at Calays as before I haue shewed to you in the .xix. yere of kyng Rycharde And that triumphe fynysshed Charles at the coÌ„templacyon and prayer of the kynge of Hungry sent vnto hym Phylyp erle of Arroys wyth dyuers other knyghtes in good noumber to ayde y e sayd kynge agayne the Turkys The whyche after that they hadde there a season warred the capytaynes the more party of the Frenchemen of the Turkys were dystressed slayne many taken prisoners to theyr great charge Thys Charles thus contynuyng hys lykenesse two freres of saynte Augustynes order beynge desyrous of money toke vppon theym to cure the kyng And after they had shauen hys hede and mynistred to hym medicyns the kynge dayly febled in suche wyse y t he was nye dede For whiche coÌ„syderacyon they examyned by phylosophers and doctours of physyke founden vncunnynge were degraded of theyr presthode after behedded To thys folye were these fretes broughte by the excytynge of the duke of Burgoyne as the common fame went In the .xix. yere of thys Charles the lande of Fraunce was greuously vexed wyth the plage of ipydymye of whyche sykenesse a greate multytude of people dyed And that yere was there also sene a blasynge starre of wonderfull bygnes wyth stremes apperynge to meÌ„nes syghte of moste feruent brennynge In thys yere also Charles herynge of y e subduyng of kynge Rycharde sente into Englande two of hys housholde knyghtes requyrynge kynge Henry the fourth than newelye made kynge to sende home hys doughter Isabell latelye maryed vnto kyng Rychard wyth suche do war as wyth hyr was promysed In doynge of whyche message kynge Henry toke such dyspleasure that as sayeth Gagwinus myne auctour he threwe the sayde twoo knightes in prysone where through one of theym named Blanchet dyed in Englande and that other called Henry after greate sykenesse retourned into Fraunce And shortely after kynge Henry sente the sayde dame Isabell vnto Calays where she was ioyously receyued of the Frenchemen and so conueyed vnto hyr sayde father whyche as yet was nat of hys sykenesse cured By reason whereof among the lordes of FrauÌ„ce eueryche of them coueytyng to haue rule great dyssencion malyce begaÌ„ to kendle and specyallye betwene the dukes of Orleaunce of Burgoyne and of Berry Than the duke of Orleaunce enteÌ„dyng to promote hys cause vnknowyng the other lordes allyed hym wyth y e duke of Geldre streÌ„ghthed hym wyth .v. C. men of hys so entred the feeldes of Parys And in lyke maner y e duke of Burgoyne wyth a stronge coÌ„pany kept an other cooste of y e countrey Natwythstandyng by meanes of other lordes these two dukes were kept a sunder at lenghte y t duke of Orleyaunce by the kynges comaundement that somewhat was than amended was ordayned regente of the realme The whiche anone as he was sette in auctoryte fell to all rauyne and oppressed the people with cotydyan taskes and tallages and y e spirituall men with dymes other exaccyons wherfore by reason of the studyentes of Parys he was at lengthe discharged of that dignyte and the duke of Burgoyne for hym put in auctoryte Than the duke of Orleyaunce beynge discontented yode vnto LuceÌ„bourgth a towne in highe Almayne sought agayne ayde of the duke of Geldre foresayd But by his frendes he was so aduertysed y t with his owne folkes he returned into Fraunce But yet the malyce and stryfe a twene hym and the duke of Burgoyne seased nat About this season or soone after dyed the duke of Brytayne And as affermeth the auctour afore named kyng Henry y e .iiii. maryed his wyfe wherof hering y e duke of Burgoyne with a company of .vi. M. knyghtes entred Brytayne there by strength toke from her her .iii. sonnes named IohnÌ„ Richard Arthure presented them vnto kynge Charles In y e xxii yere of this Charles was borne of Isabell hys wyfe a man chylde which also was named Charles the which after the deth of his father vnto y e great aduersyte of all the realme of FrauÌ„ce was king of that realme contrary the appointment taken a twene Henry the .v. after kynge of Englande and thys Charles the father nowe of Fraunce kynge as after shall more appere in the story of the sayde kynge Henry the fyfte In this yere also was dame Isabell somtyme wyfe of Rycharde latelye kynge of Englande maryed vnto Charles eldeste sonne of the duke of Orleyaunce And IohnÌ„ the eldyste of the .iii. forenamed sonnes of the duke of Brytayne lately dede toke to wyfe Margarete y e doughter of kynge Charles And Phylyppe duke of Burgoyne dyed soone after leauynge an heyre after hym named IohnÌ„ The whyche after he was gyrde with the swerde of the duchye of Burgoyne he anone by euyll entysynge and counsell areryd warre agayne the duke of Orleyaunce to the great dysturbaunce of all the realme For the sayde duke of Orleyaunce was a prynce of a wonderfull hyghe courage and desyrous of great honoure and after the sayenge of Gagwynus coueyted to be kynge of Fraunce The whyche went to Auyngnyon where as than sate the .xiii. Benet thaÌ„ pope duryng the scisme and admytted by some of the Cardynalles after the dethe of Clement y e .vi. To whiche Benet the said duke made great labour to depryue the Uniuersite of Parys from y e great auctoryte y t it at those dayes stode in whiche was of merueylous auctoryte than as sayeth the forenamed auctour In thys whyle thus endurynge the lande full of myseryes aduersites the quene which y t moche fauoured the dukes partie accompanyed with the sayd duke rode to take her dysporte of huntynge in to the countrey of Meldon To whiche place she sente letters vnto the Dolphyn by y e duke of Bauary her brother that he with hys wyfe whiche was doughter vnto the duke of Burgoyne shulde come for to dysporte theym whereof IohnÌ„ thanne duke of Burgoyne beynge warned suspected the quene that she wyth ayde of the duke wolde conueye the Dolphyn into Germanye and there to holde hym at theyr pleasures And to eâ—peche that purpose he iÌ„ all haâ—e sped him towarde y e Dolphyn and contrary the mynde of the duke of Bauarye whiche than was vpon his waye with the sayd Doulphyne towarde the quene retourned hym and lodged him in a stronge castell called Lupar whereof herynge the duke
CCCC.xxvi  wyllyam Mylrede  IohnÌ„ Couentre Mercer  Anno .iiii.  IohnÌ„ Brokle  IN thys yere the .xxix. daye of Octobre and selfe same daye that the mayre for the yere folowyng yerely at westmynster taketh hys charge at suche tyme as he was holdynge hys great dyner he was by y e lorde protectour sent for in spedy maner And whan he was comyn to hys presence he gaue to hym a streyghte commaundemente that he shulde se that the cytye were suerly watched in that nyght folowyng and so it was Than vpon the morowe folowynge about .ix. of the clok certayne seruauÌ„tes of the forenamed bysshope wolde haue entred by the brydge gate But the rulers therof wolde nat suffre theÌ„ in so great nombre but kepte theym out by force lyke as before they were commaunded wherwyth they beyng greuously dyscontented gaderyd to them a more nombre of archers and men of armys and assauted the gate wyth shot other meanes of warre In so moche that the commoÌ„s of the cytye herynge thereof shytte in theyr shoppes sped them thyder in great nombre And lykely it was to haue ensued great effusyoÌ„ of blode shortly therupon ne had ben the dyscrescion of y e mayre and hys brethern that exorted y e people by all polytyke meane to kepe the kynges peas And in this passe tyme the archebysshop of CauÌ„torbury wyth the prynce of Portyngale and other toke greate laboure vpon them to pacyfye thys varyauÌ„ce betwene the lord protectour and the bysshope in so moche that they rode betwene theym .viii. tymes or they might brynge them to any resonable conformyte Than lastly they agreed to staÌ„de to the rule of the regeÌ„t or of suche as he wolde assygne wherupoÌ„ y e cytye was set in a more quiete ThaÌ„ the bisshop of wynchester wrote a letter vnto y e duke of Bedforde or lord regeÌ„t wherof y e tenure ensueth RIght hyghe and myghty price ryght noble and after one leuest erthly lord I recommaunde me vnto your grace wyth all myne hert And as ye desyre the welfare of the kyng our soueraygne lorde of hys realmes of Englande of Fraunce your owne weale wyth all yours haste you hyder for by my trouthe ye tary longe we shall put thys laÌ„de in ieopardy wyth a felde such a brother ye haue here god make hym a good man For your wysdome knoweth well that the profyte of FrauÌ„ce standeth in the welfare of England Ryght hygh myghty prynce I beseche you holde mayster Iohan Estcourt your couÌ„cellour excused of hys taryeng for it is moche agayne hys wyll But the counsayll here hath made hym do coÌ„trary hys mynde And that it may lyke you to gyue credeÌ„ce vnto your chamberlayne syr Robert Boteler And the blessed Trinite kepe you wryten in great haste at LoÌ„don the laste day of Octobre UpoÌ„ the .x. day of Ianuary nexte ensuynge y e sayde duke of Bedforde wyth hys wyfe came vnto London And with theÌ„ came also the sayd bysshop of wynchester And the mayre the cytezyns receyued hym at Merton coÌ„ueyed hym thorugh y e cytye vnto westmynster where he was lodged in y e kyngê palays the bysshop of wynchester was lodged wythin y e abbottes lodgynge Than vpoÌ„ the morow folowynge or y e .xi. day of Ianuary y â— mayre presented the regeÌ„t wyth a payere of basyns of syluer ouer gylte in them a M. marke of golde But the bisshop had so incenced hym agayn the cytye that they receyued but a small thaÌ„ke for all theyr labour and coste Upon y e .xxi. day of February thaÌ„ began a great couÌ„sayl at saiÌ„t Albonys and after it was adiourned vnto Northampton But for due conclusyons myghte nat be dryuen by the sayde counsayll therfore vppon the xxv daye of Marche ensuynge was called a parlyament at Leyceter the whyche endured tyll the xv daye of Iuny folowynge Thys was cleped of the comon people the parlyament of battes The cause was for proclamacyons were made that men shuld leue theyr swerdes other wepyns in theyr innys the people toke great battes stauys in theyr neckes and so folowed theyr lordes maysters vnto the parlyament And whan y e wepyn was inhybyted them thanne they toke stones pluÌ„mettes of lede and trussed them secretly in theyr sleuys bosomys Durynge the parliament amoÌ„ge other notable thynges for the weale of the realme the varyaunce that was betwene the forsayd lordes was herin debated argued In so moche that the duke of Glouceter put in a byll of coÌ„playnt agayn the bysshop conteynyng .vi. artycles wherof the fyrst was that where the lorde protectour wolde haue had his lodgynge wythin the towre of London he was by the comforte ayde defended let of the bysshop and of Richard wydeuile esquyer thaÌ„ being Lyeutenaunt of the same The secoÌ„d was for that that the bysshop wolde haue remoued y e kyng from ElthmÌ„ haue sette hym at hys gouernauÌ„ce without the aduyce and counsayle of the lorde protectour The thyrde was that whan the duke was enformed of the bysshoppes entent and he entendynge accordynge to his offyce and duetie in peasyble wyse to haue rydeÌ„ to y e kyng to haue gyueÌ„ vpoÌ„ him attendaunce y e bysshop enteÌ„dynge y e distruccioÌ„ of y e duke asseÌ„bled a great multytude of men of armes and archers in Southwarke ther drewe the cheyne at the brydge fote and set vp pypes other engynes to stoppe the kynges hye way ordeyned meÌ„ to stande in chambres and solers to throwe stones and by theyr ordenauÌ„ces and pollycy to haue destroyed y e duke and his company The .iiii. artycle was that kynge Henry the fyft shulde by his lyfe tyme shewe vnto y e sayde duke that by the openynge of a spaynell a man was taken behynd a tapet in one of the kynges chaÌ„bres The whiche man after examyned by the erle of Arundel confessed that he was sent thyther by y e sayde bysshop to the ende to murther kynge Henry the forth After whiche coÌ„fessyon the sayd erle let sakke that man and so cast hym into the Thamys The fyft was that the sayd Henry the fyft beynge prynce and heyre parant to the crowne the sayd bysshop shuld come vnto hym and say that for somoche as his father was vexed with greuous sekenes was not apte to come in conuersacion of the people nor myght not conueniently gyde the realme that he therfore shulde take vp on hym the rule and gouernaunce of the same and put his father from all kyngly power The .vi. and last artycle was that sediciously the sayd bysshop hadde by his letters sent lately vnto the duke of Bedforde wrongfully accused hym in that he shulde areyse the kynges people and iuparde this lande by a felde contrary to the kynges peas and comon wele of this lande All which articles were by y e bysshop wele and suffycyently answered and replyed so y t he layde from hym the blame
Calays for .xviii. M. li. whyche summes of money whan they had receyued y e sayd lordes of one assent made ouer y e forenamed mayster IohnÌ„ Dynham wyth a stronge company sent hym vnto Sandwyche to wynne y e kynges nauye than there lyenge and other thynges for theyr nedes necessary The whyche sped hym in suche wyse that he toke the lord Ryuers in hys bedde wanne the town toke the lord Scalys sonne vnto the sayd lord Riuers with other ryche prayes and after tooke of the kynges nauy what shyppes them lyked and after retourned vnto Calays nat without consent agremeÌ„t of many of y e mariners whych owyd theyr synguler fauours vnto the erle of warwyke In thys iourney was the sayde Iohan Dynham sore hurt that he was may med vpon the legge haltyd whyle he lyued after Than after this iourney thus acheuyd the sayd lordes by tayled and maÌ„ned the sayd shyppes sent wyth them as chefe capytayne the erle of warwyke into Irelande to speke wyth the duke of yorke and to haue hys counsayll for maters coÌ„cerning theyr charge as reentre into this lande and other where whaÌ„ he had happelye sped hys nedys he retourned towarde Calays bryngyng wyth hym hys mother the couÌ„tesse of Salysbury also kepte hys course tyll he came into the west couÌ„trey where at that tyme was the duke of Gretyr as admyrall of the see wyth a competeÌ„t nouÌ„ber of shyppes well maÌ„ned in so moche that the erle of warwyke prouyded to haue gyuen batayll vnto â—he sayd duke yf he hadde made any couÌ„tenaunce toward him But the duke harde suche murmure speche amoÌ„ge hys owne company whych fouÌ„ded vnto the erle of warwykes fauoure that he thoughte it was more vnto hys profyte to suffre hym to passe than to fight with him But were it for thys cause or for other which y e commoÌ„ fame ruÌ„neth vppoÌ„ which were loÌ„ge to wryte certayn trouth it is that the sayd erle passed wythout fyghte came in sauete to Calays In thys passe tyme a parliament or great couÌ„sayll was holdeÌ„ at Couentre By auctoryte whereof the duke of yorke and all the other foresayde lordes wyth many other were attaynted and theyr laÌ„des goodes seased to the kynges vse And for the more surer defeÌ„ce that they shuld nat efte lande in KeÌ„t prouisioÌ„ was made to defende the haueÌ„s portys vppon the sees syde And at Sandwyche was ordeyned a new streÌ„gthe wyth a capitayn named syr SymoÌ„de MouÌ„forde And ouer thys prouision was ordeyned that no marchauÌ„t passyng into the costys of FlauÌ„ders shulde passe or go by Calays for fere that any shuld come to y e ayde of the sayd lordes But thys prouysyon natwythstandyng comfort to them was sent dayly out of EnglaÌ„d Than these lordes herynge of all thys prouysyon made vppoÌ„ the sees syde to wythstaÌ„de theyr laÌ„dynge sent out an other company vnto SaÌ„dewyche the whych there skyrmysshed wyth the sayd syr SymoÌ„de Mountforde in the ende toke hym broughte hym vnto Ryse Banke there smote of hys hede The foresayd lordes than coÌ„syderynge the strengthe whych they had wyth them and manyfolde frendes hartys which they had in sundry places of EnglaÌ„d condysceÌ„ded for to sayle into Englande so to bryng about theyr enteÌ„t purpose whych was as the coÌ„mon fame went to put a parte frome the kynge all suche persones as were enemyes to the coÌ„mon weale of the laÌ„de And thys to bryng aboute after they had set the towne of Calays in an order sure kepyng they toke shyppynge so sayled into EnglaÌ„de landed at Douer and from theÌ„s helde on theyr iourney thorughe Kente so that they came to LondoÌ„ the .ii. daye of Iuly And after they had there refresshed theym and theyr people they departed thense sped theym towarde the kynge which at y e same tyme of theyr laÌ„dynge was at Couentry and there gathered his people so came vnto Northampton where he pyght hys felde wherof the sayd lordes beynge enfourmed sped them thytherward so that vpoÌ„ the .ix. day of Iuly bothe hostys there mette foughte there a cruell batayll But after long fyght the victory fell vnto the erle of Salysbury and the other lordes vpoÌ„ his partye the kynges hoste was sparcled chased many of hys noble men slayen AmoÌ„ge the whyche was the duke of Buckynghan the erle of Shrowsbury y e vycouÌ„t BeaumouÌ„d the lorde EgremoÌ„de wyth many other knyghtes and esquyers and the kyng taken in the felde After whych victory thus by these lordes opteyned they in goodly haste after retourned vnto LondoÌ„ and broughte wyth them the kynge kepyng hys estate lodged hym in the bysshop of LondoÌ„ palays And after spedye knowelege sent of all the premysses vnto y e duke of yorke yet beyng in IrelaÌ„de a parlyameÌ„t in the name of the kyng was than called holden at westmynster Durynge whych parlyament y e duke of yorke came vnto westmynster vpoÌ„ the frydaye before saynte Edwardes day or the .x. day of October and lodged hym in the kynges palays wherof anone arose a noyse thorugh the cytye that kynge Henry shuld be deposed the duke of yorke shulde be kynge UppoÌ„ thys this parlyamente thus contynuynge the duke came one daye into the parlyament chaumber there boldely beyng the lordes present sette hym downe in the kynges sete so there sittynge made a pretence and clayme vnto the crown affermyng it to be hys ryghtfull enherytauÌ„ce had there certayn bolde wordes in iustyfyenge of the same wherewyth all the lordes presente were greatly dysmayed For thys great many opynions were moued among the lordes Howe be it aswell dyuers of hys frendes as other were of the mynde that he shuld nat be admytted for kynge duryng the lyfe of kyng Henry For appeasynge wherof many great couÌ„sayles were kepte aswell at the blacke freres as at westmynster In all whych tyme and season the quene wyth suche lordes as were of hyr affynyte helde them in the north couÌ„trey assembled to theym greate strengthe in the kynges name to the ende to subdue as she sayde the kynges rebelles and enemyes Thus contynuynge thys vnkyndenesse betwene the kynge and the duke all be it that at that season bothe the kynge and he were bothe lodged within the palays of westmynster yet wolde he natte for prayer nor instaunce ones bysyte the kynge nor see hym tyll the counsayll were concluded vppon some fynall ende concernyug thys greate matter the whyche so continued the full terme of this mayres yere Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lx.  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lxi. Grocer Rycharde Flemynge  Rycharde Lee.  Anno .xxxix.  IohnÌ„ Lambarde  THys yere whyche was in the begynnynge of the xxxlx yere of kyng Henryes reygne that is to meane vpoÌ„ the euyn of all sayntes or the laste day of October it was condyscended by the lordes spyrytuall temporall by the hole auctoryte of the sayd parliament that
of y e dedys actes of the Romayns and of other peple dwellyng at those dayes in Italia Gallia Germania For where the sayd Gaufryde sayth y t at such tyme Belyn and Brenne made warre in Italye Gabius Porsena were at that day consules of Rome that sayeng is farre dyscordaunt vnto the other foresayd authours For as they afferme at the tyme whenne BreÌ„ne besegyd Rome Claudiê° Emilius Lucius Lucretius were consulis Furius Camillus was at y e tyme dictatour of Rome and none lyke vnto the other were coÌ„sules many yeres before nor after But trouth yt is that the sayde .ii. bretherne dyd many great actes in y e forenamed countres but not all accordynge wyth the sayeng of y e sayd Gaufride For where he referreth all those dedys to bothe bretherne the forenamed Titus Liuiê° spekyth but of Brenne onely as yt shall some dele be touched hereafter wherefore to folowe the moste wryters when Belyn hadde dwelled a certayne of tyme wyth hys brother Brenne in those partyes by agrement of them both Belyn retourned into Britayn and Brenne remayned there THE XXXI CHAPITER WHen Belinus or Belyn was retourned into Brytayne he repayred olde cytyes and buyldyd vppon the ryuer of Uske a cytye and called yt Caeruske nere vnto the ryuer of Seuerne This city was after namyd y e cyty of LegioÌ„s for so mych as y e legions of Romaynes were lodgyd wythin y e same citye now yt is called Caerleon or Carleon Also he buylded an hauen wyth a gate there ouer wythin TroynouaÌ„t in y e summer or pynacle wheron was set a vessell of brasse in the which was closyd the asshes of his brent body when he was dede This gate was long after called Belyns or Belinê° gate but at this day yt is called Belyngesgate In this whyle that Belinus was thus occupyed in Brytayne his broder Brenne desyrous to wynne fame and honoure buylded in Italy and other partes of Gallia these cytyes and townes folowynge Mediolana or Mylleyn in LuÌ„bardy Papya or Papy Burgamum or Sena or ☞ Comum or Briria or Uerona or Uincentia or ☞ Cremona or Mantua or The whyche cytyes and townes were buylded of the Gallis or at the leste new repayred in the tyme that Brenne was theyr leder or duke all be yt that some wryters wold meane that Comum Cremona were buylded after Brenne was dede Policronica wytnessyth that the Senons whych he meaneth by y e Gallis dwellyng aboute the cytye of Sena by y e ledyng of BreÌ„nus ouercame the Romaynes .xi. myle from Rome at the ryuer Albia chasyd them to Rome and toke the city vnto the Capitoll after leyd syege to y e same Capitol And vppon a nyght whyle the wardeyns of y e Capitoll slepte y e FreÌ„shemen or Gallys by a waye vnder the erth came into the Capitoll were lykely to haue wonne it But a noble Romayne named Mallius or Manlius Torquatus awoke by the cryeÌ„g or noyse of a gander or gaÌ„ders The which Manlius awakyng the other Romaynes put of the Gallys For whych cause y e Romayns long tyme after helde a feste of ganders y e fyrst daye of Iune Neuerthelesse afterwarde they called it InoÌ„s feste for so mych as they thought that Iuno y e goddes had by her influence gyuen that grace vnto the ganders that they shuld by theyr noyse awake the Romayns But yet the Gallis or frenchmen held y e Romayns so short y t they were coÌ„pelled to gyue vnto Bren theyr duke a thousand pouÌ„de weyght of gold as therof is wytnesse Titê° Liuius And further more sayth y e sayd Liuiê° that y e Gallis slewe of the senatours many in nomber the whych fyrste they supposed hadde ben goddes bycause of theyr ryche apparell whych they sat in But shortly after this the forenamyd Furius Camillus whiche was called agayne froÌ„ the citye of Ardea where he was outlawed before by the comontye of Rome in this nede made agayne dictatour The which pursued Brenne and his people and to theym gaue batayll sleynge of them a great multytude and wanne from them all the golde and iewellys that before tyme y e Gallis hadde wonne of the Romaynes The whyche dede was done as wytnessyth the foresayd Titus Liuius the yere after the buyldyng of Rome iii. hundred and .lxv. whych was the yere of the worlde folowynge the accompt of this worke foure thousand viii hundred and .xxxv and before Crystys incarnacyon kepynge the same accompt .iii. hundred and .lxiiii. Then yt foloweth in the storye of Brenne when he was thus dyscomfyted of the Romaynes he tourned his people towarde the Macedones or Grekes and dyuyded his people in two hostes wherof he reteyned y t one with hym and that other he sent into a countre called then Gallacia and after Gallogreci and lastly Galates Then Brenne ouercame the Macedons with theyr duke SostenÌ„ and after spoyled the goddes theyr temples sayde in his game ryche goddes muste gyue to men somedele of they re rychesse Also he spoyled the temple of the god Apolyne Delphicus standynge in the hyll of the mounte Parnasus wherfore as testifyeth the wryter Policarpus the people of that countre prayed to god for helpe and sodaynly the erth beganne to quake and a great parte of the hyll fell vpon the hoste of Gallis and theÌ„ slew And after that ensued and fyll to grounde hayle stones of suche greatnesse y t yt slew one other great parte of the sayde hoste duke Brennus was sore wounded wher by he fyll in suche dyspayre that he slew hym self with his owne swerde No man shall wonder though thys Apolyn toke wreche of theÌ„ that spoyled the goddes and theyr temples For god sufferyd Apolyn to destroy many nacyons because of theyr trespasses and euyll lyuynge For yt is certayne that spyrytes of the eyre may vse theyr shrewdnes in theÌ„ that be of mysbyleue and vse euyll dedes For grace is wythdrawen from such maner of men wherfore the spirites haue the more power to hurte and greue them Then syns I haue here shewed vnto you the fyne or ende of Brennus I shall nowe retourne my style vnto his brother Belynus the whyche as before is towched endeuoryd hym aboute the weale of hys lande of Brytayne and his people duryng y e tyme of his reygne in executyng of many notable dedes the whyche for length of tyme I ouer passe so that lastely he dyed and was buryed as before is sayde at Belius or Belinus gate wythin Troynouante or London when he had reygned wyth his brother and alone after the most concordauÌ„ce of wryters .xxvi. yeres leuyng after hym a sonne called Gurguyntus Gurguynt Brabtruc or aftersome wryters Gurguynt Barberous whyche is to meane Gurguynt wyth the red berde THE XXXII CHAPITER GUrguintus or Gurguynt the sonne of Belyne was made kynge of the lande of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde foure M.viii hundred and .xxxiiii. This in the englyshe cronycle
of Romaynes as wytnessyth Policronica coÌ„queryd and wanne agayne the sayde trybute wythout great fyght And y t done he also subdued the yles of Orchades or Orkeys whych stande beyonde ScotlaÌ„d within the great Occean and after tourned agayne to Rome the .vi. moneth after that he came thens The cronycle of Englande and also Gaufryde saye that in the hoste of the Romaynes was a captayne named Hame or Hamo the whych entendynge hurte and destruccyon of y e Brytons chaunged his shelde or armure dyd vppon hym the armure of a Britayne And by that meane as a Briton mysclad he entred into the thyckest of the hoste and lastely vnto the place where as kynge Guyderius faught shortly after slewe the kynge But Aruiragus seynge this sodayne myschyefe to the ende y t the Brytons shulde not gyue backe he hastely causyd hym selfe to be armed wyth the cognysaunce of the kynge And so for kyng coÌ„tynued the fyght wyth such maÌ„hode that the Romaynes were put to flyght Thus by accorde of wryters Guyderius was slayne of the foresayde Hamo when he hadde reygned ouer the Brytons by the concordaunce of other hystoryes .xxviii. yeres leuyng after hym none heyre of his body to guyde the lande after his deth THE LV. CHAPITER ARuiragus the yongest sonne of Kymbelyne and brother to Guyderius before slayn was ordeyned kyng of Brytons in the yere of our lorde .xliiii. This in the englyshe boke is named Armager the whyche as there is shewed well and knyghtly maynteyned the warre agayne the Romayns and after slew the forenamed Hamo nere vnto an hauen or porte of the see And hym so slayne threwe gobet meale into the same see And for this skyll was this haueÌ„ longe tyme after called HamoÌ„s hauen whych at this daye is called Southampton Then yt foloweth in the .viii. chapyter of the .iiii. boke of Policronicon that Claudius after dyuers happes of batayll toke Aruiragê° to his grace brought his doughter Gennissa by name from Rome and maried her vnto Aruiragus And for he wolde make the place of y e maryage more solemne he therfore called the towne of mariage Claudiocestria after his name the whych before was called in bretyshe tunge Caerleon after Glouernia after a duke of Demecia that hyght Glorio but nowe this towne is named Glouceter All otherwyse telleth the englyshe cronycle sayth that Armager scomfyted Claudius and compelled hym to gyue his doughter GeÌ„nissa or GeÌ„nen to the sayde Armager to wyfe wyth condycyon that the Romayns shulde neuer after that daye clayme any trybute of Brytayne excepte alonely feawte whyche sayenge appereth doutefull for dyuers causes wherof one is that the sayde Armager shulde not constrayne Claudius to gyue his doughter to hym for so myche as the sayde Armager hadde neuer seen the sayde Gennen before tyme nor knewe not of her coÌ„uersacyon Then meruayle yt were that he shulde force her father to gyue hym a wyfe that he hadde cast no loue vnto before tyme. One other reason is that the sayde cronycle testyfyeth that after he hadde maryed the sayd Gennen he was at London crowned kynge of Englande For I wold thinke if he had ouercomeÌ„ Claudius as there is surmytted he wold fyrste haue crowned hym selfe kyng and then haue maried his doughter But by the same reason yt certifyeth more strenger the former sayenge of Policronica For by all lykelyhode Claudius wold not suffer hym to be crowned kyng tyll he hadde full perfourmed his promyse in maryage of his doughter And all be yt that myne authoure Gaufryde varyeth not myche from the englyshe cronicle I thynke in y e doynge he toke example of Homerê° that wrote the dedis and actes of the Grekes the whyche shewed and put in memory all the noble actes by theÌ„ done and specyally in the recuyll or boke made by hym of the syege of Troye But the other dedys concernynge theyr dyshonoure he hyd yt as mych as he myght And in lyke maner do many other writers which I passe ouer And so Gaufride for he was a Bryton he shewed the beste for Brytons Then yt foloweth after the solemnysacyon of this maryage whyche was with all honour finyshed Claudius sente certayne legyons of his knyghtes into Irlande to rule that countre and retourned hym selfe to Rome THE LVI CHAPITER IT was not longe after the departynge of Claudius but y t Aruiragus rode aboute his realme and wyth great dylygence repayred cytyes and townes before decayed broken wyth the strength of the Romaynes and entreated his subiectes wyth suche iustyce and good order that they loued and drad hym more then any of his progenitours This in tracte of tyme made hym welthy And by meane of this welthynes ensued pryde so y t hym thought great shame to be vnder the rule or guydynge of y e Romayns wherfore lastly he denyed the tribute before grauÌ„ted wherof when knowlege came vnto y e senate of Rome in all hast was sent a duke of Rome called Uespasyan wyth a certayne of legyons to subdue Aruiragus ye shall vnderstand that a legyon of knyghtes is .vi. thousande .vi. hundred .lxvi. when Uespasyan was landed in Brytayne as testyfyeth Polycronica he spedde hym so that in shorte whyle he subdued Aruiragus to the empyre and causyd hym to graunte payment of the foresayde trybute which was done as sayth Gaufride by entreatye of the quene Gennissa and of no constraynt nor coaccyon when Uespasyan hadde thus recoueryd the trybute he then also made subiecte to the empyre an I le in the see lyenge vpon the southsyde of Britayne now called the yle of weyght and after retourned to Rome when Aruiragus was thus secondely brought vnder the yocke of y e Romayns he became more mylde towarde them so that whyle he lyued after he payed hys trybute wyth lesse grudge and contynued hym in theyr fauours in suche wyse that he was of theym well beloued And so lastely dyed when he hadde ruled the BrytoÌ„s well and nobly by the terme of .xxx. yeres and was buryed at CaerglonÌ„ CaerleonÌ„ Claudiocestria or Glouceter leuynge after hym a sonne named Marius ⸫ THE LVII CHAPITER MArius the sonne of Aruiragê° was ordeyned kynge of Brytons in the yere of our lorde .lxxiiii. This in the cronycle of Englande is named westmer whych Marius as wytnessyth Gaufryde was an excellent wyse man and guyded his Brytons moste honourably and in grete prosperyte and welthe In the tyme of the reygne of this Mariê° a duke or kynge of a nacyon called Pyctes whych as wytnessyth Uirgilius are descendyd of a people called of olde tymes Scythis They also are named Gothis or Hunys This foresayde leder of Pictes is named of Gaufryde Londricus the which landed wyth a great nauy in the prouynce of Albania now called Scotlande and yt beganne to waste with iron and wyth fyre wherof wheÌ„ Marius was warned he in all haste assembled his knyghtes and made towarde his enymyes and gaue vnto them stronge batayll In the whych
the stepdoughter of Herculeus Maximianê° and had by her syx sonnes So that this Heleyn was his secoÌ„de wyfe whyche was fayrest of all maydens and therewyth lerned and suffycyenly lettred She is also noted of many writers to be a captyue or a prysoner to the Romaynes Of this Constantius lytell memorye is lefte in the bretyshe or englishe cronycles excepte that he receyued of the foresayde Heleyn a sonne named Constantinus the whyche after for his knyghtly marcyall dedys was called Constantyne the great But for the noble dedys of so vyctoryous a duke shuld not be hydde as was this CoÌ„stantius therfore I shall now folowe the story of Rome whych sayth that for so myche as in the tyme of Dioclesianus and Maximianus beynge emperours many couÌ„tres rebellyd agayne the empyre therfore the sayde emperoures admyttyd this Constantius and one Galerius as cesars whych was a dignyte next of authoryte to the emperours And so y e empyre was at those dayes guyded by two emperours by two cesars This ConstaÌ„tius as wytnessyth Policronica made subiecte to the empyre the Almaynes slewe of theym in one daye .lx. thousande And after other many vyctoryous dedys when the sayde .ii. emperours had of theyr free wylles resygned and gyuen ouer all imperiall dygnyte thys sayde Constantius with his forenamed felowe Galeriê° were made emperours y t is to wytte Galerius was emperour of all Iliricum whyche now is named Grecia or Grece wyth all the eest laÌ„des and CoÌ„stantiê° hadde to hym all the west landes But he helde hym contente wyth Gallia or Fraunce Spayne with Britayn graunted Italia vnto Galerius afore sayd Then he subdued the countre of Spayne as before is touched in the storye of Coelus and a parte of Gallia and after soiourned and abode in this lande of Brytayne in guydynge rulynge the same wyth great sobernesse and ordeyned his sonne gotten vpon Helayne to rule Gallia and Spayne But for to make this story more apparant open to y e readers and also to y e herers it is here to be noted that Dioclesianus or Dioclesian beganne his empyre ouer the Romaynes after moste wryters in the yere of our lorde two hundred .lxxx. and .vii. and he was emperour .xx. yeres And this CoÌ„stantius was sent into Brytayne from the senate as before is sayde in the seconde yere of y e sayde Dioclesian or the yere of oure lorde two hundred .lxxx. and .ix. whyche Constancius after he had in due maner spedde the nedes of the empyre as in subduynge this land of Brytayne as before is sayde he retourned agayn to Rome where he was shortely after made cesar and so contynued his lyfe as before ys touchyd And in the tyme of his beyng thus cesar and ruleâ— of Brytayne vnder y e emperour the blessyd and holy prothomartyr of Brytayn saynt Alboon at Uerolan was martyred in the .x. persecucyon of the chyrche as wytnessyth Policronicon whyche persecucyon beganne as testyfye Eusebiê° and Beda the .xviii. yere of the forenamed emperours Dioclesian Maximyan and endured .x. yeres that is to say in y e eest vnder Dioclesian and in the weste vnder Maâ—â—â—yan The whyche was so sharpe and feruent that wythin y e space of one moneth in dyuers places of the worlde were .xvii. thousande holy men and women martyred for Crystes fayth And when the sayde emperours left or resygned theyr imperyall dygnytye and â—adde a pryuate lyfe this sayde Constancius wyth his felowe Galerius departyd the empyre betwene them as before is touched so that he reygned as ruler of Brytayn by the terme of .xvii. yeres and more or he were emperoure And after as emperour of the weste partye of the empyre â–ª and kynge of Brytayn .xii. yeres and more And so in all y e sayd CoÌ„stantius reygned ouer Brytayne xxx yeres And lastely dyed and was buryed at yorke leuyng after hym y e foresayd son called CoÌ„stantinê° without mo that any meÌ„cyon is made of THE LXVIII CHAPITER COnstantinus the sonne of CoÌ„stancius and of Heleyne doughter of kynge Coelus in the yere of our lord .iii. huÌ„dred .xix. was made kynge of Brytayne Antoninus archbyshop of Florence wryter of hystoryes sheweth in the fyrst chapiter of the .ix. tytle of his worke called Sâ—â— Antonini that this CoÌ„stantine was made emperour or beganne to rule the empyre in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon .iii. hundred and .ix. which sayeng also affermeth UynceÌ„t historyall and other authours wherof the cause is y t the sayde authours accoÌ„pt not the yeres of the reygne of Constancius but folow the accoÌ„pte of Galerius felowe of Constancius whych reygned as emperour but .iii. yeres After the which rule yt muste nedis folowe that this Constantyne began his empyre as the sayd Antoninus wytnessyth and folowynge y e other accompt yt shulde varye Then to pursue or contynue y e storye of this Constantyne yt foloweth y t at the tyme of the decease of Constancius his fader he was occupyed in warres in Gallia those ê‘ties After whose deth he by a certayn terme ruled Brytayne the other landes the whyche his fader before helde in due maner And all be yt y t at y e daye he was a mysereant pagan yet he vsed no tyrannyes nor compelled not the Brytons to refuse the lawe and to worshyppe idollys as other tyrauntes at those dayes vsed In this whyle that Constantyne ruled thus the weste parte of this empyre one Maxentius whych was the son of Herculeus Maximianê° somtyme felowe in the empyre with Dioclesian as before is shewed was of the knyghtes of the pretory declared emperour This Maxentius was there worste of all men And as testyfyeth Eusebius other he fyrst began mekely to wynne therby loue fauour But when he was stablysshed in authorite he exercysed all tyraÌ„ny pursued all crystyens wyth all kynde of torment Also he expulsed and putte out from Rome all honour hys fader Herculeê° Maximianê° y t enteÌ„dyd agayne to haue ben emperour Of y e tyranny of this MaxeÌ„tius when CoÌ„stantyne had wyttyng he assembled a great hoste of Brytons and Gallis for to oppresse the malyce of the sayde Maxentius And for to rule and guyde this laÌ„d of Brytane in his absence he deputed and ordeyned a maÌ„ of myght called Octauius the whych Polycronica nameth duke of Iewessis that after were named west Saxons And when the sayde Constantyne had all peparyd for his voyage he betoke the lande of Brytayne vnto the sayd Octauius and after spedde hym vppon his iourney And as he was towarde his sayde iourney he sawe in his slepe the sygne of the crosse shynynge in the fyrmament as yt hadde ben a brennyng lyght of fyre and an aungell standynge therby and sayenge Constantyne toicanata which is to meane Constantyne by this token thou shalte wynne vyctorye when he awoke he called this vysyon to mynde and tolde vnto his secretes by whose counsayll he commaunded the sygne of the crosse to
as witnesseth Gaufryde was a Pict that was myche loued and greatly fauouryd of Constantyne so that he myghte at all tymes come to the kynges presence The whyche beyng an erraunt traytoure and sechynge conuenyent tyme to execute his detestable treason by a secrete meane slewe the kynge in his chamber when he hadde ben kyng after moste wryters tenne yeres THE LXXXI CHAPITER COnstantius sonne of Constantyne by meane of Uortigernus was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde foure hundred and .xliii. This as before is touched for so myche as his fader thought he was not very apt to take so great a charge as to gouerne the lande after hym became a relygious man in the monastery before named Or as some wryters meane the sayd Constante of pure deuocyon that he hadde to god and saynt Amphiabyl made hym selfe a monke vnwyttynge the kynge his fader and other his frendes But how or in what maner so euer he became a monke trouth it is that Uortigerus or Uortigernus after y e deth of Constantyne founde suche meanes that he was taken out of the abbey and crowned kynge of Brytayne By meane wherof the sayde Uortiger had all the rule of the land so that Constante hadde but onely the name This Uortyger then consyderynge the innocencye and myldenes of the kyng cast in his mynde how he myght be kynge hym selfe And amonge other meanes founde to haue aboute y e kynges persone an hundred Pictes or after some Scottes y e whych he ordeyned for a garde for the kynges persone which done he bare hym in such wyse agayne the Pictes by meanes of great gyftes otherwyse that they at length had Uortyger in such fauoure that they feryd not to saye openly that Uortyger was more worthy to be kyng theÌ„ Constant. In this whyle Uortyger gatte into his possessyon the kynges treasour and what was of hym coÌ„maunded was done though other therat murmured and grudge And euer in ryght and wronge he fauoured the foresayd Pictes or Scottes The whyche at length perceyuynge his corrupte mynde when they sawe that they had conuenyent tyme fyll vpon the kynge and hym slewe or murderyd After whych cruell dede by theym done they presentyd the hed of Constante vnto Uortiger then beyng at London wherof when he was ware to the ende that the Brytons shulde thynke that dede to be done agayne his mynde and wyll wepte made semblaunt of all sorowe and heuenes and causyd the sayde hundred knyghtes to be taken in all haste after and theym by dome and lawe of y e laÌ„d to be be heddyd by reason wherof he was taken not culpable or innocent of the kynges deth when the kynges deth was knowen to suche persones as hadde the kepyng of the two yonger bretherne Aurelius and Uter they in all haste for the more sauegarde of them fledde into lytell Brytayne there kept theym tyll yt pleasyd god ortherwyse to purueye for theym And thus as ye haue herd was kynge Constante slayne when he hadde reygned after moste wryters fyue yere THE LXXXII CHAPITER UOrtigernus duke of y e Iuesses or Uortigerê° erle of Iewesses after called westsaxons was made kynge of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred and .xlviii. and the .xviii. yere of Clodio kyng of FrauÌ„ce whych after y e deth of Constant by strength and otherwise was made kynge and ruled the land not all wythout trouble For yt was not longe or the Pictes whych hauyng knowlege of the deth and iudgemeÌ„t of theyr knightes and kynsmen that they inuaded the north partes of the lande doynge therin great harme and domage And ouer that many dyuerse of the great of the Brytons perceyuyng that the kyng Constant was not murderyd all wythout consent of the sayde Uortyger rebelled agayne hym and dayly sent and say led ouer into lytell Brytayne to the ayde and assystence of the foresayde chyldern of Constant whyche putte the sayde Uortiger to great vnrestfulnesse and the more for that that he wyst not nor knewe not in whom he myght putte his truste and confydence in wyth these perturbauÌ„ces was medled plenty of corne frute y t the lyke therof had not ben sene many yeres passyd wherwyth was ioyned lechery pestylence with many other incoÌ„ueniences so y e vice was accoÌ„pted for small or none offence The which reygned not onely in the temporalty but also in the spiritualtie hedes of the same So y e euery maÌ„ turned the poynt of his spere agaynst the trewe innocent man the coÌ„mons gaue them all to dronkeÌ„nes and ydelnes where thorough ensued fyghtynge stryfe and mych enuy Of which foresayd myschyues ensued mych mortalyte and deth of men that the lyuyng scantly suffysed in some countres to bury the dede And ouer this y e kyng was so hard beset with y e forenamed enymyes that he was coÌ„strayned as affermyth Policronica to sende for paynems as the SaxoÌ„s to helpe to withstand his enemyes and defende his lande and also he dayly ferid the landyng of Aurely and Uther Uortyger thus beynge beset wyth many aduersytyes in vysytynge hys lande and then beynge for dyuerse causes hym mouyng at Dorobernia or Caunterbury tydynges came to hym of the arryuynge of thre longe shyppes full of armed men at the yle of Tenet wherof fyrst he made countenaunce as though he hadde ben in doute whether it had ben the two brethern of Constant or none But wheÌ„ the same was blowen aboute y t they were none enymyes anon he caused the leders of them to be brought vnto his presence freynynge of theym the cause of theyr landyng of theyr nacyon and countre The whych answered vnto the kynge and sayd they were of the couÌ„tre of Germany and put out of theyr countre by a maner sorte or lot at soÌ„dry tymes vsed with in the sayde lande the whyche was vsed for so myche as the people therin encreasyd so faste that wythoute such prouysyon had the couÌ„tre shuld not suffyce for the people the whych was suche as foloweth At sondry tymes when the sayd couÌ„tre was replenyshed of people the prynces and rulers therof wolde assemble at a certayne place and call before theym the lusty yonge folkes Of the whych they wold chose out a certayne nomber and appoynte to them certayne dukes or leders with all thyng necessary to the warre And them so garnyshed wold coÌ„maunde to serche theyr adueÌ„ture to wynne some lande by theyr knyghthode where they myght inhabyte theÌ„selfe By whych vse custome thus longe vsyd now was fallen to theyr lotte to do as theyr fore faders had done before theym wherfore syns fortune had brought them to this land they besought the kyng that he wold take them to his seruyce they wold be redy to fyght for y e defence of him and his countre And when the kyng hadde enquyred farther he fouÌ„de that they had two leders named Hengistê° and Horsus and they and theyr people were called Saxons The
entende in the declarynge of thys story of Clothayre to expresse the remanaunte in as shorte wyse as I goodly may And fyrst ye shall vnderstaÌ„d that after thys fredegunde had as before is shewed causyd her lorde to be slayne she ferynge that at length her vntrouth shulde be dyscoueryd wyth all her goodes in shorte tyme after yode vnto Paris and there in the monasterye or house of our ladye held her And for she wold be in more suerty and also her son the sayd Clotharius shuld be the streÌ„ger in his domynyon and kingdome therfore she sent messengers vnto Gunthranus kynge of Orleaunce brother to her lorde Chilperich requyryng hym of fauoure and ayde that he wolde of his goodnesse be tutour defendour of her yonge sonne Clotharius The whych not denyenge the requeste of Fredegunde spedde towarde Paris in all haste where wyth the assent of other nobles of the realme he toke the gydynge of the yonge kynge By whose aduyse and coÌ„maundement the sayde Clotharius was conueyd shewyd thorough many of the chefe cytyes of his lande But in lykewyse as Gunthranus wyth other bysyed theym selfe to strength Lotharius in hys ryghte euen so were other of the nobles of FrauÌ„ce by the meanes of Brunechyeldis wyfe some tyme of Sygebert yongest sonne of Lothayre the fyrst the whyche Sygebert receyued of hys sayde wyfe two sonnes named Chilperich and Chyldebert of the whych two Chilperich suruyued the other that dyd all theyr entent to promote Chyldebert to the porcyon of hys father that Chilpericus father of Lotharius occupyed after the deth of Sigebert forenamed Here dyscordeth the frenche cronycle froÌ„ myne authour Gagwyne For there yt is sayd y e Brunechield with the other of her assent wold then by theyr meanes haue pÌ„ferred a bastard son of the forenamed Sygebert called Theodoricê° to the kyngdome of FrauÌ„ce An other authour sayth that this Theodorich was the son of Childericê° afore named whyche was the sonne of Sygebert But to folowe mayster Gagwyne This Childebert whych by y e former sayeng rehersyd in y t C. and .xiiii. chapiter of this treatyse was delyueryd from y e handes of Chilperich his vncle by meanes of the erle of Poytow named GuÌ„debald this with a small coÌ„pany came vnto Paris where of y e cyteseÌ„s he was kept out For y e which soon after he sent a noble man of his named Gillon with other as ambassadours vnto GuÌ„thranê° And where among other thynges of hym requyred they axed of him FredeguÌ„d to suffer deth for y â— she had by her subtylty caused to be murdred bothe Sygebert father to theyr kynge and also Chilpericus her owne husbande yt was of him vtterly denyed Wherfore this sayd Gyllon sayd vnto GuÌ„thranus syr kynge knowe thou for certayne synnes thou haste refused this peace to the offeryd of thy neuewe that the deth of thy brother shall cleuâ— to thy hedde wyth these wordes the kynge beynge greatly amoued commaunded the ambassadours to be putte oute of his court and when they were in the strete all fylthe and ordoure to be caste vppon theym as enymytyes And varyaunces thus kyndelyng betwene these two kinges Gunthranus soone after sent Fredegunde into Neustria or Normandy caused her there to be kepte not farre from y e citye of Roan whyther to her came many noble men of FrauÌ„ce in coÌ„fortynge her and also mouynge her for the trouble she was in promysynge to her ayde to the vttermoste of theyr power But when that Fredegunde apperceyuyd the great fauoure that Brunechyelde stode in of the nobles of Orleaunce or Fraunce she enuyenge her welth and honoure called to her an homycyde a felon called Holderyche to whom the sayde FredeguÌ„de pmysyd great treasour yf he coude by venyme or otherwyse brynge to deth the sayde Brunechieldis By meane of whych promyse he grauÌ„ted to brynge her entent about shortely after drewe vnto the court of the sayde Brunechyeldis where he fyll in suche famylyaryte wyth dyuerse of her courte that he came many seasons to the pÌ„sence of y e quene But by what happe I can not saye lastely he was taken in suspeccyon and so tormentyd pyned that he coÌ„fessyd y e cause of his thyder coÌ„myng and by whom he was sent with all y e other cyrcuÌ„staunce of the matter After whych coÌ„fessyon so made he was to betyn arrayed in moste vyle maner and so sent agayn to FredeguÌ„d And when he was comen to her presence and shewed what tourment he had suffred for her cause she incontyneÌ„t in fulfyllyng of her malycyous purpose commaunded that his handes and fete shulde be stryken of and so lette go to the ende that yt shulde be thought that she had not desyred hym to that besynesse Aboute thys tyme season arose a yonge maÌ„ in a corner of Fraunce the whych by his subtyle wytte named hym selfe to be the sonne of the fyrst Lotharius and brother vnto Gunthranê° The which by synystre meanes and crafty gatte the fauoure of the lordes of Guyan and by theyr assystence held and occupyed a great parte therof And after somdele of hys counsay les to Gunthranus by hys espyes disclosyd this sayde yonge man beyng named GuÌ„doaldus sent vnto Gunthranus an ambassade and requyryd hym to be restoryd to a porcyon of hys faders goodes Addyng therto that yf he denyed the sayde Gundoaldus wolde wyth a strong armye repayre out of Gwyan and get hys ryght wyth strength that to bryng about he shulde also haue great ayde of Chyldebert his neuewe aboue named whan kynge Gunthranus had at leyser herde the message he in dysdaynyng the same coÌ„maunded them to be sette vppon horse backes theyr facys towarde the tayle and so with betynge and vylanye to be dryuen thorough the town It was not long after that a daye was appoyntyd betwene Gunthranus and Childebert at whych day both prynces met with great companyes lordes And wheÌ„ they were sette in theyr counsayll Gunthranê° coÌ„maunded the foresayd messyngers of Gundoaldus to be brought to fore them there agayne to recyte theyr foresayde message whych done he shewyd furthermore that the sayd Gundoalde had before tyme dispoyled the doughter of I hil peryche named Rygonde of all such rychesse as she wyth her conueyed when she went towarde Spayne to be maryed of the whyche some lordes of Childebert were of counsayll whyche vnto the sayde two prynces was thought trewe for so myche as the sayde lordes then accusyd were absent from that great counsayll THE CXXIII CHAPITER AFter many and great actes concludyd by thys counsayll betwene these two foresayd prynces Gunthranus in open audyence admytted hys neuewe Chyldebert for his heyre for so mych as he had none heyre of hys bodye commyttynge the rule therof to hym before all that were there And after toke hym aê‘te and shewyd to hym whych of his nobles he shulde take to counsayll and whyche he shuld refuse And specyally he warnyd hym to be well ware
clergy wherfore the byshoppes for a redresse and remedy coÌ„playned them vnto kynge Pepyn Then Pepyn sent vnto hym monestynge hym in fayre and goodly maner that he shuld exchew and forbere such doyng And for the duke wolde not abstayne for the kynges coÌ„mauÌ„dement he in shorte whyle assembled hys army and entred the territory of Guyan in wastynge and spoylynge the countrey And in so shorte whyle after put the duke in suche fere that he was fayne to aplye hym to y e kynges mynde and pleasure and bound hym to restore to the clergy all that he had before taken by extort power But whan the sayde duke was assuryd of y e kinges retorne into FrauÌ„ce he gathered a strength of knyghtes and sent theym to the cytye of Chalours in Burgoyne and dyd that he cowde or myghte to the domage of that towne and countrey In whych season the kynge was at the towne or cytye called Dury whyther and to the whyche towne tydynges were brought to hym of the vntrew dealynge of thys foresayd duke where wyth he beynge sore dyscontent retournyd wyth his people into GuyaÌ„ and therein bete downe many strong holdys castlellys and toke or woÌ„ne at length burbon Cancaruyle and CleremouÌ„t and from thens wasting the couÌ„trey wyth iron and fyre yode tyll he came to Lymoges And for y e wynter came on hande the kyng for the ease and sauegard of his people strengthyd these foresayde cytyes townes and holdes that he before had wonne and than yode to a place called Cause or Caus there kepte hys crystmasse and ester And whan the new season was come not forgettynge hys former purpose reentryd the foresayd duchy of Guyan in wastynge the londe as he before hadde done and after toke by strength the cytyes of Burgies and Towrs In whyche season and tyme the duke wolde neuer apere in playne felde but kepte hym in strong holdes as one was wone he fled into another Thys warre thus contynuynge the countreye and people were sore empouerysshed wherfore they lastly consyderynge the obstynacy of theyr duke wyth also the greate daunger which they stode in murderyd theyr sayde duke and after yelded them the couÌ„trey to the kynges obeysauÌ„ce wyth all suche treasure and iewelles as to the sayd duke belonged where of Pepyn offerd a great parte of theÌ„ vnto saynte Denys Thys warre thus ended wyth many other notable workes whereof the rehersall in order wolde aske a longe tracte of tyme thys vyctoryous prynce Pepyn was vexed wyth greuous sykenesse wherfore in all haste he sped hym vnto saynt Martynes where he made certayne oblacyons and prayers and thens hys sykenesse encreasyng was conueyed vnto Parys where he shortly after dyed when he had reygned as kynge by the terme of .xviii. yeres leuynge after him .ii. sonnes that is for to say Charle mayne and Charlys THE CLIIII CHAPITER CArolomanus and Charlys sonnes of Pepyn begaÌ„ theyr reygne ioyntly ouer the Frenchmen in the yere of our lorde .vii. hundred lxviii and the .xx. yere of Kenulphe than kynge of westesaxons so that Charlemayne had to his parte myddell Fraunce and Charlys had Austracy wyth y e other deale of FrauÌ„ce Of y e elder brother Charlemayne lytell is lefte in memory for he dyed whan he had reygned lytell ouer .ii. yeres wherfore to Charlys fell the hole realme of Fraunce the whyche of all the nobles was ioyously admytted It was not longe after Hunyldys whom Pepyn by hys lyfe hadde ordeyned ruler of Guyan rebellyd agayne the kynge wherfore Charlys preparyd anone hys armye and sped hym thyder and in processe of tyme constrayned the sayd Hunyldê° to forsake the countrey and for hys tuycyon to flee vnto Lupus than duke of Gascoyne wherfore Charlys beynge aduertysed sent hys message to the sayd Lupus wyllynge commaundyng hym that he in spedy maner shulde sende to hym hys rebell Hunyldus or els he wolde with hys army inuade spoyle his people and couÌ„trey Uppon resceyt of which message Lupus by couÌ„ceyll condescendyd to the kynges pleasure so y t he causyd Hunyldus to submyt hym vnto the kynges grace and mercy wherewyth the kynge was so well contentyd that vppon assuraunce taken of the sayd Hunyldus y t there after he shulde be of good aberynge toward the kyng he clerely forgaue vnto hym all hys former offence And after he had set that countrey in a rule and order he retornyd into Fraunce where to hym soone after came an embassade from the fyrste Adryan than pope requyrynge hym of ayde agayne Desyderiê° thaÌ„ kyng of Longobardys the whyche than had taken from the chyrche of Rome many cytyes and other possessyons Than Charlys acceptyng the popes request or he began any warre agayne the sayde Desyderius sente vnto hym an embassade wyllynge and requyrynge hym in all honorable wyse to restore vnto the chyrche of Rome all suche possessyons as he from the same chyrche before tyme hadde taken and yet withhelde and also to refrayne hym from all suche warre as he dayly made vppon the londys of the sayd chyrche But for he sawe no frute ensue of y e message he made prouysyon for all thyng nedefull to such a iourney And shortly after passed the mountaynes not all wythout batayle and in processe coÌ„strayned Desyderiê° to take the cytye of Uercyle where after he hadde refresshed hys Italyans he gaue vnto the Frenchemen a sharpe and cruell batayle But in the ende Desyderius was compellyd to forsake the felde and fled after to the forenamed cytye of Papy where he kepte hym as after shall appere a longe whyle And for to shewe you somewhat of the foresayde batayle ye shall vnderstande that for the greate occysyoÌ„ of men y t there was slayne the place was called longe after Mortaria that is to meane in our vulgare or mother tonge the place of deth In this fyghte were slayne amonge other two knyghtes greately famyd Amys and Amylyon of whom some fables are reportyd bycause they were so lyke of semblaunt These two knyghtes as wytnessyth the Frenche story and also Antoninus were brought vppe in the court of the foresayde Charles and wyth hym well cherysshed and fynally here slayne and buryed after some wryters in the two chappellys whyche in the foresayde place were buylded to praye for the greate multytude of the soules of these knyghtes that there were slayne But who that is desyrous to knowe the hole lyfe of those two foresayd knyghtes let hym ouerse the thyrde chapyter of the .xiiii. tytle of Antoninus and he shall there fynde a compendyous and goodly story the whyche for length I ouerpasse and retorne my style agayne to Charlys The which whan he was ware that Desyderius had taken thys cytye of Papy and it greatly strengthyd both with men and vytell in such wyse that he well vnderstode y t it myghte not be shortly wonne he therfore layde about it a stronge syege wyth the ouersyght of sure and wyse capytayns and after yode to Rome to vysyte the holy
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
thy reward and guardon After whyche sentence thus gyuen by the kynge the sayde Hebert was by the executers ladde vnto an hylle wythout the citye of Laon̄ and there most shamefully hanged whych hyll for that cause was named Hebertes hyll longe tyme after About thys tyme the seconde duke of Normandy named wyllyam longa Spata y e son of Rollo or Robert fyrste duke of Normandy was slayne by treason of one Arnolde erle of Flaūdres for encheson that the sayd wyllyam ayded a noble man of Pycardy named Herloyn̄ agayne the sayde Arnolde This wyllyam left after hym a son named Richarde whych at the tyme of his fathers deth was not of suffycient age to rule so gret a dukedome wherfore Lewys kynge of Fraunce desyrous of that prouynce whyche of late dayes belonged to his antecessours and progenitours sought besyly the wayes and meanes to haue this chylde Rycharde vnder his tuycyon gydynge And this to brynge to effecte spedde hym vnto Roan̄ callynge there before hym the lordes and rulers of the countrey hauynge vnto them many plesaunt and fayre wordes in promysyng to them ayde and assystence to reuenge the deth of theyr lorde and duke and in the conclusyon desyred of them y t he myght haue the noryshynge and bryngyng vp of the chylde tyll he came to hys lawfull age whyche thynge thus by the kynge desyred the lordes anon coniectured in theyr myndes y t he desyred the kepyng of theyr yonge lord to y e ende y t he myghte y e more easely obteyne the possession of that dukedome For the whych the lordes and other of the cytye were in great rumour and grudge agayne the kynge wherof he beynge monyshed to appeace the multytude the kynge toke the chylde in his armes and so bare hym into the place of the assemble of the people there shewyd vnto theym wyth affyrmaunce of great othes that hys entent was onely for y e we le of the child and for defence of hys countrey and not to clayme any ryghte or tytle of the duchy excepte onely the homage therof whyche belongeth to hym by iuste tytle By meane of whyche fayre speche the kynge obteyned his purpose and caried the chyld with hym into Fraūce not forgetynge the vnkynde dealynge of the Normans when Arnolde erle of Flaūdres vnderstode that to the kynge of Fraūce the guydynge of y e yonge chyld was commytted ferynge y t he wyth power of the Normans wolde ronne vppon hym reuengynge of the chyldes fathers deth sent vnto the kyng x. pounde weyghte of golde wherof euery pounde cōteyneth .xii. ounces and euery oūce in value of fyne gold xl s so that after this rate his presente shulde be in value to y e summe of .ii. hundred .xl. pounde All be yt mayster Gagwyne sayth he sent vnto hym but .xl. marke besechyng him to be his good and gracyous lorde and not to gyue to hasty credence to hys accusours For he in suche wyse wolde declare hym selfe and delyuer vnto the kynge the murderers of duke wyllyam he meane wherof he shulde certaynly know that he was innocēte of the sayd dukes deth And ouer this he made a frende about the kynge whyche spake good wordes for hym put in the kynges mynde the great hurtes iniuryes that he and his progenytours hadde susteyned of the Danys or Normans By meane whereof this murdour was forgoten more and more the kyng malygned agayne the Normans and to the chylde he bare not so good mynde as some men thoughte that he wolde do Uppon a daye when the kyng was retourned from hys dysporte of huntynge a lyght cōplaynt was brouht to hym of the chylde Rycharde of an offence that he had commytted For the which he rebuked him otherwyse then was syttyng to his honour and called hym opprobryously and thretened hym greuously and after that caused hym to be kept more straytly then he before hadde vsed to be To this chylde Rycharde was assygned a mayster or teacher named Osmunde whyche Osmunde hadde a famylyer named Iuon̄ These two apperceyuynge the kynges indygnacyon that he bare towarde the chyld studyed for his enlargynge and lastly coūsaylyd hym that he shuld fayne hym self syke The whych was done in suche wyse that all suche as awayted vppon hym supposed hym to be very syke by reason wherof his kepers toke the lesse cure of hym wherof Osmunde beynge ware and also beynge sure of the kynge made a great trusse of herbes or grasse wherin he wrapped the chyld and so conueyed hym oute of the cytye of Laon̄ and there receyued hym an horse redy for the iourney so sped hym vnto Cosuy and delyueryd the chylde to the captayne of that town And from thēs he rode all nyght tyll he came vnto Senlys there shewed all hys doynge vnto y e erle of that coūtrey named Bernard which was nere kynnesman vnto y e yonge duke THE CLXXXVII CHAPITER BErnarde hauynge knowlege of the escape of his kynnesmā Rycharde sente in all haste vnto Hugh le graunde erle of Parys for to haue his ayde and assystence The whych without taryeng assēbled his knyghtes and conueyed the chylde from Cousy to Senlys or Saynlys to his neuewe Bernarde where he was receyued wyth mych ioye and honoure when Lewys was ascertayned of the scape of Rycharde and howe he was in the guydynge of Hughe the great or graunde anon he sent vnto hym gyuynge hym in commaundement that he shulde restore the chyld to hym The whyche excused hym and sayde that the chylde was in the kepynge of erle Bernarde and not in hys The kynge seynge how he was deluded sente for Arnolde or Arnulfe erle of Flaundres whyche at his cōmaundement counsayled the kynge to wynne Hugh le graūde with riche behestes or gyftes After whose counsayll worchynge kynge Lewys wylled the sayd Hugh to mete with hym at the crosse of Compeyn̄ where the sayd Hugh shortly after met with the kynge To whome the kynge promysed great parte of the duchy of Normandy wyth that that he wolde refuse the partye of the Normans and take his parte agayne them By meane of which promises this erle Hugh was ouercomē and agreed with the kynge to warre vppon one parte of the countrey whyle he warred vpon that other And forthwyth receyuyd an armye of the kynge and spedde hym to Bayon̄ made cruell warre vppon that countrey And kynge Lewys entryd vppon the prouynce of Caux and wasted and spoyled that Coste in all that he myghte whan Barnarde the Dane and also Barnarde erle of Senlys conceyued y e vntrouth of Hugh le graūt and also the greate hostes that they were beset wyth by theyr counsayles and other they sent vnto the kynge certayne messengers gyuynge them in commaundement to saye that in vayne the kynge hadde entred that countre with his armye for the citye of Roan and all the prouince was at hys commaundement Besechynge hym not to waste nor spoyle the coūtre but to ayde and helpe defende it agayne
Policronycon The which I passe ouer for length of the mater THE CXCIII CHAPITER EDgar thus rulynge the lande after the deth of his fyrst wyfe Egelfleda worde was broughte to hym of y e beaute of Alfrida or Estrild doughter of Orgarus erle of Deuenshire wherfore he sent a knight of his court named Ethelwold to espy whether the mayde were of such beautye as she was reported of or not chargynge hym yf she were so beautyous that then he shulde aske her to wyfe for the kynge But this knyght hauyng syght of this mayden was so wounded wyth the darte of the blynde god Cupyde that he forgate his trouth and allegiaunce y t he shuld owe to his mayster and souerayne and retourned shewynge to the kynge that she was nothynge of the beaute that she was reported of but of meane fayrenesse as other women were wherfore he besought the kynge consyderyng she was her fathers heyre a good maryage that he wolde be so good lord to hym as to wryte vnto her fader y t he myght haue her to wyfe The why the grace he obteyned and at length was maryed vnto her In processe of tyme the fame of the beaute of thys woman sprange so wyde that lastly yt came to the erys of Edgar wherwyth the kynge in mynde beynge sore dyscontentyd wyth Ethilwolde whyche hym had dysceyued yet kepte good countenaunce and made semblaunte as though he hadde nothynge forced y t mater And vpon a tyme as yt were in game warned this Ethilwolde y t then was an erle by reason of hys wyfe or otherwyse that he wold lodge one nyght in his house appoynted the daye when yt shulde be wyth thys monyssyon the erle beynge nothynge contented ranne home nygh deed for fere and prayed his wyfe of helpe in that tyme of nede and y t she wold in all that she myght make her self as fowle and as vnsemely as she coude and shewed to her all the resydue of y e mater Then y e woman cast in her mynde the great dyspleasure y t might ensue toward her agayn god to make that fowle whych he hadde made goodly and fayre and also to her lorde and husbande agayne the kynge thynkyng that he shuld cause her thus to do to the ende to mocke and dysceyue hym wherfore in consyderacyon of the premysses she enourned her in moste costly and shewynge aparayll And ouer y t yf dame nature hadde had any thynge forgoten or mysprinted in her she left not that by womaÌ„s helpe might be amended or refourmed and at the kynges coÌ„mynge receyued hym wyth all ioy and gladnesse By whyche meanes this yonge amorous kyng was soon caught in the dyuylles snare so that he sette reason a parte and folowed his own sensualyte And for to bryng his purpose the better about he kept forth a countenaunce as he had ben well contentyd wyth all thynge and desyred the erle that he wolde wyth hym ryde on huntyng into the wood of welwerley that now is called hore wood where he awaytynge his season tyme strake the erle thorough the bodye wyth his shafte so that he dyed soon after And then he maryed this Elfryda or Estrylde shortely hadde by her Egelredus as before I haue shewyd For the whyche dede sayth Ranulf this Elfrida buylded an house of nunnes at warwell But other authours saye yt was for the slayeng of her stepson Edwarde Also the englyshe cronycle sheweth that this Ethilwolde was slayne by an other meane and not by the kyng About this tyme dyed Oddo archbyshoppe af Caunterbury that was of the nacyon of Danys Of hym is tolde a longe processe in the .x. chapyter of the .vi. boke of Polycronycon And after hym Bryglinus that then was byshoppe of wynchester was made hys successour But for he was not suffycyent for so great a charge he went agayne to wynchester And holy Dunstane byshop of London of worceter was sacryd archbysshoppe of Caunterbury and went to Rome and receyued the palle of pope IohnÌ„ the .xiii. of that name This Dunstane was fyrste abbot of Glastynbury and byshoppe of London worceter and lastely archbyshoppe of Caunterbury In his dayes the order of munkes was religyous and Full of vertues For it hadde relygyous rulers clere of scyence and of clergy so that then men were lad as mych wyth other dedes and good examples of vertuous lyuynge as by theyr famous vertuous prechyng Than Edgare as before ys sayde was crowned kynge at the cytye of Bathe of Dunstane archbysshop of Caunterbury and Oswolde archbysshop of yorke whan he hadde ruled thys lande .xii. yeres The cause why it was so longe or this Edgar were enoynted was as testyfyeth Guydo for hys vnlefull Lechery and specyally for the offence done wyth wylfryde For the whyche dede he was of Dunstane ioyned to .vii. yeres penaunce The whyche penaunce durynge he was kept from the sayd enoyntement as affermeth the sayde Guydo But for what cause so euer it was by agrement of dyuers wryters he was not crowned tyll he had reygned .xii. yeres It is also tolde of thys Edgare that he beynge vpon a season at the towne of Andâ—uyr he was enamoured vpon a noble mannes doughter whyche was of passynge beautye made suche meanes by force or other wyse that the parentes were agreed that the kynge shulde haue hys pleasure But the moder subtyll of wytte bethoughte her of a whyle and sent a seruaunt of hers whych was both comely and fayre to the kynges bed In the mornynge whan the daye began to waxe clere the woman began to styrre and wolde haue departed from the kynge But the kynge refrayned her and asked the cause of her so hasty departyng For I muste be at my worke wyth my felowes sayde the woman at myne houre to kepe my taske And whan the kynge had questyoned wyth her further he lerned that she was a bonde woman and asked of the kynge fredome for y â— nyghtis seruyce The kyng at this had good game and cherysshed that damosell so after that he made her lady of Lordes For these insolent wanton dedes it is sayde that by the counsayle of the holy Dunstane he buylded repayred so many abbeys and houses of relygyon as aboue is rehersed Thus thys noble Edgare passyng his tyme in vertue medled with vyce lastly had wyttynge of the rebellyon of y e Brytaynes or walshmen wherfore he assembled hys knyghtes and entred the lande and dyd them grete harme and waste And among other prayes spoyled the countre of GlamorganÌ„ and also toke or spoyled the countre of Ono and toke the bell of saynt Eltutus which serued for hys chyrche that was taken by vyolence wyth other stuffe hanged it about an horse necke In puttynge it to teÌ„porall seruyce to the dyspleasure of that saynte But for the vyolent takynge therof as Ranulf expresseth in an vndertyde whan kyng Edgar was layde to take hys reste the sayd Eltutus apered and smote the kyng
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
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
hym in hys courte therfore Malcoline departed from the kynge in great dyspleasur For the whyche and other causes the warre bytwene England and Scotlande was reuyued so that vppon saynt Bricius daye folowyng Malcolyne wyth hys retynewe foughte wyth an erle named Robert and thā erle of Northumberlande and there was slayne wyth hys eldest sonne Edwarde For sorowe wherof Margaret quene of Scotlande and syster vnto Edgare Ethelynge as in the fyrste chapyter of the story of wyllyā Conqueroure is shewed dyed soone after Than the Scottes made Dunwalde brother of Malcolyne theyr kynge and put by hys sonnes But by the ayde of kynge wyllyam Edgare whyche of some wryters is named Dunkam was made kynge as eldest sonne of Malcolyne In the .vii. yere of the reygne of kynge wyllyam Auncelyne or Anselme that was archbyshop of yorke was remoued to Caunterbury as affermeth one cronycle But Polycronycon and Guydo sayen that Hugh erle of Chester beynge sycke and diseased in the .vi. yere of wyllyam Rufus sent into Normādy for Anselme than abbot of Barry for thre causes The fyrste to vysyte and se hym and to be reconcyled of hym as the man that he moste trusted The seconde cause was that he shuld releue some abbays of Englande that the kynge vexed wyth greuous trybutes And the thyrd cause was y t he shuld foūd an abbay at Chester whych place he after buylded made one Rycharde his chapleyne fyrst abbot of y e place and sone after he was made archbysshop of Caunterbury where by it appereth that the sayd see was voyde ouer the terme of thre yeres Thys sayd .vii. yere Englande Normandye were greued wyth trybute and moreyne of men so sharply that tyllynge of the erth was spared or putte of for that yere there after ensued great hūger Thys yere also y e Scottes slewe theyr kyng Edgar and restored agayn to the rule of the lande the forenamed Dunwalde And many grysly and vncouth syghtes were thys yere sene in England as hostes of men fightyng in y e skye and fyre lemys other And the holy bysshop wolstone of worceter dyed soone after of whom it is shewed y t he sondry tymes warned rebuked Englyshmen for theyr mysseliuyng and sayd for theyr offenses they were so punysshed of the Normans But the Englyshmen excused them selfe and sayde that the Normans were worse in lyuynge than they where vnto the byshop answered and sayd that god vsed the wyckednesse of thē in Englyshmen For by the wycked he punysshed y e wycked And so doth god suffer the deuyll to punysshe synners in hell he hym selfe is punysshed wyth them Of thys wolstone it is radde that kynge wyllyam wold haue put hym from hys see to the entente that he myghte put another into hys see wherof thys holy man beynge warned yode vnto the kynge and sayde to hym I am enfourmed that thou wylte take from me the whiche a better man thā thou arte gaue vnto me wherfore of whom that I receyued so noble a gyfte to hym wyll I gyue it agayn and than take it from hym yf thou may And whan he hadde so sayde to the kynge he yode to the sepulture of Edward the confessoure and after y t he had made his prayers there he pytched hys crosse in y e marble stone that laye vppon the graue But no man myghte plucke out the staffe tyll wolston came thyther hym selfe and pulled it out at the kynges cōmaundement wherfore the kynge seyng that maruayle suffred hym to enioye hys benefyce styll In the .x. yere of willyam Rufus stryfe and dyscencyon fell bytwene hym and Anselme bysshop of Caunterbury for Anselme myght nat call hys synodys nor correcte the byshoppes but as the kynge wolde The kynge also chalenged the inuestiture of bysshoppes and pylled the spyrytualtye and temporaltye with vnreasonable taskes trybutes the which he spent vpon the towre of London the makynge of westmynster hall And ouer that the kynges seruauntes greued and pylled englysshmen vnreasonably And to thys mysery was ioyned the vnsaceable couetous of Ranulphe that was somtyme chapelayne vnto wyllyam conquerour the whyche was at thys day the kynges procuratour and gadered hys taskes ouer all He was so couetous and so euyll dysposed that he wolde leuye .iii. taskys for two He pylled the ryche and bare downe the poore and caused many men to lose theyr landes for smal causes and therfore the kynge had hym in hys synguler fauoure And by hys meanes byshoprykes were boughte and solde as playnly as other marchaundyses For that tyme clerkes vsed busshed and brayded heddys longe tayled blasynge clothes shynynge golden gyrdels and rode wyth gylte spurres wyth vsynge of dyuers other enormytees All whyche vyces Anselme wolde haue corrected but he lacked assystence of hys bretherne y e bysshoppes For the whyche cause other he departed the londe wherewyth the kyng beynge mysse contented sente after hym suche persons as robbed and spoyled hym and entreted hym in most cruell maner For the whyche dede Raufe bysshoppe of Chychester blamed the kynge and also rebuked all such bysshoppes as had refused the partye of Anselme had fauoured the kynge in causes cōcernynge the foresayde varyaunce And forthermore he wythstode the kynge and hys offycers in takynge of fynes of prestes for cryme of fornicacyon For whyche causes the kyng wyth the sayd Raufe was sore amoued and dyscontented and opteyned such fauour that he suspēded many chyrches of hys dyoses But in the ende Raufe demeaned hym in suche wyse that he hadde hys owne wyll and his chyrches enlarged and freed that before were stopped wyth thornes And the kynge gaue vnto hym y e fynes of prestes within his dyosis and endued y e see of Chychester with many greate gyftes And vpon a tyme kynge wyllyam was rydynge towarde hys dysporte of huntynge and sodeynly a messenger came vnto hym and sayde that the cytye of Cenemonia in Normandye was beseyged wherfore he wythout longe taryenge or aduysement toke the streyght way to these syde and sent to hys lordes chargynge them to folow whan the sayd lordes came to hys presence they aduysed hym to tarye tyll his people were assembled But he wolde nothynge do after theyr counsayle but sayd such as hym loued he shortely wyste well wolde folowe hym and so yode to shyp settyng aparte all parels The mayster of the shyp was afrayde he sawe the weder so darke so clowdy and counceyled the kynge to tary tyll the wynde wolde blowe more fauorably But he commaunded hym to make all the spede that he cowde vpon hys lyfe sayenge that he neuer harde that euer any kyng was drowned And so he passed the see and landed in Normandy and gathered to hym there hys knyghtes whan the capytayne of the syege whose name was Helyas knewe of the kynges landyng he fered and anone began to breke the syege But by treason he was taken and brought to the kynges presence To whom the kynge shewed suche
e stroÌ„ger where after dyuers assautes made the kyng conceyued well y t he was dysceyued A cause of this treason as sayth y e foresayde Peter was this The erle of FlauÌ„dres which by dyuerse experymeÌ„tes saw that the cytye was lyke to be goten made supplycacyon to the kynge and the lordes that he myghte haue the rule of the cytye at suche tyme as yt were wonne the which to hym was grauÌ„ted wherof beynge aduertysed dyuerse Suryons of y e couÌ„trey borne dysdayned that a straunger shuld be lorde of theyr enherytaunce and for that condesceÌ„ded and agreed to that treason by mean wherof the crysten prynces loste theyr trauell Then the crysten prynces seynge y t they were thus deluded toke theyr aduyce howe they myght contynewe theyr pylgrimage vnto the holy citye of Hierusalem But in this counsayl sourded and quykened so many opynyons that eche was contraryous vnto other By mean wherof the emperour was so dyscontented that he toke leue of the Frenche kynge and other and so returned into hys own countrey But the Frenche kynge taryed there in that costes a yere after and dyd there but lytle worthye any memory All be yt of this vyage the frenche boke maketh a great longe processe touchynge the wynnyng of the cytye of Anteoche wyth hys beynge and counsayllys kepynge wythin Hierusalem other thinges there rehersed But for I se the mater dysagreable to other wryters and also thynke that myche therof is fayned I therfore passe yt ouer howe be yt that to some persones suche fablys ben full pleasaunte to here wherfore all suche I remytte vnto the sayde french cronicle somwhat I shall folowe the authour Gyraldê° y t which wyth other testyfyen that Lewys in his returne towarde Fraunce waxed syke for y e long forberyng of his wife wherfore by thaduyce of phisycyons also of byshops he was couÌ„sayled to take a wenche because his wyfe was so farre from hym But y e kyng wythstode that counseyll and sayde that hym hadde bene leuer to be syke and dye of goddes hande then to lyue in spouse brekynge offende hys lawes And so the kyng put himselfe to the mercy of god and receyued helth shortly after Also it is told of hym that he vsed to faste euery frydaye brede and water and by his famylyers he was counsayled that he shulde leue that faste for wekynge of hym selfe fede a hundred of poore men euery frydaye the whyche vnto god shuld be myche more acceptable To this he answered and sayde we wold gladly fede so many poore men or mo but our fastynge woll we not breke For wythout the profyte that yt doth vnto the soule yt profyteth also right myche to the body For the purgacyon and reste of one daye helpeth myche to put of the superfluyte of the other and also yt maketh the sharper apetyte when Lewys was retourned into Fraunce for what happe yt is of the frenche cronycle made doutefull he was from Elyanour hys wyfe deuorced of the whych he hadde receyued before .ii. doughters as before is touched the whyche in processe of tyme folowynge was maried vnto Henry duke of Normandy whych maryage was a new occasyon of the warre betwene Englande and Fraunce For the landes of Poytowe wyth Gascoyne and Guyan Lewys claymed by his former possessyon Henry by reason of the maryag of y e sayd Elyanour as heyr to the sayde landes Of the whyche warre shal be shewed in the story of y e sayde Henry folowyng After whyche deuorce thus made kynge Lewys maryed the yongeste doughter of the kynge of Spayne that was named CuÌ„staunce and she dyed of her fyrst chylde Then for so myche as kynge Lewys hadde none heyr male by couÌ„sayll of his barony he maryed the thyrd wyfe the whych was the yongeste doughter of Thybaude erle of Bloys was named Alys This sayde erle dyed and left after hym .iiii. sonnes and .v. doughters The eldest sonne named Henry was erle of Troys the seconde named Thybaude was erle of Bloys the thyrd named Stephan was erle of Sancorum or Sauncorer and y e fourth named wyllyam was archbysshoppe of Raynes The eldeste of the doughters was duches of Burgoyne the seconde was countesse of Barre the thyrde was maryed fyrst to the duke of Puell and after to a knyght named syr william de Goer the fourth was countesse of Perche and the fyfte as before is sayd quene of FrauÌ„ce whych was a woman garnyshed wyth many vertues as the storye declareth THE CCXXXV CHAPITER IN processe of tyme after the solemnisacyon of this maryage complaynte was brought before the kynge of the erles of CleremouÌ„t and Puy or Puyll sonne of the duke before rehersyd and of the erle of Plomet that they shuld spoyle and wast the chyrches and landes to the sayde chyrches belongynge For the which dedys the kynge commaunded the sayd .iii. erlys to warde but not with out warre and shedynge of blood And after the subduynge of y e sayd thre erlys a knyght or great man of myght called wyllyam y e erle of Chalon wyth a company of tyrauntes assembled for to robbe and spoyle the chyrche of saynte Peter of Cluny in Burgoyne wherof herynge the prestes and mynysters of the chyrche to the entent to mytygate to appeace the cruelty of the sayde tyrauÌ„tes dyd vpon them the ornamentes of y e sayd chyrche and yode agayne them with processyon wyth a great companye them folowynge of the people of the towne and the countrey there about in peseable and charytable wyse But when the sayde tyrauntes approched vnto the sayde coÌ„pany with out compassyon and pyty as turkes ranne vppon crysten men or wyth lesse Pytye so ranne they vppon the prestes and other and spoyled them of all the sayde ornameÌ„tes and slew of that coÌ„pany to the nomber of .v. huÌ„dred or mo after spoyled the sayde chyrche of suche stuffe as was therin lefte It was not longe after or kynge Lewys had wyttynge of this cruell dede wherfore in auengynge the chyrche he gatheryd a conuenyent power and spedde hym thyther But the sayde wyllyam erle of Chalon herynge of the kynges coÌ„mynge fled y e couÌ„trey so y t the kyng myght haue no certayne knowlege where he became wherfore the kyng entred and seased his landes and gaue the moyty therof to y e duke of Burgoyn as chefe lorde of that soyle and that other halfe he gaue vnto the erle of Neuers to whose auncetry in tyme passed the sayd moyty apperteyned And that done he commaunded inquyry to be made of his accessaryes the prebensons or prebendars of the whyche he punyshed by dyuerse maner of tormentes and dethes to the great contentacyon of the countrey when the kynge hadde thus fynished this vyage and was returned into Fraunce soon after was knowlege brought vnto him that the Burgonyons men of the towne of Uerdeley rebelled agayne the hed chyrch or abbay of that towne and enteÌ„dyd to haue done some vylany to the
eche of them of other of one wyll and mynde toke shyppyng and sayled to Douer and in all haste spedde theym vnto Caunterburye where the .v. daye of Cristmasse they executed theyr tyrannye and martyred that blessyd archebysshoppe at that aulter of sayne Benet wythin hys owne chyrche in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon a thousande a hundred and .lxx as yt ys wytnessyd by these versys folowyng Anno milleno centeno septuageno Anglorum primas corruit ense Thomas The whych is to vnderstande in our vulgare as thus ¶ The yere to reken from Crystes incarnacyon A thousande an hundred and seuentye therunto The prymate of Englande wyth great abomynacyon was slayne wyth sworde Thomas that wolde not do The kynges hest whyche erred the ryghte fro Of the chyrche and lybertyes of the same wherby of honoure he wanne perpetuall fame After this cruell dede thus by the foure knyghtes done wherwyth the kynge after some wryters was not contented the kynges fortune beganne to decreace and fall so that he hadde after thys many aduersyteys where before he knewe not of lyke trouble In the .xvii. yere of his reygne the kynge made a iourney into Irland where wyth great trauayle he subdued the Iryshe And after wyth helpe of the prymate and byshoppe of Arnache he refourmed the maner of the dwellers and people of that countrey and that in thre thynges specyally Fyrste in rulynge and orderynge of the chyrche by the curates how they shuld order theyr dy uyne seruyce and mynyster the sacramente of matrymonye as yt was in Englande and other crysten regyons The seconde was how that the laye people shuld behaue theym to theyr curates and what wyse they shulde paye and offer to god theyr tythes The thyrde was for makyng of theyr testamentes Thys was ordeyned that euery man shulde make hys laste wyll in p̄sence of his neyghbours or at leste cause yt to be rede in theyr presence And fyrste he shuld reken what he ought and to sette so myche of hys goodes And yf he had a wyfe and chyldren then the resydue of hys goodes hys dettys beyng payde to be deuyded in thre partes one to the wyfe the seconde for the chyldren and the thyrde to be spente for the weale of the soule And yf he hadde no chyldren then the halfe to hys soule and that other halfe to his wyfe And yf he hadde no wyfe nor chyldren then to dyspose hys goodes at hys pleasure In the returne of the kynge oute of Irlande was a wonder thynge shewed vnto hym vppon whytesondaye whyche in the calender is called dominica in Albys whē the kyng shuld take his horse sodeynly appered vnto hym a man of pale wanne colour barefote and in a whyte kyrtell the whyche bodely spake vnto the kynge in the langage of duche and sayde syr kynge Criste greetyth the we le and hys mylde moder mary with also Iohn̄ Baptyst and Peter and commaunde the streyghtly that no Markettes nor seruyle workes be holden vppon the sondaye in the landes of thy lordeshyppe oute take that longeth to dressynge of mete And yf thou do after thys byddynge I assure the that all thynge that thou begynnest to good entent or of good purpose thou shalt bryng yt to good ende The kynge lyked nothynge thys speche and sayd to the knyghte that helde hys brydell Aske of thys chorle whether he haue dremed all thys that he telleth wherunto thys man answered whyther I haue mette thys tale in my dreme or not take thou hede well of my saynge For and thou do not as I haue aduertysed the amende thy lyfe thou shalte shortely here suche thynges that thou shalte be heuy fore to thy lyues ende The kyng toke all in game and the man vanyshed sodeynly that the kyng his knyghtes wonderyd of hys departynge wherof when the kynge was warned both of hys fyrste sodeynly apperynge and of hys departynge the kynge sette yt nere hys mynde and entendyd to do some thynges after that mannys counsayll But how yt was yt had no forwarde After that the blessed man Thomas was martyred the munkes by assent of the kynge chase Rycharde pryour of Douer the whyche was a man of euyll lyuynge and wasted the goodes of y e chyrch inordynatly THE CCXXXVIII CHAPITER ABoute the .xx. yere of the kynges reygne he purchased a dyspensacyon for the vyage that before he hadde solempnely auowed before .ii. cardynallys to go into the holy lande and to ieoperde hys proper persone agaynst Crystes enymyes The whyche dyspensacyon was grauntyd vppon one condycyon that he shulde buylde thre abbays in Englande In fulfyllynge wherof the kynge put oute of the howse of waltham seculer chanons and set there in theyr stede chanons reguler And for the seconde he auoyded the munkes oute of the house of Aumbrysbury and sette there menchons that he hadde brought from beyonde the see And for the thyrde he renewed coursely the charter house of wytham besyde Salysburye By whyche thre dedes he thought hym selfe excused of hys former promyse Then beganne his sonnes to make warre vppon hym the whyche were ayded by the Scottyshe kynge and the two erles of Chester and of Lyncolne The cause of whyche warre was after the declaracyon of some wryters for so myche as the kynge hadde emprysoned Elyanoure hys wyfe and kepte that wenche Rosamounde agayne all good order But other say yt was for certayne landes in Normandye whyche by ayde of the Frenche kynge Rycharde the .iii. sonne of byrthe and seconde then lyuynge wolde haue taken from hys father Of thys warre speketh nothynge the frenche cronycle Then as testyfyeth Ranulfe this innaturall warre endured by the terme of two yeres to the great dysturbaunce of the kynge and of hys realme tyll the kynge wyth great deuocyon vysyted the graue of the holy martyr saynte Thomas After whyche pylgrymage was by hym fynysshed in shorte processe after wyllyam kynge of Scottes and the two forenamed erlys of Chester and Lyncolne were taken at the castell of Anwyke But yet he lefte not the company of the forenamed Rosamunde to the whych wenche he hadde made an house of wonder workyng so that no creature man or woman myghte wynne to her but yf he were instructe by the kynge or suche as were ryght secrete with hym touchynge that mater Thys house after some wryters was named Labyrinthus or Dedalus worke or house whyche ys to meane after moste exposytours an howse wroughte lyke vnto a knot in a garden called a mase But the common fame telleth that lastely the quene wan to her by a clew of threde or sylke and delte wyth her in suche maner that she lyued not longe after Of the maner of her deth spekyth nothynge myne authoure but when she was dede she was buryed at the howse or monasterye of Goddestow besyde Oxenforde with these versys vppon her toumbe Hic iacet in tūba Rosa mūdi sed nō rosa mūda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere
solet The whythe versys to our vnderstandynge may thus as folowyth be englyshed and expowned The Rose of the worlde but not the clene floure Is here now grauen to whom bewtye was lent In thys graue full darke nowe ys her bowre That by her lyfe was swete and redolent But now y t she is frō this lyfeblente Though she were swete nowe fowly doth she stynke A myrrour good for all that on her thynke Longe tyme after the deth of the sayde Rosamounde in the sayde abbaye was shewed a cofer of the sayd wenches of the length of two fote in whych apperyd fyghtynge geaūtes stertlynge of bestes swymmynge of fyshes and flyenge of fowlys In the forsayde .xx. yere after the opynyon of Guydo the kynge had the seconde monicyon of mendynge of hys lyfe by an Iryshe man y t told vnto hym many secret tokens whyche the kynge supposyd no man had knowen but hym selfe But yet the kynge toke lytell hede therunto In the .xxii. yere of his reygne after the forsayde takynge of y e Scottyshe kynge and .ii. erlys the .xi. day before Septēber wyllyam kynge of Scottys by assent of the lordes spyrytuall and temporall dyd homage to kyng Henry at hys cytye of yorke where the sayde wyllyam graunted by hys letters patentys that he and his successours kynges of Scotland shuld make theyr homage and fydelyte vnto the kynges of Englande as often as they shal be necessaryly requyred And in sygne and token of that subieccyon the kyng of Scottes offered hys hatte his sadell vppon the aulter of saint Peter in y e chyrch of york whyche for a remembraunce of that dede the sayd hat sadell were there kepte many yeres after And ouer y t the lordes of Scotland swore that if theyr kynge at any tyme wold wythdrawe hym from allegeaunce they wold all aryse agayn hym and be to hym as enymyes tyll he were returned to his fayth kepyng of his promyse And for the more strēgth of the sayd cōposycyon the kynge of Scottis came after to y e kyng Henries parlyament holden at Northāpton and a nother season into Normandye Ranulfe munke of Chester sayth that Lewys the .viii. of that name kynge of Fraunce delyueryd vnto kynge Henry a doughter of hys to haue in guydynge and to haue ben maryed vnto Rycharde hys son the whyche after the deth of Rosamoūde he defloured of her vyrgynyte After whyche dede as affermyth the sayde authoure the kynge was in wyll to haue wedded that damoysell For expedicyon wherof he made great meanes ta Hugūcia a cardynall then beynge in his land that he wold make a dyuorce betwene hym and Elyanoure the quene And thys he dyd to the ende to haue the more fauoure of the Frenchemen that by theyr ayde he myghte the better dysheryte hys sonnes But he fayled of his purpose and also yt turned to hys owne harme For by this means he caused the sayde Rycharde hys sonne to shewe all hys demeanour vnto the Frenche kynge so that by hys informacyon vnkyndnesse kyndled betwene them two therof ensued mortall warre as sayth the englyshe cronycle and also Polycronycon But of thys warre speketh nothynge the frenche cronycle nor of none other durynge the lyfe of the sayd Lewys after this daye which dyed in the .xxiiii. yere of thys Henry But the warre that was betwen the two kynges of England and of Fraunce was betwene thys Henry and Phylyppe sonne of thys Lewys as after shal be shewed About the .xxiiii. yere of thys kyng as wytnessen dyuerse wryters fell wonderfull wederynge and tempest of thunder in myddewynter tyme in Hampshyre and other places by violence wherof a preste amonges other was slayn And in the somer folowynge about Mary Magdalene tyde fell hayle of suche bygnesse y t yt slew both men and bestes And about this tyme were the bonys of kynge Arture and his wyfe Gueynour founde in the vale of Aualon whose here of the hed of the sayde Gweynour was then hole and of freshe coloure but so soone as yt was touched yt fell in powder whyche bonys were translated and buryed wythin the chyrche of Glastenburye and were founden by a synger of gestis vnder an holow oke .xv. fote wythin the grounde whyche fyndynge and translatynge is an obiecte to y e fantastycall sayeng of the walshemen that afferme hys commynge agayne to reygne as he before dyd Then hadde kynge Henry the seconde monycyon by a knyghte called syr wyllyam Chesterby or Lyndesey the whyche warned hym specyally for the reformacyon of .vii. artycles The fyrste was that he shuld sette better dylygence to the defence of holy chyrche and maynteynynge of the same The seconde that he shulde se hys lawes executed wyth better iustice then at those days was vsed The thyrd was that he shuld surmyse no mater agayn ryche men and by that mean plucke from them theyr landes goodes The fourth that he shulde restore all suche landes and goodes gotten by suche vnlawfull meanes or by any other The fyfte that he shuld for no medetarye ryghtfull sentence but suffer the ryght to haue hys processe The vi that he shulde se to the payment of hys subiectes for suche stuffe as was dayly taken to his vse also to the payment of hys seruauntes and souldyours wages whych dayly fell to robbynge for defaute The .vii. and the laste was that he shulde in all haste voyde the Iewys of hys lande whyche dayly wrought great sorowe to his commons and to leue theym somwhat to spende in theyr iourney But as he toke the other monycyons so he toke thys and cōtynued hys lyfe as he before hadde done THE CCXXXIX CHAPITER IN the .xxviii. yere of his reygn after moste writers dyed Henry his eldeste sonne then lyuynge y e whych as before is sayde was crowned to the derogacyon of the martyr saynte Thomas And in thys yere whyche shulde be the .iiii. yere of Phylyppe the seconde or of Phylyppe surnamed Gyuen of god the warre beganne betwene kynge Henry and hym wherof was occasyon as testyfyeth the sayd Frenche cronycle the denyenge of the deferrynge of homage that shuld be done to the sayde Phylyppe of Rycharde then eldest sonne of kyng Henry for the lādes of Poytow An other cause also was that where certayne couenauntes were stablyshed and enrolled betwene kynge Henry and Lewys father of thys Phylyp at the maryage of Henry his sonne and Margarete syster of Phylyppe for certayne holdes and castellys wherof y e castell of Gysours was one whych were delyueryd in dower wyth the sayde Margarete vppon condycyon that yf the sayde Henry hadde yssue by y e sayde Margarete then the sayde castellys to remayne to the sayde heyres and yf the sayde yonge Henry dyed without yssue of y e sayde Margarete that then the sayde castellys and holdes to be reuerted vnto the crowne of Fraunce and for that kynge Henry denyed or deferred these two poyntes and wold not answere when he was called the Frenche kynge therfore entred the
e sayd ryght and tytle But yt was not longe or she were frō hym deuorced for cause of alyaūce of gossypred or otherwise Howe be yt in processe of tyme after the said Iugebert was to him agayn ioyned by the authoryte of Pope Innocent the thyrd of that name in the yere of grace .xii. hūdred and .ix. and yere of reygne of this Philyppe .xxx so that the sayde Iugebert was deuorced frome her lorde by the terme of .xvii. yeres or theruppon In whych tyme and season the sayd Phylyppe had maryed the doughter of Phylyppe duke of Sweuy that then was returned vnto her father THE CCXLIII CHAPITER Kynge Phylyp for dyspleasure whych he bare towarde kyng Rycharde made sharpe and cruell warre vpon the Normans and wan therein dyuerse holdes and townes and fynally layde syege vnto the cytye of Roan wherof herynge Iohn̄ erle of Huntyngeton or after some erle of Oxenforde brother to kynge Rycharde whome the Frenche boke nameth Iohn̄ withoute lande wyth the erle of Arundell and other noble men spedde hym into Normandye and so ayded the cytezens and the soldyours of Roan that as testyfyeth the frēche cronycle the French kyng was so moued wyth the warre and defence of the same towne that in a passynge fury consyderyng the wynter season drewe vppon and that he myght not carye awaye his gunnes and other great ordynaunces he set all vppon a fyre and so wyth great agony departed And within thre monethes after he layde syege vnto the castell of Uernyel where whē he had lyen .iii. wekes or more a messynger came vnto hym and sayde that the cytye Euroux was taken of the Normans and the people therof taken prysoners wherfore in all haste he departed and rescued the sayd cytye and prysoners and that done retourned to the foresayde syege and assyeged yt so strōgely that lastely he had yt delyueryd by appoyntement By thys season was kynge Rycharde delyueryd out of the handes of the duke of Ostryge And then beganne the warre to be more cruell whych here I passe ouer for so mych as I entende to shew the effecte therof in the storye of kynge Rycharde folowynge Aboute the .xviii. yere of the reygn of thys Phylyppe fell such plenty of water that the groūde was therwith so bucked and drowned that corne other frutes by reason therof greatly decayed and scanted in such wyse that whete was shortly after at .xx. s a quarter after sterlynge money In the .xx. yere of the reygn of this Phylyppe dyed Rycharde kynge of England to whom was heyre Iohn̄ before named his brother The whyche cōcluded a trewce wyth this Philyppe for certayne yeres as after in the storye of this Iohn̄ shall more clerely appere And soone there after meanes were made to kyng Phylyp that he shuld receyue agayne vnto his company Iugebert hys wyfe and to renounce Mary doughter of the duke of Sweuy or after some authours the doughter of the duke of Bohemy But the kynge wyth this mocyon was nothynge contentyd nor yet agreable to folow any such mocion or request wherfore the prelasy of the lande assemled theym in counsayll and by a full and hole authoryte seynge they myghte not induce the kynge to no conformyte or agrement to resume hys lawfull wyfe and to refuse that other they denounsed hym and hys realme accursed wherwith the kyng was so amoued and vexed that he depryued certayne bysshoppes from theyr sees and also toke in hys possessyon the spyrytuall goodes and prysoned many prestes and other relygyous men and ouer that closed the sayde Iugebert wythin the castell of Sampys and forthermore greued hys comons wyth greuous exaccyons and taxys Than wythin a shorte terme after Iohn̄ de saynte Poule cardynall and Athā or Othemon bysshoppe of Osty and legate of the pope of Rome wyth the archebysshoppe of Burdeaux and other by the commaundement of the pope than Innocent the thyrde kepte a greate counceyle in the cytye of Sorsore where the kynge was monysshed to apere for so mych as before he hadde graunted to be reconcyled vnto hys fyrste wyfe where thys mater hynge in argument before the spyrytuall iudges by y e space of .xv. dayes wythout sentence gyuynge wherfore the kynge beynge wyth the delayes dyscontented sodenly wyth hys wyfe departed wythout takynge of them any congye or leue sendynge them vnderstandyng that as yet he wolde be aduysed or he were dysseuered from hys wyfe wherof whan the sayd Iohn̄ cardynall and the other bysshoppes hadde wyttynge accomptynge theyr laboure loste they retourned shortely after vnto Rome and shewed vnto the pope all as they hadde done And soone there after kyng Iohn̄ was honorably receyued of thys kynge Phylyppe as in the story of the sayd Iohn̄ shall be more playnly shewed And in the yere folowynge which shulde be in the begynnynge of the xxiii yere of thys Phylyppe dyed Mary hys wyfe whyche he wrongfully had holden cōtrary to the law of the chyrche by the terme of tenne yeres or there vppon Of the whyche Mary he hadde receyued a man chylde and a doughter the whyche after were made legyttymate by Innocent the thyrde though some noble men of Fraunce there agayne grudged THE CCXLIIII CHAPITER IT was not longe after that y e kyng assembled greate people and entendyd to haue entred the landys of the erle Rossell o◠Roger de Rose of the whyche he hadde broughte before hym many greuous complayntes of greate extorcyons and exaccyōs that the sayd erle and Roger hadde executed and done vppon the chyrches nere to the valey of Soysons and wolde not refrayne for all the kynges cōmaundement wherfore he rygged hys armye and drewe towarde them But as soone as they were aduertysed of the kynges comynge anone they submytted them to the kynges grace oblygynge them selfe to make restytucyon accordynge to the kynges pleasure to all suche places and persons as they hadde offended And thys acte thus fynysshed kyng Phylyppe returned vnto a place bytwene Uerdon and the I le Audely in the whyche place the kynge hadde appoynted a great counsayle or parlyament where amonge other maters yt was concluded that Iohn̄ kynge of Englande shulde be somoned to appere as the Frenche kynges lyege man at the same parlyament to be holden at parys wythin xv dayes of Ester to answere suffycyently to the kyng vppon such questyons as there shulde be purposed vnto hym for the duchy of Normandye for the coūtrey of Aungeou and of Poytyers But for y t kynge John̄ came not at that day appoynted nor none for hym accordynge to the monyshement to hym gyuen therfore thys kynge Philypppe not withstandynge the amytye and trewce before confermed assembled hys hoste and entred the duchye of Normandye and made therin sharpe and cruell warre and wanne a castell therein named Bonte or Bowte and brused or crased the castellys of Gentylyne and Gurney and seased all y e landes whyche Hugh de Gurney helde and gyue theym vnto the duke of Brytayne And also he gaue vnto hym the
many forfaytes escheatys For this gentylmen and men of honour malygned agayn hym But he had such coÌ„forte of the kynge that he kepte on his purpose Then the kynge beynge warned of the congregacyons that thys wyllyam made commauÌ„ded hym to cease of such doynges y t the people myght exercise theyr artes occupacyoÌ„s by reason wherof it was left for a while But it was not long or the people folowed hym as they before that tyme had done Then he made vnto them colacyons or exhortacyons and toke for hys anteteme Haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus saluatoris That is to mean ye shall drawe in ioye waters of the wellis of our sauyour And to this he added I am sayde he the sauyour of poore men ye be poore and haue assayed y e harde handes of riche men Now draw ye therfore holefull water of lore of my wellys that wyth ioy for the tyme of your vysytacyon is comen I shall sayde he departe waters from waters by waters I vnderstande the people Then shall I departe the people whychis good and meke from the people that ys wycked and prowde and I shall dysseuyr the good and the ylle as the lyght is departed from y e darkenes when thys came to the knowlege of the archebyshoppe of Caunterbury he by counsayll of the lordes of the spyrytualty sent vnto this wyllyam commaundynge hym to appere before the lordes of the kynges counsayll to answere vnto suche maters as there shulde be layde vnto hym At whyche daye thys wyllyam appered hauyng wyth hym a multytude of people in so myche that the lordes were of hym adrad For the whyche cause they remyttyd hym wyth plesaunt wordes for y e time commaundyd certayne persones in secrete maner to espye when he were voyde of hys company and then to take hym and to put hym in sure kepyng The whyche accordynge to the commaundement at tyme conuenyent as they thought sette vpon hym and to haue taken hym But he wyth an axe resysted theym and slewe one of theym and after fled to saynt Mary Bowe chyrche of Chepe and toke that for his sauegarde defendynge hym by strength and not by the suffrages of the chyrche for to hym drew shortley great multytude of people But in shorte processe by meane of the heddys and rulers of the cytye the people mynyshed so y t in shorte tyme he was lefte wyth few personys after by fyre coÌ„pellyd to forsake the chyrch and so was taken but not wythoute shedynge of blood After whyche takynge he was areygned before the iudges there wyth .ix. of his adhereÌ„tes caste and iudged to dye was hanged they wyth hym the day folowynge But yet the rumour seased not for y e coÌ„mon peple reysed a great cryme vpon the archbyshop of Caunterbury other and sayd y t by theyr meanes willyam whych was an innoceÌ„t of such crymes as were obiecte put agayne hym was a defendor of the poore people agayn extorcyoners wronge doers was by theym put wrongfully to deth approuyng him an holy maÌ„ martyr by this tale folowyng sayeng y t a man beyng syke of the feuers was cured by vertue of a cheyn whych this wyllyam was bounde wythin tyme of his dures of imprysonement which by a preste of the allye of the sayde wyllyam was openly declared preached wherby he brought the people in suche an errour that they gaue credence to hys wordes secretly in the nyght coÌ„ueyed away the iebet that he was haÌ„ged vppon scraped away y e blood that was shed of him when he was taken or ellys when he was hedded quarteryd so y t they made there an holow place by fetchyng away of that erth and sayde y t syke men women were cured of dyuerse sykenesse by vertue of that blood erth By these means and blowynge of fame y e place was the more vysyted by women vndyscrete ê‘sones of the whych some watched there the hole nyght in prayer so that the lenger thys coÌ„tynued the more dysclaunder was anotyd to the iustyces and to suche as put hym to deth Not wythstandyng in processe of tyme when hys actes were publysshed as the sleynge of a man wyth hys owne hande and vsynge of hys concubyne wythin saynte Mary chyrche in tyme of hys there beynge as he openly coÌ„fessed in the houre of hys dethe wyth other detestable crymes somwhat keled the great flame of the hasty pilgrymage But not clerely tyll the archebyshoppe of CauÌ„terbury accursed y e preste y t broughte vp the fyrste fable and also causyd that place to be watched that suche idolatry shuld there no more be used Anno domini M.C.xcviii  Anno domini M.C.xcix  Roger Blount  Balliui  Anno .ix.  Nycholas Duke  IN the moneth of Apryll and ix yere of kynge Rycharde when he had prouided to sende forth xx thousand pouÌ„de to the emperour for full payment of hys raunsome the pledges whyche had lyen for the same came sodeynly into England and shewed vnto the kyng that after his departynge the emperour sente them vnto the duke of Ostrych to remayne with him tyll the money were payde And forther there they shewed that the sayd duke was accursed of y e pope y t then was Innocent y e thyrde by reason of his wronge done to the kynge that his prouynce was greuyd wyth many myscheues And as the duke rode forth on a daye in hys disport beyng saynt Stephans day he hurte his fote in such wyse wyth a thorne or other venym whyche rancled grewe so sore y e lastly he shuld dye or cutte yt of But in hope of recouery he contynued tyll in the ende he was warned that he shulde dye Then he sent for his byshoppes and axyd to be assoyled of the sentence of the chyrche whyche he stode in The whyche was denyed hym excepte he wolde swere to stande and abyde the ordynauÌ„ce and dome of holy chyrch touchynge the wronge that he hadde done to kynge Rycharde The duke sware and was assoyled and shortly after the two byshoppes pledgys for y e money were delyuered at theyr lybertye Then kynge Rycharde callyng to mynde that the vttermost daye of the trewes takeÌ„ betwene hym and the Frenche kynge approched made hym redy and sayled into Normandye where before his commyng the Frenche kynge by occasyon of the Normannis as sayth the frenche boke was entred the couÌ„trey of Burgys towarde whom kyng Rycharde sped hym wyth all possyble spede so that both hostes laye partyd wyth a ryuer called Osson or Ossyne Then to folowe the sayenge of the frenche boke for so myche as the englyshe cronycle spekyth lytle or nothynge of thys acte lette wyse men that here thys cronycle constrew yt after theyr dyscrecyons For all be yt the Frencheman wrote yt to the honour of Frenchmen yet to other that shall rede or here yt because yt soundyth so nere vntrouth yt shal rather
Henry the sonne of Alwyne was sworne charged as fyrst mayre of London and Peter duke wyth Thomas Neell sworn for shryues and the name of bayllyues was after this daye clerely auoyded wyth in the sayde cytye from that daye forewarde Also where before thys tyme the brydge ouer Thamys at LoÌ„don was made of tymber and was ruled guydyd or repayred by a fraternyte or college of prestes This yere by the great ayde of the cytesyns of London and other passyng that way the sayde brydge was begonne to be edyfyed of stone And in thys yere y e monastery of saynte Mary Ouereys in South warke was begonne of to be buylded And in thys yere the pope sente two legates or after some writers one legate named Pandulphus the whyche in the popys name had many sore wordes of monycyon of obedience to kynge IohnÌ„ and charged hym to suffre the archebyshoppe of Caunterburye wyth the pryour and munkes of the same to enioy theyr ryghtes and possessyons wythin Englande and taryed here a certayne of tyme to brynge hys purpose aboute But all was in vayne for he yode agayn to Rome wythout releasynge of the enterdytynge Of y e maner of this enterdyccyon of this lande haue I sene dyuerse opynyons As some there be y e saye that the lande was enterdyted thorouly and the chyrches and housys of relygyon closyd that no where was vsed masse nor dyuyne seruyce By which reason none of the .vii. sacrameÌ„tes in all this terme shulde be minystred or occupyed nor chylde crystenyd nor man confessyd nor maryed But yt was not so streyghte for there were dyuerse places in Englande whyche were occupyed wyth dyuyne seruyce all that season by lycence purchasyd then or before Also chyldren were crystyned thorough all the land and men houselyd and anelyd excepte suche persones as were excepted by name in the bull or knoweÌ„ for mayteyners of the kynges yll entent Anno domini M.CC.x.  Anno domini M.CC.xi  Peter yonge  Henry fyz Alwyn  Anno .xii.  wyllyam Elande  IN this yere whych was the .xi. yere of kynge IohnÌ„ after mydsomer or the terme of the trewce were fylly runne kynge Phylyppe wyth a stronge hoste entryd the countye of Guyan and made newe warre vpon the vycounte of Thonars and toke hys castell called Parteny wyth dyuerse other stronge holdes to y e sayd vycounte belongynge and mannyd theym wyth Frenche men and ordeyned one Guyllyam de Roches marshall of Fraunce chefe ruler of that countrey and after retourned into Fraunce But yt was not longe after the kynge was departed but that the sayd vycount of Thonars made sharpe warre vpon the Frenchemen with such power as he myght make and recoueryd a parte of hys lande But one daye when he hadde wonne a lytle holde and taken therin a certayne of prysoners in his retourne towarde hys holde where he lodged he was supprysed wyth the forenamed Guyllyam de Roches a great multytude of Frenchemen of y e whyche after longe fyght he was fynally taken wyth syr Hyugh Thonars hys brother syr Aymery de Lesyngnam sonne of the erle of Poytyers to the nomber of .l. persones of his coÌ„pany y e whyche were all as prysoners then sent vnto y e Frenche kyng Anno domini M.CC.xi  Anno domini M.CC.xii.  Adam whetley  Henry fyz Alwyne  Anno .xii.  Stephan le Graas  IN this .xii. yere of kyng IohnÌ„ the pope sente agayne Pandulphe his legate and monyshed the kynge in sharpe maner that he shuld receyue mayster Stephan Langton to hys benefyce of the see of Caunterbury and the pryour wyth hys munkes vnto theyr abbay Then y e kyng callynge to mynde the dauÌ„gers whiche he was wrappyd in both wythin hys owne realme and also in Normandy and the hurtes whyche dayly grew to hym by the same made a promyse by othe that he wold be obedyent vnto the courte of Rome and stande and obey all thynge that the same court woll adiudge hym Upon whyche promyse so made the legate sent knowlege vnto the pope had commaundement from hym that he shulde bynde the kynge to these artycles folowynge Fyrste that he shuld peasybly suffer y e forenamed mayster Stephan Langton to entre his land and to enioye the archebyshopryche of Caunterburye wyth all profytes and frutes belongynge to the same Secondaryly that he shulde in lyke maner and forme receyue the pryour of Caunterburye and hys munkys wyth all other before tyme exyled for the archbyshoppes cause and not at any tyme here after vex or punyshe any of the sayde persones spyrytuall or temporall for any of those causes Thyrdely that he shulde restore vnto the sayd archbyshop to all y e other all such goodes as were before tyme taken from any of them by hys offycers syn the tyme of thys varyance growynge And fourthly y â— he shulde yelde vp into the handes of the pope all his ryght and tytle that he hadde vnto the crowne of Englande wyth all reueneus honoures and profytes belongyng to the same as well temporall as spyrytuall and to hold yt euer after both he and hys heyres of the pope his successours as feodaryes of the pope And when these artycles were graunted and the lordes of the lande sworne to the mayntenaunce of the same the kynge knelyng vpon hys knees toke the crown from hys hedde and sayde these wordes folowynge to the legate delyuerynge hym the crowne Here I resygne vp the crowne of the realme of Englande and Irlande into the popes handes Innocent the thyrd and put me holy in hys mercy and ordynaunce After rehersall of which wordes Pamdulphe toke the crowne of the kynge and kepte the possessyon therof .v. dayes after in token of possessyon of the sayde realme of England And wheÌ„ y e sayd .v. days were expyred the kyng resumyd y e crowne of Pandulphe by vertue of a band or instrument made vnto the pope y e whyche at length is sette out in the cronycle of Englande and other places wherof the effecte is y t the sayde kynge IohnÌ„ his heyres shuld euer after be feodaryes vnto the forenamyd pope Innocent and to hys lawfull successours popys of Rome and to pay yerely to the chyrche of Rome a thousande marke of syluer that ys to saye for Englande .vii. hâ—ndred marke and for Irlande .iii. hundred marke And yf he or hys heyr fayled or brake that paymeÌ„t that then they shulde fayle of theyr ryghte of the crowne But Polycronycon sayth vii huÌ„dred marke for Englande and two hundred marke for Irlande For the whyche summes after the affyrmaunce of that authour Guydo the money called Peter pens are at thys daye gatheryd in sondry places of Englande Anno domini M.CC.xii.  Anno domini M.CC.xiii  Iosne fyz Pet.  Henry fyz Aleyn  Anno .xiii.  IohnÌ„ Garlonde  IN this .xiii. yere of kyng IhonÌ„ and moneth of February mayster Stephan Langton archebyshop of
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
Mychaell Tony and Adam Basynge the whyche before were sente by the mayre to such frendes as they had in the courte to knowe the cause of the kynges hyghe dyspleasure The whych brought worde that the kyng was well mynded vnto the citye but he was in full purpose to haue suche persones chastised that hadde oppressyd the comynaltye of the same Uppon the morow folowynge came vnto y e Guyldhall IohnÌ„ Mansell wyth other of the kynges counsayll the whych to the people there assembled shewyd many fayre plesaunt wordes Amonge the whych he declared that the kynges mynde wyll was to correcte all suche persones as had oppressyd the comynaltye of that his deryste belouyd cytye and asked of the commons whyther they wolde be agreable vnto the same The whych incontynently many suche as knewe litle what the mater ment cryed with out dyscrecyon ye ye ye nothynge regardynge the lybertye of the cytye And after y e grauÌ„t thus had of the coÌ„mons the sayde IohnÌ„ Mansell dyschargyd the mayre shryues chamberleyn of theyr offyces and delyueryd the custodye therof vnto the constable of the towre and putte in the rome of the shryues Mychaell Tony and IohnÌ„ Audryan And ouer that all rollys of tollys and tallages before made were delyueryd vnto the sayd IohnÌ„ MaÌ„sell the whych he there sealyd and redeliueryd them vnto the chamberleyne when the coÌ„mons hadde beholden all thys besynesse they retourned vnto theyr housys all confusyd This mater thus orderyd the sayd IohnÌ„ Mansell wyth dyuerse of the kynges counsayll kept theyr courtes dayly the sondayes excepte tyll the fyrste sondaye of lent the whych that yere was the .xxv. daye of February callyng before hym .xii. wardes of y e cytye Of the whyche .xii. wardes of eueryche of them was takeÌ„ thre men so â–ª that of those .xii. wardes .xxxvi. meÌ„ were impanellyd and sworne for to enquyre of the foresayd artycles and what personys of the cytye had offendyd in them This courte thus kept and holden at Guyldehall no man was callyd to answere nor no questyon put vnto any person by the sayd enquest or by any other Uppon the sayd sonday of lent the mayre aldermen and shryues wyth the sayd enqueste foure men of euery warde were chargyd to appere at westmynster before the kynge at whych apperaunce they were couÌ„termauÌ„dyd tyll vppon the nexte morowe At whyche season they commyng into the kynges exchekyr fonde syttyng there the erles of Glouceter and of warwyke IohnÌ„ Mansell Henry Baa iusticys the coÌ„stable of the towre the custos of the cytye and dyuers other of the kynges counsayll Then was callyd by name Rafe hardell that yere may â—e Nycholas Batte Nycholas fyz Iosne Mathew Bokerel IohnÌ„ Tolesham and IohnÌ„ le Mynoure aldermen Then sayde IohnÌ„ Mansell y t the kynge by his lawes and inquysycyon of the cytesyns of the cytye had founden theym culpable that they had wronged and hurte the comynaltye of hys cytye by dyuers meanes as by the sayde inquysycyons apperyd and forthwyth causyd yt to be redde before them And wheÌ„ the more parte therof was redde he sayd vnto theym thus may you se that the comynaltye of the sayde cytye hath ben by you greuously oppressyd and by your meanys and counsayll the common weale of the same dystroyed as by alterynge of the tollys and other good auncyent customys turnynge them to your synguler auauntage lucre All whyche maters the sayde Rafe and his company denyed and that the commons was not by any suche meanys by them nor none of them greuyd or hurte and that they offryd to be iustyfyed and iudged by the lawe and customys of the cytye Then Henry Baa iustyce askyd of them whyther they wolde byde the aduenture of the enquery that they hadde harde redde before or ellys stande vppon the sayeng of the other wardes that yet had not ben sworne but they kepte theym to theyr fyrste answere Then IohnÌ„ Mansell frayned of y e mayre what was theyr lawe and custome The mayre answered and sayde that for trespace of a cytesyn done agayne y e kynge he shulde defende hym by .xii. of the sayde cytesyns and for murder or sleynge of a man by .xxx. cytesyns for trespace agayn a straunger by the othe of .vi. and hym selfe Then after many reasons made by the sayde IohnÌ„ Mansell and also by the mayre and his aldermen daye was gyuen to them to appere vppon the morow before the kynge and his counsell Uppon the day folowynge y e kyng wyth many of his lordes syttynge in the sayde exchekyr the foresayde inquysycyon was redde And that done the mayre and aldermen were called in by name and two aldermen more whyche before were not callyd that is to saye Arnolde Thedmare Henry walmode when Rafe Hardell had harde the kynge speke in the mater he toke suche fere that he and Nycholas Batte wythout farther answere put them in the kynges grace sauyd to theym theyr lybertyes and fraunchyses of the cytye But the other .vi. besought the kyng of his ryght wysenes that they myghte then be demyd after the lawes and customys of the cytye Then was layde vnto theyr charge that ouer many wronges by theym done to the kynge and the comynaltye of the cytye they had alteryd y e kynges beame and orderyd it to the aduauntage of them selfe and other ryche men of the cytye wherun to the partyes answeryd and sayde that the alteracion of the beame was not done by them onely but by y e aduyce and consente of .v. hundred of the beste of the cytye For where before tyme the weyer vsyd the lene hys draught towarde the marchaundyse so that the byar hadde by that meane x. or xii pounde in a draught to hys aduauntage and the seller so myche dysauauntage nowe for indyfferencye and egalytye of both personys or marchauÌ„tys was ordeyned that the beame shulde stand vpryght y e cleâ—â—e therof enclynynge to neyther partie as yt doth in weyenge of golde and syluer and the byer to haue alowed of the seller for all thynges .iiii. pouÌ„de onely in euery draught After these reasons and other by theym made the kynge commaunded that vpon the mornynge folowynge a folkmoot shulde be callyd at Paulys crosse so that courte was dyssoluyd and the mayre the other returned to London Uppon the morowe the folkmoot beynge at Pawles crosse assemblyd these .vi. aldermen heryng the murmuracion of the common people and knowynge that the aldermen nor the worshypfull of the city shuld haue litle or no sayeng in thys mater ferynge theyr cause yode into a chanons house of Powlys where at that tyme the sayde Iohan Mansel and other sent from the kynge taryed the assemblynge of the people and shewyd vnto theym that they entedyd not any lenger to plede wyth the kynge but were contentyd to put them fully in the kynges grace and mercy sauyng alway to them and all other cytesyns theyr lybertye and fraunchyse of the cyte After whyche agrement the sayde
where they drew to them great power and warred vppon the landes and castellys of syr Roger Mortymer threw some of them vnto the grounde and spoyled of hys what they myghte fynde and ouer that brent of hys manours and houses In whose ayde syr Edwarde the kynges sonne commynge hys people were dystressyd and he almoste taken For redresse of whyche maters a newe parlyameÌ„t was appoynted to be holdeÌ„ at Oxenforde in the quindena of Eester nexte folowynge whyche came neuer to effecte All be yt an other cronicle sayth that from this parlyament then holden at Oxenforde the kynge and his lordes parted all dyscorded Then the barons drewe towarde London the kynge remayned at woodstok And then newe assuraunce by wrytynge endentyd was made betwene the comynaltye of the cytye and the Barons wythoute consent of many of the rulers of the sayde cytye wherfore the commons as men enraged made of theym self two capytaynes whych they named constables of the cytye y t is to say Thomas de Pyweldon Stephan Bukerel At whose commaundement by tollynge of the great belle of Paules all the cytye shulde be redy shortely in harnes to gyue attendaunce vppon theyr sayd capytaynes About the begynnynge of lent the constable of the towre syr Hughe le Spenser came wyth a fayre company of men of armys before hym into the cytye and desyred assystence of the forenamed constables The whyche commaunded the sayd belle to be â—olled By meane wherof the people shyt theyr shoppes and came out in harneys in great multytude The whyche after proclamacyon made that they shulde â—olowe theyr capytaynes wythout knowlege what to do or whyther to go folowed theyr sayde capytaynes and so yode vnto Thystelworth vppon two myles beyonde westmynster there spoyled the manour of the kynge of Romaynes and sette yt after vppon a fyre And that done hys water mylles other commodities that he there had put theym to vtter ruyne And after wyth great noyse and crye returned vnto London This dede as sayth myne authour was cause of the mortall warre folowynge For where before tyme the sayde kynge of Romaynes hadde ben for allyaunce that was betwene hym and the erle of Glouceter a treatye of peace to be hadde betwene the kynge and his Barons after that dede done he was enymy vnto them to the vttermoste of his power The kynge herynge of thys ryâ—â—gaderyd vnto him great power And for he harde that syr Peter de MouÌ„t forde was at Northampton gatherynge of people to strength the Barons partye he spedde hym thyder and wanne the towne vppon hym by force and slewe many of hys men and fynally toke hym syr Symon the son of the erle of Leyceter wyth dyuers other on lyue the which with many burgeyses of that towne that hadde take theyr partyes the kynge sent vnto dyuers prysons and some he closyd wythin the castell of y e same towne In thys passe tyme on Palmesondaye weke all the Iewes in London were spoyled and robbed the nomber of .v. huÌ„dred of them were slayn and dyuers of theyr mansyons brent and destroyed and suche as of them were saued were conueyed for great mede vnto the towre and there kept from the fury of the commons wherof the occasyon was for so myche as a Iewe wolde haue forced a crysten man to haue gyueÌ„ to hym more then ii d. for the vsure of .xx. s. for a weke For ye shall vnderstand that at those dayes by lycence graunted vnto the Iewes of the kynge they myght take by vsury of euery man y t of theym wolde borowe money .ii. d. of a pouÌ„d for a weke lendyng and so of greter of smaller summes after that rate And soon after the Iewes were thus punyshed many houses of relygyon wythin y e citye and nere there about were serched for goodes of alliauÌ„tis and myche founde wherof a parte was brought vnto the lordis but the more parte was stolen and brybed In whyche season the kynge passed by diuers couÌ„treys and lastely came into Southsex with a strong power wherof herynge the lordes made preparacyon to go towardes hym In all whyche tyme the wardeyns of the v. portes kepte the see wyth shyppes that no straungers shulde entre the lande to ayde the kynge agayne the Barons Then in the ende of Apryll the Barons wyth a multytude of the cytye whyche they put in vawarde departed from London takyng theyr iourney towarde the kynge And when they were well onwarde vpon they re way worde was brought vnto them that the kynge wyth an huge power was at Lewys wherfore they by an hole assent dyuysed a letter and sent yt in y e name of all the Barons vnto the kynge whose names here vnder folowe but not all Syr Symonde de Mounforde erle of Leyceter and hyghe stewarde of Englande Syr Gylbert de Clare erle of Glouceter Syr Robert Ferres erle of Derby Syr Hugh le Spenser chefe iustice and syr Henry de Mountford son and heyre to the erle of Leyceter Syr Rycharde Gray Syr Henry Hastynges Syr IohnÌ„ fyz IohnÌ„ Syr Robert de Uenpount Syr IohnÌ„ Gyuyle Syr Robert Roos Syr wyllyam Marmyon Baldwyne wake Syr Gylbert Gyfforde Syr Nycholas de Megraue Syr Godfrey de Lucy Syr IohnÌ„ de Ueysy Syr wyllyam de Mounthdesey whyche letter sealed wyth the seales of the sayde erle of Leycester and of Glouceter conteyned as foloweth TO the most excellent lord the kynge Henry by the grace of god kynge of Englande lorde of Irlande and duke of Gwyan the Barons other faythfull your seruauntes theyr fydelyte and othe to god and to you coueytynge to kepe sendyng to you due salutyng with all reuerence and honour vnder due obeysaunce Lyketh yt youre hyghnes to vnderstaÌ„de that many beyng about you haue before tymes shewyd vnto your lordshyppe of vs many euyll vntrewe reportes and haue founde suggestyons not alonely of vs but also of your selfe to brynge this your realme vnto subuersyon Know your excellency that we entende nothyng but helth and suerty to your person to the vttermoste of our powers and not onely to our enmyes but also to yours and of all this youre realme we entende vtter greuaunce and correccyon Besechynge your grace her after to gyue vnto theym lytell credeÌ„ce for ye shall fynde vs your trew and faythfull subiectes to the vtter moste of our powers And we erle of Leyceter and erle of Glouceter at the request of other and for our selfe haue put to our seales the .x. day of the moneth of May. The answere vnto this foresayde letter HEnry by y e grace of god kyng of Englande lorde of Irland and duke of Guyan to Symonde de Mountforde Gylbert de Clare theyr coÌ„plyces where as by warre generall ê‘turbauÌ„ce in this our realme by you begon contynued wyth also brennynges and other hurtes and enormytyes that euydently apperyth that your fydelyte to vs due ye haue not kept nor y e suerty of our person ye haue
into the holy lande the xx peny of euery mannes substaunce mouable thorough out hys lande of the lay fee and of the spyrytualty by assent of y e .x. Gregorye then pope .iii. dysmes to be leuyed in thre yeres Anno domini M.CC.lxx  Anno domini M.CC.lxxi  walter Porter  IohnÌ„ Adryan Uyntyner  Anno .lv.  IohnÌ„ Taylour  IN thys .lv. yere the kynge of Romains coÌ„cludid a couenauÌ„t betwen y e kyng syr Gylbert de Clare erle of Glouceter for a vyage to be taken into the holy lande by the sayd erle for the kynge For the whych vyage the saide erle shuld haue toward his charge .viii thousand mark and at the takyng of his shyppyng other iiii thousande marke and to be redy by the fyrst daye of May next folowynge and yf the erle were not redy at the see syde at that day with his company to take his shyppynge he shuld then forfayte to y e kyng .ii. M. marke For suertie wherof y e sayde erle shuld delyuer into the kynges possessyon his castell of Henleger standynge vppon y e marche of walis But this cam after to no purpose wherfore y e cause is not shewyd But y e iourney was perfourmed by syr Edwarde the kynges sonne as after shall be to you declared In this passe tyme the cytesyns of London contentyd so well syr Edwardes mynde that he laboured so for them to the kynges grace that they had then theyr chartour so coÌ„fermyd that they shuld after theyr auncyent lybertyes chose of them self a mayre and two shryues and y e sayd shryues to haue the offyces therunto belongynge to ferme as they to fore hadde excepte that wheretofore they payde for the fee ferme .iii. hundred and l. punde nowe they shulde pay .iiii. hundred and .l. pouÌ„de After whyche confyrmacyon thus grauÌ„ted and passed by y e kynges brode seale the cytesyns vppon the .xiiii. daye of Iuly assembled at the Guyldhall chase for theyr mayre IohnÌ„ Adryan draper and for shyreffes walter Porter and IohnÌ„ Tayller And vppon y e xvi daye folowynge syr Edwarde beynge present presented them vnto y e king at westminster where they were admitted sworne And then was syr Hugh of Othon dyschargyd of that rule of the cytye Then the citesyns of theyr fre wyll gaue vnto the kynge an C. marke to syr Edwarde .v. huÌ„dred marke whyche gyft the kyng well accepted And soone after they receyued theyr chartour of confyrmacyon berynge date the .xxi. day of Iuly and yere of the kynges reygne .lv. And for the former conuencyon betwene the kyng and the erle of Glouceter was not holden syr Edwarde toke vppon hym the kynges crosse To whom the kynge gaue all suche money as was graunted of y e lay fee as before is shewyd then toke his leue of the kyng and after toke shyppynge at Douer the .xx. daye of August and so sayled to Burbeaux with his wyfe and other noble company And for that holy Lewys then kyng of Fraunce was gone he taryed at Burdeaux a certayne season and after sped hym with his forsayd company toward y e cytye of Thunys where y e Frenche kyng was But or he came thyder saynt Lewys was dede And y e peace coÌ„cluded betwene Phylyppe hys son and the kynge of Thunys wherfore syr Edwarde entendynge to greue goddes enmyes wyth some knygtes of Fraunce whych enteÌ„ded the same toke leue of the Frenche kynge and of syr Charlâ—s hys vncle then kynge of Scycyle sayled further into the holy lande and arryued at a porte of Acris or Acon For at y e daye in the holy lande was no mo cytyes in the possessyon of cristen men but that and the cytye of Tyre wyth certayne castellys wherunto the crysten fled often for socoure agayne the Sarazyns when syr Edwarde was comeÌ„ to y e cytye of Acon y e crysten knyghtes receyued hym with gret honour gladnesse and lodged hym in theyr beste maner where he taryed by the space of a yere after as aftermeth y e french cronycle For yt was not longe after his commynge thyder but that the Soudane of Sury the whych had wonne al the countreys there about came thyther wyth a great power of Sarazyns and assauted the towne vygurously But syr Edwarde with the ayde of crysten men bare hym so knyghtly that he defended the cytye and the castellys to the same belongynge terrytores of the same that the Soudane for all hys great multytude and power gate there lyteil honoure notwytstandynge that he hadde in hys hoste as affyrmeth the frenche cronycle ouer an hundred thousande Sarazyns And more affyrmeth the sayde cronycle that syr Edwarde in his polycyes and manfull actes so honorably behauyd him that he neuer dyd such acte in all his lyfe folowynge all be it that after he dyd many of grete honour But none that was lyke vnto the actes that he there accomplyshed and brought vnto ende By reason wherof his name amonge infidelys was had in memory many yeres after Of the honoure of thys marcyall knyght I haue shewed the lenger rehersall for so myche as I fynde yt testyfyed of the French men the which I knowe well by theyr other cronycles that they make of Englysh prynces must be of great authoryte or ellys by them yt shuld not so specyally haue ben noted And more ouer I am assured that yf a Frenche prynce had deseruyd suche a generall pryce yt shulde haue ben set out and artyculed euery acte thereof that yt shulde haue conteyned a large worke the specyaltyes therof declared to they re moste laude and honour Then thys noble prynce beynge thus in Acon and dayly puttynge the Suryens to shame and great damages they seynge they might not preuayle agayn hym by strength of vatayll cast how they myght destroy hym by treason and sente vnto hym a Sarazyne in name of a messanger the whyche in tellynge of hys fayned message wouÌ„ded hym wyth a knyfe enuenomyd of the whyche wounde he laye longe or he were therof cured But after confessyon made by the Sarazyn of all hys coÌ„passed treason he was put vnto cruell deth In thys yere also fyll downe the steple of saynt Mary Bow in Chepe of LoÌ„don slew women chyldren Anno domini M.CC.lxxi  Anno dnÌ„i M.CC.lxxii  Gregory Rokkysle  IohnÌ„ Adryan wyntener  Anno .lvi.  Henry waleys  IN this .lvi. yere in the moneth of Nouember at the parliameÌ„t holden at westmynster the marchauÌ„tes of LoÌ„don and other places of Englande complayned them to y e kyng that the countesse of Flaundres had taken from them certayne gooddes amountynge to a great summe Uppon whych complaynt the kyng sent to her to make restytucyon But for noâ—e was had the kyng coÌ„maunded that all men born in y e partyes in Englande shulde be arrested and they theyr goodes to be vnder suer kepynge By the whych meane in conclusyon she sent ouer embassadours and besought the kyng that
Cambrees erle of Atles and syr IohnÌ„ Comyn with other the whyce voluntarylye were sworne in presence of the kynge and hys lordes that they shuld be trewe vnto the kynge of Englande kepe the lande of Scotlande to hys vse agayne all other persones And yf any rebell or other malycyous persone distourbed the laÌ„de or breke y e kynges peas they shulde cause hym to be taken and sent vnto the kynge wyth many other articles coÌ„cernyng theyr allegeaunce the whyche full falsely they brake and contraryed shortely after Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.v.  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.vi  Raynold Doderell  IohnÌ„ Blount  Anno .xxxiiii.  wyllyam Cansyn  IN thys .xxxiiii. yere Robert le Bruze contrary hys othe to kynge Edwarde before made assembled the lordes of Scotlande and by the couÌ„sayll of thabbot of Stone and other that fauoured hys vntrouthe he sent vnto the pope than Clement the .v for a dyspensacyoÌ„ of hys othe before made vnto kynge Edwarde and surmysed to hym that kyng Edwarde vexed and greuyd the realme of Scotlande wrongfully whereupoÌ„ the pope wrote vnto kyng Edwarde to leue of suche doynges And whyle thys matter was thus complayned on vnto the pope y e sayd Robert le Bruze made all the labour he myght vnto y e lordes of ScotlaÌ„de that he were admytted for kyng of y e regyon so that vpon the daye of the concepcyon of our Lady or the .viii. day of Decembre a great assemble of the lordes was made at the abbey of Stone And vpoÌ„ the day folowyng by the meanes of the abbot of y t place many of the sayd lordes assented to y e wyl of the sayd Robert except syr Iohan Comyn onely The whych in defence of hys trouthe and othe before sworne vnto kyng Edwarde many reasons excuses made and fynally sayd that he wolde nat false hys othe for no man For thys the sayd syr Iohan Comyn had great maugre of syr Robert le Bruze many of y e nobles of Scotlande But he helde hys oppynyon so fermely that other began to take hys parte that in that counsayll rose suche contrariete of opynyons and reasons that the sayd couÌ„sayll was dyssolued and a newe sette at the graye freers of Dunfrize after Candelmas next ensuyng At whych daye of assemble whenne the cause of theyr meting was by Robert le Bruze denouÌ„ced and shewed many of the great lordes of the land had grauÌ„ted to hym theyr aydes assistence the forenamed syr IohnÌ„ Comyn other sat styll and sayd no worde whyche Robert le Bruze marked well and to hym sayd And you syr IohnÌ„ I trust for defence and weale of thys realme ye wyll nat be behynde wherunto he answered syr I wolde that ye and al my lordes here present knowe well that for the weale and defence in the ryght of thys lande I wolde stande with it to the vttermost of my power But for I se that ye enteÌ„de rather the subuercyon than the weale therof I wyll therfore ye know I shal nother ayde you with counsayll nor yet with strength Some other also there were whose names the auctoure myndeth nat whyche allowed the sayenge of the sayde syr IohnÌ„ and in some wordes admytted hys sadde and trewe answere For the whyche Roberte le Bruze was so amoued that when syr IohnÌ„ Comyn with syr Rogyer hys brother was departed from the counsayll and was comyn into the chyrch of the freers Robert le Bruze hym folowyd and wounded to the deth with his swerde and after slew syr Rogier hys brother whyche wolde haue defended the foresayde syr IohnÌ„ After whose deth lytell or no resysteÌ„ce was made agayne the vntrewe meane dedes of the sayd Robert le Bruze so that he at saynte IohnÌ„s towne was crowned kynge shortly after It was nat longe after that kyng Edwarde was monysshed of all this vntrouth of the scottes wherfore he prepared hym to wende thyder And at Penthecoste he helde a great feaste of hys barony at westmyster durynge that feast made a greate noÌ„bre of knyghtes ouer CC. after mooste wryters And that feast ended he seÌ„t with a fayre company of knyghtes syr Aymer de Ualaunce erle of Penbroke and syr Henry Percy erle of Northumberlande into ScotlaÌ„de sped hym selfe wyth hys hoost soone after Than about the feast of the assuÌ„pcyon of our Lady the kyng faughte with the sayd Robert le Bruze and al the power of Scotlande in a playne nere vnto saynt IohnÌ„s towne And after loÌ„ge fyght and great slaughter of the scottes to y e nombre of .vii. M he chased the scottes In whyche chase syr Symon de Fryseyll erle of DuÌ„barre was takeÌ„ with also the bishoppes of saint Adrews and of Bastoon the abbot of Stoon or Scoon syr IohnÌ„ Chambres erle of Atles which bysshoppes and abbot kyng Edward sent after vnto innoceÌ„t the .v. thaÌ„ pope with reporte of theyr ê‘iury how they were taken armed in the felde to shede the blode of cristeÌ„ men And y e teÌ„porall lordes he sent into EnglaÌ„de so vnto the towre of LondoÌ„ And Robert le Bruze after thys scomfyture losse of hys chyef freÌ„des feryng lest y e scottes with suche Englysshmen as kyng Edward laft there wolde aryse agayne hym all comfortles fledde vnto the kynge of Norwaye there abode duryng whyle kyng Edwarde lyued whan thys noble prynce Edward had thus subdued y e scottes he yelded thankes to god of hys vyctorye And wheÌ„ he was ascertayned of the auoydyng of Robert le Bruze had set y e laÌ„de in a quiet ordre he retourned into Englande In thys passetyme were y e forenamed lordes of ScotlaÌ„de areygned at LondoÌ„ vpoÌ„ the euyn of the Natyuyte of our Lady put to deth theyr heddes after set vpoÌ„ LondoÌ„ brydge And shortly after was IohnÌ„ waleys brother vnto wyllyaÌ„ waleys whych for lyke treason was put to deth in y e preceding yere taken haÌ„ged quarteryd And some scottes that were taken as prysoners remayned loÌ„ge in EnglaÌ„de or they myght acquite theyr fynaunce Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.vi  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.vii.  Symon Bolet  IohnÌ„ Blount  Anno .xxxv.  Godfrey de la Conduyt  IN thys .xxxv. yere y e kynge for certayne causes hym mouyng retourned agayne into Scotlande Or after some wryters he taryed at Berwyke helde hys Crystmasse Easter in those partyes came nat into EnglaÌ„de after he had scoÌ„fyted y e scottes In the season of somer as he was retournyng into EnglaÌ„de a sykenes toke hym so ferueÌ„tly y e he knew wele he shuld dye wherfore he beyng at Burgthe vpoÌ„ the sande beyonde Carleyll called to hym syr Aymer de Ualance erle of PeÌ„broke syr Henry Percy erle of NorthuÌ„berlande syr HeÌ„ry Lacy erle of LyncolnÌ„ syr Robert Clyfforde baroÌ„ caused them to besworne before hym y t they shuld crowne hys sonne Edwarde in as conuenyent tyme after hys dethe as they myght and
his enemyes For subdie wherof the cytezyns of London were constrayned to fynde at theyr propre costes an hundred men of armys the whyche contrary theyr lybertyes with a condycyon that after that daye it shulde be no president they sent vnto Portchestre In thys season passe tyme the quene with syr Edwarde hyr son with a small company of Englysshemen and a crewe of Henawders of the whych syr IohnÌ„ of Henawde the erles brother was capytayne toke shyppynge in those partyes had y e wynde so fauorable vnto them that they landed in Englande at a porte called Orwell besyde Harwyche in Suffolke the .xxv. day of SepteÌ„bre without any resistens of meÌ„ of warre agayne hyr made To whome after hyr landyng the people of the couÌ„tre drewe by great companyes so sped hyr towarde London At thys tyme of the quenes thus laÌ„dyng the kyng was at hys cytye of LondoÌ„ But wheÌ„ he harde of the great people y t drewe to hyr out of all countres he fered wherfore in safegardyng of hym self he fled wyth a small companye towarde walys lefte mayster walter StapyltoÌ„ bisshop of Exceter behynd hym to haue the rule of the cytye of London It was nat longe after the kynges departyng that y e quene sent a letter vnto the mayre comynaltie of the cytye requyred of them ayde to subdue the oppressours of y e comoÌ„ weale of the realme But to that letter was made none answere Therefore she wrote the secoÌ„de tyme aduertysyng them of theyr landynge of the entent that she had to refourme y e enormytyes mysgouernauÌ„ce of the lande in admonestyng them of theyr ayde socoure as by the tenure of y e sayd letter more playnly appereth wherof the circumstauÌ„ce I haue left out of thys boke for so moche as I fynde varyaunce in the contentes thereof and also for the copyes there of ben sette oute in the cronycles of Englande and dyuers other bokes Than thys sayde letter was tacked vpon the crosse in Chepe whyche at that daye was called the newe crosse In the nyght before the day of saynt Denys or the .ix. day of October And other copyes of the same were fastened in dyuerse other places of y e cytye wherof one was fastened vpoÌ„ the mayres gate After whyche letter thus publysshed in the cytye the bisshop of Exceter to whome as before is sayd the kyng had commytted the rule of the cytye sent vnto the mayre to haue the keyes of the gates of the cytye by vertue of hys commission By the whych he stode so fermely vsed so sharpe wordes in the kynges name that varyaunce grew betwene hym the cytezyns so ferfourth that the commons of the cytye in theyr rage toke the sayd bysshop the .xiiii. day of Octobre and hym with .ii. of hys housholde esquyers beheded vnreuerently at y e standard in weschep And the same daye was taken for a spye a cytezyn called IohnÌ„ Marshal whych fauoured the Spensers ê‘tye in y e same place also beheded without processe of lawe And then the corps of y e sayde bysshop with hys .ii. seruauÌ„tes were haryed to Thamys syde where the sayd bysshop had begonne to edyfye a toure and there in the rubbusshe and sande of the same they buryed or conueyed these thre bodyes whyche dispyte to hym was done after some auctoures for so moche as he had vsurped of the comoÌ„ grounde of the cytie in settyng of the sayd toure But for what cause was he thus vngoodly vnreuerentely delte with no mencion is made And in thys passe tyme the quene easely a foote space folowed y e kyng which by thys season was coÌ„mâ— to Brystow hauyng with hym the SpeÌ„sers his dyffamed chauÌ„celler mayster Robert Baldocke syr IohnÌ„ erle of Arundell other where by theyr counsayls it was agreed that syr Hugh SpeÌ„ser the father shulde remayne there and haue the rule of the towne castell whyle the kynge with the other toke shyppynge sayled frome thens into walys to rayse the walshemen And so the kyng with syr Hugh Spenser the sonne the other toke shyppyng at Brystowe so sayled into waâ—ys when the certaynte therof came vnto the quene anone she sent to Brystow the erle of Kent the kynges brother syr IohnÌ„ of Henawde wyth dyuerse other for to take syr Hugh Spenser the father The whyche put them in suche deuour that they tooke the sayde syr Hugh and lefte a certayne to holde the towne castell tyll the quene with hyr power came thyther â–ª In the whyche tyme they sped them into walys and in processe tooke y e kynge hys chaunceller the erle of Arundell and syr Hughe Spenser the sonne and broughte them all to the towne of Hereforde And in thys whyle the cytezeyns of London wan the towre of LondoÌ„ and kept it vnto the quenes vse Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.xxv  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.xxvi  Gylbert Moordon  Rycharde Betayne  Anno .xix.  IohnÌ„ Cotton  IN thys .xix. yere and begynnynge of thys mayres charge vppon the morowe folowynge the feaste of Symon and Iude the same daye that the mayre rode to westmynster to take hys charge the same day at Brystow was syr Hugh Spenser the father putte to dethe and after buryed at wynchestre And vppon saynte Huys daye folowynge or the .xviii. daye of Nouembre was syr Hugh hys sonne draweÌ„ hanged and quartered at Herforde and hys hed sent to London and set amonge other vpon the brydge The comon fame of hym went that after he was taken he wolde take no maner sustenauÌ„ce wherfore he was the sooner put vnto deth Of this Hugh a versyfyer made these two verses folowynge Punis cum lignis a te miser ensis ignis Hugo securis equus abstulit omne decus whiche verses to them that vnder stande no latyne maye in thys wyse be expowned or englysshed wyth ropes were thou bounde and on the galowe honge And from thy body thyne hed wyth swerde was kytte Thy bowels in the fyre were throwe and burned longe Thy body in foure pecys eke wyth an axe was slytte wyth horse before drawyn fewe men pytyenge it Thus wyth these turmentys for thy synnes sake from y e wretched Hugh all wordly welthe was take In thys meane tyme and season the kynge was conueyed vnto the castell of Kenelworthe and there kepte vnder the garde of syr Henry of Lancaster or brother vnto the erle Thomas of Lancaster that was behedyd at Pounfrette And mayster Robert Baldoke the kynges chauncelloure was sent vnto London and put into the pryson of Newgate where after he dyed myserably The erle IohnÌ„ of Arundell was also put to deth at Herforde wythin foure dayes of syr Hugh the yonger Spenser Then y e quene wyth syr Edwarde hyr sonne and with a goodly company of lordes and gentylmen retourned vnto London and there of the cytesyns wyth greate honoure and ioye was receyued vppon the daye of saynte Barbara or the .iiii.
y e secōde Edwarde yet kynge of Englande was crowned at Raynes the .xii. day of February nexte ensuynge After whiche solempnyte fynysshed ended he in short proces of tyme after sent vnto the .xxii. Iohan than pope assertayned hym of y e gossyprede y t was atwene hym and Blanche his wyfe wherof the examynacyon by y e sayd pope was commytted vnto the bisshoppes of Paris of Beauuais mayster Godfrey de Blessys prothonotayr of the countre of Rome The whiche after due and perfyte examinacyon in that mater made they founde that Mawde countesse of Artoys and mother to the fore named quene Blanche was godmother vnto kynge Charles her husbande Of the whiche whan they had made reporte vnto the pope he gaue sentēce that the sayd matrymony was not legyttymat and cōmaunded a deuorce and a separacyon to be made atwene those .ii. persones The whiche was shortly after executed In the seconde yere of this Charles dyed Robert erle of Flaūdres without yssue wherfore the sayd erledam fell into y e Frenche kynges handes so that of it he was in processe by thagrement of the lordes of the same put in peasyble possessyon all be it the erle of Neuers made therunto a pretēce tytle And in this yere kynge Charles about the feest of saynt Mathewe in Septēbre maryed his seconde wyfe named Mary the syster of the kynge of Bohemy or Beme and doughter of Henry erle of Lucenbourgh and late emperoure of Almayne named in the lyne of the emperours Henry the .viii or after some wryters y e .vii. Also in y ◠sayd yere one named Iourdan of the I le a Gascoyne borne a man of noble lynage but lowe vyle of condycyons to whom the foresaid pope Iohn̄ in maryage hadde gyuen hys nyese for reuerence of his byrth thys season by the meane of his vyle condycyons and suche dyshoneste cōpanye as he drewe vntyll hym he fell into many sclaūderous vyces so that lastly he was accused of rape murder and of felony Of the whych he was at length in .xviii. artycles by due profe made cōuycte by the lawe and iudged to be hanged But the kynge at the request of the pope and for the honoure of hys blode graunted to hym a charter and pardoned hym of all former transgressyons But that not wythstandynge he in processe of tyme fell or retourned vnto hys olde accustomyd condicyons And among other greate crymes by hym executed he slewe a sergeaunt of armys belongynge to the kynge that to hym was sent in message For whyche murder and other detestable dedys he was newely accused and vppon that somonyd to apere at Parys before the kynge and hys counsayle At whych day of apparence he came to the sayde cytye wyth a great companye and some noble men whiche were to hym nere of kynne and excused him to the vttermost of theyr powers But agayne hym and to accuse hym came many other lordes barons Of the whyche the marques of Ampton or Dampton wyth hys sonne were chyefe that put causes of complaynt agayne hym The which made suche prouys and declaracyōs agayne the sayde Iourdan that he was cōmytted vnto the chastelet of Parys there to remayne as a prysoner And in processe of tyme suche maters and trespaces were prouyd vpon hym that he by authoryte of a parlyament holden at Compeyng was lastly iudged to dye And soone after that is to meane the .vii. day of Maye he was drawyn to the gybbet of Parys and there hanged In the thyrde yere of his reygne thys Charlys gaue vnto the erle of Neuers y t before tyme hadde made clayme to the erledome of Flaunders y ◠sayde erledom the whyche of the Flemynges and inhabytauntes of that coūtrey was wel and ioyously receyued Than he in shorte whyle after gaue vnto the townes of Gaunt Brugys Ipre and other dyuers pryuyleges and grauntes to theyr great auauntage profyte But it was not longe after that he wanne of them as mych grudge and hatred as he to fore had loue good wyll And all for a taxe y t he set vpon the dwellers of Brugys and the coūtrey nere there vnto and specyally of them that dwelled in the countrey For they thought y t theyr charge exceded farre the charge of y e dwellers within the towne wherfore by secrete meanys they appoynted a daye of assemble amonge them selfe and sodeynly well armed entred the towne of Brugys and slewe therin dyuers of the erles seruauntes and some of the borough maysters of the sayde towne suche as they suspected to be of counseyle of the leuyenge of the sayd taske In the .iiii. yere of his reygne thys Charlys after the dethe of Mary hys seconde wyfe by dyspensacion of the pope the .xxii. Iohn̄ he maryed Iane his cosyn Germayn the doughter of Lewys erle of Euroux and vncle vnto thys kynge Charlys or brother to hys father Phylyppe le Beawe IN this abouesayd .iiii. yere the quene of Englande and syster vnto thys kyng Charlys of Fraūce to treate an vnite and peace bytwene hyr lorde and hyr brother for the warre made in Gascoyne as before is towched in the .xv. yere of Edward the seconde hyr lorde and husbande and there taryed and retourned as aboue in the sayde yere is expressed In thys yere also the erle of Flaūders fore named for suspeccyon that he hadde to Robert of Flaūders hys vncle leste he for hys synguler auaūtage wold supplant hym of that erle dome he made letters vnto the gouernours of the towne where y e sayd Robert was resyaunt and abydyng that they shulde put hym to dethe But by the warnyng of his olde and trusty frende the erlys chaūcellour he was warned and so auoyded that towne For thys greate malyce and rancoure arose bytwene this Robert and the erle whyche was not shortly pacyfyed But it was not longe after that a nother taske or imposycyon was leuyed of the townes of Gaunt Brugys Ipre and other townys of Flaunders The whyche taske was leuyed in recompensemēt of suche warres made vpon Flaunders by Phylyp le Beawe or more dyrectely for paymēt of twelue thousand pownde awardyd by Ioselyn the cardynall as before is shewed in the seconde yere of the .v. Phylyppe that the Flemynges shulde paye to the French kyng for byenge of theyr peace Of thys taske to be leuyers or gaderers was assygned the pryncypall men of the sayde townes y t whiche by theyr demeanure in the leuyenge therof demeaned them in suche wyse that they ranne in great hatred of the comon people In so myche that they accusyd theym and sayde that they hadde leuyed or gatheryd moche more than the sayde taske amounted wherfore they desyred of the erlys counsayle that the sayde persons myghte be called to accoūpt But thys requeste myght not be opteyned whyche caused the comons to runne in further grudge and murmure An other thynge also caused suspeccyon for the erlys counsayle and the sayde collectours hadde so
many secrete assembles At lengthe whan the erlys counsayle apperceyued the murmure of the comons they wyth the collectours condyscendyd for a trayne to haue taken certeyne capytaynes of the sayd comōs and sayde that at Turnaye at a daye assygned the sayd collectours shuld yelde vp theyr accoumpte At whych daye the erle in proper persone came vnto the sayde towne of Tournaye And there whan y e erle with the other of hys counceyle shulde haue executed theyr purposed enter how it was by some warnyng or monycyon that the comons had they wythstode the erle and hys companye and in the ende slewe many of theyr enemyes and toke the erle and putte hym in sure kepynge wythin the towne of Brugys But in thys skyrmysshe by meane of y e erlys party a great part of the foresayde towne was brent wherfore the towne toke partye with the Flemynges and were a greate cause that the erle was so taken and putte frome hys entent Than the foresayde comons to the more dyspleasure of the erle admytted for theyr lorde and capytayne Roberte the vncle of the erle foresayde and amonge them reputed hym for erle of Flaunders The whyche for takynge vpon hym delyuered frō pryson hys frende the erlys chauncellour whyche as aboue is sayde had delyuered hym from former daūger made hym chyefe of his counceyle But to all thys was the towne of Gaunt repugnaūt in so moche that mortall warre beganne to sourde betwene the sayd towne the towne of Bruges other And so farfourth cōtynued that shortly after the people of Gaunt and of the other townes met wyth them of Bruges in playne batayll fought cruelly But in the ende they of Gaūt chased thē of Bruges and slewe of them beyonde fyue hundreth men But yet the erle was neuer the rather deliuered After this the Frenche kyng sent vnto them of Bruges requyryng them in curtoyse maner that they wolde set theyr erle at lybertye But they sent the messangers agayne wythout spede of theyr message In thys whyle dyed Charles de Ualoys brother vnto Phylyppe le Beaw vncle vnto this kyng Charles the whych languysshed longe in a consumpcyō or he dyed in so moch that the opynyon of the people was y t he was so punysshed for the iniury malyce y t he bare towarde Enguerram the whyche as ye haue before harde in the fyrste yere of thys kyng was put vnto deth And the rather thys fame ran vpon the sayd Charles for so moche as in y e tyme of hys syckenes he gaue great almesse And to suche persones as he gaue or sente hys almesse vnto he wylled them as well to pray for the soule of the sayde Enguerram as for hys owne hele Thys Charles de Ualoyes left after hym a sonne named Philipe de Ualoyes the whych Phylip for so moch as thys Charles now kyng of fraūce dyed wythout issue he by fauoure of the lordes of that regyon was made kyng of Fraunce put by the ryght and tytle of Edwarde the thyrde thā kyng of Englande the sonne of Isabel doughter of Phylyp le Beawe whych Isabell by dyssent was rightful enheritour of y e crowne of Fraūce For whyche tytle was after cruell warre betwene the sayd Edwarde Phylyp as in the story of the sayde Edwarde after shall appere In the v. yere of kyng Charles the Burghmaysters skepyns y t is to meane the rulers of the towne of Bruges deliuered theyr erle set hym at larg vpon certayne condicions folowyng the whych to be obserued they caused hym to be solēply sworne Fyrste that after that day he shuld nat punysshe nor hurt any of the lande of Flaundres for any displeasure to hym done or any of hys seruauntes or councel sen the tyme that he was erle concernyng any cause of theyr rebellion Secūdaryly y t he shuld nat abrydge nor mynysshe any of theyr lyberties that they of olde tyme haue had or by hym newly to theym graunted Thyrdely that in all grose maters that concerned the gouernaunce of hys realme suche as he knewe well dyuerse of them to be expert therein that he shulde nothynge conclude or do without theyr aduyces and assentys And fourthly that after that day he shuld neuer vse the counsayl of the abbot of Uersellay which they knew for theyr dedely enemy for so moche as they before tyme had slayne hys father named Petyr Floce or Floze in the batayll of Courtray as in the syxtene yere of Phylyppe le Beawe is before shewed how be it the name of the sayde Petyr is nat there expressed After whyche artycles wyth other fermely by the erle promysed to be kept and holden he was deliuered set at large In the syxte yere of the reygne of thys Charles a greate dyssencyon and varyaunce aroose betwene the Dolphyne of Uyen and the duke of Sauoy so that mortall batayll ensued vppon the same In the whyche moche people were slayne vpon both partyes But in y ◠ende the Dolphyn of Uyen had the better and toke as prysoners in the feelde the duke of Burgoyne and the erle of Ancerne wyth other noble men In thys yere also the Gascoynes with y e Englissh men made warre vppon the borders of Fraunce Agayne whome kynge Charles sent a cosyn of hys named syr Alphons de Spayne But he spēt the kyng greate good and retourned with lytle worshyppe into Fraunce where he dyed shortely after Then the kynge sent agayne the sayd Gascoynes the erle of Ewe syr Robert Barthram than marshall of Fraūce with dyuerse other noble men In whyche season the Gascoynes wyth the sayd Englysshemen had gotten the castell of a towne standynge in y ◠coūtre of Poytyew or Poytyers named saynt Oyngne within whyche towne the sayd erle other the nobles of Fraūce were lodged so y t betwene them dayly cruell assautes were exercysed to the great hurte of bothe partyes Lastly betwene thē was a daye of batayll in playne feelde accorded where the Frenchemen to the entēt to haue the aduaūtage of the sayd feeld there to enbatayll thē selfe to theyr mooste auaūtage the day of the sayd appoytemēt issued of y t towne yode to the place assygned whyche was a good dystaunce frome the foresayde towne there taryed theyr enemyes But the Gascoynes entendyng an other purpose yode streyght vnto y t foresayde towne and knowyng it to be without greate defence assauted and shortly gatte it and set it on fyre nat sparynge chyrches nor other places of relygyon as affermeth y ◠frēch boke and that done retourned vnto the fyresayd castel and in processe of tyme after retourned agayne into Guyan whan kynge Charles was assertayned of thys delusion he was greuously dyscontented agayne the Gascoynes and manysshed theym very sore But in the moneth of Decēbre shortly ensuynge he was taken with a greuouse sykenesse so that he dyed vppon Candelmas euyn folowynge at Boys in Uyncent and was entered at saynt Denyse whā he
aboute Lammesse sayled into Braban and there helde hys couÌ„sayl with hys frendes and by theyr aduyces made clayme to y e hole crowne of Fraunce as hys ryghtefull enherytaunce for more auctorytye of the same entermedeled the armes of England with y e armys of FrauÌ„ce as ye se them at this daye Then kynge Phylyp beyng of these thynges warned gathered an howge hoste came with them to a towne called Uermendoys And kyng Edwarde with hys people entred y e couÌ„trey called Theresse breÌ„t wasted y e couÌ„trey before hym ThaÌ„ kyng Philip drew toward the Englisshe hoste and came vnto a place or towne called in freÌ„ch BuyroÌ„ Fosse where he entended as sayth y â— frenche boke to haue set vpon y e Englysshemen But by counsayl of hys lordes for dyuerse causes he was let to hys dyspleasure For after y e daye he myght fynde no conuenyent tyme for to assayle hys enemyes so that in conclusyon eyther hoste departed froÌ„ other without batayll or fyght and kynge Edwarde toke hys wey towarde Gaunt kyng Phylip retourned into Fraunce Than kynge Edwarde by meanes of hys frende Iaques de Artyuele had all hys pleasure of the towne of Gaunt receyued of them othe and homage And after dyuerse conclusioÌ„s with them and other takeÌ„ he leuyng there the quene after the testymony of some wryters retourned agayne into EnlaÌ„de left with the quene which thaÌ„ was great with chylde y e erles of Salysbury of Oxynforde whyche in y e kynges absence ayded well y e Flemynges agayne the FreÌ„ch kyng dyd dyuerse marcyall actes whyche I here passe ouer But iÌ„ ê“ces y e erle of Salysbury was takeÌ„ prysoner diuers englyssh men slayne at y e assaut of a towne called y e I le in FlauÌ„ders or of flauÌ„ders Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxix  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xl  Adam Lucas  Andrewe Awbry  Anno .xv.  Bartholomewe Marres  IN thys .xv. yere whyle y e kyng was busyed in Englande to make prouysyoÌ„ for mete money to withstande the FreÌ„che kyng aswell for the warre that the sayde Frenche kyng made vpoÌ„ the Flemynges other beyng y e kynges frendes as for hys owne particuler causes y e quene as before is sayd beyng at the towne of Gaunt was deliuered of a sonne which after was named IohnÌ„ about Crystmas in the begynnynge of thys mayres yere ende of this .xiiii. yere This chyld whaÌ„ he came to mannes astate was surnamed IohnÌ„ of GauÌ„t was fyrst erle of RychemouÌ„t after duke of LaÌ„caster also fast as kyng Edwarde ê“uyded for abylemeÌ„tes of warre in EnglaÌ„de so fast hasty prouysyoÌ„ made the FreÌ„ch kyng to withstande kyng Edward both by laÌ„de by water so y t he had a great stroÌ„ge nauy vpoÌ„ see Kyng Edward thaÌ„ in y e moneth of Iunii with .ii. C. sayles tooke shyppynge sayled towarde FlauÌ„ders vpoÌ„ the see met or came vnto hym syr Robert Morley with y e north nauye of EnglaÌ„de so y t he had in al aboue .iii. C. sayles And at myd somer vppon saynte IohnÌ„s euyn he fought with the freÌ„ch kynges nauy whyche lay in a wayte for hym nere to the towne called the Sluse Of thys nauy whyche were in noumber by the reporte of the freÌ„che boke vpoÌ„ iiii C. sayles wherof were chyefe admyralles syr Hugh Queret syr Nycholas Buchet one named Barbe Noyre or in Englysh Blacke berde the whych capytayns or admyralles anone as they espied y e englyssh flote they made towarde theÌ„ to begyn the fyght .iiii. galeys set vpoÌ„ a shyppe of auauÌ„tage which sayled before y e other named y e ryche Oliuer the which .iiii galeys the fore named Barbe Noyre had the cunduyt of assayled thys sayd shyppe on euery parte bet her with gunneshot her men with hayl shot excedyngely so that of the men within her were many slayn and mo wouÌ„ded lykely to haue ben shortly won ne had beÌ„ the rescous of her coÌ„pany thaÌ„ were the sayd foure galeys soone becleped with y e English nauy so cruelly assayled that they were borded or they myghte be rescowed Then approched the hole flote vpon bothe sydes with hydous ferefull dynne noyse of gunnes with terryble flamynge of wylde fyre other with thycke shot of quarelles arowes and crusshynge of shyppes y e hydous woÌ„derfull it was to beholde so that many a soule was there expelled from theyr bodies iÌ„ shorte whyle This mortall and cruell fyght coÌ„tynued as sayth the Frenche story by y e space of .viii. howres or more iÌ„ suche wyse y e harde it was to knowe whether parte had the better so many deed and wounded men were cast into the see that the water whiche was in cyrcuyte aboute them was coloured or dyed as reed But in y e ende by grace great maÌ„hode of y e kynge whiche there was sore wouÌ„ded And by his great conforte y e Frenchemen were chased and many of theyr shyppes bowged taken with many prysoners in them Amonge the whiche the forenamed admyralles or capytaynes syr Nycholas Buchet syr Hugh Queret were .ii the whiche in despyte of the Frenchemen were hanged vpon y e sayles of theyr shyppes which they were takeÌ„ in And amoÌ„ge the shyppes that were at this season taken were recouered the .ii. foresayd shyppes named the Edwarde and y e Crystofer the whiche before were taken by the Frenchemen as it before is shewed in y e .iii. yere of this kynge In this batayle also as is testyfyed of many and dyuerse wryters were slayne vpon the noumber of .xxx. M. Frenchemen al be it y e Frenche boke nameth so many to be slayne vpon bothe partyes excuse this mysfortune by the neglygence of syr Nycholas Buchet whiche kepte the FreÌ„che nauy so longe within the hauen that they were so closed in with the Englysh nauy y t a great nouÌ„bre of them myght neuer stryke stroke nor shote theyr ordenaunce but to the hurte of theyr owne company whaÌ„ kynge Edwarde had optayned this tryumphaunt vyctory of his enmyes he yelded great thaÌ„kes vnto god How be it he was fayne to tary a season with in his shyppe by reason of a wouÌ„de y e which he had receyued in his thyghe In whiche season y e quene his wyfe came to vysyte hym and retourned agayne vnto GauÌ„t And after a fewe dayes passed y e kynge departed from Swynne rode vnto our lady of Ardenbourghe sent his nauy in the nexte hauen to Brugys moche of his people vnto the towne of GauÌ„t And whaÌ„ he had accoÌ„plished his pylgrymage he rode vnto Brugys and from thense vnto GauÌ„t where of the dwellers he was ioyously receyued Than kynge Edwarde there called a great counsayle by the whiche it was determyned that he shulde prepare .ii. hostes wherof y t one shuld be of y e meÌ„ of GauÌ„t of y e townes there aboute of y e
y e entent that he myght of authoryte shewe them vnto the comynaltye of the cytye desyred wrytyng The whyche the duke to appease the people though it were some deale cōtrary hys mynde and pleasure graūted vnto hys request For the whych graunt dyuers of the sayd offycers as the chaunceller or cardynall and other absentyd them selfe and came not in Parys by a tracte of tyme after The .xxx. daye of Ianuary ensuynge the duke at the requeste of the sayde prouost sent certeyne offycers vnto the house of syr Symonde de Bucy and of syr Nycholas Brake and of Enguerran of the Celer and of Iohn̄ Prylle whyche before wyth other were accusyd of mysgouernaunce of the realme whose houses were by the sayd offycers kepte and inuentuaryes made of suche goodes as than remayned wythin the sayde houses And that done the duke sent out commyssyons that the thre estates shulde reassemble at Parys the xv daye of February next folowyng whyche was obserued and kepte whan y e sayd .iii. estates were agayne assembled in the parliament chaumber at Parys in the presence of the duke and hys brethern wyth dyuers other nobles of Fraūce mayster Robert Coke bysshop of Laon by the cōmaundement of the sayd duke made a longe preposycyon of the mysguydynge of the kynge and the lande by the meane of yll offycers as well by chaungynge of the moneys as other many vnlefull excysys and taskys to the greate inpouerysshynge of the comynaltye of the reame greate dysclaunder to the kynge and to the synguler enrychynge and auauncement of the sayd offycers wherfore the .iii. estates prayen and specyally the poore comons that all such offycers may be remoued from theyr offyces and other that shall be thought more benefycyall for the kynge and hys realme to be admitted Of the which the cardynall was noted for pryncypall and other to y e noumbre of .xxi. wherof some were ryghte nere vnto the duke AFter whyche preposicyon or oracyō thus by the sayd bysshop ended syr Iohn̄ de Pygqueny in the name of the .iii. astates offered that the sayde .iii. astates shuld gyue vnto the kyng .xxx. M. mē for an hole yere wyth y ◠that all thynges myght after that daye be ordered as the bysshop had before deuysed All whyche artycles were vnto them by the duke graūted And inconueniētly all such offycers as they before had named were clerely auoyded and other such as by y e sayd .iii. astates were though moste necessary were put and chosen to theyr roumes excepte that some of the olde as maisters of thaccomptes and some of the presydentes maysters of the requestes were holden in for a tyme to practes shewe vnto y e new how they shuld ordre and guyde the sayd offyces And the .xxvi. daye of the moneth of Marche was a newe money proclaymed thorough Parys suche as the sayde .iii. astates had newly deuysed Upon the .vi. day of Apryll was proclaymed in Parys that y e people shulde nat paye suche subsydes as y e iii. astates had ordeyned for the wagynge of .xxx. M. men aforesayde or for the kynges fynaūce and also that the sayde .iii. astates after that daye shulde no more assemble for any causes or maters before touched tyll they had farther knowlege of y e kynges pleasure For the whych proclamacion the cytezyns of Parys were greuously amoued agayne the bysshop of Sēs the erle of Ewe cousyn Germayne to the kynge and agayn the erle Cācaruyle By whose meanes they sayde thys proclamacyon was purchasyd And treuth it is that the sayd archbysshop of Sens wyth the sayd .ii. erlys were sent from the kynge from Burdeaux yet there beynge to the entent that they shuld se the sayde proclamacyon put in vre But so soone as the sayd proclamacyon was made they herynge of the murmour of the people of the cytye sped them thens shortely after Then vpon this y e comons waxed so wyld that they lefte theyr occupacyons drewe them to cōuentyculys and cōpanyes and hadde many vnsyttyng wordes by the kynge and hys counsayle wherof in auoydynge of inconuenyency the duke commaunded a watche to be kepte wythin the cytye bothe by daye and by nyght and certayne gates of the cytye kept shytte and the remenaunt watchyd wyth men of armes Upon the eyght daye of Apryll then beynge Easter euyn a nother proclamacyon was made all contrary to that other by vertue wherof it was charged that the foresayde subsydie shulde be leuyed and that also the thre estates shulde reassemble at Parys the .xv. daye after Easter and there to procede vpon all such maters as before were by them begonne Upon the .vi. day of Apryll the Frenche kynge shypped at Burdeaux and so was conueyed into Englande lyke as before is shewed in y e xxxi yere of kynge Edwarde And aboute mydsomer folowyng y e duke of Lancaster whyche by a longe season had lyen before a towne in Brytayne named Rosne brake vp hys syege takyng of them of that towne for a fynaūce .lx. M. scutys of golde A scute is worth .xi. d. sterling About the feste of Mary Magdalene in the moneth of Iuly controuersy and varyaunce began to aryse amonge the parsōs assygned for the thre estates wherof the cause was for so mych as the sessyng which they had auewed sessed for the .xxx. M. men wolde nat extēde vnto the sūme by large great sūmes So y t the clergy answered y t they wolde paye no more than they were fyrst sessed vnto And in lyke maner answered such as were apoynted for the lordes for the good townes wherfore y e archebysshop of Raynes whych before was one of the chefe rulers of them refused theyr partye and drewe hym all to the duke By meanes of whyche controuersy many of theyr actes fayled suche as before were put out of theyr offyces were agayne restored About the myddel of August the duke sent for the prouost Charles Cusake wyth Iohn̄ de la I le the which bare y e pryncipal rule within the cytye and also were great sayers doers in the assembles of the iii. astates had takē vpon thē moch rule in y e busynes so that moche of y e busynes was ruled by them theyr meanes To whome the duke gaue strayght commaūdemente that they shuld cease of theyr auctorities nat to deale any more with the rule of the realme but onely to the good rule gouernaūce of the cytye of Parys And that done the duke rode aboute vnto dyuers good townes made request vnto them for ayde and also to haue the money to be curraūt amōg them whych as before is shewed the x. daye of Decembre was at Parys proclaymed But he sped lytle of hys purpose In thys meane whyle the cytezyns of Parys of one wyl mynde offered before saynt Remyge a taper of waxe of wonderfull lengthe and greatenesse the whyche they ordeyned to brenne day and nyght whyle it wold laste And shortely after they sent
vnto the duke so plesaunt message y t he retourned agayne vnto the cytye whome they receyued with all honor and reuerence And vpon the morow after hys retourne the prouost wyth certayne other of the cytye shewed vnto the duke that they wolde make a greate shyfte for hym towarde the mayntenaunce of hys warres And to brynge that mater to good conclusyon they besought hym y t he wolde assemble at Parys shortly a certayn persones of .xx. or .xxx. good townes there nexte adioynaunt The whych was vnto thē graunted so y t shortely after there assembled at Parys vpō lxx persones the whyche helde theyr counsayll to gyther by sundry days Howe be it in the ende they shewed vnto the duke that nothynge they myght brynge to effecte without assemble of the .iii. astates besoughte hym that they myght be efte reassembled trustyng that by theyr presence the dukes mynde shulde be contente and satysfyed Upon whyche requeste the duke sent hys cōmyssiōs chargyng y e sayd iii. astates to apere before hym at Parys the wednysday nexte folowynge y e day of al sayntes And full fayne he was to do all thyng that the citezyns of Parys hym requyred to do for as testyfyeth the Frenche Cronycle he was so bare of money that he hadde nat suffycyente to defende hys cotydyan charge IN the .viii. yere of kynge Iohn̄ and wednysday after Alhalowen day the .iii. astates reassembled at Parys and helde theyr counsayll within the blacke freers Durynge whych coūsayll the kyng of Nauern̄ that longe had ben holden in pryson wythin the castell of Alleux was deliuered by the meanes of syr Iohanne Pyquygny than gouernoure of the countrey of Arthoys and after conueyed by the sayd Iohn̄ vnto y e town of Amyas whan y e kyng of Nauerne was thus set at large anon his syster and other of hys frendes made meanes vnto the duke of Normandy for an vnyte a peace to be had betwene them and by them a meane was foūden that the kyng with such as were in hys company shulde come vnder saufe conduyt to Parys to common with the duke whā dyuers of the .iii. astates as such as were of Chāpeyn and Burgoyn knewe of the comyng of the kyng of Nauerne vnto Parys they without leue takyng departed And vpon the euyn of saynt Andrew the sayd kynge entred Parys wyth a greate companye of men of armes Amonge the wyche was the bysshop of Parys with many other of y e sayd cytye Upon the morowe folowynge the daye of saynt Andrew the kynge entēdynge to shewe hys mynde vnto the comynalte of the cytye caused an hyghe scaffolde to be made by y e wall of saynt Germayn where he was lodged where moche people beynge assembled he shewed vnto them a lōge processe of hys wrongefull enprysonemente and of the mysgydynge of the lande by meanes of ille offycers wyth many couerte wordes to y e dyshonoure of the Frenche kynge and iustyfycacion of hym selfe and excusynge of hys owne dedes and so retourned into hys lodgyng Uppon the thyrde daye of December the prouoste wyth other of the cytye yode vnto the duke and in the names of the good townes or commynaltyes of the same requyred of hym that he wolde do vnto the kynge of Nauerne reason and iustyce To whome it was answered by y e bysshop of Laon that the duke shuld nat allonly shewe vnto the kyng reason iustyce but he shuld also shewe vnto hym frendely brotherhode with all grace curtesy And all be it that at that season many of y e dukes coūsayll were present to whome the gyuyng of that answere had more cōueniently apperteyned thā to y e sayde bisshop yet they were at that tyme in suche fere that they durste nat moue any thynge that shuld soūde cōtrary the displeasure of the kynge of Nauerne or of the prouoste other Thā it was agreed that vpon y e saterdaye folowynge the kynge and the duke whyche as yet had nat spoken togyther shuld mete at the place of the syster of the sayd kyng where they met with vnfrendely coūtenaūce after they had communed there a lōge season departed with litle loue or charite And vpon the mūday folowyng were shewed vnto the duke hys coūsayle certayne requestes desyred by the kyng of Nauerne the whych the duke was forsed to graunt whereof the substaunce was that the kynge shuld haue agayn and enioye al such lādes castelles and townes with all mouables to them belōgynge as he was in possessyō of y e daye that kyng Iohn̄ was taken within the castel of Roan and ouer that he shuld be pardoned of all offences by hym done agayne the crowne of Fraunce before that daye and all other hys adherentes or suche as had taken hys partie before y t tyme. And soone vpon thys was ordeyned that the erle of Harcourt and other whyche kyng Iohn̄ had caused to be beheded and after to be hāged vppon the commō gybet of Roan shuld be delyuered vnto theyr frendes to be buryed at theyr pleasures After whych conclusions taken and assuraunces made as farre as the dukes auctoryte wolde extende vnto syr Almary knyghte Menlene knyghte wyth thre or foure men of honoure mo were sente into Normandye to repossesse the kyng of Nauerne in all such lādes castelles and townes as he before tyme was in possessiō of wyth all mouables vnto the sayd landes apperteynynge And than the sayde kynge and duke helde famylyer company and dyned and souped togyther often sythes at the manoir or lodgyng of quene Iohan syster vnto the sayd kynge and other places Also the sayde kynge delyuered out of prysone all prysoners as well spyrytuall as tēporall suche as were thought any thyng fauourable vnto hys cause Amonge the whyche some there were that for theyr demerites were adiuged to perpetuall prysone In thys tyme season tydynges sprange within the cytye of Parys that the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce were agreed and that kyng Iohan shulde shortely returne into Fraunce By reason of whyche tydynges the kyng of Nauerne made the more haste to dyspache hym oute of Parys so y t he with hys company departed from Parys the .xx. daye of Decēber rode toward the cytye of Maunte in Normādy Soone after the kyng was thus departed dyuers enemyes to the noumbre of .x. or .xii. C. came within .iiii. or .v. myles of Parys whyche were demyd to be of the company of syr Phylip brother vnto the kyng of Nauerne These robbed and pylled the countrey thereabout in so moch that the people of the coūtrey of Preaux and Trappes and other there aboute were constrayned with theyr mouables to flee vnto Parys wherfore the duke sente out hys letters and cōmyssyons for to assemble hys knyghtes to withstande the sayd enemyes But the sayde cytesyns of Parys caste an other way and thought it to be done to the greuaunce or correccion of them For dowte wherof the prouost with other that had y e gouernaunce of the
But after they and also y e aduocate mayster Reynolde Dacy were buryed secretelye Uppon the morne folowynge the prouost assembled at the frere Augustynes a great company of the cytye wyth all suche as then were there of the good townes by reason of y e foresayde couÌ„sayll To whych assemble by the mouth of mayster Roberte de Corby a maÌ„ of the cytye was shewed a protestacioÌ„ of all the cyrcumstauÌ„ce of the foresayd mater and howe that by the dukes couÌ„sâ—â—l also by y e thre astates many good â—â—ynges were coÌ„cluded for the deliuery of the kynge shulde or that tyme haue comyn to good effecte ne had ben the enpechement of .iiii. persons the whyche at y t season were nat named Thys busynesse thus coÌ„tynuyng the kyng of Nauarne came vnto Parys the .xxvi. daye of February wyth a good company of armed men and was coÌ„ueyed by the cytezeyns vnto a place of the dukes called the Neell there lodged To whome the prouost with his coÌ„plyces made request that he wolde make allyauÌ„ce with theym and to supporte theym in that y e they hadde done the whyche by hym was grauÌ„ted Than the quene hys syster and other made instante laboure to agree hym and the duke whych in coÌ„clusyon toke such effect y t the kynge shulde haue in recompeÌ„cement of his wroÌ„ges the erledom of Bygorre and the vynery of Ramer with y e erledoÌ„ of Maston and other landes to y e extente of .x. M. li. of Parys money by yere And ouer that hys syster called quene BlaÌ„che shuld haue y e lordshyp of Morette for her Dowry After whyche accorde thus concluded the kynge and the duke kepte together very freÌ„dely and louyng familyarite dyned and souped eyther with other by many and sundry tymes eyther vnto other gaue ryche gyftes AmoÌ„g the whyche one was that the duke gaue vnto the kyng the sayd place of Neell whych he than lodged in Upon the .xii. daye of Marche the duke of Normandye was proclamed regent of Fraunce thorough y e cytye of Parys and after thorough all Fraunce And soone after he departed from Parys and rode into y e countre of Champayne where he taryed a season And the kynge of Nauerne retourned to Maunt in Normandye Than the regent drewe vnto hym the nobles of Champayne of Prouynce and began to manace the prouost and other of Parys that before had put hym to dyshonoure and slayne so vylaynously hys trewe counceyllours And after promesse taken of the erle of Brene and other nobles of that countrey y t they shuld ayde hym agayne hys fathers rebelles and hys enemyes he than rode vnto the abbey of Ponley in Monstruell and after yode vnto a castell whych belonged vnto quene Blanche syster vnto y e kynge of Nauerne and wyllyd the Capytayne named Tanpyne to delyuer to hym that castell The whyche after dyuers denayes opened the gates and receyued in the regente and lodged hym therin that nyght Upon the whyche the regent caused the sayd Tanpyne to swere vnto hym y t he shulde kepe that castell to his vse and after made hym styll wardeyne of the same and so departed thens rode to Meaux where hys wyfe laye In thys tyme and season the prouoste of the marchauntes of Parys herynge of the regentes doynge â–ª and of the affynyte that he made with theÌ„ of Champayne fered the sequell therof wherfore by the aduyse of such as fauoured hys cause he yode into the castell of Louure and there toke out artylery gunnys and other abylymeÌ„tes of warre and put them in y e store house of the cytye to be redy whan tyme requered The regent spedyng hys iournay returned agayne to CoÌ„peygn And where as before was appoynted that the .iii. astates shulde y e fyrste daye of May assemble at Parys the regent thaÌ„ sent out hys commyssioÌ„s and charged y e sayd .iii. astates to assemble the thyrde daye of the sayd moneth of May at Compeyngne aforesayde wherewith the sayde cytezyns of Parys were greatly amoued At thys assemble was graunted vnto the regent a subsydy bothe of y e Clergy and also of the laye fee so y t the regent waxed dayly stroÌ„ger and stronger wherof heryng the kyng of Nauerne remoued from a towne called Merlo and with a stronge company came vnto a place or towne named Domage purposely for to treate wyth the regent for the cytezeyns of Parys where in the begynnynge of May y t sayd two prynces met eyther hauynge greate strengthe of men of armys WHan the kynge of Nauerne had by .ii. dayes contynuall made requeste vnto the regent for the cytezyns of Parys and myghte natte spede of his requeste he departed the thyrde daye and rode vnto Parys where he was honorably receyued fested by the space of .x. or .xii. dayes In whyche season he warned theym of the great dyspleasure that y e regeÌ„t bare towarde the cytye and aduysed them to make theym as stronge as they myght In thys passe tyme the bysshop of Laon beynge with the regent at CoÌ„peyne was lyke to haue ben vylonyed by some of the regeÌ„tes counsayll wherefore in secrete wyse he departed vnto saynt Denyse and from theÌ„s he was fette by the kyngê seruauÌ„tes of Nauerne vnto Parys in whome was put great faute of all thys trouble About the myddell of Maye one named Guyllyam Callâ—y gathered vnto hym a company in the prouince of Beauaysyn as of the townes of Cerreux Norecell Cramoysye and other there about The which beyng euyll dysposed slewe dyuers knyghtes and esquyers of that couÌ„trey and theyr wyues and seruauÌ„tes and pylled and spoyled the countrey as they went and threwe downe certayn pyles and other streÌ„gthes and a parte of the castell of BeawmouÌ„t and forced the duchesse of Orleaunce to forsake that castell that than was there lodged and for her saufegarde to go vnto Parys Uppon the .xxx. daye of May the prouost and other gouernours of y e cytye of Parys caused IohnÌ„ Paret mayster of the brydge of Parys and the mayster carpenter of the kynges werkes to be drawen hanged heded and quartered For it was put vpon them that they shuld haue broughte into the cytye a certayne noumbre of of the regentes sowdiours and so to haue betrayed the cytye And the fore sayde people of Beauuaysyne gathered vnto theym dayly more peple as labourers and vylaynes y â— which came into the countrey of Mountmerencie slewe and robbed there y e geÌ„tylmen of that countrey as they had done of other and so passed the countrey without resystence And y e regeÌ„t in thys whyle came to the cytye of Sens in Languedocke where he was honorably receyued all be it y t the comons of that cytye gentyles of that couÌ„trey were greatly lenyng vnto the cytezyns of Parys there taryed a season to expresse to theÌ„ hys mynde In whyche meane tyme a spycer or grocer namer Gylle of Parys wyth one IohnÌ„ Uayllaunt prouoste of y e kynges money
the sayde chappell and there cause theym solemply to be enterred Syxtly that all such goodes as the sayde persones so slayne hadde wythin the town or elles were spoyled by the sayde cytezeyns that it shulde be restored vnto the wyues or nexte kynnesfolkes of theym so dede whan the proclamacyon of this sentence was ended there was an exclamacyoÌ„ cryenge of mercy suche sorowe lameÌ„tyng made of y e peple that the noyse therof souÌ„ded to the heuens But to brynge thys tragedy to conclusyon fynally suche laboure was made vnto the duke aswell by exortacyoÌ„ of sermons other that al thynges were pardoned excepte the fouÌ„dacyon of the chapell execucyoÌ„ of certayne persones which were accused to be the occasyoners of thys myschiefe and also the costes of that iournay y e which were cessed at .xxiiii M. fraÌ„kys or .xxiiii. C. li. sterlynges After whych ende thus made the coÌ„sulatê of y e town were restored agayn to theyr habyte rule and to theym was admytted all former offices and rule of the towne except the offyce of bayly wyke In the moneth of Iuly began the inhabytauntes of GauÌ„t in FlauÌ„ders to rebell agayne theyr erle of newe y e cause wherof is nat shewed But they wyth ayde whych they had of Ipre Courtray and other townes made a great hoste yode streyghte vnto a towne in FlauÌ„ders called Dyxmew entendyng to haue takeÌ„ it But y e erle beyng warned therof wyth ayde of Bruges of FraÌ„k and other maÌ„ned out a company agayn the other and mette with them in playne felde and after a sharpe skyrmysshe put theym of GauÌ„t to flyght slewe of them dyuers toke of them certayne prysoners pursued them vnto the town of Ipre and layed syege to the same whan the heddes of the towne knew that the erle was there in propre parsone vnder a certayne apoyntement they opened the gates and receyued hym in But many of hys enemyes were fled vnto Courtray And whan the erle had rested hym in y â— towne .ii. dayes done there some execucyoÌ„ he departed theÌ„s and rode vnto Bruges and helde hym there In whyche season the other whych as aboue is sayd were fled vnto Courtray fell at varyaunce within theym selfe slewe theyr capytayne after fled y e towne shyfted euery man for hym selfe Than a knyght called syr Soyer of GauÌ„t came vnto the towne of Courtray and so exorted the rulers of the towne y t they promysed hym to take hys parte wherupon he gate a baner of the erles armes in hys hande and so rydynge aboute that towne cryed who that wolde take the erles party hys lette hym folowe that baner whome the people folowed in greate noumber And whaÌ„ y e erle was asserteyned of that dede howe the town of Courtray was tourned vnto hys party anone he assembled of other townes also of that and of Ipre so moche that hys hoste was estemed at lx M. meÌ„ wyth the whiche he spedde hym vnto Gaunte layed a stronge syege there about But by the deth of the French kyng whych dyed shortly after the erle was fayne to chaunge hys mynde to remoue hys syege or elles as some wryters reporte for strength of the sayde towne whyche myght nat lyghtly be gotteÌ„ for lacke of good vpon y e erles partye to maynteyne that syege ThaÌ„ in the moneth of Septembre and .xxvi. daye of the same kynge Charles dyed at his manoyr called playsance sur Marne was buryed by his wyfe in the monastery of saynt Denys whan he had reygned .xv. yeres and .vi. monethes wyth odde dayes leuynge after hym iii. sonnes Charles which was kyng after hym and Lewys that he hadde made erle of Ualoys and after duke of Angeowe and Phylyppe erle of Poytyers ¶ Anglia RIchard the second of that name and sonnÌ„ of prynce Edwarde eldest sonnÌ„ of Edwarde y e .iii a chyld of y e age of a .xi. yeres begaÌ„ne hys reygne ouer y e realme of England y e .xxii. day of Iuny in the yere of our lorde M.CCC.xxvii the .xiii. yere of the .vi. Charles than kyng of Fraunce This Rycharde was borne at Burdeaux of whose byrthe some wryters tell wonders the whyche I passe ouer And vpon the .xv. daye of Iuly in the yere abouesayd he was crowned at westmynster beyng the daye of the translacyon of saynt Swythyn In whyche tyme season stoode Mayre shryues of the cytye of LoÌ„don these persones folowynge Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxxvii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxxviii Grocer Andrewe Pykman  Nycholas Brembre  Anno. i.  Nycholas Twyfforde  THe whyche contynued so in theyr offyces that is to saye y e shryues tyll Myghelmas y e mayre tyl the feest of Symon and Iude. At whyche season were chosen admytted newe offycers Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxxviii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxxix Grocer IohnÌ„ Boseham  IohnÌ„ Phylpot  Anno. ii  Thomas Cornwaleys  IN the moneth of August begynnynge of the secoÌ„de yere of kyng Rychard for varyaunce which was betwene the lorde Latymer sir Rafe Ferrers vpoÌ„ that one partye syr Robert Hal Shakerley esquyer vpon that other partye for a prysoner taken beyoÌ„de the see in Spayne called the lorde of Dene whome the sayd esquyers helde in theyr possessioÌ„ contrary the wylles of the foresayde knyghtes for the sayde cause y e sayd knyghtes entred the churche of saint Petyr and there fyndyng y e sayd syr Robert knelynge at masse wythoute reuerence of the sacrament or place slewe hym in the churche at y e hyghe masse seasoÌ„ after that other named Shakerley was by theyr meanes arested and had to the towre of London where he was kepte as prysoner longe after Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxxix  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.lxxx Grocer IohnÌ„ Heylysdâ—ne  IohnÌ„ Hadley  Anno. iii.  wyllyam Baret  IN the moneth of May the later ende of the seconde yere of kynge Rycharde certayne Galeys and other shyppes sente by Charles the syxte than kynge of Fraunce of the whych was chefe patron or capytayne a knyghte named syr Olyuer de Clycon landed in dyuerse places of Englande and dyd moche harme lastly entred the ryuer of Thamis and so came to Grauysende where he spoyled the towne and brent a parte thereof and retourned into Fraunce with moche rychesse as affermeth the Frenche cronycle In this yere also was holden a parlyamente at westmynster in the which was graunted that all men women beynge of the age of .xiiii. yeres and aboue shulde paye vnto the kynge .iiii. d. By reason whereof great grudge and murmure grewe amonge the commons as after shall appere Than with y e money an armye was prepared and thereof was made chefe gouernoure syr Thomas of woodstoke erle of Cambrydge and vncle vnto y e kyng The whiche with a company of .vii. or .viii. M. as testifyeth the Frenche cronycle passed y e water of Summe in the begynnynge of Auguste and
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
swerde holdyng vp ryght the erle of NorthhumberlaÌ„de newely made constable stode vpoÌ„ the left haÌ„de wyth a sharpe swerd holdeÌ„ vp ryght And by eyther of those swerdes stode .ii. other lordes holding .ii. scepters And before y e kyng stode all the dynerwhyle the dukes of Amnarle of Surrey of Exceter wyth other .ii. lordes And y e erle of westmerlaÌ„de thaÌ„ newly made Marshal rode about the halle with many typped staues aboute hym to se the roume of y e halle kepte that offycers myghte wyth ease serue the tables Of the whych tables the chyefe vpoÌ„ the ryghte syde of the halle was begunne wyth the Barons of the fyue portes at the table nexte the cupborde vppoÌ„ the lefte hande sate the mayre and hys bretherne the aldemeÌ„ of LondoÌ„ whych mayre than beynge Drewe Barentyne goldsmyth for seruice there by hym that daye done as other mayres at euery kynges quenes coronacion vse for to do had there a staÌ„dyng cuppe of golde ThaÌ„ after the seconde course was serued syr Thomas Dymmoke knyght beynge armed at all peaces syttynge vpoÌ„ a good stede rode to the hygher parte of the halle there before the kynge caused an herowde to make proclamacyon that what maÌ„ wolde saye that kynge HeÌ„ry was nat ryght full enherytoure of the crowne of England ryghtfully crowned he was there redy to wage wyth hym batayl than or suche tyme as it shuld please the kynge to assygne whyche proclamacyon he caused to be made after in iii. sundry places of the halle in Englyshe in Frenche wyth many mo obseruaunces at hys solemnyte exercysed done whyche were longe to reherse Than thys feest wyth all honour ended vpon the morne beyng tuysday the parliameÌ„t was agayne begunne And vpon wednysdaye syr Iohanne Cheyny that before that tyme had occupyed as speker of that parlyameÌ„t by hys owne labour for cause of such infyrmytyes as he than hadde was dyscharged and a squyer named wyllyam Durwarde was electe to that roume for hym And thanne was the parlyament and the actes thereof laste called by kynge Rycharde adnulled and sette at noughte and the parlyamente holden in the .xi. yere of hys reygne holden for ferme and stable And the same daye Henry the kynges eldeste sonne was chosen admytted prynce of walys and duke of Cornewalle and erle of Chester and heyre apparaunte to the crowne Uppon the thursdaye folowynge was putte into the comon house a byll deuysed by syr IohnÌ„ Bagot than prysonere in the Towre whereof the effecte was that the said sir IohnÌ„ confessed that he harde kynge Rycharde saye dyuers tymes and at sondry parlyamentes in hys tyme holden that he wolde haue hys entente and pleasure concernynge hys owne maters what so euer betyde of the resydue And yf any withstode hys wyll or mynde he wolde by one meane or other brynge hym out of lyfe Also he shewed farther that king Rycharde shulde shewe and saye to hym at Lychefelde in the .xxi. yere of hys reygne that he desyred no lenger to lyue than to see hys lordes commons to haue hym in as great awe and drede as euer they had of any of hys progenytours so that it myghte be cronycled of hym y t none passed hym of honour and dygnite with condycyon that he were deposed and put from his sayde dygnytie the morowe after And yf euer it came so to that he shulde resygne hys kyngelye magestye he sayde his mynde was to resygne to the duke of Herforde as to hym that was moste ableste to occupye that honoure But one thynge he feared leste he wolde do tyrannye agayne the churche More ouer he shewed by y e said byll that as the sayde syr IohnÌ„ Bagot rode behynde the duke of Norfolke towarde westmynster the sayd duke layed to hys charge that he with other of y e kynges counsell had murdred y e duke of Glocetyr y â— which at y e tyme to the said duke he denyed sayd at y e day he was on lyue But within .iii. wekes after the sayde syr IohnÌ„ by y e kynges coÌ„maundemente was sent with other ê‘sones vnto Calays where for fere of his owne lyfe he sawe y e said murdre put in execucion And farthermore he shewed y t there was no man of honour at that dayes more in fauour with king Rycharde thaÌ„ was y e duke of Amnarle that by his couÌ„sell he toke y e lordes wrought many other thinges after y e said dukes aduyce Also he shewed y t he harde the kynge beynge than at Chyltrynlangley swere many great othes y t the duke of Herforde nowe kyng shulde neuer returne into Englande and rather than he shulde agayne enheryte hys fathers landes he wolde gyue them vnto the heyres of the duke of Glocetyr and of the erles of Arundell and of warwyke at the laste parliament adiuged And farther he shewed that of all these matters he sent the said duke knowlege into Fraunce by one named Roger Smerte admonastynge hym to prouyde by his wysedome to wythstande the kynges malyce whyche shewed hym to be hys mortall enemye And lastelye he shewed in the sayde byll that he harde the duke of Amnarle say vnto sir IohnÌ„ Busshey and to syr Henry Grene I had leuer than xâ— thousande pound that thys man were dede And whan they had axed of him whyche man he said the duke of Herforde nat for drede that I haue of hys persone but for sorowe and rumours that he is lykely to make within this realme whiche bylt was than borne vnto the kynges parlyamente chaumbre there â—adde After redynge whereof the sayd duke of Amnarle stode vp and sayd as touchynge suche artycles as in that byll were putte agayne hym they were false and vntrewe that he wolde proue vpon hys body or otherwyse as the kynge wolde commaunde hym Upon fryday the said syr IohnÌ„ Bagot was brought into the sayd parlyament Chambre and examyned vpon euery artycle of his byll all the whych he there affermed Than it was axed of hym what he coulde saye y e duke of Exceter where unto he answered and sayed that he coulde laye nothyng to hys charge But there is he sayd a yomaÌ„ in Newgate called Halle y t can say somwhat of you Than sayd the duke what so euer he or ye can or lyste to say of me thys is trouthe that I shall here expresse Trouth it is that the last tyme that the kyng was at woodstoke the duke of Northfolke ye haue hadde me to you into the chapel and closed the dore vpon vs. And there ye made me to swere vpoÌ„ the sacrament there present to kepe suche counsayll as there ye shuld than shewe vnto me where after ye shewed to me that ye coulde neuer brynge your purpose about whyle syr IohnÌ„ of Gaunt late duke of LaÌ„castre lyued wherfore ye were aduysed for to haue shortely after a couÌ„sayll at Lychefelde by the whyche ye coÌ„discended y t the sayd syr IohnÌ„ shuld be arested in
sayeng La Royne ma fise in ceste ile per bon reson aues renount The thyrde course Dates in compost Creme motle Carpe deore Turbut Tenche Perche wyth goion Fysshe sturgeon wyth welkes Porperies rosted Mennes fryed Creuys de eawe douce Pranys Elys rosted wyth lamprey A leche called the whyte leche flourysshed wyth hawthorne leuys and redde hawys A march payne garnysshed wyth dyuers fygurs of angellys amonge the whych was set an image of saynt Katheryne holdynge thys reason I lest escrit pur voir et eit per mariage pure cest guerre ne dure And lastely a sotyltye named a Tigre lokynge in a myrrour and a man syttynge on horse backe clene armed holdyng in hys armes a Tyger whelpe wyth thys reason Par force sanz reson ie ay pryse ceste beste And wyth hys one hande makynge a couÌ„tenaunce of throwynge of myrrours at the great Tygre The whych held thys reason Gile the mirrour ma fete distour And thus wyth all honour was fynysshed thys solempne coronacyoÌ„ After the whyche the quene soiourned in the palays of westmynster tyll Palme sondaye folowynge And vppon the morne she toke her iournaye towarde wyndesore where the kyng and she helde theyr Eester And after that hygh feest passed y e kynge made prouysyon for hys warre in FrauÌ„ce durynge the terme of thys mayres yere Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xx  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xxi  IohnÌ„ Boteler  wyllyam Cambryge Grocer  Anno .ix.  wyllyam weston  THis yere vppon Eester euyn beynge than the .xxii. daye of Apryll the duke of Clarence brother vnto the king whoÌ„ at his departyng out of FrauÌ„ce he hadde laft there for his deputye was at a place called in French Baugy or Bauge ouerset slayne by a FreÌ„ch capytayne named syr IohnÌ„ de la Croyse And the erlys of Huntyngdon of Somerset with many mo gentlymeÌ„ of England and Gascoyne takeÌ„ prysoners to y e kynges great displeasure Than shortly after y e king held his pliameÌ„t at westmynster By autoryte wherof of a coÌ„uocacioÌ„ of y e clergy holden at Poulys was grauÌ„ted to hym a Fyftene dyme And for y e money therof shuld not be hastely called on of y e comoÌ„s the byshop of wynchester of his own fre mynde lent to the kyng .xx. M. li. And about Pentecoste folowynge kyng Henry shypped at Douer say led to Calays from thens yode the thyrde tyme into Fraunce where he warred duryng thys mayres yere Anno domini M. CCCC.xxi  Anno domini M. CCCC.xxii  Rycharde Gosselyn  Robert Chycheley Grocer  Anno .x.  wyllyam weston  IN the begynnyng of thys mayres yere and .vi. daye of DeceÌ„bre was kyng Henry the .vi. borne at wyndesore And in y e .ix. day of y e sayd moneth began a parlyament at Poulys By the whych was graunted to the kyng a fyftene and a deme of the clergy And for the coyne of golde at those dayes was greatly mynysshed wyth clyppyng wasshyng to great hurte of the commynaltye therefore at thys parlyament it was enacted agreed that in the paymente of thys ayde to the kyng graunted hys offycers shulde receyue all lyght coynes of golde so that they wanted nat in weyghte ouer the rate of .xii. d. in the noble And yf any noble waÌ„ted more than x.i d or any other pese of golde after the rate thaÌ„ the owner to make vp the value to .vi. s. viii. d. By reasoÌ„ of thys also syluer as grotes pens were geson for all men put forth the golde and made store of syluer This yere also after Easter the quene toke shyppyng at Southampton sayled to the kynge into FrauÌ„ce where she was honourably receyued of her father and mother of the cytyes good townes And in the cytye of Parys vpon whytsonday the kyng and she sat crowne at Dyner whych had nat before tyme ben sene of any kyng of Englande In thys mayres yere also but the x. yere of the kyng and .x. daye of August a new wedyrcok was sette vpoÌ„ the crosse of saynte Paulys steple of London ThaÌ„ kyng HeÌ„ry beyng styll occupyed in hys warres in Fraunce dayly wynnyg vpon the FrenchmeÌ„ in thys sayd moneth of Auguste and x. yere of hys reygne he waxed syke at Boys in Uincente and dyed there lyke a good crysten man vpoÌ„ the last daye of August whan he had reyned ix yeres .v. monethes and .x. dayes leuyng after hym hys onely yonge son Henry of the age of .viii. monethes odde dayes And than hys body was enbawmed and ceryd and after broughte vnto westmynster as in the begynnynge of the nexte mayres yere shal be shewed And in the moneth of Octobre folowyng dyed the French kyng father vnto the quene as in his story before is declared who that wolde take vppon hym to reherce all the conquestes and triuÌ„phaunt victoryes opteyned by thys moste vyctorious prynce wyth other laudable dedes he shulde to reherce theÌ„ ceryously make a great volume But where to fore I haue shewed to you breuely some part of the famous dedes of thys excellente prynce touchynge the actuel dedys of his body nowe I wyl breuely touche the actes done by hym for the meryte of hys soule And fyrste for asmoche as he knewe well that hys father hadde laboured the meanes to depose y e noble prynce Rycharde the second after was coÌ„seÌ„tyng to his deth for y e which offence hys sayde father had sente to Rome of that great crime to be assoyled and was by the pope enioyned y e lyke as he had beraft hym of hys natural and bodely lyfe for euer in this world that so by contynuall prayer and suffragyes of y e churche he shuld cause hys soule to lyue perpetually in the celestyall worlde whyche penauÌ„ce for that hys father by lyfe dyd nat perfourme thys goostly knyght in most habuÌ„dauÌ„t maner ê‘fourmed it For fyâ—st he buylded .iii. houses of relygyon as the Charterhous of moÌ„kes called Shene the house of close nonnes called Syon and the thyrde was an house of obseruauntes buylded vpon that other syde of thamys and aâ—ter let fall by hym for the skyll that foloweth as testyfyeth the boke or Regyster of mayres where it is reported that after this noble prynce had thus founded these sayd .iii. houses and endowed theym wyth coÌ„petent landes he of a goostly dysposicion wyth a secrete coÌ„pany for to vpsyt them and to se how they kepte theyr dyuyne seruyce wolde dyuers tymes go fro hys manour of Shene nowe called Rychemounte vnto the sayde thre places for y e causes abouesayde At whyche tymes and seasons he euer founde the twoo houses of monkes and nonnes occupyed as theyr statutes requyred But the thyrde hous whyche was of Frenche fryers he fande sondry tymes neglygente and slacke in doyng of theyr duety wherefore he called before hym y e father wyth some other of that place and reasoned wyth theÌ„ sharply why none otherwyse
for the warre apparayled wherof London sente at theyr charge men Than vpon the .ix. daye of Iuyll the duke of Burgoyn with a great multytude of Burgonyons and Flemynges appered before Calays and there pyght his pauylyons and tentes so that euery towne of FlauÌ„dres had theyr tentes by themselfe At whiche season was Lyeutenaunt of Calays syr IohnÌ„ Ratclyf knyght of the castell was lieutenaunte the baron of Dudley And so that syege endured vpon .iii. wekes In whiche seson many knyghtly actes were done and exercysed vpon bothe partyes whiche for lengthynge of the tyme I passe Than vpon the seconde day of August the duke of Glouceter protectour of EnglaÌ„de with a company of .v. C. sayles as some writers haue landed at Calays and entended vpon the thyrde day folowynge to haue yssued out of the towne and to haue gyuen batayll to y e Flemynges But as testyfyeth all Englysshe wryters so soone as y e duke of Burgoyn was ware of the great power of the lorde protectour he toke with hym of his ordenauÌ„ce that he myght lyghtly cary and the other that were heuy and combrous he lefte behynde hym Amonge the whiche one was lefte before Guynes a great gunne of brasse named Dygon ouer dyuers serpentynes and other great gunnes And the Flemynges lefte behynde them a great quantyte of bere besyde wyne and floure and other vytayle But of this vyage wryteth otherwyse Gaguyne sayth that y e duke well and manfully as a valyaunte knyght iÌ„ his actes coÌ„tinued his syge before Calays ouer two monethes And there dyd many noble actes in assaylyng of his enemyes And after y e Flemynges by reason of theyr murmure and rebellion had refused hym and in maner lafte hym almost with out company yet not withstaÌ„dynge he dayly assayled his enemyes and after with suche small company as was laft hym whaÌ„ he sawe he myght not preuayle he returned into his couÌ„tre And so thus alway in all the sayd Gagwynus boke he wypeth from y e Englysshemen in all that he may the honoure and excuseth theyr enemyes to his power whan the duke with his host was thus fledde the lorde protectoure with his people folowed hym into the countre by the space of xi dayes In whiche season he brent but two townes whiche were named and yet be Poperynge and Bell and returned to Calays after into Englande And this yere was the castell or towne of Rokkesborouth in Scotlande besyeged of the kynge of Scottes But so soone as he had wyttyng that syr Rauffe Gray knyght was comynge with a competent nombre for to remoue that siege anone he departed leuynge some parte of his ordenaunce behynde hym to his great dyshonoure Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xxxvi  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.xxxvii  Thomas Morsted  IohnÌ„ Mychell  Anno .xv.  wyllyam Gregory  IN this .xv. yere thyrde daye of Ianuarii quene Katheryne mother vnto Henry the syxte wyfe of Henry the fyfte dyed at Barmundissey in southwarke after with due solempnyte brought thorughe the cytie and so conueyed to westmynster and there buryed in y e myddes of our lady chapel vnder a toÌ„be of marbell But whan our soueraygne lorde HeÌ„ry the .vii. than beynge kyng caused the chapell to be taken downe buylded a newe without the lyke ther vnto as now to men dothe appere than the corps of y e excellent prynces was taken vp and set by the tombe of her lorde and husbande durynge y e tyme of the buyldynge of the sayde newe chapell and after buryed by her sayd lorde within the sayde chapell And y e xiiii day of y e sayd moneth fyll downe sodeynly the furthest gate towarde Southwarke with y e towre therupon and .ii. of the furthest arches of y e sayd brydge but as god wold no creature was therwith perysshed that is to meane of humayne persones And the .xxi. day of this same moneth of Ianuarii the kyng beganne his parlyament at westmynster whiche before was purposed to haue benholden at Cambrydge To this parlyament came y e bysshop of Turuyn and the counsayle of the erle of Armynak wherof I fynde not y e cause expressed And after easter was a day of dyot holdeÌ„ bytwene Grauenynge and Calays for maters touchynge y e kynge and the duke of Burgoyne where for the kynge appered the cardynall of Englande y e duke of Norffolke and the erle of Stafforde with dyuers other And for the dukes partye appered there the duchesse his wyfe with dyuers other of the sayde dukes counsayle where by meanes of the sayde persones an abstynence of warre was taken for a certayne tyme in the duchesse name For the kynge wolde take none appoyntmeÌ„t with the duke for somoche as he had gone from his truthe allegeaunce that before tyme he had made with y e kynge And vpon the seconde daye of Iuly this yere dyed quene Iane the whiche somtyme had ben the wyfe of kynge Henry the .iiii and before that the wyfe of the duke of Brytayne was caryed from Barmundessey to Cauntorbury and there buryed by her husbaÌ„de Henry the .iiii. And this yere fell a chaunce that had not ben sene many yeres before For all â—yons dyed in the towre the whiche had coÌ„tynued there a longe season In this yere also y e kyng of Scottes was trayterously murthered by seruauntes of his owne Of the whiche traytours the capytayne of them was named Robert Grame y â— which after was with other of his company taken and put vnto moost paynfull dethe This sayd kynge of Scottes had â—en prysoner fyftene yeres in Englande Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.xxxvii  Anno. dnÌ„i M.iiii C.xxxviii  wyllyam Chapman  wyllyam Estfelde Mercer  Anno .xvi.  wyllyam Halys  IN this .xvi. yere and moneth of Nouembre kynge Henry caused to be kepte a solempne obyt or terment within the churche of Paules for Sygysmonde the emperour and knyght of y e garter This was a man of merueylous great worthy fame as by the auctour of Cronica Cronicarum is expressed After whose dethe the gydynge of y e empyre fyll to Albert that had maryed the onely doughter of y e sayd Sygysmonde Anno. dnÌ„i M.iiii C.xxxviii  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.xxxix  Hugh Dyke  Stephen Browne Grocer  Anno .xvii.  Nycholas yoo  IN this yere vpon newe yeres daye in the after noone a stake of woode fyll downe sodaynly at Baynardes castell vpon Thamys syde and slewe .iii. men and hurte dyuers other And at Bedford this yere at the kepynge of a shyre day by the fallynge of a steyer were .xviii. murthered slayne besyde many other sore hurte and maymed And the last day of Apryll dyed in Roan syr Rycharde Beauchamp called of comon fame y e good erle of warwyke This was lyeutenaunt of y e kynge in Normandy and demened hym there full well and manfully whose body was after brought vnto warwyke there in a newe chapell buylded vpon
.xxx. daye of the moneth of Maye that was the sondaye after Trynyte sondaye she was solemply crowned After whyche feeste iustes were there holden by thre dayes continual within the seyntwary before y e abbey Of thys maryage are of dyuers wryters lefte dyuers remembraunces sayenge that thys maryage was vnprofytable for the realme dyuerse wayes For fyrste was gyuen vp for her oute of the kynges possession the duchye of Angeou and the erledome of Mayne And for the costes of her conueynge into thys lande was axed in playne parlyamente a fyftene and an halfe by the marquys of Suffolke By reason whereof he grewe in such hatered of the people that fynally it coste hym hys lyfe And ouer that it appered that god was nat pleased wyth that mariage For after thys day the fortune of the worlde beganne to fal from y e kyng so that he loste hys frendes in Englande and hys reuenewes in Fraūce For shortly after all was ruled by the quene and her counsayl to the great dysprofyte of the kyng hys realme and to the greate maugre and obloquy of the quene The whych as syn that tyme hath ben well prouyd had many a wrong and false reporte made of her whych were to longe to reherse All whyche mysery fyll for brekynge of the promyse made by the kyng vnto the erle of Armenakkys doughter as before in the .xx. yere of the kyng is touched as agreeth moste wryters whyche mysery in thys story shall somdeale appere as fyrst by the losyng of Normandy the deuisiō of the lordes within thys realme the rebelliō of y e cominaltye agayne theyr prynce soueraygne fynally the kynge deposed and the quene wyth the prynce fayne to fle the lande loste the rule thereof for euer Anno. dn̄i M.iiii C.xlvi  Anno dn̄i M.iiii C.xlvii  Robert Horne  Iohn̄ Olney Mercer  Anno .xxv.  Godfrey Boloyne  THys .xxv. yere was a parlyament holdē at saynt Edmondes Bury in Suffolke To y e whiche towne all the cōmons of that coūtre were warned to come in theyr moste defēcyble aray to gyue attendaunce vpō the kyng And so soone as thys parlyamēt was begō and the lordes assembled syr Hūfrey duke of Glouceter and vncle vnto y e kyng shortly after was arrested by the vycounte Beawmōde thā hygh cōstable of Englande whome accompanied y e duke of Bukkynghm̄ other And after this arest was executed all his owne seruaūtes were put from him .xxxii of the pryncypall of theym were also put vnder arest sente vnto dyuers prysons whereof arose a great murmour amonge the people Than thus cōtynuyng thys parlyament wythin .vi. dayes after the duke was arrested he was founde dede in hys bedde beynge the .xxiiii. daye of February Of whose murdre dyuers reportes at made whyche I passe ouer Than hys corps was layd opyn y t all mē myght se hym but no wonde was founde on hym Of the honourable fame of thys man a longe style I myght make of y e good rule that he kepte thys lande in durynge the none age of the kynge and of hys honourable housholde libertye which passed all other before hys tyme and trewe of hys allegeaunce that no mā coude with ryght accuse hī but malycyous persones whych hys glorious honour fame lafte nat to maligne agayne hym tyll he were put frome all wordly rule and specyally for it was thought that durynge hys lyfe he wolde withstāde the delyuery of Angeou Mayne before promysed Thys for hys honourable and lyberall demeanure was surnamed the good duke of Glouceter Than after he had lyen opyn a season y t all men myghte be assured of hys dethe the corps was honourably prouided for and so cōueyed vnto saynt Albonys there buryed nere vnto the shryne of saynt Albone to whose soule god be mercyfull Amen And whan this noble prynce was thus enteryd fyue persones of hys housholde that is to saye syr Roger Chamberlayne knyght Myddelton Herbarde Arthur esquyers one Rycharde Nedā yeman were sente vnto Londō there arayned and iuged to be drawē hāged and quartered Of the whych sentēce drawynge hāgynge were put in execuciō But whā they were cut downe to be quartered y e Marquys of Suffolke there beyng presēt shewed y e kynges chartour for thē so were deliuered to the great reioysyng of y e multytude of y e people there beyng present But for thys the grudge murmour of y e people ceased nat agayne the Marquys of Suffolke for the deth of the good duke of Glouceter of whose murdre he was specyally suspected Anno dn̄i M.iiii C.xlvii  Anno dn̄i M.iiii C.xlviii  Wyllyam Abraham  Iohn̄ Gedney Draper  Anno .xxvi.  Thomas Scot.  IN thys .xxvi. yere after concordaūce of moste wryters or nere there about y e .xxiii. scisme of y e church ceased that before had cōtynued betwene Eugeny the .iiii. Felix the .v. vpon .xvi. yeres Thys scisme as before is touched began by reason of the deposycyō of the sayde Eugeny at the coūsayll of Basile for that that he wolde nat obserue the decrees before made in the coūsayll of Cōstaūce other causes to hym layde But yet that deposyng natwythstandynge perforce he cōtynued pope by the terme of .xiiii. yeres after And the sayde Felix at the sayd coūsayll admitted in lyke maner cōtynued as pope by all that sayde season lyke as before to you I haue shewed in the .xvii. yere of thys kynge And as now by exortacyon of crysten prynces as the kynge of England whose messangers in y e behalfe were the bysshoppe of Norwyche and the lord of saint Iohn̄s other princes the sayd pope Felix to sette a perfyte vnyon in the churche in thys yere of hys owne volūte resigned hys auctorytie of papacy and submytted hym vnto the obediēce of Nicholas the .v. of that name nat wythstandynge that the sayde Felix was a man of great byrthe allied to the more partye of all crysten prynces And thys Nycholas a mā of lowe byrthe of vnknowē kynred wythin the cytie of Ieane Than was Felix made legate of Fraunce cardynal of Sauoye and lyued after a blessed holy lyfe so ended And as some wryters testifye god for hym hath shewed dyuers miracles syns he dyed And for thys scysme thus gracyously was ended a vercyfyer made thys verse folowynge ¶ Lux fussit mundo cessit Felix Nicholao The whych verse is thus to meane in Englyshe ¶ Lyght into the worlde now dothe sprynge and shyne ¶ For Felix vnto Nicholas all frely doth resyne Also as testifieth Gaguyne also some englyshe wryters y t trewys betwene Englād Fraūce cōtynuyng a knyght of y e Englysh partie named syr Fraūceys Arrogonoyse toke a town vpō the borders of Normādy belōgyng vnto y e duke of Brytayne For y t which he cōplayned hym vnto Charles the Frēch kyng he at the sayd dukes request sent
nere vnto y e cytie So that vpon the fyrste day of Iuly he entred the bourgh of Southwarke beynge than wednesday lodged hym there that nyght for he myght not be suffered to entre the cytie And vpon the same day the commōs of Essex in great nombre pyght theym a felde vpon the playne at myles ende And vpon the seconde daye of the sayd moneth the mayre called a common counsayle at the Gyldhall for to puruey the withstandynge of these rebelles and other matyers In whiche assemble were dyuers opinions so that some thought good that the sayde rebelles shulde be receyued into the cytie and some otherwyse Amonge the whiche Roberte Horne stok fysshmonger than beynge an alderman spake sore agayne them that wolde haue them entre For y ◠whiche sayenges the cōmons were so amoued agayn hym that they ceased not tyll they had hym cōmytte to warde And the same afternoone aboute v. of the clok the capytayne with his people entred by y e brydge And whā he came vpon the drawe brydge he hewe the ropes y t drewe the brydge in sondre with his swerde and so passed into y e cytie and made in sondry places therof proclamacyons in the kynges name that no man in peyne of dethe shulde robbe or take ony thyng parforce without payeng therfore By reason wherof he wanne many hertes of the cōmons of the cytie but all was done to begyle with the people as after shall euydently appere For he rode thorough dyuers stretes of the cytie and as he came by London stone he strake it with his swerde and sayd now is Mortymer lorde of this cytie And whan he had thus shewed hymselfe in dyuers places of the cytie shewed his mynde to y e mayre for y e ordrynge of his people he returned into Southwarke and there abode as he before hadde done his people cōmynge goynge at lawfull houres whan they wolde Than vpon the morne beynge the thyrde daye of Iuly and frydaye the sayd capytayne entred agayne the cytie and caused the lorde Sey to be fet frome the tower and ladde vnto the Guyldhall where he was areygned before the mayre other of y e kynges iustyce In whiche passe tyme he entended to haue brought before y e sayd iustyces the foresayd Robert Horne But his wyfe and frendes made to hym suche instaūt labour that fynally for .v. C. marke he was set at his lybertye Than the lorde Sey beynge as before is sayde at Guyldhall desyred y t he myght be iudged by his peers wherof herynge the capytayne sent a company of his vnto the hall the whiche parforce toke hym from the offycers and so brought hym vnto the standarde in the Chepe where or he were halfe shryuen they strake of his hed y t done pyght it on a lōg pole so bare it aboute with them In this tyme and season had the capytayne caused a gentylman to be taken named Cromer whiche before had ben shyreffe of Kent and vsed as they sayde some extorcyons For which cause or for he had fauoured the lorde Sey by reason that he had maried his doughter he was haryed to Myles ende and there in y e capitaynes presence byheded And y e same tyme was ther also byheded a man called Baylly y e cause of whose dethe was this as I haue herd some men reporte This Baylly was of y e famylyer and olde acqueyntaunce of Iak Cade wherfore so soone as he espyed hym cōmynge to hym warde he cast in his mynde that he wolde dyscouer his lyuyng olde maners and shewe of his vyle kynne and lynage wherfore knowynge y t the sayd Baylly vsed to vere scrowes and prophecyes aboute hym shewyng to his cōpany y t he was an enchaunter and of yll dysposycion and y t they shulde well knowe by such bokes as he bare vpon hym and bad them serche and yf they founde not as he sayde y t thā they shuld put hym to dethe whiche all was doone accordynge to his cōmaundment whan they had thus be heded these .ii. men they toke the hede of Croumer pyght it vpon a pole and so entred the cytie with the hedes of the lorde Sey and of Croumer And as they passed the stretes they ioyned the poles togyder caused eyther deed mouthe to kysse other dyuers and many tymes And the capytayne the selfe same daye wente vnto the house of Phylyppe Malpas draper and and alderman and robbeb and spoyled his house and toke thens a great substaunce But he was before warned and therby conueyed moche of his money and plate or elles he had ben vndone At whiche spoylynge were present many poore men of the cytie whiche at suche tymes ben euer redy in all places to do harme where suche ryottes ben doone Thā towarde nyght he returned into Southwarke vpon y e morne reentred y e cytie and dyned that daye at a place ī saynt Margaret Patyns parysshe called Gherstys hous And whan he had dyned lyke an vncurteyse gest he robbed hym as the daye before he had Malpas For which .ii. robberyes all be it that the porayll nedy people drewe vnto hym were partyners of that yll the honest and thryfty comoners cast in theyr myndes the sequele of this matyer and fered leste they shulde be delte with in lyke maner by meane wherof he lost the peoples fauour and hertes For it was to be thought yf he had not executed that robbery he myghte haue gone ferre and brought his purpose to good effecte yf he hadde entended well But it is to deme and presuppose that the entent of hym was not good wherfore it myght not come to ony good conclusyon Than y e mayre and aldermen with assystence of the worshypfull comeners seynge this mysdeanour of y e capytayne in sauegardynge of themselfe and of the cytye toke theyr counsayles how they myght dryue the capytayne and his adherētes from y e cytie wherin theyr feare was the more for so moche as the kynge and his lordes with theyr powers were farre from theym But yet in aduoydynge of apparēt peryl they condyscended that they wolde withstande his any more entre into the cytie For the performaūce wher of y e mayre sent vnto the lorde Scales and Mathewe Gowgth than hauynge the tower in gydynge had of them assent to perfourme y e same Than vpon the .v. day of Iuly y e capytayne beynge in Southwarke caused a mā to be heded for cause of his dyspleasure to hym doone as the fame went so kepte hym in Southwarke all y e day How be it he myght haue entred the cytie yf he had wold And whan nyght was comynge the mayre and cytezyns with Mathewe Gowth lyke to theyr former appoynmtent kepte the passage of y e brydge beynge sonday and defended the Kentysshe mē whiche made great force to reenter the cytie Than the capytayne seynge this bykerynge begon yode to harneys and called his people aboute hym and set so
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