therein though it be a childish feare yet is there at the least wise some feare and herein is there â—…one at all And verily I haue often heard of Sanctuary 〈◊〉 but I neuer heâ—… 〈◊〉 of Sanctuary Children Aâ—… therefore as for the Conclusion of my mind who so may haue deserued to need it if they thinke it for their suretie let them keepe it but he can be no Sanctuary man that had neither wisdome to desire it nor malice to deserue it whose life or libertie can by no lawfull processe stand in ieopardie and hee that taketh one out of the Sanctuarie to do him good I say plainely that he breaketh no Sanctuary 28 When the Duke had done the temporall men wholy most part of the spirituall also thinking no hurt earthly meant towardes the young babe condiscended in effect that if hee were not deliuered hee should bee fetched how beit they all thought it best in the auoiding of all maner of rumor that the Lord Cardinall should first assay to get him with her good will And thereupon all the Councell came vnto the Starre-Chamber at Westminster and the Lord Cardinall leauing the Protector with the Councell in the Starre-Chamber departed into the Sanctuary to the Queen with diuers other Lords with him were it for the respect of his honour or that shee should by presence of so many perceiue that this errand was not one mans mind or were it for that the Protector intended not in this matter to trust any one man alone or else that if shee finally were determined to keepe him some of that Company had happily secret instructions incontinent maugre her mind to take him and to leaue her no respite to conuey him which shee was likely to mind after this matter broken to her if the time would in any wise serue her 29 When the Queene and those Lords were come together in presence the Lord Cardinall shewed her that it was thought vnto the Protector and vnto the whole Councell that her keeping of the Kings brother in that place was the thing which highly sounded not onely to the great rumor of the people and their obloquie but also to the importable griefe and displeasure of the kings royall Maiesty to whose Grace it were a singular comfort to haue his naturall brother in Company as it was both his dishonour all theirs and hers also to suffer him in Sanctuary as though the one brother stood in danger and perill of the other And hee shewed her that the Counsell therefore had sent him to require her the deliuery of the yong Duke that hee might bee brought vnto the Kings presence at his liberty out of that place which they reckoned as a prison and there hee should bee demeaned according to his estate and shee in this doing should both doe great good to the Realme pleasure to the Councell and profite to her selfe succour to her friends that were in distresse and besides that which he wâ—… well shee specially tendred not onely great comfort and honour to the King but also to the young Duke himselfe whose great wealth it were to be together aswell for many greater causes as also for both their disports and recreations which thing the Lords esteemed not slight though it seemed light well pondering that their youth without recreation and play cannot endure nor any stranger for the conâ—…e of both their ages and estates so meete in that point for any of them as eyther of them for other 30 My Lord quoth the Queene I say not 〈◊〉 but that it were very conuenient that this Gentleman whom yee require were in company of the King his Brother and in good faith I thinke it were as great commodity to them both for yet it while to bee in the custody of their mother the tender age considered of the elder of them both but speciâ—… the younger which besides his infancy that also needeth good looking to hath a while been â—…o fore diseased â—…ed with 〈◊〉 and iâ—… so newly rather a little amended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recouered that I 〈◊〉 put no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his â—…ng bâ—…my 〈◊〉 â—…ly â—…ing that there is 〈◊〉 Physitians say and as wee also find double the perill in the recidiuation that was in the first sicknesse with which disease nature being sore laboured forewearied and weakned waxeth the lesse able to beare out and sustaine a new surfeit And albeit there might be found other that would happily do their best vnto him yet is there none that either knoweth better how to order him then I that so long haue kept him or is more like tenderly to cherish him then his owne mother that bare him 31 No man denieth good Madam quoth the Cardinall but that your Grace were of all others most necessary about your children and so would all the Councell not onely bee content but glad that you were if it might stand with your pleasure to bee in such place as might stand with their honor but if you doe appoint your selfe to tarry here then they thinke it were more conuenient that the Duke of Yorke were with the King honourably at his liberty to the comfort of them both rather then here as a Sanctuary man to both their dishonour and obloquie sith there is not alwayes so great a necessity to haue the child with his mother but that occasion may sometimes bee such that it should bee more expedient to keepe him elsewhere which well appeareth in this that at such time as your dearest sonne then Prince and now King should for his honor and good order of the Country keepe his residence in Wales farre out of your Company your Grace was well contented therwith your selfe 32 Not very well contented quoth the Queen and yet the case is not like for the one was then in health and the other is now sicke in which case I maruaile greatly that my Lord Protector is so desirous to haue him in his keeping where if the Child in his sicknesse miscarrie by nature yet might hee runne into slander and suspition of fraud And where they call it a thing so sore against my Childes honour and theirs also that hee abideth in this place it is all their honours there to suffer him abide where no man doubteth hee shall be best kept and that is here while I am here which as yet intend not to come forth and ieopard my selfe after other of my friends which would God were rather here in surety with mee then I there in ieopardy with them 33 Why Madame quoth another Lord know you any thing why they should bee in ieopardy Nay verily quoth shee nor why they should bee in prison as now they bee But it is I trow no great maruaile though I feare left those that haue not letted to put them in durance without colour will let as little to procure their destruction without cause The Cardinall made a countenance to the other Lord that hee should harpe no more
euen from his Child-hood and by him made fit both for Warre and Gouernment had not the variable inclination of his owne mind carried his actions past the limits of any staied compasse 3 Robert vpon discontents that Normandy was still detained before his Fathers sicknesse was gone into Germany to solicite their assistance for his right to that Duchie but hearing of his death hasteth into the Prouince and was there peaceably receiued and made their Duke which title notwithstanding seemed to him dishonourable his yonger brother being inuested to a Kingdome and himselfe disinherited no other cause mouing but his ouer-much gentlenes being by nature composed nothing so rough as was Rufus 4 The like emulation incited Odo Bishoppe of Baieux his vncle against Lanfranck the Archbishop who now ruled all and had worn him out of fauour with the Conquerour his halfe brother whom hee taught the distinction of imprisoning Odo as an Earle not as a Bishop now therefore seemed the time most fitting for a iust reuenge albeit that Rufus brought him from Normandy where he had beene captiuated and restored him his honours dignities in England yet hee vngratefull man enuying that Lanfranck should goe before him complotted the downefal aswell of the one as of the other And drawing into this conspiracy Robert Earle of Mortaigne and Hereford his brother with many other of the English Nobility wrote his letters into Normandy vnto his Nephew hastning him to repaire into England and recouer his right which by his meanes hee promised should soone bee effected 5 The busines thus wrought to Duke Roberts hand and the English resorting daily into Normandy assured his hopes of a happy successe onely the hinderance was want of money and that very much as the world then went with him hauing euer borne himselfe no lesse then his birth nor euer had made his bagges his summum bonum In these extremes he well saw the lesse was to bee followed and to set a Dukedom at stake to cast at a Kingdome he thought it ods sufficient though the chance were doubtfull Therfore to his younger brother Henry who had store of gold and wanted land hee morgaged the Countie of Constantine a Prouince in Normandy then sent to Odo that he should expect his landing on the West-coast of England by a day prefixed 6 The Bishop now growne bold vpon Duke Roberts great power shewed himselfe the first in the Action and fortifying Rochester beganne to molest the peace of Kent sending to his complices abroad to doe the like which was not long in performing for in the West Robert de Mowbrey Earle of Northumberland assisted by Geffrey Bishoppe of Constance sacked Bath and Berkley with a great part of Wilt-shire and strongly fortified the Castle of Bristow against King William In Norfolke Roger Bygod in Leicestershire Hugh Grentemeisnil did shrewdly wast those Countries Roger Mountgomery Earle of Shrewsburie with his Welshmen assisted by William Bishop of Durham the Kings domesticall Chaplain Barnard of Newmerch Roger Lacie and Ralph Mortimer all of them Normans or French-men with fire and sword past through the Country of Worcester and surely the stirres were so great and Duke Robert so fauoured that by the iudgement of Gemiticensis had he hasted his arriuage or followed the occasion the Crowne of England had easily been set vpon his head 7 All in an vprore and Rufus thus turmoiled he appointed his Nauie to scowre the seas and to impeach his brothers arriuage then gathering his forces and knowing well how to please the vulgar promiseth againe to abolish their ouer-hard lawes presently to put down all vniust Imposts and Taxations whereby the People were soone drawne to stand in his defence and among them Roger Mountgomery was reconciled to the King Thus now growne strong his enemies decreased he led his Armie into Kent where the sedition first beganne the Castles of Tunbridge and Horne he recouered as likewise Pemsey wherein his vncle Odo had strongly immured himselfe whose lacke of victuall by King Williams strait siege allaied the pride of that great-hearted man so that hee not onely surrendred the same but promised the deliuerie of Rochester also strongly manned with Eustace Earle of Boloigne and a sort of other gallant Gentlemen euen the flower of Normandy and Flanders 8 Odo comming to Rochester for the deliuerie of the Castle according to his promise was by them surprised and laid in strait prison whether in displeasure or vnder colour and with consent of Odo I will not say but certaine it is that the King tooke the matter so to heart that he sent forth his Proclamation through England commaunding that euery man should repaire to that siege whosoeuer would not be reputed a Niding a word of such disgrace and so distastiue vnto the English that multitudes seemed rather to flie then runne to that seruice whereupon the Castle was surrendred and Odo banished into Normandy lost all his liuings and honours in England 9 Whilest these things were in acting betwixt King William and his Barons Duke Robert with his Normans was landed at Southampton hauing passed some conflict with the Kings ships at the sea whom Rufus so feared if mine Author say true that he sent Messengers vnto him in most submissiue maner protesting that hee tooke not the crowne as his own by any right but rather to supply the time in his absence neither did hee account himselfe King but as his substitute to hold the crown vnder him yet seeing the matter had beene so farre passed and the Emperiall Crowne set on his head hee most humbly desired that it might so rest proffering to pay him three thousand Markes by yeere and to resigne it to him at his death whereat Duke Robert shaking his head belike he saw no other remedy easily consented and returned forth with into Normandy 10 And if we compare this with the Monke of Saint Albans report wee may well beleeue that William was forward enough in his offers though euer as vnready in performance for the Barons then being vp and he not able to allay them did that by his word which he could not by his sword protesting to them that he was willing to resigne the Kingdom and would be content either with Money or Possessions if those that were his Fathers Ouer-seers should thinke it meete and for any Ordinances touching the affaires of the Common weale he would referre it wholly to themselues prouided alwaies his owne honour should not thereby be impeached But when the Cloudes of these feares were altogether ouer-blowne no budde once appeared from these faire planted grafts 11 For Lanfrank deceased and both King depriued of a politike director and Common-welth of a principall Statist he presently shewed the bent of his inclination lauishly giuing where no deserts had engaged and exacting extreame tributes when
read the Articles of peace and demanded the Kings whether these were done with their full consents Which granted by both either of them laying their one hand vpon the Missall and the other vpon the Holy-Crosse tooke their solemne Oathes to obserue the same And then falling into a more familiar and Courtly Complementall conference King Lewis told K. Edward that he would one day inuite him to Paris there to Court his faire French Ladies with whom if hee committed any sinne he merrily told him that Cardinall Bourbon should be his Confessor whose penance would be the easier for that Bourbon vsed to busse faire Ladies himselfe which no sooner was spoken or howsoeuer meant but Edward was as forward of thankes and acceptance and indeed so ready that King Lewis rounding Commines his bosome seruant in his â—…are told him flatly he liked not Edwards forwardnes to Paris too many English Princes hauing beene there before and â—…s the conference ended and king Edwards busines in France hee returned into England and into the City of London was receiued little lesse then in triumph-wise 99 But though Edwards fortunes thus outwardly flourished yet inward feares nipped his still troubled mind one branch hauing sappe whose growth hee much feared would shadow his Crowne which was Henry Earle of Richmond aliue and at liberty in the Duke of Britaines Court. To bring therefore his purpose to passe hee sent D. Stillington and others Ambassadors vnto Frances Duke of Britaine with store of gold and good words as that hee meant to match his eldest daughter Lady Elizabeth vnto the young Earle of Richmond whereby all cause of dissentions might at once be cut off the Duke thinking no danger where the water went smooth easily consented to shippe him thereon but ere the prey was embarked hee had knowledge that the voyage should cost young Henry his life wherefore in all hast hee sent his Treasurer Peter Lâ—…doys to preuent it who secretly told Richmond what marriageâ—…d Edward intended whereat the distressed Earle amazed was put to his shifts and for want of better tooke Sanctuary at S. Malâ—…s where the English his conductors lay for a wind 100 The Earle thus escaped the Ambassadors complained to the Duke imputing the fault as far as they durst vnto him who had not dealt liâ—… a good Marchant to take their money and to retain the warâ—… his answere was the deliuery was good but themselues negligent Factors that made not the commodity to their best aduantage And yet for the loue hee bare to their King hee vndertooke that Richâ—…nd should be sure kept either in Sanctuary or else in prison whence as hee promised hee should not escape And so with a 〈◊〉 in their â—…re they returned hauing cleared Edward of 〈◊〉 â—…ney and care for sure keeping of Henry who though hee weresore displeased with Stillingtons simplicity yet the promises that the Duke of Britaine had made much mitigated and eased his mind 101 And now the Realme quiet no warre in hand nor none towards but such as no man looked should happen hee framed himselfe so to the peoples affections and held their hearts not in a constrained feare but with as louing and ready obedience as any King attaining the Crowne by his sword euer had Nor was euer any Prince more familiar with his Subiects then this King Edward was who now hauing his tribute truly paid from France and all things prospering as was desired he set heart vpon pleasure which hetherto had beene afflicted with continuall turmoile yea and often laid from him the state of a Prince and would accompany and conuerse with his meane subiects a loadstone that doth naturally attract the English hearts among many others we of London remember this to our grace Vnto Windsore he sent for the Lord Maior of London the Aldermen and others vpon no other occasion then to hunt in his company and himselfe to be merry with them As also at another time he did the like in Waltham where he gaue them most familiar intertainment and sent to the Lady Mairesse and her sisters two harts sixe Buckes and a Tunne of wine which wanne more loue then manifold their worthes 102 Somewhat he was giuen to Court and conuerse with faire Ladies which fault was well noted and preuented by King Lewis for his French dames but in England he had liberty with very large scope for besides the Lady Lucy and others by whome he had issue three concubines he kept and those of three diuers and seuerall dispositions as himselfe would often confesse one the merriest another the wiliest and the third the holiest harlot in his realme as one whom no man could get out of the Church vnlesse it were to his Bed the merriest was Shores wife of whom hereafter we shall speake the other two were greater Personages but in their humility are content to bee namelesse and to forbeare the praise of those properties 103 This fault of the King did not greatly offend the people for one mans pleasure could not extend to the displeasures of manie it being done without violence and in his latter daies lessened and well left But a farre more greater sinne and reproach he fell into among his other Princely disports For being on progresse in Warwickeshire and hunting in Arrow Parkâ—… belonging to Thomas Burdet Esquire with the death of much Game he slew a White Bucke greatly esteemed of the said Burdet who vnderstanding thereof wished his hornes in his Belly that moued the King to kill the same Bucke whereof he was accused and condemned of treason his wordes being drawne to wish the â—…ornes in the Kings bellie for which beheaded hâ—… was at Tiburne and buried in the Gray-Fryers Church at London 104 But a more lamentable tragedie happened vnto the land by the death of George Duke of Clarence the Kings second brother who being accused of high Treason was committed to the Tower where he soone-after ended his life His attainder was that the said Duke had caused diuerse of his seruants to enforme the people that Thomas Burdet his seruant likewise was wrongfully put to death and further laboured through their reports to make the world beleeue tâ—… K. Edward wrought by Nigrâ—…cie and vsed to poison such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And alâ—…o thaâ—… 〈◊〉 sâ—…id Duke vpon purâ—… to exalt himselfe and his heires to the 〈◊〉 digâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…sely 〈◊〉 vntruly pubâ—…d that the 〈◊〉 was a â—…ard and therefore not capable of raigne Moreouer thâ—… he induced diâ—…e of the Kiâ—…aturall subiects to be sworne vpâ—… the 〈◊〉 Sâ—…ent vnto him and his heires withâ—…â—…ny other reseâ—…ations of their allâ—…e for which intent as there was alleaged hee had gotten an exemplification vnder the great Seale of King Henry the sixt that if the said king and his sonne Prince Edward died without issue male the said Duke and his heires should inioy the Crowne For these in
doubt lest hee might bee fetched from her is it not likely that shee shall send him somewhere out of the Realm Verily I looke for none other And I doubt not but shee now as sore mindeth it as we the let thereof And if she might happen to bring that to passe as it were no great masterie we letting her alone all the world would say that wee were a wise sort of Counsellors about a King that suffer his brother to be cast away vnder our noses And therefore I assure you faithfully for my mind I will rather maugre her mind fetch him away then leaue him there till her frowardnes and fond feare conuay him away And yet will I breake no Sanctuary therefore for verily sith the priuiledges of that place and other like haue beene of long continued I am not he that wil goe about to breake them And in good faith if they were now to begin I would not be he that should be about to make them Yet will I not say nay but that it is a deed of pitty that such men as the sea or their euill debters haue brought in pouerty should haue some place of liberty to keepe their bodies out of the danger of their cruell Creditors And also if the Crowne happen as it hath done to come in question while either part taketh other as Traitors I like well there be some places of refuge for both But as for theeues of which these places bee full and which neuer fall from the craft after they once fall thereunto it is pitty the Sanctuary should serue them much more manquellers whom God bad to take from the Altar and kill them if their murther were wilfull And where it is otherwise there need wee not the Sanctuaries that God appointed in the old Law for if either necessity his own defence or misfortune draweth him to that deed a pardon serueth which either the law granteth of course or the King of pitty may Then look we now how few sanctuary men there be whom any fauourable necessity compelled to goe thither and then see on the other side what a sort there be commonly therein of them whom wilfull vnthriftinesse hath brought to naught what rabble of theeues murderers and malitious hainous Traitors and that in two places especially the one at the elbow of the City the other in the very bowels I dare well auow it weigh the good that they doe with the hurt that commeth of them and yee shall finde it much better to lacke both then to haue both And this I say although they were not abused as they now be and so long haue been that I feare mee euer they will bee while men bee afraide to set the hands to amend the as though God S. Peter were the patrons of vngracious liuing Now vnthrifts riot and runne in debt vpon the boldnes of these places yea and rich men runne thether with poore mens goods there they build there they spend and bid their Creditors goe whistle Mens wiues runne thither with their husbands plate and say they dare not abide with their husbands for beating Theeues bring thither their stoln goods and liue thereon rio tously there they deuise new robberies nightly they steale out they rob and riue kill and come in againe as though those places gaue them not onely a safeguard for the harme they haue done but a licence also to do more howbeit much of this mischiefe if Wisemen would set their hands to it might bee amended with great thankes of God and no breach of the Priuiledge The residue sith so long agoe I wot neere what Pope and what Prince more pitteous then politicke hath granted it and other men since of a certaine religious feare haue not broken it let vs therefore take paine therewith and let it a Gods name stand in force as farre forth as reason will which is not fully so farre forth as may serue to let vs of the fetching forth of this Nobleman to his honour and wealth out of that place in which he neither is nor can bee a Sanctuary man A Sanctuary serueth alwayes to defend the body of that man that standeth in danger abroad not of great hurt onelie but also of lawfull hurt for against vnlawfull harmes neuer Pope nor King intended to priuiledge any one place for that priuiledge hath euery place knoweth any man any place wherein it is lawful for one man to do another wrong that no man vnlawfully take hurt that liberty the King the Law and very nature forbiddeth in euery place and maketh to that regard for euery man euery place a Sanctuary but where a man is by lawfull meanes in perill there needeth hee the tuition of some speciall priuiledge which is the onely ground and cause of all Sanctuaries from which necessity this noble Prince is farre whose loue to the King nature and kindred proueth whose innocency to all the world his tender youth proueth and so Sanctuary as for him neither none he needeth nor none can hee haue Men come not to Sanctuary as they come to Baptisme to require it by their Godfathers hee must aske it himselfe that must haue it and reason sith no man hath cause to haue it but whose conscience of his owne fault maketh him faine need to require it what will then hath yonder babe which and if he had discretion to require it if neede were I dare say would now bee right angry with them that keepe him there and I would thinke without any scruple of conscience without any breach of Priuiledge to bee somewhat more homelie with them that be there Sanctuarie men indeed for if one goe to Sanctuary with another mans goods why should not the King leauing his body at liberty satisfie the party of his goods euen within the Sanctuarie for neither King nor Pope can giue any place such a priuiledge that it shall discharge a man of his debtes being able to pay And with that diuers of the Clergy that were present whether they said it for his pleasure or as they thought agreede plainely that by the law of God and of the Church thâ—…â—…oods of a Sanctuarie man should bee deliuereâ—… 〈◊〉 payment of his debts and stolne goods to the owner and onely liberty reserued him to get his liuing with the labour of his hands Verily quoth the Duke I thinke you say very truth and what if a mans wife would take Sanctuary because she lift to runne from her husband I would weene if she could alledge none other cause hee may lawfully without any displeasure to Saint Peter take her out of Saint Peters Church by the arme And if no body may be taken out of â—…nctuary that saith he will biâ—…e there then if a child will take Sanctuary because hee feareth to goe to schoole his Master must let him alone And as simple as the sample is yet iâ—… there lesse reason in our case then in that for
were so dull that they could perceiue nothing what the Protector intended truth if they should procure her sonne to be deliuered into his hands in whom they should perceiue towards the Child any euill intended 37 The Queene with these wordes stood a good while in a deepe study And for as much as her seemed the Cardinal ready to depart and the Protector himselfe readie at hand so as shee verily thought she could not keepe him there but that he should incontinent be taken thence and to conuey him elsewhere neither had shee time to serue her nor place determined nor persons appointed all things vnready this message came on her so suddainly nothing lesse looked for then to haue him fetcht out of Santuarie which she thought to be now beset in such places about that he could not be conueyed out vntaken and partly as shee thought it might fortune her feare to be false so well shee wift it was either needlesse or bootlesse Wherefore if shee must needs go frō him she deemed it best to deliuer him besides the Cardinals faith she nothing doubted neither some other Lords whom she saw there present which as she feared lest they might be deceiued so was she wel assured they would not be corrupted and thought it would make thē the more warily to looke to him and the more circumspectly to see to his surety if with her owne hands shee betooke him to them of trust And lastly taking the young Duke by the hand said vnto the Lords 38 My Lords and all my Lords I neither am so vnwise to mistrust your wits nor so suspitious to mistrust your truths of which thing I purpose to make you such a proofe as if either of both lacked in you might both turne mee to great sorrow the Realme to much harme you all to great reproch For loe here is quoth she this Gentleman whom I doubt not but I could heere keepe safe if I would whatsoeuer any man say and I doubt not also but there bee some abroad so deadly enemies vnto my blood that if they wist where any of it lay in their owne bodies they would let it out We haue also experience that the desire of a kingdome knoweth no kindred the brother hath beene the brothers bane and may the Nephewes be sure of their Vncle Each of these children is the others defence whilest they are asunder and each of their liues lieth in the others body keepe one safe and both be sure and nothing for them both more perillous then to be in one place For what wise Merchant aduentureth all his goods in one ship All this notwithstanding I deliuer him and his brother in him to keep into your hands of whom I shall aske both before God and the world Faithfull ye be that wot I well and I know well you be wise power and strength to keepe him if yee list neither lack yee of your selfe nor lack helpe in this case And if you cannot elsewhere then may you leaue him heere but onely one thing I beseech you for the trust that his father euer put in you and for the trust I now put you in that as farre as you thinke I feare too much bee you well wary that you feare not too little and therewithall shee sayd vnto the child Farewell mine owne sweet son God send you good keeping let me kisse you yet once ere you go for God knoweth when wee shall kisse together againe And therwithal she kissed him and blessed him turned her back and wept and went her way leauing the child weeping as faste When the Lord Cardinal and those other Lords with him had receiued the yong Duke they brought him into the Star-chamber where the protector tooke him in his armes and kissed him with these words Now welcome my Lord euen with all my heart In which saying it is like hee spake as he thought Thereupon foorth with they brought him vnto the King his brother into the Bishops Pallace at Paules and from thence both of them through the Citie of London honourably attended into the Tower out of which after that day they neuer came againe 39 The protector hauing both the children now in his hands opened himself more boldly both to certaine other men also chiefly to the Duke of Buckingham Although I know that many thought that this Duke was priuy to all the protectors counsell euen from the beginning and some of the protectors friends sayd that the Duke was the first mouer of the protector to this matter sending a priuie messenger vnto him streight after King Edwards death But others againe which knew better the subtill wit of the protector deny that he euer opened his enterprise to the Duke vntil he had brought to passe the things before rehearsed But when hee had imprisoned the Queenes kindred and gotten both her sonnes into his owne hands then he opened the rest of his purpose with lesse feare to them whom he thought meet for the matter and especially to the Duke who being wonne to his designes he held his strength more then halfe increased The matter was broken vnto the Duke by subtil persons and such as were their crafts masters in the handling of such wicked deuises who declared vnto him that the young King was offended with him for his kinsfolkes sakes and if he were euer able he would reuenge them who would prick him forward thereunto if they escaped for they would remember their imprisonment or else if they were put to death without doubt the yong King would be careful for their deaths whose imprisonments was grieuous vnto him And that with repenting the Duke should nothing auaile for there was no way left to redeeme his offence by benefits but he should sooner destroy himselfe then saue the King who with his brother and his kinsfolkes he sawe in such places imprisoned as the protect or might with a beck destroy them all and without all doubt would doe it indeed if there were any new enterprise attempted And that it was likely as the Protector had prouided priuie gard for himself so had he spials for the Duke and traines to haue caught him if he should bee against him that peraduenture from them whom he least suspected For the state of things the dispositions of men were then such that a man could not well tell whom hee might trust or whom hee might feare These things and such like being beaten into the Dukes minde brought him to that point that where he had repented the way that hee had entred yet would he goe forward in the same and since hee had once begunne hee would stoutly goe through And therefore to this wicked enterprise which hee beleeued could not be auoyded hee bent himselfe determining sith the common mischiefe could not be amended he would turne it as much as he might to his owne commoditie 40 Then was it agreed that the Protector should haue the Dukes aide to
of the battels Iâ—… Stow. A mistaking of the soulâ—…ieis which was the losse of the field Great Warwickâ—… slaine in fight Marques Montacute slaine in battell Nobles and others slaine at Barnet field Edw. Hast. Ioh. Stow. Rob. Fabian saith 1500. The Duke of Sommerset and the Faile of Oxford fled into Wales Rich. Grast Edward triumpheth and oâ—…eth his banner in S. Pauls Queene Margaret with Prince Edward landed at Weyâ—… The Lords comfort Queene Margaret Queenâ—… Margarets care for Prince Edward her sonne The opinions of the Lords King Edward prepareth against Queenâ—… Margaret King Henry committed to the Tower of London The ordering of Queene Margarets battels The ordering of K. Edwards battels The battell at Tewkesbury Edw. Hall This battell was fought vpon Saturday the 4. of May the 11. of K. Edwards raigne and yeere of Christ 1471. L. Wenlocke slain for not following Sommerset Lords slaine at Tewkesbury Prince Edward apprehended The Duke of Sommerset and others executed Prince Edward apprehended and 〈◊〉 answers Prince Edward most shamefully slaine Queene Margaret taken out of her Sanctuary The Northerne men submit vnto K. Edward Bastard Fanconbridge Captaine of the Lancastri Fauonbridge assaileth London The Citizens withstood his â—…ance Fauconbridge forced backe to his shipâ—… K. Edward with his Captiue Queene Margaret enter London King Henry â—…urthered in the Tower by Richard Duke of Glocester K. Henry carried bare-faced through the streetes of London Stowes Annals K. Henry bâ—…ied 〈◊〉 Chertsey and 〈◊〉 to Windsor The 〈◊〉 of K. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vertues of K. Henry Holinshed Camb. Brit. in descript of Surrey Kings Colledge in Cambridge and Eaton in Barkshire found 〈◊〉 by K. Henry Queen Margaret ransoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bastard Fauconbridge with his vnruly crew yeeld to King Edward Bastard Fauconbridge pardoned of life and rewarded with Knighthood Rob. Fabian Bastard Fauconbridge beheaded A. D. 1472. Henry of Richmond fled into Britaine The storie of Iohn Earle of Oxford Waters brake out of the Earth Iohn Stow. Annals The Earle of Oxford sent prisoner into France The hard and inhumane vsage of the Countesse of Oxford The storie of Lord Henry Holland Duke of Excester Phil. Comines lib. 3. cap. 4. Ed. Hall The vnlouing parts of an vnlouing wiâ—…e Ioh. Sâ—…w The Lord Henrie supposed to haue been drowned The Archbishop of Yorkes goods seized vpon K. Edward sends into Britaine to recouer Richmond and Pembrooke K. Edward abrogates King Henries lawes Burgundie sends for aid into England against France A. D. 1474. K. Edwards expedition into France Phil. Comines lib. 4. cap. 5. The great preparation of King Edward King Edwards 〈◊〉 Lewis his conference with the English Herald Lewis his conference with the English Herald K. Lewis moneth Gartar to be a meanes for peace Phil. Com. lib. 4. cap. 7. A counterfeit Herald sent to K. Edward The Heralds perswasions An English Herald sent to King Lewis The Duke of Burgundy commeth to the King Edw. Hall â—…ol 231. Burgundies hot speech vnto K. Edward K Edwards reply to his brother of Burgundy Burgundy departeth displeased from King Edward The conference for peace 〈◊〉 Amiens Coâ—…ioners for peace Conditions of the peace Lewis his liberality for â—…oy of the peace Ph. Com. l. 4. c. 9. The kings of England and France dâ—… to see each others 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 place of the kings A. D. 1475. Aug. 29. The 〈◊〉 of the two kings The Kings swear the league K. Lewis loth that Edward should visite Paris A. D. 1475. Sept. 2â—… Henry Earle of Richmond â—…ught after by K. Edward An intent pretended which asâ—…r came to passe Ralph Holinsh. pag. 701. Henry â—…arle of Richmond taketh Sanctuary The English Ambassador complaineth to the Duke of Britaine His Answere Sir Tho. Moore King Edward beloued of his subiects and loueth his subiects Io. Stow. K. Edward sent for the Maior and Aldermen of London to his huntings K. Edward somwhat licention slie giuen K. Edwards three Concubines Thomas Burdet accused of treason Engâ—… Register of Gray-Friers Lâ—…don The story of George Duke of Clarence Tâ—… attainder of the Duke of Clarence Iohn Stow. A. D. 1478. Rich. Graft A false prophecie of G. E. Phil. Comin lib. 4. cap. 10. The Duke of Clarence is suiter vnto Marie the daughter of Burgundie Io. Serres Clarnce imprisoned by his brother King Edward George Duke of Claâ—…ce condemned by Parliament And drowned in a But of malmesay K. Edwards â—…pentance for his brothers death The Duke of Clarence his issue Edward and Margaret the children of Clarence beheaded King Edward deceiued in King Lewis 〈◊〉 Serres Lady Elizabeth called 〈◊〉 the Daulphin A. D. 1480. Io. Lesâ—… Lady Cicely motioned in matriage vnto 〈◊〉 Prince of Scotland Lewis King of France interposeth the contract betwixt Prince Iames and Ladie Margaret Iames King of Scotland much â—…dded to his 〈◊〉 will Alexander Duke of Albanie banished Scotland Iohn Earle of Marre bled to death K. Iames threatneth warre against England Richard Duke of Glocester made the Kings Lieutenant against Scotland The Duke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scotland 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 Holinsh. p. 707. Phil. Comines lib. 6. chap. 2. and 9. King Lewis dallâ—…th with King Edward King Edward vvould not beleeue vvhat was confidently tolde him A 〈◊〉 pretâ—… ded against France King Edward falleth â—…ke Thom. More King Edwards speeches at his death The perils of discord Tender youth is 〈◊〉 infected Great variance for small causes King Edwards good counsell What the nature of ambition is King Edwards vsuall oath King Edwards last request The raigne and death of King Edward Phil. Com. lib. 4 cap. 10. King Edward described Ph. Com. l. 6. c. 2. 〈◊〉 A. D. 1478. Stow. Edward 5. Monarch 55 King Edwards raigne vnfortunate and 〈◊〉 Aprill 19. A. D. 1483. Richard Duke of Yorke Richard Duke of Gloucester an vnnaturall vncle vnto the young King and his brother Richard Duke of Yorke was the father of Richard Duke of Glocester Women commonly maligne their husbands 〈◊〉 The description of Richard Duke of Glocester Richard Crooke-backe a good souldier He vvas the cause of Clorence his death Richard of Gloucester intended to be King eâ—…en whiles K. Edward liued The speech of Pottier at King Edwards death The vncle contriueth the destruction of his Nephewes Richards deepe pollicy King Edwards care to set peace betwixt the Queenes kindred and his The Queenes iealousie against the Lord Câ—…berlaine King Edward repaireth towards London The Queenes kindred only about the Prince The Duke seeketh to displace the Prince The crafty complaints of Richard Duke of Gloucester The effect that his pollicy took The conclusion of his designes Another crafty pollicy of Duke Richard The Queene yeldeth to the Dukes perswasion The Lords meet at Northampton The Keyes of the Inne kept by Richard Duke of Glaucester The L. Riuers much troubled at the sodaine action The L. Riuers imprisoned in Northampton The Dukes come to the King A quarrell picked in the kings presence Accusations against the Queens kindred
The King excuseth his vncle The King is brought backe to Northampton The Duke of Glocester sends a dish of meat vnto the Lord Riuers The L. Riuers others beheaded Queene Elizabeth taketh Sanctuary The L. Chamberlaine sendeth the newes to the L. Chancellor The great heauinesse and confusion of the Queene and her seruants The Archbishops comforts to the Queene The L. Chancellour giues the great Seale to the Queene Great feare conceiued of the ouermuch murmuring made The L. Chancellour sendeth for the great Seale to the Queene Perswasions of the L. Hastings that nothing was extreamly meant L. Hastings somewhat dissembleth False imputation cast vpon the Lords of the Queenes bloud How soone the Commons are brought into fooles Paradise King Edward met by the Citizens and accompanied by them into London Richard Duke of Glocester made Protector of the King and Realm The great Seale is taken from the Archbishop of Yorke The Protectors perswasion to take out of Sanctuary the yong Duke of Yorke A â—…e â—…ch to fetch out the Duke The Protector would haue the Queene sent vnto If the Queene refuse to deliuer the Duke what is to be done All the Counsell allow of the Protectors speech A great offence to breake the Sanctuary S. Peters owne Cope was to be seen in Westminster The Duke of Buckinghams speech Queene Elizabeth held to haue a shrewd wit Not feare but frowardnes kept the yong Duke in Sanctuary A great feare without any great cause Buckinghams opinion of the Sanctuaries Much abuses suffered in Sanctuaries Westminster S. Martins The true vse of the Sanctuary The Duke of Yorke vncapable of Sanctuary Neither Pope nor King can allow Sanctuary men to consume other mens substance A man may take his wife out of Sanctuary without any offence to S. Peter Buckinghams conclusion The generall consent of them all The Cardinall doth his errand to the Queene The Queenes answere to the Cardinall Queene Elizabeth yeeldeth to deliuer the yong Duke The ambitious desire for a crowne Richard Duke of Yorke deliuered to the Cardinall A Iudâ—… kisse Buckingham priuie to the Protectors ploâ—… Suspicion without cause The couenants betwixt the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham Two counsels to diuers ends The mistrust of the times All flocke to the Protector Lord Stanleyes speach to the Lord Chamberlain * Catesby Catesby the cause of much mischiefe Catesby set to sound the Lord Hastings Lord Haestinge speeches concerning the plot Catesby false to his founder The counsel sate in the Tower for the ordering of the yong Kings Coronation The Protectors dissimulation The Protector now another man Lord Hastings speech to the Protectors question The Queene accused of Sorcery The withered aâ—…ne of the Protector by nature and not by 〈◊〉 The L. Chamberlain arrested The L. Staley wounded at Councell Table The L. Chamberlaine beheaded The L. Stanleys dreame The L. Hastings answere to the L. Stanleye meâ—…age Predictions towards the Lord Hastings The Lord Hastings speech to a Purseuant The vaine and suddain state of man The description of the Lord Hastings Citizens sent for into the Tower to the Protector The fained feare of the Lord Protector A Proclamation made to publish the Lord Hastings treasons The Protectors subtilty further knowne by his Proclamation The Schoole-masters opinion The Sheriffes of London carrie Shores wife to prison Shores wife did pennance All commend and pitie Shores vvife The description of Iane Shore Shee died the eighteene yeere of King Henry the eight saith Iohn Harding Shores wife did much good but no man hurt The Subiect not vnworthy to bee written The state of the world The Lords of the Queenes bloud beheaded at Pomfrait The Protector sought to strike whiles the yron was hote The Maior of London made of the Protectors counsell Shaa and Pinker two flattring Preachers Pinker preached at S Marie Hospitall and Dotor Shaa at Pauls Crosse. The plot and deuice how to entitle the Protector to the Crowne The sonne maketh the mother an adultresse K Edward and his children made bastards The text and contents of Doctor Shaas sermon Shaas shamlesse assertions TheÌ„ Preachers intention preuented Gods heauy punishment vpon the false flattering Preacher The Duke of Buckingham commeth to the Guildhall Buckinghams oration to the commons of London The fine glosings of the Duke of Buckingham King Edwards exactions made more then they were His tyranny towards his subiects exemplified by Burdet and Others No safety of goods or life as he falsely alledged The rage of ciuil wars cost EnglaÌ„d more blood then twice the winning of France had done Great dangers alledged and slenderly proued King Edwards wantonnesse set out to the full London the kings especiall Chamber The end of the Dukes errand The great modesty that the Duke pretendeth An author like the subiect The marriage oâ—… King Edward imputed a great mischiefe The Protector must be the only true heire to his father and so to the Crowne Scriptures abused The Dukes pithy perswasions vnto the Citizens The Londoners are mute and astonished at Buckinghams Oration Buckingham goeth ouer his lesson againe The reward of flattery The Recorder commanded to speake to the peopleâ—… The great silence of the people The Duke speaketh once more Prentices and Seruingmen the first proclamets of K. Richard The affection of the election seene by the faces of the Assembly The Nobles and Citizens assemble at Baynards Castle The Protector made it strange to speake with such a multitude Palpable dissembling betwixt the Protector and Buckingham The Protector intreated to accept of the Crowne The Protector saith nay and would haue it Buckingham vrgeth and threatneth the refusall Th Protor fauourably accepteth the Crowne Diuers opinions of the people The Raigne and age of King Edward Monarch 56 Richard III. All the Richards and Dukes of Glocester came to vntimely deathes Richard 1. flaine with an arrow Richard a murthered at Pomfrait Tho. Woodstocke 〈◊〉 herâ—…d to death Humfrey murdered aâ—… S. Edmondsbury Richard slaine at Bosworth held Duke Richard subtilely complotteth for the Crowne The Duke of Buckingham the onely raiser of the Protector By Persal Buckinghams secrete seruant The degrees by which the Protector ascended into the throne The Protector fitted himselfe to the peoples affections A Petition exhibited to the Protector to accept of the Crowne An Act of Parliment passed to establish K. Richards election All doubts taken away of King Richards election The petition of the kings election made lawfull and authorised by Parliament The forme of he 〈◊〉 exhibiâ—…d vnto the Protector Faire gloses vpon soule preteâ—…ses O time how dost thou turne and art turned Flattery feares not how to report How can Princes rule to shuâ—… reproach when they are dead The Queene her mother falsly standered K. Edward accused to haste been contracted to the Lady Elienor Butler The tongue of slander is a sharp arrow They haue taught their toâ—…gs to speake lies Ier. 9. 5. George Duke of Clarence and his heires made vncapable of
to death but being too late perceiued was yet so hastily pursued that he was hewed to peeces before his tongue could reueale the principall Traitour Iulia his incestuous wife hearing of his death with poison slew her selfe at Antioch leauing her shame to suruiue her life 8 Antoninus Caracalla saith Eusebius raigned Emperour seuen yeares and sixe moneths but Herodian Spartianus and Dio allot him sixe yeeres and two moneths he died the eight of Aprill and yeere of Christ two hundred eighteene The testimonies of these many writers notwithstanding together with the place and circumstances of his death and the person by whom it was committed the British Historians do contradict reporting him to bee slaine in Britaine in Battaile against the Picts by one Carauceus a man of a lowe and obscure birth But by this it may seeme some wounds receiued by him in those British warres gaue occasion to that errour He left a sonne not by his incestuous mother nor by Glantilla his wife whō he exiled into Sicily but by a mistris whose name was Iulia Simiamira his cosen German and indeed no better then a common strumpets which corrupt rootes brought forth as bitter fruits euen Heliogabalus of whom hereafter we shall haue occasion to write OPILIVS MACRINVS CHAPTER XXV IN prosecuting our intended course for setting downe the Acts and Liues of sundry Emperours heereafter succeeding I know I shall hardly satisfie my Readers being no way able to giue content to my selfe in that on the one side finding very few remembrances concerning the state of this our Iland till the raigne of Dioclesian the Historie of that Interim may seeme impertinent to our purpose and yet on the other side considering how vnfit it is that the Succession of all our British Monarks should be interrupted that Royall Title being likewise annexed to those other Emperours I suppose it will bee expected that somwhat also be said of them though managing their affaires in places farre remote It seemeth that the continuall striuing for the Imperiall Diademe and their neerer hazards at home made them contented to giue Britaine some peaceable breathing and so depriue vs of the Romane Records of those times which want if I should supply out of our home-bred British Writers I might be thought not so much to repaire the ruines of our Monuments as to heape more rubbish vpon them And therefore necessitie so enforcing I must craue patience if I proceed to the rest of our Countries Monarkes though I cannot to the residue of our Countries Exploits and Affaires in those daies 2 Opilius Macrinus from obscure and base parentage by fauours of the Emperour without any notable desert in himselfe first aspired to the Office of a Prefect and at last by the election of the Souldiers to the Dignitie Imperiall So farre from suspicion of Caracallaes death by the outward appearance of a seeming sorrow that hee was held of all most free from the Treason and the second person worthy of their voice For first the Title was conferred vpon aged Audentius a man of good sort much experience and an excellent Captaine whose wisdome could not bee drawne to aduenture his life vnder the weight of so vneasie and dangerous a Crowne but excusing himselfe by the priuilege of his age as farre vnfit to wield the troubles much lesse to increase the glorie of the Empire refused their offers but with returne of as many thankes as they had giuen him hands or voices Whereupon they againe consulted and determined for Macrinus which as willingly receiued as Audentius refused vnto whom they swore fealtie but not long after failed in performance 3 He made for his Caesar Diadumenus his sonne changing his name a vsuall custome at their election into Antoninus because that name was gracious among the Romans The Senate at home confirmed all that the Armie had done abroad vnto whom it seemed their right as it were by prescription to haue the election of the Emperours 4 His first expedition was against Artabanus King of the Parthians that hasted against the Romans for wrongs receiued by Caracalla deceased but after three great and dangerous Battles came to an attonement and a peace betwixt them concluded After this as free from further troubles he returned to Antioch in Syria and there spent his time in Banquets and other sensuall pleasures being drenched so farre therein that the Armie began to dislike his Gouernment and to fauour young Bassianus the sonne of Caracalla then present at E◅esa a Citie in Phoenicia with Moesa his Grandmother by his Mothers side who there had built a Temple consecrated to the Sunne and therein ordained him a Priest for which cause he was called Heliogabalus that is to say in the Phoenician Language The Priest of the Sunne 5 To this Temple in their vaine deuotions resorted many of the Romane Souldiers and seeing the beautie of the youth allured Moesa to bring him to their Campe where knowne to be the sonne of Caracalla the Souldiers proclaimed him Emperour and maintained his right against Macrinus who after this reuolt met young Heliogabalus in the Confines betwixt Phoenicia and Syria where was fought a bloudie Battle and Macrinus forsaken of all and driuen to flie who with his sonne hasting thorow Asia and Bithinia came lastly to Chalcedon where he fell sicke and was there together with Diadumenus put to death the seuenth day of Iune the yeere of Christs Incarnation two hundred and nineteene when hee had raigned one yeere one moneth twenty eight daies ANTONINVS HELIOGABALVS CHAPTER XXVI YOung Bissianus surnamed Heliogabalus the sonne of Caracalla before mentioned thus elected and prospering at his entrance gaue hopes to his raisers of many princely parts and signes of those things that in sequele by better proofe appeared to be onlie signes indeed for nature had plentifully adorned him with the complements of her gifts had his mind beene answerably furnished with vertue But as the one was ouer-prodigall and lauish in his outward forme so was the other as sparing and defectiue in bestowing of her inward gifts insomuch that both in minde and garment he seemed to bee that which in truth he was not This Emperour as appeareth by the reuerse of his money tooke it no meane addition of honour to his Imperiall Dignitie to be stiled The Priest of the Sunne which in the Assyrian Tongue is called El from whom he tooke the surname Elagabal 2 Assoone as hee had settled the Empire firme vpon himselfe by the death of Macrinus he began to discouer his owne dispositions and in wantonnesse apparell lightnesse and diet to exceed any that had gone before him in Rome and so farre differed from the manners of men that modestie will not suffer vs to record his greatest vices 3 His apparell was rich and most extreme costlie and yet would he neuer weare one garment twice his Shooes embellished with Pearles and Diamonds his Seats
shrewde dame alleadging it was not fitting that the woman who had tasted the pleasures of a Kings embracements should endure a seruitude vnder the rule of any other The King perceiuing the deceit and therewith moued to wrath yet could not recall what hee had done or rather vndone and therefore turned his conceiued wrongs vnto a iest but so that hee both sharpely checked the deceiuer and kept this damsell whose night-worke and pleasance had fully wonne him for his Concubine whereby she ruled them that lately had the command of her and to vse the words of Malmsbury he loued this Concubine most entirely keeping true faith of his bed to her alone vntill the time he married for his lawful wife Elfrida the daughter of Duke Ordgarus 14 His last lasciuious Act was as Dauids ioyned with bloud and wrought in manner as followeth Fames lauish report of beauteous Elfrida the paragon of her sexe and wonder of Nature the only daughter of Ordgarus Duke of Deuonshire sounded so lowd in those Westerne parts that the Eccho thereof was heard into King Edgars Court and entred his eares which euer lay open to giue his eyes the scope of desire and his wanton thoughts the raines of will to trie the truth whereof hee secretly sent his minion or fauourite Earle Ethelwold of East-Anglia who well could iudge of beauty and knew the diet of the King with Commission that if the Pearle proued so orient it should bee seized for Edgars owne wearing who ment to make her his Queene and Ordgarus the Father of a King Ethelwold a iolly young Gallant posted into Deuonshire and guest-wise visited Duke Ordgarus his Court where seeing the Lady surpassing the report blamed Fames ouer-sight for sounding her praise in so base and leaden a Trumpet and wholy surprised with her loue himselfe beganne to wooe the Virgin yea and with her Fathers good liking so as the King would giue his assent Earle Ethelwold returning related that the maide indeed was faire but yet her beauty much augmented by babling reports and neither her feature or parts any wise befitting a King Edgar mistrusting no corriuall in his loue nor dreaming false fellowship in wooing did with a sleight thought passe ouer Elfrida and pitcht his affections the faster another way Earle Ethelwold following the game now a foot desired Edgars assistance to bring it to a stand pretending not so much for any liking to the Lady as to raise his owne fortunes to be her fathers heire to which the King yeelded and for his minion solicited Ordgarus who glad to be shrowded vnder the fauours of such a fauourite willingly consented and his daughters destinies assured to Earle Ethelwold The marriage solemnized and the fruits thereof a short time enioyed the fame of her beauty beganne againe to bee spread and that with a larger Epithite then formerly it had beene Whereupon Edgar much doubting of double dealing laid his angle faire to take this great gull and bearing no shew of wrong or suspect inuited himselfe to â—…unt in hiâ—… Parks and forthwith repairing into those parts 〈◊〉 not a little grace his old seruant to the great ioy of Ordgarus the Duke but Ethelwold mistrusting the cause of his comming thought by one policy to disappoint another and therefore reuealing the truth to his wife how in his proceedings hee had wronged her beauty and deceiued his Soueraigne requested her louing assistance to saue now his endangered life which lay in her power and of the meanes he thus aduised Like as said he the richest Diamond rough and vncut yeelds neither sparkle nor esteeme of great price nor the gold vnburnished giues better lustre then the base brasse so beauty and feature clad in meane aray is either sleightly looked at with an vnfixed eye or is wholy vnregarded and held of no worth for according to the Prouerbe cloth is the man and man is the wretch then to preuent the thing that I feare and is likely to proue my present ruine and thy last wracke conceale thy great beauty from King Edgars eye and giue him entertainement in the meanest attires let them I pray thee for a time bee the nightly curtaines drawne about our new-Nuptiall bed and the dayly cloudes to hide thy splendent Sunne from his sharpe and too too piercing sight whose vigour raies will soone set his waxen wings on fire that ready are to melt at a farre softer heat Pitch thou seest defileth the hand and we are forbid to giue occasion of euill vaile then thy fairenesse with the scarfes of deformity from his ouer-lauish and vnmastered eye for the fairest face drawes euer the gaze if not the attempts and natures endowments are as the bush for the wine which being immoderately taken doth surfet the sense and is againe cast vp with as loathing a tast Of these dregs drunke Amnon after his fill of faire Thamar Herod of Mirami Aeneas of Dido yea and not to seeke examples farre off King Edgars variation in his vnsted fast motion doth easily bewray it selfe for could either holy Wolfhild beautifull Ethelfled or the wanton Wench of Andeuer keepe the needle of his compasse certaine at one point nothing lesse but it was still led by the load-stone of his euer mutable and turning affections But thou wilt say hee is religious and by founding of Monasteries hath expiated those sinnes Indeed many are built for which time and posterities must thanke holy Dunstan from whose deuotion those good deeds haue sprung but is thy person holier then sacred Wolfhilds thy birth and beauty greater then Ethelfled the White daughter also to a Duke the former of an holy Votary hee made the sinke of his pollution and the later is branded to all ages by the hatefull name of a Concubine and her sonne among vs esteemed for a Bastard These should bee motiues to all beauteous and vertuous Ladies not to sell their honours at so low and too-late repented a price Neither think sweet Countesse that thy husband is iealous or suspects thy constancy which I know is great and thy selfe wholy complete with all honourable vertues but yet consider I pray thee that thou art but young maist easily be caught especially of him that is so old a Master of the game neither perswade thy selfe of such strength as is able to hold out so great an assault for men are mighty but a King is much more I know thou art wise and enough hath been said onely let mee adde this that euill beginnings haue neuer good ends and so with a kind kisse hoping hee had wonne his Wife to his Will prepared with the first to welcome King Edgar Lady Elfrida thus left to her selfe began seriously to thinke vpon this Curtaine Sermon whose text she distasted being taken out of an ouer-worne and threed-bare cloth prouerbe as though her fortunes had been wholly residing and altogether consisting in her parentage and apparell but nothing at all in any parts
Saint Denisse which her selfe had caused to bee built EDVVARD SVRNAMED THE MARTYR THE THIRTIE ONE MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH CHAPTER XLIII GReat were the troubles sidings that presently ensued the death of King Edgar about the election of one of his sons to succeed Queene Elfrida with Alferus Duke of Mercia and many other Nobles combined for young Ethelred disauowing Prince Edward as illegitimate and therfore not reputable for succession against them and Ethelred stood Dunstan and the Monkes holding their states dangerous their new-gotten footing vnsure if in the nonage of the King these their opposites should rule all vnder him whereas Edward was altogether wrought in their mould whose title they abetted as being lawfully borne and begot in the nuptiall bed of Queene Ethelfleda Their claimes thus banded amongst these States-men began to be diuersly affected among the Commons and had put the game to the hazard if the wisedome of Dunstan had not seene to the chase for a Councell being assembled to argue their rights the Archbishop came in with his banner and crosse and not staying for further debating de iure did de facto present Prince Edward for their lawfull King and the assembly consisting most of Clergy-men perswading peace drew the approbation of the rest and so was the Prince admitted and proclaimed their Soueraigne 2 He beganne his raigne at twelue yeares of age in the yeare of Saluation 975 and was soone after by Archbishop Dunstan crowned King at Kingston vpon Thamesis being the thirtie one Monarch since Hengist of the Englishmen His beginning was miserably afflicted with barrennesse of the ground 〈◊〉 mine amongst his people morraiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their further terrour a fearefullâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which men thought to bee signes from heauen as sent from God for the sinnes committed against the married Clergy whose cause was much pittied especially of the Nobles whose complaints of wrongs they instantly vrged that without deserts they were expulsed from their ancient possessions a thing which neither God nor goodmen euer allowed and was contrary to the prescript rule of Christ that wils vs to doe as wee would be done vnto whereto the Monkes answered that Christ respected neither the person nor place but onely them that tooke vp the Crosse of Penance and followed him as themselues in their single life pretended to doe But they good men little knew the incumbrances of wiuing for otherwise they would haue felt that the condition of the married was more truly a suffering of the Crosse and enduring of Penance 3 These Church men thus diuided and rent were diuersly sided as affection did moue and that not onely of the meaner sort but euen of the Nobles great Ones for the Mercian Duke Alferus fauouring the iust cause of married Priests destroied the Monasteries in his Prouince cast out the Monkes and restored againe the ancient reuenewes to them their wiues contrariwise in East-Anglia the Priests went to wracke where the Monks were maintained by the authority of Edelwin their Duke who in their quarrell with the assistance of his brother Alfred and of Brightuoth Earle of Essex raised a mighty Army and stood with that power for their defence 4 The fire thus blown from a sparke to a flame was feared to mount higher if not quenched in time and therefore by mediation armes laid aside the cause was referred to be heard in Councel at Winchester first the assembly was held where after long dispâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ch against the Monkes it was greatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ide had 〈◊〉 â—…own 〈◊〉 â—…at the matâ—… vpon the refectorie Wall where the Councell sate To this great Oracle S. Dunstan desired them deuoutely to pray and to giue diligent eare for an answere who with as great bounty as they in deuotion made it not squemish to giue them this aduice God forbid it should be so God forbid it should be so said he you iudged well once and to change that againe is not good This was authority sufficient to suppresse the Priests who now with their wiues went downe the wind and indeed too blame they were to suspect this their Iudge who neuer was heard to giue wrong sentence before but they vnsatisfied men thought once more to blow the coale though therewith they were likely to burne their owne lips for perswading the people that this was but a subtile practise of the Monks in placing behind the wall a man of their owne who through a truncke vttered those words in the mouth of the Roode it was therfore instantly desired that the cause might once more come to scanning 5 This lastly was granted and a great assembly congregated at Cleue in Wiltshire whither repaired the Prelates with most of the States of the land besides Gentlemen and Commons an innumerable sort This Synode being set and the controuersie propounded a hote and sharpe disputation ensued and a while was maintained with many bitter inuectiues ill beseeming such persons But whether through the weakenesse of the foundation or the ouer-presse of weight or both the ioysts of this vpper-loft wherein the Councell was held suddainly brake and down fell the floore with all the people thereon whereof many were hurt and some slaine outright onely Archbishop Dunstan then President and mouth for the Monkes remained vnhurt for the Post whereon his chaire was set and not without miracle stood wholy vntouched Thus by this fall fel the cause of the secular Priests and the Monkish foundations vnderpropped with more surer pillars Dunstan vuburdened of many imputations the peoples affections drawne to the Monkes and the Priests at liberty now to accompany their wiues without any cure though not without care and all this was wrought by the prouidence of Dunstan and his strange preseruarion on the post no lesse wonderfull then that which with the like truth is related of him how when a huge beam of a house was suncke out of the frame and like to ruinate the whole building with onely making of the signe of the Crosse thereon with his fingers hee made it returne to his former place so wonderfully potent was he in such woodden miracles To which why should wee not giue credite since the very Harpe which hee had touched could worke miracles as when of it selfe it sounded melodiously that Hymne Gaudent in coelis animae Sanctorum c. Yea sith the blessed virgine Mary her selfe is said to haue come to solace him with her songs Cantemus Domino Sociae c. For as for Angels singing familiarly vnto him and Diuelsin shape of dogs foxes and beares whipped by him that was but ordinary as likewise his making the shee-diuel to roare when comming to tempt him to dalliance in shape of a beautifull lasse hee caught her by the nose with hote burning pincers and so spoilde a good face But to leaue those figments wherewith our Monkish stories are stuffed to
victories wherewith they afterward ouerranne this Kingdome though for the present the inhabitants enraged with the losse of their Chiefe addressing them in great numbers to reuenge forced some to lose their liues by the sword the rest to saue them by flight to their ships 2 Notwithstanding their former preparations they were contented to deferre their returne till the dayes of King Eghert whose raigne as elsewhere we haue touched they disquieted with three seuerall inuasions the first in the North the second in Wales the last in Kent in all which the King though with many losses and hazards of his owne person yet with great resolutions persisted till hee had disburdened his land of so dangerous guests But those Flesh-flies hauing once tasted the sweet though often beaten off would not long bee kept away but could easily take or make occasions of fresh attempts insomuch that after their first footing they continued here their cruelties rapine and spoile the space of two hundred and eighteene yeeres neuer in termitting till they had got the garland vpon their owne heads The way whereunto was made vpon this ensuing occasion 3 Osbright a Northumbrian Viceroy deputed by the West-Saxons by chance as hee followed his disport in Hunting came to the house of a Noble man named Beorn-Bocador whose Lady of passing feature in his absence gaue him honourable entertainement and intreated both himselfe and traine to repose themselues there a while after their wearisome delights The Vice-roy already ensnared with her beauty accepted her courteous offer not so much to tast her meates as to surfeite his eyes with her rare beauty and lasciuiously to dote in his owne affections The dinner ended and all ready to depart as though some weighty matters were to be handled he commaunded an auoidance from the Presence and taking the Lady into a withdrawing Chamber vnder pretence of secret conference greatly tending to the aduancement of her Lord selfe most vnnobly being not able to preuaile by smooth perswasions did by force violate her constant chastity Which dishonour thus receiued and her minde distracted like to Thamars at her husbands returne all ashamed to behold his face whose bed had so beene wronged with flouds of teares shee thus set open the sluces of her passions 4 Had thy fortunes accorded to thine owne desert or thy choice proceeded as by vow was obliged then had no staine of blemish touched thine honour nor cause of suspition once approched thy thought or had my selfe beene my selfe these blushing cheekes had not inuited thy sharpe piercing eye to looke into my guilty and defiled breast which now thou maist see disfurnished of honour and the closet of pure chastity broken vp onely the heart and soule is cleane yet feares the taineture of this polluted caske and would haue passage by thy reuenging hand from this loathsome prison and filthy truncke I must confesse our sexe is weake and accompanied with many faults yet none excusable how small soeuer much lesse the greatest which shame doth follow and inward guilt continually attendeth yours is created more inuiolable and firme both against allurements and enforcements by whose constancy as our flexible weakenes is guarded so our true honours by your iust Armes should bee protected O Beorn Beorn for husband I dare not call thee reuenge therefore my wrongs that am now made thy shame and scandale of my sexe vpon that monster nay Diuell Osbright O that very name corcorrupts my breath and I want words to deplore my griefe who hath no law but his lust nor measure of his actions but his power nor priuiledge for his loathsome life but his greatnesse whiles we with a selfe-feare and seruile flatterie maske our basenesse with crouching obedience beare the wrongs of his most vile adulteries Thou yet art free from such deiected and degenerate thoughts nor hast thou smoothed him in his wicked and euer-working vices be stil thy self then and truly Noble as thou art It may be for his place thou owe◅t him respect but what therewith the losse of honour thine affection but not thy bed thy Loue but not thy beloued yet hast thou lost at once all these and he thy only bereauer thou wast my stay whilest I stayed by thee and now beeing downe reuenge my fall the instinct of nature doth pitty our weakenesse the law of Nations doth maintaine our honour and the sword of Knighthood is sworne by to be vnsheathed for our iust defence much more the linke of wedlocke claimes it which hath lockt two hearts in one but alas that ward is broken and I am thy shame who might haue beene thine honour Reuenge thy selfe therefore both on him and mee else shall this hand let out the Ghost that shall still attend thee with acclamations till thou reuenge my stained bloud 5 Beorn vnwonted thus to bee welcommed much amazed at his wiues maladies with gentle words drew from her the particulars of her inward griefe who reuealed as well as shame and teares and sobs would suffer the manner of the deed stil vrging reuenge for the wrong Beorn touched thus to the quicke to pacifie his distressed wife did not a little dissemble his wrath and excusing the fact with the power of a Prince that might command and her owne weak nesse vnable to resist the strength of a man Commended much her loue and constancy and alleadging his wrongs to bee equall with hers if not greater in regard of their sexe willed her to set her string to his tune till sitte opportunity would serue to strike but shee distasting that sweet consort wrested her passiō into so high a strain that nothing couldbe heard but reuenge bloud 6 Beorn thus instigated by the continuall cries of his wife whose rape already of it selfe had giuen sufficient cause of wrath first consulting with his neerest friends was offered their assistance against that wicked and libidinous Prince and then repairing to his Court in presence of them all made knowne his vnsufferable wrongs and with vtter defiance departed threatning his death This Nobleman in his youth had been brought vp in Denmarke and is reported to haue been allied into the Danish roiall bloud Hee therefore accounted this nation the surest vnto himselfe and the fittest in will and power to enter his quarrell so comming to Goderick King of that Country made his case knowne instantly desiring his aide against the villanie of Osbright Godericke glad to haue some quarrell to enter Britaine leuied an Armie with all speed and preparation made for all things necessarie sendeth forth Inguar and Hubba two brethren to command in chiefe ouer an innumerable multitude of his Danes which two hee thought at this time the fittest for the attempt not onely for their well approued resolution and valour but also for that hee knew them to bee on particular motiues which vsually more affect then doth a common cause implacably enraged against the English on an occasion vnfortunately hapning but most lamentably
marriage was called in England Elfgiue after the name of most of the former Queens which had succeeded Saint Elfgiue Shee was married vnto him in the moneth of Iuly and yeere of Christ Iesus one thousand and seuenteene beeing the first yeere of his raigne whose wife shee was eighteene yeeres and suruiuing kept still at Winchester vnto which Church shee gaue nine Manours according to the number of those firy Plow-shares that shee was forced to goe vpon for her purgation in the raigne of Edward her sonne as shall bee said This Church shee adorned with many goodly vestures and verie rich Iewelles and deceasing in this City the sixt of March the yeere of Grace one thousand fiftie and two and ninth of her sonne King Edwards raigne was buried in the Church of S. Swithine neere vnto Canutus her husband His Issue 21 Sweyn the eldest sonne of Canute by Lady Alfgiue was borne before his father was King of England and before his fathers death was constituted King of Norway lately conquered from King Olafe the Martyr where hee beganne his Raigne in the yeere of mans saluation one thousand thirty and fiue beeing the eighteenth of his fathers Raigne in England and after he had with dislikes ruled that Realme the space of fiue yeeres hee was reiected of the Norwegians his subiects and deceasing without heire of his body left the Kingdome to the natiue heire Magnus the sonne of Olaffe who had beene wrongfully dispossessed by Canute 22 Harold the second sonne of King Canute and of Lady Alfgiue was also born before his father obtained the English Crown for his exceeding swiftnes was surnamed Hare-foote He remained with his father in England after he had disposed of Denmark to Hardi-canute and Norway to Sweyne his brethren expecting something in reuersion But perceiuing at his fathers death that England was also appointed to his brother Hardi-canute hee tooke the aduantage of his absence and assumed the Soueraignety of this Kingdome to himselfe 23 Hardi-Canute the third sonne of King Canute and his first by Queene Emma his wife was borne about the beginning of his fathers Raigne and towards the end of the same was constituted King of the Danes and designed to succeede him after his death in the Kingdome of England But beeing absent then in Denmark was disappointed by his brother Harold who succeeded his father after whose death he also succeeded him 24 Gunhilda the daughter of King Canute and of Emma his Queene was the first wife of Henrie the Third Romane Emperour sonne of the Emperour Conrad the second of that name surnamed Salike shee was a Lady of a surpassing beauty which either mooued her husbands mind vnto ielousie or the ouer-lauish report thereof to breede surmize of incontinencie for accused shee was of adulterie and to defend her cause by combat none could be found till lastly her Page brought with her from England seeing no other would aduenture for her innocencie entred the list himselfe but a youth in regard of the other Combatant beeing a Giant-like man yet in fight at one blow cutting the sinewes of his enemies legge with another he feld him to the ground where presently with his sword hee tooke his head from the shoulders and so redeemed his Ladies life After which hard vsage the Empresse Gunhilda forsooke her husbands bed and by no meanes could bee brought againe vnto the same but tooke the holy vaile of a Nunne in the Town of Burges in Flanders where she spent the rest of her life and after her death was buried in the Collegiate Church of S. Donatian being the principall of that town where her Monument remaineth besides the north dore of the same Church vnto this day 25 Another Lady of the like sanctity is reported to be the daughter of King Canut and the second wife of Godescalke Prince of the Vandals by whom he had Henry King of that Nation They both are said to haue suffered Martyrdome for the faith of Christ he first at the City of Lenzim and she after at Michelenburg being most cruelly tortured to death with whips This Lady vpon sundry strong inducements cannot be reputed legitimate which moued Andrew Velley a Danish Writer in our time to be therin of a diuers opinion from Adam of Breme and Helmoldus who liued fiue hundred yeeres before him HAROLD THE SECOND DANISH KING RAIGNING INENGLAND AND THE THIRTIE FIFT MONARCH OF THE LAND HIS RAIGNE AND ACTS CHAPTER IIII. CANVTVS being dead Hardicanute his sonne by Queene Emma then in Denmarke Harold his elder but base brother foreslowed not the opportunity offered for seeing himselfe in his fathers life time neglected and by will at his death England with that of Denmarke heaped vpon Hardicanut as quicke in apprehension as hee was of footmanshippe whereof arose the surname Hare-foot made strong his side by the Londoners and Danes Mercians Northumbrians very many yea and some great Personages amongst them affecting his claime but Goodwin of Kent who had the Queene and her treasure in keeping stood in his way pretending himself Guardian of her Children the will of Canutus who appointed his sonne by her to succeede 2 The opposition grew strong and the factions ripened euen ready to seede onely the lingering of Hardicanute gaue leaue vnto Harold to better his side by daily supplies and the feares of ciuill sedition moued the Nobility to argue with wordes and not weapons the title depending betwixt these two brethren At Oxford they met where the presence of the one downe-peized the absence of the other so that their voices went onely with Harold and presently proclaimed and consecrated him King 3 He beganne his raigne the yeere of Christs humanity 1036. and was very solemnly crowned at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishoppe of Canterbury though for a time hee was very vnwilling to performe that seruice for it is reported that hee hauing the regall scepter and Crowne in his custody with an oath refused to consecrate any other for King so long as the Queenes children were liuing For said he Canutus committed them to my trust and assurance and to them will I giue my faith and allegiance This Scepter and Crowne therefore I here lay downe vpon this Altar neither doe I denie nor deliuer them to you but I require by the Apostolike authority all Bishops that none of them presume to take the same away neither therewith that they consecrate you for King as for your selfe if you dare you may vsurpe that which I haue committed to God on this his Table Notwithstanding that great thunder clappe was allaied with the showres of golden promises of his iust and religious Gouernment intended though present experience manifested the contrary 4 For saith the auncient Writer of the booke called Encomium Emmae Harold no sooner was established King but that he sought means how to rid Queen Emma out of the way and that secretly for openly hee
And although William Fitz-Osberne a man in high fauour with the Duke and as gratious among the people endeauoured by all meanes to effect it yea and to draw on others by his example proffered to set out forty tall Ships vpon his owne Charges towards this warre yet would it not bee Therefore Duke William bethought him on another way 26 The wealthiest men among all his People he sent for and seuerally one by one conferred with shewing them his right and hopes of England wherin preferment lay euē to the meanest amongst them only money was the want which they might spare neither should that be giuen nor lent without a plentiful increase with such fair words he drew them so on that they stroue who should giue most and by this policy hee gathered such a masse of money as was sufficient to defray the warre Then went hee to his neighbour Princes namely to the Earles of Anion Poictou Mayne and Bulloigne promising them faire possessions in England yea and vnto Philip the French King in case he would aide him hee voluntarily offered to become his vassall and Leige-man and to hold England by oath and fealty vnder him But it beeing thought nothing good for the State of France that the Duke of Normandy who already was not so pliable to the French King as was wished should bee bettered in his estate by the addition of so mighty a Kingdome the power of Neighbour Potentates being euer suspected of Princes so farre was the King from yeelding any helpe that he secretly maligned openly disswaded this his attempt of inuading England This French iealousy the Norman soone perceiued which made him to cast about yet another way 27 For making his claime knowne vnto Alexander the second then Pope of Rome with the wrongs done vnto Robert Arch-bishop of Canterbury by Harold and his Father a text that might not bee read without a glosse he was so fauoured of his Holinesse whose See was euer glad to interest it self in disposing of Crowns that he both allowed well of his enterprize and sent him a consecrated Banner Saint Peter himselfe had none such in his Boate to bee borne in the Ship wherein himselfe in that expedition should take saile for England and accursed al them that shold oppose themselues against him for euen then the Popes had began to vsurpe authority ouer Princes with their leaden blades to hacke into the iron swords of Emperours 28 Thus furnished on all sides he assembled his forces and with a mighty Nauy came to the Towne of Saint Valeries which standeth vpon the mouth of the Riuer Some where a long time he lay wind bound to his great discontentment and with many vowes importunating the fauour of that locall Saint heaped daily a number of gifts and oblations vpon his Altar till lastly his desire was obtayned and then with three hundred Ships fraught full of his Normans Flemings Frenchmen Britaignes waighed Anchor and with a gentle gale of wind arriued at Peuensey in Sussex vpon the twenty eight day of September where Landing his men to cut off all occasion or hope of returne he fired his owne fleete and vpon the Shoare erected a Fortresse to bee if neede were 〈◊〉 retiring place for his Souldiers 29 At his arriuage from Sea 〈◊〉 our Historians report his foot chaunced to slippe so that not able to recouer himselfe he fell into the mud and all to bemired his hands which accident was presently construed for a lucky presage for now said a Captaine O Duke thou hast taken possession and holdest that land in thy hand whereof shortly thou shalt become King As Caesar is said to haue done when hee entred into Africa who from ship-board at his landing fell into the sands and merily said I doe now take possession of thee O Africa 30 From Peuensey Duke William departed towards Hasting where raising another fortification diuulged to all the causes of his comming as pretending to reuenge both the death of his Normans slain by the treachery of Goodwin Harold and the wrongs and banishment of Robert Gemeticus Archbishop of Canterbury pretenses very slender and enforced out of season but surely had not a third sate neerer his heart the two former would haue passed without the spleene of reuenge namely the donation of King Edward deceased whereon he built his claime to the English Crowne And there also by his Edict he straitely charged his souldiers not in hostile manner to wrong any of their persons who shortly were to become his Subiects 31 Harold in the North hearing of these news hasted with his Armie whose Armour yet reaked with the bloud of the Norwegians towards the south and with such power as possible hee could make entreth London where immediately a messenger frō Duke William was presented vnto him demaunding no lesse then the Kingdome and Harolds vassalage vrging the same with such instant boldnesse that Harolds furious indignation could hardly forbeare against the law of Armes to lay violent hands vpon the Ambassador so great a pride and confident hope had entred the heart of this late Victor to shew both with very great boldnesse he dispatcheth his Ambassadors to William and by way of irefull checkes menaceth him vnlesse forthwith hee departed backe into Normandy when presently mustering his men at London hee found them much lessened by his battaile against the Norwegians notwithstanding many Nobles Gentlemen and others whom the loue of their natiue Country inflamed did ingage themselues for the field against his common and dangerous enemy He therfore with an vndaunted courage led forth his Armie into Sussex against the importunate suite of his mother who sought by all meanes to stay him where on a large and faire plaine scarse seuen miles from the enemy he pitched downe his battailes and sent forth his Espials to descry his power 32 These comming into danger were caught by the Normans and presented to their Duke who commanded them forth with to bee led from Tent to Tent to be feasted and dismissed without any harme or dishonour done These returning to Harold told what they had seene commending the Duke in his Martiall Prouisions and his clemency to them-ward only said they his Souldiers seem to be Priests for their faces were all shauen whereas the vse of the English was then to reserue onely the vpper lippe vncut retaining or renewing the old manner of the ancient Britaines so described by Caesar but King Harold who had bin in that country wel knowing their errour replied that they were men of great valour stout Souldiers in fight Vpon which speech Girth his younger brother a man much renowned for martiall exploits tooke occasion to aduise the King from being present at the danger of the Field for said he it stands not with the rule of policy to hazard all in the triall of one battell nor to depend vpon the euent of war which euer is doubtful victory being
thousand men and Harold in Souldier-like exequies borne vnto Waltham in Essex there honourably enterred as we haue said William the Conqueror for so now may wee stile him returned to Hasting and thence set forward with spoile of the Country ouer Thamesis towards London 2 Where Edwine and Morcar the Brethren of the Queen were in working the English that one of them should be King or rather saith Simon of Durham to crowne Edgar Etheling the rightfull heire in such esteeme with the People that he was commonly called Englands Darling vnto whose side most of the Nobles aâ—…ered with the Citizens of London and the Nauall forces to which part also ioined Aldred Archbishop of Yorke though presently he fel off and stuckt to the stronger for the Prelates though secretly affecting the right claime yet terrified with the flashing thunderbolts of the Papall curse durst not goe forward with their purpose so powerful was the Pope euen then to defeat the rightfull heires of kingdomes but refused to side with the Lords whereupon all their designements were suddainely quashed 3 For William hauing wasted through Kent Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkshire came vnto Wallingford and crossing there the Thamesis passed through the Counties of Oxford Buckingham and Hertford where staying at Berkhamsted Aldred Archbishop of Yorke Wolstane Bishop of Worcester Walter Bishop of Hereford with the Earles Edâ—… and Morcar yea and Edgar himself yeelded their allegiance vnto the Duke This curse so preuailing farre engaged William to the Pope 4 William intending for London being on his way found the passage stopt vp with multitudes of great trees which by the policy of Frethericke Abbot of S. Albanes a man descended from the Saxons noble bloud as likewise from Canutus the Dane to secure his Monasterie from the destruction of the Normans were so cut downe whereat the Duke both wondring and fretting sent for the Abbot vnder his assurance of safe returne and demanding the cause why his woods were so cut Frethericke answered very stoutly I haue done said he the duety both of my birth and profession and if others of my ranke had performed the like as they well might and ought it had not beene in thy power to haue pierced the land thus farre 5 Wâ—…lliam hearing the bold answere of this Prelate and knowing it was now a time fitter to pacifie then exulcerate the English spirits gaue way to the present necessity and withall hastned as good policy required his coronation which at Westminster was solemnized vpon Monday being the day of Christs Natiuity and yeere of saluation 1066. where he receiued the crowne at the hands of Aldred Archbishop of Yorke causing the Bishops and Barons to take the oath of allegiance vnto him and himselfe likewise at the altar of S. Peters tooke a solemne oath to defend the rights of the Church to establish good lawes and to see iustice vprightly administred as became a good King and thereupon chose for his counsell such men as he knew to bee of great wisedome and experience next applying his thoughts for the security of his new gotten Empire fortified such places as lay open to danger bestowed strong Garrisons vpon the coasts ships to ride in those Harbours which were most exposed to inuasion 6 And the better to assure the south of the land best seruing his purpose if any new troubles should arise hee tooke his way towards Douer the locke and key of the Kingdome as Mathew Paris terms it that so hee might commaund the seas from his enemies arriuage and ouer-awe the Kentish a most strong and populous Prouince When Stigand therfore Archbishop of Canterbury and Eglesine the Politicke Abbot of Saint Augustines being the chiefest Lords and Gouernours of Kent vnderstoode of his approch they assembled the Commons at Canterbury laying forth the perils of the Prouince the miseries of their neighbours the pride of the Normans and the wronges of the Church all which now were too apparantly seene the English till then they sayd were borne free and the name of bond-men not heard of among them but now seruitude only attend vs if wee yeeld sayd they to the insolency of this griping enemy These two Prelates therefore after the example of the vndaunted Machabees offered themselues to die in the defence of their Country whose forwardnesse drew the people vnto the like resolution which by their aduertisements were assigned to meet at a day the place was Swanscombe two miles west from Graues end 7 Where accordingly conuening and keeping secret in the woods they waited the comming of the Conquerour all iointly agreeing for that no way lay open saue onely a front to carry in their hands great branches of trees wherewith they might both keepe themselues from discouery and if need were impeach the passage of the Normans which deuice tooke so strange an effect that it daunted the Duke euen with the sight at his approch who being as he thought free from the enemy was now suddainly beset on all sides with woods whereof seeing some before him to moue he knew not but that all the other vast woods were of like nature neither had hee leasure to auoide the danger The Kentish inclosing his Army about displaied their banners cast downe their boughes and with bowes bent prepared for battle so that hee which euen now had the Realme to his seeming in his fist stood in despaire of his owne life of which his sodaine amazement the reuerend Prelates Stigand and Eglesine taking notice also aduantage presented themselues before him and in the behalfe of the Kentish thus spake 8 Most noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are comeforth to meete and receiue you as their Soueraigne requiring your Peace their own free condition of estate and their ancient lawes formerly vsed if these be denied they are here presently to abide the veraite of battaile fully resolued rather to die then to depart with their lawes or to liue seruile in bondage which name and nature is and euer shall be strange vnto vs and not to be endured The Conquerour driuen into this strait and loath to hazard all on so nice a point their demaunds being not vnreasonable more wisely then willinglie granted their desires and pledges on both parts giuen for performance Kent yeeldeth her Earledome and Castle of Douer to their new King William 9 All things established for Englands securitie and subiection now to the Normans hee ordained his halfe brother by the surer side Odo Bishop of of Bayeux whom he created Earle of Kent and his cosen William-Fitz-Osburne by him made Earle of Hereford to bee Gouernours in his absence ouer the Realme and in the Lent following sailed into Normandy leading with him many pledges for their fidelity besides other Nobles especially such as he feared to be too potent amongst whom Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury the two great Earles
the same estate as in which King Richard found it 40 But the King of England though hee had very far excelled all the Christian Princes in great exploites at that iourney because* he had neither conquered Salaadine nor Ierusalem did mourne and parted pensiue In the holy-land hee left Henry Earle of Champaine who vpon taking the said Baruck was to haue beene crowned King of Ierusalem which Guido had resigned and hee left Guydo de Lusignian the late King of Ierusalem in Cyprus to whom hee had passed it in exchange for the other to aduance his Kinseman the said Earle of Champain which vpon that Title the familie of Lusinian for many descents after did possesse and enioy Thus Richard hauing ordered his affairs in the East parts sets saile homeward The Queenes Berengaria his wife and Ioan his sister with the Captiue Lady Daughter of the Cypriot Emperour vnder the conduct of Stephen de Turnham hearing of the Kings most heauie fortune soiourned at Rome about sixe moneths for feare of Richards enemies afterward came safe by Marsilia in Poictou 41 God whose cause was onely pretended in this voyage of the Christians did not seeme to approue the said truce for hee scattered the English with a terrible tempest and the opportunity of Conquest was so lost that hitherto it could neuer bee regained and the King of England letting it slippe when God had almost put the same into his hands did miserably fall into his enemies hands Certainelie the name of Richard was at that time growne terrible to Saladine who had receiued diuerslosses foiles and ouerthrowes at his haudes Moreouer the Saladines whole estate being endangered by such of his own sect as reputed him a meer vsurper hee could not long withstand the double impression of the Christian Cheualrie and of his owne Allies and Countrimen as indeed not long after* he died leauing his Empire fowly but iustly distracted by ciuill confusions whereas by this Truce the crafty Turke made the world see that the powers of two so potent Monarkes had in a manner effected nothing Richard could neuer haue time to return for accōplishment of his designs for which all Christendome hath at this howre reason to bee sorrowfull and hereofhimselfe* was very sensible so that hee would oftentimes crie out that hee was not alwayes wise alluding to this occasion lost 42 But the noble King hoping to pierce with speed through Germanie in disguise tooke to him the name of Hugo a Merchant the haire of his head and beard growne very long being the fitter to conceale him but in his iourney ouer land was neere to Vienna vnhappily discouered by the profusenesse of his expenses when hee saw he could not escape them in contempt of his fortunes he put on roiall garments and refused to yeeld but onely to the Duke himselfe who came with ioy as to a prey which he sore longed for but the rascall multitude cried things worthy of themselues calling him O barbarisme Traitour and some saying stone-him some cut off his head others hang him and because the inhumanity of this vsage may be suited with rimes as rude and ragged you shall in such heare the cause of this Arch-dukes malice growing first at Accon where the Author speaking of King Richard saith He gate it soone with his great Ordinance And on the walles his Banners full high set The Kings Armes he set vp also of France And King Guyes Armes of Ierusalem well bet The Duke of Oistrich Limpold without let Set vp his Armes after aboue them all Which King Richard did cast downe from the wall 43 And though it is certaine that this Author faines not this fact for that some such matter and told by * some with more disaduantage to Richards cause is by others related yet the grauest Authors agree that next to the common enuie at his vertues the greatest pretence was the murther of the Marquesse Conrad committed at Tyre by two cursed Assasines a* certaine sect in the East liuing vnder a Senior or Ruler whom they honor as a Prophet by whom they are sent forth to murther such Princes as fauor them not promising themselues the reward of immortality by obeying him in all things though with the losse of their owne liues Of which barbarous fact Henrie the Emperour and Leopold the Arch-duke whose neer kinsman Conrad was would seeme to beleeue that Richard was the Author though therin they toucht his princely reputation and integrity * most iniuriously for that the chiefe of that sect by their owne publike * letters written with the bloud of the shel-fish called Murex wherewith Scarlet vsed to be dyed acknowledging the fact declared the true cause thereof which was a particular Act of iniustice in Conrad himselfe There wanted not sundry other pretences as in such cases is vsuall as * that Richard had entred league with Tancred King of Sicilia the Emperours enemy and that hee had thrust the Cypriot their kinsman out of the Empire and kept his onely daughter Captiue But this booty being too great for a Duke the Emperour got into his custody meaning to coine much gold and siluer out of his most vniust affliction by sharpe imprisonment which could not make him in any act or speech or gesture of his shew beneath the Maiestie of a victorious Prince and King of England 44 The dismall newes thereof flying through the world presently disclosed who were sound or vnsure sorrow and dismay was euery where among his owne His carefull mother and other his fast friends sweare the realme to be true to King Richard watch the coasts and prouide for the security of the State with singular vigilancie assuring the Cities good Townes with Bulwarkes Walles and Munition On the contrary Earle Iohn being by the cunning inueigling and suggestions of his brothers professed foes not onely put out of all hope of his releasement but also incensed against him for intending the Crowne to his Nephew Arthur entred into an vnbrotherly attempt against his Soueraigne Lord the summe whereof take in the words of Thomas Walsingham who saith that Iohn with promises allured many to him through the whole Kingdom did carefully and speedily fortifie his holds in England and passing the seas entred into league with the King of the French that he might vtterly put his Nephew Arthur Duke of Britaine from that hope which the Britaines had conceiued of his promotion The Normans giuing any way to his disloiall practises hee swears fealty to Philip King of France his brothers most mortall enemie and also that he would take to wife the Lady Alice King Philips sister though polluted by his owne Father and for that cause reiected by King Richard Out of Normandy he posts into England sollicites Peeres and people and was loyally resisted but hee not quieted so labors to stirre the Scot and Welsh to
issue RICHARD THE SECOND KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIETH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND TROVBLES CHAPTER XIII RIchard of Burdeaux sonne to that Great Star of English Cheualrie Edward by-named the Blacke Prince and grand-child to the most renowned Edward the third both of them lately deceased was crowned in the eleuenth yeare of his age and vpon the sixteenth day of Iuly Seldome hath been seen so magnificent a Coronation as that of this young King but the thing which gaue a better lustre of hope at his beginning then the shine and maiesty of that publike Act was the wise course which in this his childhood was taken to wit the reconciliation of the Lord Iohn Duke of Lancaster and the Citizens of London with the restitution of Sir Peter de la Mare Knight Speaker in the late Parliament whom King Edward had committed to prison at the instigation of Dame Alice Peeres now banisht and confiscated not onely to former liberty but likewise to fauour and honor extraordinary 2 At this Coronation which as matters not vnworthie to bee kept aliue wee following the immethodicall order of the Record haue here for perpetuall memory thought good to abridge out of authentike Monuments Iohn the Kings eldest vncle vnder the stile of Iohn King of Castile and Leâ—… and Duke of Lancaster by humble petition to the King claimed to bee now Steward of England in right of his Earledome of Leicester and as he was Duke of Lancaster to beare the Kings chiefe sword called Curtana and as Earle of Lincolne to cutte and carue at the royall Table before the King His petitions being found iust were confirmed to him and to his Assignes the two Earles of Derby and Stafford the first to beare the Sword while the Duke should be busied about other offices as Steward and the other to cut and carue The Duke then in great estate held this the Kings high Court of Stewardship in the VVhite-hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster Knight the Constable thereof which yet the Earle of Northumberland vpon the ninth day after recouered by force putting those who had surprized it to the sword 9 Neither was the spirit of the English after it began to requicken idle elsewhere for as Sir Robert Rous had diuers wayes vexed the French and taken Olâ—…uer the brother of that renowned Bertrand de Glequin prisoner so Sir Iohn de Harleston Captaine of Cherbrough after him slew and took diuers French in a skirmish These the few foregoing drops of greater approaching showers For Sir Hugh Caluerlee and Sir Thomas Percy made admirals of the narrow Seas tooke many rich prizes and exploited sundry other things very praise worthily bringing home the acceptable newes of the dislike which the Britons had conceiued against the French Kings Gouernment for he commanded them to render vp to him all their strengths Castles and walled Townes and many of them who refused to obey hee put to death 10 These emploiments and fresh designes for other like found need of pecuniary supplies whereupon in a Parliament holden at London it was agreed that for supply of the Kings wants the Commons should be spared and the burthen be wholie vndergone by the able The rates then of that taxe were these Dukes Archbishops Earles and Bishops at ten marks each mitred Abbots at as much besides fortie pence for euery Monke vnder their subiection Briefly saith Thomas Walsingham there was no religious person man or woman Iustitiar Sheriffe Knight Esquire Parson Vicar or Chauntry Priest free from this taxâ—… rated according to the value of their yeerely receiptâ—… 11 We formerlie mentioned how Iohn Shakell the other companion of Robert Haulee so execrablie murdered in Gods-house was taken He now vpon condition that the King besides 500. markes in money should giue him lands to the yeerely value of one hundreth markes and should also found and sufficiently endow at the Kings costs a Chantrie with fiue Priests for their soules whom the kings Officers had wickedly murthered he rendred vp his Hostage the eldest but naturall sonne of the said Earle of Dean At the discouery and bringing-forth of whom all men were stroken with wonderfull loue and admiration for the yong Gentleman hauing giuen his faith not to disclose himselfe appeared in the shape of a base groome in which vnknowne to all the world but his Master hee had of his owne accord lurked An example of such a point of perfect honestie as cannot be forgotten without iniurie 12 The same yeere the Lord Iohn Mountford whom the French had driuen out being inuited home by his Barons returned into his Dutchy of Britaine accompanied with the valiant Knights Caluerley and Percy aforesaid where he his friends and followers were receiued with singular honor Soone after Sir Iohn of Arundell brother to the Earle of Arundell being sent into Britaine to aid the Duke was with many other valiant Knights and Esquires drowned It is imputed by our Author to a iust effect of Gods anger against the said Sir Iohn and his houshold for their manifold vices and outrages practised by him and them before they set out from England for which they had the bitter curses of the people and the Angell of destruction to execute those imprecations vpon the delinquents 13 But the action of â—…iding did more deepely import then that it should bee abandoned for the losse of that vnfortunate fellowship and the exceeding riches which were with them therefore the Lord Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Buckingham with Caluerlee Percy Knols Windleshores or Windsor verie valiant knights other competent forces was sent to assist the Duke of Britaine But because the French Galleys houered vpon the narrow Seas they landed at Calleys and from thence march through France spoiling Countries burning townes the French not daring to empeach them and killing people till they and their whole equipage came safe into Britaine 14 There were about these times ciuill diuisions in France for the Duke of Burgundie younger brother of King Charles lately dead being made Guardian of the person and dominions of his Nephew Charles then in minority had the Duke of Aniou being an elder brother to the Duke of Burgundie a mortall enemie Their bloudy quarrels fell out luckily for the English aides in the Dutchie of Britaine out of which as Duke Iohn had beene driuen for adhering to his father in law the late king Edward so the English did their best to vphold him in it as there was cause 15 The French in these extremes are releeued by their ancient diuersion for the Scots entring about that time with fire and sword into Cumberland and Westmerland and the forrest of Inglewood draue away much Cattle slew the Inhabitants rifled the booths and houses of Perith in the Faire time killing and taking many and driuing away the rest The Earle of Northumberland preparing a bloudy
Wraw another lewd Priest had assigned it 21 Neuer was the kingly race and common-weale so neere to an vtter extirpation as at this present which was wee may truly say miraculously preuented The yong king in these feares and dangers repairing to Westminster most deuoutly commended his Crowne Life and whole estate to God nor that in vaine For Wat Tyler with his Campe of Rascals esteemed to bee ten or twenty thousand according to the Kings Proclamation attending in Smithfield but cauilling of purpose vpon the conditions of peace as hee that meant a farther mischiefe though they of Essex were returned was entreated to ride to the king who also sate on horse-backe before Saint Bartholmewes in whose company was that renowned Lord Maior of London William Walworth with many other men of birth and place 22 Wat Tylar scarse at the last comming behaued himselfe so insolentlie offering to murther one of the Kings knights Sir Iohn Newton for omission of some punto of respect which he arrogated to himselfe in more then a kingly manner was vpon leaue giuen him by the king boldly arrested with a drawn weapon by the Lord Maior a man say Writers of incomparable courage which blow was seconded by the said Lord and others so speedily that there this prodigie of a Traitor was felde and slaine A death too worthy for that he died by the swords of honourable persons for whom the axe of an Hang-man had beene far too good 23 The Commons perceiuing the fall of their Captaine prepared to vse extreme reuenge when the most hopefull-young king with a present witte and courage it being for his life and kingdome spurred forth his horse and bad them follow him without beeing grieued for the losse of a ribauld and traitour for now hee himselfe would be their Captaine Hereupon they thronged after him into the field there to haue whatsoeuer they desired But the most worthy of all Londoners Walworth speeds with one man onely into the City raiseth a thousand Citizens in armour brings them being led in good array by Sir Robert Knolles and others with Wat Tylers head which the Lord Maior had commanded to bee chopt off from his dead carcase borne before him vpon a Speare to the king That verie head the cursed tongue whereof had dared to say That all the Lawes of England should come out of his mouth 24 This act restored the Crown as it were and Realme to King Richard for the Rebels seeing themselues girt-in with armed men partly fled partly fel vpon their knees and throwing away all hope in weapon they answerably to their basenesse begged their liues who but euen now reputed themselues masters of the field and of the king And albeit there was a generall desire in the hearts of loyall men to expiate so many villanies with the bloud of the Actors yet things abroad in the Realme being as yet vnsetled they had a generall Charter of pardon sealed and were so sent home into their Countries 25 Certainly although the Citie of London the most noble and able part of the English Empire hath otherwise deserued of the Kings of this land very well yet the honour of this seruice worthily stands highest in the many great praises therof Which the King did thankefully and publikely testifie by knighting Walworth and by bestowing vpon him when hee modestly excused his vnworthines 41 That which followed may giue vs iust cause to suspect the truth of that Fryers accusation for the Lord William la Zouch was also by the Fryer accused of hauing been the Inuenter broacher and prouoker of him to set downe all that which was comprehended in the accusation who thereupon sent for to Salisburie though then very sicke of the gowte repaired thither in an horse-litter where hee was compelled to answere to all such points as were obiected like a felon or a traytour standing bare-headed but the priuitie or least thought of any such matter as the Fryer affirmed against the Duke hee confidently forsware and was thereupon acquitted and dismissed Howbeit saith Walsingham La Zouch was from that time forward a professed enemie not onely of Carmelites but of al other orders of Fryers whatsoeuer But these disgraces came vnseasonably vpon the Duke whose head was vndoubtedly full of designes and of cares how to atchieue to himselfe the crowne of Spaine 42 There were then sundry incursions made by the English and Scots each into the others country the Earle of Northumberland being leader to the English with little aduantage to either But to take away the very cause of this continuall bad neighbourhood or to lessen it by an established peace with France the Duke of Lancaster sayled to Callis about the beginning of August there to treat with the Duke of Berrie on behalfe of the young French King Charles 6. but after he had in that voyage expended as was said fifty thousād Marks he brought into England nothing backe except onely a truce to continue till the first day of May next His desire to haue procured a surer peace both with the French and Scots seemes to haue beene great that so hee might the more freely pursue the conquest of Spaine which he intended 43 Whiles hee was absent in this Ambassage there ensued the arraignement of a great fauourite of the Dukes Iohn Northampton alias Comberton whom his aduersaries by-named Cumber-towne This man is by them reported to haue exceedingly troubled the City of London during his late Maioralty there nor lesse afterward for that being followed with many abettors hee publikely disturbed Sir Nicholas Bramble his successor but a bloudy minded man by report and wrought other maisteries till Sir Robert Knowls caused one of the busiest companions to bee drawne out of his house and as some say shortned by the head This Comberton was by his houshold Clerke accused as priuie to some practises in preiudice as well of the King as the City and when sentence was to bee pronounced in the Kings presence being then with great store of his Nobles at Reading hee durst as is said affirme That such iudgement ought not to proceede against him in the absence of his Lord the Duke This againe vnraked the burning coales of enuie and suspition against the said Lord Duke and perhaps malice to the Duke procured this hatred against his fauourite Whereupon hee was confined to the Castle of Tyntagel in Cornwall and all his goods seised vpon by the Kings Seruants whom Walsingham expresseth by calling them after the name of those Poeticall rauenous Birds Harpyes 44 That here which Polydor Vergil assigning causes to actions not alwayes such as are but such as seemed to him most probable not seldome confounding and changing persons times names and things telles vs concerning a combate within lifts betweene Sir Iohn Aunsley Knight and one Carton hath little ground so farre as wee can find in historie He saith they were teterrima capita both very wicked men that there was a real plot to
murther the king We can neither find the crime nor the mē there had beene a solemne combat long before betweene such a knight and one Katrington an Esquire in which the knight was Challenger and victor but the crime was not treason against the kings person nor for any thing done in his time but in his noble Grandfathers Neither was Ansley teterrimum caput but a valiant and loyall man of Armes The crime which he obiected to that Esquire his kinsman was that for money he had traiterously giuen ouer the Castle of Saint Sauiour in the Land of Constantine in Normandie when he had store of victuall and munition The Esquire was vanquished in faire fight and died frantick the next day Polydors errour therefore is ioyned with manifest wrong to the knights name wherein wee ought to bee very circumspect for that honour is inestimable and descendeth to posterity There was indeed at the time he speakes of another combat fought also within listes before the king for Duels then were performed not on priuate choice or quarrell but on publike appointment betweene one Iohn Welsh an Esquire of England and one Martilet a Gentleman Nauarrois who in reuenge against Welsh for hauing at Cheirbrough where the said Esquire was vnder-captain cōmitted as Martilet said adultery with his wife accused him of high treason against the King and Realme But Welsh preuailed and the Nauarrois at his execution for hee was drawne and hanged after he had beene foild in battel confessed the cause of his euill will and the innocency of Welsh in the matter of treason 45 The Scots had this while by practise and money gotten the Castle of Berwick whereof the Custody belonged to the Lord Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland The Duke of Lancaster was not sad at this but so pursued the matter that the Earle as if by his negligence and priuity the same royall Castle had beene lost was condemned in Parliament But the king relieued him with extension of fauour This was a great cause of confirming the rancour alreadie kindled in the hearts of these two principall Peeres But the Earle to wipe away all blemishes of disgrace encloseth the Castle with a siege both of forces and large proffers so that after some time spent therein he had it redeliuered vpon paiment of two thousand marks 46 The Flemings had heretofore in the fifth yeere of this King sent Ambassadors at the time of Parliament to submit themselues and their Country to his dominion renouncing alleageance to their naturall Lord the Earle whom they had by force of Armes expelled vpon pretence o◅ oppression vsed by him and for other causes but because they seemed not either persons sufficient or sufficiently instructed with authority to transact with the King in a matter of so high nature they were commanded to returne and fetch more ample power and to bring certaine men of euery good Towne in Flanders Now againe the Citizens of Gaunt though they had in battell against the French King who was there in person on behalfe of the Earle lost twenty thousand men not long before desired of K. Richard that they might haue an English Generall to command in their warres to whom was sent a wise and valiant Gentleman the Lord Edward le Bourser who demeaned himselfe in that charge with much commendation And when afterwards he went more abundantly and strongly to haue supported them they sodeinely turnd French shewing Senescire saith Walsingham vni amico vel domino fidem diuseruare 47 The Duke of Lancaster whose or the like greatnesse may perhaps seeme more then can stand with the narrow limits of England which without danger to the common wealth can hardly afford such a proportion of estate to any Subiect was about this time enformed that the King had a purpose to arrest his person and to trie him vpon capitall points before Sir Robert Trisilian his Chiefe Iustitiar a man ready vnder the Kings protection to deliuer iudgement without respect to Titles The King was nourished in this * deliberation by yong men who combined against the Dukes life This being discouered the Duke a potent Prince withdrawes vpon his guard to his Castle of Pomfret in the North neuerthelesse the hopes of wicked men delighting in their Countreys miseries and ciuill combustions were made void by the great diligence of the Kings mother the Princesse Ioan who spared not her continuall paines and expenses in trauailing betweene the King and the Duke albeit shee was exceeding tender of complexion and scarce able to beare her owne bodies weight through corpulency till they were fully reconciled 48 It had indeed beene a most wretched time for a ciuill warre not only because the French Admirall Iohn de Vienna had beene sent with forces embarckt in threescore saile of Ships to be emploied out of Scotland against the English but for that the French prepared a generall inuasion of England hauing in hope already as it were deuoured it There reigned at that time in France Charles the sixth a yong and foolish Prince saith Tilius who hauing in his treasury left to him by his prudent father eighteene millions of Crownes and not only eighteene hundred thousand as some fearing perhaps that the other summe might seeme incredible haue written and being moreouer set on fire with an inconsiderate loue of glory rather then vpon any sound aduise though some impute the Counsell to the said Admiral would needs vndertake the conquest of our Countrey These newes stirred all the limbs and humors thereof though the euent God not fauouring the enterprize was but like that of the Mountaine which after long trauaile brought forth a ridiculous mouse neuerthelesse it had beene a most desperate season for a ciuill warre to haue broken forth in England 49 The preparations of the French doe hold notwithstanding and the generall Rendeuou of their huge forces was at Sluse in the Port whereof and other places about there were assigned to assemble for their transportation twelue hundreth saile of ships At the same time as if the two young kings had beene riuals in shew of men Richard raiseth so great an army to ouerrun Scotland as the like for beauty and number was neuer seene together consisting wholy of Englishmen But may wee beleeue that England could spare three hundreth thousand men and as many horses for the vse of a warre Certainely a needlesse multitude but only to terrifie the French with the fame for there might haue beene fewer for any great Act which Richard full of iealousie against his vncle of Lancaster wherewith his head and heart were full effected But we may the rather beleeue the account for that Walsingham voucheth Serieants at Armes if he meane not Heralds by those words whose office he saith it was to number the Host and they affirmed the same This is sure that among other the arguments vsed
made by the English are notwithstanding obserued at this day But the Dukes eye could not looke so farre into the times to come Neuerthelesse wee that see these things must confesse that the best kingdome vnder heauen is not so worth the getting as that with the wilfull contempt of God and conscience any man should seeke to purchase it 94 But while the Duke was thus busied in Courting the Gascoignes good will who had sent into England to shew causes why they should not atturne to the Duke and yet were wrought at last to the point of yeelding he receiues a commandement from King Richard to returne that he might goe with him into France which he obayed The King keeping his at Langley in Hartfordshire the Duke was there entertained with more honour as it was thought then loue Being licenced to depart for a time he repaired to Lincolne where he a widdower married his old loue the Lady Katherine Swinford now a widdow Men did wonder at it but hee therein obeyed the remorse of a Christian conscience without respect to his owne vnequall greatnes for hauing had sundry Children by her in his former wiues time he made her and them now the only sufficient amends which the law of God or man enioineth And further in a Parliament held the yeere following the Duke procured an Act to passe by which such children as he formerly had by his new Dutchesse were legitimated and surnamed them Beufot being foure of them Iohn Thomas Henrie Ioane the second of which was by the Kings bounty created Earle of Sommerset 95 The King being specially accompanied with those his vncles of Lancaster and Glocester at a most sumptuous and chargefull enteruiew between him and Charles King of France in the parts of Calis and Gynes espoused the Lady Isabell daughter of the said Charles At the deliuery of her King Richard in the presence of all the greatest Princes Peeres and Ladies of either nation gaue the King his father in law great thanks for a gift so noble and acceptable adding he tooke her vpon the conditions made betweene the two nations to the intent that liuing in peace and rest they might attaine to the establishment of a perpetuall amitie for auoyding the effusion of Christian blood which would in likelyhood haue followed had not at that time affinitie beene contracted betweene them The young Lady was not aboue seuen or eight yeeres old but the truce was taken for thirty yeeres Her person therefore was committed to the Dutchesses of Lancaster and Glocester and other great Ladies who conducted her to Callis From whence after a short stay the King his young Queene with whom he had great riches and all the glorious companie came ouer into England Their persons arriued safe but the Kings gorgeous Pauilions and a great part of his stuffe was cast away by tempest in the transportation This iourney besides his losses at Sea cost the King aboue forty thousand markes 96 The outward felicitie of England seemed at this time verie great and the rather seemed so because it was likelie to continue In the Duke of Glocesters persō that bright prosperity was first ouershadowed He Vir ferocissimus pracipitis ingenij as Polydor censures him a most fierce man and of an headlong wit thinking those times wherein he had mastred the King were nothing changed though the King was aboue thirty yeres old forbare not roughly not so much to admonish as to checke and schoole his Souereigne The peace with France displeased him that therefore he calumniates The King had restored Brest in Britaine to the Duke vpon reembursements of the money lent he tels the King that hee should first conquer a Towne before he parted with any yet the King answeres that he could not in conscience detaine the same now that the Duke had repaid his loane There were other things which could not so well be answered For a vaine rumor that he should be chosen Emperour put him belike into such a vaine of spending as carried a proportion with that maiesty his coffers in a short time sounding like empty Caske there was no great monied man in whose debt he was not nor any in a manner so meane to whome hee was not burthenous 97 The King had heretofore complained of this vncle to the Earle of Saint Paul a French-man then in England whose iudgement was that such insolency was to be reuenged but complaining to his other vncles of Lancaster and Yorke they wisely aduised the King not to regard his words but his heart which he and they knew sincere vnto him Neuerthelesse partly to weaken the intollerable humor of their brother who like a constant Admirer of his owne waies thought nothing well done but what himselfe either did or directed and partlie to auoid the scandall of the Kings bad courses they withdraw their presences from the Court The King notwithstanding is the same man still as the Duke of Glocester thinks wherefore he breakes his minde to such as he durst trust Arundell in Sussex is appointed the Consultation-place where he the Archbishop of Canterbury the Earles of Arundell Warwicke Marshall and others take an Oath of Secrecy and conclude to raise a power to remoue the Dukes of Lancaster and Yorke and such other as they thought best from about the King so to enact a reformation 98 They are charged by some to haue plotted the imprisonment of the King and Dukes and the death of all other Councellours which howsoeuer it was perhaps no part of their intention might yet haue beene a necessarie consequent The blustring Duke had breathed out dangerous words as that he would put the King of whose courage he spake contemptiblie into some prison there to spend his daies in ease and peace as himselfe thought best His brethren hearing hereof brotherlie admonish him to beware but as it seemes they found him deafe on that side This though some of the late Authors write yet there are both old and new who mention no such matter but the contrary not obscurely teaching vs that the Dukes ruine was but an effect of old malignities 99 Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham and Marshall a party in the reported plot though sonne in law to the Earle of Arundel reueileth the same to the King * The Duke of Glocester is hereuppon surprized by Mowbray lying in wait in the woods where hee was to passe sent to Callis where Nottingham was Captaine and there imprisoned the Earles of Arundel and Warwicke the Lord Iohn Cobham and Sir Iohn Cheiney are arrested Proclamation is then made that they were not committed for anie old matters but for hainous things newly contriued as in the next Parliament should be made manifest though the euent as Walfingham truly saith declared the contrarie But the Duke of Glocester and the two said Earles are endited at Nottingham The King to maintaine the accusation of treason obiected
Lieutenant of Ireland hauing in the yeere before while he too much trusted to his owne Forces been slaine with very many others by O-Brin and the Irish of Leinster at a place called Kenlis King Richard determines in person to reuenge the bloud of his Noble kinsman being the man to whom hee meant the Crowne of England if issue failed to himselfe Hee remembred not how broken an estate hee had in England where the peoples hearts were strongly alienated not onely for the death of the late great Lords and banishment of the Duke of Hereford whose calamitie encreased his popularity or for the like passed exasperations but for that to furnish his Irish voyage he had extorted money on al hands taking vp carriages victuals and other necessaries without any recompence whereby the hatred of his gouernment grew vniuersall 106 But the euill fortune which hung ouer his head laid forth an alluring baite to haste his destruction by occasion of the Duke of Lancasters decease which hapned about Candlemas and the absence of his banished sonne and heire Lord Henry The king most vniustly seizeth vpon the goods of that mighty Prince his vncle as if all things now were lawfull which but liked him he determines to banish the new rightfull Duke of Lancaster Henrie not for a few yeeres but for euer for which cause hee reuoked his Letters Patents granted to the said Henry by which his Atturnyes were authorised to sue his Liuerie and to compound for the respite of his homage at a reasonable rate whereby he made it seem plaine to the world that hee had not banished him to auoid dissentions but as many said to fill vp the breaches which his riote had made in the roiall treasures with plentifull though an vndue Escheate as that of his deceased vncles fortune 107 The one stedfast base and buttresse of all lawfull Empire is Iustice that supports the kinglie throne This he ouerthrew and how then could himselfe hope to stand long He lands at Waterford in Ireland with a Nauie of two hundreth ships hauing with him the sonne of the late Duke of Glocester and of the now Duke of Lancaster to secure himselfe the rather His forces consisted much of Cheshire men But that king is deceiued who reposeth his safetie in violence It was no great matter hee did there that which fell out to bee done elsewhere was great indeed His warre in Ireland was more dammagefull then fishing with an hooke of gold for here the baite and hooke was not onely lost but the line rod and himselfe were drawne altogether into the depthes of irrecouerable ruine Duke Henry sees the aduantage which King Richards absence gaue him and vseth it In his Companie were Thomas Arundel the banished Archbishoppe of Canterbury and his Nephew the sonne and heire of the late Earle of Arundel and not aboue fifteen Lanciers His strength was where the Kings should haue beene in the peoples hearts Neuerthelesse the Duke did not sodainely take land but houered vpon the Seas shewing himselfe to the Country people in one place now and then in another pretending nothing but the recouery of his rightfull Heritage 108 Edmund Duke of Yorke whom King Richard had left behind him to gouerne England hearing this cals vnto him Edmund Stafford Bishoppe of Chichester Lord Chancellor the Earle of Wiltshire Lord Treasurer and the Knights of the Kings Councell Bushie Bagot Greene and Russell Their conclusion was to leuie a force to impeach Duke Henries entrance The assembly was appointed to bee at S. Albans which came to worse then nothing for the protestation that they would not hurt the Duke whom they knew to bee wronged was generall This made the Treasurer Sir Iohn Bushie and Sir Henrie Greene flie to the Castle of Bristoll Sir William Bagot to Chester from whence he got shipping into Ireland Meane while Duke Henry lands at a village heretofore called Rauenshire to whom repaired Henry Earle of Northumberland his sonne Henry Lord Percie lands at Neuill Earle of Westmerland and many others who saith Walsingham greatly feared King Richards tyrannie With an Armie of about threescore thousand multitudes offering their seruice they come to Bristoll besiege the Castell take it and in the same the foresaid Treasurer Bushie and Greene whose heades at the cries of the Commons were the next day after their surrender seuered from their bodies 109 King Richard was in the City of Dublin when these most heauie newes arriued His courage which at no time seemed great was shortly none at all Somewhat must bee done hee leaues the sons of Duke Henry of his late vncle of Glocester which hee retained as pledges for his owne indemnity in the Castell of Trim and returnes himselfe into England entending to encounter the Duke before his force should bee too much established The great names which accompanied him were his late noble Creatures the young Dukes of Aumarle Excester and Surrey the Bishops of London Lincolne and Carleol and many others There had beene some more hope for vpholding his right if hee had not made the worlde know that tenne yeers space was not able to burie in him the appetite of reuenge which made many forget their owne loyalty to him and the Crowne Princes see in him the vse of obliuion but some conscience of euill deserts seeming to haue taken from him all confidence he dismisseth his Armie bidding his Steward Sir Thomas Percy others to reserue themselues for better dayes 110 His last refuge is in Parlea For that cause there repaired to him at the Castell of Conway in Northwales for thither he was now come the late Archbishoppe of Canterbury and the Earle of Northumberland at the Kings appointment The sum of his demaundes were that if hee and eight whome he would name might haue honourable allowance with the assurance of a quiet priuate life he would resigne his Crowne This Northumberland did sweare should be whereupon he forthwith departs to the Castle of Flint in their company After a short conference there had with the Duke they all ride that night to the Castell of Chester being attended by the Lancastrian Armie If to spare his peoples bloud he was contented so tamely to quit his royall right his fact doth not onely not seeme excusable but glorious but men rather thinke that it was sloth and a vaine trust in dissimulation which his enemies had long since discouered in him and for that cause both held his amendment desperate and ran themselues into these desperate Treasons 111 The King did put himselfe into the Dukes hands vpon the twentieth day of August beeing but the forty and seuenth from the Dukes first landing From thence they trauell to London where the King lodged in the Tower Meane while writs of Summons are sent out in King Richards name for a Parliament to bee holden at Westminster Crastino Michaelis The tragicall forme of Resignation you haue had already in Edward the second of whom this
August His fame grew principally by martiall deedes in the great warres of France vnder Edward the third but spred and setled it selfe by good workes among which the goodly stone-bridge at Rochester in Kent was one 46 In the meane space the wars of Wales were managed by Prince Henry who tooke the Castle of Aberistwith but Owen Glendowr soone after got it againe by faire fraud and thrust into it a Garrison of his owne Thus Owen prospered for a time but the Earle of Northumberland and Lord Bardolf forsaking Wales and seeking to raise a force in the North were encountred by the Sherife of Yorkeshire who after a sharpe conflict slew the Earle in the field and so wounded the Lord Bardolf that hee died thereof The Earles head was cut off which being first ignominiously carryed through London was fixed vpon the Bridge The King hauing thus vanquished his chiefe enemies went to Yorke where inquiries were made for the Earles adherents of which he condemned ransomed and emprisoned many The Abbot of Hales because hee was taken fighting on the Earles behalfe had sentence to die which was executed vpon him by hanging In fortaine and transmarine parts the Kings affaires had mixt successe for Edmund Earle of Kent at the siege of Briant in Britaine was strucken with a quarrell into the head whereof hee died but yet after he had first taken the said Castell and leueld it with the earth 47 The peace of Christendome hauing beene long tempestuously troubled by a Schisme raised by ambition of opposite Popes wherof the one was chosen at Rome the other at Auinion by contrarie factions of the Cardinals A generall Councel was summoned to bee held at Pisa in Italie whither the King of England sent his Ambassadors and the Clergy elected Robert Alum Chancellour of Oxford Bishoppe of Sarum to signifie that vnlesse both the Popes would giue ouer their Papacie neither of them should thenceforward be acknowledged for Pope The King in his letter then sent to Pope Gregory chargeth him as Platina likewise doth with Pertury and that this Papall emulation had beene the cause of the murther of more then two hundreth and thirty thousand Christians slaine in warres There assembled a great number of Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and mitred Prelates who elected a new Pope Alexander 5. a man trained vp at Oxford where hee tooke degree in Theologie reiecting the two others who long and bitterly had contended for the place The King also cals his Parliament to find out meanes for more money to the custody and charge whereof hee ordained Sir Henry Scrope creating him Treasurer as Thomas Beaufourt the Kings halfe brother Lord Chancellour In which Parliament was reuiued the sacrilegious Petition of spoiling the Church of England of her goodly patrimonies which the pietie and wisdome of so many former ages had congested But the King who was bound by oath and reason to preserue the flourishing estate of the Church detested their wicked proposition and for that cause denied all other their requests The Duke of Burgundies prouisions which he had made to reduce Caleys to the French dominions stored at Saint Omars were consumed with casuall fire to ashes 48 About these times the great and bloudy factions betweene the Dukes of Burgundy and Orleance brake forth The cause was for a murther committed vpon Lewis brother to the French king and father of the said Duke of Orleance as he came late one night from the Queenes lodging who at that time lay in of a child The murtherers to preuent pursuit strewed galthrops behind them The Duke of Burgundie iustified the fact for that Lewis had as hee said laboured with the Pope to put the King from his seat vpon pretence that hee was as vnfit to gouerne as euer Childericke was whom Pope Zacharie pronounced against This prepared the way for that scourge wherwith God meant to chastice the pride and sinnes of France Each partie sought to fortifie it selfe with friends aswel at home as abroad The Duke of Burgundie had the King and the Dolphin on his side the other had the Kings of Nauar and Arragon the Dukes of Berrie and Britaine with many of the mightiest Earles and Lords The Duke of Burgundie who together with the King and the face of gouernment kept in Paris perceiuing his aduersaries strengthes to bee more then his owne offers to the King of England a daughter of France in marriage with the Prince and many great promises so as hee would ioyne in defence of the King send ouer competent forces whereunto hee is said to haue answered Our aduise is that you should not in this case aduenture battell with your enemie who seems to prosecute a tust reuenge for the death of his Father but labour to asswage the displeasure and anger of the exasperated yong man by all the good meanes which are possible If that cannot bee then stand vpon your guard and draw into place of most safety with such force of men as may best serue for your defence After all this if hee will not bee appeased you may with the better conscience encounter him and in such case wee will not faile more fully to assist according as you request For the present he sent ouer the Earls of Arundel and Kyme and many men of Armes with plenty of English Bow-men who came safe to Paris where they in nothing diminished the ancient glory of their nation but behaued themselues valiantly 49 The Duke of Orleance and the Peeres of his faction seeing their successe consult how to draw the King of England from their enemie and thereupon send ouer one Falconet and others with solemne letters of credence whom they made their irreuocable Procurators to entreat agree and conclude on their behalfes with the most excellent Prince Henry by the grace of God King of England and his most noble sonnes c. for the restitution and reall redeliuerie of the Dutchie of Aquitain with all the rights and appurtenances which as is affirmed are the inheritance of the said most excellent Lord the King of England by them to bee made and done c. The Ambassadors hauing shewed forth this Proxie exhibited the points of their negotiation in these Articles by which wee may see how farre the desire of reuenge will transport great minds 1 They offer their bodies to be imployed against all men for the seruice of the King of England sauing their faith to their owne Soueraigne as knowing the King of England would not otherwise desire them 2 Their sonnes daughters nephewes Neeces and all their Cosens to bestow in marriage at the King of Englands pleasure 3. Their Castles Townes treasure and all their goods to be at the seruice of the sayd King 4. Their friends the Gentlemen of France the Clergy and wealthy Burgers who are all of their side as by proofe they said shall well appeare 5. They finally
hand whereunto shee answered I am not ignorant who they are and thereupon commanded to apprehend those her keepers her libertie thus got shee became wholy for Burgogne and by his meanes was made the Regent of France and her picture stamped vpon the Seale of that State 42 By birth shee was a Germane and daughter to Stephen Duke of Bauier of an imperious spirit and vnreconcileable enuie not ouermuch beloued of her husband and as the nature of most women are not ouermuch fauouring his fauorites whose femall authority and hatred against her owne sonne Daulphin Charles sore bruised the Crowne which her weake husband ware his foregone infirmities and her new sprung Regency were now as two fludgates set open to let in the deluge of France hers is to be spoken of in the intercourse of the English his manie times hath beene but not made knowne how it came therefore a while in that subiect before we passe forward in this place let vs reade what others haue writ 43 This Charles the sixt and sicke-braind King of France was the sonne of King Charles surnamed the wise who with Salomon his wiser might haue demanded this question who can tell whether his sonne shal be a wiseman or a foole for the flower of his youth and commendable dispositions of his middle age promised great hopes of a valiant moderate and most happie Prince only inclined to choller and reuenge as by the occasion of his lunacy is easilie seene which chanced on this manner 44 Peter Craon a Courtier his minion and an inward fauorite of the Duke of Orleance the Kings brother blabbed out some secrecy of the said Dukes amorous passions vpon a wanton Lady vnto his Dutchesse Valentine who but lately married and so soon deceiued of bed took the wrong no lesse then it was nor letted shee as who can let a woman to speake to tell him his faults on both sides of his head the Duke could not hide what shee too well knew and therefore sought to satisfie her with complements of kind words but the Curtaine-sermons nightly enlarged vpon the same text made him many times to lie awake with little deuotion God wot to heare and often to rise when hee would faine haue slept which caused him lastly to complaine to the King that Craon had and would betray their ouermuch trust The cause no more but yet too much against a Prince Craon with all disgrace was discharged the Court who not able to brooke such an open indignity assaulted Cliston the Constable in a murthering manner as the only man as he thought that wrought his disgrace and escaping Paris fled into Britaigne whose Duke was his kinseman and an enemy to the Constable 45 King Charles transported with choller of this double offence mindes to draw Craon by force out of Britaine to iustifie himselfe whom the Councell had declared guilty of high Treason and enemie to the Crowne of France and resolues in person to enterinto Britaine forthwith the expedition for men and manner of proceeding made Charles to loose both meate and sleepe so as the vexation of minde and distemperature of body carried apparant shewes in his face in so much that the Dukes of Berry and Burgogne mistrusting the worst counselled that his iourney might be staid his Physitians disswade him in regard of his health the summer extreme hot and his blood as then ouer subiect to dangerous feuers New deuises were wrought to stay him at home giuing it forth that Craon was fled Britaigne and in Arragon was imprisoned by the Queene All this notwithstanding needes would he forward so forward is man when his fate will so haue it 46 He departed Meaux in Iulie the yere very hot his head couered with a great Cap of scarlet his body wrapped in a thicke veluet Ierkin warme enough for winter his mind distempered with choller griefe and despite and his body wearied with watching distasture and want of rest Thus entring the forrest of Meaux about noone-tide a man bare-headed and bare legged attired in a Coat of white rugge stepped sodainely forth from betwixt two trees and caught hold of his bridle staid his horse saying King ride no further but returne backe for thou art betraied Charles whose spirits were otherwise dulled and his blood greatly distempered was amazed at the voice which seene his seruants ranne to this man and with blowes forced him to leaue the reines of the horse and so without any further search the man vanished away 47 The troopes of his nobles diuided because of the dust King Charles was followed by the Pages of his Chamber who ouercharged with heat and distemperature tooke no great paines to guide their horse so that thronging together he which bore the Kings Lance let it fal vpon him who had on his head the Kings helmet and in the falling made a clattering noise The King much musing vpon the words spoken and now withall hearing this vnexpected noise was from a pensiue melancholy suddainely strucke into a raging Lunacy supposing himselfe to be betraied indeed and transported with this frensie he drawes his sword and made towards his Pages with a maine crie his brother Orleance not knowing the cause hasted among them whom Charles likewise pursued and with the like rage ranne at his vncle of Burgogne thus spending himselfe and his horse out of breath all incompassed the still raging man tooke from him his sword disrobed him for heate and cheered him with flatterings and faire spoken words his brother and vncles saluted him but hee knowes them not sits mute sighing and panting and with troubled amazement moues both body and head so that all signes of Phrensie appeared in this poore Prince and the eminent misery that was to fall vpon France very apparant to the inseeing Statists but now to proceed 48 Iohn Duke of Burgogne ill disgesting the threats that King Henry had giuen and ioined in league with the Daulphin as we haue said was notwithstanding suspected to be a great enemy to the State and as the Giants are faine to heape mountaine vpon mountaine for steps of assent to pull Iupiter out of his throne so by sinister Counsellors Burgogne was accused of some intended stratageme as meaning to mount the Chaire where the Daulphin should sit Charles therefore from Monstrean-Surfault yonne a Towne in Brie sent for the Duke vnto Troyes in Champagne to conferre further vpon the effecting of their affected accord as also to imploy their vnited forces vpon the common enemie the English a third cause likewise was alleaged and that was to haue him his meanes for a reconciliation to his mother the Regent whose wrath besides him no man could pacifie 49 The Duke mistrusting no snake in the grasse thought all things as sure as they were faire in shew and accompanied with many noble-men fiue hundred horse and two hundred Archers he repaired to Monstreau at whose Gate the Daulphin
Chancellor as being a person very dangerous vnto both 10 The news of these home-contentions comming to the Duke of Bedford into France easily drew him home though the state of that Realme could not well want his presence For Iohn Duke of Britaine notwithstanding his late renouation of league with the Regent at Amiens iealous of the English greatnes turned sodeinely to Charles and with him Arthur Earle of Richmond his brother This puts fresh spirit into the drooping Prince Arthur is by Charles made Constable of his France in place of the Scottish Earle who was slaine at the bloody Battell of Vernoil The Duke of Britaine ouerliues this reuolt but a small time Arthur to declare his forwardnes on the behalfe of Charles assembleth about twenty thousand men and with them sodeinely besiegeth S. Iean a Towne of Normandy vpon the frontier of Britaine which Edmund Duke of Sommerset Gouernour of Normandy had lately fortified and stuft with souldiers The vnexpected arriuall of the French did greatly at the first perplex the English but vpon better aduise they valiantly sallied out vpon them both before and behind which stroke so great terrour into the enemy that with losse of their Artillery and many of their people they forsooke the siege To redeeme this dishonour he turnes his fury vpon the Countrey of Angioâ—… which in many parts he depopulates and spoiles The Regent being resolued to returne into England leaues behind him Beaâ—…champ Earle of Warwicke as lieutenant who was lately arriued in France hauing six thousand fresh Souldiers in his company 11 The presence of the Duke of Bedford Regent of France was to the State of England very necessary For the wisdome and authority of so great a Prince being eldest vncle to the King and one whom many great deedes made famous allaied the distemper which he found at his arriual It was a worke worthy of his labour and he also found it to be a worke indeed and not easily effectuable The differences were debated first at Saint Albans then at Northampton lastly in a Parliament at Leicester which continued there till toward the end of Iune The Duke of Bedford himselfe to auoid the note of partiality for that his brother of Glocester was a party did not intermeddle otherwise then as in Generall words to perswade amity but the whole cause was referred to arbitrators of greatest Nobility and prudence by whose endeuours all those differences and greeuances were equally thrust into one sacke to be sealed vp for euer by obliuion and without mention of amends on either side the Duke and Bishop the one hauing sworne by his Princehood the other by his Priesthood truly to obserue the award shooke hands and were fully for that time reconciled After which holy and necessary worke of priuate attonements ensued acts of festiuitie and honor For in the same Towne of Leicester the young King not then fiue yeeres of age was at the high feast of Pentecost dubbed Knight by the Regent of France Immediately whereupon the King honored Richard Earle of Cambridge who by the fatall errour of the Counsell was at this Parliament created Duke of Yorke the same who was father to Edward the fourth with the order of knighthood and about forty more with him This Richard Duke of Yorke was hee who brought vpon this Kingdome and nation most dolefull diuisions to the vtter extirpation of all the male lines of either house that is to say his owne and that of Lancaster whereof the young King was head From Leicester the King was conueighed to Killingworth and Thomas Duke of Excester dying Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke was constituted Guardian and Tutor to the King 12 The Regent hauing thus worthily prouided for the quiet estate of the King and Country returns to his charge in France There went ouer at the same time a choise and great number of fresh men vnder the conduct of that immortally renowmed the L. Talbot whose victories saith Polydor were so many that his name was not onely most dreadfull to the French but most famous through the world euen at this present That yee may know the man not to haue beene studious of fine Phrases vpon the one side of his sword-blade was engrauen Sum Talboti and vpon the other this boisterous blunt sentence Pro vincere inimicos meos The Duke of Alanzon taken at the Castell of Vernoil was set at liberty vpon payment of two hundreth thousand Scutes of gold At Mountarges about Orleance the English receiued an ouerthrow with the losse of about fifteene hundreth of their numbers and in Britaine the French sustained great dammages by a Captaine of the Duke of Sommersets These were petty matters They of Mantz in Maine had drawne in the French by night who massacred the English William Earle of Suffolke Captain of the place sends to Iohn Lord Talbot for succour It came and that so vnexpectedly that the French were alike distrest All but souldiers were spared and many also of them though thrust into prisons The Traitours which had caused so much mischiefe had their deserts by death From hence the Lord Talbot marched to other enterprises The quality of our taske cals vs to the maine 13 Thomas Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury being with the Regent at Paris and considering what forces of men and all prouisions the English then enioied bethought himselfe of some action which might answere the greatnesse of his owne name and of the publike meanes The siege of Orleance is by him propounded to the Councell The credite of the Motioner was alone an argument of power to conuince the possibility His desires were therefore furnished with all competent prouisions They of Orleance hearing what a storme was comming for the name of this Earle was worthily terrible with great diligence ordaine for their defence The Suburbes answerable in bignesse to a good City they leuell with the earth that the enemie might not from thence annoy them Men victuals munition and constant intentions to fight for their liberty and safegard abounded The Earle of Sarisburie the Lord Talbot and a dreadfull puissance vnder most expert commanders present themselues before it Orleance was and is an Episcopall See a Parliament Towne and Vniuersity richly scituate vpon the riuer of Loir whose best glory it is being the chiefe City which that renowned streame watereth No enemies appearing abroad he approacheth close to the walles Assaults prouing vain he entrencheth about it and to secure his Campe casts vp ramparts and other works one of which by reason of the hugenesse thereof was called London by the name of the chiefe-City of England The Fort which stood at the Bridge foot beyond the Loyr hee seiseth vpon and closeth them vp on euery side Charles of France could minister no sufficient succor God when mans helpe failes interposeth his hand which as all of vs daily feele so is it most conspicuous in the deliuerance of
and two daughters the youngest of which was Lady Margaret whom King Henry afterward tooke to wife Charles Duke of Lorraine dying Renate thinkes to succeed in that estate Antony Earle of Vallemont brother to Charles presumes he hath a neerer right The matter comes to be determined by blowes Charles King of France was a stedfast supporter of Renates claime in lieu of like offices performed by Renate to him in the times of most difficulty The Regent and Philip Duke of Burgundy stood for the Earle Their aides preuailed so much that Renates forces were beaten with losse of about three thousand from the siege of Vallemont and himselfe with not fewer then two hundred others remained prisoner to the Duke of Burgundy one of whose subiects commanded in chiefe at that enterprise This Renate was afterward entituled to the Crowne of Naples and Sicilia by the testament of Ioane Queene of them The King of France might seeme to haue susteined a grieuous losse by the enthralment of this Duke but the English gained nothing thereby for his perswasions and priuate offices on the behalfe of King Charles did not a little prepare the Burgundians heart which now was knit to the English but with feeble Arteries to accept in time the holy impression of reconcilement The French who liued vnder the Regency or in danger of the English made choise of the Burgundian to protect them which could not be embarred to them for that he was as yet King Henries pretended friend Indeed this Scene and vnstable state of affaires was full of horrour which Polydâ—…re Vergill describeth well enough While the English and French quoth he contend for Dominion Soueraignty and life it selfe mens goods in France were violently taken by the licence of warre Churches spoiled men euery where murthered or wounded other put to death or tortured Matrons rauished Maids forcibly drawne from out their parents armes to be deflowred Townes daily taken daily spoiled daily defaced the riches of the Inhabitants carried whither the Conquerors thinke good hâ—…sen and villages round about set on fire no kind of cruelty is left vnpractised vpon the miserable French omitting many hundreth kinds of other calamities which all at once oppressed them Adde hereunto that the Commonwealth being destitute of the helpe of lawes which for the most part are mute in times of warre and mutiâ—…ie floateth vp and downe without any anchorage at right or iustice Neither was England herselfe voide of these mischiefes who euery day heard the newes of her valiant childrens funerals slaine in perpetuall skirmishes and bickerings her generall wealth continually â—…d and wained so that the euils seemed almost equall and the whole Westerne world ecchoed the groanes and sighes of either Nations quarrels being the common argument of speech and compassion throughout Christendome 22 The course certainly which the English held did only faintly keepe aliue the Generall State of the Regency without giuing period to the warre either by finishing the Conquest or setling that which was conquered Some would haue had large supplies of men and treasure leuied that King Charles might no where haue any rest Of this opinion were Bedford himselfe the Dukes of Yorke and Sommerset This Counsell was not followed but another in shew more frugall which fed the euils but redressed none Present sparings doe oftentimes draw after them infinite wasts and no husbandrie proues so ill as vnseasonable Parsimony In the mean time the Earle of Arundel and the Lord Talbot carry about victorious Armes and terrifie Angiou Main and other places with their successes In Normandie neuerthelesse the common people drew together in huge multitudes There were threescore thousand of them rebelliously knotted together in Vexin Norman and twenty thousand in Câ—…ux Their purpose was through dislike of the English Gouernment or practise of the French to haue reacht one hand to King Charles and to haue thrust King Henries officers out What is a multitude without aduise To stoppe their insolency and course which they held toward Caen the Earle of Arundel and Robert Lord Willoughby with about thirteen hundred light horse and sixe thousand Archers march against them by direction of the Dukes of Yorke and ommerset who had the chiefe Leiutenancies in Normandy They diuide their forces to vse them with the more aduantage The Earle stayes in Ambush with two parts the Lord Willoughby drawes them into it with the third A thousand of the Rebels were cut down before the souldiers hands could be stayed to spare the rest who basely as it became them threw away their weapons and fell to the earth crying mercy The multitudes were suffered to returne their ringleaders lost their liues All that the world could collect by this popular insurrection was that the Normans would be gladly rid of the English Nothing else was done This Earle of Arundell hauing done sundry noble deeds during the wars in France receiued his deathes wound shortly after in a skirmish at Gerberoy in Beauuoâ—…sine where La Hire a famous Captaine among the enemies had the day 23 The Regency yet held and the miseries of France being burnt vp by the fiery reflections of two Counter-Sunnes were nothing diminished Who should giue to them a Period while the Duke of Burgundy continued English it could not be To prepare therefore a separation betweene them such of the Nobility as went ouer to the Burgundian Duke told him That King Charles vpon all occasions when speech was ministred spake of him honourably and inwardly wished him well and that he neuer heard any mention of the murther committed vpon the Duke his father cause of the sonnes hatred to France but he heartily sighed protesting hee was neither party nor priuy thereunto These and the like mollifying salues applyed to the tumors of his reuengefull affections did worke strongly the rather for that his minde heretofore possessed with the English amity was now vacant in that part the same by the means of sundry iealousies and auersions lying open to contrary impressions There wanted but an outward honourable meanes to fashion him entirely to the French partie Let vs heare Serves in this point The Deputies of the Generall Councell presse both French English and Burgundians to end all quarrels by some good composition The City of Arras is allowed of them all to treat in From the Pope and Councell of Pisa there came the Cardinals of S. Crosse and Cypres with twelue Bishoppes For the King of France there was the Duke of Bourbon the Earle of Richmond Constable of France the Archbishoppe of Reims Chancellour of France and many others great noble wise and learned men For the King of England the two Cardinals of Yorke and Winchester the Earles of Suffolke * Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington the Bishoppe of Saint Dauids Iohn Ratcliffe Keeper of the great Seale the Lord Hungerford Ralfe the wise Officiall of Canterbury and some Doctors of Diuinity For
Philip Duke of burgundy the Duke of Guelders the Earle of Nassau the Bishoppe of Cambray Count Vernambâ—…urg the Bishoppe of Leige fiue other great Earles besides the Deputies of many his best Townes sufficient to shew that though hee was in title but a Duke yet that his greatnesse was equall to a King When it came to communication the English being also in possession vrged farther for themselues the right of descent and the act of Charles the sixth father to this Charles by which act the Crowne of France was setled vpon Henry the fifth and the issue of the Lady Katherine his wife and therefore they propounded no other condition of peace but that Henry their King might haue all and Charles to hold of him The French offered Normandie and Guien There ended the hope of agreement betweene them for neither party would accept King Charles therefore resoluing to maime the English faction vpon any termes how base soeuer sends Duke Philip a blanke bids him therin to prescribe his owne conditions and demands he did so and his Conditions were so vnreasonable and so many euen a great volume full saith a French man as it is strange so great a Monarch should stoope so much to his subiect and vâ—…ssall but that necessity hath no law They ioine hereupon most firmely and the Duke a man wholy transported by profite declares himselfe a publike enemie to all the enemies of King Charles and friend to all his friends This was the first parting stroke which seuered the French Dominions from the English Soueraignty the euent declared that the English had done more wisely if they had accepted Normandy and Guyen but as the case stood then they could not in honour doe it and Councels are not to bee measured by euents for so the most foolish may sometimes passe for prudent King Henry not onely lost now hereby a most needfull friend but was compelled to relie vpon his single strengthes aswell against King Charles his naturall enemie as against the Duke of Burgundie who plainely seemed to haue betrayed the cause To set a glosse vpon this fact the Duke dispatcheth Ambassadors into England to King Henry who as Aemylius erroneously saith was present at this treaty of Arras to make known the reasons of his peace with King Charles and to perswade the King to entertaine the same This Ambassage was so odious to the English that they forbare not to call the Duke a deceitfull man a turn-seruer a periured person and a Traitor 24 The popular hatred also was such against the Dukes Subiects resiant in London that they were beaten and slaine many of them before the furie thereof could be stayed by Proclamation The Ambassadors returne with honest admonitions to their Master against which his eares and senses were strongly mured for King Charles had set about them as it were a Barricado of royalties priuiledges honours money Cities Townes and whole Prouinces which he confirmed to the Duke onely to withdraw him from vs. The whole Counties of Aâ—… Erre Ponthieu Bolein Artois the towne of Abbâ—…lle and other lands the Cities and Townes in Picardy vpon the water of Soâ—…e Amiens Corbie Perâ—…n S. Quintin but these last as it were in gage till foure hundreth thousand Crownes were satisfied Briefly what not the Charity of King Charles was so feruent to make the Duke of Burgundy a true Frenchman once againe hee paide so deare for it that wee may thinke him worthy to obtaine his desire yet was it worth his cost for Aemylius saith most truly that the ceasing of that indignation did redeeme the French from a forraine gouernment as the first assuming thereof had made the English Lords ouer France But howsoeuer the high and iust displeasure which this Prince tooke for the wicked murther of his father aboundantly satisfied-for by this treatie moued him first to embrace the English amity hee afterward most subtilely conuerted the reuenge by way of taking amends to the enlargement of his proper riches power and amplitude After his Ambassadors returned hee sends backe all contracts to the Duke of Bedford at Paris and renounceth the alliance of England with a watch-word that euery one should looke to himselfe 25 Each man hereupon saith Serres sharpens his sword and scoures his Armes to recouer that by force which they could not obtaine by reason Serres might better haue said reasoning All things certainly fauoured the French designes for this was the generall estate of the English affaires King Henry scarce out of his Child-hood and when he came to mans age not Man enough to manage so turbulent occurrents the Princes of the blood weakely vnited in loue for the common good the Protector vigilant ouer England the Regent carefull for France but both priuately enuied Richard Duke of Yorke whose strenghts daily increased which in time he meant nothing lesse then to vse for the benefit of King Henry ambitiously reseruing himselfe for a deare day most of the great warriours slaine and in briefe a great inability for want of a Soule willing and fit to looke so sterne and dismall aduentures in the face through the whole body of the English forces which though otherwise they might haue lingred out the warre and kept their footing yet the death of the great Duke of Bedford Regent of France doubled the difficulty or rather the impossibility In taking this triumphant Peere away God made it manifest that he held the English vnworthy and vnfit to continue their Empire among the French any longer This Prince not long after this reuolt of Duke Philip died at Paris vncertaine to some whether through griefe of the euils he foresaw or other malady But the Analogy and colour of his whole former life doth contradict their conceit who think that such a grief should determine his daies because it could not but proceed from a kind of feare and despaire an humor absolutely opposite to Magnanimitie wherein hee abounded How mighty a Prince he was this his style sheweth Regent of France Duke of Bedford Alanson and Aniou Earle of Maine Richmond and Kendale and Constable of England But which excelleth his greatnes he was one of the best Patriots and Generals that euer blossomed out of the roiall Rosiar of England His valour was not more terrible to the enemy then his memory honorable For doubtfull whether with more glorie to him then to the speaker Lewis the eleuenth being afterwards counselled by certaine enuious persons to demolish and deface his stately Tombe wherein with him * saith one was buried all the Englishmens good fortune in France which was erected ouer his body in the Northside of the high Altar in our Ladies Church at Roan vsed these indeed most Princely words 26 What honor shall it be to vs or you to breake this Monument and to pull out of the ground the bones of him dead whom in his life-time neither my father
his aspiring wings Ireland is in tumult Thither the Duke passeth and not only appeaseth the disorder of that Nation but wan such fauour among them as could neuer be separated from him and his linage Thus diligently the Pioner makes his mines into the quiet and felicity of his Countrey calling his cause the quarrell of right and iustice as pretending that the Crowne of England appertained to his name and familie 46 But the odor of this vile successe in France comming into England filled mens hearts and senses with great perturbation The Queene and Suffolke suffer obloquie for these effects in the generall iudgement The common wealth is not silent A Parliament is called to be holdē at Westminster which from thence was assigned to be kept at Leicester The place likes not few appeare It is brought backe to Westminster There the whole body of publike counsell meetes Many Articles are exhibited by the lower house against the Duke of Suffolke wherein hee is charged with euill demeanor misprision and treason who thereupon is committed prisoner to the Tower from thence within fowre or fiue weeks hee is discharged which more augmented the generall indignation then his commitment had ministred satisfaction The perilous Duke of Yorke warms himselfe at these blazes and vnderhand cherisheth them as opportunity wil permit hauing his cunning factors and instruments fitte for such occasions secretly spread ouer the Realme to instill the poysons of discontentment and desire of change into the giddie multitude When wee reade in our vulgar Chronicles that about this time Adam Molins Bishoppe of Chichester Ke◅per of the Kings Priuy Seale through the procurement of Richard Duke of Yorke was by shipmen slaine at Portsmouth and yet no cause of so foule and wicked a murther expressed it cannot but offend any curious Reader who would receiue satisfaction rather by the reasō ofactions then by the euents His guiltinesse in the fact was so apparant that K. Henry in his answere made a yeere or two after to the Dukes dissembling and deceitfull letter confidently mentioneth the same where thus hee speaketh Sooth it is that long time among the people hath beene vpon you many strange language and in speciall anone after your disordinate and vnlawfull slaying of the Bishoppe of Chichester diuers and many of the vntrue shipmen and other said in their manner words against our state making menace to our owne person by your sayings that yee should bee fetched with many thousands and you should take vpon you that which you neither ought nor as wee doubt not will attempt c. What cause led the Duke to commit this so impious a deed may easily now be coniectured being none other but the common hatred hee bare to all such wise or valiant persons as might in any sort vphold the most iust and gracious Henry and this sincerity in the Bishoppe could not be but a grieuous crime in the Dukes ambitious eyes whose greatnesse was euen then too intollerable for where was the Kings iustice when such a fact might hope of impunity The Duke did effect it by his bloudy complices as hee did many other most seditious and perfidious things while hee was absent in Ireland Thomas Thanie notwithstanding calling himselfe Blew-beard being a Fuller of Canterburie and attempting to gather the people miscarrieth in his treason and for that was hanged and quartered this was a preamble to the following tumults The Duke of Yorkes whole and onely hopes were reposed in the general perturbations of his Country 47 The Duke of Suffolke a principal pillar of K. Henries safety being set at liberty attends the King and Queene in their Parliament at Leicester Behold the humour of the Commons which were sowred with the pestilent leauen of Yorkes conspiracy They cannot endure the sight of this Prince because his readuancement seems done in despight of them Calumniations odious surmises are exhibited against him hee must downe to make way for K. Henries most vnworthy ruine The most vile part of this Parliamental accusation was that they should charge that for a crime vpon Suffolke which themselues had vniuersally in another former Parliament assented vnto and ratified Which was the deliuery of Aniou and Main vpon the marriage concluded for the good of England if others had not inuerted or interrupted the successe by their temerity with Renate father of Queene Margaret N◅ither did the enuy onely of the secret York◅s ouerlade this noble Gentleman but the impotency of the Duke of Sommersets faction whose rashnesse and vanity hauing lost all Normandy would gladly find any others shoulder vpon which to cast the imputation either in part or whole In that former Parliament assembled immediately vpon Suffolkes returne from that treaty with Renate out of France this was the summe of the whole proceedings Suffolke as hee was very eloquent made knowne to both housen his counsels and seruices and the effect of his Embassie praying they might be approued and enrolled for his discharge Whereupon the next morrow Burley Speaker of the lower house and the body therof repaired to the Kings presence then sitting among the Lords and there humbly required that the request of the Marquesse afterward created Duke of Suffolk might be granted and the Lords made the like petition kneeling on their knees The King condiscended to their desires and so the whole matter was recorded for his acquitall 48 What can bee more euident or who can enough admire the vanity of popular mutabilitie The Duke the principall marke though the Bishop of Salisbury the Lord Say and others were also accused vnable to stand the push of so generall an opposition must be banished The King vnwillingly giues this sentence against the Duke or rather against his owne life and safety fiue yeeres are limited to his exile Being vpon the sea hee is taken by his enemies who at Douer-road stroke off his head vpon the side of a Cocke-boat This diuelish murther for it was none other the Kings authority being not vsed therein committed vpon so great a Prince was the lesse pittied for that hee was noised among the people to haue beene a priuy actor in the Noble Duke of Glocesters death who perished saith a learned Author by the fraud and practise of a woman belike Queene Margarite The Bishop of Salisburie before said more impiously and irregularly lost his life in the following tumults being murthered after he had finished diuine seruice by his owne Tenants who dragged him from the Altar to an hill-top and there while hee was making his last prayers cleft his sacred head The Lord Say Treasurer of England fell likewise into the peoples fury and had his head cut off by the commandement of that execrable rebell Iacke Cade at the Standerd in Cheape as yee shall hereafter learne 49 This William Duke of Suffolke was indeed a great and worthy person for when his Father and three Brothers had valiantly
their entrie was barred runne furiously to armes Cade endeauors to open his way by force but in despight of all his power the Citizens made good defended London-bridge against him though with the losse of many valiant and honest men for the conflict endured all night till nine in the morning Among such as were slaine on the Kings side were Iohn Sutton Alderman Mathew Gowgh himselfe and Robert Heysand Citizen This Gowgh an Esquire of Wales was a man of excellent vertue manhood and zeale to his Country and of great renown in the warre of France where he had serued with speciall commendations faithfully for the space of aboue twenty yeeres His deserts at this time deserued a Statue in the City for whose safety hee spent his last bloud To giue a quicke end to these miseries impunity is proclaimed for all offenders and sent to them in the Kings name by the Archbishoppe of Canterbury Lord Chancellour vnder the great Seale of England the rebels are scattred with this assurance of their safeties and euery man retires in peace from following so pestilent an Impostor A thousand Markes when Cade afterward attempted new troubles are promised to him who kils or takes this counterfeit Mortimer Alexander Eden a Gentleman of Kent had the happinesse to discouer and kill him at Hothfield in that County his wretched carkase was brought to London where his false head was set sentinell vpon London-bridge and his quarters were aduanced for terrour in seuerall parts of Kent There died also by the stroke of iustice twenty and sixe more whereof eight were executed at Canterbury and the rest elsewhere in Kent and Sussex The multitude it selfe came naked in their shirts to the King on Blacke-heath humbly praying mercy which they obtained 54 The Kentish rebellion thus pacified farre greater and farre more dangerous troubles ensued as it fareth in humane bodies which relapsing into sickenesses are shaken so much the more terribly These troubles had their fountaine and mediate Originall from Richard Duke of Yorke no degenerous sonne of that Richard whom King Henry the fifth had created Earle of Cambridge and enriched with much wealth honoring him aboue others in regard of his blood and parentage but no bountie nor benefits could change a treacherous disposition for as you haue heard before he conspired to murther his benefactor King Henry the fifth as the Duke of Yorke his true progenie labored to depose this King Henrie his aduancer The humors of the popular body were in the last commotion not obscurely discouered The Common weale had perhaps some few enormities through the abuse of Magistrates and men in place but yet such as the maladie was infinitely lesse pernicious then the remedy Vpon this intelligence the Duke comes sodeinely out of Ireland and to begin his vsurped censureship and dictature apprehends Iohn Sutton Lord Dudley Reignald Abbot of Saint Peters at Glastenbury and another whom he imprisoneth within his Castle of Ludlow Intollerable beginnings of more intollerable sequele Edmund Duke of Sommerset was the man who after Suffolks death most supported the Kings side by his vigilancie caresdangers and good Counsels endeuouring by all meanes to cleare the Realme from factions and to preserue the King and state in quiet 55 Yorke seeing this doth find that Suffolke perished in vaine if Sommerset held like grace against whose person he had a particular pretence of quarrell for that the City of Caen in Normandy which was the Duke of Yorkes charge was rendred vp to the French by him when the English affaires grew desperate in those parts Sir Dauid Hall Knight being at that time Captaine there for his Lord and Master the Duke of Yorke and not allowing it although the renowned Talbot himselfe was present at the render and became an hostage for performance of the Capitulations Yorke hereupon consults with his speciall friends Richard Earle of Salisbury and Richard his son who was afterward that most seditious great fighting Earle of Warwicke Thomas Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Edmund Brooke Lord Cobham and others how Yorke might get the Crowne of England and for that cause how to ruine or fret out the Duke of Sommerset who standing they were to looke for strong opposition In the end they conclude to take armes but yet to smother the mention of the Duke of Yorkes title giuing out to the world for the reason of their doings that they meant all honour and obedience to King Henry and only to remoue certaine bad men from about his person who afflicted the people and made a pray of the Common-wealth which to gaine the more credit and to blind the good King the subtile Duke declares by Proclamation wherein thus speaketh that Ambitious Hypocrite God knoweth from whom no thing is hid I am haue beene and euer will be his true liege man c. And to the very proofe it is so I offer my selfe to sweare that on the blessed Sacrament and receiue it the which I hope shall be my saluation at the day of doome c. In that it was the euill hap of the Duke of Sommerset that Normandy was lost during his Regencie his enemies had the more commoditie to incommodate him with the people who forbare not at his returne to offer to him sundry dishonours and iniuries till vpon paine of death they were restrained for breach of which Proclamation one had his head cut off in West Cheap London 56 The King notwithstanding all his Cosens arts and dissimulations seeing the hooke through the baite and the snake through the grasse by the aduise of his trusty friends chiefly of Edmund Duke of Sommerset thinkes not fit to relie vpon his enemies good nature but hauing a strong power and store of honorable men to conduct them he marcheth toward Wales against the Duke The King did herein wisely but not so much as the cause required Yorke hauing notice of the Kings approach turnes aside and with all speed marcheth toward London That City the vaine hope of all Rebellions would not harken Thereupon he slides with his people into Kent the nest of his hopes and at Brent-heath neere Dertford a towne about twelue miles from London encampeth meaning to fight The King is not slow but leauing his march toward Wales pitcheth vp his roiall pauilion vpon Black-Heath with a purpose to teach his cosen of Yorke more duty Behold the fortune of England God puts an excellent opportunity into the Kings hands of tearing vp the danger of his house by the rootes for the Duke was farre inferiour in numbers Such therefore as secretly fauoured him fearing his ouerthrow were willing to aduise a reconcilement Messengers goe betweene the hosts The Duke in his wonted manner pretends loialtie and particular iniuries as that the Kings seruants Sir Iohn I albot at Holt Castell Sir Thomas Stanley in Cheshire and others in other places were set to harken vpon him That by two
an Army of eighteene thousand men led by the Dukes of Sommerset and Excester the Earles of Deuonshire and Wiltshire the Lords Neuill Clifford Rosse and in effect all the Northerne Nobility The host or so much therof as they thought necessary to shew presents it selfe before Sandall to prouoke and dare the Duke to battell His bloud impatient of these braues ignorant perhaps that the enemy had so great a multitude will needes fight though the Earle of Salisbury and Sir Dauid Hall an ancient seruant of his and a great Souldier gaue him aduise to stay till his sonne the Earle of March approched with such Welshmen and Marchers as hee had in great numbers assembled But God would forbeare him no longer but like a seuere Master meanes to take a present account at which he found whether all the kingdomes of the earth are worth the least sinne much lesse a wilfull periurie 89 The Queene therefore addeth stratageme and wit to her force to the entent hee might not escape her hands whereupon the Earle of Wiltshire vpon one side of the hill and the Lord Clifford vpon the other lie in ambush to thrust between him and the Castell the Dukes of Sommerset and Exceter stand embattelled in the open field Their policy had the wished successe for the Duke being not fully fiue thousand strong issueth out of the Castle downe the hill The battels which stood in front ioyne furiously when sodainly the Duke of Yorke sees himselfe inclosed and although hee expressed great manhood yet within one halfe houre his whole Armie was discomfited himselfe and diuers his deare friends beaten downe and slaine There lay dead about him the Lord Harington Sir Thomas Neuill sonne to the Earle of Salisburie Sir Dauid Hal with sundry Knights and others about two thousand two hundred among which were the heires of many Southern gentlemen of great account whose bloud was shortly after reuenged Let vs not linger vpon the particular accidents of this battell but consider what it wrought for King Henries aduancement yet these few things are not to bee vnremembred The Earle of Rutland a yonger sonne to the Duke of Yorke being about twelue yeeres old was also slaine by the Lord Clifford who ouertooke him flying in part of reuenge for that the Earles father had slaine his A deed which worthily blemished the Author but who can promise any thing temperate of himselfe in the heat of martiall furie chiefly where it was resolued not to leaue anie branch of Yorke line standing for so doth one make the Lord Clifford to speake 90 That mercilesse proposition was common as the euent will shew to either faction The Duke of Yorkes head crowned with paper is presented to the Queene Cruell ioy is seldome fortunate Caesar wept ouer Pompeis head but the Queen ignorant how manifold causes of teares were reserued for her owne share makes herselfe merrie with that gastly and bloody spectacle The Earle of Salisburie after wounds receiued being in this battel taken prisoner is conueighed to Ponfract Castle from whence the common people who loued him not violently haled him and cut off his head which perhaps was not done without the good liking of others The Dukes head together with his were fixed on poles and set vpon a gate of Yorke and with them if Grafton say true the heades of all the other prisoners which had beene conducted to Pomfret 91 This battell called of Wakefield was fought vpon the last day of December of whose weathers complexion if their courages had participated mischiefe might haue made her stop here which now is in her swiftest course 92 For the Earle of March sonne and heire to this late valiant Duke of Yorke hearing of this tragicall aduenture giues not ouer but hauing gathered an armie of about twenty thousand to march against the Queene he findes emploiment neerer hand being certified that Iasper Theder Earle of Pembrooke halfe brother to King Henrie and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire had with them a great force of Welsh and Irish to take him The youthfull and valiant Earle of March whose amiable presence and carriage made him gratious with the people and the rather for that he had the generall good word of women meanes to try his fortune against the said Earles He sodeinely therefore turnes backe from Shrewsbury and at a place called Mortimers Crosse neere Ludlow where the enemie abode he sets vpon them It was Candlemas day in the morning at which time there appeared as some write three Sunnes which sodeinely ioined in one This luckie prognosticon and ominous Meteor exceedingly fired the Earle of March and was some say the reason why he vsed for his Badge or roiall deuise the Sunne in his full brightnesse The Battels maintaine their fight with great furie but in the end the Earle of March obtaines the victorie killing of his enemies three thousand and eight hundreth men the Earles saued themselues by flight The sonne of honour and fortune did thus begin to shine through Clouds of blood and miserie vpon Edward whome shortly we are to behold King of England There were taken Sir Owen Theder father to Iasper Earle of Pembrooke who was beheaded by Edwards commandement as also Sir Iohn Skudamor knight with his two sonnes and other 93 The Queene on the other side hauing ordered her affaires in the North setled the estate thereof and refreshed her people within a while after drawes neere with her Northern armie to S. Albans There came before them an euill fame of their behauiour to London whose wealth lookt pale knowing it selfe in danger for the Northern armie in which were Scots Welsh and Irish aswell as English made bold by the way with what they liked making small distinction of sacred or prophane after they were once past the riuer of Trent Captaine Andrew Trolop being their Coronell King Henry himselfe in person with the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke the Earles of Warwicke and Arundel the Lord Bonuile other with a great puissance encampe at S. Albans to giue the Queene battell and stop her farther passage toward London But the Lords of her faction being ready to attempt on her behalfe assaile the Kings forces within the Town and after some sharpe affronts breake through and driue their aduersaries out with much bloodshed till they fell vpon a squadron or battalion of the Kings wherein there were about foure or fiue thousand men which made good their ground for a while with great courage but in the end the Queenes side clearely wanne the day There perished in this conflict about two thousand This hapned vpon Shroue-tuesday the seuenteenth of Februarie The King Queene and Prince meet ioifully where he knights his sonne being eight yeeres old and thirtie others The Lord Bonuile and Sir Thomas Kiriel of Kenâ—… being taken in the fight were beheaded but all the other great men elcape The common people
Nun in the Nunnery of Dartford in the same County founded by K. Edward the third where shee spent her life in contemplations vnto the day of her death 126 Marie the fift daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was promised in marriage vnto the King of Denmarke but died before it could be solemnized in the Tower of Greenewich the Sunday before Pentecost the twentieth two of her fathers raigne and yeere of Grace 1482. and was buried at Windsore 127 Margaret the sixth daughter of K. Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth died an Infant without other mention in our Authors 128 Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife and the last of them both was married vnto William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and Lord of Ochaâ—…pton vnto whom shee bare Lord Henrie after the death of his father Earle of Deuonshire who by King Henrie the eight was created Marquesse of Excester in Anno 1525. His Concubines 129 Elizabeth Lucie is certainly known to haue been King Edwards Concubine though nothing so certainly mentioned whose Ladie or of what Parentage shee was that shee was conceiued by him with child is before declared but who that child was is as obscurely laid downe therefore in these things we must be silent and leaue the doubts to be resolued by others Three other concubines this king had whereof Shores wife was not the least beloued whose life falleth further to be spoken of in the Raigne of the vsurper Richard where her storie shall be shewed more at large His naturall Issue 150 Arthur surnamed Plantagenet the naturall sonne of K. Edward the fourth whose mother as is supposed was the Lady Elizabeth Lucie was created Viscount Lisle by King Henrie the eight at Bridewell in London the twentie sixth of Aprill and yeere of Saluation 1533. which title was confâ—…red vpon him in right of his wife Lady Elizabeth sister and heire vnto Iohn Gray Viscount Lisle and the late wife and then widdow of Edmund Dudley who bare vnto this Viscount three daughters which were Bridget Frances and Elizabeth all of them afterward married This Arthur Lord Lisle was made Lieutenant of Callis by the said K. Henry which Towne some of his seruants intended to haue betraied to the French for which their fact himselfe was sent to the Tower of London but his truth appearing after much search the King sent him a rich ring from his owne finger with such comfortable wordes as at the hearing thereof a sudden ioy ouercharged his heart was so immoderately receiued that the same night it made an end of his life whose body was honorably buried in the same Tower 151 Elizabeth the naturall daughter of K. Edward the fourth was married to Sir Thomas Lumley Knight the sonne of George Lord Lumley who died before his father shee bare vnto the said Sir Thomas Richard afterward Lord Lumley from whom the late Lord Lumley did descend EDVVARD THE FIFTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE FIFTH MONARCH OF THIS LAND HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XVIII THe father thus dying in the strength of his yeeres and the sonne left to rule before he was ripe the Synders of dissensions which the sicke King had lately raked vp presently brake forth into a more raging flame for the king and Queenes blood that should haue supported young Edwards estate the one side being suspicious and â—…e other prouoked by the execrable desire of soueraignty left the tender king a Prince of such towardnes as his age could conteine destitute and vnarmed which if either kind or kindred had holden place must needes haue beene the surest pillars of his defence The raigne of this King if we may so cal the shorttime of his Soueraignty began the same day that his father died though he was neuer Crowned nor yet commanded the affaires of the Kingdome as an absolute Monarch his young brothers fortunes being ballanced with his 2 For Richard Duke of Gloucester by nature their vncle by office their Protector to their Father beholden to themselues by Oath and Alleagiance bounden all bands broken that holdeth man and man together without any respect of God or the World vnnaturally contriued to bereaue them not onlie of their dignity but also theirlines But forsomuch as the Dukes demeanour â—…reth in effect all the whole matter whereof the raigne of this yong and fift Edward must intreat itâ—… therefore conuenient somewhat to shew you ere we goe further what man this was and from whom he descended that could find in his heart so much mischief to conceiue 3 Know first then that Richard Duke of Yorke a noble man and a mighty beganne not by warre but by law to challenge the Crowne putting his claime into the Parliament where his cause was either for right or fauour so farre foorth aduanced that King Henries blood albeit he had a goodly Prince was vtterly reiected the Crowne by the authoritie of that high Court intailed to the Duke of Yorke and his issue male in remainder immediately after the death of King Henrie But the Duke not induring so long to tarrie intending vnder pretext of dissention and debate arising in the Realme to preuent his time and to take vpon him the rule in King Henries life was with many other Nobles slaine at Wakefield leauing three sonnes Edward George and Richard all of them as they were great states of birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy and ambitious of authority and impatient of partners 4 For Edward reuenging his fathers death depriued king Henry and attained the Crowne The second George Duke of Clarence was a goodly Noble Prince and in all things fortunate if either his owne ambition had not set him against his brother or the enuie of his enemies his brother against him For were it by the Queen and Lords of her blood which highly maligned the Kings kindred as women commonly not of malice but of nature hate them whom their husbands loue or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at least-wise hainous treason was laid to his charge and finally were he faulty were he faultlesse attainted he was by Parliament and iudged to death as we haue saide 5 Richard the third sonne of whom we now entreat was in wit and courage equall with either of them in body and prowesse farre vnder them both little of stature ill-limmed and crook-backed his left shoulder much higher then his right very hard fauoured of visage and such as in States is called warly in other men otherwise he was malicious wrathfull and enuious yea and from afore his birth euer froward For it is for truth reported that the Dutchesse his mother had so much adoe in her trauaile that shee could not be deliuered of him vncut and that he came into the
world with his feete forward as men be borne outward and as the fame runneth also not vnâ—…oothed Whether men of hatred report aboue the truth or else that nature changed her Course in his beginning which in the course of his life many things vnnaturally committed 6 No euill Captaine was he in the warre as to which his disposition was more inclined then for peace sundry victories he had and sometimes ouer-throwes but neuer in default as for his owne person either of hardines or politike order free was he of his dispence and somewhat aboue his power liberall with large gifts he gate him vnstedfast friendship for which he was forced to pill and pole in other places which gate him stedfast hatred He was close and secret a deepe dissembler lowly oâ—…countenance arrogant of heart outwardly familiar where euen now he hated and not letting to kisse whom he thought to kill despiâ—…efull and cruell he was not for euill-will alwaies but oftner for ambition and either for the surety or increase of his estate Friend and foe was much what indifferent where his aduantage grew he spared no mans death whose life withstood his purpose He slew with his own hands King Henrie the sixth being Prisoner in the Tower as men constantlie said and that without commandement or knowledge of the King who vndoubtedly if he had intended his death would haue appointed that butcherly office to some other then his owne brother 7 Some wise â—…en also iudge that his drift couertly conueied lacked not in helping forth his brother Clarence to his death which he resisted openly howbeit somewhat as men deemed more faintly then he that was hartily minded to his wealth And they that thus iudge thinke that long time in K. Edwards life he forcast to be king in case that his brother whose life he looked that euill diet should shorten should happen to decease as indeed he did while his children were young And they deeme that for this intent he was glad of the Duke of Clarence death whose life must needes haue hindered him so intending being his elder brother whether the same Duke had kept him true to his Nephew the young king or enterprized to be king himselfe But of all this point there is no certainty and who so diuineth vpon coniectures may aswell shoote too farre as too short Howbeit this haue I by credible information learned that the same night in which king Edward died one Mistlebroke long ere morning came in great haste to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Red Crosse street without Creeple-gate in London and when he with hasty rapping quickly was let in he shewed vnto Pottier that K. Edward was departed By my troth man quoth Pottier then will my Master the Duke of Gloucester be king what cause he had so to thinke hard it is to say whether being toward him knew any such thing intended or otherwise had any inkling thereof for it was not likely that he spake it of no ground 8 But now to return to the course of this History were it that the Duke of Glocester had of old foreminded this conclusion was now thereunto moued put in hope by the occasion of the tender age of the yong Princes his Nephewes as oportunity likelihood of speed putteth a man in courage of that he neuer intended certaine it is that he contriued their destruction with the vsurpation of the regall dignitie vpon himselfe and forasmuch as he well wist and holp to maintaine a long continued grudge and hartburning betweene the Queenes kindred and the Kings blood either part enuying others authority he now thought their diuisions should be as it was indeed a forward beginning to the pursuite of his intent and a sure ground for the foundation of all his building if he might first vnder the pretext of reuenging old displeasure abuse the anger and ignorance of the one party to the destruction of the other and then winne to his purpose as many as he could and those that could not be wonne might be lost before they were aware for of one thing was he certaine that if his intent were perceiued he should soone haue made peace between both the parties with his owne blood 9 King Edward in his life albeit that this dissention betweene his friends somewhat greeued him yet in his good health he somewhat lesse regarded it because he thought whatsoeuer busines should fall betweene them himselfe should alwaies be able to rule both the parties But in his last sicknes when he perceiued his naturall strength so sore infeebled that he dispaired all recouerie then considering the youth of his Children albeit he nothing lesse mistrusted then that that happened yet well fore-seeing how many harmes might grow by their debate while the youth of his children should lacke discretion of themselues and good Counsell of their friends of which either party should counsell for their owne commodity and the rather by pleasant aduise to winne themselues fauour then by profitable aduertisements to doe his children good hee called some of them before him that were at variance and in speciall the Lord Marquesse Dorset the Queenes sonne by her first husband and William Lord Hastings a noble-man then Lord Chamberlaine against whom thâ—… Queene especially grudged for the great fauor the King bare him and also for that shee thought him secretly familiar with the King in wanton company Her kindred also bare him sore aswell for that the King had made him Captaine of Callis which office the Lord Riuers brother to the Queene claimed of the Kings former promise as for diuers other great gifts which he receiued that they looked for These were the grudges which the king on his death bed sought to remoue and they in shew seemed to cancell as we haue said though the sparks of these displeasures burst afterward into a dangerous flame which consumed most of them as afterward shall appeare 10 For assoone as the King was departed this life his sonne Prince Edward drew towards London from Ludlow in Wales which Countrey being farre off from the law and recourse to iustice was become to be farre out of Order and growne wilde Robbers Rouers walking at liberty vncorrected for which cause this Prince in the life time of his father was sent thither to the end that the authority of his presence should refraine euill disposed persons from the boldenes of their former outrages To the gouernance and ordering of this young Prince at his sending thither was there appointed Sir Anthonie Wooduill Lord Riuers and brother vnto the Queene a right honorable man as valiant of hand as politick in Counsell adioined were there vnto him others of the same partie and in effect euery one as he was neerest of kin vnto the Queene so was he planted next about the Prince 11 That drift of the Queene not vnwisely deuised whereby her blood might of youth be rooted in the
make him King and that the Protectors only lawfull sonne should marry the Dukes daughter and that the Protector should grant him the quiet possession of the Earldome of Hertford which he claimed at his inheritance and could neuer obtaine it in King Edwards time Besides these requests of the Duke the Protector of his owne accord promised him a great quantitie of the Kings treasurie and of his houshold stuffe And when they were thus at a point betwixt themselues they went about to prepare for the Coronation of the yong king as they would haue it seeme And that they might turne both the eyes minds of men frō perceiuing of their drifts otherwhere the Lords were sent for from all parts of the Realme and came flocking vnto the solemnitie But the Protector and Duke after they had sent the Lord Cardinall Arch-bishop of Yorke then L. Chancellor the Bishop of Ely the Lords Stanley Hastings then Lord Chamberlaine with many other Noblemen to conferre and deuise about the Coronation in one place as fast they were in another place contriuing the contrary to make the Protector king to which counsel albeit there were adhibited very few and they very secret yet began here and there some muttering among the people as though all should not long be wel though they neither knew what they feared nor wherefore were it that before such great things mens hearts of a secret instinct of nature misgiue them as the Sea without winde swelleth of himselfe sometime before a tempest or were it that some one man happily somewhat perceiuing filled many men with suspition though hee shewed fewe men what hee knew Howbeit somewhat the dealing it selfe made men to muse on the matter though the counsell were close For by little and little all men withdrewe from the Tower and repaired to Crosbies in Bishopsgate streete where the Protector kept his house in great state So that the Protector had the resort and the King left in a manner desolate And whilest some for their businesse made suite to such as were in office for the King some were secretly by their friends warned that it might happely doe them no good to be too much attendant about the king without the Protectors appointment who then began to remoue many of the Princes old seruants and in their stead to place about him new 41 Thus many things meeting together partly by purpose partly by chance caused at length not onely the common people that moue with the winde but wisemen also and some Lords likewise to marke and muse at the matter insomuch that the Lord Stanley who was after Earle of Darby said to the Lord Hastings that he much misliked these two seuerall counsels For while we quoth he talke of one matter in the one place little wot we whereof they talke in the other place My Lord quoth the Lord Hastings of my life neuer doubt you for while one man is there which is neuer thence neuer can things be moued that should sound amisse against me but it shall be in mine eares ere it be well out of their mouths this ment he by Catesby which was of his neere counsell and whom hee very familiarly vsed and in his most waighty matters put no man in so speciall trust nor no man so much beholden vnto him as Catesby was A man indeed well learned in the Lawes of this Land and by speciall fauour of the Lord Chamberlaine in good authoritie and bare much rule in Leicestershire where the Lord Hastings power chiefly lay But surely great pittie it was that he had not had either more truth or lesse wit For his dissimulation onely kept all that mischiefe vp in whom if the Lord Hastings had not put so special trust the Lord Stanley and hee had departed with diuers other Lords and had broken all the dance for many ill signes that he saw which he now construes all to the best So surely thought he that there could bee no harme towards him intended in that counsell where Catesby was And of truth the Protector and Duke of Buckingham made very good semblance vnto the Lord Hastings whom vndoubtedly the Protector loued well and loth was tohaue lost him but for feare least his life should haue quailed their purpose for which cause hee moued Catesby to proue with some words cast out a farre off whether hee could thinke it possible to winne the L. Chamberlaine to their part But Catesby whether hee assayed him or assayed him not reported vnto them as hee found him so fast and heard him speake so terrible words that hee durst no further breake True it is that the Lord Chamberlaine of very trust shewed vnto Catesby the distrust that others began to haue in the matter therfore Catesby fearing as he affirmed least their motion might with the Lord Hastings diminish his credence whereunto only all the matter leaned hee counselled and procured the Protector hastily to rid him And much the rather for that he trusted by his death to obtaine much of the rule that the Lord Hastings bare in his Countrey the onely desire whereof was the allectiue that induced him to be partner and one speciall contriuer of all this horrible treason 42 Soone after this vpon Friday the thirteenth day of Iune many Lords assembled in the Tower and there sate in counsel deuising the honorable solemnitie of the Kings Coronation of the which the time appointed was so neere that the Pageants and subtilties were in making day and night at Westminster and much victuall killed that afterward was cast away These Lords sitting together communing of this matter the Protector came in amongst them about nine of the clocke saluting them courteously and excusing himselfe that he had beene from them so long saying merrily I haue bin a sleeper this day And after a little talke with them he said to the Bishop of Ely My Lord you haue verie good Strawburies at your Garden in Holborne I pray you let vs haue a messe of them Gladly my Lord said the Bishop would God I had some better thing as ready to pleasure you as that and therewith in all haste hee sent his seruaunt for a messe of Strawburies Whereupon the Protector setting the Lords fast in conference prayed them to spare him for a little while and departed thence But soone after betwixt ten and eleuen hee returned into the counsell Chamber amongst them with a wonderfull sowre and angry countenance knitting the browes frowning and fretting and g◅awing on his lippes sate him downe in his place all the Lords much dismayed sore maruelling of this his suddaine change and what thing should him aile He sitting thus a while began thus to speake What are they worthy to haue that compasse and imagine the destruction of mee being so neere of blood vnto the King and Protector of his royall person and his Realme At which question all the Lords
him in their suite In which albeit they meant as much honour to his Grace as wealth to all the Realm beside yet were they not sure how his Grace would take it whom they would in no wise offend Then the Protector as he was very gentle of himselfe and also longed sore to know what they meant gaue him leaue to propose what him liked verily trusting for the good mind that he bare them all none of them would intend any thing to him-ward wherewith hee ought to be grieued 60 When the Duke had this leaue and pardon to speake then waxed hee bold to shew him their entent and purpose with all the causes mouing them thereunto as you haue heard before and finally to beseech his Grace that it would like him of his accustomed goodnes and zeale vnto the realm now with his eye of pitty to behold the long continued distresse and decay of the same and to set his gratious hands to redresse an amendment thereof by taking vpon him the Crowne and gouernment of the land according to his right and title lawfully descended vnto him and to the law of God profit of the Realme and vnto his grace so much the more honour and lesse paine in that that neuer Prince raigned ouer any people that were so glad to liue vnder his obeisance as the people of this land vnder his 61 When the Protector had heard the proposition he looked very strangely thereat and answered That albeit it were he partly knew the things by them alleaged to be true yet such intire loue he bare vnto King Edward and his children that so much more he regarded his honour in other Realmes about then the Crowne of any one of which he was neuer desirous that he could not finde in his heart in this point to incline to their desire For in all other Nations where the truth was not well knowne it would peraduenture be thought that it was his own ambitious minde and deuise to depose the Prince and to take himselfe the Crowne with which infamie he would not haue his honour stained for anie Crowne in which he had euer perceiued much more labour and paine then pleasure to him that would so vse it as he that would not were not worthy to haue it Notwithstanding he not only pardoned them the motion that they made him but also thanked them for the loue and harty fauour they bare him praying them for his sake to giue and beare the same to the Prince vnder whom hee was and would be content to liue and with his labour and counsell as farre as should like the King to vse him he would doe his vttermost endeuour to set the Realme in good state which was already in this little time of his Protectorship the praise be giuen to God well begun in that the malice of such as were before occasion of the contrary and of new intended to be were now partly by good pollicy partly more by Gods speciall prouidence then mans prouision repressed 62 Vpon this answere giuen the Duke by the Protectors licence a little rowned aswell with other noble men about him as with the Maior and Recorder of London And after that vpon like pardon desired and obtained he shewed aloude vnto the Protector for a finall conclusion that the Realme was at a point King Edwards line should not any longer raigne ouer them both for that they had so farre gone as it was now no surety to retreat as for that they thought it was for the weale vniuersall to take that way although they had not yet begun it Wherefore if it would like his grace to take the Crowne vpon him they would humbly beseech him thereunto if he would giue them a resolute answere to the contrary which they would be loth to heare then must they needes seeke and would not faile to finde some other noble man that would These words much moued the Protector which else as euery man may know would neuer of likelihood haue inclined thereunto But when he saw there was none other way but that either he must take it or else he and his both goe from it he said vnto the Lords and commons 63 Sith wee well perceiue that all the Realme is so set whereof we be very sorry that they will not suffer in any wise King Edwards line to gouerne them whom no earthly man can gouerne against their wils and well we also perceiue that no man there is to whom the Crowne can by iust title appertaine as to our selfe as very right heire lawfully begotten of the body of our most deare father Richard late Duke of Yorke to which title is now ioined your election the Nobles and Commons of this Realme which we of all title possible take for the most effectuall we be content and agree fauourably to incline to your petition and request and according to the same we here take vpon vs the roiall estate preheminence and kingdome of the two noble realmes England and France the one from this day forward by vs and our heires to rule gouerne and defend the other by Gods grace and your good helpe to get againe and subdue and establish for euer in due obedience vnto this Realm of England the aduancement whereof we neuer aske of God longer to liue then we intend to procure With this there was a great shout crying King Richard King Richard And then the Lords went vp to the King for so was he from that time called and the people departed talking diuersely of the matter euery man as his fantasie gaue him 64 Much was talked and maruelled at the manner of this dealing that the matter was made so strange vnto both parties as though they neuer had communed either with others before when as themselues wist there was no man so dull that heard them but perceiued well inough that all the matter was so made betweene them How beit some excused that againe and said all must be done in good order And men must sometimes for manners sake not be acknown what they know for at the consecration of a Bishop euery man wotteth well by the paying for his bulles that he purposeth to be one and though he pay for nothing else and yet must he twice be asked whether he will be a Bishop or no and hee must twice say nay and at the third time take it as compelled thereunto by his owne will And in a Stage-play the people know right well that he who plaieth the Sowdaine is percase a sowter yet if one should know so little good to shew out of season what acquaintance he hath with him and call him by his owne name while he standeth in his maiesty one of his tormentors might hap to breake his head worthily for marring of the plaie 65 The raigne of this yong King may well be accounted an interregnum without King aswell for his minoritie being vnder the rule of a Protector himselfe as for
Inuenters of this enterprise shee likewise sent Hugh Conway an Esquire into Britaine with a great summe of money giuing him in charge to declare to the Earle the great loue that the most part of the Nobility of the Realme bare towards him willing him not to neglect so good an occasion offered but with all speed to setle his mind how to return into England and therewithall aduising him to take land in Wales When the Earle had receiued this ioyfull message hee brake to the Duke of Britaine all his secrets aduertising him thathe was entred into a sure stedfast hope to obtaine the Crown of England desiring him of help towards the atchieuing of his enterprise which the Duke promised afterwards performed wherupon the Earle sent back again Hugh Conway Th. Ramney to declare his cōming shortly into Englād 32 In the meane season the chiefe of the conspiracy in England beganne many enterprises which being neuer so priuily handled yet knowledge therof came to King Richard and because hee knew the Duke of Buckingham to be the chiefe head and aide of this combination he thought it most necessarie to plucke him from that part and thereupon addressed his louing letters vnto the Duke requesting him most earnestly to come to the Court whose graue aduise for counsell hee then stood much in need of with many words of kind complements to bee vttered from the mouth of the messenger but the Duke mistrusting those sweet promises proceeded out of a bitter intent and knowing K. Richard to speak most fayrest when he meant foulest play desired the king of pardon excusing himself that he was sickly not wel able to trauel which excuse the king would not admit but sent other letters with checking wordes commanding him without delay to repaire to his presence vnto which the Duke made a determinate answere that hee would not come to his mortall enemy and immediately prepared war against him Whereupon Thomas Marquesse Dorset came out of Sanctuary and gathered a great band of men in the County of Yorke Sir Edward Courtney and Peter his brother Bishoppe of Excester raised another Armie in Deuonshire and Cornwall and in Kent Sir Richard Guilford and other Gentlemen raised a Company and all this was done euen in one moment 33 King Richard rouzed from his pleasures in progresse sent forth commission to muster his men and with a great preparation from London marched towardes Salisbury thinking it not best to disparkle his power into small parts in pursuing his enemies euery way at once and therfore omitting all others with a great puissance went to set vpon the Duke of Buckingham the head of the spring The Duke hearing of the Kings approach made out to meet him before hee came too farre accompanied with a great power of wild Welshmen whom hee had enforced to follow him more by his Lordly commandement then by liberall wages which thing indeed was the cause that they fell off and forsooke him His march was through the forrest of Deane intending for Glocester where hee meant to passe Seuerne and so haue ioined his Army with the Courtneys other Western men which had he done no doubt K. Richard had been in great ieopardie But before hee could attaine the Seuerne side by force of continuall raine the riuer rose so high that it ouerflowed all the country adioyning and was not againe bounded within his owne bankes for the space of ten dayes so that the Duke could not get ouer nor his complices any wise come vnto him during which time the Welshmen lingring idle without wages or victual sodainelie brake vp Campe and departed whereupon the Duke was wonderously perplexed not knowing how to recouer this vnfortunate chance and destitute of power to shew himselfe in field sought to secure himselfe in secret till destiny assigned him a better day 34 A seruant he had in especiall fauour trust brought vp tenderly by him and risen to great wealth and esteeme his name was Humfrey Ba◅ister and place of residence neere vnto Shrewsburie whither the distressed Duke in disguise repaired intending there to remain secret vntil he might either raise a new power or else by some meanes conuay himselfe vnto Britaine to Henry Earle of Richmund but as soone as the others which had attempted the same enterprise against the King had knowledge that Buckingham was forsaken of his Company and could not be found as men strucke in sodaine feare shifted euery one for himselfe many of them taking Sanctuary but the most of the chiefest took into Britaine among whom were Peter Courtney Bishoppe of Excester with his brother Edward Earle of Deuonshire Thomas Marquesse Dorset the Queenes sonne and his young sonne Thomas being a Childe Edward Wooduile Knight brother to the Queene Iohn Lord Wells Sir Robert Willoughby Sir Iohn Bourchier Sir Giles Daubeney Sir Thomas Arundell Sir Iohn Cheinie with his two brethren Sir William Barkley Sir Richard Edgecombe and Sir William Brandon Edward Poinings an excellent Captain and others 35 Richard thus farre proceeded and no enemy seene his hopes were encreased and feares daily lesse yet being a Prince politicke and vigilant he commanded the Ports to be securely kept knowing that Buckingham was not fled with the rest made proclamation for the apprehending of that Duke promising a thousand pound to the man that could bring him forth with pardon of his faults to enioy the Kings fauour and if hee were a bondman presently to bee made free Banister minding the present and forgetting what was past spread his lappe first to receiue this golden shower and in hope of this gaine made no conscience to betray his own Lord who had now laid his life vpon trust in his hands hee therefore repayring to the Shiriffe of Shrewsbury reuealed the Duke who disguised like a poore Countriman and digging in a groue neere vnto Banisters house was apprehended and with a great guard of men was brought vnto Salisbury where King Richard then lay and where without arraignement or iudgement vpon the second of Nouember he lost his head whose death was the lesse lamented for that himselfe had been the chiefe Instrument to set the Crowne wrongfully vpon Richards head and yet the treachery of Banister was most seuerely punished as many haue obserued not onely in the losse of his reward promised which he neuer had and infamy receiued neuer after shaken off but also in himselfe and children as are thus reported his eldest sonne and heire fell mad and dyed so distracted in a Boares Stye his second sonne became deformed in his limmes and fell lame his third sonne was drowned in a small puddle of water his eldest daughter was sodainely strucke with a foule leprosie and himselfe being of extreame age was arraigned and found guilty of murder and by his Clergy saued his life 36 An other Commotion at the same time was in Kent where George Browne
and Iohn Gilford Knights Foge Scot Clifford and Bonting with fiue thousand men attempted great matters at Grauesend but hearing of the Duke of Buckinghams surprise dispersed themselues for that time But when King Richard perceiued how hee was euery where beset he sent one Thomas Hutton vnto Francis Duke of Britaine with proffers of gold to circumuent and imprison Earle Henry who as hee feared was too well friended in those forraine parts which thing indeed this Hutton well perceiued and so to the King reported that the Duke was nothing forward to bite at this baite whereupon those that lately fled England were indited of treason and other of Henries factions beheaded whereof Sir George Browne and Sir Roger Clifford Knights with foure others were beheaded at London and at Exceter for the like cause dyed Sir Thomas Sentleger who had married Lady Anne Dutchesse of Excester King Richards own sister with others so icalous was the King of his vsurped Crowne and that nothing should be laide to vnprouident foresight the coasts hee stored with Armies of men furnished the Ports with store of Prouision and made all things ready to withstand Earle Henries arriuall Who now hauing gotten aide of fiue thousand Britaines with forty vessels wel furnished set saile from thence the twelfth of October but was taken with so terrible a tempest that his Fleet was disparkled some into Normandy and some compelled to returne into Britaine only the Earles ship with one other hept the Seas being sore tossed all night and in the morning arriued in the mouth of Poole in the County of Dorset where hee might behold the Shore full of men shining in armour to his great amasement whereupon hee sent out his shippe-boat to know whether they were friends or enemies their answere was that they were thither appointed by the Duke of Buckinghm to attend the comming of the Earle of Richmund to conduct him in safety to the Duke who lay encamped not far off that so ioyning their forces they might prosecute Richard the vsurper who being in a maner destitute of men was sore distracted and desperate in his owne designes These smooth vntruthes notwithstanding Earle Henry auoided and with a forward gale returned to Normandy whence he sent Messengers vnto young Charles King of France whose father King Lewis was lately departed this life to haue his safe conduct to returne into Britaine which easily was granted with fauourable complements returned to the Earle Lord Henry thus crossed by sea had present news of Buckinghams surprise and death with the flight of the Nobles escaped from Richard who meeting with Richmund in Britaine fell forthwith into Counsell where first it was determined that Earle Henry should take his oath to espouse the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter vnto King Edward and the immediate heire to the Crowne which hee solemnly did in the Church at Rhedon and they for their parts sware vnto him fealty doing him homage with no lesse respect then vnto their sole and crowned King 37 Of these proceedings King Richard soone heard which indeed greatly appaled his thoughâ—… and all pensiue and sad he returned out of the West towards London where to cut off the hopes of Richmunds further claime hee caused a Parliament to be assembled at Westminster and therein attainted the said Earle Henry himselfe and all such as had fled the land in his behalfe enacting them enemies to their naturall Country their goods to be confiscated and all their lands and possessions to be seised vpon to the Kings vse which was so forwarded by his lewd Counsellors and so executed by his fawning followers that some better affected set forth the present and oppressed estate in these scoffing rimes to their further disgrace diuulging their names in manner as followeth The cat the rat and Louell the dogge Rule all England vnder a hogge Alluding to the names of Ratcliffe the Kings mischieuous Minion and of Catesby his secret traducer and to the Kings cognizance which was the Boare for which William Collingborne Esquier who had been Shiriffe of Wiltshire and Dorsetshire was condemned and vpon the Tower hill executed with al extremity 38 King Richards state standing in dangers abroad and not altogether free from conspiracies at hoâ—…e hee thought it best policy to enter amitie with Scotland which hee did for the terme of three yeeres and the more firme to assure himselfe of that King hee intreated a marriage betwixt the Duke of Rothsay the kings eldest sonne and the Lady de la Pole daughter to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and to the Dutchesse Elizabeth king Richards owne sister whom hee so much fauoured as that after the death of his owne sonne he proclaimed Iohn Earle of Lincolne her sonne and his Nephew heire apparant to the Crowne of England disinheriting King Edwards daughters whose brothers hee had before murdered 39 His feares nothing lessened but rather daily increased he attempted once more to stop the Currunt which led to the spring to which end he sent his Ambassadours loaden with gold and many gay promises vnto Francis Duke of Britaine offring to giue him all Richmâ—…nds lands and yeerely reuenues if he would either send the said Earle into England or commit him there vnto prison These comming to the Dukes Court could haue no communication with him he lying extremely sicke and his wits too weake to entertaine discourse Whereupon Peter Landose his Treasurer a man pregnant in wit and of great authority tooke the motion into hand vnto whom the English Ambassadors promised all the Earles Reuenews if he could bring King Richards request to passe He greedy of gaine and being in place to doe what he would promised to effect it conditionally that King Richard would make good his offer Thus whilest messengers posted betwixt Peter and Richard Iohn Bishop of Elie being then in Flaunders was certified by Christopher Vrswicke of all the circumstances of this purpose whereupon the Bishop with all possible hast sent the same intelligence the same day and by the same man vnto Earle Henry in Britain willing him to shift himself and followers into France who forthwith sent Vrswick vnto King Charles to haue his licence that he might with his good liking come into his dominions which being obtained he caused the other Lords vnder pretence to visite the sicke Duke to escape into Aniou and two daies after changing his Apparrell with his seruant waited vpon him as vpon his Master and posted thence into France whose escape when the Treasurer heard of he sent after to apprehend him and that in such hast as at his entrance into the French dominions they were hard at his heeles 40 This suddaine flight of the Earle and of the other English Lords the Duke of Britaine being somwhat recouered of his dangerous sicknes tooke very greeuously imputing it a great dishonour vnto himselfe to suffer the least suspect of breach betwixt
treason and fellony and the same vrged vnto extremity with many amplifications and bitter inuectiues especially that hee had sought and pretended the deathes of the Duke of Northumberland the Lord Marquesse and Pembroke where after many mild answeres to these matters obiected he put himselfe to be tried by his Peeres who acquitted him of treason but found the inditement of felloniâ—… when presently the Aâ—… was commaunded away whereat the shout of the people shewed the great affection that was boâ—…e to the Duke little mistrusting that the sentence of death was pâ—…ounced against him or that the kiâ—… vncle should die as a fellon neither did Staâ—… intend any such thing as some are of opinion but rather was purposely made for the suppression of â—…bellions and vnlawfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herein such as should seeke or procure the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—…sellor should be guilty as in case of felloniâ—… But such was the pleasure of the all ordering power 〈◊〉 he which knew no theft should die for that sinne so that neither himselfe nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demaunded the benefite of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would haue saued his life if it had beene required 69 His sentence thus pronounced hee was againe sent backe to the Tower wherein he kept a very sad Christmas yea and that in the Court inclined to little mirth the King lamenting the condemnation of his vncle had not some witty disportes broke off his passions which how and by whome they proceeded let others report and vs continue the Tragedie of this Duke who vpon the two twenty of February following being Friday was brought to the Scaffold vpon Tower-hil by eight in the morning where turning himselfe towardes the East he spake to the people as followeth 70 Dearely beloued friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I neuer offended against the King neither in word nor deed and haue alwayes been as faithfull and true vnto this Realme as any man hath been but for somuch as I am by law condemned to die I doe acknowledge my selfe as well as others to be subiect thereunto wherefore to testifie mine obedience which I owe to the lawes I am come hither to suffer death where unto I willingly offer my selfe with most hearty thanks vnto God that hath giuen me this time of repentance who might through sodaine death haue taken away my life that I neither should haue acknowledged him nor my selfe 71 These words vttered besides others exhortatory that the people would continue constant in the Gospell sodainly was heard a great noyse wherby the assembly was strucke into great feare some thinking that a storme or tempest descended from aboue some supposed that the barrels of Gunpowder in the Armorie had taken fire were all blowne vp into the Aire others thought that they heard a noise of horses prepared to battell some againe affirmed confidently that it did thunder and others thought verily it was an earth-quake and that the ground moued vnto such confusion and terrour were they presently brought which saith Stow was none other but that certaine men from the Hamlets warned with weapon to guard the Tower-hill came thither somewhat after the hower appointed whose formost seeing the Prisoner on the Scaffold beganne to runne forward themselues and call to their fellowes to come away which word away sounding as an Eccho in the peoples eares they thought that rescue had come to the Duke to take him away and seeing the Bil-men to make forward so fast beganne themselues to shrinke backe from the hill euery man seeking to saue one and by this accident and confused cries this feare among them fell and beganne This stirre scarce ended another ensued by the running of the people towards the Scaffold who seeing Sir Anthony Browne riding thitherward supposed a pardon had come from the King so that a sodaine shout arose apardon apardon God fane the King by which it onely appeared in what loue hee was had and how much his life was desired of the Commons 72 The Duke whose mind being altogether prepared for death was little moued either to hope or feare and thereupon addressed his second speech to the people and with no deiected countenance spake againe and said Beloued friends there is no such matter intended as you vainely hope and belieue It seemeth thus good to the Almighty vnto whose ordinance it is meet that wee all bee obedient wherefore I pray you bee quiet and without tumult for I am quiet and let vs so ioyne in prayer vnto the Lord for the preseruation of our Noble King vnto whose Maiesty I wish câ—…uall health with all felicitie and abundance of prosperous successe Moreouer I wish to his Counsellers the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule all things vprightly with Iustice vnto whom I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient the which is also very necessarie for you vnder paine of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation of the Kings Maiesty And thereupon asking euery man forgiuenesse freely forgaue euery man against him and desiring the people to bee quiet lest the flesh should be troubled though his spirit was willing hee meekely laide downe his head to the Axe and receiued at one stroke his rest by death 73 Howsoeuer this Dukes cause was ballanced by law and him taken away that stood betwixt some and their Sunne yet was his death heauily disgested by the people that spake very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland but most especially the young King sore mourned and soone missed the life of his Protector thus vnexpectedly taken away who now depriued of both his vncles howsoeuer the times were passed with pastimes playes and shewes to driue away dumpes yet euer the remembrances of them sate so neere vnto his heart that lastly he fell sicke of a Cough which grieuously increasing ended with a consumption of the lungs 74 His sicknesse continuing with great doubt of his life vpon purpose saith Grafton to alter the succession of the Crowne three marriages were in one day solemnized whereof the first was betwixt the Lord Guilford Dudley fourth sonne to the Duke of Northumberland and the Lady Iane eldest daughter of Henry Duke of Suffolke the second was betwixt the Lord Herbert sonne and heire to William Earle of Pembroke and the Lady Katherine the yonger daughter of the said Duke of Suffolke and the third was betweene Hanry L. Hastings sonne and heire of Frances Earle of Hantington and Katherine the youngest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland which tending saith he to the diâ—…erison of the rightfull heires they proued nothing prosperous for two of them were presently made frustrate the one by death and the other by diuorce 75 The policy established and languishing sicknesse of the King gaue way vnto such as sought the euersion of the State alienation of the Crown In whose eye no head was scene fitter for that faire Diademe
Welsh Henry Hunt Flor. Wigorn. The Welsh subdued Math. Paris Henry Hunt * Lawyers cal this Ayde a file marrier Polydor. Hist. lib. 11. saith this was the first president but falsely for both this and that other at knighting of the Kings children are mentioned in the grauÌ„d Custâ—…mier of Normandy and was in vse amongst the Romane Emperours Suetonius in Caligula The English Kings Eldest Sonnes Dukes of Normandy Will. Thorne An. D. 1115 Math. Paris An. D. 1116 Polydor. lib. 11. Ger. Dor. The beginnings of our Parliaments The difference betwixt this and the Ancient vâ—…e of the State Campaigne Henry Hunt Offence and cause of debate betwixt King Henry and King Lewis of France Attempts to dispossesse K. Henry of Normandy Henry goeth to secure Normandy Math. Paris An D. 1117 Flor. Wigor An. D. 1118 An. D. 1119 A pitcht field betwixt the Kings of England and France An. Reg. 20. Malmes lib. 5. Math. Paris The Army of the French King The Army of the English King Heny Hurt The King dangerously assailed Ypodig Neustrl And as brauely acquits himselfe 〈◊〉 Earle of Flanders slaine An. D. 1120 Geâ—… Dor. Prince William marrieth the Duke of Anious daughter Roger. Houed Prince William doth homage for Normandy * Haresteer Prince William puts to Sea A most lamentable shipwrake William Malmes * Sodomiticâ—… labe insects 〈◊〉 omnes saith Paris Prince Williams pitty to his sister cost him his life Malmsb lib. 5. de Reg. Onely one of all his traine escapeth The chiefe of those who then perished Math. Paris Iohn Stow. Rand. Higden An. D. 1121 Eadmerus King Henry marieth againe Gemiticensis Geru Dâ—…ob Henry Hunt Mat. Paris Rand. Higd. in Polyc. lib. 7. ca. 15. A Cholericke Prelate * Math. Paris ad An. 1119. Eadmerus * Polyc. lib. 7. c. 15. * Paris An. 1113. Roma sub Vrbano Anno 1094. * Paris there cals it Their ancient Custome and An. 1112. it had con tinued 300. yeres and vnder 60. Popes Will. Malmes Goodwins Catalogue Math. Paris Will. Malmes Wil. Malmsb. Rand. Higden Corâ—… Walles New attempts in Wales An Army conducted against them The King struck with an Arrow King Henries vsuall Oath Malmes lib. 5. A Peace concluded Iohn Castor Chron. Wallia An. D. 1122 The Normans set vp Duke Roberts sonne He marrieth Sibyl daughter to the Earle of Aniou Rand. Higd. in Polybâ—… lib. 7. c. 16. An. D. 1123 Roger Wind. Math. Paris King Henry repaires the Castles of Normandie An. D. 1124 Henry Hunt Math. Paris Tankeruile takes the Traterous Earles in Normandy Mat. Westâ—… An. D. 1125 Cardinall Cremensis the Popes Legat to restrain Priests marriages Polychr lib. 7. cap. 16. Hen. Hunting lib. 7. Houed in Heâ—…r 5. Taken with a whore the same day hee celebrated the Sacrament Mat. Paris Huntingdon Rog. Higden * Viz. An. D. 1129. Polydor. Math. Paris Huntingdon Roger Houed An. D. 1126 Emperour Henrie the Kings Sonne in law dieth The Empresse comes into England The Peeres sweare fealty to Empresse Dowager the Kings daughter Malmes Nouel lib. 1. Huntingd. lib. 8. Antiq. Manuscr Giral Iâ—…iner Polych lib. 7. c. 16. Houed in Hen. 1. Henry the Emperour supposed not to be dead * Gemetic p. 680. * As being now called of God saith Treâ—…isa * Iohn Stow. The Empresse falsely suspected Math. Paris * Polyer lib. 7. c. 16 Will. Gemet The good esteem of the Empresse Malmes Nouel lib. 1. An. D. 1127 Matth. Paris Will. Gemet The Empresse married to the Earle of Anion Gemeticensis Ger. Dor. William sonne to Duke Robert made Earle of Flanders Mat. Paris Williams title to Flanders An. D. 1128 King Henry inuaded France Mat. Paris He vseth meanes to disturbe Flanders Earle Williams great valour Math. Paris He dies of a smal wound in his hand Huntingdon lib. 7. Will. Malmes in Nouella Historia Higden The Empresie departs from his husband A. Do. 1131 Roger Houed Houeden in Henric 1. Huntingdon Hist. lib. 7. Malmes nouell lib. 1. The Empresse to her husband Hen. Huntingdon lib. 7. An. D. 1131. Ger. Dor. Math. Paris An. D. 1133 Will. Malmes in nouel lib. 1. The Kings last voiage into Normandy presaged to be fatal Polychron lib. 7. cap. 17. An. D. 1134 Robert Curtoise dieth in prison Math. Paris Matth. West King Henry dieth in Normandy Houeden Wil. Malms Math. Paris An. D. 1135 Will. Gemet Math. Paris Polychr l. 7. c. 17. Math. Paris Henry Hunt l. 8. Mat. Westminst Math. Paris Simon Dun. Huntingdon l. 8. Houedâ—… Rand. Hig. in Polychr lib. 7 ca. 17. * His especiall preheminence * His especiall vices Princes vices come to light after their deaths Description of his person and qualities William Gemet cap. 10. Math. West 1. Cor. 11. 14. Higden l. 7. c. 12. Malmes lib. 5. Will. Gem. cap. 22. * Malmesb. lib. 5. in Hen. 1. * Rossus that Pallace he called Beau-mount where afterward King Richard the the first was born He built also the Castle at Woodstocke * Paris An. 1132 * Higden l. 7. c. 14 Goodwine Catologue of Bishops Malmes lib. 5. * Great head His first Wife Malmes lib. 5. Wil. Malms Ibidem His second Wife She was euer barren Maud. Richard Eufem Robert Richard Raynold Robert Gilbert William Henry Maud. Maud. Iulian. Elizabeth Monarch 42. Stephen An. D. 1135 King Henries Issue defeated of the Crowne by Stephen Malmes Nouel lib. 1. Wil. Walsingham Floriacensis King Stephen his descent * Some call her Adela others Alice Wil. Gem. Stephens brother his chiefe Agent Malmsb. Nouel lib. 1. Math. Paris Henry Hunt Archbishop of Canterbury Stephens abettor A traiterous position Rog. de Wendouer Math Paris Malmsb. Nouel lib. 1. Idem * Oâ—… high Steward Mat. Paris Tho. Wal. Ypodigma Neustria * Idem Fealty sworne to Stephen Malmes Nouel lib. 1. Mat. Westm. Stephens louely qualities Will. Malmes Ibidem Rand. Higden Roger Houed Will. Malmes lib. 1. nouel Allegeance sworne conditionally to the King Idem King Stephens faire promises Huntingdon lib. 8. Houeden Hen. Huntingdon * Malmes nouell lib. 1. Kings Stephens Charter * This Henry imprisoned the Pope * Dated apud Oxenford 1136 reg 1 Wl. Malmsbury Huntingdon Roger Houed Wil. Malmsb Houeden Geruas Dorob Math. Paris Malmes Nouel lib. 1. Castles generally raised in England VValsingham Ypodig ad Ann. 1151. Excester first resists King StepheÌ„ Hen. Hunting lib. 8. Flor. Wigorn. Polydor. A. Do. 1138 Ypodigm Neustr. Math. Paris Will Gemet Hect. Boetius lib. 12 cap. 17. Simon Dun. Math. Paris Henry Hunt lib. 8. Chron. Wallâ—…a Tumultuous attempts in Normandy Pariâ—…ensis Wâ—…lsingh Tpodig Malmb Nouell lib. 1. Stephens elder Brother laieâ—… claime Idem Stephen goeth into Normandy Will. Newb. Ger. Dorobor He makes league with France Huntingdon lib. 8. Houeden Math. Paris His son Eâ—…stace Duke of Normandy Stephen buieth his elder brothers Title Ypodigm Neustr. Roger Wend. Houeden Huntingdon lib. 8. Mat. Paris He stoppeth the Empresses husbands mouth with money An. D. 1138. Ann. Reg. 3. Geru Dorob England againe in
1346. * Grafton * Serres King Edwards Charity The French deuise to succour Calais The English victory at Potiers 19. Sep. 1356. * Serres Polyd. Vergâ—… saith his name was Innocentius * Serres The French king taken prisoner * Froissard * Serres * Fabian out of the French Chronicles * Ypod. Neust. * Serres The Prince doth things more commendable then his victory * Paul Aemyl * Poly. Verg lib. 19. * Holinsh. omnes * Bolyd Verg. lib. 19. * 5 Mâ—… A. D. 1357. Ypod. Neust. A Lord Maior feasted foure kings at once The two Prisoner kings lodged * Adam 〈◊〉 King Dauid set at liberty after 11 yeeres durance * Fourdon A. D. 1357. * 27. Nouemb. * Guil. Tilliâ—… * Serres Tillâ—… An. D. 1358 A. reg 32. * VVals in Edward 3. fol. 173. * Armacâ—… in Defensoriâ—… curatorâ—… Fox Martâ—…log in Edward 3. * 〈◊〉 iâ—… * Sabelli Ennead 9 l. 6. * Tho. Wals. in Edward 3. King Edward 2. gaine in France 24. October * Paul Aemil. * Serres * Paradiâ—… in les Annals de Burgo * Froissard Paulus Aemilius saith 100000. crownes * Iud. 19. 11. 25. and 26. * Tho. Wals. * Polyd. Verg. lib. 19. * Tho. VVals An. D. 1360. The English before Paris Foure hundred Knights made at one time * Polyd. Verg. * Serres and Polyd. Verg. * Paul Aemyl * Tho. VValsing * Serres Paul Aemyl * Tho. Wals. Ran. Cestr. * Fabian * Tiâ—… Articles of peace * Paul Aemyl 〈◊〉 Iohan. 〈◊〉 * Serres Fabian Holinsh. Paul Aemyl * Tho. Walsing * Paul Aemyl Polyd. Uerg. Froissard The huge ransome of Iohn King of France * Tho. VVals Fabian The City of Paris gaue toward this ransome one hundreth thousand roialâ—… Edw. Griâ—… his English Serres * 24. October 1360. * 〈◊〉 par 7. Caxton * Inuentorie of France in Charles the 5. Serrâ—… Paul Aemyl in Car. 5. * Serres rashly affirmes he did * Pol. Virg. in E. 3. The points charged vpon the English In Charles 5. Serres The dealings of the English defended against P. Aemilius An. D. 1369 Iohn Duke of Lancaster sent to inuade France * Polyd. Verg. in Edw. 3. Froissard * Ypod. Neust. * Polyd. Verg. l. 19 Holinsh. in Edw. 3. An. D. 1370 Sir Robert Knolles sent Generall into the parts about Britaine * Tho. Walsing in Edw. 3. * Paul Emyl in Car. 5. * Paul Emyl Iac. Meir Holinsh. * Tho. Walsing in fine Edw. 3. * Tho. Wals. in Edward 3. * Holinsh. * Serres * Holinshed * Serres an Author distrusted An. D. 1372 * Holinshed The Flemish Name distressed by the English * Ypod. Neust. Rochel besieged by the French The English Nauie distressed by the Castilian * Polyd. Verg. l. 19 King Edward at sea to relieue Rochel is blown backe * Tho. Walsin * Polyd. Verg. lib. 19. A. D. 1373 Rochel continueth English * Tho. VVals * Tho Wals. lib. 19. * 1. Tillius Chron. * Miller p. 992. * Idâ—… ib. * Lib. Eliens * Cambd. Erit in Essex * Milles. p. 381. Idem p. 428. * Milles. p. 441. * Idem p. 689. Monarch 50 Richard II. A. D. 1378. The Coronation of the King 〈◊〉 MS. apâ—…d Dâ—… Rob. Cotton Seruices by â—…a on of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coroâ—…ion found and â—…ed in that 〈◊〉 The Court of higâ—… Sâ—…wardship A. D. 1379. The Britons dislike of the French Gouernment matter of new troubles The commons spared in the subsidie * Siâ—…plex Capellaâ—… Walsing A mâ—…morable example of a noble young gentlemans faith keeping Aids sent into Britain drowned Other aids pierce into Britaine from 〈◊〉 by land An. D. 1380. * Io. Tilâ—… in Chron. French troubles profitable to the English The Earle of Northumberland countermanded from pursuit of the Scots The Parliament at Northampton A. D. 1381. The Earle of Cambridge sent with an Armie into Portugall * Râ—…der Santiâ—… part 〈◊〉 hist. Hisp. cap. 2â—… * Polyd. Vergil 〈◊〉 l. â—…0 The dangerous rebellionâ—… of Wat. Tyler Iacke Straâ—… others * L. S. Alban MS * Hist. Ang. l. 20. * Ioh. Stow. VVat. Tyler the Idol of the Clownes Iohn Cumber-towne once Lord Maior of London confined and confiscated * Thoâ—… VValsing Ypod. p. 539. Polyder Vergil not to be rashly beleeued Sir Iohn Aâ—…eys reputation redeemed from slander * Reâ—… hee is called Ypod. Neust. Aâ—… 13â—…0 * Henry Knightoâ—… Can. of Lâ—…c Aâ—… apud Holinsh. * Thâ—… UUals. in Richard 2. Hatred increaseth betweene the Duke and Count Northumberland Berwick recouered by the Earle A. D. 1385. The Souereignty of Flanders offeâ—…red to king Richard by the Flemmings * Iohn Tylliâ—… in Chron. * Paul Aemyl saith 40000. in in fight and in â—…ight and that in those whole ciuill warres there perished â—…00000 * In Rich. 2. ad A. D. 1386. The Duke of Lancaster stands vpon his keâ—…ping Thâ—… VValsing in Rich. 2. ad â—…unc ann The French prepare an inuasion against England * Ex Record apâ—…d Tiliuâ—… * Paul Aâ—…myl * Polyd. Uerg. lib. bist Angl. 20. Paul Aemyl Frâ—…issard Iâ—… Meir * Paul Emyl Three hundreth thousand English men in armes together * Seruientes ad arma * Paul Aemyl in Carol. 6. The Kings mother dyeth being denied a pardon for her sonne the Lord Iohn Holland * Ypod Neust. The Duke of Lancaster suspected for perswading the King to passe the Scottish Sea The vertue of priuatâ—… men in the publikâ—… cause * Iohn Tilliâ—… The Portugeseâ—…â—…d the English * Iâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…xal S. Crâ—… 14. Septemb. The bad euent of this French designe for an inuasion The attempt of the Laity to dispossesse the Clergie of their temporall estates * Tâ—…o VVals King Richard the Clergies friend The first Marquesse made that euer was in England * Ex libr. Monast. de Melsa ex Record apud Guil Cambd. in Torkesh A. D. 1386. A. reg 6. * Ypod. Neust. * â—…olinsh * Tho. VValâ—… p. 321. The noble army of thâ—… Duke of Lancaster for Spaine * Heur Knighton Oklands Ang. prael * Holinsh. ex Hen. Knigh. p. 449. * Uigil S. Lauren. The Lord Henry Percie by-named Hotspur sent to Calis * Magister Gunnarius A Parallelization of the English and French States in these times * Paul Aemyl * Ypod. Neust. The first seeds of the ciuil wars * Sam. Dan. in his ciuill warres * Remaines * Tho. Walsing in Rich. 2. * Ypod. Neust. * Marâ—…al The Lord Maior of London refuseth to be of conspiracy against the Duke of Gloster An. D. 1387. * Aprilis 24. * Ypod Neust A description of King Richards chiefe fauorites Tho. VValsin in Richard 2. ad A. D. 13â—…6 The malignant construction made of the Earle of Arâ—…dels seruice The Duke of Ireland puts away his wife the Kings cosen * Tho. Walsin in Rich. 2. * Sellarij Filia a Sadlers daughter some aay a Ioyners Walsing A new â—…tion of the King how to bring the popular Lords to a triall The
thâ—… Tragicall effects * Polyd. Verg. A counterfeit Earle of Warwick executed * Addit to Fab. * Holinshed The true Earle of Warwicke designed to die * Stowes Annal. Perkin condemned executed A. D. 1499. An. Reg. 15. The Earle of Warwicks ruined by Perkins conspiracie Io. Sotw Annal. The Earle confesseth the enditement * Sir F. B. MS. Edward Earle of Warwicke last Male Plausageâ—… beheaded * Ioh. Stow. Annal. * Sir Fr. B. MS. * Polyd. Verg. A. D. 1501. An. Reg. 17. The Lady Katherine of Spaine landed in England Polyd. Verg. in Henirc 7. * Add. to Feb. * Res edmirabiles opera 〈◊〉 * Franc. Tarapha de Reg. Hisp. The briefe of 〈◊〉 and â—…bellas greatest actions * Luc. Marin Sic. Lib. 10. Isabella Queene of Spaine descended from our Edward the 3. King of England * Auton Hebriâ—… Decad I. lib. 1. * Polyd. Verg. 〈◊〉 Hen. 7. * Luc. Marin Sic. Prince Arthur married * Addit to Fab. saith on a Sunday the feast of S. Erkenwald * 10. Stows Annal. Prince Arthur dieth * Bern. Andr. MS. Prince Arthurs bookes and learning A. D. 1501. An. Reg. 17. * The coÌ„tract betweene Iames King of Scots and Lady Margaret published * Ioh. Stow Annal. in Iac. 4. * Polyd. virg Episc. Ross. Bishop Fox his presence desired by the Scotish King * Episc. Ross. ex Polyd. verg King Henries answere to an obiection against the match with Scotland A. D. 1502 An. Reg. 18. King Henry a Widdower and Henry his sonne created Prince of Wales * See in the life of Henry the 8 * 〈◊〉 Stow Ananl K. Henry brings his daughteâ—… the Lady Margares on the way to Scotland * Epis. Ross. The Earle of Northumberlâ—… deliuers her to King Iames within Scotland * Iâ—… Iac. 4. The immediate happy effect of this marriage * A. D. 1506 A. R. 21. * Addit to Fab. cals him Duke A Prince of the bloud roiall arraigned for murther of a priuate person The Earle of Suffolke causeth troubles Polyd. Verg. Edw. Hal. Hollinsh * Io. Stow. Annal. * Polyd. Verg. Apprehensions of persons for the Earle of Suffolkes cause * Polyd. Verg. The misery of great subiect and a lesson for theÌ„ Executions for the Earle of Suffolkes cause * Stowes Annal. * Add. to Fab. * Addit to Fab. The Earle or Duke of Suffolke and Sir Robert Curson others accursed Antiquit. Britan. in Mortons life names Innocentius and not Alexander * Polyd. Uerg. Antiquis Brit. in vita Morton Antiquit. Britan. Ibidem Philip the first King of Spaine and his Queene driuen by tempests into England A. D. 1506. An. Reg. 21. * Ioh. Stow. Annal. Polydor saith Wayâ—…outh * Io. Sotw Annal. The Kings of England and Spaine at Windsore Polyd. Verg. The Earle of Suffolke deliuered vp and sent to the Tower The ominous fall of the weather cocke of Pauls * Suet. in Ang. cap. 97. King Henries gathering of treasure * Nâ—…n tam seueritatis quam anaritia tela esse clamabant * Sir F. B. MS King Henry giues way to the needlesse molestation of his people * Sir Fr. B. MS Addit to Hard. The foule practises vsed to empouerish the subiect * Cor. Tacit. * Polyd. Verg. * 10. Stow Annals A. D. 1508. A. R. 23. The King falleth sicke Pol. Verg. King Henry seeks to assure his daughter Mary to Charles King of Castile The French King sends for aduise to the King of Scots * Epis. Ross. * Polyd. Verg. The Lade Mary promised to King Charles A. D. 1508. A. Reg. 24. K. Henry the 7. dies * Iohn Stowe Generall pardons granted by the King * Sir Fr. B. MS. Io. Stow. Annal. The yeere of his age and raigne A Saint lost for want of pay * Cambden in Surrey See more Supra in Edward 4. §. 79. 80. * Addit to Fab. King Henry saluted Defensor of Christs Church by three Popes Monarch 58 Henry VIII A. D. 1509. King Henry his birth place Polydor. The most learned King of Christendomâ—… King Henry and Queene Katheâ—… crowned Edw. Hall King Henry vsed to sit often in Councell him selfe in person Dudley Empson Ioh. Stow. Hollinsh pag. 791. Edw. Hall In Yocester Northamptonshire Edmund Dudley condemned Io. Sotw Annal. K. Heâ—…ies iustice and charity commended Holinsh. Henry a goodly man of shape and stature K. Henries great strength The Popes letters vnto King Henry K. Henry demanded France Iohn Lesly Bishop of Rosse A. D. 1510. K. Henry maketh league with many Princes Guiccardin King Henry entreth France An. Reg. 1. Edw. Hal. Sleidans Com. The Emperour serueth K. Henry Anglorum praelia Paulus Iouius Battell of Spurs A. D. 1513 August 24 Terwin wonne and the Citâ—…zens sworne vnto Henry Edw. Hall Turnay befieged by K. Henry The strength of Turnay A. D. 1513. Octob. 2. King Henry in triumph entred Turnay Ioh. Lesly K. Iames of Scotland incited by the French King Edw. Hal. Holinsh. See the contents of this letter in Ioh. Leslie Bishop of Rosse dated at Edenbrough the twenty sixt of Iuly in A. D. 1513. Lions terrified at K. Henries answeres See the contents of this letter in Holinshed dated from the Campe at the fiege of Terwin the 12. of August A. D. 1513. Iames King of Scotland enters England Thomas Earle of Surrey King Henries Lieutenant maketh towards the Scots Lord Howard profereth battel vnto K. Iames. King Iames accepteth of battel Iohn Lesly The fight begun Paulin 〈◊〉 The Scots at the first encounter be at the English backe The battels ioin The Scots put to flight The valiant courage of K. Iames. 〈◊〉 king of Scots slaine with 12. Earles and 17. Lords The Honourable receiuing of Cardinall Campiut Matth. 21 9. The Cardinals rich treasures shewed in Cheap side Charles the Emperour cometh into England Iohn Stow. Rich. Turpin King Henrie goeth into France Rich. Grafton Edw. Hall A. D. 1521. An. Reg. 13. Variance betwixt England and France Iohn Stow. R. Grafton Taken out of the Cardinals owne letters dated Ianuary 16. Anno. 1524. Duke Burbon made King Henries Captaine General Instructions of King Henry dated in Anno 1524. Rich. Pace Secretarie The English Embassages into forraine States The wrongs done by the French vnto the English Iohn Lest. The Queenes Dowry vapaid A. D. 1522. A generall muster Io. Stow. Charles the Emperour commeth againe into England Holinsh. in Anno 18. Henrie 8. The Emperour affianceth Lady Mary Iohn Sleidan Com. K. Henry wrote against Martin Luther The Popes Oration at the deliuery of K. Henries booke Ex Original Troubles in Ireland Holinsh pag. 84. Discention betwixt the Lord Deputies of Ireland Kildare accused to the Cardinall The Cardinals speech at the Counsell Table against Kildare Kildare interrupteth the Cardinals tale The Lords tender Kildare He answereth the Cardinals obiection In what ease stand the Noblemen of Ireland with Rebels Kildare committed to prison Kildare accused for suborning of Traitors Kildar committed to the Tower Kildares noble
The French inuade the I le of Wight and the coasts of Sussex A Roade made into Scotland Lord 〈◊〉 slaine A. D. 1546. A great losse of English in France 〈◊〉 Serres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 7. Peace concluded betwixt England and France Holinshed Chastiâ—… raiseth a fort neere â—…nto Bolloigne King Henries comand against his own writing The Lord Grey flaâ—…teth Chatillâ—… â—…ort A. D. 1547. King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 in Suruey London 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of December and 〈◊〉 of his raigne King Henries death A. D. 1533 A. D. 1532 A. D. 1536. A. D. 1540. 〈◊〉 p. 183. Iohn Stow. A. D. 1519. Iohn Stow. 〈◊〉 Thomas Milleâ—… Holinshed saith 〈◊〉 Thetford in Norfolke p. 1237. Monarch 59 Edward VI. A. D. 1547. R. Graston Edward created Prince of Wales presently after his birth Alluding to the Crest of her father a Phoenix in flames within a Crowne By his will dated the 30. of December A. D. 1546. Salomon and Henry compared in their sinnes and in their Issue Articles of the Rebels Sacrament of Baptisme Confirmation Consectation of the Lords body Holinshed Reseruation of the Lords Body consecrated Holy Bread and Holy water Priests ' not to be married The sixe Articles The Kings answere and generall pardon The first article answered The second article answered The third article answered Their other obiections answered Answere to the sixe articles King Edwards lawes written in miâ—…ke and not in blood Spoken like a King Forces sent against the rebels Iohn Hooker in description of Excester The rebels make toward the Lord generall The valiant attempt of the Lord Russell The rebels put to flight The rebels returne and maintaine the fight And againe put to flight The Rebels againe ouer-throwne M. Fox in Act. and â—…on The Crucifixe brought in a cart into the field The Rebels againe ouer-throwne The Captaines of the Rebels executed The Maior of Bodmin hanged A Millers man hanged for his master Commotions for Inclosures A. D. 1549. Commotions in Norfolke Grene. Iohn Flowerdew and Robert Ket the caulers of the commotions Ket made Captains of the Commotion Sir Edmund Windam in danger Monshold the place of the randeuoâ—… The inhumanities of the Commotioners Supplies of the commotioners Many good subiects forced to attend vpon the Rebels The tree of Reformation The Kings pardon contemned Norwich 〈◊〉 by the Rebels * George Stradlon George Stradlon his Oration Iohn Stow The L. Protector committed to the Tower M. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Articles drâ—…wne against the Lord Protector The Protector released from the Tower Vlpian Fulwell A combate fought betweene two Scottishmen before the Lord Grey The English forced out of Scotland The French intend to surprise Bulloignoberge The good seruico of Carter an English souldier A great slaughter of the French The French assault the Isles of Garnesey and Iersâ—…e 〈◊〉 vpon composition deâ—… liuered to the French Iohn Caixâ—… A. D. 1550. The sweating sickenes A sained reconcilement Iohn Stâ—… The Duke of Sommerset priusly armed Rich. Grafton The Duke of Sommerset sent to the Tower Stow. A. D. 1551. * Sâ—…w saith the first The Duke of Sommersets inditement * Of 〈◊〉 William Herbert The Duke condemned of 〈◊〉 Rich. Graf Iohn Stow. Holinsh. The Duke of Sommersets speech at his death A great feare without any cause Ioh. Stow in Annales The Duke entirely beloued of the Commons The Dukes second speech vpon the Scaffold Duke of SoÌ„merset soone mist and sore lamented King Edward falleth sicke Rich. Grafton Three marriages entended to reuert the succession Lady Iane made successor by sicke King Edward Vide Stat. in an 35. de R. â—… â—… M. Fox in all Mâ—… Sir Iames Halles refused to subscribe to K. Edwords Will. K. Edwards prayer The vertues of King Edward The report of Hieronymus Cardanus ex Fox His learning His Memory His Care His Mercy K. Edwards zeale to Christs Gospell K. Edwards letter to Lady Mary D. Ridleies sermon before King Edward The conference betwixt the King and Bishoppe Ridlay K. Edwards great care for the poor King Edwards 〈◊〉 deliuered to the L. Maior The Kings great liberality for the poore in London
an high Basement like a Sepulchre and on the sides whereof shal be made the story of Saint George and ouer height of the Basement shall bee made an Image of the King on Horsebacke liuelie in Armor like a King after the Antique maner shewing in countenance and looking on the said two Images lying on the said Tombes Item on the right hand and left hand of the said two Tombes shall bee foure Pillers of the foresaid Orientall stones that is to say on either side two Pillers and vpon euery Pillar shall bee a like Basement of white Marble with partitions for Scriptures as shall be aboue the other Pillers And on the same foure Basements of the said Pillers shall bee made foure Images two of Saint Iohn Baptist and two of Saint George with foure little children by them casting roses as is aforesaid Item ouer the said Image of the King on Horsebacke shall bee made an Arch triumphall of white Marble wrought within and about it and vpon the same Arch in maner of a Casement of white Marble garnished with like Orientall Stones of diuers colours as the pattern sheweth and on the two sides of the said Casement shall be made and set of brasse guilt the story of the life of Saint Iohn Baptist and one hight of the said Casement shall bee made fiue steps euery one more then other downeward of like Orientall stones as the said Pillers shall shew Item on the foure corners of the said Casement shall be made the Images of the foure Cardinal vertues hauing such Candlestickes in their hands as is aboue said Item on the toppe of the highest step of the said fiue steps on the one side shall be an Image of the Father hauing in his left hand the Soule of the King and blessing with his right hand with two Angels holding abroad the Mantle of the Father on either side Item in like wise shall bee made on the other side the said Image of the Father hauing the soule of the Queene in his left hand blessing with his right hand with like Angels The height of the same worke from the Father vnto the Pauement shall be xxviij foot Item the breadth and largenes of the said worke shall be xv foote and the Pillers of the Church in greatnes v. foote and so the largenes of the said worke from the vttermost part of the two great Pillars shal be xx foote Item euery of the Images of the xiiij Prophets shall containe euery Image V. foote in length and the Angels shall containe two foote and a halfe in length Item euery of the xx Pillers shall containe in length X. foot Item euery of the Images of the Apostles Euangelists and Doctors shall containe in length V. foote and the Angels as is abouesaid Item in likewise euery of the xx Angels of the quire shall containe in length two foot and a halfe and in likewise the Images of the Children two foot and a halfe Item the foure Images of St. Iohn Baptist and St. George and all the figures of the father and Angels on the V. steps shall be V. foote Item the foure Images of the King and the Queen shall be of the Stature of a man and woman and the foure Angels by them of the stature of a man euery one Itē the Image of the King on Horseback with his Horse shall be of the whole stature of a goodly man and large Horse Item there shal be a Cxxxiiij figures Xliiij Stories and all of Brasse guilt as in the patterne appeareth 135 This magnificent Monarch was of presence Maiesticall and of Personage more then ordinarily t◅l faire of Complexion and Corpulent of body very wise and very well learned of a sudden and ready speach in youth very prodigall and in his age very liberall pleasant and affable but not to be dallyed with bolde in attempting and euer thirstie of potent glory an expert Souldier and fauouring such as were actiue or seruiceable according to the then vsuall saying King Henrie loues a man and indeed somewhat too wel the delights with women as by his many wiues heere ensuing may well appeare His Wiues 136 Katherine the first wife to King Henry was the daughter of Ferdinando the sixt King of Spaine and widow dowager of Prince Arth◅r his elder brother as hath beene said she was married vnto this King the third of Iune and first of his Raigne the yeere of saluation 1509. being solemnely crowned with him vpon the twenty fourth day of the same and was his wife aboue twenty yeeres and then diuorced from him by the sentence of the Archbishop of Canterbury liued three yeeres after by the name of Katherine Dowager Shee deceased at Ki◅balton in the County of Huntington the eight of Ianuary and yeere of Christ 1535. and lieth interred on the North-side of the quire in the Cathedrall Church of Peterborow vnder a hearse of Blacke Saye hauing a white Crosse in the middest 137 Anne the second wife of King Henry was the second daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen Earle of Wiltshire and Ormond Shee was solemnly at Windsore created Marchionesse of Pembrooke the first of September and twenty foure of his Raigne hauing one thousand pound giuen her by yeere to maintaine her estate Shee was married vnto king Henry in his Closet at White-Hall vpon the twenty fift day of Ianuary and yeere of Christ Iesus 1533. being the foure and twentith of his Raigne and was Crowned with all due obseruances at Westminster vpon Whitsunday the first of Iune where the Crowne of Saint Edward was set vpon her head the scepter of Gould deliuered into her right hand and the Iuory rodde with the Doue into her left Shee was his wife three yeeres three monthes and twenty fiue daies when being cut off by the sword the nineteenth of May her body was buried in the Quire of the Chappell in the Tower leauing her accused fame to bee censured as affections best pleased the vncharitable minded and her bed to bee possest of a vertuous Lady 138 Iane the third wife of King Henry was the daughter of Iohn Seimer Knight and sister to Lord Edward Seimer Earle of Hertford and Duke of Sommerset Shee was married vnto him the twentieth of May euen the next day after the beheading of Queene Anne and the twenty eight of his Raigne Shee was his wife one yeere fiue monthes and twenty foure daies and died in Child-bed the foureteenth of October to the great griefe of the King who not onely remoued from the place but kept himselfe priuate and wore the Garment of mourning euen in the Festiuall time of Christmas her body was solemnely conueied to Windsore the eight of Nouember following where she was interred in the middest of the Quire of the Church within the Castell 139 Anne the fourth wife of King Henry and sister to William Duke of Cleue was married vnto him the sixth of Ianuary in the thirty one yeere of his Raigne the yeere of Grace
1540. shee was his wife sixe moneths after which time certaine Lords of the vpper House of Parliament came into the nether and alleaged cause for which that marriage was vnlawfull whereunpon shee was diuorced and by Statute enacted that shee should no more be taken for Queene but should be called the Lady Anne of Cleâ—…e See remained in England long after the Kings death though small mention is made of her by any of our Writers only we finde that she accompanied the Lady Elizabeth through London at the solemnizing of Queene Maries Coronation 140 Katherine the fifth wife of King Henry the eight was the daughter of 〈◊〉 and Neece vnto Thomas Howard his brother Duke of Norfolke Shee was married vnto him the eight of August and yeere of â—…race 1540. being the thirtie two of his Raigne at Hampton Court and continued his Queene the space of one yeere sixe moneths and foure daies and for her vnchaste life was attainted by Parliament and for the same beheaded within the Tower of London the twelfth of February and her body buried in the Chauncell of the Chappell by Queene Anne Bullen 141 Katherine the sixth and last wife of King Henry was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendall and sister to Lord William Parre Marquesse of Northampton shee was first married to Iohn Neuill Lord Latimer and after his decease vpon the twelfth of Iuly maried vnto the King at Hampton Court the yeere of Saluation 1543. and thirtie fiue of his Raigne Shee was his wife three yeeres sixe months and fiue daies and suruiuing him was againe married vnto Thomas Seimer Lord Admirall of England vnto whom she bare a daughter but died in the same Child-bed the yeere of Grace 1548. His Issue 142 Henrie the first sonne of King Henry by Queene Katherine his first wife was borne at Richâ—…d in Surrey vpon the first of Ianuary and the first of his fathers Raigne whose Godfathers at Font were the Lord Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie and the Earle of Surrey his Godmother Lady Katherine Countesse of Deuonshire daughter to King Edward the fourth This Prince liued not fully two months but died in the same place wherein he was borne vpon the two and twentieth of February and his body with all due obsequies buried in Westminster 143 A sonne not named was borne vnto King Henrie by Lady Katherine his first Queene in the month of Nouember and the sixth yeere of his Raigne who liued not long and therefore no further mention of him can bee made the deathes of these Princes King Henrie tooke as a punishment from God for so he alleaged it in the publike Court held in Blacke-friers London they being begot on his owne brothers wife 144 Marie the third childe and first daughter of King Henrie by Queene Katherine his first wife was born at Greenewich in Kent the eighteenth of Februarâ—… in the yeere of Christs humanity 1518 and the eighth of his Raigne Shee was by the direction of her mother brought vp in her Childe-hood by the Countesse of Salisbury her neere kinswoman for that as some thought the Queene wished a marriage betwixt some of her sons and the Princesse to strengthen her Title by that Aliance into Yorke if the King should die without issue Male. In her yong yeeres shee was sued to be married with the Emperour the King of Scots and the Duke of Orleance in France but all these failing and shee succeeding her brother K Edward in the Crowne at the age of thirtie sixe yeeres matched with Phillip King of Spaine to the great dislike of many and small content to her selfe hee being imploied for the most part beyond the Seas for griefe whereof and the losse of Calice shee lastly fell into a burning feauer that cost her her life 145 Elizabeth the second daughter of King Henrie and first childe by Queene Anne his second wife was borne at Greenwich vpon Sunday the seuenth of September the yeere of Christ Iesus 1534 and twenty fiue of her Fathers Raigne who with due solemnities was baptized the Wednesday following Archbishop Cranmer the old Dutches of Norfolke and the old Marchionesse of Dorset being the witnesses at the Font and the Marchionesse of Excester at the confirmation Shee succeeded her sister Queene Marie in the Monarchy of England and was for wisdome vertue piety and Iustice not onelie the Mirrour of her Sexe but a patterne for Gouernment to al the princes in Christendome whose name I may not mention without al dutiful remembrance and whose memory vnto me is most deare amongst the many thousands that receiued extraordinary fauours at her gracious and most liberall hand 146 Another man childe Queene Anne bare vnto King Henry though without life vpon the nine and twentieth of Ianuary and twenty seuen of his Raigne to the no little griefe of the mother some dislike of the King as the sequel of her accusation and death did shortly confirme 147 Edward the last childe of King Henry and first of Queene Iane his third wife was borne at Hampton Court the twelfth of October the yeere of Grace 1537. and twenty nine of the Kings Raigne being cut out of his mothers wombe as is constantly affirmed like as Iulius Caesar is said to haue been his Godfathers at the Font was Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Norfolk his sister Lady Mary being Godmother saith Grafton Sixe daies after his birth he was created Prince of Wales and at the death of his Father succeeded him in all his Dominions of whom more followeth heereafter His Naturall Issue 148 Henrie Fitz-Râ—…ie the naturall sonne of King Henrie the eight was begotten of the Lady 〈◊〉 called Elizabeth Blunt and borne in the Mannor of Blackâ—…moore in Essex about the tenth yeere of his Raigne at the age of sixe yeeres he was created Earle of Nottingham and in the fiue and twentieth of his Fathers Raigne vpon the eighteenth of Iune in the Kings Pallace of Bridewell was made Duke of Richmond and Sommerset Lord Warden of the East West and Middle-Marches against Scotland and Lieutenant Generall of all the parts of England Northward he was a Prince very forward in Marshal Actiuities of Good literature and knowledge in the tongues vnto whom the learned Antiquary Leland dedicated a Booke He married Marie daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall and Lord high Treasurer of England with whom he liued not long but died at Saint Iames by Westminster the two and twentieth of Iuly in the yeere of Christ Iesus 1536. and was buried at Framingham in Suffolke THe tempestuous 〈◊〉 in the Raigne of this King Henrie the eight and the violent deluge raised against the Church-state of his times bare downe so many religious strong foundations and were the destruction of so many beautifull Monasteries as the onely relation of their numbers and names would haue much interrupted the narration of his history Wherfore to reteinâ—… their memorials though their walles are laid