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A13043 The chronicles of England from Brute vnto this present yeare of Christ. 1580. Collected by Iohn Stow citizen of London.; Annales Stow, John, 1525?-1605. 1580 (1580) STC 23333; ESTC S117590 888,783 1,248

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Battayle on the Sea Flemings and tooke fiue and twenty ships laden with salt The Frenchmen beséeged Rochell to the remouing whereof was sent the Earle of Penbroke with a number of men of armes vpon whome fell the Spanish Nauie in the Hauen of Rochell who slew and tooke the Englishmen and burnt their Nauie The Earle and many noble men were caried into Spayne togither with the Kings money King Edwarde with a great Nauie entred the Seas towardes Rochell to haue rescued the same but the winde being contrary with heauie chéere he returned agayne hauing spente in thys preparation as it was sayde nine hundred thousande pound Iohn Philpot Nicholas Brember the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Anno reg 47 1373 Iohn Piel Mercer the 28. of October Iohn Duke of Lancaster entred France with a strong power and passed through the Realme without battayle but in the Deserts and Mountaynes of Aluerne for lacke of victualles many of his armie dyed from thence he went to Burdeaux and brought scantly fortie horsses backe with him it was commonly talked that he lost thirtie thousande Horsses in that vnluckie voyage It was a great miserie ●bo Walsing to sée the poore state of the men of warre suche as were Knightes of great wealth in their Countrey hauing lost men and Horsses were glad to begge from dore to dore and found no reliefe for the Countrey was destroyed and not manured by reason whereof such dearth was in that Countrey that victualles could scant be gotten for any money The Duke yet wintered The tenth of Aprill following a day of battayle was appoynted betwixte him and the Duke of Aniow at Tholouse In the meane time truce was taken till the twentith of May next following but the King of England knew nothing of it When the day came a great power of armed men for the French appeared the which the Duke of Aniow had assembled but yet that daye passed without battayle to the great shame and reproch of the English for the Frenchmen sayd they were ready in fielde the day appoynted to looke for their comming that came not at all wherefore they spake many reprochfull wordes against the Englishmen calling them false cowards and ha●● lesse And such was the end of that iourney Iohn Northwold Mercer of London was slayne at the Blacke heath for whose sake began great debate among the Craftes of London at the White Friers in Fléetestréete for him and Sir William of Windsore Lib. Maior vic Lon. The Cleargie granted to the King tenthes and th● Laytie a fiftéenth Iohn Awbrey Iohn Fished the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Anno reg 48 1374 Adam of Bury Skinner the 28. of October Iohn Duke of Lancaster came againe out of Gascoigne after whose departure almost all Gascoigne fell from their allegeaunce which they had couenaunted with the King ●● England sauing Burdeaux and Bayon Iohn Duke of Lancaster William Earle of Salisbu●●● Reignold Lord Cobham with Simon Sudbery and other assembled at Brudges to treate a peace betwéene y ● Real●●● of England and France where mette with them the Duke ● Aniow and many other Nobles of France This treatie continued almost two yeares and ended without conclusion of peace but on a truce Richard Lions William Woodhouse the 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Anno reg 49 1●75 Iohn Walworth Fishmonger the 28. of October The sixtéenth of Aprill died Iohn Hastings Earle of Penbroke comming into Englande after he had raunsomed himselfe for a great masse of money which he neuer payde The Isle of Constantine was deliuered to the French King to the great detriment of Englande for whiche cause afterward Sir Iohn Ansley appeached Thomas Catrington of Trenson A great heate was in England so that many both A ho●e sommer men and women died thereof Iohn Hadle William Newport the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Anno reg 50 Good Parliament Iohn Ward Grocer the 28. of October A Parliament commonly called the good Parliament was holden at Westminster in the which when a Subsidie was demaunded answere was made by Peter de la Mare Proloc●tor of the Parliamente that the King néeded not the substance of his poore Subiects if he were well and faithfully gouerned which he offered to proue effectually and promised that if it were found that the King had néede his subiects should be readie most gladlye to help him according to their power The Knightes required to haue the Lord Latimer with 1376 other remoued from about the King whome they sayd did giue him euill counsell whiche being done certaine Prelates Earles and other were ordeyned to gouerne the King who then was an olde man but this endured not long The commons also requested to haue remoued out of the Kings house a certayne proude woman called Alice Perce who by ouermuch familiaritie that she had with the King was cause of muche mischiefe in the Realme she excéeding the manner of Women sate by the Kings Justices and sometimes by the Doctours in the Consistories perswading and disswading in defence of matters and requesting things contrarie to law and honestie to the great dishonor of the King Also Richard Lious and Adam of Bury Citizens of London Adam Bury late Maior Richard Lions late Sherife a Goldsmith were accused by the commōs of diuers fraudes and deceipts which they had done to the King Richard Lions for money did wisely compoūd and escaped the other conuayde himselfe into Flanders but Sir Peter de la Mere who tolde the troth was at the instance of Alice Pierce condemned to perpetuall prison at Notingham The eyght day of June Prince Edward departed out of Blacke Prince deceassed Adam Meri●o this life who was in his time the floure of Chiualrie he was buried at Canterbury and then King Edwarde created Richard sonne of Prince Edward Earle of Chester Duke of Cornewall and Prince of Wales and bycause the King waxed féeble and sicklie he betooke the rule of the lande to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster The Earle of Warwickes men made a great spoyle of the Euisham spoyled Abbey of Euisham and the tenementes thereto belonging beating and sleying many of the Abbots men but by the King an agréement was made betwixt them but no full satisfaction Iohn Northampton Robert Laund the 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Adam Staple Mercer the 28. of October In a Parliament at London there was granted suche a taxe as neuer was heard of before to wit of euery Lay person A great taxe both man woman aboue the age of fourtéene yeares four pence and of euen Religious person both man and woman that had any Ecclesiasticall promotion twelue pence and of them that had no promotion four pence except the four orders of begging Friers and also the Statutes of the good Parliament were disanulled and the abiured persons restored The Londoners at S. Iohns Inne of Ipres being stirred vp The Londoners meant to haue
he fauoured the Londoners and Baldwin Radinton was constituted in his place In the meane time throughe sute of certaine Knightes but Anno reg 16 specially of the Duke of Glocester the King is somewhat pacified and by little and little abateth the rigor of his purpose calling to minde the diuerse honors and the greate giftes he had receyued of the Londoners wherevpon he determineth to deale more mildely with them and to call them to some hope of grace and pardon he sendeth commaundement to them to come to Windsore there to shewe their pryuiledges liberties and lawes whyche being there shewed some of them were ratifyed and some condemned but they could not obtaine the Kings full fauour till they had satisfied y e King of the iniuries whiche was sayd they had done the King at thys assembly at Windsor hadde got togither almost all the Lordes and so greate in army that the Londoners had cause to be afrayde thereof aboute the whiche preparation he was at greate charges for the whiche it was sure that the Londoners muste pay They therefore not ignoraunte that the ende of these things was a money matter submitted themselues to the Kings pleasure offering ten thousand pound They were yet dismissed home to returne againe vncertaine what satisfaction and sum they shoulde pay When the Citizens were returned and that the nobles and other were gone home the King hearing that the Londoners were in hauens and dismayde he sayde to his men I wil go sayth he to London and comforte the Citizens and will not that they any longer dispayre of my fauour which sentence was no sooner knowne in the Citie but al menne were filled with incredible ioy so that euery of them generally determined to méete him and to be as liberal in gifts as they were at his coronation The king therefore as hée came from Shine in Surrey to London with Quéene Anne his wife On the xxj of August the principall Citizens rode to méete them at Wandesworth and at Sainte Gorges Churche in Southwarke they were receyued with procession of Rob. Braybroke Bishop of London and all his Cleargie of the Citie who conuayed him through London the Citizens men women and children in order méeting the King and doing him honor attended on him to Westminster As he passed the Citie the stréetes were hanged with cloth of golde siluer and silke The Conduite in Chepe ran with red white Wine and by a childe Angel-like he was presented with a very costly crowne of golde and the Quéene with another A table of the Trinitie of gold was giuen to the King valued worth eight hundred pounde and another to the quéen of Saint Anne bycause hir name was Anne with diuerse other giftes as horsses trappers plate of golde and siluer clothes of gold silke veluets Basons and Ewers of gold also golde in coyne precious stones and iewels so rich excellent and beautifull that the value and price mighte not well be estéemed and so the Citizens recouered their auntient customes and liberties and then the kings Bench from Yorke and the Chauncerie from Notingham was returned to London And it was granted to them that they might choose them a Maior as before time they had done The Londoners beléeued y ● by these giftes they had escaped all daunger and that from thenceforth they should be quiet but they wer deceiued for they wer cōpelled to giue the K. after this 10000 pound collected of the cōmons in gret bitternesse of minde and so the troubles of y ● Citizens came to quietnesse which trouble the Dolphin in Thamis at Christmasse laste past did happily signifie a far off W. Caxton Robert Fabian report these troubles to happen through a fray in Fleetstreete about an horsse loafe taken out of a Bakers basket by a yeoman of the Bishop of Salisburies and that the same troubles were pacified and liberties again restored by meanes of Richard Grauesend Bishop of London in rewarde wherof the Citizēs repaire to the place of burial in the midle I le of Saint Pauls Church c. but all that is vntrue for at this time Rob. Brabroke was Bishop of London and Richard Grauesēd had bin Bishop and deceased in the time of Edward the first in Anno 1303 almost 90. yeares before this time Moreouer the place of burial in Saint Paules whervnto the Maior and Citizens of London haue repayred is of William who was Bishop of London in the time of William Conqueror who purchased the first Charter of the saide king William for y e same Citie as I haue before declared Gilbert Maghfelde Thomas Newington the. 28. of Sep. Sherifes Maior Sir William Stoudon Grocer the. 28. of October Albeit Vere was created Erle of Oxforde in a Parliamēt at Winchester and William Scrope Uizechamberlaine the same William Scrope bought of William Mountacute Erle of Salisburie the Ile of Man with the crowne for the Lorde of this I le is called king and it is lawful for him to be crowned 1393 with a crowne of Golde sir Iohn Euers Knighte Conestable of Douer and the Kings stewarde died sodainely and T. Percy brother to the E. of Northum was made the kings steward in his place y t was before the kings vnderchamberlaine T. Beamond was made Conestable of Douer Certain Anno reg 17 théeues brake into the Chappel of our Lady at the Pewe at Westminster toke out of it many iewels muche treasure Also shortly after y e same théeues brake into y e Churche of S. Iohn of Clerkenwel The dukes of Lanc. Glocester passed ouer into France to make somewhat of y e truce or to conclude a final peace betwixt y e kingdoms but it was not so brought to passe as it was wished by reason of the Frenche Kings sicknesse In September lightnings and thunders in manye places of England did much hurte but especiallye in Cambridgeshire the same brent houses and corne neare to Tolleworke in the towne it brent terribly Drewe Barentine Richard Whittington the. 28. of Sep. Sherifes Maior Sir Iohn Hadley Grocer the. 28. of October Such aboundaunce of water fell in October that at Bury in Suffolke the Church was ful of Water and at Newmarket it bare down wals of houses so that men and women hardly escaped drowning The same yeare Lorde T. de Ros 1394 as he returned forth of the Holy Lande in the Citie of Paphos in the I le of Cipres through intemperauncie of the ayre departed this life there In the Octaues of S. Hillerie a Parliament was holden at London in whiche a subsidie was demaunded for the King that was minded to go into Irelande wherefore the Cleargie graunted to him a full tenth if he would passe thyther and if he went not they graunted him but halfe a tenth Certaine Lordes of Scotlande came into England to get worship by force of armes The erle of Marre challenged the Earle of Notingham to iust with him and so they rode
he assured the King that the Conestable woulde deliuer into his handes both Saint Quintines and all his other places whiche the Kyng easilye beléeued partly bycause hée hadde marryed the Conestables Nie●e and partlye bycause hée sawe hym in so greate feare of the Kyng of Fraunce that hée thoughte hée durste not fayle hys promise made to the Duke and hym and the Duke beléeued i● also But the Conestable meante nothing lesse for the feare he was in of the Frenche Kyng was not so greate that it coulde force hym thus 〈…〉 but he vsed s●yl his ●onted dissimulation The King of Englande reioycyng at thys message sente by the Conestable departed from Peronn● wyth the Duke of Burgoigne towarde Saint Quintins wherevnto when hée approched a greate bande of Englishe menne ranne before thynkyng that the belles shoulde haue bene rong at theyr commyng and that the Citizens woulde haue receyued them wyth Crosse and Holye Water but when they drewe néere to the Towne the Artill●●●e shotte and the Souldi●urs ●●●ed for the 〈…〉 he 〈…〉 she bothe on hors●e backe and on foote so that two or three Englishe menne were slayne and some taken ● and in thys state returned they in great rage to theyr Campe 〈…〉 againste the Conestable The nexte morning the Duke of 〈…〉 woulde haue taken hys leaue of the King of Englande to departe to hys armye in Barrays promising to do maruayles in hys fauour The Frenche Kyng sente a seruaunte of the LORD Halles in the lykenesse of an Herraulte wyth a coate made of a Trumpets Banner to the Englishe Campe where when hée came hée was broughte to a Tente and after dynner talked wyth the Kyng hys message was chielely grounded vppon the greate desire the Kyng hadde of long time to bée in peace wyth the Kyng of Englande saying further that since hée was Crowned Kyng of Fraunce he neuer hadde attempted anye thyng againste the King of England or his realme Secondly he excused himselfe for the receiuing in times paste the Earle of Warwicke into his Dominions saying that hée dyd it onely● agaynste the Duke of Burgoigne and not him Further he declared that the sayd Duke of Burgoigne had for none other cause called hym into Fraunce but that by the occasion of hys comming hée mighte conclude a bett●r peace for hymselfe wyth the Kyng And if happily anye other furthered the matter it was onely to amende the broken estate of theyr owne affaires and for their owne priuate commoditie but as touching the Kyng of Englandes good successe they were altogither carelesse thereof Hée putte hym also in mynde of the tyme of the yeare alleaging that Winter approched likewise the great charges he sustained Lastlye he sayde that notwithstanding a great number in Englande desyred Warre with Fraunce yet if the Kyng o● Englande inclyne to peace the Kyng for hys parte would condescende to suche conditions as he doubted not but hée and hys Realme woulde allowe of finally he demaunded a sa●e conduite for certaine Ambassadours to come well enformed of his maisters pleasure The King of England and part of his Nobles liking these ouertures very well graunted to the Harrault of Fraunce as large a safe conducte as he demaunded and gaue him foure Nobles of golde in rewarde He also sente an Englishe Harrault with him to bring the like safe conducte And in the nexte morning in a Uillage neare to Amience the Commissioners of both Princes met being these For the King of France the bastard of Bourdon Adm●ral of France the Lord of Saint Pierre and the Bishop of Eureux called Heberge And for the King of Englande the Lord Howard one Chalenger and Doctor Morton Many articles of peace were treated of but the laste resolutions were these That the French King shoulde paye to the King of Englande presently before his departure out of Fraunce 72. thousande crownes that the Dolphine shoulde marrye King Edwardes eldest daughter and that she shoulde haue the Duchie of Guien for hir maintainaunce or 5000. crownes yearly to be paid in the Tower of London the space of nine yeres which terme expired the Dolphine shoulde peaceably enioy the reuenues of the whole Dutchie of Gnien and then the Kyng of France to be clearly discharged of all payments to the King of Englande Further it was decréed that the two Primes shoulde méete togither and be sworne to the treatie which méeting was obserued in a town called Picquigny on the 29. of August The King of England vppon receit of hys money departed towarde Cal●is in great haste fearing the Duke of Burgoignes malice and his subiectes At his departure he lefte for hostages with the King of Fraunce till his returne into England the Lorde Howarde and the Maister of his horse called sir Iohn Cheyney King Edward tooke shipping at Calais and landed at Douer and was receyued on the Blacke-heath by the Mayor of London and his brethren in Scarlet and 500. commoners all clad in Murrey and so conueyed to London through the Citie to Westminster on the 28. of September This yéere was one Iohn surnamed Gose brent on she Towre hill in the moneth of August Edmond Shawe Thomas Hill the 28. of September Maior Sherifes Robert Drope Draper the 28. of October This Robert Drope Maior of London inlarged the Condite vpon Cornehill making an East ende therevnto The. xvi●j of Aprill were inhaunced to the honour of Anno reg 15 1475 Knights made by the King Knighth and after the custome of England in the time of peace his eldest sonne Edward Prince of Wales Duke of Connewall and Earle of Chester his seconde sonne the Duke of Yorke and with them the Earle of Lincolnes sonne and heire the Duke of Suffolke the Lord Thomas Grey y e Quéenes sonne Richard his brother the Earle of Shrewsburie the Earle of Wilshire Master Edward Woduile the Lorde Neuib● the Lorde Barkleys sonne and heire the Lord Awdeleys sonne and heire the Lord Saint Ainand the Lord Stanleys sonne and heire the Lorde Sturtons sonne and heire the Lorde Hastings sonne heire the Lorde Ferrors of Chartleys sonne and heire Master Harbert brother to the Earle of Penbroke Master Vaughon Brian chiefe Judge Litilton one of the Little 〈…〉 Judges of the Common place Master Bodringham Master Brian Stapleton Kneuit Pilkinton Ludlow Charleton c. The same day the King created the Lord Thomas Marques Dorset before dinner and so in the habit of a Marques aboue the habit of his Knighthood he beganne the table of Knights in Saint Edwards Chamber At that time he ordained that the Kings Chamberlaine shoulde goe with the auncient and well nurtred Knight to aduertise and teache the order of Knighthood to the Esquiers being in the bayne The King himselfe came in person and did honour to all y e companie with his noble Counsell and his handes Hugh Brite Robert Colwitch the 28. of Sept. Robert Basset Salter the 28. of October Sherifes Maior This Maior did sharpe correction
the King intended to bring him vp to his coronation accompanied with suche power of their friends that it should be harde for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering a greate assemble of people and in manner of open warre whereof the ende he wiste was doubtfull and in whiche the King being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a rebellion he secretly therfore by diners meanes caused the Quéene to be perswaded and broughte in the minde that it neyther were néede and also shoulde be ieopardous the King to come vppe strong For whereas nowe euerye Lorde loued other and none other thing studyed vppon but aboute the Coronation and honor of the King if the Lordes of hir kyndred shoulde assemble in the Kings name muche people they shoulde giue the Lordes at wixte whom and them hadde bin sometime debate to feare and suspect leaste they shoulde gather this people not for the Kings safegarde whome no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regarde to theyr olde variaunce than their newe attonement for which cause they should assemble on the other partie much people againe for theyr defence whose power she wiste wel farre stretched And thus shoulde all the Realme fall on a ●ore And of all the hurte that thereof shoulde ensue which was likely not to be little and the moste harme there lyke to fall where she leaste woulde all the worlde woulde put hyr and hyr kyndred in the wight and saye that they hadde vnwisely and vntruely also broken the amitie peace that the Kyng hyr ●usbande so prudentlye made betwéene his kinne and hyrs in his death bed and which the other partie faithfully obserued The Quéene being in this wise perswaded suche worde sente vnto hir sonne and vnto hir brother béeing aboute the Kyng and ouer that the Duke of Glocester hymselfe and other Lordes the chiefe of his bende wrote vnto the King so reuerentlye and to the Quéenes friendes there so louingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought the King vp in greate haste not in good spéede with a sober companye Now was the King in hys waye to London gone from Northampton when the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behinde the Lord Riuers the Kings vncle intending on the morrowe to followe the King and be with him at Stonie Stratforde xij myles thence earelye or he departed So was there made that nighte muche friendlye cheare betwéene these two Dukes and the Lord Riuers a great whyle But incontinent after that they were openlye with greate curtesie departed and the Lorde Riuers lodged the Dukes secretely with a fewe of theyr moste priuie friendes set them down in counsaile wherein they spent a great parte of the nighte And at theyr rising in the dawning of the day they sente out priuilye to theyr seruantes in theyr Innes and lodgings about giuing thē commaundement to make thēselues shortly readie for their Lordes were to horssebackewarde Uppon whyche messages manye of theyr folke were attendaunt when manye of the Lord Riuers seruauntes were vnreadye Nowe had these Dukes taken also into theyr custody the Keyes of the Inne that none shoulde passe forth without their licēce And ouer thys in the highe waye towarde Stonie Stratforde where the King laye they hadde bestowed certaine of theyr folke that shoulde sende backe againe and compell to returne anye man that were gotten out of Northampton towarde Stonie Stratforde tyll they shoulde giue other licence For as much as the Dukes thēselues intēded for the shew of theyr diligence to be the firste that shoulde that daye attende vpon the Kings highnesse out of that Towne thus bare they folke in hande But when the Lord Riuers vnderstoode the Gates closed and the wayes on euery side beset neyther his seruauntes nor himselfe suffered to goe out perceiuing wel so great a thing without his knowledge not begun for naughte comparing thys manner present wyth hys last nights chéere in so fewe houres so great a change maruellously misliked Howbeit sith he coulde not gette awaye and kéepe himselfe close he would not least he should séeme to hyde himself for some secrete fear of his own fault wherof he saw no such cause in hymself He determined vpon the suretie of his own conscience to go boldelie to them and inquire what this matter mighte meane whome as s●one as they sawe they beganne to quarrel with him and saye that he intended to set distaunce betwéene the Kyng and them and to bring them to confusion but it should not lye in hys power And when he beganne as he was a very wel spoken man in goodly wise to excuse himselfe they tarryed not the ende of his aunsweare but shortly tooke hym The L. Riuers put in vvarde and put him in warde and that done forthwyth wente to horssebacke and tooke the waye to Stonie Stratforde where they founde the King wyth hys companye readie to leape on Horssebacke and depart forwarde to leaue that lodging for them bycause it was to straighte for both companyes And as soone as they came in hys presēce they light adown with all their companye about them To whom the Duke of Buckingham sayd go afore Gentlemen and yeomen kéepe your roomes And thus in goodly aray they came to the King and on theyr knées in verye humble wyse salued his grace whiche receyued them in very ioyous and amiable maner nothing earthlye knowing nor mistrusting as yet But euen by and by in his presence they piked a quarrell to the Lorde Rycharde The Lord Grey Gray the Kings other brother by his mother saying that he with the Lorde Marques his brother and the Lorde Riuers his Uncle had compassed to rule the King and the Realme and to set variance among the states and to subdue and destroye the noble bloude of the Realme Toward the accomplishing whereof they sayd that the Lorde Marques had entred into the Tower of London and thence taken out the Kyngs Treasure and sente menne to the Sea All which things these Dukes wist well were done for good purposes and necessarie by the whole counsaile at London sauing that somewhat they must say Unto which words the King aunswered What my brother Marques hath done I cannot saye But in good faith I dare well aunsweare for mine vncle Riuers and my brother here that they be innocent of any suche matter Yea my liege quoth the Duke of Buckingham they haue kept theyr dealing in these matters farre fro the knowledge of your good grace And forthwyth they arested the Lord Richard and sir Th. Vaughā Knight in the Kings presence and brought the king and al back vnto Northampton where they tooke againe further Counsell And there they sent away frō the King whō it pleased thē and set new seruaunts about him such as liked better thē than him At which dealing he wept and was nothing content but it booted not And at dinner the Duke of Glocester sente a dishe from his
Lieuetenaunte of the Tower stayed them both and tooke bothe their Captaines and men The xvij of June the Terme was adiorned to Mihelmasse bycause of the sweating sicknesse that then raigned in the Citie of London and there was no such watch at Midsomer as before time had bin accustomed Ralph Waren Iohn Long the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Legate from Rome Sir Iohn Rudston Draper the 28. of October The seauenth of October came to London a Legate from Rome called Lawrence Campaius Cardinall and by the Kings gift Bishop of Salisburie who was lodged at Bath Place without Temple barre A prisoner brake from the Sessions hall at Newgate whē A prisoner brake from the Sessions house the Sessions was done which prisoner was brought downe out of Newgate in a Basket he séemed so weake but now in the end of the Sessions he brake through the people to the Grey Friers Church and there was kept sixe or seauen dayes Register of the Grey Friers ere the Sheriffes could speake with him and then bycause he would not abiure and aske a Crowner with violence they tooke him thence and cast hym agayne in prison but the law serued not to hang him Commissioners were sent some to Oxford some to Cambridge some to Louayne Paris Orleance Bonony Padua c. to knowe the opinions of the learned in those Uniuersities concerning the marriage betwixt King Henry and Quéene Katherine sometime his brothers wife which marriage séemed to them to bée vnlawfull as was affirmed vnder the perticular seale of euery Uniuersititie In the moneths of Aprill May June and July Cardinall 1527 Campeius the Legate with Cardinall Wolsey sate at the Blacke Friers in London where before them was brought Anno reg 21 in question the Kings mariage with Quéene Katherine as to be vnlawfull where these two Legates sate as Judges The Kings mariage vvith Queene Katherine called in question at the Blacke Friers before whome the King and Quéene were assited and sommoned to appeare The Court was platted in tables and benches in manner of a Consistorie one seate reysed higher for the Judges to sitte in then as it were in the midst of the said Judges al oft aboue them thrée degrées high was a cloth of Estate hanged with a Chaire royall vnder the same wherein sate the King and besides him some distance from him sate the Quéene and vnder the Judges féete sate the Scribes and other officers the chiefe Scribe was Doctor Stephens and the caller of the Court was one Cooke of Winchester Then before the King and the Judges within the Court sate the Archbishop of Canterbury Warham and all the other Bishops Then stoode at both endes within the Counsellours learned in the Spirituall Lawes as well the Kings as the Quéenes The Doctors of Law for the King were Doctor Simpson Doctor Bell and diuers other and Proctors on the same side were Doctor Peter Doctor Tregon●ll with others On the other side for the Quéene were Doctor Fisher Doctor Standish and Doctor Ridley Thus was the Court furnished The Judges commanded silence whilest their commisson was red both to the Court and to the people assembled That done the Scribes commaunded the Crier to call the King by the name of King Henry of England come into the Court c. with that the King answered and sayde héere then called hée the Quéene by the name of Katherine Quéene of Englande come into the Court c. who made no answere but rose out of hir Chaire and bycause she could not come to the King directly for the distance seuered betwéene them she wente aboute by the Court and came to the King knéeling downe at hys féete to whome she sayde in effect as followeth Sir quoth she I desire you to do me iustice and right and take some pitie vpon me for I am a poore woman and a Stranger borne out of your Dominion hauing héere no indifferent Counsell and lesse assurance of Frendship Alas Sir what haue I offended you or what occasion of displeasure haue I shewed you intending thus to put me from you after this sorte I take God to my Judge I haue bin to you a true and humble wife euer confirmable to your will and pleasure that neuer contraryed or gaynesayde any thing thereof and béeing alwayes contented with all things wherein you had anye delight whether little or much without grudge or displeasure I loued for your sake all them whome you loued whether they were my friendes or enimies I haue bin your wife these twentye yeares and moe and you haue had by me dyuers Children if there be any iust cause that you can alledge agaynste me eyther of dishonestie or matter lawfull to put me from you I am contente to departe to my shame and rebuke and if there be none then I pray you to let me haue Justice at youre hande The King your father was in hys tyme of excellente witte and the King of Spayne my Father Ferdinando was reckned one of the wisest Princes that raigned in Spayne many yeares before it is not to be doubted but that they had gathered as wise Counsellours vnto them of euery Realme as to their wisedomes they thought méete who thought the marriage betwéene you and me good and lawfull c. wherefore I humblye desire you to spare me untill I may knowe what councell my friendes in Spayne wyll aduertise me to take and if you will not then youre pleasure bée fulfilled and wyth that she arose vp making a low curtesie to the King and departed from thence The King béeyng aduertised that she was ready to goe out of the house commanded the Crier to call hir agayne who called hir by these wordes Katherine Quéene of Englande come into the Courte wyth that quoth Mayster Griffith Madame you bée called agayne on on quoth she it maketh no matter I wyll not tarrie goe on youre wayes and thus she departed wythoute anye further aunswere at that tyme or anye other and neuer woulde appeare after in any Court The King perceyuing she was departed sayde these wordes in effect For as much quoth he as the Quéene is gone I will in hir absence declare onto you all She hathe bene to me as true as obediente and as confirmable a wife as I would wish or desire she hath all the vertuous qualities that ought to be in a woman of hir dignitie or in any other of a baser estate she is also surely a noble woman borne hir conditions will well declare the same with that quoth the Cardinall Wolsey Sir I most humbly require your highnesse to declare before all this audience whether I haue bin the chiefe and first mouer of this matter vnto your Maiestie or no for I am greatly suspected héerein My Lord Cardinall quoth the King I can well excuse you in this matter mary quoth he ye haue bin rather against me in the tempting héereof than a setter forward or mouer of the same the speciall cause
also builded Almes houses for sixe poore almes Almes houses people nigh to the parish Church of Saint Helen within Bishopsgate of London and gaue Landes to the companye of the Skinners in the same Citie amounting to the value of thréescore pound thrée Shillings eyghtpence the yeare for the which they bée bound to pay twenty pound to the Schoolemayster and eyght pounde to the Usher of hys frée Schoole at Tonbridge yearely for euer and foure Shillings the wéeke to the sixe poore almes people at Saint Anno reg 5. Helens aforesayde eyghtpence the péece wéekely and fiue and twentie Shillings fourpence the yeare in Coales amongst them for euer On Saint Valentines daye at Feuersham in Kente ●n● Arden a Gentleman was murthered by procuremente Arden murthered of hys owne wife for the which fact she was the fouretéenth of Marth brente at Canterburie Michaell Mayster Ardens man was hanged in cheynes at Feuersha● and a mayden bre●te Mosby and hys sister were hanged in Smithfielde at London Gréene which had fledde came agayne certayne yeares after and was hanged in cheynes in the high way agaynste Feuersham and Blacke Will the Ruffian that was hired to do that acte after his first ●scap● ●a● apprehended an●●●rente on a Scaffold al Flis●ing i● Z●la●d The fourtéenth of February Stephen Gardener Bishop Bishop of VVinchester depriued of Winchester was depriued of hys Bishopricke and committed to the Tower agayne into his place was ●●anslated Doctor Poynet who before was Bishop of Rochester The fifth Aprill Sir Thomas Darcey ●i●●ham●ertaine 155● and Captayne of the ●ard was created Lord Darcey at Greenewich The four and twenty of Aprill George of Paris a Dutchman An Arian brent was brent in Smithfield for an Arian The fiue and twenty of May about noone was an Earthquake Earthquake at Blechingly Godstone T●tser Rig●te Croydon B●n●ng●●●● Al●erie and diuers other places in Sout●ery The ninth of July the base moneys coyned in the time First fall of the base moneys of King Henry the eyght and King Edward the sixth was proclaymed the Shilling to goe for nine pence the grete for thrée pence which tooke effect immediatly after the Proclamation was made The fiftéenth of Aprill the infections sweating sickenesse Svveating sicknesse beganne at Shrewsburie which ended not in the North part of England vntill the ende of September In this space what number dyed it can not be well accompted but certayne it is that in London in few dayes nine hundred and Iohn Cai●s sixtie gaue vp the ghost it began in London the ninth of July and the twelfth of July it was most vehement which was so terrible that people being in best health were sodeinly taken and dead in four and twentie houres and twelue or lesse for lacke of skill in guiding them in theyr sweate And it is to bée noted that this mortalitie fell chieflye or rather on men and those also of the best age as betwéene thirtie and fortie yeares also it followed Englishmen as well within the Realme as in strange Countreys wherefore this Nation was much afeard of it and for the time beganne to repent and remember GOD but as the disease relented the deuotion decayed The first wéeke dyed in London eyght hundred persons The seauentéenth of August the Shilling which of late Second fall of the base moneys was called downe to nineyence was called downe to sixe pence the grote to two pence the halfe grote to one pennie the pennie to an halfe peny Iohn Lambert Iohn Cowper the 28 of September Sheriffes The ●● of October at Hampton Court Lorde Marques Duke● and E●r●es created Dorset was created Duke of Suffolke the Earle of Warwike was created Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Wilshire was created Marques of Winchester Sir William Harbert mayster of the hor●●e was made Lorde of Karmarden and created Earle of Pembroke He also made William Cicill his Secretarie Knight Mayster Iohn Checke one of hys Schoole maysters Knight Mayster Henry Dudley Knight Mayster Henry Deuell Knight The ●●● of October Edward Seymer Duke of Somerset Duke of Somerset brought to the Tovver the Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Ralph Vane Sir Thomas Palmer Sir Miles Partridge Sir Michaell Sta●hope Sir Thomas Arundell Knightes and diuers other Gentlemen were brought to the ●ower of London The next morrow the Dutchesse of Somerset was also brought to the Tower The liberties Liberties of the Stilyard seased Maior Nevv Coyne of the Stil●ard were seased into the Kings handes Sir Richard Dobbes Skinner the 28. of October The xx● of October was proclaymed a new coyne both of Siluer and Gold So●e●●●es of thirtie Shillings Angels of ●e●ne Shillings c. The vj. of Nouember the olde Quéene of Scottes rode through London towards Scotland with a great company of Queene of Scottes rode through London Englishmen way●ing vpon hi● after she had layne four dayes in the Bishop of Londons p●●●ace The first of December the Duke of Somerset was arraigned Duke of Somerset arraigned at Westminster and there acquited of trea●o● but condemned of ●el●nie The vij of December was a muster of Horssemen before the King at Saint Iames. The xx of Muster of horssemen December the gre●e Sea●e was taken from the Lord Rich and ●●●●●ere● to D. G●●●●●e●e Bishop of E●ly Doctor Dunstall Bishop of Durham was sent ●o y ● Tower of London The xx●● of January Edward Duke of Somerset was beheaded on Duke of Somerset beheaded the Tower h●ct The ●ame morning early the Constables of euery warde in London according to a precept directed from the Counsell to the Maior st●eightly ●h●●●ged euery h●●●●hold of the same ●●●●e not to depart any of them out of their houses before tenne of the clocke of that day meaning therby to restreyne the great number of people that otherwise were like to haue bin at the sayde execution notwithstanding by seauen a clocke the Tower hill was couered with a great multitude repayring from all partes of the Citie as well as out of the suburbes and before eyght of the clocke the Duke was brought to the Scaffold inclosed with the Kings Gard the Sheriffes Officers the Warders of the Tower and other with halberds the Duke being ready to haue bin executed sodeinly the people were driuen into a Great feare vvith small cause great feare few or none knowing the cause wherefore I thinke it good to write what I sawe concerning that matter The people of a certayne Hamlet which were warned to be there by seauen of the clocke to giue their attendance on the Lieutenant now came through the posterne and perceyuing the Duke to be already on the Scaffold the for●●st began to runne crying to their fellowes to follow fast after which ●odelnesse of these men being weaponed with billes and halber●s thus running caused the people which ●●●●● saw them to thinke some power had come to haue rescued the Duke from
newe Troy he made the Hauen whiche at this day retayneth Belines gate builded Iohn Leland Tovver of Lō dō first builded the name of hym called Belines Gate And as Iohn Lelande wryteth he builded the Towre of newe Troy He maryed hys daughter Cambria vnto a Prince of Almaine called Antenor of whome these people were called Cymbri and Sycambri Finally after he had raigned with his brother and alone xxvj yeares he dyed and after the Pagan manner with great pompe was burned and his ashes in a vessell of brasse set on a hygh Pynacle ouer Belines Gate He builded Carlheon vppon Flores Historiarū the Riuer Vske which since by a legion of the Romanes there placed was named Caerlegion now cleane destroyed GVrgunstus son of Beline succeded his father I. Rouse saith 375 he builded Caier Werithe that is Longcastra He subdued Denmarke compelling them to continue their tribute and in his returne home mette with a fléete of Basdenses comming from the parts of Spaine which were séeking for habitations Giraldus bycause their Countrey was so populous and not able to sustaine them to whom the king graunted the Isle of Ireland Ireland inhabited to inhabite and to holde the same of him as their soueraigne Lord But the Scottes write that Spaniards arriued before Hector Boetius this time in Irelande This Gurgunstus builded Porchester and Warwicke in the middle of the Realme sayth I. Rouse He raigned xxix yeres and was buried at Caerlheon GVinthelinus sonne of Gurgunstus was Crowned king of 356 Brytaine A prince sober and quiet who had to wyfe a noble woman named Mercia of excellent learning and knowledge Flores Historiarū She deuised certaine lawes whych long time among the Brytaines were greatlye estéemed and named Marcian Marcian lavves the thirde Lawes This prince raigned xxvj yeares and was buryed at new Troy CEcilius the sonne of Guinthelin and Marcia raigned vij 350 yeares as the Scottes write In the first yeare of hys raigne a people called Picts arriued here in Brytaine and possessed those partes whiche now be the Marches of bothe The Picts firste inhabited the Marches Realmes Englande and Scotlande Cecilius was buried at Caerlheon KImarus succeded Cecilius who being a wilde yong man liuing after his owne luste raigned but thrée yeares and 323 was slaine as he was hunting of wilde beastes ELanius called also Danius was king of Brytaine nine 321 yeares MOrindus the bastarde sonne of Danius beganne to raign 311 in Brytaine he foughte with a king who came out of Germanie and slewe him wyth all his power Moreouer Gaufride out of the Irishe Seas in hys time came forthe a wonderfull monster whyche destroyed muche people Whereof the king hearing woulde of his valiaunt courage néeds fight with it by whom he was clean deuoured when he had raigned eight yeares GOrbomannus eldest sonne of Morindus raigned eleauen 303 yeres a Prince iuste and religious he renued the Temples of his Gods and gouerned his people in peace welth This Gorbomannus builded Grantham in Lincolneshire Our Englishe Chronicle saith he builded bothe the townes Caxton Grantham builded I. Ro●fe of Cambridge and Grantham but séeing that Cambridge in auntient Chronicles is called Grant as it is also Grantchester Cairgrant and Grantbridge it was an easie matter as Grammarians knowe to translate Grantham into Cambridge and so ascribe the building of bothe Townes to him that builded but one of them ARchigallo brother to Gorbomannus was crowned kyng 292 of Britaine he was in conditions vnlike to his brother for he deposed the noblemen and exalted the vnnoble He extorted from men their goods to enriche his treasurie for which cause by the estates of the Realme he was depriued of The King depriued his royall dignitie when he had raigned fiue yeares ELidurus the thirde sonne of Morindus and brother to 286 Archigallo was elected King of Brytaine a vertuous gentle Prince who gouerned his people iustly As he was hunting in a forrest by chaunce he met with his brother Archigallo whome moste louingly he embraced and found the meanes to reconcile him to his Lordes and then resigned to hym hys royall dignitie when he hadde raygned fiue yeares ARchigallo thus restored to his royall estate ruled the 282 people quietly and iustly tenne yeares and lyeth buryed at Yorke ELidurus aforenamed after the death of his brother Archigallo 272 for his pietie and Justice by the generall consent of the Brytaines was again chosen King But he raigned not passing two yeares but that his yonger brethren Vigenius and Peredurus raysed warre againste him tooke him prisoner and caste him into the Tower of newe Troy where he remayned during their raigne VIgenius and Peredurus after the taking of their brother 270 The tovvne of Pickering built Caxton I. Rouse reigned togither seuen yeares Vigenius then dyed and Peredurus raigned after alone two yeres He builded y e town of Pickering in the North parts of Yorkeshire ELidurus the thirde time was made king who continued 261 his latter raigne honourablie and iustlye but being sore brused with age and troubles he finished his life when hée had nowe lastlye raigned foure yeares and was buried at Carlile Gorbonian raigned in Brytaine ten yeares 258 248 2●4 Morgan guided the Realme peaceably fourtéene yeres EMerianus his brother when hée had tyrannouslye raygned seauen yeares was deposed IVal was chosen King for his iustice and temperance which 227 gouerned peaceably twentie yeares RImo gouerned this Realme sixtéene yeares his time was 207 191 171 A good exāple peaceable Geruncius reygned in Brytaine twenty yeares CAtellus raigned peaceably ten yeares he hung vp all oppressors of the poore to giue example vnto other COilus succeded Catellus who quietlye raigned twentie 161 yeres Porrex a vertuous and gentle Prince raigned fiue yeares 142 CHirimus throughe his drunkennesse raigned but one 136 135 133 132 131 136 1●4 120 118 yeare Fulgen his son raigned two yeares in Brytaine Eldred raigned in Brytaine but one yeare Androgius likewise raigned but one yeare VRianus the sonne of Androgius wholy gaue himselfe to the lustes of the fleshe and raigned thrée yeares Eliud raigned fiue yeares who was a great Astronomer Dedantius King of Brytaine raigned fiue yeares Detonus raigned in this lande two yeares Gurgineus raigned thrée yeares in Brytaine Merianus was king of Brytaine two yeares 115 113 111 108 106 104 94 91 Prodigious signes 88 86 82 81 78 76 74 70 Bladunus gouerned thys lande of Brytaine two yeares Capenus raigned king of Brytaine thrée yeares Ouinus ruled this land of Brytaine two yeares Silius raigned in this land of Brytaine two yeares BLedgabredus raigned ten yeares and gaue himselfe to the studie of Musicke Archemalus was king of Brytaine two yeares ELdolus raigned foure yeares In his time diuerse prodigies were séene as Globes of fire bursting out of the ayre with great
looked for wherevpon the Kingdome was deuided the North part to Harold and the South to Hardycanute Edward and Alfred sonnes to King Ethelred with many Knightes came out of Normandy to sée their mother at Winchester whiche sore troubled the mindes of many greate men who bare more fauour to King Harold Especially Godwine Earle of Kent feigning to receiue Alfred as a friend came to méete him but in the end put him in prison parte of his companye he put in fetters and after put out their eyes Of some he caused their skinne to be plucked ouer their eares chopping off their hands and féete Some he commanded to be solde and diuers were murthered at Gilforde Quéene Emma hearing of this dealing she sent hir sonne Edward backe againe into Normandy After this Alfride was conueyed to the I le of Eely where his eyes being firste plucked out he was deliuered to the Monckes to be kept prisoner there where shortly after hée departed this life and was buryed in the South I le of the West part of the Church Bycause Hardycanutus delayed to come ouer being sent for he was vtterly reiected and Harold who before was King of the Mercies and Northumbers was chosen King of all England who shortly after expelled his mother in law Emma out of the Realme He raigned thrée yeares dyed at Oxford and was buryed at Westminster and after at Saint Clements without Templebarre at London HArdycanutus the lawfull begotten sonne of Canutus and 1041 Emma as soone as he had gotten his fathers Kingdome fetched home his mother out of exile and in reuenge of displeasure that was done to hir and of the murther of his brother Alured he commanded the carkas of Harold to be digged out of the earth and to be throwen into the Riuer of Thamis where by a Fisher it was taken vp and brought to the Danes who buryed it in a Church yard which they had This is supposed to be S. Clements Church vvithout Temple barre at London Which done the King appoynted eyght markes to be payde to euery Sayler in his name twelue markes to euery Pilote or Maister which tribute was to be payd of al England so gréeuous that scarce any was able to beare it Shortly after he sent for Edward the sonne of Etheldred his brother of the mothers side to come into England and embraced him with all loue and fauour Being at a mariage feast pleasantly drincking with the Bride other persons in the middest of his cups he fell suddaynely downe to the ground so remaining dumbe departed this life the third yeare of his raigne was buried by his father at Winchester EDward borne at Islip besides Oxford the sonne of Etheldred 104● Alfridus Beuerla Io. Rouse whom Hardycanutus had sent for into England was Crowned at Winchester This Edward for his excellēt holynesse is vntill this day called Saint Edward who so soone as he had gotten his fathers kingdome of his owne frée will released the tribute of 40000. pound called Dane gelt which Dane gelt the English people euen from the very beginning of the reigne of the Danes was compelled to pay to their Kings euery The first com●●ing vp of the common Lavv. yeare He was also the chiefe author and cause that the law which we call the common Law was first brought vp being gathered togither out of the lawes and ordināces of four nations which were receiued when the Island was subiect to diuers regiments gouernances to witte of the Mercies of the West Saxons of the Danes of the Northumbers Mercies vvest Saxons Danes and Northumbers He was hard to his mother bycause she was hard to him in his minoritie and also suspected with Alwine Bishop of Winchester whome he put in prison by counsell of Roberte Archbishop of Canturbury but after his mother had purged hirselfe Alwine was deliuered and Robert the Archbishop conueyed himselfe out of England He tooke to wife Edgitha Sea Cron. the daughter of Earle Godwine who bycause she brought Edgitha vvas barreyne him forth no children neyther was there any hope that she should beare any whē he did sée that many did gaye after y ● kingdome he began to be carefull for one that should iustly succéede him and therfore following the reason of y ● commō law he sent for home into England his Nephew Edward the sonne of king Edmond his brother who by reason of his lōg absence out of the Countrey was cōmonly called y e outlaw This is that Edward the sonne of King Edmond surnamed Ironside which remained aliue whome Canutus when he had gotten England had sent into Swethen with his brother He knowing the aduise of his Uncle came againe into England and brought with him Agatha his wife Edgar Margaret and Christian his children borne in Panonia in hope of the kingdome where he liued but a while Thus S. Edward being disappoynted both of his Nephew and his heire for that Edward the outlaw was both by néerenesse of bloud and by lawfull succession right heire vnto the Kingdome withoute delaye pronounced Edgar the outlawes sonne and his greate Nephew to bée heire of the Kingdome and gaue him to surname Adeling which name in those dayes was peculiar onely to Kings Children which were borne in hope and possibilitie of the Kingdome for thys worde Adeling in the English tong is as much to say as Prince or Lorde the contrary of which word is Vnderling that is The signification of the vvord Adeling to say a seruan●●or or bondman or according to the Walche spéech Adeling signifieth heire but bycause this Edgar was but yong of yeares and within age by his testamente he made Harold the sonne of Godwine a stoute man both in warre and peace Regent vntill the yong Edgar should be of age to receyue the Kingdome and that then he should be made King which thing Harold with a solemne oth promised to sée so performed and done Notwithstanding he like a Traytour by force of armes immediately after y ● death of Edward refused the name of Regent and pronounced himselfe Alfridus Beuerl Speculum histo R● Cirecest Flores histo King whiche thing shortly after brought destruction both to himselfe and to all England Anno 1051. Eustace Earle of Bullogne which had to wife Floriacen Goda sister to King Edward arriued at Douer where one of his men quarelling aboute his lodging slewe one of the Townesmen in reuenge whereof not only the quareller but other of his company and many of the Towne were slayne whiche doing so muche offended Godwine Earle of Kent that he assembled a great power wherewith he marched toward Glocester where the king then lay vnto whome he sent messengers to denounce warre except he would deliuer Eustace and his fellow Normans and Bolognians which held a Castell in the dominions of Kent After this Godwins armie entered into Glocester but it was there agréed that at a day
manfully stroke was more stoutely striken agayne and endeuoring to conquer was conquered himselfe he being ouercome fell downe for dead and when he was thought to Henry of Essex ouercome haue bin slayne at the instance of suche of the nobilitie as were of kinne to him it was granted vnto the Monks there Flores Historiarū that his body should be buryed but afterward he reuiued and hauing recouered his health became a Monke in that place London Bridge was new made of timber by Peter of Colechurch Anno reg 10 London bridge made of Timber 1164 Geruasius Do. a Priest Chapleyne Malcoline the Scottish King and Resus Prince of Southwales and other did homage to King Henry and his sonne Henry at Westminster A Counsayle was holden at Claringdon in presence of the King and the Archbishops Bishops Lordes Barons c. wherein was recognised and by their othes confirmed many ordinances too long héere to recite Thomas Archbishop of Canturburie being sworne to the same shortly after sore repented and ●●ed the Realme went to the Court of Rome The six and twentith day of January was a great Earthquake Anno reg 11 1165 An Earthquake Mathew Pari● Gerua Doro. Anno reg 12. in Eely Norffolke and Suffolke so that it ouerthrewe them that stoode vpon their féete and made the Belles to ring in the Stéeples The King seased into his handes all the Archbishops goodes and rents and banished all his kindred The King led an innumerable army against the Welchmen Radul Cogshal of Flemings Scottes Pictes Aniowans and other but with so great a multitude he could not ouercome them The Welchmen tooke the Castell of Cardigan In a certayne asséege at Bridgenorth againste Hugh de Mortimere when the King was shotte at by one of the enimies a valiant man Hubert de Saint Clere Constable of Colchester did thrust himselfe betwixte the King and the danger of the stroke and so receyued death for him whose only daughter the King taking into his custodie he gaue hir in mariage to William de Languale with hir fathers inheritance who begate on hir a sonne bearing the name and surname of his Grandfather Quéene Elianor brought forth a sonne named Iohn The King passed ouer into Normandy and there holding 1166 a counsell appoynted a collection to be made through all his Countreys two pence of the pound of mouable goodes A Taxe for the first yeare and one penny the pound for foure yeares after Robert sonne to William Earle of Glocester deceassed Anno reg 13 1167 The warre was renued betwixt the King of Englande and the French King for the Citie of Tholose and Mathewe Earle of Bulloigne brother to Philip Earle of Flanders manned sixe hundred Shippes to haue come into Englande but by such preparation as Richard Lucy gouernour of England made he was stopped well ynough Mawde King Henries daughter was maryed to Henry Anno reg 14 1168 Iohn Taxtor Gerua Doro. Ypodigma Duke of Saxon. Conan Earle of little Britaine dyed and left for his heire a daughter named Constance which he had by the King of Scottes sister which Constance King Henry marryed to his sonne Geffrey Robert de Boscue Earle of Leycester dyed He founde● Anno reg 15 1169 Sca. Cron. Gerendon Leycester and Eaton Sca. Cro. the Monasteries of Gerendon of Monkes of Leycester called Saint Mary de Prate of Channons regular and Eaton of Nunnes was founded by Amicia his wife daughter of Ralph Montforde King Henry caused the Castell of Warwike to be builded Deruntius the sonne of Morcardus called Mack Murgh Giraldus Cambr. King of Leynster being expelled out of his kingdome came into Guyen to King Henry hnmbly requiring 〈…〉 ●●r his restitution who vnderstanding fully the cause ●●ereof gaue frée licence to all Englishmen that woulde to ●●●●e the sayde Deruntius wherevpon he returning into Englande couenanted with Richard Earle of Chepstow to g●●e him his daughter in marriage and with hir the succession of his Kingdome so that he would help him in the recouery of it and shortly after he promised to Robert Fit● Stephen and Mawrice Fitz Gerald large reuenues in Ireland for the like helpe King Henry helde his Court at Naunts where the Bishops Anno reg 15. 1170 and Barons of Britayne being present sware their fidelitie to the King and to his sonne Geffrey and then the King sayled into England but many of his company were Giral Cambr. drowned by the way Robert Fitz Stephen first of all Englishmen after the Conquest Englismnen transported into Ireland entred Ireland the first day of May with 390. men and there tooke Wexford in the behalfe of Deruntius King Henry caused his sonne Henry borne at London Henry the kings sonne Crovvned to be Crowned by the handes of Roger Archbishop of Yorke as he thought to the great quietnesse of himselfe and hys Realme but it proued farre otherwise Thomas Archbishop of Canturbury by the mediation of Pope Alexander and Lewes the King of France was restored to his Sea of Caunturbury In September Richard Earle of Chepstow surnamed Gualteru● Couen Strongbow sayled into Ireland with a thousand two hundred men of warre and by force tooke Waterford and Dub●●● and marryed Eue Deruntius daughter Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canturbury the xxviij of Anno reg 17 1171 December was slayne by William Tracy Baron of Braynes Reignolde Fitz Vrse Hugh Moruilt and Richarde Briton Knightes There was séene at S. Osythes in Estsex a Dragon of a Chro. Colchester maruellous bignesse whyche by mouing burned houses Ex Record King Henry returned from beyond the Seas and landed at Portesmouth in the moneth of August Nicholas Break espeare an Englishman borne at Langley in the County of Hartford sonne to Robert a yonger brother Pope Adrian an Englishman of the house of Breakespeares whiche Roberte after the death of his wife professed himselfe a Monke of Saint Albons leauing his sonne to prouide for his owne preferment this yong man passed into France was shorne a Monke and after chosen Abbot went to Rome was consecrated Bishop of Alba made Cardinall sente Legate to the Norwayes where he reduced that nation from Paganisme to Christianitie and after returned to Rome When Anastasius was dead he was chosen Pope by y ● name of Adrian the 4. During his Popedome he granted the regimente of Ireland King Henry Lord of Ireland Gesta Abbat Sanc●● Albani Regi●trū m●n Sancti Albani Iohn Bale Cimphriu● Anno reg 18. Giraldu● Cambr. Radul Cogshal Geruasius D●●● to the King of England wherevpon King Henry hauing caused Richard Earle of Chepstow to giue into his handes all the land which he had conquered in that Realme toke Shippe at Penbroke and sayled thither where the King of Conach Deruntius King of Corke Morice King of Methe the King of Vriell Duvenald King of Ossery Duvenald King of Limerike Machachelin Ophelon Machaleny Othne●hely
After them Awburie de Vere Portgraue and Robert de Barquerel Prouost In the time of King Stephen Gilbert Becket Portgraue and Andrew Buchennet Prouost In the time of King Henrie the second Peter Fitz Walter Portgraue After him Iohn Fitz Nigelly Portgraue After him Ernulfus Buchel Portgraue After him William Fitz Isabel Portgraue These Portgraues are also in diuerse Recordes called Vicecomites or Sherifes for that they then farmed the Sherifwike of the King as the Shirifes of London doe at this day Iohn Beuar and some authors as Iohannis Beuar and other do cal them Domes men or Judges of the Kings Court. This yeare the Citizens of London obtayned to be gouerned Baylifes by two Baylifes whiche in diuerse auntiente records are also called Sherifes for that they like as the Portgraues farmed the Sherifewike They also obtained to haue a Maior to be their principal gouernour and lieuetenaunte of the Citie as of the Kings Chamber The names of the first Baylifes or Shirifes who entred at the feast of Saint Michael the Archangell were as followeth Sherifes Henrie Cornehil Richard Reinery Maior Henrie Fitz Alwyne Fitz Leofstan Goldsmith The first maior firste Maior of London and continued Maior during his life that was foure and twentie yeares as appeareth by a very antient Recorde sometime pertayning to the Nunrye of Clerkenwel contayning as a perfite register all such Register of Clerkenvvel grauntes of landes as was made to them by anye which hath diuerse déeds where vnto Henrie Fitz Alwyne first Maior of London is a witnesse dated the 1. 2. 3. 4. c. of Richard the first And for a more proofe I finde recorded in the Guilde Hal Consuetud de Lō in a booke called the Customes of London a constitution or order howe Citizens shall procéede in buildings betwéene Citizen and Citizen whyche constitution begynneth thus In the yere of our Lord. 1189. the first yere of the raigne of king Richard Henry Fitz Alwyne being Maior who was the first Maior of London it was prouided and ordayned c. Other proofes might be shewed out of diuerse auntiente Recordes but these are sufficient King Richard betooke the guiding of this land to William 1190 Gouernour of Englande VVilliam Bishop of Ely King Robert toke his voyage ouer to Ierusalem Geruasius Ypodigma Longshampe Bishop of Ely Chauncellour of England and y ● foure and twentith daye of Februarie he tooke his scrip and staffe at Canturburie and the sixth of Marche toke the Sea at Douer and transported ouer The second of July the two Kings of England of France met at Towers and from thence set forward on their iourney towards Ierusalem The towne of Mawling in Kent with the Nunry was cōsumed with fire The Jewes in the townes of Norwich Saint Edmunds Burie Lincolne Stamforde faire and Linne were robbed and spoyled Ievves slevv themselues And at Yorke to the number of 500. besides women and children entred a tower of the castel which the people assailing the Jews profered money to be in safetie of their liues but the Christians would not take it wherevpon their men of law sayde to them it is better for vs to die for our lawe than to fall into the handes of our enimies and they all agréeing to that Counsell cut the throtes of their wiues and children and cast them ouer the walles on the Christians heades the residue they locked vp in the kings lodging and burnt both the house and themselues Geffrey Archebishoppe of Yorke retourning from Rome Archbishop of of Yorke dravven from the Alter to prison Ralphe Cogshall and now consecrated arriued at Douer with his traine whō Matthew de Clare by the commaundemente of the Kings chaunceller entring with violence into the Church of Saint Martins le Grande in London drew from the Alter and so caried him to prison William Bishoppe of Ely builded the vtter wall aboute Anno reg 2. W. Di●●thorne A ditch made about the tovvre of London Richarde Sothwel the Tower of London and caused a déepe ditche to be made about the same thinking he coulde haue caused the riuer of Thamis to goe rounde aboute it but he bestowed great cost in vain● Sherifes Iohn Herlion Roger Duke Maior Henrie Fitz Alyne King Richarde subdued the I le of Cipers and then ioyning Mathew Paris Rog Houed Galf●id●● Vinis●l his power with Phillip the French Kings in Asia conquered Acon where there grewe betwéene the two Kings a gréeuous displeasure for which cause Phillip shortly departed thence and comming into Fraunce inuaded the Country of Normandie Iohn brother to King Richard toke on him the kingdom Arbor Successi●nis of England in his brothers absence Robert Earle of Leicester dyed in his iourney to Ierusalem King Richard restored to the Christians the Cittie of Ioppa and in manye battayles putte the Turkes to greate sorrow The bones of the most famous King of Brytaine Arthur 1191 were found at Glastenburie in a goodly olde se●ulchre about the which stoode two pillers in which were letters written which by reason of the great barbarousnesse of the lāguage and the foulenesse no body coulde reade vpon the sepulture was a crosse of leade whereon was written here lyeth the Anno reg 3. noble king of Brytains Arthur Sherifes William Hauerell Iohn Bucknote Maior Henrie Fitz Alwyne William Bishoppe of Ely did commonlye ride with 500. Iohn the kings brother rebelled horsses and gréeued Abbayes by meane of his lodging wyth them he withstoode Iohn the Kings brother who sayde hée wist not if his brother Richard were aliue or not To whom the Bishop aunswered if King Richard be yet liuing it were vntrueth to take from him the Crowne If he be deade Arthure the elder brothers sonne muste enioye the same King Richarde exchaunged Cipres wyth Guy of Lesingham 1192 Ex anniles ●lie● Vita G●●ng● c●●● for the Kingdome of Ierusalem wherefore the King of Englande a long time after was called King of Ierusalem The Bishoppe of Ely legate to the Pope Chauncellour Roge● Houed The Bishoppe put to his shifts Geruasius Doro. of Englande and gouernour of the Realme was forced to take the Tower of London for hys refuge wherein Earle Iohn besieged him at lengthe the Bishoppe getting licence to depart went to Douer but he was there forced to sweare that he woulde not departe the Realme yet béeing in a maruellous disquietnesse of minde he putte off hys mannes apparell put on womans meanyng so to escape whylest hée goeth vppe and downe on the shore bearing a webbe of clothe on hys arme as hée woulde sell it styll wayting for a shippe a sorte of women pulled off his kerchiefe and threwe him to the grounde and after beate hym and drewe hym along the sandes wherevpon great crye beyng made the Burgesies ranne and with muche a doe gotte hym from among them and kepte hym strayghtlye tyll he hadde obtayned licence to departe the Realme Anno
●aruus Iohn Taxtor Gerua Doro. Canturb recordes Gual Couent euill fauoured of shape but yet verye eloquent moued the common people to séeke libertie and fréedome and not to bée subiect to the rich and mightie by which meanes he drewe to him many great companies and with all his power defended the poore mens cause against the riche 52000. Londonors he allured to him to be at his deuotion and commandemēt The king being warned of this tumult cōmanded him to cease from those attemptes but the people still followed him as they before had done he made to them orations taking for his theame this sentence Haurietis aquas in gau●io de fontibus saluatoris whiche is to say Ye shal draw in ioy waters forth of the wels of your sauiour And to this he added I am sayd he y e sauiour of poore men yée be poore haue assayed long y e hard hands of rich mē Now draw yée holsome water forth of my Wels that w e ioy for the time of your visitatiō is come This Williā was cōmaunded to appeare before the kings counsell to aunsweare for himselfe in suche causes as shoulde be layde against him where he appeared but wyth 1196 such a multitude of people that the Lordes were afrayde and remitted him with pleasaunte wordes for the time appointing some priuliy when he was alone to apprehende him He sooke the stéeple of Bow Church in Chope and fortified it with munition and victuals The Archbishop of Canturburie then being at Londō with other Iustices sent to him and willed him to come forth of the Church he should haue his life saued but he refused to come forth wherfore y ● Archebishop talking with the Citizens of London called togither a great number of armed area least any stur should be made The Saterdaye therefore being the Passion sondaye euen the stéeple and Church of Bowe were assaulted and William with his complices taken but not without bloudshed for hée was forced by fire and smoke to for sake the Churche he was brought to the Archbishop in the Towre where he was by y e Iudges condemned and by the héeles drawn from thence to a place called the Elmes and ther hāged with nine of his fellowes This counterfaite friende to the poore who named hymselfe A false accuser of his elder brother in the ende vvas hanged to be the sauiour perswading them against the riche was a man of an euil life a murderer who slew one manne with his owne handes a fornicatour who poluted Bowe church with his Concubine and amongst other his detestable facts one that hadde falsely accused his elder brother of treason whyche elder brother hadde in hys youthe Anno reg 8. broughte him vppe in learning and done manye things for his preferment Yet after the death of this wicked malefactor the simple people honoured him as a martyre in so much that they stale awaye the gibbet whereon he was hanged and pared away the Earth that was be-bled with hys bloude and kepte the same as holye reliques to heale sicke men King Richard graunted licence vnto Phillip Bishoppe of Durham to coyne mony in his Citie of Durham which libertie Roger Houeden none of his predicessours had enioyed of long tyme before Sherifes Gerard de Anteloch Robert Durant Maior Henrie Fitz Alwyne The Walchmen brake forth and did muche hurt by spoyling 1197 of the Marches The Archbishop of Canturburie callyng togither an army hasted thyther besieged the Castel of Polie and toke it and chased the enimies established peace and returned Rise the Walch king departed this life King Richard and the Earle of Flaunders confedered togither Anno reg 9. The French King entring vnwarely into Flaunders was intercepted and taken by the Earle of Flaunders but giuing pledges vpon couenaunt to make peace he was suffered to depart The viij day of September they met at Liste where by mediation of the Archbishop of Canturburie they toke a truce The Archbishop of Roane returned from Rome where he had complayned on King Richard for taking from him a plot of ground whereon he builded a strong Castell but at the request of the Archbishop of Canturburie the Kyng gaue him in recompence the towne of Deep Sherifes Roger Blunt Nicholas Ducket Maior Henrie Fitz Alwyne The Walchmen on the Marches toke booties did much 1198 Geruasius hurt but Hubert the Archbishop of Canturburie being Lorde thiefe Iustice Lieuetenaunt or Warden of England found meanes to resist them so that they being fought with were ouerthrowen and fiue thousand of them slaine The Archebishop hauing got this victorie returneth to London where calling togither a great number of the Nobles of the lande he resigned his office of being head ruler in whose place the Anno reg 10 Lord Geffrey Fitz Peter succéeded in August King Richard toke of euery Carucata plough land or hid of land through England fiue shillings The French king was intercepted by the army of King Richard so that with much adoe he escaped into Cipres his army was dispersed and almost an hundred Knightes taken beside other common soldiours without number The Charters which the king had Mathew Paris before made with his new seale were chaunged Sherifes Constantine Fitz Arnolde Robert de Beaw Maior Henrie Fitz Alwyne Hubert Archebishop of Canturbnrie through the procurement of the Monks of Canturburie and by the cōmandement of the Pope brake downe euen with the ground the Chapel Colledge at Lambeth or Colledge at Lambeth which his predecessors had founded and he had finished in the honor of Thomas Archbishoppe of Canturburie King Richard tourned his armye against the Barons of 119● K. Richaad vvōded to death Paulus Aemeleus Gualterus Couen Ralph Cogshal Poictow that rebelled against him he set their Cities towns on fire spoyled their Countrey flew many of his aduersaries cruelly at the laste came to the Dukedome of Aquitaine and besieged the Castel of Chalne and brought it to that that they within offered to yéeld vpon conditions but he woulde not so receiue them but would haue them by force whervpvn a certain yong man named Bertram de Gordon standing on y e Castel wall leuelled a quarell out of a crosse bowe and smote him with a venomed Darte which stripe the king little regarded but inuading the castel wan it and put the soldiours in prison Of this wounde aforesayde he dyed the sixth day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord. 1199. When he had raigned ix yeres and ix monthes and was buried at Fonteuerard at his fathers féete whom he confessed he had betrayed his heart was buried at Roane and his bowels at the foresayde Chalne ¶ King John IOHN brother to Richard aforenamed beganne his raigne ouer the Realme Anno reg 1 of Englande the vj. daye of April in the yeare of our Lord 1199. Of person he was indifferent but of melancholie and angrie complexion He being now in Normandie
and so to the Castel and cast him in prison whereof whē the Barons vnderstoode they sent Roger Clifford and Sir Iohn Gifford with a great power to Glocester who beséeging the Castell Clocester Castell taken by the Barons brent the bridge and entred at the last where they tooke the said Macy with all his company and for that a Carpenter frō the Castell with a quarell had slaine an Esquier of the Barons partie Sir Iohn Gifford made the same Carpenter to leape from the top of the Castell where-through he was crushed to death Sir Roger Clifford tooke the kéeping of that Castell vpon him and sente Macy into the March Sir Iohn Gifford tooke all Macies goodes at Sherestone and elsewhere Peter de Egblonuch a Frenchman Bishop of Hereford Bishop of Hereford a French man was drawne out of his Cathedrall Churche by Thomas Turberuill and other and sent to the Castel of Erdesley where he and Sir Macy were both committed to safe ward his treasure was spoyled and his Chanons sent to prison and thus were Frenchmen serued through the Land where they mought be founde by them that were on the Barons part Simon de Mountfort with the Barons pitched theyr Tents in Istleworth Parke The Manor of Istleworth belōging Tho. Wikes to Richard King of Almayne was burnt by y ● Londoners They also burned another house of his néere to Westminster In this meane while the King and Quéene remained The Queene chased Nicho. Triuet in the Tower of London and when y ● Quéene would haue gone by water vnto Windesore the Londoners getting them to the Bridge in great numbers vnder the which she must passe cried out on hir vsing many vile and reprochful words threw durt and stones at hir that she was constreyned to returne againe to the Tower The Citizens fortified the Citie with iron Chaynes drawne ouerthwart their Streetes of Lōdon chayned Annales of Hyde stréetes munited the Citie and did maruellous things There was a peace concluded betwixte the King and the Barons with these conditions that Henry sonne to the Kyng of Almayne that tooke the Barons parte and was in prison shoulde be deliuered that all the Kings Castels through England should be put into the Barons hands that the prouisions of Oxford shoulde be kept and that all Strangers within a certaine time should depart the land those except whose abode the faithfull persons of the Realme with one assent shoulde accept lastly that the Englishmen borne and such as were faithfull men to the Kingdome shoulde order and rule the businesse of the land vnder the King But this notwithstanding certayne Knightes of the Kings part fortified the Castel of Windesore with vittayles and armour Edward the Kings sonne came to Bristow where discorde rose betwixte his Knightes and the Townesmen so that the Townesmen were minded to haue beséeged the Castell whiche when Edward vnderstoode he sent for Walter Bishop of Winchester that tooke the Barons part that in his company he might go to the Court of his father promising to perswade his father to peace Héerevpō going forth with y ● Bishop til they came to Windsore he entred the Castell to the great misliking of the Bishop but Edward shortly returned and wente to méete Simon Earle of Leicester that he with his adherents were cōming to beséege Windesore Castell Edward the Kings sonne met with y ● sayd Simon about Kingston and offered meanes of peace but Simon trusting to Bishop Walters counsell deteyned Edward with him and woulde not suffer him to depart till the Castell was yéelded they that were within hauing libertie to departe whither they woulde and the Strangers that minded to passe the Seas had safeconducts granted them Lewlin Prince of Wales confederate with Earle Simon in the meane time wasted the Countrey of Chester and the Marches of the same and ouerthrew to the grounde the Castles of Diffard and Gannoke After this a Parliament was holden at London in the which many that had held with the Earle went to the Kings part as Henry of Almaine sonne to Richard King of Romaynes and other The Kings partie being encreased he wente to Douer and endeuoured to haue gotte that Castell out of the Earles Anno reg 48 hands but he trauelled in vayne Robert Mountpiler Osbert Suffolk the. 28. of September Sherifes Maior 1264 Thomas Fitz Thomas Fitz Richard the. 28. of October Lewes King of Fraunce throughe procuring of Boniface Archbishop of Canturburie who in politicke Sermons at Paris as well at the Friers Prechers as Minors declared the doings betwixt the King of Englande and the Earle of Leicester toke vpon him to make a peace betwixte them wherevpon the King of Englande with his sonne Edwarde and diuerse other of the English nobilitie came to Paris aboute the xxij of Januarie but the Earle of Leicester fearing y e French Kings displeasure for his mothers sake or some other cause not knowen stayed at home in England and procéeded in hys businesse wherefore Roger Mortimer began to destroye the possessions which the Earle uf Leicester helde againste whō the Prince of Wales went and besieged the Castel of Radnore and brought it to yéelde Edward the Kings sonne after his returne from Paris about Lent toke his iourney toward the March and passing The Schollers and Burgesses of Oxforde the one spoyle the other by Oxford the Burgesses shut vp their gates againste hym whereby he was forced to lye at the kings Hall without the towne till the next morrowe and then departed The schollers of Oxford being shut within the Towne brake vppe the gate that leadeth toward Bea●monte for which déede the Maior sent some of them to prison and not long after whyle the Schollers were at dinner the Maior and Commons wyth banners displayde thoughte to haue spoyled the Clearkes ere they had bin aware but being espied the Schollers ran togither and with bowes and other weapons slewe and wounded the Burgesses and Commons brake vp manye houses spoyling the goods and set the houses of the Portriues William Spicer and Geffrey Hencley on Fier on the South side of the towne Moreouer bycause the Maior Nicholas Kingstone was a Uintener they brake vp the Uintry Clarkes of Oxforde banished dranke the Wines and spoyled them for the which facte the King caused the Clearkes and Schollers to be banished the Uniuersitie Edward the kings sonne toke the Castels of Hay Huntington belonging to the Earle of Hereforde and the Castel of Brecon being also rendered to him he deliuered to Roger Mortimer to kéepe with the teritorie adiacent Robert Ferrers Earle of Darbie who toke part with Erle Simon besieged VVorcester besieged Worcester and entring by the olde Castel spoyled the Citizens of their goods and compelled the Jewes to be christened Glocester besieged The towne of Glocester that before was taken by the Barōs was now assailed by Edward the kings son who entred y e castel by great force in the
Aquitaine and the Earledome of Po●t●●e and that the French Kyng shoulde receyue homage of hym wherevpon Edwarde the Kings sonne wente ouer wyth a competent housholde aboute the feaste of Saint Mathewe and did homage vnder certaine protestations to his vncle the Frenche King Bennet of Fulham Iohn Cowson the. 28. of September Sherifes Maior 1325 Hamon Chickwel Peperer the. 28. of October Whiles the Quéene wyth hyr sonne remayned in Fraunce longer than the Kings pleasure was and would not come agayne wythout Roger Mortimer and other Nobles that were fledde out of Englande and especially for the hatred shée bare to the two Hughe Spencers the Kyng in displeasure banished them bothe and all other that toke theyr partes wherevppon manye fledde ouer the Seas to the Quéene amongst the whych was one a subtill Knyght Sir Robert Walkefare who slaying the Conestable of Corfe Castel brake from them where he had long line prisoner Sir Oliuer Ingham Knight whom the yong Duke Edwarde Oliuer Ingham hadde made kéeper of Aquitaine gathered a great armye and inuaded the prouince of Aniowe whiche the Frenche King contrarie to couenauntes dydde wythholde Anno reg 19 and broughte it wholby into the dominion of England Moreouer the kings Nauie tooke a hundred ships of the Normans and brought them into England for which cause gret hatred grew betwixt the two kings and their Realmes The Q. perceyuing that y ● nobles of France were corrupted with gifts sent out of Englād so that she could trust none of them secretly conueyed hir selfe and hir sonne to the Erle of Heynalde desiring ayde of him who receyued and intreated hyr very honourably so long as she remayned there Gilbert Mordon Iohn Cotto● the. 28 of September Sherifes Maior 1326 Richard Betaine Goldsmith the. 28. of October Isabel the Quéene made a mariage betwixt hir eldest son Edward and Phillip the Earles daughter of Heynalde and and then with hir sonne Edwarde Edmunde of Woodstocke Erle of Kent the kings brother Roger Mortimer and many other noble men that were fledde out of Englande and Iohn brother to the Earle of Heynalde being Captaine with stipedarie knightes out of Almaine and Henalde she toke the seas with all hir power whiche were to the number of MM. DCC LUII menne well armed and arriued at Vrewel or Orwel hauen besides Harwich in Essex about Michaelmasse whether immediately the Earle Marshal the Earle of Leicester the Bishops of Lincolne Hereforde Diuelyn Ely came and being ioyned to the Quéene made a great army Anno reg 20. Queene Isabel returned the other Bishops specially of Canturburie ayded hyr with mony When she had refreshed hir armye at Saint Edmondesburie she went forwardes pursuing hir enimies whose goods she applyed to hir owne vse The King requested ayde of the Citizens of London who made him aunsweare they woulde The King requested ayde with due obedience honour the King and Quéene and theyr sonne who was lawfull heyre to the Realme and that they woulde shut theyr gates against all forraine traytors of the Realme but they would not go out of their Citie to fighte except they might according to theyr liberties return home againe the same day before Sunne sette which when the K. hearde he fortified the Tower of London and lefte there hys Proclamation by the king yonger sonne Iohn of Eltham he caused also to be proclaimed that euery ●●● should resist them that were arriued and to inuade them to the vttermost of theyr powers the Quéene with hir some Edward and the Erle of Kent his brother only excepted and wholoeuer coulde bring the heade of Roger Mortimer shoulde haue a thousande pounde On the other s●●● it was proclaymed in the Quéenes behalfe that al men Proclimation by the Queene should haue good peace except the disturbers of the Realm to wit the Spencers y ● father and the son Robert Baldocke byshop of Norwich the kings Chancellour and theyr fautours whosoeuer did bring to the Quéen the head of Hugh Spencer shoulde haue a M. pound The Citizens of London without respect of any beheaded such as they took to be the Quéenes enimies among the whiche they beheaded one of their owne Citizens named Iohn Marshal bicause he was familiar with Hugh Spencer the yonger They toke also Maister Walter Stapleton Bishoppe of Excester and on the. xv day of Bishop of Excester beheaded October beheaded him the eight and twētith of March next following he was buried at Excester with great solemnitie and two of his seruauntes a squire and a yeoman named William Atwall and Iohn of Padington at the standerd in Cheape bycause as the saying was he had gathered a greate army to withstand the Quéene they did also wrest the keyes of the Tower of London out of the Conestables handes and deliuered al the prisoners Richard Rothing Roger Chaunteclere the. 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Saint Iames. Richard Britaine Goldsmith the 28. of October Thys Richarde Rothing Sherife builded the Parishe Church of Saint Iames at Garlike Hithe in London The Quéen besieged Bristow which was soone rēdered to The Queen besieged Bristovv hir and the morrow after hir cōmyng Hugh Spencer the elder was drawen hanged in his armour then beheaded Spencer the elder executed Wil. Pakington his body hanged vppe againe and after foure dayes cutte al to péeces and cast to the dogges to be eaten but his heade was sent to Winchester The King Hugh Spencer the yonger and Robert Baldocke determyned to flée into the I le of Lunday whiche is in the mouth of the riuer Seuerne twoo miles in length euery waye verye fruitefull pleasaunte and harde to conquer but beyng in greate daunger on the Sea the space of a The King taken Tho. de la More Alexan. Netha● wéeke at laste arriued in Wales where they were taken the sixtéenth daye of Nouember in the Monasterye of Neth The Kyng was committed to Henrie Earle of Lancaster his kinsman who broughte hym to Kellingworthe Castell The K. sent to Killingvvorth Hugh Spencer Robert Baldocke and Symon Readyn were broughte to the Quéene at Hereforde the Earle of Arundell Iohn Daniel and Thomas Muchelden by procurement of Roger Mortimer were beheaded before theyr comming Hugh Spencer was condemned without aunswere at Hereforde where he was drawen and hanged vppon a Spencer the yōger executed Gallowes thirtye foote hygh and then headed and quartered on the foure and twentith of Nouember Simon Reading was drawen and hanged on the same Gallowes but ten foote lower Robert Baldocke dyed in Newgate with manye torments These things beyng done the Quéene wyth hyr sonne Edwarde Roger Mortimer and other went to Wallingforde Castell a little before Christmasse and before the twelfth daye they came to London where they were ioyfully receyued On the morrowe after the sayde feaste they helde a Parliamente where by common decrée they elected Edwarde hys eldeste sonne and then sente in the name of
Base court in the parish of Saint Giles without Cripplegate of Ba●bican at London London commonly called to this day the Barbicane bycause in old time y e same had bin a Burgekening or watchtower for the Citie The same day the King made twentie Knightes to Wil. Shepeshead wéete Sir Edward Mountacute Thomas Somarton Sir Isle Sir Darcy Richard Sir Damuory Sir Iohn Poultney Sir de Mere Roger Banant Roger Hilary Sir Bolingbroke Sir Butterell Sir Simon Swanland William Scotte William Basset Robert Sodington William Zoustes Sir Cogshall Roger Sangrauile Thomas de la More mine Authoure Tho. de la More and Iohn Strache In the same Parliament it was enacted that no wooll growing within the Realme of England should be transposed VVooll forbidden to be conuayed ouer the Seas out of the same but that it should be made into cloth in England and that all Fullers Weauers and Clothworkers of euery degrée being sufficiently instructed and cunning Priuiledges giuen to Clothvvorkers in their arte from what Countrey so euer they came into England should receyue and enioy certayne priuiledges yea and moreouer should liue at the Kings charges out of the Exchequer vntill they had prouided commodiouslie to liue by their art Although this Statute séemed at the beginning to be nothing profitable yet in short time the arte of clothing increased so much thereby that it was twentie times more vsed than before Also it was enacted that no man should after that time buy any cloth that was made beyond the Sea and that none should weare any Furres but such as might dispend one hundred pound by yeare Iohn Clarke William Curteis the 28 of September Sherifes Maior Sir Iohn Poultney Draper the 28 of October After the feast of Saint Michaell a Parliament was holden Tho. de la More Anno reg 11 1337 at London and a Connocation was assembled by the Archbishop wherein the Cleargie graunted a tenth for thrée yeares and the commons a fiftenth in consideration of the Kings warres which was hote in Scotlande and also to resist the French King who made great bragges and shewed great crueltie for he outlawed slew and emprisoned all Englishmen and confiscated the goodes and Cattayles of all that were found in his Kingdome of France threatning that he would be reuenged for his friendes the Scottes Moreouer he left not so muche as one Towne or Castell in the Counties of Aquitayne or of Poyters that was not seized into his handes wherevpon King Edward sente into Brabant to take vp all the woolles whiche Merchants had brought thither and made sale thereof for readie money He also wrote Letters to the French King exhorting him that he woulde continue his olde amitie Sir Walter Many béeing the Embassadour for the King of Englande and desirous to reuenge the bloud of two Englishmen that were slayne comming a lande for freshe water in a certayne Islande called the I le of Agnes nigh vnto Flanders he caused all that hée founde in the sayde Island to be put to the sworde and tooke prisoner the Earle of Flanders brother who was Captayne of the I le Certayne of the Island men béeing fled into a Church Tho. Wals●●g were brent to the number of thrée thousande with the Church and all by the Welchmen The warres b●eing thus as aforesayde begonne betwixte the two Kingdomes the rumour thereof came vnto the Court of Rome wherevpon the Pope sent two Cardinalles for the reformation and ordering of the peace betwixte the two Kingdomes who comming to Westminster declared before the King the cause of their comming wherevnto the King answered that although without all reason they dyd séeme to restreyne hym of right and equitie for that hée ought to succéede into the Kingdome of hys forefathers the whyche hys aduersarie Phillip de Valoys dyd denye hym expelling murthering and emprisoning hys people and taking away the Dukedome of Aquitayne and Earledome of Poyters without cause maynteyning the Scottes and other Rebelles agaynste hym yet these iniuries notwithstanding hée was contented if they coulde take order for the quiet enioying of Aquitayne and other fées belonging vnto hym whiche hys predecessoures did enioy Moreouer for the dismissing of all ayde that the French King shoulde gyue vnto the Scottes at any tyme of Rebellion for the which he offered his money and also the mariage of his eldest sonne and also to resigne all suche rites and interest that he hadde to the Kyngdome of France The Cardinalles béeyng greately comforted with this aunswere departed hoping that all warres were nowe ended They tooke with them Iohn the Archbishoppe of Canterburie Richarde Bishoppe of Durham and Geffrey Lorde Scrope who altogyther wente on message with the Kynges aunswere to the Frenche Kyng hauing full authoritie to treate and conclude à peace These béeing so reasonable offers coulde not pacifye the furious minde of the Frenche King who reposed greate trust in the Scottes hopyng by them and through theyr meanes quite to dispossesse and to disherite the King of England of all the title he had Walter Neale Nicholas Crane the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Henry Darcy the 28. of October The King caused to confiscate all the goodes of the Lonibards and also of the Monkes of the order of Cluny and Cisteaux through the whole Realme The King tooke wooll to a certaine number of Sackes Anno reg 12 at a low price in euery Countrey the number that was set vpon Staffordshire was sixe hundred sackes price nine markes the sacke of good wooll but nothing was payde First the wooll was vniuersally taken Secondly for the halfe in whose hands soeuer it were founde as well Merchāts as other And the third time the King tooke a fiftenth of the comminalty to be payde in wooll price of euery stone contayning fourtéene pound two shillings The King appointed also all the Corne and glebe lands 1338 to serue for his warres About Saint Margarets day King Edward with Quéene Ro. Auesbery Philip his wife and a great army passed the Seas with a Nauie of 500. sayle of Shippes into Flanders and ●● to Cullen The fourth of October fiftie Galleys well manned and South-hampton sacked and brēt by the French ●irats furnished came to Southampton about nine of the clocke and sacked the Towne the Townesmen running away for feare by the breake of the next day they which fledde by helpe of the Countrey there about came againste the Pirats and fought with them in the whiche skirmish were slayne to the number of thrée hundred Pirates togither with their Captayne a yong Souldioure the King of Sicils sonne To this yong man the French King had giuen whatsoeuer he got in the Kingdome of England but he béeing beaten downe by a certayne man of the Countrey cried Rancon notwithstanding the husbandman layde him on with his clubbe till he had slayne hym speaking these words yea quoth he I know well ynough thou art a Fran●on
and therefore shalt thon dye for he vnderstoode not his spéech neyther had he anye skill to take gentlemen prisoners to kéepe them for their raunsome wherfore the residue of those Gennowayes after they had set the towne a fire and brent it vp quite fledde to their Galleyes and in theyr fléeing certaine of them were drowned After this the inhabitantes of the towne compassed it about with a strong and great Wal. The King still mayntayning his warres in Fraunce on the euen of the Annuntiation of our Lady ●j galleyes approching to the towne of Harwich they cast fire therein the force whereof by a contrarie winde was stayd so that no gret harme was done thereby Furthermore in the same yeare about the feaste of Pentecost certaine Pirates of Normandie and Geno● shipped in Gallenes and Pinaces made a shew on the sea about Southampton as they woulde haue come alande and threatned sore to spoyle the towne againe but perceyuing the townesmen ready to resist them they returned to the I le of Wight but entred not being put backe by the inhabitauntes wherevppon they sayled about the sea coastes séeking to lande in places lesse defended and after came to Hastings where they brente fishers cotages with theyr boates and slewe many men Also they made greate shewes many times against the I le of Thanet Douer and Fulkestone but in those places they did little harme excepte to poore fishermen thence they sayled about to the hauens of Cornewall and Deuonshire doing in all places much harme to the fisher men and suche shippes as they founde vnmāned they fiered At length they entred Plimouth Hauen where they brent certain great shippes and a great parte of the towne these were met by Hugh Curtney Earle of D●●onshire a knight of foure scoure yeares olde being accompanyed with manye souldiours of his Countrey who hauing lost at the firste fronte a fewe of his men whiche were slaine by the quarrels of the French ioyned to fighte wyth them hande to hande and slaying many of the Pyrates vpon drye lande chased the residue which fled to take their Galleys and being not able to come nigh them by wading they ●●ere drowned in the ●ea to the nūber of fiue hundred New●s being brought to the King lying in Brabant that diuers Parts of Englande were spoyled with the Pirates hée declared to his friends to wit the Marques of Iult●cence and a cer●●●●e Cardinall what great causes he had to reuenge himself vpon them and in the end was aunswered by the Cardinal as followeth The kingdome of Fr●●●● sayde he is compassed about with ● thr●ed of ●●lke whiche can not be broken by all the strength of the kingdome of Englande wherefore my Lorde king you must stay for the comming of the Dutchmen and other your friendes and confederates the greater part wherof you now ●a●l●● The King raking great disdaine hereat staying nothing at al● said that he woulde ride into the land of Fraunce with Banner displayed and y ● ther he wold l●ke for that mightie power of the French men and that hée woulde eyther winne the same against any man that should with 〈…〉 〈…〉 or else ●●nestly dye in the fielde 〈…〉 Po●●●●et Hugh M●betel the 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Hence Dar●● the ●8 of October King Edward wintere● at Antwerp where Quéene Philip was deliuered of hir thirde son Lionel after Erle of Vl●●er The king toke vppon him to be lieuetenauute of the King Edvvarde made vicegerē● of the Empire Empire from the D●●● of Bauare who helde himselfe as Emperour A sodaine inundation of Water at Newcastle vpon Tine Richard South Nevvcastel drovvned 1339 bare downe a péece of the Towne Wall a sixe pearches in length neare to a place called Walkenew where ●20 men women were drowned In the U●g●●●● Saint Matthy king Edwarde beganne to ryde with Banner displayed and twelue thousand men of armes against the Frenche King burnyng Townes and Castels wheresoeuer he came In the first night being verye darke Geffrey Lord Scrope one of the Kings Justices led one of the Cardinals to wit Bertrand de Mount Fa●●ntyne of the title of our Ladie vp into an high Tower shewing hym the whole lande about towarde Fraunce for the compasse of fiftéene leagues to be in euery place on ●re saying these wordes sir doth not this si●●en threed wherwith Fraunce is compassed seme to you to be broken the Cardinall aunswering nothing fel downe as deade for sorowe and feare In thys sort king Edward made ●ourneyes into France dayly continuing the space of fiue wéekes and caused ●y● armye to trauell in such sort that they destroyed the whole Countrey of Cambray Tourney Vermode● and Landenewe excepting those Cities which wer sword to him w t churches and Castels The inhabitauntes of the Countrey fledde neyther was there anye man that durst resist his enterpryses althoughe the Frenche King had gathered greate armies within the Walled Cities himself lying in the strōg Towne of Saint Quintines what time the Brabanders had determined to returne home againe and were entred into theyr iourney being forced there vnto partlye by wante of victuals and partlye by the coldnesse of Winter whyche grew on fast The French king vnderstanding thereof beganne to moue himselfe with hys armye towarde the campe of the king of England who gladly loking for his comming called back again the Brabanders hauing receyued letters frō the Frenche King that he woulde ioyne battayle against hym he sent him worde back againe that he woulde stay for him thrée dayes wherefore on the fourth daye the Kyng loking for the Frenche Kings comming whiche woulde come no nearer them than two miles off breaking bridges and felling of trées that the King of Englande mighte not followe hym he fled to Paris wherevpon king Edwarde returned by Hanonia in Brabrant where he continued almost the whole Winter William Thorney Roger Frosham the. 28. of Septe● Sherifes Maior Andrewe Awbery Grocer the. 28. of October In this Winter time king Edwarde grewe into greate friendshippe with the Flemmings who prepared themselues at all times to shewe their selues as good subiectes vnto him swearing to doe homage and fealtie vppon condition that he would call himselfe King of Fraunce and in token thereof would from thence forth giue armes with Flouredeluces for otherwise they durste not obey him for feare of the Popes curse which was to be layde vppon them if at any time they rebelled against the King of Fraunce Wherefore by the co●●●●ll of his friends the Flemmings and consent of his noble men he agréed there vnto and tooke vppon him both the name and armes of the King of France He also toke Flaunders vnder his gouernement the people wherof long after in all matters were to him obedient as vnto the King of Fraunce Conquerer As touching the title and and armes aforesayde the Frenche king sayde to certayne Englishmen sent vnto him our cousin quoth he doth wrongfully beare quartered armes of England
to the I le of Wight and sodainly entred it but sir Peter Russel Knight méeting them with the people of that I le put them backe again and made them to flée staying manye of them in the which skirmish the sayde knight was wounded wherof he dyed These Pirates sayled thēce toward the coast of Deuonshire and comming to Teygnemouth they sette fire on the Towne and brent it from thence they sayled towardes Plimouth which towne was so defended that they coulde not hurte it but burnt the farmes and fayre places nigh adioyning and toke a knight prisoner whom they caried with them The same yeare king Edward besieged Turney but vpon entreatie made by the Frenche a truce was taken from Michaelmasse til midsommer wherfore the king comming to Gaunt in Flaunders stayed there looking for money out of England which came not Adam Lucas Bartholmew Maris the. 28. of September Sherifes Maior Andrew Auburie Grocer the. 28 of October King Edwarde with eight of his men fayning that hée woulde ride abrode for his pleasure secretly came into ●elande where taking shippe after he had sayled thrée dayes and thrée nightes on Saint Andrewes day at night aboute the Cock crowing he entred the Tower of Londō by water being wayted on by the Earle of Northampton Nicholas Cātilopo Reignalde Cobham Giles de Bello Campo Iohn de Bello Campo Knightes William Killesby and Phillippe Weston Priestes earely in the morning he sent for his chācellour treasurer and Justices then being at London and the Bishop of Chichester being his Chauncellour and the Bishop of Couentrie his Treasurer he put out of office minding also to haue sent them into Flaunders to haue ben pledges for money he owed there but the Bishoppe of Chichester declared vnto him what daunger might insue to hym by the Canons of the Churche whervpon the King dismissed them out of the Tower but as concerning the high Justices to witte Iohn Lorde Stoner Robert Lord Willowby William Lorde Scharshel and especially Nicholas Lord Bech who before that time was Lieutenant of the Tower of London and sir Iohn Molens Knight with certaine marchaunt men as Iohn Poultney William Pole and Richard his brother and the Chauncellours chiefe Clearkes to witte Maister Iohn de Saint Paule Michael Wathe Henrie Stafforde and certaine of the Exchequer as Maister Iohn Thorpe with many other moe the king commaunded to be imprisoned some in one place some in another neyther woulde he suffer them to be discharged thence til hée were throughlye pacified of his anger conceyued for not sendyng the money whiche shoulde haue serued at the siege of Torney This yeare about Christmas Henrie Bishoppe of Lincolne and Geffrey Lord Scrope chiefe Justiciar to the kyng and his chiefe Counseller dyed at Gaunt Anno reg 15 King Edwarde kept his Christmasse at Gildforde and after that a great Justing at Reading Also at Candlemasse hée kept a greate iusting at Langley for the honor of the noble men of Vascon●a which he trayned vp there in feates of war He made Robert de Boursier Knight Lord Chancellour of Englande and Robert Parnike Knighte Treasurer the one to succéede the other Also he sent out Justiciars that Iustice of Tral● baston shoulde set in euerye shire to enquyre concerning the collectours of the tenthes and fiftéenthes and of wools and to ouersée al officers And bicause the Citie of London would not suffer that any such officers should set as Justices within theyr Citie as inquisitours of suche matters contrarie to theyr liberties the King prouided that those Justices shoulde holde theyr Sessions in the Tower of London to make inquisition of the domages of the Londoners but bycause the Londoners woulde not aunswere there vntill theyr liberties were fully confirmed neyther anye suche confirmation coulde be had eyther of the King or his Chauncellour touching Writs and Charters in the Towre there rose thereof suche a greate tumulte that the Justicies appointed there to sit fayned that they woulde holde no session there till after Easter Wherevpon the king being highly offended for the sayde tumult and desirous to know the names of them that had raysed it coulde not vnderstande but that they were certaine meane persons who claymed theyr liberties wherevpon the King being pacified of his troubled minde forgaue all the offences committed by the Londoners the Justices breaking vp all theyr sitting touching the sayde place 1●41 Parliament at London This yeare within the quindene of Easter a Parliamente was holden at London wherein the Earles and nobles of the Realme with the commons and others amongst other things requested that the Charter called Magna Carta and Carta Foresta with all other liberties béelonging to the Churche and kingdome should be obserued and that the officers and chiefe Rulers of the Kings house shoulde be chosen by the Péeres of the Realme in the Parliament but these peticions the king would not confirme nor could not abide to heare talked off About the beginning of the moneth of Julye Kyng Edwarde receyued letters from Lodowike Duke of Bauarie vsurper of the Romaine Empyre in the whyche pretendyng friendshippe betwixt him and Phillip the French King hée signifyed that those warres whyche the King of England had begonne in Fraunce did greately mislike him and therefore desired that there shoulde be concorde and amitie betwixte the Kings of both Realmes the whyche to bée performed he offered to bestowe some labour requestyng Kyng Edwardes letters of aucthoritie thereof to treate and to conclude a truce for one yeare or twaine towarde the ende of whiche letter he addeth these wordes The deputation and Lieutenauntship whiche we gaue vnto you we do for diuers● and sundry causes reuoke again Dated at Frankeford the fourtéenth of June in the seauen and twentith of ●ure raign and of our Empire the fourtéenth To the which letters king Edwarde wrote an inscription in sorte as followeth To the renoumed Prince Lodowicke by the grace of God Romaine Emperour alwayes Augustus Edwarde by the same grace king of Fraunce and Englande and Lorde of Ireland c. Richard de Barking Iohn de Rokesley the. 28. of Sept. Sherifes Maior Iohn of Oxford Vintener the. 28. of October This yeare Iohn Maluerne fellowe of Oriall Colledge in Oxford made and finished his booke entituled The Visions of Pierce Plowman Tho. de la More King Edwarde gaue the Earledome of Cambridge to Iohn Lord Henault vncle to Quéene Phillip and after kept Anno reg 16 his feast of Saint Katherine at Newcastel and his Christmas also Untill this time Dauid king of Scottes threatned to leuie an armie and to enter the lande wherevpon king Edwarde entred Scotland and followed after Dauid who fled before him beyonde the Scottish sea wasting and spoyling al as he went except Castels and Marishes in the which the Scottes togither with Dauid theyr king hyd themselues And William Mountacute Earle of Salisburie hauing gotten 1342 a greate fléete entred an Iland belonging to
grounde wyth certaine prickes bothe shorte and sharpe then called Gadlings being closed in the ioyntes of hys righte Gauntlet the sayde Thomas strucke the sayde Iohn in the face and sore wounded hym but on the other side Iohn hadde no suche shorte kinde of weapon wherewyth hée myght hurte Thomas face and therefore cryed out aloude moste horribly whervpon by the kings commaundemente the combatte was ended and the victorie adiudged to Thomas who gaue the sayde Iohn being thus ouercome to the Prince of Wales for a Captiue and offered by his owne armoure to Sainte George in Sainte Paules Churche at London wyth greate deuotion These matters beyng thus finished the Cipres man is manumitted and fette at libertie as a frée man againe And Thomas thinking boldely to goe into the presence of his brother the Frenche King toke hys iourney thyther and at his comming founde the sayde King and the nobilitie of Fraunce greatlye offended and in indignation against him for that he agréed that the combat shoulde be tried before the King of England Wherefore Thomas thinking secretly with himselfe howe to winne the false friendship of his brother being desirous to shewe that therein hée hadde done well among all other things he greatelye praysed the nobilitie of Edwarde and his worthy fame spredde ouer al the worlde and also the iustice whiche he vsed in iudging not accepting the person of the manne of Cipres yea thoughe he loued the Kyng himselfe verye well neyther suffered him to be preferred before me whiche am a Frenche manne and brother and friende to thée my Lorde Kyng of Fraunce iudge ouer the sayde King Edwarde my aduersarie Also the Earle of Ewe hyghlye praysed the King of England for that hée hadde receyued greate comforte and commoditye at hys handes during the tyme of hys Captiuitie in Englande shewing also howe farre that good Kyng hadde banished enuie and hatred from hys hearte who at a time of iustyng beyng in the fielde at that exercise and the Kyng also was commaunded by the Kyng hymselfe to beare awaye the price and pricke from them all These commendations did the Frenche Kyng enuie at and for indignation he moste wickedlye commaunded the setters forthe of those prayses to be beheaded And for to colour the matter the better he fayned that the Earle vsed too muche familiaritie with the Quéene his wife and that his brother was guiltie of treason againste the king of Fraunce bycause he committed his cause and the combat to be tryed by the iudgement of the king of Englande After he had thus murdered his brother he tormented his wife to death by famine who was daughter of the noble King of Boheme lately slaine in battayle by Geffrey William Edington Bishoppe of Winchester and treasurer Groates and halfe groates Anno reg 25 Tho. Walsing Histo Au●●a of England a wise man caused a newe coyne called a Groate and halfe Groate to be coyned but these were of lesse wayght than the pence called Esterlings by reason wherof victualles and merchandice became the dearer thorough the whole realme After the Octaues of the Purification of our Lady in a Parliament at VVestminster Parliament holden at Westminster Henrie Earle of Lancaster was created Earle of Lincolne Leicester Derby Grosmount and Ferrers and Duke of Lancaster vnto whome also was giuen great priuiledges suche as neuer any Erle had before his time Also Lionel of Antwerpe the kings sonne is made Earle of V●star in Irelande Iohn of Gaunte his brother is made Earle of Richmonde and Ralph Baron of Stafforde is made Earle of Stafforde In the Lent following Walter de Maine and Roberte Herle Captain of Caleis rod into France making gret praes and doing great domage brought away gret store of beasts A fat Covv sixteene pence 1351 shéepe and swine so that at Caleis a fat Cowe was scarcelye solde for sixtéene pence sterling About Easter the Duke of Lancaster departing from Caleis marched alongst the Sea coastes of Artoys and Picardie brent the suburbes of Bulloign but assaulting the Town he preuayled not for that only the ladders were too short Therefore he wasted the Cities of Tirwin and the hauen also the Townes of Fauconbridge and Staples and in the same hauens he brent aboue 120. ships of diuerse moulds After this brenning the Champion Countrey he rode vnto Saint Omers and winning by force manye Fortresses with a great pray and many prisoners he returned to Caleis About the feast of Saint George things prospered wel in Gascoine for the Marshal of France with a greate number of armed men spoyled the Countrey about S. Dangel where Edmond Rose a Norffolke man was Captayne who with the garison valiauntly encountred the enimies flew many of them and toke the sayde Marshal and manye other nobles of Fraunce chasing aboue 400. Knightes The same yeare the Spanish shippes by a treatie of peace came into Englande where the last yeare they were restrayned but nowe a truce was taken for twentie yeares betwixt England and Spaine and a truce betwixt Englande and Fraunce for one yeare whiche the French men brake by reason of taking the Castel of Guisnes as in the next yeare shall be shewed Iohn Wroth Gilbert of Steineshorpe the. 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Andrew Auberie Grocer the. 28. of October About this season the old coine of gold was changed into a new the olde Noble was worth muche aboue the taxed rate of the newe and therfore the Marchauntes boughte the olde and conueyed them out of the Realme to the greate losse of the king and kingdome to the whiche there was a remedie prouided by the chaunging of the stampe About the beginning of Januarie the French men béeing occupied about y ● repayring of y e wals of Guisnes town being afore that time destroyed by the English men some mē of armes of Caleis vnderstanding their doings deuised how they might ouerthrow the work it was done in this sort There was an Archer named Iohn Dancaster in prison in Anno reg 26 the Castel of Guisnes before that time takē who not hauing wherwith to pay his raunsome was let lose with condition that he shoulde worke there amongst the French men The getting of Guisnes by the Englishe This fellow chaunced to lye with a Laundres a strumpet and learned of hir where beyond in the principal ditch from the bottome there was a Wall made of two foote broade stretching from the bottome to the brimme of the ditche within forthe so that being couered with Water it coulde not be séene but not so drowned but that a man going alofte theron shoulde not be wette paste the knées it beyng made for the vse of Fishers and therefore in the middest it was discontinued for the space of two foote and so the Archer hys Harlot shewyng it to hym he measured the heygth of the Wall wyth a thréede These things thus known one day slipping down from the Wal he passed the ditche by that hydden Wall and
fiue hundred whose coatearmours were brought away the number of commōs were not compted There were takē the Lord of Brusebeke sonne of the Marshall Bertram also Tristram de Maleis also the Lord of Maletret the Uicount of Comaine Geffrey de Graues William de la Vall Charles Darchesill Iohn de Bause and other Knightes with Bachelers aboue 130. This armie of the Frenchmen vnder the conduct of the sayde Marshall of purpose deuised by him was so besette on the backehalfe with the stéepenesse of a Mountayne that flie they could not to the end that hope of flight being takē from them their courage to fight might y e more encrease There were many of those Knightes surnamed of the Starre who Knightes of the Sta●●e in their profession had conspired neuer to turne their fearefull backes to their enimies of which number of Knightes there were among them slayne and taken numbred xlv From that dangerous encounter few escaped vnhurt and among other the foresayd Walter Bentley Captayne was sore wounded who commanded thirtie archers to be condemned for that in the greatest heate of the fight they fledde The Earle of Stafford also entered into Gascoigne where encountering with a greate armie of the Frenchmen that were issued forth of the fortresse of Gagent he discomfited tooke and chased them about the Natiuitie of our Lady there was taken that valiant Knight ●ruse Gaude and seauen Knightes of the Starre Shortly after dyed Iohn Dediaseles and Thomas Wale Knightes of greate valor Iohn Pe●che Iohn Stotley the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Adam Francis Mercer the 28. of October The same yeare it being heard that Pirats troubled the Seas there were seauen Shippes of warre ordeyned certayne Pinesses attending vpon them ouer the whiche were Admiralles Thomas Cooke and Richard Tottlesham Knightes who scoured the Seas about the coast of Picardie and Normandie but before the feast of Saint George they returned as they wished Whilest these things were a doing by Sea and Lande Otto sonne to the Duke of Brunswike the French Kings féed Otto of Brunsvvike chalengeth to combate vvith the Duke of Lancaster before the French King at Paris man sent letters to the Duke of Lancaster being returned out of Spruce by the tenour whereof he accused him affirming that as he returned out of Spruce by Colein he malitiouslie informed the Coleners that the sayd Otto went about by stealth to haue taken him prisoner and to haue presented him to the French King adding héerevnto that bycause he neuer meant any such taking of him he was ready in declaration of his good name by a singular Combate onely in the French Kings Court to proue the Duke of Lancaster a lyar touching the sayd Article The Letters were not sealed and therefore least it might haue bin thought follie to haue giuen credite to the letter deliuered by a seruant the Duke sent vnto Otto two Knightes to learne the cause of the chalenge and to demaund thereof his letters patentes sealed with his seale of armes which Knightes accomplishing the effect of their iourney and returning with spéede the Duke sent to the French King for a safe conduct for himselfe and his men and with much ado obteyning it he went to Paris where in the listes in presence of the French King the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Burgoigne and many Péeres and other of the Realme of France he mounted on his stéede in séemely wise readie in all signes without default to trie the Combate and so stayde till his aduersarie was readie and the voyce of the Herault and Canton to be had by their common othe for the assurance of his word and to obey the Law On the contrary parte the sayde Otto scarcely was set on his Horse was not able decently to set on his helmet nor to wéelde his Speare or else he fayned whose vnablenesse béeing perceyued by the French King the King of Nauarre and other the Kyng tooke the quarrell into hys handes wherevpon Otto was commaunded first to departe the listes and so wente hys way but the Duke abode still within them After this by commandement of the Frenche King Otto sware that he should neuer after that day appeach the Duke of Lancaster of that Article and so from thence the Duke returned home by Zeland After the Epiphanie a Parliament was holden at Westminster Anno reg 27 Parliament at VVestminster wherin an ordināce was made at the instance of the Londoners that no knowne where should weare frō thenceforth any hoode excepte reyed or striped of diuers coulours Apparell appoynted to harlots nor Furre but garmentes reuersed or turned the wrong syde outwarde vppon payne to forfeyte the same This yeare the dearth of Corne by them of Ireland and the Irishmen that brought in Corne to sell vnto diuers Hauens of the Realme was a●waged to the great reléefe of the people King Edward altered the Chappell which his progenitors before had founded of Saint Stephen at Westminster into a Colledge of twelue secular Canons twelue Uicars other Ministers accordingly and endewed it with reuenewes Saint Stephens Chappell at VVestminster Ex Carta 1353 to the summe of fiue hundred pound by yeare The morrow after Saint Matthies day began a Parliament wherein it was ordeined that the Staple of wooll before kept in Flanders at Bridges should from thencefoorth be holden in diuers partes of England Wales and Ireland as at Staples of VVoll to be kept in England Newcastell Yorke Lincolne Canterbury Norwich Westminster Chichester Winchester Excester Bristow and Carmarden The Earle of Northampton went into Scotland wyth a great company of armed men and Archers where he rode through the marches and enforced y e Castell of Loghmaban and other fortresses to yéeld and tooke the Scottes that were layde in ambushes He also held a treatie of peace with the Scottes who gladly would haue redéemed their King and made a perpetuall peace with the Englishmen but yet so as the King of Scottes should not hold his land of the King of England William Weld Iohn Little the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Adam Francis Mercer the 28. of October Innocent the 6. for the desire of peace sent the Cardinal of Bononi to Caleis to heare the treatie of the finall peace betwixt Treatie of peace the Kingdomes of England and France to whome repaired the Counsellours of both Realmes with full authoritie to treate and constitute the conditions of the same peace and at length they agréed vpon this poynt that the King of Englande should resigne all his right that he had to the Realme of France and remitte it to the French King and should haue therefore the Dutchie of Aquitayne and the Counties of Artoys and of Guisnes for him and his successors Kings of England without that he should holde the Counties same of the French King in any manner of wise To these conditions the King of England gaue his consente and for the assurance
of the couenants Embassadoures are sente to the Sea of Rome from eyther Realme On the King of Englands Anno reg 28. behalfe went the Bishop of Norwich the Duke of Lancaster the Earle of Arundell and other knightes who going to Auinion there came to them the Archbishop of Rohan the Duke of Burgoigne Geffrey Charney and other of the French Kings Counsell all these were receyued in great honor many Cardinalles and Bishops met the Duke of Lancaster who brought him for the space of two miles vnto Auinion and to the Popes Pallace at length in the Consistorie of the Pope he with the Cardinalles and Embassadoures being present the causes of their message was declared and the Embassadoures of England requested to haue the couenants cōfirmed which had bin concluded at Caleis to whom the Frenchmē answered that gladly they would haue peace but touching Aquitaine and the foresaid Countreys as they sayde the French King could not nor they might giue their assents that the same shoulde be alienated from the entire body of the Kingdome to the which as well the King as they had taken an oth to maynteyne but yet they could be contented that the profitable dominion of the sayd Duchy and Countreys should be deliuered and come to the King of England as his auncesters had Aquitayne but so yet as the regalitie of the Crowne of France should euer be reserued The Englishmen requested that these sayd dominions should 1354 be absolutely and without any condition restored to the King answere also was made to the reason of the Frenchmen touching the oth of their King and themselues whereby they were bound to conserue the integritie of the honour of their Kingdome to wéete that the Pope for the benefite of peace might assoyle them from the saide othe and this as to certayne articles premitted it shoulde be very well done but yet nothing was done that might be offorce to the furthering of the peace And so the Embassadoures without effect returned home the Bishop of Norwich excepted that deceassed and was buried there to whome succéeded Thomas Percy The King of Nauarre through a brawle raysed slewe Charles de Spayne Marshall of France wherevpon to auoyd the displeasure and punishment of the French King he fled into his owne Countrey sending his Unckle vnto the Duke of Lancaster with Letters humbly besieching him that he woulde come into Normandie to his ayde and defence and to receyue an oth of fidelitie and amitie of hym against all men The Duke therefore getting licence of the King assembled togither a great Nauie at Southampton where when the Duke was readie to haue made Sayle Knightes that he had sente into Normandie came backe to view the truth of this businesse by whome it was notifyed to the Duke that the sayde King of Nauarre hys Cousin was reconciled to the King and so the Dukes voyage was stayde The Friers Augustines Church in London was reedified by Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and Estsex whose Frier Augustines Church in London Ro de Auesberie Dissention at Oxford ●isto Auria body was buryed in the Quire of the same Church A great dissention fell in Oxford betwéene a Scholler and a Uintner for a quart of Wine so that the Scholler poured the Wine on the Uintners head brake his head with the potte by reason whereof a great conflict was made betwixt the Schollers of the Uniuersitie and the Lay men of the Towne in the which many Lay men were woūded and about twentie slaine These troubles continued the space of two dayes and then the Religious men of the Towne labouring to make peace the Lay men pursued a Scholler and wounded him to death yet that day the tumult was appeased but on the morrow the people of the Uillages about Oxford being cōfederate with the Lay men of the Towne came with great force and erected a blacke Banner whervpon the Schollers fled to their Colledges but the Lay mē breaking vp the dores slew many of them and threw them into their priuies they cut and rent their Bookes and bare away what they listed By this meanes the Uniuersitie was dissolued the Schollers sauing of Marton Colledge went to their friends so continued more than a yeare Many both Schollers and Lay men were endited Citizens of Oxford endited by y ● Kings Justices amōgst y ● which four burgesses y ● had bin Maiors of Oxford were sente to the Tower of London William Totingham Richard Smelt the 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Thomas Leggy Skinner the 28. of October About the xx of Nouember K. Edward held a Parliamēt Ro. Auesbery at Westminster in the which was granted towards the recouerie of his title in France fiftie Shillings of euery sacke of wooll to be transported ouer the Seas for the space of sixe yeares then next following by meanes whereof the King might dayly dispend during the said sixe yeares more than 1000. markes sterling for by the cōmon opinion ther were more thā an 100000. sackes of wooll yearely into foraigne lands transported so that during those sixe yeares the sayd grant extended to fiftéene hūdred thousand pounds sterling King Edward helde a great Justing at Wodstoke for honour Anno reg 29 Iusting at VVodstock of the Quéene who was then purifyed of hir sonne Thomas After Gaster in a Parliament at Westminster the King 1355 tooke the quarell of Oxford into his hands and sauing euery mans right he forgaue the Schollers all the whole trespasse Ro. de Auesburie so that in the Sommer following the Uniuersitie beganne Vniuersitie of Oxford restored agayne to flourish and the King gaue to the Chancellour of Oxford the only view of the assise of Bread Ale and Wine and all other victualles excluding the Maior vtterly from that office The communaltie of the Towne gaue to the Uniuersitie 250. poundes for amends sauing vnto them neuerthelesse the actions which they had vnto euery singular person of the Towne In this Parliament the processe of the iudgement made against Roger Mortimer Earle of March was reuoked so Ex Recordis that the yong Roger Mortimer sonne to Edmond Mortimer was restored to the title and possessions of the Earledome of March as Cousin and heire to his Grandfather King Edward being about Sandwich on his iourney towardes King Edvvard● sayled into France France and the Prince of Wales at Sutton in Deuonshire on hys voyage towardes Aquitayne looking for a prosperous winde by the space of fortie dayes or more all things else being readie the French King had his armie● deuided in sundrie places about in the Hauens of Normandie and other partes to empeach the landing of the King and Prince and so long they lay there that the Frenchmen with their hired Souldioures did fowly wast their owne Countrey and consumed so many thousands of Crownes out of the French Kings coffers vaynely that in the ende he being néedie payde not his people and so
touching these matters aforesayd and for other considerations also caused a newe coyne of golde to be made in Gascoigne being busied himselfe aboute the repayring of such things as were decayed and throwen downe And in this season there sprang vp a foolish fantasie in the French mens heades that the King of Englande was come into Normandie the cause of which rumour rose vppe for that the Duke of Lancaster after that he had fortifyed the strong places belonging to the King of Nauar whiche were in the I le of Constance and other places did direct his iourney towardes Brytaine whereof he was newly made chiefe Captaine Another cause was this Phillippe brother to 1356 the King of Nauar came into England and earnestly craued ayde of the King against the Frenche King who kept hys brother in prison that he mighte by force of armes restoare all such lands vnto him as were wrongfully withholden from him wherevpon hée offeryng to doe homage and fealtie he hadde of the Kings appoyntmente Miles Stapleton a manne of great integritie and in martiall affayres very skilful him I say the king appointed to be his faithful felow These men with two thousande men well appoynted trauelling throughe Normandie toke townes and Fortresses burning diuerse of them passing along tyll they came to a Castell nine leagues distaunte from the Citie of Paris neyther did they a●lake theyr trauayle vntil they hadde forced theyr enymies to enter into a yearelye truce By this meanes a great report and no lesse fear filled the heartes of all French men whiche report at length came to the eares of the Prince lying at Regla wherefore he gathering all the power he had with him in hys Dukedome to the intent to méete hys Father whiche he muste doe by trauelling through Fraunce he came at length to Brugetat where he was certifyed that the Earle of Armenia woulde after his departure haue spoyled the Countrey and for that intent had prouided a greate bande of men wherefore hée sent backe to the gouernour of Gascoigne vnto Barnarde de Libret and other From thence the prince went into France through the coastes of Barny and Lymon stil encouraging his men against their enimies sending before him Iohn Chandos Iames Dawdeley and other complices to trye out the state of their enimies countrey least perhappes some crafty ambushment might sodainely assaulte our men afore they were ware He himself remouing his campe euery day and now being entred into Pictauia his espies broughte worde that the French king had gathered a greate armye beyng now in Aurelian who also knewe of the Princes comming for he sente out espies to discouer our armye amongst whō Griffin Micco of Chambly petie Captaine of two hundered men méeting with other espies came to his coaste for oure espies toke thirtie of thē and slew the residue so that there was not one of them lefte to carrye worde what was become of theyr fellowes Our espies procéeded towardes Romerentine where méeting with the Lord Crone and Lord Brisgande they sette vppon them and slew them their chief Captaines being forced to flée to a castle and hauing taken their lodging in a town the prince commanded that on the morning a great assault should be giuen to thē of y e Castell The day folowing our men being al armed passed through the ditches came vnto y e wals of the Castel some applied to scale y e wall with ladders some burne the gates and entring slew a gret many of the chief men but y e Lords before named fled vnto the principal tower of y e castel but y e prince determined not to depart til they that were besieged were eyther taken or yéelded at length the Castell being vndermyned the men besieged with all humilitie yéelded vp the Castell After this the spies declared that the Frenche King was come downe to Turon to prouide armies to go against the Prince of the which tydings the Prince being gladde he pighte his tentes againste the Frenche King but could not passe the riuer of Leger by reason of greate floudes and the Frenche King hadde broken all the bridges to the intent there shoulde be no passage betwixte the Prince and the Duke of Lancaster whose armyes might wel euerye nyght perceyue eache others fiers in the Campes but the Prince folowing alongst the riuer of Legers Eastwarde he pyghte hys tentes neare vnto Turon where loking for the Frenche Kyng foure dayes hoping to fighte with him for that hée was distaunte but one league off he vnderstoode that the Frenche King was retyred backe to Blamia ten leagues off passing ouer by a Bridge the Riuer of Legers at a place vsed betwixt two strong Townes and so towarde Poyters This retyring of the Frenche king certifyed the Prince returned backe intending to haue mette him in his waye whych he coulde not doe yet crossing ouer all as he imagined the nerer way he sette vpon the tayle of his enymies and cut frō them the Earles of Inyni and Winters and also the Marshall of Burgonie these being takē died as was thought through the great toyle they had taken night drawing on our men gaue themselues to reste in a wood intending the next day to take theyr iourney towarde Poiters and by the waye they were certifyed that the Frenche King with greate prouision prepared himselfe to battayle and drew nigh to our tents The Batayle of Poyters the Prince therefore committed the vawarde of the armye to the Earles of Warwick and Oxford the middle ward was guided by the Prince and the rerewarde was led by the Earles of Salisburie and Suffolke In all the whole armye of the Prince there was not aboue foure thousande menne of armes one thousande armed souldiours and two thousand Archers The pompous nobilitie of the French men drewe nygh greatly disdayning the small company of the Englishe men for they had in number eight thousande fighting souldiours they had also seuen auntients At this matter a gret many of our men murmured bycause of late a great part of our army was sent to defende Gascoigne There was among the French men a certaine Scotte called William Douglas a man of great force and practise in the Warres this manne did the French king make Knight and bycause he knewe he woulde be a deadly enimie to the English men he gladlye hearkned to his aduices This William was Captain ouer two hundred Scottes these men vnderstoode wel that it was the custome of the Englishe men in those dayes to fighte on foote in which point they followed the Scottes and the Scots also prouoked the French king and other French men to fight in like maner The French king obeying his foolish counsel gladly agréed vnto his sayings wherevpon he sente lighte horssemen into the Cittie that they shoulde suffer no man to make any chase but only 500. horssemen well appointed to come out againste the Archers in the beginning of the conflict and to runne them ouer and to treade them vnder
Cornewall and in the meane space the Kings seruants spoyled his goodes Iohn More Richard Northbery and other were likewise there conuict and condemned to perpetuall prison and their goodes confiscate to the King for certaine congregations by them made against the Fishmongers in the Citie of London Nicholas Exton Iohn French the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Sir Nicholas Brembar Grocer the 28. of October About the feast of Saint Martine a Parliament was holden at London in the whiche nothing was done worth the memorie but that which still was in hand and exacting of money of the Cleargie and common people to mainteine the men of warre And besides this there was a Combate fought in listes betwixte an Esquire of Englande and one of A Combate fought Nauarre that had accused the English Esquire whose name was Iohn Welch of Treason to the King and Realme but the effect was that when he was Captayne of Cherbrugh he forced the wife of this Nauaroys as the sayde Nauaroys being afterward ouercome and being readie to suffer death did ●penly confesse for the which cause by the Kings iudgemēt he was drawne and hanged although the Quéene and many other did make earnest intercessiō to haue his life saued The Parliament was not yet ended when newe ● came Bervvike lost and vvo●●● againe out of the North of the taking of Berwike Castell by the Scottes the custodie whereof the Earle of Northumberland Sir Henry Percy did possesse by right of his predecessors The Scottes by mediation of money got entrance into that Castel by one that was put in trust with kéeping of it The Duke of Lancaster that loued not the Earle was glad of this happe when he knew it It came to passe therefore by the Dukes procurement that the Earle was condemned by iudgement of the Lords there present the which execution was within a short while after releassed The Earle of Northumberland through the Kings fauour restored to his life and possessions without any long delaye● prepareth al furniture of warre to beséege and winne the sayd Castell of thē that were within it and after he had gathered a mighty armie he sodeinly beséeged it and after he had layne about it a certaine time it was compounded betwixt them without and them within that they within should forsake the Castell and haue their liues and moueable goodes and for surrendring the Castell they should haue of the Earle two thousand markes of English money and by this meanes did the Earle recouer the Castell foorth of the Scottishmens hands Through certaine yong men brought vp with the King Tho. Wal● there arose great dissention betwixt him and the Duke of Lancast●r who departed from the Court and wente to his Castell of Pomfret whiche he had fortified but by meanes of the Kings mother this discorde was appeased for a time The third of May was an Earthquake 1●85 The King entred Scotlande King Richard with a great armie entred Scotlande but the enimies would not shew themselues wherfore he brent the Countrey and returned The eightéenth of July there was an Earthquake Sir Iohn de Vienne that serued the French King was sent into Scotland with a great multitude of Shippes and men of warre that ioining with the Scottes they might in●e●t all England and that whilst they might● draw the power of this Realme that way forth the Frenche King with his Nauie and army might the more at liberty enter other partes of the Realme few or none being left at home to prohibit them their entrie The arriuall of the sayd Iohn being knowne in England the King with all the Nobilitie prepared themselues to make a iourney thither The King maketh a iourney into Scotland there came flocking vnto the King such a number of Knightes Esquires and Archers as the like had not bin heard of in those dayes in so much as the number of Horsses amoūted to thrée hundred thousand as they were iudged The King reioyced héereat as well he might but the reioycing was shortly darkened at Yorke by fiercenesse of Sir Iohn Holland the Kings brother that slew the Lord Ralph Stafford Ralph Stafforde ●ayne sonne to the Earle of Stafford in the way as he went to the Quéene whose seruant of houshold he was and greatly in fa●eur with hir and he was no lesse beloued of the King as he that had bin brought vp with him and bin his play-fellow from his tender age where the King taking greate indiguation determined to pursue the sayd Sir Iohn Holland he caused therefore his goodes to be cōfiscate But Sir Iohn Holland fledde to Beuerley there to enioy the libertie of the Church The Lady Iane the Kings mother sente to intreate him for hir other sonne and his brother but when the messengers were returned to Wallingforde and that the mother could perceyue no hope of grace to be gotten in that behalfe of the King she tooke it heau●●ie and fell sicke and Queene Iane the Kings mother dyed within foure or ●●ue dayes departed this life hir body being seared and closed in Leade was kept at Wallingford till the Kings returne forth of Scotland then to be buried at Stanford in the Church of the Friers Minors In the moneth of August the King of England with a mightie power entred Scotland to whose force the Scottes and Frenchmen perceyuing themselues not able to matche they séeke to get them into the wooddes places where they might be out of the way The English army then the which there hath not bin séene a fairer stronger or greater rideth through the Countrey that was destitute of inhabitantes ●●yd of Cattell wanting victualles for the land was left desolate as our men confessed that they saw not so much as a bird Owles only excepted They found gréene Corne on the grounde very faire and plentifull whiche they eyther eate vp with their Horsses or treade downe with theyr féete but the enimies fléeing battayle our men did nothing to be accompted of but brent the Abbey of Melroys and the Meltoys and Edenborough brent Towne of Edenborough with such houses as they found by the way When our armie was come to Edenborough and that victualles fayled them many of them beganne to ware sicke and some to die for hunger wherevpon the King returned with his armie into England While King Richarde was in Scotland the Scottes and Frenchmen entred into Englande brenning Townes taking spoyles and leading away many prisoners returned home into their Countrey Iohn Organ Iohn Churchman the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Sir Nicholas Brembar Grocer the 28. of October The Souldiers of Caleis went secretly forth into France and got a bootie of four thousand Shéepe and thrée hundred head of great beastes which they draw to their holdes About the feast of Saint Martine there was a Parliament at London in which the Laytie granted to the King a fiftéenth and a halfe with cōdition that the Cleargie should giue a tenth
and a halfe William Courtney Archbishop of Canterbury standing there against said the Church ought to befrée and in no wise to be taxed by the Laytie whiche answere A bill put against the Cleargie for their temporalties so moued the commons that they forthwith presented to the King a bill against the Cleargie of the Realme mouing him to take from them their temporalities and thereby to abate their pride but the King hearing the inordinate cryings out on this side and the iust answeres of the other he commanded that the Bill should be cancelled and such inordinate petitiōs to ceasse saying that he would preserue the Churche during his time in as good state as he found it or in better The Archbishop therefore hauing made the Cleargie priuie wente to the King and declared to him that he with his Cleargie of their whole consents and frée willes had prouided for his vses a Tenth which graunt the King so thankefully receyued that hée openly affirmed that he had rather haue this frée graunt than any other foure times double that were constreyned The eleuenth of Noueinber Robert Vere Earle of Oxford States created was made Marquesse of Diuelin in Ireland Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and his brother Edmonde Earle of Cambridge Duke of Yorke Michaell de la Poole Chancellour of England was made Earle of Suffolke and had giuē him by the King a thousand markes by the yeare The Earle of March Mortimer was proclaymed heire apparant Lib. Peter col to the Crowne Also King Richarde at the earnest request of the Bishops restored to the Bishop of Norwich his temporalities which he had holden from him manye yeares King Richard with Quéene Anne his wife kept their Christmas at Eltham whether came to him the King of Ermony vnder pretence to reforme peace betwixte the Kings of England but what his comming profited he onely vnderstoode for beside innumerable giftes that he receyued of the King and of the Nobles the King granted to him a Charter of a thousand pounds by yeare during his life He was as he affirmed chased out of his Realme by the Tartarians and for that cause he got great giftes of the Christian 1386 Priuces About the feast of Easter Iohn Duke of Lancaster with a great company of Knightes Esquires and Archers prepareth to go into Spayne which was due to him by the inheritable righte of his wife the Lady Constance daughter sometime to Peter King of Castile and Lion so that now he meant to challenge it eyther with consente of the inhabitants or by law of armes He with a greate power tooke the Seas and landed in Spayne at the Hauen of Greyne on the euen of Saint Lawrence with all his Nauie in safetie At the sute of the King of Spayne King Richard releassed out of prison Iohn Northampton Iohn More and Richarde Norburie The Londoners fearing y ● comming of the French K. ranne to their walles pulled downe houses néere about y e Citie About Michaelmas the Nobles came to the Parliamēt at London with great numbers of armed men to the ende they might be readie to withstand the Frenchmen who were comming but through contrarie windes returned The King created Robert Vere Marquesse of Irelande Robert Vere Duke of Ireland Duke of Ireland Not lōg after this Michaell de la Pole was by y ● Knights of the Parliament deposed from his Chancellorship and amerced to pay to the King 20000. Markes but the King caused this to take small effect William Stondon William More the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Nicholas Exton Fishmonger the 28. of October Richard Earle of Arundell and Tho. Mowbray Earle of Notingham went to the Sea of the which the first was made Admiral vpon y ● Uigill of our Lady the Annuntiation a great Nauie of Flanders France Spayne fraught with mē of 1387 warre diuers engins was discouered with whome the Earles encountred and tooke of them 100. ships and more the which conteined xix M. Tonnes of Wine whiche they Rochell VVine taken brought to diuers parts of England wherby Wine was then sold for thirtéene shillings four pence the Tonne Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland for sooke his wife a yong Lady noble faire borne of the Lady Isabell daughter to y ● noble K. Edward maried another that came with Quéene Anne forth of Boheme she was called in the vulgar tong of hir Conntrey Lancecrona The Lordes tooke indignation héerewith especially the Duke of Glocester Unkle to y e yong Lady that was forsaken The Duke of Ireland studied how to take the Duke of Glocester out of y e way Easter was now past the time in whiche the Duke of Ireland shoulde haue transported into Ireland but least there shoulde be too muche sturre in the Realme among the Lords the King as it were to bring him to the water side goeth with him into Wales as not to leaue him but there to kéepe him that they might denise how to take away the D. of Glocester the Earles of Arundell Warwike Darby Notingham with other There were with thē the Earle of Suffolke Michaell at Pole Robert Tresilian Justice many other which no more slowly than the D. of Ireland conspired the death of the said noble mē After a great time was passed the King as if the Duke of Irelāds iourney had bin forgotten returned with him and the other forth of Wales to the Castell of Notingham there to treate of Anno reg 11 the death of the said noble men there therfore he sent for diuers from Lōdon whome he knew would be readie to which way soeuer they should be moued he called thither also all the Sherifes and Justices of the Realme and there interdited the Lords of many crimes which the King had imagined against them In the meane time the rumor of this doing came to the Lords eares whervpon first of all y e Kings Unkle the D. of Glocester that he might mitigate the Kings displeasure before the Bishop of London and manye other Nobles swearing vpon the Euangelistes tooke it vpon his oth that he neuer had imagined any thing to the kings hinderance or done any thing to his displeasure except that he had not giuē good countenāce to the D. of Ireland nor would héereafter giue him any who had dishonested his kinswoman the which he firmelie had determined to reuenge William Venor Hugh Forstalfe the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Sir Nicholas Exton Fishmonger the 28. of October The D. of Glocester calling togither secretly the Earles of Arundell Warwike Darby that were in like danger of cōdemnatiō if they prouided not the more spéedily he discouereth to thē the matter they therfore gathering their armies togither determine to talke with the King vpon the premises Contraryly the King for his party did deliberate howe he might take each of thē by themselues out of the way and first he sent to
the Castell of Rigate where the Earle of Arundell lay the Earle of Northumberland with many other so arrest him who perceyuing a great nūber of mē of warre about him fearing to do that he was commanded departed without doing his errand for which he came after whome there were sent many that by night should haue takē him or haue slaine him but a messenger sent frō the D. of Glocester preuēted their cōming that caused him to ride al night so that in the morning he was come to Haringey hauing passed with his army a xxx miles not without great trauayle where he found assembled the D. of Glocester the Earle of Warwike with a great power of men The K. being enformed of this assembly in Harnesey wood as is said demāded of his familiars what was to be done in this case but in y ● end by the mediation of thē that came betwixt thē the matter was brought to this issue that y ● Lords should come to Westminster to receiue answere before y ● King of those things the Bishop of Ely with many other mē of worthy credit taking an oth for y ● Kings part that no fraude deceipt or peril should be prepared Whē the Lords had prepared thēselues according to y e couenant the foresaid mediators for peace sent thē word y t treason was deuised by an ambush laid for thē in a place called the Mewes néere to Charing Crosse therfore willed thē not to come but with sure hand whervpō they stayd there the K. demanding why the Lords kept not couenāt the B. of Ely answered bycause saith he there is an ambush laid of a M. armed men or more in such a place contrary to the couenant and therefore they neyther come nor repute you to be faithfull the King moued forthwith sware he knew of no such thing and therefore commanded the Sheriffes of London that going to the Mewes they shoulde kill if they founde any assembled there for that cause but Thomas Treuit and Nicholas Brembar Knightes had secretly sente away the armed men to London the King therefore sent agayne to the Lords who streightwayes came to Westminster with a strong power agaynst whose comming the King adorning himselfe with Kingly robes with Crowne and Scepter entreth Westminster Hall where the Bishop of Elie Lord Chancellour speaking for the King demanded the cause of their assembling of such a power whervnto the Lords answered that it was done for the Kings profit and the Realmes to plucke from him the Traytors whiche he kept about him whome they named to be Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland Alexander Neuell Archbishop of Yorke Michaell at Pole Earle of Suffolke Robert Trisilian a false Justice Nicholas Brembar a false Knight of London and therevpon they threwe downe their gloues swearing that they would prosecute it by battayle nay sayth the King it shall not be so but in the next Parliament which was appoynted to be holden the morrow after the Purification of our Lady all this was pacified for that time A maner of exhalation in likenesse of fire appeared in y ● Strange likenesse of fire Iohn Leycester night in many places of England which went with men as they went and stayde as they did sometime like a Whéele sometime like a Barrell sometime like a Timberlogge but when many went togither it appeared to be farre off The Lords departing frō the K. notwithstanding kept togither which séemed great wisdome in them for the D. of Ireland in the partes of Chester Wales had assembled a great nūber whose Captaine was y e Connestable of Chester Thomas Moleneux a mā of great wealth hardy The D. of Ireland with such a multitude hasted towards London y t ioyning with the Londoners he might make thē both as it were an inuincible army but y e D. of Ireland riding forth in stately glorious array with y e armie thinking none durst haue encountred him sodeinly as he loked on the one side he beheld where the host of the Lords was ready not far frō them tarying his cōming in the midst of the valley with which sight his heart streightwayes fayled and he said friends I must flie for a greater puissance séemeth to be yōder against you they haue no quarell so y e I being shifted away ye shall escape wel ynough forthwith setting spurres to his horse he fléeth away There was then y e foresaid Tho. Moleneux y ● prepared himselfe to the battayle for the Lordes were not yet al come to that place who when he had fought a while being awearied entred the riuer which was there by Amōg other sir Thomas Mortimer knighte exhorted him to come vp or else he would shoote him through in the riuer if I do come vp sayth Thomas Moleneux wilt thou saue my life I doe make no such promise sayeth he but eyther come vp or y u shalt steight die for it To whō he answered suffer me to come vp and let me fight eyther with thée or some other and dye like a man As he came vp the knight caught him by the Helmet and plucked it off his heade and streighte wayes with hys dagger strucke hym into the braynes The Duke of Ireland fléeing came to the riuer of Thamis and forced his horsse to enter in the which being made of an horsseman a swimmer he gotte to the other side his horsse Helmet gauntlets and brest plate came to the share of the Lordes so that he was thoughte long after to be drowned but he got ouer into Flaunders The Archbishoppe of Yorke fledde and Robert Tresilian and Michael de la Pole got him to Caleis The Lords béeing returned from the battayle which had bin nere to Burforde fast by Bablack made great ioy for the ouerthrowe of their enimies but muche lamented the escape of the Duke of Ireland A heade of Earthe was made at Oxforde by Arte of Negromancie that at a time appointed spake these words Caput decidetur The head shall be cut off Caput Eleuabitur The heade shall be lift vp Pedes eleuabuntur super caput The feete shall be lift aboue the heade Dissention fel at Oxford betwéen the Sotherne and Welch men on the one parts and Northerne Schollers on the other where through manye were slaine and the more part went to their Countryes wherfore the Chauncellour was depriued and Doctour Nicholas Brightwel Deane of Newerke in Leicester was made Chancellour The Lordes hasted to London where the king kepte hys Christmasse in the Tower of London they hauing assembl● an army of neare hande 40000. the morrowe after Christmasse day came to London and mustered in the fields where they might be séene of thē in the Tower the Londoners were then in greatfeare waying diuerse perils as the Kings displeasure if they opened their gates to the Lords and if they shut them forth the indignatiō of the vndiscrete multitude The Duke of Glocester with other entred the Tower and hauing a
● said nobles to be indited at Notinghā suborned such as shold appeach thē in the next Parliament to wit Ed Erle of Rutland T. Moubery E. Marshal Tho. Holland E. of Kent Iohn Holland Erle of Huntington Tho. Bewford Erle of Somerset I. Mountacute Earle of Salisburie and Thomas Spencer William Scrope the Kings Chamberlayne And in mean y eseason the Kyng assembled togither to guarde his parson many malefactors of the Countie of Chester which kept watch and warde both day and night about him Then the K. caused a greate and generall Parliament to be summoned at Westminster when he caused a great Hall to be builded in the midst of the Pallaice betwixte the Clocke tower and the doore of the greate Hall This Parliament began aboute the fiftéenth of September at the beginning whereof Edwarde Stafforde Byshop of Excester L. chanceller made a proposition or sermō in the which he affirmed that the power of the K. was alone and perfect of it self those that impeached it were worthye to suffer pain of the law to this Parliament al the Nobles came with their retinue in armes for feare of the King the prelocutours were Knights in whō no goodnesse at al could be found but a natural couetousnesse vnsatiable ambition intollerable pride and hatred of the truth their names wer Iohn Bushy William Bagot and Thomas Grene. These required Tho. Wals chiefely to haue the Charters of pardons reuoked dissanulled and Bushy sayde to the K. bycause we are charged to say what they be that haue committed any offence against your maiestie regall aucthoritie we saye that Tho. duke of Glocester Richard E. of Arundale in the. xviij yeare of your raigne haue trayterously compelled you by mean of the new Archbishop of Canterburie then Lord Chancellour to graunt to them a commission to gouerne your Realme and to dispose of the state thereof to the preiudice of youre maiestie and royaltie The same daye was that commission dissanulled with all Articles dependyng therevppon Also the generall pardon graunted after the greate Parliament by them procured and one speciall pardon for the Erle of Arundale were reuoked Also there was a peticion made by y e commons I. Bushy speaking for them that the generall pardon procured and gotte forthe the Archebyshoppe of Canterburie then Lorde Chancellor procuring it should be disanulled and he to be iudged a Traytor for granting to it wherevpon the Archbishop rose and would haue answered but the King sayde to morrow to morrow but he came not into the Parliament house againe the King said that he would deliberate of the commons petition Also it was established that any Traytor conuicted to stand against the Kings regalitie should be adiudged worthie to suffer punishment to be appoynted for such offence Also it was enacted that criminall causes from thenceforth-should be determined in euery Parliament and then licence being had to depart a great sturre was made as is vsed wherevpon the Kings Archers in number four thousand compassed the Parliament house thinking there had bin in the house some broyle or fighting with their bowes bent their arrowes set in them and drawing readie to shoote to the terrour of all that were there but the King héerewith comming pacified them On the next day the Prelates were inioyned vpon payne of losing their temporalities that they should the same day agrée vpon some procurator to consent in their names to al things in that Parliament to be dispatched and the King had these words Sir Iohn Bushy bycause many desire that I would explane the fiftie persons exempted in y ● general pardon I wil briefely that what man soeuer desireth this is worthie of death first bicause he fléeth secondly bycause I haue excepted those that are to be impeached in this Parliament thirdly bycause other of their associates hearing thē oppressed would be afraide where no feare is On the next day the Archbishop of Canterbury commeth to the palace to appeare in the Parliament but the King commanded him by the Bishop of Carelile that he shoulde returne to his house and from thenceforth he appeared not The Prelates made Thomas Percy the Kings Steward of houshold their procurator to consent in all things in this Parliament to be done Also Sir Iohn Bushy had these words our soueraigne Lord the King bycause the second Article in the Parliament is for punishmente to be appoynted for suche as violate the Kings royall authoritie I beséech your grace that you will authorice me by way of appealing of accusing or impeaching with licence to make declaration from one to the rest so often and when to me and to my fellowes it may séeme expedient and it was graunted then Bushy had these words I accuse Thomas of Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury of thréefold treason Frst of the commission in granting the regiment or gouernement of the Realme to Thomas Duke of Glocester and to Richard Earle of Arundell at his instance who rather bycause he was your Chancellour should haue refused it Secondly for that vnder pretext of that trayterous commission they trayterously vsurping the iurisdiction of your regalitie or royall authoritie held a solemne Parliament trayterouslie in preiudice of your regalitie Thirdly bycause that by the sayde trayterous vsurping Sir Simon de Burley and Sir Iames Barnes Knightes and faithfull lieges to you were trayterouslie murthered and put to death of which things we your commons demaund iudgement worthie of so high treason to be terribly pronounced by you and bycause the Archbishop is a man of great consanguinitie affinitie power and most politike witte and cruell nature for the preseruation of your estate and the whole Kingdomes by the petition of this present Parliament I require that he may be put into safecustodie vntill the finall execution of his iudgemente The King héerevnto answered that for the excellence of his dignitie he would take deliberation till the next morrow and all other that were put into the same commission he pronounced them to be his faithfull liege people and voyd from that treason and especially Alexander Neuell late Archbishop of Yorke and then Sir Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke Unkle to the King and Sir William Wikeham Bishop of Winchester that were put into the same commission with teares fell downe on the ground before the King and gaue him humble thankes for that grace and benefite bestowed on them Also on Saint Mathewes day the Earle of Rutland the Earles of Kent Huntington Notingham Somerset and Salisburie with the Lordes Spencer and Scrope in a sute of redde Gownes of Silke garded and bordered with white Silke and embrodered with Letters of Golde proponed the appeale by them to the King at Notingham before set foorthe in the which they accused Thomas Duke of Glocester Richard Earle of Arundell Thomas Earle of Warwike and Thomas de Mortimere Knight of the premised treasons and of an armed insurrection at Haringey Parke trayterouslie attempted against the King and putting in
sureties for the prosecuting of their appeale Richarde Earle of Arundell was arreigned in a redde Gowne and a Scarlet whood and forthwith the Duke of Lancaster sayde to the Lorde Neuell take from hym hys girdle and whoode and so it was done and héerewith the Articles of appeale béeing to the sayde Earle declared with a valiaunt and a bolde mynde hée denyed that hée was a Traytor and required the benefite of the pardon protesting that he would not goe from the fauour of the King and his grace The Duke of Lancaster sayde to hym thou Traytor that pardon is reuoked The Earle answered truely thou lyest I was neuer Traytor Also the Duke of Lancaster sayde why diddest thou purchase thy pardon the Earle answered to escape the tongues of myne enimies of whome thou arte one and verily as farre forth as toucheth Treason thou hast more néede of pardon than I. The King sayde make answere vnto thyne appeale The Earle answered I sée well that these persons haue accused me of Treason shewing the appealementes but truely they all lye I was neuer Traytor but I aske alwayes the benefyte of my pardon the whyche youre Grace granted to me within these sixe yeares now last past being of full age and of your francke good will and proper motion Then sayd the King I did so grant it that it should not be against me then sayde the Duke of Lancaster then the graunt auayleth not The Erle answered truly of that pardon I know lesse than thy selfe that was then on the further side the Seas Then said Sir Iohn Bushy that pardon is reuoked by the King the Lordes and vs his faithfull people the Earle answered where be those faithful people I know thée well and thy company how ye are gathered togither not to deale faithfully for the faithful people of the Realme are not héere and therefore the people do lamente for me and well I know that thou hast bin euer false And then Bushy and his fellowes cried out Behold soueraigne Lord and King how this Traytor goeth about to reyse sedition betwixt vs and those people that are at home The Earle answered ye lye I am no Traytor Then rose the Earle of Darby and sayde didst not thou say thus to me at Huntington where we were first assembled togither to rise that it was the best afore all things to take the King The Earle sayd to the Earle of Darby thou lyest on thy head I neuer thought of my soueraigne Lorde the King but that that was good and for his honor Then sayd the King didst not thou say to me in time of thy Parliament in the Bath behinde the White Hall that Sir Simon de Burley was worthie of death for many causes and I answered that I knew no cause of death in him and yet thou and thy fellowes didst trayterouslie put him to death and then the Duke of Lancaster pronounced iudgement against him in this manner Richard I Iohn Steward of England iudge thée to be a Traytor and I condemne thée to be drawne and hanged to be beheaded and quartered and thy lands tailed and not tailed from thée and from thine heires of thy body descending to be confilcate then the King for reuerence of his bloud commanded him only to be beheaded and then was he ledde to the Tower hill and there beheaded and was buried at the Augustine Friers in London Also the same day the King appoynted the Lord Cobham accused by the commons to be arraigned Also vpon the Saterday Sir Thomas de Mortimer was sommoned vpon payne to be banished as a Traytor within sixe moneths to come to be tried in iudgement and then saide the King peraduenture the Earle of March can not take him and therefore I will so long stay for his certificate out of Ireland Also a declaration was made that all benefices or gifts granted or alienated by those that were already condemned or after were to be condemned in this Parliament and other whatsoeuer graunted sith the tenth yeare of this Kings raigne should be reuoked Also on Monday following the certificate giuen in of the Earle of Notingham then Captayne of Caleis in whose custodie the Duke of Glocester was that the same Duke might not be brought to be tried in iudgement bycause he was dead in his custodie at Caleis at the petition yet of the saide appellents the same sentence was pronounced against him which had bin pronounced earst against the Earle of Arundell Also the Archbishop of Canterbury first his temporalities being confiscated was banished the Realme On the Tuesday Rikell on of the Kings Justices borne in Ireland read certayne confessions drawne in writing vpon the said treasons put forth affirming that the same were the confessions of the said Duke by him put forth or discouered and written with his owne hand Also the Earledome of Chester was aduanced to the honor of a Duchie by annexing thereto the Lands of the sayd Earle of Arundell confiscate Also the same day the Earle of Salisburie made request to haue a Scire facias graunted to him against the Earle of March for the Lordship of Denbigh in Wales and the King answered therevpon that he would take deliberation Also on the Wednesday it was ordeyned that the Lands of the sayde Earle of Arundell annexed to the Duchie of Chester should enioy the liberties of the same Duchie excepted that to the Welchmen of those partes their olde Lawes and customes should still remayne and be continued Also it was ordeyned that such as gaue eyther counsell ayde or fauour to the children of them that were condemned or that shoulde be condemned in this Parliamente should be punished as Traytors On Friday the King appoynted a prefixed day to the Archbishop of Canterbury to wéete the third of the sixt wéeke to depart the Realme Also it was ordeyned that all the Lords Spiritual and Temporall should sweare inuiolably to obserue whatsoeeuer in this Parliament were enacted and that the censures of the Church should be pronounced by the Prelates against all those that should go against the same Also the Earle of Warwike was arreigned and his whood being taken off and the appeale read as he had bin some miserable old woman confessed all things conteyned in the appeale wéeping wayling and howling to be done trayterously by him and submitting himselfe to the Kings grace in all things sorowing that euer he had bin associate vnto the appellants Then the King demanded of him by whome he was allured to ioyne with them and he answered by Thomas Duke of Glocester and the Abbot of Saint Albons and a Monke recluse in Westminster and euer besought the King of grace and mercie and the King granted him life to be led in perpetuall prison out of the Realme his goodes moueable and vnmoueable to be confiscate as the Earle of Arundels had bin and the King commanded that he should be had to the Tower of London and after to be conuayde ●uer to the Castell within the Isle
the other an Italian chalenged to fighte within listes against sir Iohn Cornewall and Iames of Artois which two straungers were ouercome in battaile and Chalenge of cōbat at Yorke sir Iohn Cornewal obtaining the Kings fauour maried the kings sister that had bin wife to sir Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon The Welchmen taking occasion by the Kings absence The VVelchmen rebel when he was in Scotlande beganne to rebel by the settyng on of Owē Glendouerdew son to Griffyth Vichā an esquier of Wales so called Glendour bicause his dwelling was in a place called Glēdordwy for Glyn in Welch is a vale and Dor is water bycause the place was in a dale at the side of y e water or Riuer of Dew in the Parish of Corwrn in the Countie of Mer●●neth in Northwales He serued King Richarde at the tyme of his oppression by Henrie Duke of Lancaster at Flint Castell The first cause of this stirre was about a péece of land in controuersie betwixte him and the Lord Reignolde Gray of Ruthiue for when he saw his cause not fauoured firste hée began to spoyle the landes of the sayde Lord Gray whereof the king being certified went with an army into Wales but the Welchmen fledde to the mountaines the King brente the Countrey slew the people with whom he mette and returned with a great pray of Cattaile Iohn Wakel William Ebot the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Anno reg 2. Geffrey Chavvcer chief Poet of Brytaine Sir Iohn Frauncis Goldsmith the. 28. of October Geffrey Chawcer the most excellent Poet of Englande deceased the xxv of October who was buried at Westminster where of late at the charges of one maister Bridgeham is made ouer him a faire monument on the Southside of the Quire his workes for the most part are published in print by sir Iohn Thinne Knight and somewhat increased by my trauell in the last impression Not long after deceased the like famous Poet Iohn Gower Iohn Govver a most excellent Poet of Englād who lyeth buried in Sainte Marie Oueries Church in Southwarke He new builded a great part of that Church and cōpiled thrée famous bookes The first in Latine Vox Clamātis The second in French Speculum Meditantis The third in Englishe Confessio Amantis which last booke is in Print the other hard to come by of the first I haue séen thrée very faire copies but of the seconde I neuer sawe any one The Emperour of Constantinople came into Englande to requyrs ayde agaynste the Turkes whome the King wyth sumptuous preparation mette at Blacke Heath vpon Saint Thomas daye the Apostle and brought him to London and paying for the charges of his lodging presented him with giftes worthy for one of so high degrée Soone after came newes that the King of Leto had ●lain in battayle Bassacke the sonne of the noble Balthazardan ● destroyed Ierusalem and all the Countrey rounde aboute And bycause he had by Gods grace so ouercome contrarye to his opinion he became christened and 60000. men of his secte The Emperour of Constantinople hearing this was very 1401 The Emperour returned gladde and departed out of Englande being honored by the King with precious giftes The fiue and twentith day of July Isabel late wife to K. Isabel late vvife to K. R. returned into Fraunce Richarde not yet twelue yeares of age departed from Douer towardes Caleis and so into Fraunce to hyr Father Owen Glendouerdew w e his Welchmen did much harme to the Englishmen and returned There was founde in the Kings bedde clothes an yron K. H. escapeth ● great daunger with thrée sharp pikes slender and round standing vpright layde there by some Traytour that when the Kyng should haue layde him downe he might haue thrust himselfe vpon them This time was vsed excéeding pride in garmentes gownes with déepe and broade sléeues commonlye called poke sléeues the seruauntes ware them as well as theyr Tho. Wals Aditions to polic maisters whiche mighte well haue bene called receptacles of the Diuel for what they stole they hidde in their sléeues whereof some hung downe to the féete and at leaste to the knées ful of cuttes and iagges whervpon were made these Anno reg 3 verses Now hath this lande little neede of Bromes To sweepe away the filth out of the streete Th● Hoc●li●● Sen side sleeues of pennilesse gromes will it vp licke be it drie or weete O England stand vpright on thy feete so foule a waste in so simple a degree Banish or it shal ●ore repent thee William Venor Iohn Fremingham the. 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Sir Iohn Chadworth Mercer the. 28. of October The Conduit vpon Cornehil in London was made which before time had bene a prison called the Tunne in Cornehill wherevnto nightwalkers that were taken in suspition of fellonie or other trespasses were committed In the moneth of March appeared a blasing starre first betwixt the East and the North and last of all putting firie beames towards the North foreshewing peraduenture the effusion of bloud about the partes of Wales and Northumberlande Owen Glendouerdew with his Welchmen wasted y ● lands 1402 of the Lord Reignalde Gray tooke him prisoner and slewe many of his people Certaine men affirmed King Richarde to be aliue and Conspiracie against K. Henrie that he should shortly shew himself openly reward them y ● wer faithful vnto him But after a certain priest was taken at Warwike who had written y e names of many which were the aucthours of these troubles both the hope and feare of this conspiracie vanished The Priest was drawen hanged and quartered Also Walter Waldocke late Priour of Lande a Priorie in Leicestershire bycause he confessed he knew euill against the king and did conceale it was likewise hanged and headed Moreouer certaine gray Friers were taken of the whiche one Richard Friseby doctour of Diuinitie being A stout Frier executed asked what he would do if K. Richard were present answered that he woulde fight in his quarrel against any man euen to the death wherfore he was condemned drawen and hanged in his religious habit and wéede At Daneburie in Essex vpon Corpus Christi day the Diuell appeared in likenesse of a Gray Frier who entring the Church raged insolentlye to the greate feare of the Parishioners and the same houre with a tempeste of whyrlewinde and thunder the toppe of the Stéeple was broken downe and halfe the Chauncel scattered abrode Shortlye after sir Roger Claringdon Knighte a bastard sonne to Edward the blacke Prince and wyth him a Squire and a yeomanne were beheadded and eyghte Graye Friers hanged and beheaded at London and two at Leicester all whiche hadde published King Richard to bée aliue Owen Glendouerdew with a company of Welchmen inuaded all the shires that bordered neare vnto hym wherefore sir Edmund Mortimer wyth manye Knightes and Esquiers wente out to encounter with Owen stronger than he was of the
Colledges are called the new Colledges dedicated to our blessed Lady He builded the great body of the Church of Saint Swithens in Winchester where the Sermons are made where his body is enterred a very princely worke neyther did he for all this diminish any thing of his ordinarie housholde charges and fedde as the writing engraued on his Sepulchre sheweth both rich and poore He deceassed at the age of fourescore yeares He dyed rich for beside that he gaue to his kinsefolke and to the poore he gaue somewhat to euery Church in his Dioces He gaue many things to the King and to his owne seruants and to his Colledges neyther do I doubt but y t he that thus liued is now with God whome I beséech to reyse vp many like Bishops in England Iohn Leyland writeth by the reporte of Doctor London Iohn Leyland that this William Wikeham was borne at Wickham in Hampshire and was sonne to one William Perot parishe clarke there of which place he tooke his surname and that one Mayster Wodale of Wickham brought him vp at schole where he learned his Grammer and to write faire After this the Connestable of Winchester Castell at that time a great ruler in Hampshire gote Perot alias Wickham of W●dall and made him his Clearke Edward the third comming to Winchester Castell liked Wickham and tooke him to seruice and vnderstanding that he had mind to be a Priest made him first Parson of Saint Martins in London and then Deane of Saint Martins le Graund and then Archdeacon of Buckingham He made him also surueyor of his buildings as of Windsore Quinborow in Kent and other buildings After this he preferred him to be bearer of the priuie Sealt mayster of the Wardes and Forrests and Treafourer of the Kings reuenues in France then Bishop of Winchester Chancellour and Treasourer of England as it very manifestly sayth Iohn Leyland appeareth by writing The blacke Prince scant fauoured Wickham wherefore Wickham procured to kéepe the Prince in battell out of the Realme but at length Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and Alice Peeres Concubine to Edward the third caused him to be banished the Realme and then he dwelled in Normandy and Picardie seauen yeares Edward the thirde yet liuing but he was restored about the second yeare of Richard the second of whome he had a generall pardon Aboute the feast of Saint Valentine the sonnes of the Barle of Marches sonnes Earle of March were taken out of the Castell of Windsore and ledde away into Wales to Owen Glendouerdewe but shortly after were recouered againe The Smith that made the keyes by the which they that conuayde them got into them had first his hands and then his head cut off The Lady Spencer Sister to the Duke of Yorke and widow of Thomas Lord Spencer before executed at Brestow being apprehended and committed to prison accused hit brother the Duke of Yorke to be chiefe author in stealing away of the Earle of Marches sonnes wherefore the sayde Duke was kept by Sir Iohn Pelham in the Castell of Pemsey till the next Parliament After the feast of the Purification of our Lady the King assembled his Barons at London to treate of the gouernement of the Realme and to haue ayde of money to be giuen him but the Nobles would not at that time obey his request In the Lent following therefore the King caused the Cleargie and the Barons to assemble at Saint Albons for the matter aforesayd but by reason the Nobles stroue against him there was nothing done and so departed on Palme sonday About the fiftéenth of March in a fight betwixt the Englishmen 1405 Conspiracy against King Henry by the Archbishop of Yorke other and Welchmen the sonne of Owen Glendouerdewe was taken and fiftéene hundred with him were taken or slayne Henry Percy Earle of Northumberlande Richard Scrope Archbishop of Yorke Thomas Mowbray Earle Marshall Thomas Lord Bardolph and other cōspiring against King Henry assembled togither the Citizens of Yorke and many other to stand with them for the commoditie of the Realm And to animate the commons to be the readier vnto this businesse they set articles vpō the dores of the Monasteries Churches of the same Citie written in English agaynste the King bycause he had put downe King Richard offering themselues for those articles to liue and die which caused great number of people to resort to them but Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland that was not farre off togither with Iohn Duke of Lancaster the Kings sonne being enformed of these things gathered an armie with spéede to goe against the Archbishops company but all was in vayne for the Archbishops power was farre greater than theirs wherevpon the Earle of Westmerland sente messengers to enquire of the Archbishop the cause of so great an assembly in armour contrarie to the Kings peace wherevnto the Archbishop answered that he tooke nothing in hand against the Kings peace and he was in armour and munited with men only for feare of the King whome he could not safely come vnto to speake but his purpose he said was good and cōmodious both for y e King Realme if happily they would know it thē he shewed a scedule in which y e articles were conteyned which when the Earle of Westmerland had read he with word and countenance praysed the Bishops holy and vertuous intent and promised that he and his would prosecute the same with the Archbishop The Archbishop being glad of this beléeued the Earles words perswaded the Earle Marshall being vnwilling therevnto to go with him to a place appointed to talke togither to whome they with like number came and the writing with the Articles was read ouer streightway the Earle and they that were with him gaue their assent to these articles then sayde the Earle being subtiller than the rest behold the labour that we haue takē in hand is come to such end as we would haue it and the people hath now bin long in armour let some of your mē beare word vnto the people to go their way home and to lay downe their armour and euery mā to fall to his occupation and accustomed labour in the meane season we in token of concord will drinke togither that the people on both sides shall sée it and without delay after they had takē each other by the hands a Knight was sent on the Archbishops behalfe to beare word to y e people that it was peace and to command euery man to lay downe their armour and to go to their owne home The people beholding signes of peace the Lords drinking togither being awéeried with the vnaccustomed trauell of war turned the reines of their bridles homewards and so it came to passe y ● whē the people of y e Archbishops side went away y e nūber of the aduersaries increased as before it was appointed the Archbishop did not perceiue y t he was betrayd vntill such time as y e Earle
and déepe ditches To this Towne also belongeth only two Gates for entries the one called Calturances the other Mostrouillier In this Towne besides the inhabitants thereof for the defence of the same were foure hundred men of armes deputed in Garrison amongst whome were these Lords Lord Discouteuile chiefe Captayne of the Towne Lord Blanuile Lord Haqueuile Lord Harmanuile Lord Eancourt Lord Gaillard Bos and diuers other Lords and men expert in warre The King commanding the Duke of Clarence to asséege the Towne he endeuoured Titus Liuius to conuey his people ouer the Riuer in the passage whereof he had a great skirmish with the inhabitants of the Towne but at the last his aduersaries being put to flight recoyled within the walles The Duke conuayde ouer the Riuer all his ward and company and bycause the Riuer deuided the Kings Camp from the Dukes they ordeyned a ready and sure passage ouer the same Riuer betwixt both the Campes to the kéeping whereof certayne Gentlemen were appoynted so that theyr enimies myghte not endomage them neyther by Water nor Lande In this meane time befell a great misaduenture to the Enguerant Frenchmen that were beséeged for the Gonnepouder and shotte that was sent vnto them by the French King was encountred vpon the Sea by the Englishmen and taken to their great displeasure and domage The King gaue the charge of the fielde to his brother Titus Liuius Humfrey Duke of Glocester On the same side the Riuer that the King lay was y e Duke of Yorke high Connestable of England lodged with his band When euery man was placed y e Towne was so streightly asséeged that all entries and issues of the Towne were stopped so y ● they of y e towne were in dispaire to haue any succour from the Realme of France Many engins were reysed by the English which in short time should haue bin the destruction of the walles if they of the Towne had not the sooner stopped the Riuer of the same towne within wherby the water gathered reised without the towne betwixt the King and the D. of Clarence to the semblance of a little Sea which caused the Englishmen to withdraw their Gonnes and other engins whereby at that time the walles were saued Then the King caused to Enguerant be made vnder the water thrée great Mines vnto the walles of the towne which in like maner had bin the cause of their ruine if the inhabitants had not countermined them and letted their purpose The inhabitants of the Town perceyuing Titus Liuius themselues thus streightly asséeged as well by Land as by Sea conuayde all their Shippes within their Hauē and bound them togither with cheynes and in the two towers that were made for the defence of the Hauen they put certaine Garrisons and armed men who oftentimes attempted to inuade the Kings Nauie but at all times they were by his Shippes beaten and constreyned to recule still within their Hauen at the last the Captaynes and inhabitants considering that by such skirmishes as well vpon the Land as vpon the Sea they gained nothing tooke this appointment with the King that if they were not rescued by the Frenchmen within certayne dayes limited they shoulde then delyuer into hys handes the Towne with thirtie persons of the greatest and most noble within the Towne suche as the King woulde desire to bée ordered at the Kings pleasure and all the residue as well menne of Warre as the inhabitantes of the same Towne without armoure and leauing behynde them theyr goodes shoulde fréely goe where they woulde for the suretie of whyche appoyntemente to bée kepte they deliuered vnto the King twelue of their greatest personages for pledges The Captaynes and inhabitants of the Towne séeing their day of appoyntment to approch and themselues vtterly desperate of any succours of their people ordeyned to perfourme their couenant at their day prefixed whiche was the xxij of September on which day came Sir Lionell Braquemont gouernour of the Towne vnto the King and knéeling before him sayd Most victorious Prince beholde héere the keyes of this Towne which after our promis I yéeld vnto you with the Towne my selfe and my companie Then were brought to the King the Lord Coteuile the Lord Gangcourt and other to the number of thirtie and all the residue as well souldioures as inhabitants were suffered vnarmed to depart The King constitute Captayne of the Towne Sir Thomas Beawford Earle of Dorset hys Unkle to whome he also committed two thousand souldiers chosen men of his host Then considering that winter drew on as also the losse of their men by reason of the Flix then reigning amongst them by which infirmitie died Michaell at Poole Earle of Suffolke the Bishop of Norwich the Enguerat Lord Beawmont and others and of the commons to the number of two thousand and aboue King Henry created the sonne of Michaell at Poole Earle of Suffolke who liued not long after After King Henry had remayned at Harefleete fiftéene dayes after y e deliuerie of the Towne and of the Towers he departed from thence towards Caleis whereof when his Titus Liuius enimies were aduertised and also by what way he intended to passe all the people of the Countrey Cities and Townes were maruellouslie oppressed with feare wherefore they hasted them to defensible places and other that were apt to warre tooke them to their horsses and assembled them togither in great number with no small companie of footemen and in all that they might they oppressed the Englishmen The Kings host kept an easie pace without making any hast and when they approched the Towne of Ewe their enimies assayled them in the fieldes with great force and noyse where on both parties it was foughten sore and vigorously Enguerant but the Frenchmen reculed to the Towne where they were in good suretie From thence the King departed and came to a passage of the Riuer of Some which the Frenchmen call Blankhestoke or Blanch tache This passage at Titus Liuius the comming vnto it was fixed with sharp stakes by their enimies so that they could not passe there but were constreyned to go farther séeking their passage vntill they came directly to haue the Citie of Amiens and the Castell of Gorby on their left side where they of the sayde Citie began with them a new fight but they were soone forced by the English to returne to their Citie agayne The xix of October the King passed the Riuer of Some at the passage of Vienna and Bethew-court and wente then to lodge him at Mouche-legach frō whence he aduanced him towardes the Riuer of Miramont In the meane time the French King and the Duke of Guyen his sonne then Dolphin purposing to resist the Englishmen came to Roane from whence they sent thrée Heraults to the King of England to giue vnderstanding that he should not escape without battayle vnto whome the sayde King answered All things be done at the pleasure
the 13. poore men to be called minister to present the faultes of the other to the maister and to ring their common bell to seruice and to haue xvj pence the wéeke the other xij poore m● to haue euery of them xiiij pence y ● wéeke This house hath to name Gods house or the house of almes vnto the which he gaue iij. Manors Ramruge in Hampshire Conocke in Wilshire and Mershe in Buckinghamshire with their appurtenaunces Hospital at Donington Castle they also founded the Hospitall of Donnington Castle In the moneth of May the commons of Kent in great Iacke Cade Captaine of the rebels in Kent numbers assembled hauing to their Captaine Iacke Cade who named himselfe Mortimer cosin to the Duke of Yorke or as he was named of some Iohn amend all this Captaine brought a great number of people to the Blackcheath there kept the fielde more than a moneth pilling the countrey about to whom the Citie of London at that time was full fauourable And the said Captaine as I finde recorded sent for such Citizens of London as it pleased him to command to repayre vnto him vnder letters of safe conduct as followeth The safegard and signe manuell of the Captaine of Kent sent to Thomas Cocke Draper of London by the Captaine of the great assemble in Kent BY this our writing ensealed we grant and wil permit truly that Thomas Cocke of Londō Draper shal come in good suertie and in safegard to our presence without any hurt of his person and so auoyde from vs againe at his pleasure with al other persōs assigned at his denominatiō with him comming in likewise The commaundement by the Capitaine of Kent sent vnto Thomas Cocke aboue sayd FOr your instruction first ye shall charge all Lumbardes strangers being marchaunts Ienewe●s Venetians Florentines and other this day to draw them together and to ordaine for vs the Captain xij Harnises complete of the best fashion xxiiij Brigandines xij battaile Axes xij Glaues vj. Horses with saddle and bridle completely harnessed and a thousande markes of readie money and if this oure demaund be not obserued and done we shall haue the heades of as many as we can get of them What answere to this demaund was returned I finde not but like it is the same was graunted and performed for I finde not thesaid Captaine and Kentishmen at their being in the Cittie to haue hurt any straunger In the meane time the King sent notable men to the sayd Captaine and his fellowship to knowe their purpose and the cause of their insurrection vnto whom the Captaine answered that he and his company were assembled there to redresse and reforme the wrongs that were done in the Realme and to withstand the malice of them that were destroyers of the common weale and to amend the defaultes of them that were chiefe counsellers to the King and shewed vnto them the articles of complaints touching the misgouernment of the realm wherein was nothing conteined but séemed reasonable wherof a copie was sent to the Parliament holden that time at Westminster with also one other byll of requestes by them made of things to be reformed and to haue answere thereof agayne but he had none The bill of Articles they intituled The complaint of the Commons of Kent and causes of the assembly on the Blackheath 1 Inprimis it is openly noysed that Kent shoulde be destroyed with a Royall power and made a wylde forest for the death of the Duke of Suffolke of which the Commons of Kent thereof were neuer guiltie 2 Item the King is styrred to lyue onely on his Commons and other men to haue the reuenues of the Crown the which hath caused pouertie in his excellencie and great paymentes of the people nowe late to the King graunted in his Parliament 3 Item that the Lordes of his Royall bloud béen put from his dayly presence and other meane persons of lower nature exalted and made chiefe of his Priuie Counsell the which stoppeth matters of wronges done in the Realme from his excellent audience and may not be redressed as lawe will but if bribes and giftes be messengers to the handes of the sayde Counsell 4 Item the people of his Realme be not payde of debts owing for stuffe and purueyaunce taken to the vse of the Kings housholde in vndoyng of the sayde people and the poore Commons of this Realme 5 Item the Kings meniall seruauntes of housholde and other persons asken dayly goods and lands of empeached or indited of treason the which the King graunteth anon ere they so endaungered be conuict The which canseth the receyuers thereof to enforge labours and meanes applyed to the death of such people so appeached or indited by subtyl meanes for couetyse of the sayde grauntes the people so empeached or indited though it be vntrue may not be committed to the Lawe for their deliueraunce but helde stil in prison to their vttermost vndoyng and destruction for couetyse of goods 6 Item though diuers of the poore people and Commons of the Realme haue neuer so great right trueth and perfite tytle to theyr lande yet by vntrue clayme of enfeffement made vnto diuers States Gentles and the Kings meniall seruauntes in maintenaunces againste the ryghte the true owners dare not holde clayme nor pursue their right 7 Item it is noysed by common voyces that the Kings landes in Fraunce bene aliened and put awaye from the Crowne and his Lordes and people there destroyed with vntrue meanes of treason of which it is desyred enquiries thorough all the Realme to bée made howe and by whom and if suche Traytors may be found guiltie them to haue execution of Lawe without any pardon in example of other 8 Item Collectors of the. xv pennie in Kent be greatly vexed and hurte in paying great summes of money in the Eschequere to sue out a Writ called Quorum nomina for the allowaunce of the Barons of the Ports which nowe is desyred that hereafter in the lieu of the Collectors the Barons aforesaide may sue it out for their ease at their owne costes 9 Item the Sherifes and Undersherifes let to ferme their offices and Bayliwikes taking great suertie therfore the which causeth extortions done by them by their Baylifes to the people 10 Item simple poore people that vse not hunting be greatly oppressed by inditements fained done by the saide Sherifes Undersherifes Baylifs and other of their assent to cause their encrease for paying of their said Ferme 11 Item they returne in names of Enquests in writing into diuers Courtes of the Kinges not somoned nor warned where through the people dayly léese great sūmes of money welny to the vttermost of their vndoyng make leuie of amercementes called the Gréene Waxe more in summes of money than can be founde due of recorde in the Kings bookes 12 Item the ministers of the courte of Douer in Kent vexe and arest diuers people through all the Shire out of Castle
fewe euill disposed persons by whose meanes the common people was gréeuously oppressed and the communaltie greatlye impouerished of whome he named the Duke of Somerset to be the principal c. And further to vnderstande of the Dukes meaning by this his forcible entring of the Realme as himselfe pretended may appeare by certaine letters by him written to the King and also the Kings aunsweares to the same both whiche I thinke good here to set downe as I finde them recorded PLease it your highnesse to cōceiue that sith my departing Richard Duke of Yorke his letter to King He●rie out of this your Realm by your commandement and being in your seruice in your land of Ireland I haue bin informed that diuerse language hath bene sayde of me to your moste excellente estate whiche shoulde sounde to my dishonour and reproch and charge of my person howe be it that I aye haue bene and euer will be your true liegeman and seruaunt and if there be any man that wyll or dare say the contrarie or charge me otherwise I beséech your rightwisenesse to call him before your high presence and I wyll declare me for my discharge as a true Knighte ought to do and if I doe not as I doubt not but I shall I beséech you to punishe me as the poorest man of your lande And if hée bée founde vntrue in his suggestion and information I béeséech you of your highnesse that he be punished after his desert in example of all other Please it youre excellence to knowe that as well before my departyng out of thys your Realme for to goe into your Lande of Irelande in your full noble seruice as sith certaine persons haue lyne in awayte for to hearken vppon me as Syr Iohn Talbot Knighte at the Castell of Holte Syr Thomas Stanley Knighte in Cheshire Pulforde at Chester Elton at Worcester Brooke at Gloucester and Richarde grome of your Chamber at Beaumarres whyche hadde in charge as I am enformed for to take me and putte me into youre Castell of Conway and to strike of the heade off Syr William Oldehall Knighte and to haue put in prison Sir William Deuereux Knight and Sir Edmond Malso Knyghte withouten enlarging vntyl the time that your highnesse had appointed theyr deliueraunce Item at such tyme as I was purposed for to haue arriued at youre hauen of Beaumarres for to haue come to youre noble presence to declare me your true man and subiecte as my duetie is my landing was stopped and forbarred by Henrie Norres Thomas Norres William Bulkeley William Grust and Bartholmew Boulde your officers in Northwales that I should not lande there nor haue victuall nor refreshing for mée and my fellowshippe as I haue written to your excellence here before so farre for the that Henrie Norres deputye to the Chamberlayne of Northwales sayde vnto me that hée hadde in commaundemente that I shoulde in no wise haue landing refreshing nor lodging for men nor for horsse nor other thyng that myghte turne to my worshippe or ease puttyng the blame vppon William Saye Usher of your Chamber saying and affyrmyng that I am against youre intente and as a Traytoure as I am informed and moreouer certaine letters were made and delyuered vnto Chester Shrewesburie and to other places for to lette myne entrye into the same Item aboue all wrongs and iniuries aboue-sayde done vnto me of malice wythout any cause I beyng in your lande of Irelande in youre honourable seruice certayne commissions were made and dyrecte vnto diuerse persons whiche for the execution of the same satte in certayne places and the Juries empaneled and charged to the whiche iniuries certayne persons laboured instauntlye to haue me endited of treason to the intente for to haue vndone me and myne issue and corrupted my bloude as it is openlye publyshed beséeching your Maiestie Royall of your ryghteousnesse to doe examyne these matters and therevppon to doe suche Iustice in his behalfe as the cause requyreth for mine intēt is fully to pursue to your highnesse for the conclusiō of these matters COosin we haue séene the byll that yée tooke vs late and Ansvvere of King Henric to the Duke of Yorke also vnderstand y ● good hūble obedience that yée in your selfe shewe vnto vs as well in worde as in déede wherfore our intente is the more hastily to ease you of suche things as were in your sayde Bil. How be it that at our more leysure we might aunswere you to your sayde Byll yet we let you wit that for the causes aforesayde we will declare you now our intent in these matters sith it is that a long time among the people hath bene vpon you many straunge language and in especial anone after your disordinate and vnlawfull slaying of the Bishoppe of Chester diuerse and manye of the vntrue shipmen and other sayde in their maner words against our estate making manace to our own person by yoursayings that yée shoulde be fetched with many thousandes and yée should take vpon you that whiche yée neyther oughte nor as we doubt not yée will not attempt so farre forth that it was sayde to our person by diuerse● especiallye we remember of one Wasnes whyche hadde like words to vs. And also ther was diuerse of such false people that went on had like language in diuerse of our townes of our lande whiche by our subiectes were taken and duely executed wherefore we sente to diuerse of our Courtes and places to hearken and to take héede if any such manner cōmyng were and if there had bin for to resist it but comming into our lande our true subiecte as yée did our intente was not that ye nor lesse of estate of our subiectes nor none of youre seruauntes shoulde not haue bin letted nor warned but in goodly wise receyued howe be it that peraduenture your sodaine comming without certayne warnyng caused oure seruauntes to do as they dyd considering the causes aboue sayde And as to the enditement that yée spoke of we thinke verily and holde for certaine warning caused our seruaunts to doe as they did considering the causes aboue sayde And as to the enditemente that yée spoke of we thinke verylye and holde for certaine that there was none suche And if ye maye truely proue that any person was thereaboutes the matter shall be demeaned as the case shall require so that he shall know it is to our greate displeasure Upon thys for the easing of your hearte in all such matters we declare repute and adn●tte you as our true aud faythful subiecte and as your faythfull Coosin PLease it your highnesse tenderly to consider that greate Richard Duke of Yorke to K. Henrie againe murmur grudging is vniuersally in this your realm in that Iustice is not duely ininistred to suche as trespasse offende against your lawes and in especial of them that be endited of treason and other being openly noised of y ● same whereby greate inconueniences haue fallen and greate is like
in my owne realm For I shall knowe what traytour dare be so bolde to arise anye people in mine owne lande where through I am in great disease and heauynesse by that Faith I owe vnto Saint Edwarde and vnto the Crown of England I shal destroy them euery mothers son and eke they to be hanged drawn and quartered that may be taken afterward of them in example to make all suche traytours to beware for to make anye rising of people within mine owne land and so trayterously to abyde theyr king and gouernour And for a conclusion rather than they shall haue any Lorde that here is with me at this time I shall this day for their sake in this quarrell my selfe liue and dye The wordes of the Duke of Yorke to all Gentlemen and other assembled with hym SIrs the king our soueraign Lord wil not be reformed at our beséeching ne prayer nor wil not in no wise vnderstād the intente wherfore we be here assēbled gathered at this time but only is in ful purpose to destroy vs al and there vpon a great othe hath made that there is none other waye but that he with all his power will pursue vs and if we be taken to giue vs a shamefull death léesing our liuelodeand goods and also our heyres shamed for euer Therfore sirs now sith it will none otherwise be but y t we shall vtterly die better it is to vs to die in the field than cowardly to be put to an vtter rebuke and shamefull death for the right of England standeth in vs. Considering also in what perill it standeth at this time and for to redresse the mischiefe thereof let euery man helpe to his power this daye and in that quarrell to quite vs like men to the crowne of England praying and beséeching vnto that Lord the which is eternal that raigneth in the glorious kingdome celestial to kéepe and saue vs thys day in our right and throughe the giftes of his holy grace we may be made strong to withstād the greate abhominable and horrible malice of them that purpose to destroy vs and the realme of England and put vs to a shamefull death praye we therefore vnto that Lord to be our comfort and our defendour saying these wordes Domine sis clipeus defensionis nostri And when these wordes were sayde the Duke of Yorke and the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie with their hoste betwéene eleauen and twelue at noone breake in in thrée seueral places of the sayd stréete The King thē being in the place of Edmond Westby Hundreder of the sayde Towne of Saint Albons hearing of the saide Dukes comming commaunded his hoste to slaye all manner Lordes Knightes Squiers Gentlemen and yeomen that might be taken on the party of the foresayd Duke of Yorke Thys done the Lorde Clifforde kepte so strongly the barriours of the same Towne that the forsayde Duke of Yorke might in no wise with all the power that hée hadde enter nor breake into the sayde Towne The Earle of Warwicke knowyng thereof tooke and gathered hys menne togyther wyth hym and brake in by the Garden side into the sayde Towne betwéene the signe of the keye and the Exchequere in Holywel stréete and anone as they were within the fayde Towne they blew vppethe Trumpet and cryed with an high voyce a Warwicke a Warwicke that maruayle it was to heare And tyll that tyme the Duke of Yorke might neuer haue entry into the Town and then with strong hande they brake vp the Barriers and foughte a fierce and cruell battayle in the whiche were slayne Lordes of name Edmonde Duke of Somerset the Earle of Northumberlande the Lorde Clifforde sir Barton Entewsell Knighte William Souche Iohn Botreaux Ralphe Balithorpe and his sonne William Coruin Williā Cotton receyuer of the Dutchie of Lancaster Gilbert Faldinger Reignalde Griffin Iohn Dawes Ellis Wood Iohn Cyt●e Robert Woodwarde Gilbert Scarlocke and Ralph Willowby Esquires a Gentleman of the Courte Roger Mercraft the Quéenes messanger Hawbin the Kings Porter Malener Padington and William Butler Yeomen and fiue and twentie moe whose names were not knowne and of them that were slayne bene buryed at Saint Albons eighte and fourtie persons And at that battayle were wounded Lordes of name the King was shotte into the necke wyth an arrowe The Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Sudley in the visages wyth arrowes the Earle of Stafforde in the right hande with an arrowe the Earle of Dorset was so sore hurte that he might not goe but was fayne to be carried home in a carte and Syr Iohn Wenloke Knighte in likewise hurt and carried from thence in a Chayre and diuerse other Knightes and Esquiers sore hurt and the substaunce of the Kyngs hoste dispoyled of theyr harneis at their owne requeste made deliuerye to the Dukes hoste for sauation of theyr liues and fled The Earle of Wiltshire and Thorpe with many other fled and cast away their harneis in ditches and woods This done the Duke of Yorke the Erles of Warwicke and Salisburie came vnto the King where hée was and besoughte hym on theyr knées of grace and forgiuenesse of that they had done in his presence besoughte him of his highnesse to take thē to grace as his true liege men The king desired them to cease their people that there shoulde be no more hurte done and to obey hys commaundemēt did cause to be proclaymed in the Kings name that all maner of people shoulde cease off theyr malice and not to smite one stroke more and so ceased the battayle And vpon the day next after the King and the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie came to London and were lodged in the Bishoppes Pallaice of London where they kepte theyr Whitsontide with great ioye and solemnitye concluding there to holde a Parliament the same to begin on the ninth of July next following This yeare in the moneth of June appeared a comet or starre called Stella Cometa betwixt the North and the East extending his beames towards the South In the Parliament begun the ninth of July as is afore saide Richarde Duke of Yorke was made protectour of the realme The Earle of Salisburie was made Lord Chauncellour of Englande and Richarde Earle of Warwicke was made Captaine of Caleis Iohn Yong Thomas Owlgraue the. 28. of September Anno. reg 34 Sherifes Maior William Marrow Grocer the 28. of October This yeare by meanes of the Quéene and the Lordes of hir Counsell the Duke of Yorke was discharged of the Protectourship and the Earle of Salisburie of the Chauncellourship and being called by priuie seale to Couentrie they were like to haue bene intrapped there and hardlye escaped In the moneth of Maye an Italians seruaunte walkyng 1456 Robert Fabian throughe Cheape of London wyth a dagger hangyng at hys gyrdle a Merchauntes seruaunt that before tyme had bin in Italy and there blamed for wearing of the like weapon chalenged the straunger howe hée durst be so bolde
in their hands that haue bene destroyers of his sayd estate and of the sayde common Weale 3 Item how his Lawes be partially and vnrightfully guided and that by them that should most loue and tender his said Lawes the said oppression and extortion is most fauored and supported and generally that al righteousnesse and Justice is exiled out of the sayde land and that no man dreadeth to offend against the said Lawes 4 Item that it will please his saide good Grace to liue vpon his owne liuelode wherevpon his noble Progenitors haue in dayes heretofore lyued as honorably and as worthily as any Christian Princes and not to suffer the destroyers of the sayde land and of his true subiectes to lyue thervpon and therfore to lacke the sustenances that should be belonging to his sayd estate and finde his sayd houshold vpon his poore commons without payment which neyther accordeth with Gods nor mans lawe 5 Item how oft the said commons haue bene greatly maruellously charged with taxes tallages to their great empouerishing whereof little good hath eyther growne to the king or to the said land and of the most substance thereof the King hath left to his part not half so much and other Lordes and persons enimies to the sayd common Weale haue to their owne vse suffering all the old possessions that the King had in Fraunce Normandy Aniow Maine Gascoyn Gwiene won gotten by his father of most noble memory other his noble progenitors to be shamefully lost or sold 6 Item how they can not cease therwith but now begin a new charge of imposition and tallages vpon the said people which neuer afore was séen that is to say euery towne ship to finde men for y e Kings Gard taking ensample therof of our enimies aduersaries of Fraunce which imposition and tallage if it be continued to heire heires and successors will be the heauiest charge and worst ensample that euer grewe in Englande and the foresayde subiectes and the sayde heires successors in such bondage as their auncetors were neuer charged with 7. Item where the King hath now no more liuelode out of his Realme of Englande but onely the Lande of Ireland and the towne of Calleis and that no King Christened hath such a Lande and a Towne without his Realme diuers Lordes haue caused his highnesse to write letters vnder his Priuie Seale vnto his Irishe enemies which neuer King of Englande did here to fore whereby they may haue comfort to enter into the conquest of the sayde Lande which letters the same Irishe enemies sent vnto me the sayde Duke of Yorke and maruelled greatly that any such letters shoulde be to them sent speaking therein great shame and villanie of the sayd Realme 8 Item in like wise the King by excitation and labour of the same Lordes wrote other letters to his enemies and aduersaries in other lands that in no wise they should shew any fauour or good will to the towne of Calleis whereby they had comforte ynough to procéede to the wynning thereof Considered also that it is ordayned by the labour of the sayd Lords that no where victuall nor other thing of refreshing or defence should come out of Englande to the succour or reliefe of the sayde towne to the intent that they woulde haue it lost as it may openly appeare 9 Item it is déemed ought greatly to be déemed that after that the same Lordes would put the same rule of England if they might haue their purpose and intent into the handes and gouernaunce of the sayd enemies 10 Item howe continually sithe the piteous shamefull and sorrowfull murther to all Englande of that Noble worthie and Christian Prince Humfrey Duke of Glocester the Kings true vncle at Burie it hath bene laboured studyed and conspired to haue destroyed and murthered the sayde Duke of Yorke and the yssue that it pleased God to sende me of the Royall bloud and also of vs the saide Earles of Warwike Salisburie for none other cause but for the true hart that God knoweth we euer haue born and beare to the profite of the Kings estate to the Common Weale of the same Realme and defence thereof 11. Item howe the Earles of Shrewsburie and Wilshire and the Lord Beaumount our mortall and extréeme enemyes nowe and of long tyme past hauing the guiding aboute the most Noble person of our sayde Soueraigne Lorde whose highnesse they haue restrayned and kepte from the libertie and fréedome that belongeth to his sayde estate and the supporters and fauourers of all the premysses woulde not suffer the Kings sayde good grace to receyue and accepte vs as he would haue done if he might haue had his owne will into his sayde presence dreading the charge that woulde haue bene layde vppon them of the miserie destruction and wretchednesse of the sayde Realme whereof they becauses and not the King which is himselfe as noble as vertuous as rightuous and blessed of disposition as any Prince earthly 12. Item the Earles of Wilshire and Shrewsburie and the Lorde Beaumount not satysfyed nor content with the Kings possessions and his goods stirred and excited his sayd highnesse to holde his Parliament at Couentrie where an Acte is made by their prouocation and labour agaynst vs the sayde Duke of Yorke my sonnes Marche and Rutlande and the Earles of Warwike and Salisburie and the Sonnes of the sayde Earle of Salisburie and many other Knightes and Esquiers of diuers matters falsely and vntruely imagined as they will answere afore almighty God in the day of Dome the which the sayde Earles of Salisburie and Wilshire and the Lorde Beaumount prouoked to be made to the intent of our destruction and of our yssue and that they myght haue our lyuelode and goods as they haue openly robbed and dispoyled all our places and our tenementes and manye other true men and nowe procéede to hangyng and drawing of men by tyrannie and will therein shewe the largenesse of their violence and malice as vengeably as they can if no remedie be prouided at the Kings highnesse whose blessednesse is neither assenting nor knowing thereof We therefore séeyng all the sayde mischiefes hearing also that the Frenche King maketh in his lande great assembly of his people which is greatly to bée dreade for many causes purpose yet agayne with Gods grace to offer vs to come agayne to the sayde presence of our sayde Soueraygne Lorde to open and declare there vnto hym the mischiefes aboue declared and in the name of the land to sue in as reuerent and lowely wise as wée can to his sayde good Grace to haue pittie and compassion vppon his sayde true subiectes and not to suffer the same mischiefes to raygne vppon them Requiring you in Gods behalfe and praying you in our owne therein to assist vs doyng alway the duetie of liege men in our persons to our sayd Soueraigne Lord to his estate prerogatiue and preheminence and to the suertie of his most Noble person
to deceasse as in déede he did while his children were yong And they déeme that for this intent he was glad of his brothers death y e Duke of Clarence whose life must néedes haue hindered him so intending whether the same duke of Clarence had kept him true to his Nephew the yong King or enterprised to be King himselfe But of al this poynt is there no certaintie and who so deuineth vpon coniectures may aswell shoote to farre as to short Howbeit this haue I by credible information learned that the selfe night in which King Edward dyed one Mistlebrooke long ere morning came in great hast to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse streete without Creplegate in Loxdon and when he was with hastie rapping quicklye letten in he shewed vnto Pottier that King Edwarde was departed By my truth man quoth Pottier then will my Maister the Duke of Glocester be King What cause he had so to thinke harde it is to say whether he being toward him any thing knewe that he had such thing purposed or otherwise had any inkeling thereof for he was not likely to speake it of nought But now to returne to the course of this historie Were it that the Duke of Gloucester hadde of olde foreminded this conclusion and was nowe at erste therevnto moued and putte in hope by the occasion of the tender age of the yong Princes his Nephewes as oportunitie and likelihoode of spéede putteth a man in courage of that he neuer intended certaine is it that he contriued their destruction with the vsurpation of the regall dignitie vpon himselfe And forasmuche as he well wiste and holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betwene the Quéenes kinred and the Kings bloude either partie enuying others aucthoritie he nowe thought their diuision shoulde be as it was indéede a furtherly beginning to the pursuit of hys intent and a sure ground for the foundation of al his building if he might firste vnder the pretexte of reuenging old displeasure abuse the anger and ignorance of the one partie to the destruction of the other and then winne to hys purpose as many as he coulde and those that could not bée wonne myght be lost ere they looked therefore For of one thing was he certayne that if hys intent were perceyued he should soone haue made peace betwéene the both parties with his owne bloud King Edwarde in his life albeit that this dissention betwéene his friendes somewhat irked him yet in his good health he somewhat the lesse regarded it bicause he thought whatsoeuer businesse shoulde fall betwéene them himselfe should alway be able to rule both the parties But in his last sicknesse whē he perceiued his naturall strength so sore enféebled that he dispaired al recouerie then he considering the youth of his children albeit he nothing lesse mistrusted than that that happened yet well foreséeing that many harmes might growe by their debate while the youthe of his children should lacke discretion of themselues good counsell of their friendes of which either partie should counsell for their owne commoditie rather by pleasaunt aduise to wyn themselues fauour than by profitable aduertisement to doo their children good he called some of them before him that were at variaunce and in especiall the Lord Marques Dorset the Quéenes sonne by hir first husbande William the Lord Hastings a noble man then Lord Chamberlaine againe whō the Quéene specially grudged for the great fauour the King bare him also for that the thought him secretly familiar with the King in wantō company Hir kinred also bare him sore aswell for that y ● King had made him Captaine of Calleis which office the Lord Riuers brother to y ● Quéene claimed of y ● kings former promise as for diuers other great gifts which he receiued y ● they looked for When these Lords with diuers of both the parties were come in presence the King lifting vp himselfe vnderset with pyllows as it is reported on this wise saide vnto them My Lordes my deare kin●men alies in what plight I lie you The Oration of the King in his death bed sée I fée●e By which the lesse while I looke to lo liue with you the more déepely am I moued to care in what case I leaue you for such as I leaue you such be my childrē like to finde you Which if they should that God forbid finde you at variaunce might hap to fall thēselues at warre ere their discretion would serue to set you at peace ye sée their youth of which I recken y ● onely suertie to rest in your concorde For it suffiseth not y ● all you loue them if eche of you hate other If they were mē your faithfulnes happily would suffise but childhood must be maintained by mens aucthority slipper youth vnderpropped w t elder coūsel which neither they cā haue but ye giue it nor ye giue it if ye grée not For where eche laboureth to breake that the other maketh and for hatred of eche of others person impugneth eche others coūsell there must it néedes be long ere any good conclusion go forward And also while either party laboreth to be chief flatterie shal haue more place thā plaine faithfull aduise of which must néedes insue y e euil bringing vp of y ● Prince whose minde in tēder youth infect shal redily fal to mischief riot draw downe with his noble Realme to ruine but if grace turne him to wisdome which if God send then they y ● by euil meanes before pleased him best shal after fal furthest out of fauour so y ● euer at length euil drifts draw to nought and good plaine wayes prosper Great variaunce hath there long bene betwéene you not alway for great causes Sometime a thing right wel intended our misconstructiō turneth vnto worse or a small displeasure done vs either our owne affectiō or euil tongues agréeueth But this wot I well ye neuer had so great cause of hatred as ye haue of loue That we be al men that we be Christen mē this shal I leaue for preachers to tell you yet I wot neare whether any preachers words ought more to moue you thā his that is by and by going to the place that they al preache of But this shal I desire you to remēber y ● the one part of you is of my bloud the other of mine alies ech of you with other either of kinred or affinitie which spiritual kinred of affinitie if the Sacramentes of Christes Church beare that weight with vs y ● would God they did should no lesse moue vs to charitie than y e respect of fleshly consanguinitie Our Lord forbid y ● you loue togither y e worse for the selfe cause y e you ought to loue y e better And yet y ● happeneth no where finde we so deadly debate as among thē which by nature lawe most ought to agrée togither Such
come in agayne as though those places gaue them not only a safegarde for the harme they haue done but a licence also to do more Howbeit much of this mischief if wise men would set their hands to it might be amended with great thanks of God and no breach of the priuiledge The residue sith so long ago I wote neare what Pope and what Prince more piteous than politike hath granted it and other men since of a certaine religious feare haue not broken it lette vs take a payne therewyth and let it a Gods name stand in force as farre forth as reason wil whiche is not fully so farre forthe as may serue to let vs of the fetching forthe of thys noble man to hys honor and wealth out of that place in whych he neyther is nor can be a Sanctuarie man A Sanctuarie serueth alway to defende the body of that man that standeth in daunger abroade not of greate hurte only but also of lawful hurt for against vnlawful harmes neuer Pope nor King intēded to priuiledge any one place for that priuiledge hath euery place knoweth any man any place wherein it is lawfull one man to do an other wrong That no man vnlawfully take hurt that libertie the K. the law very nature forbiddeth in euery place maketh to that regarde for euerye man euerye place a Sanctuarie But where a man is by lawfull meanes in peryll there néedeth he the tuition of some speciall priuiledge which is the onely ground and cause of all Sanctuaries from which necessitie this noble Prince is farre whose loue to his King nature and kindred proueth whose innocencie to all the world his tender youth proueth and so Sanctuarie as for him neither none he néedeth nor also none can haue Men come not to Sāctuarie as they come to Baptisme to require it by theyr Godfathers he must aske it himself that must haue it and reason sith no man hath cause to haue it but whose conscience of his owne fault maketh him fayne néede to require it what will then hath yonder babe which and if he had discretion to require it if néede were I dare say would now be ryght angrie wyth them that kéepe hym there and I would thynke without any scruple of conscience without any breach of priuiledge to be somwhat more homely wyth them that be there Sanctuarie men in déede For if one goe to Sanctuarie with an others mans goods why should not the King leauing his body at libertie satisfie the partie of his goods euen wythin the Sanctuarie for neyther Kyng nor Pope can gyue any place suche a priuiledge that it shall discharge a man of hys debtes being able to pay and with that dyuers of the Clergie that were present whither they said it for his pleasure or as they thought agréed playnely that by the law of God and of the Church the goods of a Sanctuarie man shoulde be deliuered in payment of hys debtes and stollen goods to the owner onely lybertie reserued hym to get hys liuing with the labour of hys handes verily quoth the Duke I thynke you say very trueth and what if a mans wyfe will take Sanctuarie bycause she list to runne from hir husband I woulde wéene if she could alledge none other cause he may lawfully wythout any displeasure to Saint Peter take hir out of Saint Peters Church by the arme And if no body may be taken out of Sanctuarie that sayth he will byde there then if a childe wyll take Sanctuarie because he feareth to goe to Schole hys maister must let him alone And as simple as that sample is yet is there lesse reason in our case than in that for therein thoughe it be a chyldishe feare yet is there at the leastwyse some feare and herein is there none at all And verily I haue often heard of Sanctuarie men but I neuer heard earst of Sanctuarie children And therefore as for the conclusion of my mynde who so may haue deserued to néede it if they thinke it for their suertie let them kéepe it But he can bée no Sanctuarie man that neyther hath wisedome to desire it nor malice to deserue it whose life or libertie can by no lawfull processe stand in ieoperdie And he that taketh one out of Sanctuarie to doe him good I saye playnely that he breaketh no Sanctuarie When the Duke had done the Temporall men whole and a good part of the spiritual also thinkyng no hurt earthly ment toward the yong babe condiscended in effect that if he were not delyuered he should be fetched Howbeit they thought it all best in the auoyding of all manner of rumor that the Lorde Cardinall should first assay to get him with hir good will And therevppon all the Counsell came vnto the Starre Chamber at Westminster and the Lorde Cardinall leauyng the Protector with the Counsell in the Starre Chamber departed into the Sanctuarie to the Quéene with dyuers other Lordes with him were it for the respect of hys honour or that shée should by presence of so many perceyue that thys errande was not one mans mynde or were it for that the Protector intended not in this matter to trust any one man alone or else that if shée finally were determyned to kéepe hym some of that companie had happily secrete instruction incontinent maugre hir mynde to take him and to leaue hir no respite to conuey him which shée was lykely to mynde after this matter broken to hir if hir time would in any wise serue hir When the Quéene and these Lordes were come togyther in presence the Lorde Cardinall shewed vnto hir that it was thoughte vnto the Protector and vnto the whole Counsell that hir kéepyng of the Kings brother in that place was the thing whych highly sounded not onely to the great rumour of the people and their obloquie but also to the importable griefe and displeasure of the Kings royal Maiestie to whose grace it were as singular comforte to haue hys naturall brother in companye as it was their both dishonour and all theyrs and hirs also to suffer hym in Sanctuarie as though the one brother stoode in danger and perill of the other And he shewed hir that the Counsell therefore had sent hym vnto hir to require hir the deliuerie of hym that he myght bée broughte vnto the Kyngs presence at hys libertie out of that place which they reckoned as a pryson and there shoulde he bée demeaned accordyng to hys estate and shée in thys doyng shoulde both doe great good to the Realme pleasure to the Counsell and profite to hir selfe succour to hyr friendes that were in distresse and ●uer that which he wiste wel shée specially tendred not onely great comforte and honour to the Kyng but also to the young Duke hymselfe whose both greate wealth it were to bée together as well for many greater causes as also for theyr both disporte and recreation which thyng the Lord estéemed no ●leyght though it séeme lyghte Protector well pondering
that theyr youth without recreation and play cannot endure nor any straunger for the coniecture of their both ages and estates so méetely in that poynt for any of them as eyther of them for other My Lord quoth the Quéene I say not nay but y ● it were The Queen●● aunsvver● ●ery conuenient y ● this Gentleman whom ye require were in company of the King his brother and in good fayth mée thynketh it were as great commoditie to them both as for yet a while to bein the custodie of their mother the tender age considred of y ● elder of them both but specially y ● yonger which besides hys infancie that also néedeth good looking to hath a while béene so sore diseased vexed with sikenesse and is so newlye rather a little amended than well recouered that I dare put no person earthly in trust with his kéeping but my selfe onely considering that there is as Phi●●tions say and as we also finde double the perill in the recidiuation that was in the first sicknesse with which disease Nature beyng sore laboured forewéeried and weakened wa●eth the lesse able to beare out and sustaine a newe surfette And albeit there myght be founde other that would happily doe their beste vnto hym yet is there none that eyther knoweth better how to order hym than I that so long haue kept hym or is more tenderly lyke to cheryshe hym than hys owne mother that bare hym No man denyeth good Madame quoth the Cardinall but that your grace were of all folke most necessarie about your chyldren so would all the Counsel not onely be content but glad that ye were if it myght stande wyth your pleasure to be in such place as myght stand wyth their honour But if you doe appoynt your selfe to tarrie héere then thynke they it more conuenient that the Duke of Yorke were wyth the King honorably at his lybertie to the comfort of them both than héere as a Sanctuarie man to their both dishonour and obloquie sith there is not alway so great necessytie to haue the Chylde to bée with the Mother but that occasion may sometime bée such y ● it should be more expedient to kéepe him elsewhere which in this well appeareth that at such time as your déerest sonne then Prince and nowe King shoulde for his honour and good order of the Countrey kéepe housholde in Wales farre out of your company your grace was well content there with your selfe Not very well content quoth the Quéen And yet the case is not like for the one was then in health and the other is now sicke In which case I maruell greatly that my Lord Protector is so desirous to haue hym in his kéeping where if the chyld in hys sickenesse miscarrie by nature yet myght he runne into sclaunder and suspition of fraude And where they call it a thing so sore agaynst my childes honour and theyrs also that he bydeth in this place it is all their honors thereto suffer him bide where no man doubteth he shall be best kepte and that is héere whyle I am héere which as yet intende not to come forth and ieoperd my selfe after other of my friendes which would God were rather here in suertie with me thā I were there in ieoperdie with them Why Madame quoth an other Lord know you any thing why they should be in ieoperdie Nay verily sir quoth shée nor why they shoulde be in prison neyther as they now bée But it is I trowe no great maruell though I feare least those that haue not letted to put them in duresse without colour will let as little to procure theyr destruction without cause The Cardinal made a countenaunce to the other Lorde that he shoulde harp no more vpon that string then said he to the Quéene that he nothing doubted but that those Lordes of hir honorable kynne which as yet remayned vnder arrest shoulde vppon the matter examined doe well ynough and as towarde hir noble person neyther was nor coulde be anye manner ieoperdie Whereby shoulde I trust that quoth the Quéene in that I am gyltlesse as though they were giltie in that I am with their enimyes better loued than they when they hate them for my sake in that I am so ●éere of kynne to the Kyng and howe farre they be of if that would helpe as God send grace it hu●● not and therefore as for me I purpose not as yet to depart hence And as for this Gentleman my sonne I mynde that he shall bée where I am tyll I sée further for I assure you for that I sée some men so gréedie without any substantiall cause to haue hym this maketh me much the more fearder to delyuer him Truely Madame quoth he and the fearder that you be to deliuer him the feader bin other men to suffer you to kéepe him least your causelesse feare might cause you farther to conuey him and many be there that thinke he can haue no priuiledge in this place which neyther can haue wyll to aske it nor malice to deserue it and therefore they recken no priuiledge broken though they fetche him out which if ye finally refuse to deliuer him I verily thinke they will So much dread hath my Lorde his Uncle for the ●ender loue he beareth him least your grace shoulde hap to send him away A Syr quoth the Quéene hath the Protector so tender The Queene zeale y t he feareth nothing but least he shoulde escape him Thinketh he that I woulde send him hence whych neyther is in the plyght to send out and in what place coulde I recken hym sure if he be not sure in the Sanctuarie whereof was there neuer Tyraunt yet so diuellyshe that durst presume to breake And I trust God is as strong now to withstand his aduersaries as euer he was But my sonne can deserue no Sanctuarie and therfore he can not haue it Forsooth he hath founde a goodly glose by which that place that may defend a Théefe may not saue an Innocent But he is in no ieoperdie nor hath no néede thereof would God he had not Troth the Protector I pray God he may proue a Protector troweth he that I perceyue not where vnto hys paynted processe draweth It is not honorable that the Duke byde here It were comfortable for them both that he were with his brother bycause the King lacketh a play-fellowe be ye sure I pray God send them both better play-fellowes than hym that maketh so high a matter vpon such a tryfelyng pretext As though there coulde none be founde to play wyth the King but if hys brother that hath no luste to play for sickenesse come out of Sanctuarie out of his safegarde to play with him As though Princes as yong as they he could not play but ●●rth their Peeres or children coulde not playe but with their kinred with whom for the more part they agrée much worse than with straungers But the childe can not require the priuiledge who tolde him
into the which no houest man commeth to lye which honorable Preacher yée well remember substantially declared vnto you at Paules Crosse● on Sunday last passed the right title that the most excellent Prince Richarde Duke of Glocester now Protector of this Realme hath vnto the Crowne and Kingdome of the same For as the worshipfull man groundlye made open vnto you the children of King Edward the fourthe were neuer lawfully begotten for as much as the King leauing his very wyfe Dame Elizabeth Lucie was neuer lawfully married vnto the Quéene their mother whose bloud sauing that he set his voluptuous pleasure before his honor was ful vmnéetly to be matched with his and the minglyng of whose bloude togither hath beene the effusion of great parte of the● noble bloud of this Realme Whereby it may well séeme the mariage not well made of which there is so muche mischiefe growne For lacke of which lawfull accoupling and also of other things which the sayde worshipfull Doctor rather signified than fully explaned and which things shall not be spoken ●●r mée as the thing wherein euery man forbeareth to say that he knoweth ●● auoyding displeasure of my noble Lord Protector bearing as nature requireth a filiall ●●●●re●●● to the Duches his mother for these causes I s●y before remembred that is to wit for lacke of other is●●● lawfullye comming of the late noble Prince Richarde Duke of Yorke to whose morall bloud the Crowne of Englande and of Fraunce ●● is by the hyghe aucthoritie of Parliament entayled the ryght and title of the same is by the inst course of inheritaunce according to the common lawes of thys Lande deu●lute and commen vnto the most excellent Prince the Lord Protector as to the very lawfully ●●●●tten sonne of the forere membred noble D●●● of Yorke Which thing well considered and the great knightly prowes pondered with manifolde vertues which in his noble person singularly abound the Nobles and Commons also of this Realme and specially of the North part not willing any bastard bloud to haue the rule of the land nor the abustons before in the same vsed any longer to continue haue condiscended and fully determined to make humble petition to the most puissaunt Prince the Lord Protector that it may lyke his grace at our humble request to take vpon him the guiding and gouernance of this Realme to the wealth and encrease of the ●ame according to hys verie right and iust tytle Which thing I wote it well he will be lothe to take vpon hym as he whose wisedome well perceyueth the labour and studie both of minde and body that shall come therewith to whomsoeuer so will occupie the roome as I dare say he will if he take it Which roome I warne you well is no childes ●●●●e And that the great wise man well perceiued when he ●ayd● V●●●g●o cuiu● rex puer est Wo is that Realme that hath a childe to their King Wherefore so much the more cause haue we to thanke God that this Noble personage which is so righteously intituled thervnto is of so sad age and therevnto so great wisedome ioyned with so great experience which albeithe will be loth as I haue sayd to take it vpon him yet shall he to our petition in that behalfe the more graciously in●l●●● if ye the worshipful Citizens of this the chiefe Citie of this Realme ioyne wyth vs the nobles in our saide request Which for your owne weale we doubt not but ye will and nathelesse I har●●ly pray you so to doe whereby you shall doe great profit to all this Realme beside in chosing them so good a King and vnto your selfe special commoditie to whom his Maiestie shal euer after beare so much the more tender fauour in howe much he shal perceyue you the ●●ore proue and beneu●lently minded toward his election Wherin deare friends what minde you haue ●●● requi●e you plainely to shew vs. When the Duke had sayde and looked that the people whom he hoped that the Maior hadde framed before should after this proposition made haue cryed King Richarde King Richard all was husht and mute and not one word aunswered therevnto wherewith the Duke was maruellously abashed and taking the Maior nearer to hym with other that were aboute him priuie to that matter sayde vnto them softlye what meaneth thys that thys people be so styll Syr quoth the Maior percase they perceyue you not well That shall wée mende quoth he if that will helpe And by and by somewhat louder hée rehearsed them the same matter agayne in other order and other wordes so well and ornately and naythelesse so euidentlye and playne wyth voyce gesture and countenaunce so comely and so conuenient that euery man muche maruelled that hearde him and thought that they neuer had in theyr liues heard so euil a tale so well tolde But were it for wonder or feare or that eche lookt that other shoulde speake first not one worde was there aunswered of all the people that stoode before but all was as styll as the mydnight not so muche as rowning amongest them by which they myght séeme to commune what was best to doe When the Maior sawe this hée with other partners of that Councell drewe aboute the Duke and sayde that the people had not béene accustomed there to be spoken vnto but by the Recorder which is the mouth of the Citie and happily to him they wyl aunswere With that the Recorder called Fitz William a sad manne and an honest Fitz VVilliam Recorder which was so newe come into that office that he neuer had spoken to the people before and lothe was wyth that matter to begynne notwithstandyng therevnto commaunded by the Maior made rehearsall to the Commons of y ● the Duke had twice rehearsed them to himselfe But the Recorder so tempered hys tale that he shewed euery thing as the Dukes wordes and no parte of hys owne But all this noting no chaunge made in the people which alway after one stoode as they had béene men amased wherevppon the Duke rowned vnto the Maior and sayde this is a maruellous obstinate silence and there with he turned vnto the people agayne with these wordes Deare friendes wée come to mooue you to that thing whiche peraduenture wée not so greatlye needed but that the Lordes of thys Realme and the commons of other parties might haue sufficed sauing that wée sache loue beare you and so much set by you that we woulde not gladlye doe without you that thing in whiche to be partners is your weale and honour which as it séemeth either you sée not or wey not Wherefore we require you giue vs answeare one or other whether yée be ininded as al y ● Nobles of the Realm be to haue this Noble Prince now Protector to be your King or not At these wordes the people beganne to whisper among themselues secretely that the voice was neither lowde nor distinct but as it were the sounde of a swarme of Bees tyll
that Historie of Perkin in any compendious processe by it selfe But in the meane time for this present matter I shal rehearse you the dolorous ende of those babes not after euerye waye that I haue hearde but by suche men and by suche meanes as me thinketh it were harde but it shoulde be true King Richard after his Coronation taking his waye to Glocester to visite in his newe honour the Towne of which he bare the name of his olde deuised as he rode to fulfil the thing which he before had intended And for as much as hys minde gaue him that his nephewes liuing mē would not recken that he coulde haue right to the Realme he thought therfore without delay to ridde them as though the killing of his kinsmen coulde amende his cause and make him a kindely King Whervpon he sent one Iohn Greene whom he speciallye trusted vnto Syr Robert Brakenburie Conestable Iohn Greene. Robert Brakēburie Conestable of the Tovver of the tower with a letter and credence also that the same sir Robert shoulde in any wise put the two children to death This Iohn Greene did his errand vnto Brakenburie knéeling before our Lady in the Tower who playnely answered that he would neuer put them to death to die therefore with whiche aunsweare Iohn Greene returning recoumpted the same to King Richard at Warwicke yet in hys waye Wherewith he tooke suche displeasure and thought that the same night he sayde vnto a secréet page of his Ah whom shall a man trust those that I haue brought vpmy self those that I had wened would most surely serue me euen those fayle me and at my commaundement will do nothing for me Sir quoth his page there lyeth one on your pallet without that I dare well say to do your grace pleasure the thing were right harde that he would refuse meaning this by sir Iames Tirell which was a man of right goodly Sir Iames Tirel personage and for natures giftes worthy to haue serued a much better Prince if he had wel serued God by grace obtained as much troth and good wil as he had strength and witte The man had an high hart and sore longed vpward Authoritie loueth no partners not rising yet so fast as he had hoped being hindered kept vnder by the meanes of Sir Richarde Ratclife and sir Wil. Cates by which longing for no mo partiners of the Princes fauour and namely not for him whose pride they wist wold beare no péere kéepte him by secrete driftes out of all secret trust which thing this Page wel had marked and known wherfore this occasion offered of very speciall friendship he tooke his time to put him forward by such wise to doe him good that al the enimies he had except the Diuel could neuer haue done him so much hurt For vpō this pages words King Richard arose For this cōmunication had he sitting at the draught a conuenient Carpet for such a counsel and came out into a Pallet Chamber on which he found in bed sir Iames sir Thomas Tirels of person like and brethen of bloud but nothing of kin in conditions Then sayde the K. merily to them what sirs be yée in bed so soone and calling vp sir Iames brake to him secretly his minde in this mische●ous matter In whiche he founde him nothing straunge Wherfore on the morow he sente him to Brakenburie wyth a letter by which was commaunded to deliuer sir Iames all the Keyes of the Tower for one night to the ende he might there accomplish the Kings pleasure in such things as hée had giuen him commaundement After which letter deliuered and the keyes receiued sir Iames appointed the nighte next ensuing to destroy them deuising before and preparing the meanes The prince as soone as y e protector left y e name and toke himselfe as king had it shewed vnto him that hée shold not raign but his vncle shold haue y e crown At which word y e Prince sore abashed beganne to sigh said Alas I would my vncle woulde let me haue my life yet though I léese my Kingdome Then he that told him the tale vsed hym wyth good wordes and putte hym in the beste comfort he coulde But forthwith was the Prince and his brother both shut vp and all other remoued from them onely one called Blacke Will or William Slaughter except set to serue them and sée them sure After whiche time the prince neuer tyed hys pointes nor aught roughte of himselfe but with that yong babe his brother lingred with thought and heauinesse til this trayterous death deliuered them of that wretchednesse For Sir Iames Tyrell deuised y ● they should be murthered in their beds To the execution whereof hée appointed Myles Forrest one of the foure that kept them a fellow fleshed in murther before time To him he ioyned one Iohn Dighton his owne horssekéeper a bigge brode square strong knaue Then al the other being remoued from them this Miles The yong king and his brother murthered Forrest and Iohn Dighton about midnight the selie childrē lying in their beddes came into the Chamber and sodainly lapped them vp among the clothes so to bewrapped thē and intangled them kéeping downe by force the featherbed and pillowes hard vnto their mouths that within a while smothered and stifled theyr breath fayling they gaue vp to God their innocente soules into the ioyes of Heauen leaning to the tormentors their bodyes deade in the bed Whiche after that the wretches perceyued first by the strugling with the paynes of deathe and after long lying still to bée throughly deade they layde their bodies naked out vppon the bed and fetched Sir Iames to sée them which vppon the sight of them caused those murtherers to burie them at the staire foote méetly déepe in the ground vnder a great heape of stones Then rode Syr Iames in greate haste to King Richarde and shewed him all the manner of the murther who gaue him great thankes as some say there made him knight But he allowed not as I haue heard the burying in so vile a corner saying that he woulde haue them buryed in a better place bycause they were a Kings sonnes Loe the honorable courage of a King Whervpon they say that a Priest of S. Roberte Brakenburie tooke vppe the bodyes again and secretly enteried them in such place as by the occasion of his death which only knew it coulde neuer since come to light Uerye troth is it and well knowen that at such time as Sir Iames Tyrel was in the Tower for Treason committed against the most famous Prince King Henrie the seauenth both Dighton and he were examined and confessed the murther in maner aboue writtē but whether the bodyes were remoued they coulde nothing tell And thus as I haue learned of them that muche knewe and litle cause had to lye were these two noble princes these innocente tender children borne of most royal bloud brought vp in great wealth likely
diuers partes of this Realme certaine Gentlemen of y e Earle of Richmondes faction amongst whom sir George Browne sir Roger Clifford and iiij other were put to death at London y ● iij. of December Sir Thomas Sentlegar which had marryed the Duches of Excester the Kings owne sister and T. Rame with diuers other were executed at Excester The. xxx of December was a great fire at Leaden hall in Fire at Leaden hall in London London where through was brent much housing and all the stocks for gunnes other like prouision belonging to y e citie After this King Richard called a Parliament in y ● which 1484 he attainted the Earle of Richemond and all other persons which were ●led out of the Realme for feare or any other cause as enemyes to him and to their natural countrie and all their landes and goods was confiscate to the Kings vse and yet notwithstanding he laid on the people a great taxe In this troublesome season nothing was more maruelled Anno. reg 2. at than that the Lorde Stanley had not bene taken considering the working of the Lady Margaret his wyfe mother to the Earle of Richemond but for as muche as the enterpryse of a woman was of hym reputed of no regarde or estimation and that the Lorde Stanley hir husband had purged hym selfe to be innocent of all attemptes by hir committed it was giuen him in charge to kéepe hir in some secrete place at home without hauing any seruaunt or company so that from thence forth shée shoulde neuer send letter to hir sonne or to any of his friendes by the which the Kyng myghte bée molested which commaundement was a whyle put in execution This yéere King Richard began the high towre at Westminster which remaineth yet vnfinished Also he caused the K. Henry the sixt remoued to VVindso● body of King Henry the sixte to be remoued from Chertesey Abbey in Surrey and to be buried at Windsor where he nowe resteth on the. xij of August Richard Chester Thomas Britaine the 28. of September Sherifes Ralph Austry the 6. of Februarie Tho. Hill Grocer the 28. of October W. Stocker draper the Maiors 24. of Sep. in anno 1485. Iohn ward grocer the 29. of Sep. William Collingborne made a Ryme of iij. of King Colingborne executed Richards Coūsellers the Lord Louell sir Richard Ratclife and sir William Catesby which was The Ratte the Catte and Louell our dogge Rule all England vnder the hogge For the which he was drawne frō Westmin to the Towre of London and there on y ● hyll hanged headed quartered King Richard considering y ● a●ities concluded betwéene Princes are the cause that their Realmes are fortified with a double power that is to say with their owne strength the ayde of their friendes practised a league with the King of Scots which not long before had made diuers incursions roades into the Realme of Englande and therefore sued to haue a truce or peace concluded Wherfore Commissioners were appointed which met at Notingham there in the end concluded for iij. yéeres on certaine articles xv in number Truce vvith Scotland for three yeeres This peace thus concluded King Richard nowe doubtyng his owne people was continually vexed with feare of the returne of the Earle of Richmond and his complices Wherfore nothing was for his purpose more then once agayne with price prayer to attempt the duke of Britaine in whose territorie y ● Erle then abode to deliuer him into his hands wherfore incontinent he sent certaine Ambassadors to the Duke of Britaine which tooke vpon them that King Richard shoulde yéerely pay and aunswere the Duke of Britaine of al the reuenewes rentes and profites of the landes possessions as well belonging to the Earle of Richmond as to any other noble or gentlemā which then were in the Erles companie if he after that time would kéepe them in continuall prison and restrayne them from libertie The orators furnished with these other instructions ariued in Britaine but could not speake w t the duke by reason y ● he being weakned by a long and dayly infirmitie began to waxe ydle of his remembraunce for whiche cause Peter Landoyse his chiefe Treasurer ruled all things at his pleasure vnto whom the English Ambassadors moued to him their message offering to him the same rewardes and lands that they should haue offered the Duke This Peter faythfully promised to accomplishe King Richardes request so that he kept promise wyth him but fortune was so fauourable to the publike Weale of England that this deadly compact tooke none effect for Iohn Morton Byshop of Elie soiourning then in Flaunders was of al this craftie deuise certified wherfore he sent Christopher Vrswike to declare to the Earle of Richemond all the deceyt giuing him charge in all hast possible with his company to retire out of Britaine into Fraunce When these newes came to the Earle he incontinent sent to Charles the French king requiring that he and his myght safely passe into Fraunce which desire was graunted and the Earle with the rest dispatched as priuily as mought be into Fraunce no man susspecting their departure After this the Erle tooke his iourney to Charles the Frenche King to whō after great thanks giuen he disclosed the occasion of his accesse to his person After that he required of him helpe and succour to the intent he myghte returne to the Nobilitie of his Realme of whō he was generally called to take vpō him the Crowne King Charles promysed him ayde and bad hym be of good comforte for he assured him that he woulde gladly shewe to 1485 him his bountifull liberalitie Whiles the Earle of Richemond thus attended on the Frenche Court Iohn Vere Earle of Oxforde so perswaded Iames Blonte Captaine of Hames Castle and sir Iohn Forteskewe Porter of the Towne of Calleis that he him selfe was not only set at libertie but they also leauing their fruitfull offices condescended to goe with him into Fraunce to the Earle of Richemond In the meane season King Richard was credibly aduertised what promises and othes the Earle and his confederates had made and sworne and how by the Erles meanes all the English men were passed out of Britaine into Fraunce Wherefore being in manner desperate imagining howe to infringe the Earles purpose by an other meane so that by the mariage of Lady Elizabeth his niece he should pretend no clayme to the Crowne there came to his minde a thing not onely detestable but much more cruell to be put in execution for he cléerelye determined to reconcile to his fauour his brother wife Quéene Elizabeth and so by that meanes the Earle of Richemond of the affinitie of his Nice shoulde bée vtterly defrauded and if no ingenious remedie coulde bée otherwyse inuented if it shoulde happen Quéene Anne hys wyfe to departe out of this worlde then he himselfe woulde rather take to wyfe hys cosin and Nice
waye at Sandingfielde mette by the Frenche King and many Nobles of France who rode al to Boloigne and were there lodged On the xxv of October King Henrie returned againe to Calleis accompanied with the Frenche King the King of Nauarre the Cardinall of Loraine and many other Dukes Byshoppes and great estates of Fraunce Gas●oine Brytaine and Normandie And the xxviij of October Kyng Henrie made the King of Nauarre Knight of the Garter and the nexte daye the Frenche King with the King of Nauarre and all the greate Lordes of Fraunce rode againe to Boloigne and King Henrie of Englande rode wyth them to Sandingfielde where he made to the Frenche King a costlye banquet and there the thrée Kings departed like louing brethren in great amitie the xiiij of Nouēber King Henrie landed at Douer Richard Reynold Nicholas Pinchon the 28. of September Sherifes Iohn Martin Butcher Sir Stephen Pecocke Haberdasher the 28. of October Maior Kyng Henrie kepte hys Christmasse at Greenewiche and after Christmasse sir Thomas Audeley Lord Kéeper of the great Seale was made Lord Chauncelor of England and then beganne a Parliament in the whiche it was enacted that no person shoulde appeale for anye cause oute of thys Realme to the Court of Rome and also that Quéene Katherine shoulde from thenceforth be no more called Quéene but Princesse Dowager of Prince Arthur The twelfth of Aprill being Easter euen the Ladye 1533 Anno reg 25 Anne Bolleine who hadde béene priuily marryed to Kyng Henrie wente to hir Closet openly as Quéene and was proclaymed Quéene of Englande The sixe and twentith of Aprill Arthure Plantagenet sonne illegitime of Kyng Edwarde the fourth was created Viscount Lisle at Bridewell The twelfth of May Pauier towne Clearke of London hung himselfe The Kings highnesse addressed his letters to the Maior and Communaltie of London signifying vnto them that his pleasure was to solempnize the Coronation of his most deare and welbeloued wife Quéene Anne at Westminster on Whitsonday next ensuing willing them to make preparation as well to fetche hir Grace from Greenewiche to the Tower by water as to sée the Citie garnished wyth Pageants in places accustomed for the honor of hir Grace when shée shoulde be conueyed from the Tower to Westminster Wherevppon a common Counsell was called and commaundement gyuen to the Haberdashers of whiche Craft the Maior was that they shoulde prepare a Barge for the Bachelers wyth a Wafter and a Foyste garnished wyth Banners lyke as they vse when the Maior is presented at Westminster on the morrowe after the feast of Saint Simon Iude. Also all other Craftes were commaunded to prepare Barges and to garnishe them not onely with their Banners accustomed but also to decke them with Targets by the sides of the Barges and to sette vppe all suche séemely Banners and Bannerets as they hadde in their hal●es or coulde get to furnishe theyr sayde Barges and euery Barge to haue Minstrels according to whych commaundement greate preparation was made for all thyngs necessary for suche a noble triumph The nine and twentith daye of May béeing Thurseday the Maior and his brethren all in Scarlet and such as were knightes hadde collars of Esses and the residue hauyng greate Chaines and the Counsell of the Citie assembled with them at Saint Marie hill And at one of the clocke descended to the newe steire to their Barge whyche was garnished with manye goodly banners and streamers and richly couered in whiche Barge was Shalmes Shagebushes and dyuers other Instruments of Musicke whiche played continually After that the Maior and hys brethren were in their barge séeing that the companies to the number of fiftie barges were readye to waite vppon them they gaue commaundement to the companies that no barge should rowe nearer to another than twice the length of the barge and to sée the order kepte there were thrée Whirries prepared and in euerye one of them two officers to call on them to kéepe their order After whyche commaundement giuen they set forth in order as hereafter is described Firste before the Maiors Barge was a Foiste for a wafter full of Ordinaunce in whyche Foyste was a greate redd● Dragon continuallye ●●●●ng and casting wilde fire and rounde aboute the sayde foiste stoode terrible monstrous and wild men casting fire and making hideous noise nexte after the foiste a good distaunce came the Maiors Barge on whose righte hande ●●● the Bachelers Barge in the whyche were Trum 〈…〉 and dyuers other melodious Instrumentes the 〈…〉 of the sayde Barge and saile yardes and the toppe ●●●●elles were hanged wyth ryche cloth of Golde and 〈…〉 at the Fore-shippe and the Sterne were two greate banners ryche beaten wyth the armes of the King and the Quéene aud on the soppe castell also was a long streamer newly beaten with the saide armes the sides of the Barge was sette full of Flagges and Banners of the deuices of the companyes of Haberdashers and Merchaunt Aduenturers and the lasserers or cordes were hanged wyth innumerable Penselles hauing lyttle Belles at the endes whyche made a goodlye noyse and was a goodlye sighte wauering with the winde on the out side of the barge were thrée dozen Scutcheons in mettall of the Armos of the Kyng and Quéene whiche were beaten vppon square Buckeram deuided so that the righte side hadde the King colours and the lefte side the Quéenes whyche Scutcheons were fastened on the clothes of Golde and siluer hauging on the deckes on the lefte hand of the Maior was an other Foyste in the whyche was a mounte and on the mounte stoode a white Faulcon crowned vppon a roote of Golde enuironed wyth white Roses and redde whyche was the Quéenes deuice aboute whyche mounte sate Uirgins singing and playing melodiouslye Next after the Mayor followed hys Felowshippe the Haberdashers nexte after them the Mercers then the Grocers and so euerye company in hys order and laste of all the Maiors Sheriffes officers euery company hauing melodie in their Barge by them selues and goodly garnished wyth Banne●s and some couered wyth Sylke and some wyth Arras or suche like which was a goodly sight to beholde and in thy ● or ●er they rowed by Greenewiche to the pointe beyende Greenwiche and there they turned backward in an other order that is to● wéete the Maiors and Sherifs officers firste and the meanest Crafte nexte and so ascencendyng to the vpper moste Crafte in order and the Maior laste as thy goe to Paules at Christmasse and in that order they to wed downe warde to Greenewiche towne and there caste ancker makyng greate melodie At thrée of the clocke the Quéene apparelled in riche cloth of Golde entred into hir Barge accompanyed wyth dyuers Ladyes and Gentlewomen and incontinent the Citizens set forward in their order theyr Minstrels continually playing and y ● Bachelers barge going on the Quéenes right hand whyche shée tooke greate pleasure to beholde Aboute the Quéenes barge were manye noble menne as the Duke of
a platter with porage and four penc● in money The xiiij of Nouember Hugh Ferringdon Abbot of Abbots of Reading Glastonb●●y executed Reading and two Priests named Ruge and Onyon for denying the Kings Supremacie were hanged and quartered at Reading The same day was Richard Whiting Abbot of Glastonburie hanged and quartered on Torre hill beside his Monasterie for the same cause The first of December Iohn Beach Abbot of Colchester was likewise executed In December were appoynted to wayte on the Kings Pencioners appoynted highnesse person fiftie Gentlemen called Pencioners or Speres vnto whome was appoynted fiftie pound the péece pearely The third of January was the Lady Anne of Cleeue receiued King Henry married Lady Anne of Cleue at Blacke heath and brought to Greenewich with great triumph and the sixth day of y e same moneth she was maryed to King Henry After Christmas the Priorie Church of Saint Mary Ouery Saint Mary Oueryes made a parish Church in Southwarke was purchased of the King by the inhabitants of the Borow Doctor Gardener Bishop of Winchester putting to his helping hand they made thereof a parish church and the little Church of Mary Megdalen ioyning to the same Priorie was made all one Churche and Saint Margarets in Southwarke a parish was admitted to the same parish The xij of March Henry Bowrcher Earle of Essex riding Earle of Essex deceassed a yong Horsse was cast and brake his necke at his Manour in Essex He was the eldest Earle in England The xix of March Iohn Vere Earle of Oxforde high Earle of Oxford deceassed chamberlayne of Englande deceassed at his Manour in Essex Ther. of Aprill Sir William Peterson Priest late commissarie 1540 of Caleis and Sir William Richardson Priest of Saint Maryes in Caleis were both there drawne hanged Priests at Caleis executed and quartered in the Market place for the Supremacie The 18. of Aprill Sir Thomas Cromwell Lorde priuie Cromvvell Earle of Essex Seale was created Earle of Essex and high Chamberlayne of England Also Gregory hys sonne was made Lorde Cromwell In a Parliament which began the xviij of Aprill was Subsedie and four fifteenes graunted to the King a subsedie of two shillings the pound Lands and twelue pence goodes and four fiftéenes The xxiiij of Aprill Thomas Lord Audley Chancellor Anno reg 32 of England with Sir Anthony Browne Maister of the King● Lord Audley Knight of the Garter Horsse were made Knightes of the Garter On May day was a great triumph of Justing at Westminster which Justes had bin proclaymed in France Flaunders Iusting of challengers Scotland and Spayne for all commers that woulde against the challengers of Englande which were Sir Iohn Dudley Sir Thomas Seymer Sir Thomas Poynings Sir George Carew Knightes Anthony Kingston and Richarde Cromwell Esquiers which sayd challengers came into the listes that day richly apparelled and their Horsses trapped all in white Ueluet with certayne Knightes and Gentlemen riding afore them apparelled all in white Ueluet and white Sarsenet and all their seruants in white dublets and hozen cut after the Burgonion fashion and there came to Just against them the sayd daye of defendants xlvj the Earle of Surrey being the formost Lord William Heyward Lord Clinton and Lord Cromwell sonne and heire to Thomas Cromwell Earle of Essex and Chamberlayne of Englād with other which were all richly apparelled And that day Sir Iohn Dudley was ouerthrowne in the fielde by mischance of his Horsse by one Mayster Breme defendant neuerthelesse he brake diuers Speares valiantly after that and after the saide Justes were done the sayde challengers rode to Durham place where they kepte open housholde and feasted the King and Quéene with hir Ladyes and all the Court. The seconde of May Anthony Kingston and Richarde Cromwell were made Knightes at the sayd place The third of May the sayde challengers did turney on Tournying horssebacke with swords and against them came xxix defendants Sir Iohn Dudley and the Earle of Surrey running first which the first course lost both their gauntle●s and that day Sir Richard Cromwell ouerthrew Mayster Palmer in y e field off his Horsse to the great honor of the challengers The v. of May she said challengers fought on foote at the Barriers against thē came xxx defendants which ●ought Barriers valiantly but Sir Richard Cromwell ouerthrew that day at the Barriers Mayster Culpeper in the field and the sixth of May the sayd chalengers brake vp their houshold The vij of May Sir William Weston Knight Lorde Saint Iohns in Smithfield suppressed Prior of Saint Iohns without Smithfield dyed and the King tooke all the Lands that belonged to that order into hys hands to the augmentation of his Crowne and gaue vnto euery of the Chalengers aboue written for a rewarde of their valiantnesse a hundred Markes and a house to dwell in of yéerely reuenues out of the sayd lands for euer The 26. of May was sent to the Tower Doctour Wilson and Doctour Sampson Bishop of Chichester for reléeuing certayne prisoners which denyed the Kings Supremacie for the same offence Richard Farmer Grocer of London a rich Richard Farmer in the Premunire and wealthy man was committed to the Marshalsea and after arraigned and attaynted in the Premunire and lost all his goodes Also the kéeper of Newgate was sent to the Marshalsea for giuing libertie to Doctor Powell and Doctour Abell his prisoners The ninth of July Thomas Lord Cromwell Earle of Thomas Lord Cromvvell beheaded Essex béeing in the Counsell Chamber was sodeinly apprehended and committed to the Tower of London The ninetéenth he was attainted by Parliament of heresie and high Treason and y e xxviij of July he was beheaded on the Tower hill with the Lord Walter Hungerford of Heitisburie In this moneth of July King Henry by authoritie of King Henry deuorced from Lady Anne of Cleeue Parliament and Conuocation was deuorced from Lady Anne of Cleeue The xxx of July Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard William Sixe Priestes three brent three hanged Ierome Priests were burned in Smithfield The same day Thomas Abell Edward Powell and Richarde Fetherstone all thrée Doctours were hanged and quartered for denying the Kings supremacie of the Church The fourth of August were drawne to Tiborne sixe persons Seauen executed at Tiborne and one ledde Lawrence Cooke Prior of Dancalfe William Horne a lay brother of the Charterhouse Giles Horne Gentleman Clement Philpot Edmond Bromham Darby Kenham Robert Birde Iaruis Carrow all put to death for Treason The Ditches about London were clensed The eyght of August Lady Katherine Haward daughter to Edmond Lord Haward was shewed opēly as Quéene King Henry married at Hampton Court The xj of September was hanged in Moore field a Strāger Harlots cause many murthers named Iames Rinatian who had slayne his Maister one Capon a Florentine in a Garden for his Harlot The later end
to haue cōsented to Wiats conspyracie The xviij of Marche being Palmsonday the Lady Elizabeth the Quéenes sister was by the Lord Treasurer and the Earle of Sussex conueyed to the Tower of London from Parliament Westminster by water The tj of Aprill the Parliament beganne at Westminster whyche was appoynted to haue béene kepte at Oxforde Barons created The v. of Aprill sir Iohn Williams was created Baron of Tame and Saint Iames. The vij of April sir Edward North was created Baron of Chartlege at Saint Iames. The viij of Aprill sir Iohn a Bridges was created Baron Chondoys of Sudley Saint Iames. Catte hanged in Cheape The same viij of Aprill then being Sonday a Catte with hir head shorne and the likenesse of a Uestment caste ouer hir with hir fore téete tyed togither and a round péece of paper like a singing Cake betwixte them was hanged on a Gallowes in Cheape neare to the Crosse in the Parish of Saint Mathew whyche Catte being taken downe was carryed to the Bishoppe of London and he caused the same to be shewed at Paules Crosse by the preacher Doctor Pendleton The x. of Aprill Doctor Cranmer Archbyshop of Canterburie Disputation at Oxforde Doctour Ridley Byshoppe of London and Hugh Latimer once Bishop of Worcester were cōueyed prisoners from the Tower of London to Windsore and after from thence to Oxforde there to dispute wyth the Diuines and learned men of the contrary opinion The xj of April sir Thomas Wiat was beheaded on the Thomas VViat beheaded Tower hill and after quartred hys quarters were set vppe in dyuers places and hys head on the Gallowes at Hay hill neare Hyde Parke from whence it was shortly after stolne conueyed awaye The xxvtj of Aprill Lorde Thomas Grey brother to the late Duke of Suffolke was beheaded The xiiij of May Gerrard Fitz Garret was created Erle of Kyldare and Baron of Ophelley for him and his heyres at Saint Iames. William Thomas Gentleman and other were apprehended for conspyring Quéene Maries death the same William Thomas for the matter was drawne to Tyborne and hanged and quartred the xviij of May. The xix of May Ladye Elizabeth was conueyed from the Tower of London by water to Richemonde from thence to Windsore and so by the Lord Williams to Ricot in Oxfordshire and from thence to Woodstocke The xxv of May Edward Courtney Earle of Deuonshire The Erle of Deuonshire sent to Fodringaye was deliuered oute of the Tower by sir Ralph Chamberlaine of Suffolk and sir Thomas Tresham Knights who conueyed him to Fodringay Castel in Northamptonshire there to remaine vnder their custodie The x. of June Doctoure Pendleton preached at Paules A Gunne shotte at the preacher Crosse at whome a Gunne was shotte the pellet whereof went very neare him and lighte on the Churche wall But the shooter coulde not be founde The xxtj. of June was Proclamation made forbidding the shooting in handgunnes and bearing of weapons The fiftéenth of July Elizabeth Croft a wenche abo●●● Anno reg 2. A Spirite in a vvall the age of eightéene yeares stoode vppon a Scaffolde at Paules Crosse all the Sermon tyme where shée confessed that she being moued by dyuers lewde persons therevnto hadde vppon the fouretéenth of Marche laste before passed counterfaited certayne speaches in an house withoute Aldersgate of London thoroughe the whyche the people of the whole City were wonderfully molested for that all men mighte heare the voice but not sée hir person Some saide it was an Angell and a voyce from Heauen some the holy Ghoste c. Thys was called the Spirite in the Wall she hadde laine whistling in a straunge whistle made for that purpose whiche was giuen hir by one Drakes then were there dyuers companions confederate with hir whiche putting thēselues among the preasse tooke vppon them to interprete what the Spirite saide expressing certaine seditious words againste the Quéene the prince of Spaine the Masse and Cōfession c. The xix of July the prince of Spaine arriued at Southampton the fourth day after he came to Winchester in the euening and there going to Churche was honorably receyued of the Byshoppe and a greate number of Nobles the nexte daye he met with the Quéene wyth whome he had long familiar talke On Saint James daye the marriage was solempnized betwéene him and Quéene Mary at whyche time the The marriage of King Philip and Queene Mary Emperors Embassadour being present pronounced that in consideration of the marriage the Emperor had giuen vnto his sonne the Kingdome of Naples The solempnitie of thys marriage being ended the King of Harraults proclai●●ed their Tytle as foloweth Philip and Marie by the grace of The Kings stile God King and Quéene of Englande Fraunce Naples Hierusalem and Ireland Defendors of the Faith Princes of Spaine and Sicile Archdukes of Austrich Dukes of Millaine Burgundy and Brabant Counties of Aspurge Flaunders and Tyrroll whyche being ended the Trumpets blewe the Kyng and Quéene came forth hand in hande and two Swords borne before them Shortly after King Philip and Quéene Marie remoued frō Winchester to Basing frō thence to Windsore then to Richemont from thence by water to Southwarke acompanyed with the Noble men Ladies the King in one barge the Quéeni● an other and landed at the Bishop of Winchesters staires neare to S. Mary Oueries Church so passed through that place and parke into Suffolke place where they rested that night And the next day being the xviij of August they rode thorough Southwarke ouer the Bridge and so thorough London where they were with great prouision receiued of y e A man slyding from Paules steeple citizens passing through Paules Churchyard a man came ●lydyng as it were flying vpon a rope from Paules Stéeple The second of September sir Anthony Browne Maister of the Horse was put by and made Marques Mountague for him and his heires Males with the gifte of xx markes the yeare of Surrey at Hampton Court Dauid Woodroffe William Chester the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Sir Iohn Lion Grocer the 28. of October The xxvj h● October a Spaniard was hanged at Charing Crosse for killing of an Englishman there was offered A Spaniard hanged for his life by other strangers 500. Crownes but all that woulde not stay Justice The xij of Nouēber the parliament began at Westminster The xxiiij of Nouember Cardinall Poole came out of Brabant into England and was receiued with much honour he was by Parliament restored to hys olde dignitie that he was put from by King Henrie and shortly after came into the Parliament house where the King Quéene and other states were present Then he declared the cause of his Legacie first exhorting them to returne to the Communion of the Churche and restore to the Pope hys due aucthoritie Secondly he aduertised them to giue thankes to God that had sent them so blessed a King and Quéene Finally he signified
part whereof were happily atchéeued to the ●●●eats ouer throwe of the aduersaryes parte and singular commendation of ours William Allin Richard Chamberlaine the 28. of Sept. Sherifes Maior Anno reg 5. Tempest at Leycester Sir Thomas Lodge Grocer the 28 of October On Saterday y e xvj of January a great tempest of wind and thunder happened in the Towne of Leycester whiche vncouered 411. bayes of houses and ouerturned manye The ix x. and xj of February Westminster hall was ouerslowen 1563 wyth water and Holland in Lincolneshire was drowned by rage of winde and water When the Frenchemen with huge armies assembled oute Iohn Cai●● of all partes of Fraunce to recouer the place of passage the stopping whereof by our power was the double woe of their common wealth there bred throughe the season of the yere and putrifactiō of the aire a miserable infortunate plague among our men whyche maruellously encreased with the death of diuers of the best captains souldiors where withal there folowed a cruel and quicke siege whereat was present the yong Kyng hymselfe the Quéene hys mother the beste tryed number of warlike souldiours within the whole Countrey besides an other sorte of yong and olde that cared not for life or lande so their aduenture might winne againe the cause of their distresse wyth this generall ayde the marishes were made passable and firme ground whych by men of great experience was thought impossible and with common helpe the Cannons were placed the Castell and wals were battered and sundrye breaches made beyond expectation howbeit they were rewarded by oure Gunners and made to taste the bitter fruit of their desperate approche to their greate terrour and annoyaunce the Earle of Warwike wyth the remnant of our Capitaines and souldiors in couragious order standing at the seuerall breaches ready to defende their assaultes whyche perceyued by the enimy they caused their Trumpets to sound the blast of Emparle that composition of eyther parte mighte be made to auoide the imminent slaughter and effusion of bloude This offer séemed not vnméete bothe parties concluded the Towne was delyuered the nine and twentith of July wyth condition that the Englishemen should departe When the towne in this sorte was surrendred to the Frenche and the greatest part of our garrison shipped many sicke persons were lefte behind impotent and vnable to help themselues The misery whereof Edwarde Randolfe Esquier hygh Marshall of the Towne who was appointed to tarry and sée the vttermoste of oure composition accomplished perceiuyng moned with naturall pitie of his Countreymen relinquished withoute comforte caused the saide sicke persons to bée carryed aboorde not sparing his own shoulders at that time feeble and full of the plague hymselfe and hys men still bearing and helping the poore creatures on Ship-boorde a rare facte worthy rewarde and no doubte in remembrance with God the true recorder of mercifull deserts As ye haue hearde the plague of pestilence being in the Pestilence Towne of Newhauen through the number of souldiors that returned into Englande the infection thereof spread into dyuers partes of this Realme but especially the Citie of London was so infected that in the same whole yeare that is to say frō the first of January 156● till the last of December 1563. there dyed in the Citie and Liberties thereof containing 108. parishes of all diseases xx M. iij. C. lxxij and of the 108. parishes in London besides ●● in the suburbs plague being parte of the number aforesaide xvij M. ii●j C. ii●j persons And in the out parishes adioyning to y ● same Citie being xj parishes dyed of al diseases in the whole yeare itj. M. tj C. lxxx and vitj. persons and of them of the plague tj M. vtj C. xxxtj persons so that the whole number of all that dyed of all disseases as well within the Citie and Liberties as in the out parishes was xxitj M. vj. C. and lx of them there dyed of the plague xx M. one hundred thirtie and sixe The eight of July in the morning hapned a great tēpest Tempest at London of lightning and thunder where through a woman thrée kyne were slaine in the Couent Garden neare to Charing Crosse At the same time in Essex a man was torne to péeres as he was carying haye hys barne was borne downe and hys haye brent bothe stones and trées were rent in many places The Counsell of Kyng Philip at Bruxels commaunded proclamation to be made in Antwerpe and other places that no English ship with anye clothes shoulde come into anye places of their lowe Countries their colour was as they saide the daunger of the plague whyche was that tyme in London and other places of England notwythstanding they woulde gladly haue gotten our Woolles but the Quéenes Maiestie throughe sute of oure Merchaunt Aduenturers caused the Wooll fléete to be discharged and our Cloth fléet was sente to Emden in East Friselande aboute Easter nexte following in Anno 1564. Forsomuche as the plague of Pestilence was so hote in Threefolde plague to the poore Citizens of London the Citie of London there was no Terme kepte at Michaelmasse to be shorte the poore Citizens of London were thys yeare plagued with a thrée folde plague pestilence searcity of mony and dearth of victuals the misery whereof were too long here to wryte no doubte the poore remember it the riche by flight into the Countries made shifte for themselues c. An Erthquake was in the moneth of September in dyuers Earthquake places of thys realme speciallye in Lincolne and Northamptonshires Edwarde Bankes Rowlande Haywarde the 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Sir Iohn White Grocer the 28. of October After the election of this Maior by the Counsels letters the Quéenes Maiesties pleasure was signified to Sir Thomas Lodge then Maior that forsomuche as the plague was to greate in the Citie the newe Maior elected shoulde kéepe no feast at the Guild hall for doubte that throughe bringing togither suche a multitude the infection might encrease for that wéeke there dyed wythin the Citie and out Parishes more than two thousande wherefore this sir Iohn White tooke his othe at the outermoste Gate of the Tower of London From the firste daye of December till the twelfth was Anno reg 6. Lightning and thunder sache continuall lightning and thunder especially the same twelfth day at night that y ● like had not bin séene nor heard by any man then liuing In the moneth of December was driuen on the ●hore ●● Grims●●e in Lincolneshire a monstrous fishe in length nynetéene yardes his taile fiftéene foote broade and sixe yardes betwéen hys eyes twelue men stoode vpright in hys mouth to get the oyle For that the plague was not fullye ceased in London Terme kepte at Hertforde Hillarye Tearme was kepte at Hertforde Castell besides Waer Thys yeare an honorable and ioyfull peace was concluded 1564 betwixte the Quéenes Maiestie
houses and brent the thatch in the stréetes and themselues fledde with most parte of theyr goodes but by the industrie of the Englishmen the timber was also burned with the thatch sauing one little house of stone of Dunlamrickes wherein my Lord lay that night The twentith daye the Armie marched forwardes to a house of the Lorde of Bucklugh whych they ouerthrew with powder and then marched Northwarde to the Riuer of Tiuet where they brente and spoyled suche Castels pyles and Townes as belonged to the Lorde of Fernihurst and Bucklogh their kinsmen and adherents and that night returned to Gedworth The one and twentith day part of the army went to the Riuer of Bowbent vnder the leading of the sayde Marshall where mayster George Heron Réeper of Tiuidale and Ridsdale with them of that Countrey mette with him and ioyning togither rode on burning and spoyling all on both sides of the Riuer and the other part marched to the Riuer of Trile where they wasted and brent all on both sides the Riuer and returned to Kilsey where the Lord Lieutenant lodged of purpose to beséege Hewme Castell in the nighte and the Lorde Gouernour with his company went to Warke to bring the ordinance from thence in the morning which was disappoynted by the negligence of such as were put in trust for those matters who suffered the cariage Horsses to returne to Barwike the daye before which should haue drawne the same she lacke whereof caused the Lorde Lieutenant wyth the whole armye to returne to Barwike the two and twentith of Aprill in all which time there was neuer any shewe by the Scottes made to resist or defende theyr Countrey The Lorde Scrope Warden of the West marches entred The Lorde Scrope entred Scotland Scotland the eyghtéenth of Aprill brente and spoyled those partes almost to Domfrees he had diuers conflictes gaue sondry ouerthrowes tooke many prisoners and returned safely During all these inuasions the marches of Englande in all places were so guarded by the Lorde Euers Sir George Bowes and other of the Bishopricke as the Scottes durst not once offer to enter into Englande so that not one house was burned nor one Cow taken out of Englande There were rased ouerthrowne and brent in thys iourney aboue fiftie strong Castels and pyles and aboue thrée hundred Townes and Uillages so that there be very few in the Countrey that eyther haue receyued our English Rebels or inuaded England that eyther haue Castell ●yle or house for themselues or theyr tenantes besides the losse of their goodes The xxvj the Lord Lieutenant accompanyed with the Lord Gouernour the Marshall and diuers lustie Gentlemen Captaynes and Souldyers to the number of three thousand set forward to Warke and so to Hewme Castell whiche Castell they beséeged till the same was yéelded the Lorde Gouernour the Marshall and dyuers other tooke possession for our soueraigne Ladye the Quéenes Maiestie and expelled the Scortes that were therein to the number of 168. persons in their apparell on their backes only without armour weapon bagge or baggage among whome there were two Englishmen one Hiliard the Earle of Northumberlands man and a vagrant person named William Godswher which both were carried to Barwike Rebels executed at Barvvike and there executed the xxtiij of May. The Lord Lieutenant placed in the Cast●●l Captayne Wood and Captayne Pikeman with two hundred Souldyers and so returned to Barwike the xxix of Aprill where he rested very euill at ease hauing in the trauaile taken ouermuch colde wherewith he was driuen into an extreame ague The fourth of May he sente mayster Drewry Marshall with the number of two thousand to take Faust Castell which at the first comming was deliuered to the Marshall who expelled the Scottes in number tenne and placed fourtéene of our Englishmen against all Scotland it is so strong a place and so returned to Barwike The eleuenth of May the Lord Lieutenant made four Knightes viz. Sir William Drewry Knightes made by the Earle of Sussex Sir Thomas Manners Sir George Care sir Robert Constable And the same day Sir William Drewry being Generall set forwarde toward Edenborough with diuers foote bands with shotte armed p●●es and péeces of great Ordinance to ioyne with the Earles of Leunox Murton Glencarne and Marre and other of the Kings power of Scotland in pursuing of the English Rebels and such of the Scottes as supported them as the Duke Hamelton and other who were in armes at Lithcoe twelue miles from Edenborough to defend their cause The ●ort sayd new Knightes with their bands came to Edenborough the thirtéenth of May and there rested thrée nightes and departed from thence to Lithcoe where the Regent was slayne The xvij the footemen marched to Faukirke sixe myles from Sterling and Sir William Drewry with the horssemen marched to Sterling to sée the King whome they found so perfect in all things as age and nature could permitte The xviij they departed to the footebands and so togither marched to Glascoy where the Lorde Hamelton had beséeged a house of the Kings but hearing of their comming he fledde with dishonour and the losse of 29. of his men The xix the generall with other horssemen and some shotte passed to Dunbarton to view the straytes of the Castell there being kept by the Lord Fleming the Bishop of Saint Andrewes and other his adherents to the Quéene of Scottes vse Our generall sent his Trumpetor to require a parley with assurance safely to returne wherevnto the Lord Fleming subtilly consented and minding so to wind him into his danger conueyed certayne shot and armed men into a secret place so that our Generall comming alone to haue parlyed his Trumpetor not returned they shotte at him meaning to haue slayne him but he bestowed his Pistolettes as fréely at them as they at him and returned to his companye and so to Glasco from whence Sir George Care being maruellously offended with the subtill dealing of the Lord Fleming wrote a letter of challenge to combate with him body for body which the Lord Fleming by his letter of answere refused wherevpon Sir George Care wrote a sharp and pithie replie c. The one and twentith day our Generall accompanyed with the Gentlemen and horsemen went to Dunbritton agayne to parley with the Lorde Fleming vpon his promise that hée ●●oulde méete him thrée miles from the sayde Castell but the place of parley béeing viewed was found to be subiect to the shotte of the Castell and therefore our Generall required another place which woulde not be graunted by the Lord Fleming The. xxij the Lord of Lenox the Lord Glencarne and the Lord Simple with their friends and tenaunts came to our Generall and mustered before Glasco to the number of four thousand horsemen and footemen The. xxiij oure Generall with the whole armye marched towarde the Castell of Hamelton and there had parley with the Captayne whose name was Arthur Hamelton but he would not deliuer the Castell wherevpon our
Englande tooke leaue of the King and on Sonday came to Saint Dennis and after to Bolongne where they tooke shippe and returned into Englande the fourth of July The second of June in the morning betwéen the houres of seauen and eight Thomas Hawarde Duke of Norffolke was beheaded on a Scaffolde sette vpon the Tower hill The Duke of Norffolke beheaded Aboute the ninth of June Frauncis Duke of Momorencie French Embassadors chiefe Marshall of Fraunce Gouernour and Lieutenant of the Isle of Fraunce Generall to Charles the ninth Kyng of Fraunce and Paule de Foix of the priuie Councell to the saide King and Bertrande de Saligners Lorde de la Mothefenalon Knightes of the order of Saint Michael Embassadors for the same King arryued at Douer The fouretéenth day they shotte London bridge towards Somerset house at the Strande where they were lodged The fiftéenth daye beyng Sundaye the saide Embassadours League vvith Fraunce confirmed at VVestminster repayred to the White hall where they were honorablye receyued of the Quéenes Maiestie with hir Nobilitie and there in hir Graces Chappell aboute one of the clocke in the afternoone the Articles of treatie league or confederacie and sure friendship concluded at Blois the ninetéenth of Aprill as is afore shewed betwixt the Quéenes Maistie and the Frenche King being read the same was by his Maiestie and his Embassadours confirmed to be obserued and kepte wythout innouation or violation c. The reste of that day wyth great part of the night following was spent in greate triumph with sumptuous banquets The eightéenth of June the feaste of Saint George was holden at Windsore where the French Embassadoures were royally feasted and Frauncis Duke of Momorencie was S Georges feast at VVindsore stalled Knight of the moste honorable order of the Garter The eight and twentith daye of June the afore named Embassadoures departed from London towardes Fraunce The fouretéenth of June Thomas Lorde Wharton deceassed in his house of Chanon Rowe at Westminster The thyrtéenth daye of July the Qu 〈…〉 Maiestie at Lorde Treasorer Lord priuie Seale L. Chamberlaine vvyth other officers White hall made sir William Cecil Lorde o 〈…〉 〈…〉 hley Lorde highe Treasorer of Englande Lorde Willi 〈…〉 〈…〉 awarde late Lorde Chamberlaine Lorde priuie Seal 〈…〉 The Earle of Sussex Lorde Chamberlaine sir Thomas Smith principall Secretarie and Christopher Hatton Esquier Captaine of the Guarde c. The two and twentith of August Thomas Percie Earle Earle of Northumberland beheaded of Northumberlande late of Topcliffe who hadde béene béefore attainted by Parliament of highe Treason as béeyng one of the principall conspiratoures in the late rebellion and nowe broughte oute of Scotlande whether he hadde fledde was beheaded at Yorke aboute twoo of the clocke in the afternoone on a newe Scaffolde set vppe for that purpose in the Market place In this moneth of Auguste sir Thomas Smith one of the Englishmē sente to Vlstar in Irelande Quéenes Maiesties priuie Councell carefully tending the reformation of Irelande sent hys sonne Thomas Smith Esquyre thither with a Colonie of Englishemen to inhabite the Ardes in Vlster Richarde Pipe Nicholas Woodroffe the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Sir Lionell Ducket Mercer the 28. of October The eyghtéenth of Nouember in the mornyng was Anno reg 15 A strange Starre appeared séene a Starre Northwarde verye brighte and cleare in the Constellation of Cassiopeia at the backe of hir Chaire whiche wyth thrée chiefe fixed Starres of the saide Constellation made a Geometrical figure losinge wise of the learned menne called Rombus thys Starre in bignesse at the fyrste appearing séemed bigger than Iupiter and not muche lesse than Venus when she séemeth greatest also the said Starre neuer changing hys place was carryed about with the daylye motion of Heauen as all fixed Starres commonlye are and so contynued by little and little to the eye appearyng lesse for the space of almoste sixetéene Moneths at what tyme it was so small that rather thoughte by exercise of ofte viewyng myghte imagine the place than any eye coulde iudge the presence of the same and one thyng is herein chieflye to be noted that by the learned skill and consent of the best and most expect Mathematicians which obserued the state property and other circumstances belonging to the same Starre it was found to haue bin in place Celestiall farre aboue the Moone otherwise than euer anye Comet hathe bin séene or naturally can appéere Therefore it is supposed that the signification thereof is directed purposely and specially to some matter not naturall but celestiall or rather supercelestiall so straunge as from the beginning of the worlde neuer was the like The four and twentith of Nouember Edward Earle of Earle of Darby deceassed Darbie Lord Stanley and Strange of Knocking Lord and Gouernor of the Isle of Man Knight of the noble order of the Garter and one of the Quéenes Maiesties priuie Councell deceassed at his house called Latham in Lancashire His life and death deseruing commendation and crauing memorie to be imitated was suche as followeth His fidelitie vnto two Kings and two Quéenes in daungerous times and greate rebellions in whyche time and alwayes as cause serued He was lieutenant of Lancashire and Cheshire and lately offered tenne thousande men to the Quéenes Maiestie of his owne charge for the suppression of the last rebellion His godlye disposition to his tenantes neuer forcing anye seruice at their handes but due payment of their rent His liberalitie to strangers and such as shewed themselues gratefull to him His famous house kéeping 220. in checkroll neuer discontinuing y e space of xlij yere His féeding especially of aged persōs twice a day lx od besids al cōmers thrice a wéeke appoynted for hys dealing dayes and euerye Good Friday these xxxv yeres one with another 2700. with meate drinke money and money worth There was neuer Gentleman or other that waited in his seruice but had allowance from him to haue as wel wages as otherwise for horse and man His yearely portion for the dispenses of hys house 4000. l. His cunning in setting bones dis-ioynted or broke His deliuery of hys George and Seale to the Lord Straunge wyth exhortation that hée myghte kéepe it so vnspotted in fidelitie to his Prince as he had and his ioye that he dyed in the Quéenes fauoure his ioyfull parting thys world his takyng leaue of all his seruants by shaking of handes and his remembraunce to the last daye The eyght and twentith of Nouember Iohn Hall Gentleman Hall and VVilkinson executed and Oswald Wilkinson late of Yorke and Gailour of Yorke Castell béeyng before arraigned and condemned of treason were drawne from the Tower of London to Tiborne and there hanged bowelled and quartred Thys yeare a greate and sharpe frost almoste continuallye Greate froste a sharp vvinter lasted from before the feaste of all Saints till after the feaste of Epiphany of oure Lorde wyth sometimes
the xvij of May began the battery of the Castell so that there were xxx Canons shotte off against the same and so well bestowed at Dauids Tower that by the ruines therof then and after the force of the English Canons were easte to be séene The xviij xix and xx of May the Canons and Demy Canons were not ydle but the xxj the whole battery began on each side the Castell from the trenches and mounts very hotly and still they within ceased not to make answer againe with their artillery killing and hurting diuers both English and Scottes but such was the diligence of the English Gunners that they displaced the Ordinance in the Castell and stroke one of their chiefe Canons iust in the mouth whereby the same was broken in péeces The xxvj of May the assault was giuen at scauen of the clocke in the morning to the Spurre which by the hardy manhoode of the assaylants was wonne and was no sooner entred by the Englishmen but that the Generals Ensigne was shewed and spread vpon the front and toppe thereof to the great discomfort of them within the Castell In the meane time whilest these were appoynted to giue the assault thus to the Spurre there were certayne Englishmen and Scottes commaunded to make a countenance of an assault at the West side of the Castell whereby those that assaulted the Spurre might the more easily obteyne their purpose but they rashly aduenturing farther than they had in commandement were beaten backe and repulsed with xxviij or xxx of their company slayne and hurt The same day towarde night they within the Castell by a Drumme demaunded parley which being graunted with assurance of all hostilitie from that houre vnto the xxviij of May the Lord Peterroc was let downe by a rope from the Castell and afterward the Lord Graunge himselfe Captayne of the Castell and Robert Meluin came likewise downe to talke with the Generall and such other as were appoynted to accompany him herevpon at length to wéete the said xxviij day of May the Castell was surrendred into the hands of Sir William Edenborough Castell yeelded to the Englishmen Drewry and so it rested in his possession for the time and his Ensigne was set vp and spread during the same time in sundry places of the Castell and afterwards to the great honor of England by him it was deliuered vnto the vse of the King of Scottes and part of the spoyle of the Castell was giuen to the Souldyers the Canons and Artillerie with certayne other instruments left to the King If the Englishmen by force had taken it it was decréed that they should haue had the whole spoyle except the Artillerie and so shoulde haue enioyed it by the space of thrée dayes Causes of deliuerie of the Castell were these 1 Lacke of water the well within the Castel was stopped and defiled by the ruines of the Castell the other well without the Castell could not serue them for that there was a mount made to hinder them Another water there was which was vnknowne to them which were without and was taken from them when the Spurre of the Castell was taken out of the which they were wont to haue a pint a day for euery Souldiour 2 Diuers sicke 3 Diuers hurt 4 Not many to maynteyne y e Castel which had no space to take any test they were so plyed and ouerwéeryed 5 Diuers deuided in opinion 6 Some were no Souldyers 7 No ayde was to be loked for The xvi of June the prisoners were deliuered by the sayd Sir William Drewry in presence of sundry Scottes and Englishmen vnto the Regent and that done the same day the sayd Sir William Drewry with his power departed toward Barwike The names of the prisoners were these Sir William Kerkandie Larde of Graunge and Captaine of the Castell of Edenburgh The Lord Hume The Lord Ledington Secretarie The Lord of Peterroe Conestable of the castel The Countesse of Arguile The Lady of Ledington The Lady of Graunge with others The vij of June betwene the houres of one and two of Haile in Northamptonshire the clocke in the afternoone a greate tempest of hayle and rayne happened at Tocester in Northamptonshire where-throughe sixe houses in that Town were borne down and xiiij more sore perished with the waters which rose of that tempest the haile stones were square and sixe ynches about one childe was there drowned and many shéepe and other cattel whiche when the Water was fallen manye of them were lying on the hyghe hedges where the waters had left them The xvj of June Thomas Woodhouse a prieste of Lincolneshire Tho. VVoodhouse who had laine long prisoner in the Fleete was arraigned in the Guilde Hall of London and there condemned of highe treason who hadde iudgemente to be hanged and quartered and was executed at Tiborne the ninetéenth of June The xvj of August Walter Earle of Essex accompanyed Earle of Essex and the L. Rich vvith other sayled into Ireland with the Lord Rich and diuerse other gentlemen imbarked themselues in seuerall shippes at Leirpoole and the winde sitting very well toke their voyage towardes Ireland The Earle after many and great daungers on the sea at length wanne Copemans Ilands from whence in a Pinise of captaine Perces he was brought safe to Knock fergus The Lorde Riche with the like dangers landed at Castel Kilclife where being mette by Captaine Malby Maister Smith and Mayster Moore Pentioners was conducted to Inche Abbey Master Malbis house where he had in a readinesse on the morrow morning a hundred and fiftie horssemen for their safeguarde to Knockefergus beside fiftie Kernes which wente a foote through the Wooddes there was amongst these a thirtie bowes with a Baggepipe the rest had Dartes Sir Brian Makephelin had prayed the Countrey and taken awaye what was to be carryed or driuen but on the sixth of September he came to Knockefergus to the Earle of Essex and there made his submission the number of Kyne were estéemed thirtie thousande beside shéepe and swine After him Ferdoroughe Macgillastike the blinde Scottes sonne Roze Oge Macwilline did the like and diuerse other sent their messengers to the Earle to signifie that they wer at his Lordships disposition as the Barron of Dongarrow Condenel Odonel and the Captaine of Kylulto The Earle of Essex hauing the Countrey of Clanyboy and other The Quéenes Maiestie of England directed hir letters to Earle of Essex captain generall of Vlstar in Ireland the Lord deputie of Irelād willing him to make by commission the Earle of Essex Captaine generall of the Irishe nation in the prouince of Vlster and to deuide the country won Clenyboy and elsewhere c. Iames Haruy Thomas Pullison the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Iohn Riuers Grocer the 28. of October The xj of October Peter Burchet Gentlemanne of the middle Temple with hys dagger sodainly assayled cruelly wounded and ment to haue murdered a seruisable Gentleman named Iohn Hawkins Esquire
that moued me vnto this matter was a certayne scrupulositie that pricked my cōscience vpon certaine words spoken at a time when it was by the Bishop of Bayon the French Embassador who had bin hyther sente vpon the debating of a marriage to be concluded betwéene our daughter the Lady Mary and the Duke of Orleance second sonne to the King of France and vpon the resolution and determination of the same he desired respect to aduertise the King his mayster thereof whether our daughter Mary should be legitimate in respect of this my marriage with this woman being sometime my brothers wife which worde● once conceyued within the secret bottome of my conscience engendred suche a scrupulous doubt that my conscience was incontiently accombred vexed and disquieted whereby I thought my selfe to bée greatly in danger of Gods indignation which appeared to be as me séemed the rather for that he sente vs no issue male and all such issues male as my said wife had by me died incontient after they came into the worlde so that I doubted the great displeasure of God in that behalfe thus my conscience being tossed in the waues of a scrupulous conscience and partly in despaire to haue any other issue than I had already by this Lady now my wife it behoued me further to consider the state of this Realme and the danger that it stoode in for lacke of a Prince to succéede me I thought it good in releasse of the weighty burthou of my ●●ake conscience and also the quiet estate of this worthy Realme to attempt the law therein whether I may lawfully take another wi●e more lawfully by whome God may sende me more issue in case this my first copulation was not good without any carnall concupiscen●e and not for and displeasure or misliking of the Quéenes person and age with whome I would be as well contented to continue if our marriage may stand with the Lawes of God as with any woman aliue in which poynt consisteth all this doubt that we go about now to trie by the learning wisedome and iudgement of you our Prelates and pastoures of all this our Realme and domini●● now héere assembled for that purpose to whose conscience 〈…〉 learning I haue committed the charge and iudgement according to the whiche I will God willing be right well content to submit my 〈…〉 and for my part obey the same wherein after that I perceyued my ●●●sc●ence so d●●●tfull I moued it in confession to you ●●● 〈…〉 ●● 〈…〉 then Ghostly Father and ●●● as much as ●he● 〈…〉 〈…〉 self were in some doubt you ●●ued me to 〈…〉 the counsell of all you my Lords wherevpon I moued you my Lord of Canterbury first to haue your ●●ence in as much as you were Metropolitane to put this matter in question and so I of all you my Lordes to which you granted vnder your Seales héere to be shewed that is truth quoth the Archbishop of Canterbury After that the King rose vp and the Court was adiourned vntill another day The next Court day the Cardinals sate againe at which time the Counsell on both sides were there 〈…〉 to answere the Kings Counsell alledged the Matrimonie not to be lawfull at the beginning bycause of the ●●●nall copulation had betwéene Prince Arthure and the Quéene This matter being very vehemently touched on that side and to proue it they alledged many reasons and ●●●ilitudes of truth and being answered negatiuely againe in the other side it séemed that all their former allegations were doubtfull to be tryed and that no man knewe the truth And thus this Court passed from Sessions to Sessions and day to day that at certayne of their Sessions the King sent the two Cardinalles to the Quéene who was then in Bridewell to perswade with hir by their wisedomes and to aduise hir to surrender the whole matter into the Kings hands by hir owne consent and will which should be much better to hir honour than to stand to the triall of Law and thereby to be condemned whiche shoulde séeme much to hir dishonour The Cardinalles béeing in the Queenes Chamber of presence the Gentleman Usher aduertised the Quéene that the Cardinalles were come to speake with hir ● with that the rose vp and with a Skeyne of white th●ead about hir ●●●ke came into hir Chamber of presence where the Cardinalles were attending at whose comming quoth sh● what is your pleasure with me if it please your Grace quoth Cardinall Wolsey to goe int● your pri●ie Chamber we will shew you the cause of oure comming my Lord quoth she if yée haue any thing to say speake it openly before all these f●●ke for I feare nothing that yée can say against me but that I would all the worlde should heare and sée it and therefore speake your minde Then began the Cardinall to speake to hir in Latine nay good my Lord quoth she speake to me in English● fors●th quoth the Cardinall good Madame if it please you we come both to knowe your mind how you are disposed to do in this matter betwéene the King and you and also to declare secretly our opinions and councell vnto you whiche we do only for very zeale and obedience we beare vnto your Grace My Lord quoth she I thanke you for youre god will but to make you answere in your request I can not so sodeinly for I was set among my Maydes at worke thinking full little of any such matter wherein there néedeth a longer deliberation and a better head than mine to make answere fo● I néede of councell in this case which toucheth me so néere and for my councel or friendship that I can find in England they are not for my profite what thinke you my Lords will any Englishman councell me or be friendly to me against the Kings pleasure that is his subiect nay fors●th as for my Counsell in whome I will put my trust they be not here they be in Spayne in mine owne Countrey and my Lordes I am a poore woman lacking witte to answere to any such noble persons of wisedome as you be in so waightie a matter therefore I pray you be good vnto me poore woman destitute of friends héere in a forrayne region and your counsell also I will be glad to heare and therewith she tooke the Cardinall by the hand and lēdde him into hir priuie Chamber with the other Cardinall where they tarried a season talking with the Quéene which communication ended they departed to the King making to him relation of hir talke Thus this case went forward frō Court to Court till it came to Judgemente so that euery men expected the iūdgement would be giuen the next day at which day the King came thither and set him downe in a Chaire within a dore in the end of y ● Galery which opened directly against the iudgemēt seate to heare the iudgement giuen at which time all their procéedings were openly red in Lattin That done the Kings Counsell at y ●