execrable and a vile oath hee swore that the Esquire should loose his head bâ—fore he himselfe would either eat any meat or drinke anie drinke The Major of London named Iohn Hadley who then attended on the King disdaining that a proud Traitor should so confront and braue the King drew forth his sword and strake him so sound on the head that he felled him to the ground and incontinently he was slaine Whereat some hope was sodenly conceiued that the rest of the Rebels would haue gone away But they being desperatly resolued to reuenge his death according to their litle skil cast themselues in some order so that now euery minute of time threatned the destruction and slaughter of manie men The Citizens of London being informed what had hapned and purposing with all speed to aide the King and to free themselues and the Câ—â—ie from ruine and from spoile sent an Armie of eight thousand men well armed and well appointed to the King all which were quickly marshalled and readie to giue the charge But first the King required the Rebels to submit themselues or else to deliuer vnto him such of his Banners and Free Pardons and Manumissions as they had gotten into their hands But so farre off were they from being sorrie or repentant for their Treasons that in a proud brauerie and in much scorne they redeliuered them all vnto the King Who caused them in their open view to be cancelled and to bee torne in peeces The doing whereof so sodainely daunted and quailed the heartes and courages of those insolent and gracelesse Rebels that when the King expected nothing but all violence to be executed by the sword they cowardly dispersed themselues and ranne away The Rebels flye euery man without any order or staying making all possible hast and shift to saue themselues And thus vanished this cloud which threatned an outragious storme of much danger and mischiefe to the King and Common-weale And the chiefest of those malefactors a thing which neuer faileth in such tumultuous rebellions were by their owne companions to insinuate grace and fauour with the King deliuered into the hands of Iustice who afterwardes The Captaines deliuered to the King by the Rebels themselues Fifteene hundred Rebels Executed with fifteene hundred more of the principall agents in this businesse were vpon due enquiries and iust conuictions according to the Law executed and put to sundrie tortures and deaths in diuers places of this Realme The King hauing thus pacified this Rebellion and Vproare ANNO. 5. King Richard marrieth married the Ladie Anne daughter to the deceased Emperour Charles the fourth and sister vnto Wenceslaus the Emperour who then raigned and was made happie through much prosperitie and peace vntill the ninth Yeare of his Gouernment ANNO. 9. 1385. A ParliameÌ„t Two of the Kings Vncles were created Dukes of Yorke and Glocester Henrie of Bullingbroke created Earle of Darby Other Earles created King Richards euill Counsellours And then hee summoned and held his High Court of Parliament at Westminster In which he created his fifth and sixth Vncles Edmund of Langly being then Earle of Cambridge Duke of Yorke and Thomas of Woodstock who was then Earle of Buckingham Duke of Glocester He also created his Cousin Henrie of Bollingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to his fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Earle of Darbie and his Cousin Edward Plantagenet the sonne and heire apparant of his said Vncle Edmund of Langley he created Earle of Rutland and Sir Iohn Holland brother to the Earle of Kent was made Earle of Huntingdon and Thomas Lord Mowbray was made Earle of Nottingham The King whose affections were but greene and who was easily seduced by such as hee best loued was at this time wholy directed and counselled into manie euill and vngodly courses by his vnworthie fauourites Michael De la Pole his Chauncellor whom he created Duke of Suffolck and by Robert de Vere Earle of Oxford and Marquesse of Dublyn whom hee made Duke of Ireland Affection without reason and would haue made him King of that Countrie if his Nobilitie would haue consented thereunto In the same Parliament Roger Mortymer Proclaimed heire Apparent He caused his Cousin Sir Roger Mortimer Earle of March who was the sonne and heire of Edmund Mortimer and of Philip his wife who was the Daughter and heire of the Kings third Vncle This Sir Roger Mortimer was slaine many yeares after ANNO. 10 1386. The King neglecteth his Nobilitie and their Counsell Michaell de la Poole Robert de Vere Alexander Archbishop of Yorke Robert Tresilian The King intendeth the surprisall of the Duke of Glocester and of the Earles of Warwicke and of Arundell They come well garded to the Parliament Foure Fifteenes demanded It is denied A ParliameÌ„t may be held once a yeare In what case the Knights and Burgesses may depart The Houses of ParlameÌ„ts demands Lionel Duke of Clarence to bee proclaimed heire apparant to his Crowne But hee was long afterward slaine in Ireland by such Rebels as he endeuored to suppresse It is now to bee obserued that from henceforth the King respected not the sage aduice and counsell of his grauest and most experienced Lords and that he began careleslely to neglect the Nobilitie and his great Officers of his Kingdome and that hee did all things preposterously by the lewd and vnskilfull perswasions and directions of his two newly-created Dukes of Suffolke and of Ireland and of Alexander then Archbishop of Yorke and of Robert Tresilian his Chiefe Iustice And as they all did lead him into many erros so did they especially exasperat him without iust cause against his renowned and truly noble Vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and against the two Earles of Warwick and of Arondel which three hee intended to haue surprized at a Banquet in London if Nicholas Exton then Major of that Citie would haue consented thereunto But because his helpe then failed and the King could not at that time obtaine his purpose Hee resolued to effect it at a more solemne meeting For which cause principally He summoned his High Court of Parliament but the said three Lords vpon good information being jealous of such vnkindly entertainment repaired to the said assembly being strongly garded by a multitude of valiant men at armes by meanes whereof they secured their own libertie and the vngodly project of the King and of his wicked Counsellors came to nought Now when this long Parliament produced nothing worthie to bee noted Michael de la Pole in the Kings behalfe required a Tax of foure fifteenes affirming that a lesser gift could not support his Estate and maintaine such warres as hee was likely to vndertake But the Lords and the Lower House not only refused to yeeld vnto this motion but made a solemne declaration That as the Kings of this Realme for the better ordering and preseruing of their Estate and Kingdome might once in euery yeare assemble a
of Richmond And at the same time the Lord Henrie Courtney Cosen german to the King was made Marques of Exeter the Lord Henrie Brandon the eldest sonne of the Duke of Suffolke and of the French Queene Marie his wife being but two yeares old was created Earle of Lincolne Sir Thomas Manners Lord Roos was made Earle of Rutland and Sir Henrie Clifford was created Earle of Cumberland and Sir Robert Ratclife Lord Fitz Water was made Earle of Sussex and Sir Thomas Bullein the Treasurer of the Kings houshold was made Lord Rochford And thus in regard of great seruices honorably performed the king requited them with such honours as were answerable to their deserts and callings The French were humble to serue their owne turnes The Queene Regent of France foreseeing what present misery was likely to ruinate that Estate and Kingdome if in time by carefull prouidence it were not preuented sent Monsieur de Bryond chiefe President of Paris and some other Lords Ambassadors into England who not only according to their commission in a most submissiue and an humble sort confessed the iniuries and the wrongs done by the French Nation to King Henry and to his subiects both by sea and land in the absence of King Francis but for a requitall and satisfaction thereof and for the arrerage of his tribute they made offer to pay vnto the King the summe of twenty hundred thousand crownes whereof fiftie thousand pounds sterling should be paid in hand and fitting securitie should bee giuen for the rest they also promised the continuance of the said tribute and assumed to pay Queene Marie her dowrie and all the arrerages thereof if the King would grant them peace and receiue them into his loue and fauour The King and his Counsel hauing seriously considered of these motions and large offers for many important causes assented to their requests Peace concluded and caused those his conclusions and agreements to be proclaimed solemnely both in England and in France and receiued both money and good securitie accordingly But betwixt King Henrie and his nephew the Emperour by the subtill practises and craftie jugglings of Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke warres were denounced with euill termes Warres betweene the Emperor and King Henry but little or nothing was done thereon sauing that in England Spaine and in the Low-Countries the Merchants of either Nation and their goods and substance were attached to the infinite losse and damage of them all but vpon seuerall truces oftentimes concluded and againe broken they were released and againe arrested Merchants vexed wherby the ancient saying of the Poet was truly verified Quicquid Delirant Reges Plectuntur Achiui When Princes iarre and for reuenge doe seeke The meaner sort must pay for their dislike But in this place we must now obserue That in regard of those often concluded truces and in regard of the peace which vnited the kingdomes of England France and Scotland in one minde little or nothing worthie of our discourse more then hath formerly beene written hapned in sixe of the next ensuing yeares for the greater part of that time was spent and consumed in debatings enquirings ordering handling and disposing of the businesse of the Kings marriage with the Ladie Katherine of Spaine sometime his brothers wife And now the King who in a manner was wholly guided and directed by the priuate aduice and counsell of his chiefe fauorite Thomas Cromwel somtimes seruant to Cardinall Wolsey whom he had made a Baron and a Counseller of State The Popes authoritie curbed proceeded daily more and more to diminish nay by succeeding degrees clearely and absolutely to abrogate and to make voide the claimed power and authoritie of the Pope within this Realme In so much that in his Parliament he procured it to be enacted for a law That the penaltie of the Premunire should bee inflicted vpon the bodies lands and goods of euery such person as for any matter thing or cause whatsoeuer appealed to the See of Rome or did procure from thence any Processe Citation Inhibition Suspension Sentence or Iudgement whatsoeuer And in the next Session of the same Parliament to please and to content him the whole Clergie of this kingdom freely submitted themselues to the King touching their Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall affaires and busines and the Pope was vtterly depriued of all Annates and first fruits which formerly for Bishoprickes and other spirituall promotions and dignities had vsually been payed vnto him and likewise to establish and to confirme the lawfulnes of his marriage with Queene Anne and to settle the inheritance of his Crowne vpon her issue he procured it by Parliament to bee enacted That his former mariage with his brothers wife was absolutely void The Kings marriage made voide The Crowne entailed and of none effect in Law because it was contrarie to the Law of God and that the Popes dispensation had none effect or power to make it good and by the same Act the Crowne of this kingdome was entailed to the King and to his heires of his bodie out of which the Ladie Marie was inclusiuely excluded and to this Act all the Lords Burgesses there present were particularly sworne B. Fisher sauing Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moore Knight sometimes Chancellor of England who some few yeares before disliking the Kings proceeding against Queene Katherine Sir Thomas Moore and against the authoritie and iurisdiction of the Pope had deliuered vp the great Seale of England into the kings hands These two not only refused to sweare as the rest did but publikely contested and protested against the said Act of Parliament which nullified the kings said first mariage by reason of the Popes dispensation giuen to inable the same and to make it lawfull For which causes the said Bishop and Knight were sent vnto the Tower where they remayned vntill as Traitors they lost their heads They are beheaded for denying of the kings Supremacie in Ecclesiasticall things and causes and attributing it to the Pope of Rome of which the kings supremacie a Statute was made in Parliament the next yeare after About this time diuers treasonable practizes by malicious and lewd Conspirators were surmised and intimated to haue beene intended and contriued against the kings person by the Lord Dacres of the North. The Lord Dacres And thereupon he was Indicted and arraigned but the guiltlesse and well affected Lord with such a temperate boldnesse and with such a modest courage so discreetly and so wisely defended his innocencie against those false suggesters that he was freely acquited and discharged from all suspition and from all blame But by the whole Parliament Elizabeth Burton nick-named the holy maid of Kent and her Companions in mischiefe who vnder an hipocriticall shew and shadow of Religious deuotion The holy maid of Kent and of holinesse had conspired the Kings death being attainted and condemned were executed as Traitors according to
payments and demaunds imposed vpon them by the two former kings He gaue free libertie to the Nobles and Gentlemen of this Realme for their pleasure Flatterers banished the Court. and better recreation to inclose Parkes for Deere and free Warrens for their Conies and such like Game And as Traitors to his Vertues State and kingly Gouernment he exiled and banished from his Court and Presence all base Flatterers Nicenesse in Behauiour Luxuriousnesse in Conuersation Sumptuousnesse in Apparell and Superfluitie in Dyet He ordained punishments by death for all such as violently spoyled or robbed in the High wayes With indefatigable trauell and paine hee corrected and reformed the monstrous Pride intolerable Couetousnesse and secure Negligence and Slouth of the Clergie He recalled from Banishment Anselme and restored him to his Archbishopricke of Canterburie and gaue him full power to assemble Conuocations and Synods at his pleasure The King leaueth the inuesture of Bishops to the Pope for the amendment of such things as were vnsufferable in the Church He left vnto the Pope his power and authoritie to inuest Bishops by giuing to them the Ring the Crosse and the Pastorall Staffe All such Ecclesiasticall Promotions and Dignities as by the lewd aduice and counsell of Reynulph Bishop of Durham his brother had seized into his owne hands and conuerted to his owne vse he voluntarily and freely conferred vpon Honest Graue Learned and Worthie Men and committed the said Bishop a prisoner to the Tower of London R bert Duke of Normandy inuadeth England from whence he afterwards escaped and eagerly incited Robert Duke of Normandie by the Sword to lay his clayme to this kingdome Who thereupon to maintaine his demaund in that behalfe raysed a strong Armie which he intended with all conuenient expedition to transport into this Realme But as king Henrie by those precedent prouisions had endeared himselfe in the Peoples loue so had he the more confirmed it by taking to wife Mawlde the sister of Edgar King Henries title made stronger by his marriage King of Scots and daughter vnto Malcolyne by Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adelinge who died without issue and daughter to King Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron-side the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons When Duke Robert with his Armie was arriued in England the noyse of Trumpets the sound of Drummes and the swarming multitudes of well-approued Souldiors fit for the Warre affoorded none other thing but a fearefull expectation of much trouble But as a threatening lowring Cloud is sometimes dispersed by a faâ—â—e shining Sunne so these approaching conflicts by the discreete mediation and counsell of worthie friends were suddenly preuented and a friendly peace A peace concluded betwixt the two brethren betwixt the two brothers was louingly concluded vpon such like conditions as formerly had beene agreed on in William Rufus his daies whereat the Norman Lords were much displeased and returned discontented with their Lord. But such were the malignant spirits of the Enuious The King inuadeth and preuaileth in Normandie or such was the greedie disposition of those who were Couetous or so eager was the Kings appetite to enlarge his Dominion that manie great quarrels for small and trifling causes began vpon the suddaine to present themselues vnto those two brethren Insomuch that King Henrie passed with a sufficient and a well-ordered Armie into Normandie where he was assisted by manie of the Dukes discontented Nobles By meanes whereof The Duke is forsaken by his Nobles and Gentrie the King in sundrie skirmishes and conflicts so preuailed that with little danger and small resistance hee chased the forsaken Duke from place to place and wonne from him the Cities of Roan Cane Valoys and manie others and then hee returned into England with much honour The Duke perceiuing that his Lords and Gentrie refused to giue him anie helpe and that the Kings Estate Strength and Riches so encreased that no hope of recouerie by striuing and by strugling was left vnto him submitted himselfe to his two Enemies Time and Fortune the scornefull deluders of such as repose their confidence vpon them and came secretly and priuatly into England presented himselfe to the King his brother and referred to his owne censure and will both himselfe his Duchie and all Debates and Controuersies whatsoeuer But the King eyther because hee knew that the Duke was too vnconstant The Dukes submission is scornefully despised or for that some secret whisperers had prepared him to prejudicate his brothers Truth and honest Meaning with an estranged countenance and a disdainefull eye departed vnkindly from the distressed and perplexed Duke coyly refusing to accept of his submission which in all humilitie by him was profered The Duke returneth and the King followeth The Duke being pierced to the heart that his misfortunes should so much wrong him returned with all expedition into his owne Countrey resoluing That in the open Field he would rather die as a valiant man than thus be trampled on by Dishonour and by Disgrace And the king conjecturing rightly what he pretended followed him with many thousands of men and so often he encountred the weake Duke with his great strength The Duke is taken and his eyes are put out that within few dayes he tooke him and brought him as a prisoner into England where because he hearkened to Natures enticement which persuaded him to seeke his libertie and to practise his escape both his eyes by the kings commaundement were plucked out After which time he liued as a miserable and as a wretched captiue more than the space of twentie yeares At length being dead in Glocester he was buried A Rebellion by the Earles of Shrewsburie and of Mortaigne About the same time Robert Belasme Earle of Shrewsburie trayterously did rebell but wanting Wealth Wit Courage and Strength the foure Champions of the strongest Field he was enforced to flye into Normandie Where finding William Earle of Mortaigne and of Cornwall much displeased with the king for that as he surmised he kept from him vnjustly the Earledome of Kent he so much insinuated himselfe into his loue and counsels that easily he persuaded him to rebell So both of them joyning both their forces together they made a goodly shew as if they would work wonders They are taken and imprisoned But small opposition enforced them to take a plaine view of their rash errors and leauing that which they had to make hard shifts for the safegard of themselues Wherein their ill successe was a just reward for their foule offence for by the kings Power they were taken and by him held as prisoners whilest they liued New troubles betwixt the King and the Archbishop of Canterburie about the Temporalties of the Clergie and inuesture of Bishops The king hauing now cast anchor as he was resolued in a safe harborow and nothing fearing the blasts of any Fortune which might attempt to shake his settlement in this
this malice made them little respectiue of the sanctitie of such solemne Oathes and honest promises as more strongly than bonds of yron should binde Kings For no sooner was anie gappe open into which they might thrust a foote nor anie oportunitie were it neuer so little was offered but that they threw behind their backes the remembrance of all Truces Leagues and Conuentions of Peace whatsoeuer and made all things to be lawfull which either by sleight or by violence they could enterprise or doe And as common experience oftentimes made it manifest so did it now For about the foure and twentieth yeare of King Henries Raigne Lewis the ninth with a deuouring Armie entred into Guyan Lewis the ninth inuadeth Guyan and spoyled and wasted that Countrey in all places where hee came And King Henrie intending their quicke reliefe and purposing if he might to regaine all Normandie and such other Prouinces as the kings of France vnjustly had detained from him sayled thither with a puissant Armie King Henrie carrieth an armie thither and oftentimes bickered with his enemies against whome sometimes he preuailed and at other times had the worser hand Yet his haughtie courage abandoned all feare and no perils whatsoeuer could make him shrinke for in all those skirmishes he performed stout resolution and the noble valour of a worthie king But Fortune no further fauouring those his endeauours He steppeth the French Kings courses but beats him not back than onely enabling him to stop the French Kings proceedings hee returned into England But shortly before his departure the French king married his brother Alphonsus vnto the daughter of the Earle of Tholouse and gaue to him the Earledome of Poytiers and all king Henrie Territories in Aluerne and plotted cunningly to haue procured the Earle of March to doe him homage for such Lands as hee affirmed he held of the said Earledome of Poytiers But hee stoutly refused to yeeld vnto him anie such dutie or seruice And this his denyall so enraged the French king The Earledome of March is inuaded by the French that he entred with an Armie into the Earledome of March and daily spoyled it without sparing But king Henrie hauing carefully employed his labors to withstand this violence and hauing raised a faire Armie which himselfe conducted transported it vnto Burdeaux And not farre from thence due preparations on all parts being made both the Armies met in which the bloud of the most valiant men of Warre was freely sold and dearely payed for But in the end Fortune extending more fauour to the French King Henrie leaues the field than to King Henrie he was enforced with the losse and slaughter of his best men to leaue the Field The Earle of March submits himselfe And the Earle of March grieuing at this mishap and being loth that King Henrie should be engaged in a greater danger submitted himselfe and obtained Peace on faire conditions with the French King And then King Henrie returned into England and married one of his sisters vnto Alexander then King of Scots because hee would the better assure himselfe of his friendship in time of neede 41. 1256. The Barons Warre And now began those mischieuous broyles and turmoyles within this Realme which vntill the kings death daily yea almost hourely vexed and molested him and his whole kingdome For the King of later yeares lending too pleasing an eare to manie lewd and euill Officers whome aboue all others he best loued and fauored The causes thereof and by whose counsell and aduice both himselfe and his whole Estate was guided and directed made little account and reckoning of the best of his subiects loue and tooke from them in diuers things such libertie and freedome as by the Lawes and Ordinances of this kingdome they justly claymed and ought to haue enioyed Hee also pinched his people with manie vnnecessarie Impositions and grieuous Taxes which by those lewd and bold Officers were with much rigor and sharpenesse leuied to their great dislike And the king following their humours assembled his High Court of Parliament in Oxford In which his designes were altogether crossed and the prosecution of businesses was so vnfortunate to the whole Estate of this Realme that ab euentu it was euer after named Insanum Parliamentum Insanum Parliamentum or the Madde Parliament For when multitudes of such as were grieued swarmed thither and complained of manie iniuries and wrongs which daily did oppresse them the Lords and the Commons endeauouring to redresse what was amisse established manie things profitable as they intended them for the Commonweale but highly derogating from the Prerogatiue of the king The Kings Prerogatiue crossed And to the end that those things which they had so contriued and concluded should be inuiolably kept and obserued choise was there made of twelue of the grauest and most worthie persons of this kingdome whereof the Earles of Leicester and of Glocester were the chiefest and they were stiled with the title of Les douze Piers Les douze Piers. or the Twelue Peeres to whom complete and absolute authoritie and power was largely giuen to support and to maintaine those Lawes For which cause they publikely receiued their Patent and a solemne Oath All which was sealed and ratified by the King himselfe The King ratifieth their Commission although vnwillingly he did it So that the Parliament being ended the said Commissioners began by strict execution to giue life vnto those Ordinances and Lawes For which purpose The Commissioners displace the Kings Officers and Attendants they first of all dismissed and did clearely thrust from their Places Offices and Attendance manie of the Kings meniall seruants and appointed others in their stead And this their doing was aboue all other things most distasted and grudged at For the King perceiuing that such as waited on his person should rather be trusted by others than by himselfe and that hee himselfe should be furthest off from chusing such as should be neerest vnto him waxed infinitely melancholie and sad And hoping that vpon further aduice and counsell hee should receiue better contentment and be more kindly vsed 43. 1258. Another Parliament hee assembled another Parliament in which with great griefe and extraordinarie Passion he complained of the hard measure which was offered to his owne Person by the Twelue Peeres So that much labour was taken by his neerest friends The King complaineth not onely to abolish their Authoritie and Power but also to cancell and to make void those new Ordinances and Lawes But such was the determinate resolution of the Lords in generall and of the Commons of that Assemblie The former Lawes and Ordinances are confirmed that in stead of pleasing the King with Reformation answerable to his desires they ratified and confirmed whatsoeuer was formerly concluded on and by the Archbishop of Canterburie and nine other Bishops of this Kingdome A Curse a solemne Curse was
vnder the Great Seale The Nobles are offended The Kings Title to France first broched hee was condemned to die in the same manner which he had deuised for the execution of Sir Hugh Spencer the yonger And Queene Isabel being most honourably prouided for and attended on was sequestred into a strong Castle where shee liued more then thirtie yeares after and then died In the fifth yeare of King Edwards Raigne his personall appearance in kind and friendly sort was required by Philip de Valoys king of France and vncle to the yong Queen that is to say brother to Iane Countesse of Henalt who was mother to K. Edwards wife together with his Homage Fealtie for his Duchie of Guyan For the performance whereof he departed hence and was with much triumph magnificence receiued entertained feasted in France But his homage and his fealtie he would and did only confesse by words and would not doe them in such solemne and submissiue fashion as they were demanded Whereat the French King was so inwardly moued that King Edward at his departure from the French Court might well perceiue that his welcome was more respected and honoured then his going from thence Assoone as the King came home by new Embassadors his homage was againe required to be performed with all solemnitie and due rites And therupon to giue some contentment to the French King it was sent vnto him in an instrument in writing vnder the great seale Whereat the Lords and Peeres repined much affirming that the crowne of France in the right of Queene Isabel his mother did belong to him and that therefore hee might iustly haue refused to haue done vnto him any homage at all Not long after these businesses thus ended King Edward by his Embassadors required Dauid the yong King of Scots The King requireth the Castle of Barwicke to bee restored It is denyed by the King of Scots and his Homage denied also being his brother-in-law to restore vnto him his Castle of Barwick and to doe him homage for his kingdome But Dauid stoutly returned answer that his father by conquest and by his sword wonne that Castle and that he had receiued it by discent from him and therefore would hold and keep it as his owne And touching the kings demand of his homage for the kingdome of Scotland his answer was that his Father neuer acknowledged any such seruice that king Edward had released it if any had been due And that therefore he would not confesse any tenure of king Edwards crowne The King warreth in Scotland The King preuaileth Barwicke is recouered The high spirit of the King would not suffer him thus to bee slighted and shaken off for he resolued to make himselfe the Lord of both For which cause he marched with a strong Armie into Scotland and quickly subdued the better the greater part of that kingdome with small resistance And hauing fortifyed for his own vse the Castles and Townes of best defence he returned and came to Barwick where the Towne after a strong siege was by composition surrendred into his hands Edward Baylyol Crowned King of Scotland And then he crowned Sir Edward Baylyol king of Scotland and committed the gouernment of the Towne of Barwick vnto his charge and returned into England with much honour The King in person setleth the Gouernement of Scotland But before two yeares more were expired he passed againe with an armie into Scotland placed his new king in his throne and receiued his homage and reinuested diuers English Lords and gentlemen of such Lordships and Territories as by reason of the kings dishonorable peace with the Scots when he first began to raigne had been taken from them Dauid flyeth into France These disasters and aduerse fortunes which inseparably accompanied Dauid the deposed king compelled him to flie into France where after two yeares continuance his heart was cheered with faire promises and his necessities were relieued plentifully with large and ample supplies of all things needfull and conuenient He returneth with an Armie into Scotland he also obtained an Armie with which hee sailed into Scotland his hopes fairely promising that ere long he should bee a king againe But he was much deceiued For king Edward hauing certain intelligence of his of the French kings endeuours prouided effectually for the encounter Dauid is ouerthrowne by King Edward and marched into Scotland with a strong Armie where hee fought often with fortunate successe against Dauid and the French kings forces and at length by battaile obtained an honourable victorie and securing the gouernment of that kingdome according to the rules of wisdome and of policie he returned joyfully into England Robert de Arthoys comes into England In the tenth yeare of this kings raigne Philip de Valoys then king of France sentenced the Earledome of Arthoys from Robert De Arthoys vnto Maud Countesse of Burgondie Aunt to the said Robert which censure so incensed the said Earle that in his heat he vttered these wordes By me was he made a King and by me he shal be againe deposed For which offence The King requites his former kindnesse he was throughout all France proclaimed to be a traytor to the crowne so that to preserue his life hee was compelled to flie into England where in regard of his fidelitie and honourable seruice performed to Queene Isabel and to the king himselfe when they were both in France he was with all complements of kindnes and heartie loue receiued and entertained by king Edward who knowing him to be right valiant hardie wise and not forgetting to requite fauours extended to him in his distresse created him Earle of Richmond He is Created Earle of Richmond and so entirely loued him that whilest he liued he neuer attempted anie great and important matter without his counsell and aduice This noble Knight ceased not to informe the King of his Title to the Crowne of France By Queene Isabel his mother who was the daughter of Philip the Faire which appeared to stand thus Philip the Hardie had issue two sonnes Philip the Faire King Edwards title to the Crowne of France and Charles de Valoys Philip the Faire had issue three sonnes all which successiuely were Kings and died without issue Male that is to say Lewes the tenth Philip the fifth sirnamed the Long Charles the fourth He had also one daughter which was named Isabel Queene of England and married to the Kings Father named Edward the second And Charles de Valoys the second sonne of Philip the Hardie was father vnto Philip de Valoys who raigned then in France Charles de Valoys and of this Charles it is noted that he was the sonne of a King The brother of a King The vncle of a King and the father of a King that himselfe was no King According to the Lawes of France the Crowne was to descend to the Issue Male and no woman
the Prince returned to the King The King in danger to be taken on the Thames by French Pirates The Lord of Camoys in trouble cleareth himselfe ANNO. 9. A valiant Sheriffe And now it chanced that as king Henrie passed ouer the Riuer of Thames from Kent into Essex vnder the conduct of the Lord of Camois hee was almost taken by the French Pirats for which cause the said Lord was suspected and attached as a Traitour and receiued his due triall by his Peeres but was clearely acquited of that offence and receiued into fauour In the ninth yeare of this kings Raigne the Earle of Nothumberland and the Lord Bardolfe animating the Scots to a new war entred with them into Northumberland and did much mischiefe whereupon king Henrie leuied a strong armie and by great iournies trauailed to encounter them But before his comming forth they were fought with and ouerthrowne by Sir Ralph Rokesby then Shirif of that Countie who tooke the said Lords and manie others and smote off their heads and sent them for presents to the king ANNO. 11 Thomas is made Duke of Clarence Iohn Duke of Bedford Humphrie Duke of Glocester The King prepareth to Warre in the Holy land The King falleth â—kâ— His Crowne is placed on his Pillow In the eleuenth yeare of his raigne he assembled his high Court of Parliament in which he created his three yonger sonnes Thomas Duke of Clarence Iohn Duke of Bedford and Humfrey Duke of Glocester and enacted manie Lawes which were helpefull and profitable to this Common-weale And from that time forth vntill hee died hee enioyed a happie peace and rested from all hostilitie and warres both at home and abroad And to expresse his thankfulnesse to God for all his goodnesse and great bountie towards him hee made great and costly preparations of men monie victuals and armour and shippes and all other thinges requisite and needfull and purposed to haue waged warres with the Turkes in the Holy-land But whilest he busily imploied himselfe in those affaires hee was attached by a deadly apoplexie and being neere vnto his last end hee caused his Crowne to be placed by him vpon his pillow least peraduenture in his extremitie of sicknesse it might bee deliuered to some other who had better right thereto then hee had But when his attendants verily supposed that he was dead the yong Prince of Wales seized vpon his Crowne Whereat the king started vp The Prince seized on the Crowne The Kings speech to the Prince and raysing himselfe vpon his armes he demanded who it was that had taken away his Crowne The Prince answered that it was he and then he fell backe into his bed and fetching a deepe sigh and sending forth manie pensiue groanes My sonne quoth he my sonne what right I had vnto this Crowne and how I haue enjoyed it God knoweth and the World hath seene Comfort your selfe in God good Father said the Prince The Crowne you haue and if you die The Prince has answere The King dieth I will haue it and keepe it with my sword as you haue done And within a short time after king Henrie died in the six and fortieth yeare of his age when he had raigned almost fourteene yeares And his bodie was carried to Canterburie where with all Princely and due requisites it was buried THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE FIFTH IT is well knowne That King Henrie the fifth whilest he was but a Prince associated to himselfe diuers vnthriftie and lewd companions A wilde Prince but a wise King by whose instigation among manie other vnworthie passages in his fathers dayes hee smote the Lord chiefe Iustice of England in the face for which offence he was imprisoned and dismissed of the Presidentship of the kings Councell and to his great griefe and disgrace was succeeded therein by Thomas Duke of Clarence his younger brother But when hee was crowned king hee disposed himselfe into a new course qualifying his behauiour with such heroicall vertues as might beseeme both his Person and his Honour He banisheth his loose companions and banished from his Court his loose and base consorts after he had enabled them to liue by such gifts as were proportionable to their callings He also elected for his Councell and into places of Iustice and publike Gouernment such as were wise discreet His good choice of good Gouernors He reformeth the Clergie He ruleth the Laitie learned and temperate well able to rule themselues and to command others He painefully laboured to reforme Pride Couetousnesse and such other grosse abuses as were crept into the Church among the Clergie and enjoined them strictly to frequent Praier Preaching to Hospitalitie and to the sincere seruing of Almightie GOD. And by the administration of his Lawes with moderate seueritie hee made the Laitie tractable in the performance of their duties And to settle his Estate in peace and in tranquilitie at home so that neyther the Scots nor the Welchmen should molest him when hee was busied in his Warres abroad hee erected diuers Castles He erecteth Castles in the frontiers of Scotland and of Wales Bulwarkes and other Fortifications vpon their frontiers and so disposed of them that with manie thousands of able men and skilfull Captaines to command them he was still readie and powerfull with great violence and force to suppresse and qualifie such rebellious Insurrections as they might make King Richards bodie remoued to Westminster In the first yeare of his Raigne with great pompe and solemnitie hee brought the bodie of King Richard the second from Langley vnto Westminster and buried it by Queene Anne his first wife 2. 1413. A motion in Parliament to suppresse Religious Houses In the second yeare hee held his High Court of Parliament at Leicester in which hee was importunately petitioned to suppresse the Religious Houses of this Kingdome because they being ill vsed were made the Nurseries of Idlenesse Gluttonie Lecherie and of Pride and were the Cages of vncleane birds The Reuenewes which belonged to those Houses were proportioned to yeeld vnto the Kings Cossers the annuall Rent of twentie thousand pounds and would also for the encrease of the Kings power and strength maintaine fifteene Earles fifteene hundred Knights and more than six thousand men at Armes besides a great number of Almes-houses for the poores reliefe The Clergies policie to quench this fire To diuert this streame into another Channell the fat Abbots Priors idle Monkes wanton Friers and the puling Nunnes procured Henrie Chichley then Archbishop of Canterburie in a verie learned and excellent Oration to discouer to the King his Right and his Title to the Crowne of France The Kings title to the Crowne of France set abroach to refresh him with confident hopes of good successe to direct him into a course answerable to his hopes and in the Clergies behalfe and for the furtherance of those Warres to offer vnto the King an incredible masse of money
their deserts The next yeare the King in Parliament was made and acknowledged to be the supreme head of the Church within all his Countries and Dominions The Supremacie of the King in all Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall things and causes and the Popes Bulles Pardons Indulgences and other Instruments of the like nature were vtterly banished frustrated made void and of none effect validitie or force concerning the King and his Subiects And likewise the First Fruits and Tenths of all Benefices and Ecclesiasticall dignities and promotions were in the same Parliament giuen and granted to the King and to his heires and successors for euer And not long after Queene Anne sometimes the Kings dearest wife was beheaded yet innocently as at her death shee religiously protested and as all men present did beleeue Queen Anne Bulleine beheaded for that it was vniustly surmised and falsly testified that she had incestuously conuersed with and prostituted her bodie to the Lord Rochford her owne brother Execution who likewise with some others receiued the like sentence and were put to death This Tragedie being thus ended The King marieth the King within twentie daies after maried a vertuous and a faire Gentlewoman whose name was Iane the daughter of Sir Iohn Seymor Knight who bare vnto him a goodly Prince named Edward who succeeded and was King But within few daies after his birth the good Queene died We haue formerly heard that Iames the Fourth King of Scots was slaine at Flodden Field And wee must now know that Queene Margaret his wife being the eldest sister of King Henry was maried afterwards vnto Archibald Douglas Earle of Angus who by her had a daughter named Margaret This Ladie the Lord Howard without the Kings notice or consent tooke to wife The Lord Th. Howard is beheaded for which vnaduised boldnesse and offence she being of the bloud royall he was condemned as a Traitor and lost his head The King who within his owne Territories and Dominions daily furthered his owne intentions to abrogate the authoritie power and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome The 32. Commissioners procured it by Parliament to be enacted that thirtie and two such persons spirituall and temporall as his Maiestie should vnder his great Seale nominate and appoint should haue authoritie and power to make and establish Lawes and Ordinances Ecclesiasticall which should binde the Subiects of this Kingdome And by the same Parliament all religious houses Petit houses of Religion suppressed whose possessions in yearly reuenue exceeded not the summe of two hundred pounds were suppressed and dissolued and all their scites and possessions whatsoeuer were giuen for euer to the King The booke of Articles The Clergie also at the same time of their owne accord and to insinuate themselues into grace and fauour with the King composed and published in printed bookes certaine Articles for the ordering and gouerning of the Church in which mention was made of three Sacraments only and the rest of them which former times superstitiously receiued and did maintaine were left out of the said bookes A rebellion in Lincolnshire These proceedings of the King and Clergie against the Pope and holy Church were so generally disliked by the rude ignorant and wilfull people that in many places their lauish tongues were witnesses of their inward griefe and discontent so that they publikely affirmed that the Kings Counsell irreligiously and absurdly aduised and directed him amisse and that the soothing smoothing and temporizing Clergie of this Land prophanely and wickedly practised by all meanes possible to extinguish all deuotion and vtterly to subuert the ancient rites ceremonies and commendable gouernment of the Church And in madde humour and franticke fashion the rude and vnrulie people in Lincolnshire to the number of 20000. assembled themselues in armes taking vpon themselues to frame and to deuise better orders for the gouerning of the Church and Common-weale The King marcheth against the Rebels The King who scorned to be thus checked by his owne Vassals and loathing to proue himselfe a coward at home seeing that forraine Nations had found him to be valiant and full of courage leuied a strong and a puissant Armie with which in his owne person he marched with princely magnanimitie against those rebellious people The Rebels petition who as he drew towards them by their petition craued a reformation of those things which lately had beene done and concluded against Religious Houses and against the former and ancient gouernment of the Church which things being consented and yeelded to they solemnly protested their humble dutie and seruice to the King The King is stout But hee who highly disdained that such plaine Swads and rusticke people should presume to giue instructions vnto him and vnto his whole Clergie and Court of Parliament in matters so farre aboue their vnderstanding and capacitie reiected their petition and resolued by an exemplarie course of iustice to be by the sword martially vsed in the open Field to punish and to correct them except one hundred of those their chiefest Conspirators might be sent and deliuered absolutely into his hands This resolution and quicke demand so appalled the fainting hearts of the rude and headlesse multitude that they suspecting each other of being to be sent vnto the King forsooke the Field The Rebels flie Captaine Cobler Execution and with all speed resorted to their owne houses But Captaine Cobler their chiefest Ring-leader being indeed Doctor Makarell with some others were shortly after apprehended and executed according to their merits and deserts The King who now supposed that all things had beene settled in a sure and in a firme peace was suddenly informed of another Insurrection in the North A rebellion in the North. and that their greeuance was grounded vpon the same points and that the number of those Rebels exceeded the number of 40000. men The holy Pilgrims who termed themselues the Holy Pilgrims who intended nothing but the establishing of true Religion and the reformation of great abuses which defaced the gouernment of the Church To encounter these men The Kings Armie and to correct their braine-sicke humour and foolish madnesse the King appointed the two Dukes of Norfolke and of Suffolke and some other Lords with a strong and well appointed Armie to march against them with all speed And the Rebels expressing much ioy because they were to fight came neere vnto the Dukes Armie and before them expressed many signes and tokens of vndaunted courage and desperate boldnesse But in the night before the two Armies intended to haue ioined together in handie strokes A strange accident a little brooke which ranne betwixt them and which with a drie foot might the day before haue beene passed ouer grew so outragiously great and violent by the fall of immoderate and continuall showres of raine that the Armies could not meet as they determined This miraculous pitie and this mercifull compassion
subdued 6. He plucks downe Churches Religious houses and Townes for his pleasure in hunting to make the New Forest and enacteth tyrannicall Lawes for the preseruing of his Game 5. His eldest sonne Robert Curthois rebelleth and puts him to the worst in Normandie but is reconciled 7. He warreth in France successefully 7. He falleth sick and repenteth of his crueltie to the English Nation and dyeth but his body can hardly obtayne a place to bee buried in pag. 8. King WILLIAM RVFVS HIs crueltie to the English Nation 10. Hee flattereth them in his distresse but requiteth them vnthankfully when his turne is serued 10 11. The Welshmen doe rebel 11 12. His valour 13. Hee pilleth and pooleth the Church 14 15. He yeeldeth when the Pope peremptorily commandeth 15. He is fortunate in his warres in Normandie 15. In the New-Forest which his Father had made by the ruine of many Churches Religious houses and Townes 5. Hee was slaine being mistaken for a Deere as he hunted 16. King HENRY the First HIs policies and Lawes 18. He yeeldeth to the Pope and restoreth Church liuings dignities and liberties not for conscience sake but because Robert his eldest brother troubled him for his Crowne 18. He invadeth Normandie and preuaileth and plucketh out his brothers eyes 20 21. Hee curbeth and ransacketh the Church Church-men and makes them pay for enioying of wiues whether they haue wiues or no. 20. Anselme and Thurstone appeale against him to the Pope and he yeeldeth 20 23. He is patient and very thankefull 24. He is lasciuious he surfetteth and then dyeth 24. King STEPHEN HEe vsurpeth the Right of Mawld the Empresse and breaketh his oath 27. He is very liberall 28. He refuseth and releaseth the paiment of Dane-gilt and of all other taxes he honoreth the Clergie and giues vnto them large restitution and exempteth all Clergie men from the authoritie of the Temporall Magistrate 28. Mawld the Empresse invadeth and taketh him prisoner he is enlarged for the Duke of Glocester The Empresse is besieged in Oxford and escapeth by a policie in the snow 29. He is againe inuaded by Henrie Short-Mantell the Sonne of Mawld the Empresse Prince Eustace his sonne is drowned They two compound and King Stephen dyeth 30 31. King HENRY the Second HIs great courage 34. He refineth the Lawes and deuiseth the Circuits in which Nisi prius and other law causes are decided 34. He destroyeth Castles to preuent Rebellions 35. He reseiseth things giuen by his Predecessors 35. He exerciseth his people in martiall Discipline in times of Peace 35. Hee Conquereth Ireland 36. His children are rebellious and punished by God 36. His Riches 37. His amorous affections to Rosamond 37. He is vexed by Thomas Becket who is slaine 37. He is accursed 40. He doth Penance He is whipt And dyeth 42. King RICHARD the First FOr his valour hee is termed Cuer de Lyon 44. His piety and compassion to his Mother and to distressed prisoners 44. His bountie 45. Hee warreth gloriously in the holy Land 45. He winneth Cyprus twice pag. 46 47. Iarres arise betwixt him and the French King and Leopold Archduke of Austria wherupon they depart and doe leaue him 46 47. He is stiled King of Ierusalem 47. By swimming he saueth his life but is taken Prisoner Ransometh himselfe and returneth into Normandie from the holy Land Hee warreth successefully against the French King in his owne Country and returneth into England 48. To pay his Ransome and to relieue his wants he ransacketh Religious houses and reseiseth such things as formerly he sold to get mony 49. He besiegeth the Castle of Chalons and is reuengefully wounded to death He taketh the Castle Pardons the offendor slaies all the rest and then he dyeth 49. King IOHN PHILIP the French King raiseth against him Arthur Plantagenet who demāds the crown 51 The King goeth twice into Normandie and puts the Frenchmen to flight 52 53. He looseth Normandie 53. 1202. His quarrell and vnspeakeable troubles with the Pope 53. Hee forbiddeth all appeales to Rome 54. Foure of his owne Bishops doe interdict him and he seiseth vpon their lands and goods Hee is accursed and his kingdome is by the Pope giuen to Philip the French King He taketh an Oath of Allegeance of his Subiects He inuadeth the Scots and they doe submit themselues 55 56. Philip of France prouideth to inuade him but looseth three hundred ships 56. King Iohn without the knowledge of his Nobilitie or Counsell submitteth himselfe on his knees to Pandulphus the Popes Legate and resigneth to him to the Popes vse his Kingdom and his Crown and after a few daies receiues it as a gift 56. His people doe despise and forsake him 57. Lewys the Dolphin in his Fathers Right by reason of the Popes donation inuadeth England The Pope accurseth him and his father and protecteth King Iohn and his kingdome Hee also accurseth such of the Nobilitie of England as sided with the French by reason whereof the Commons robbe rifle and forage both their goods and lands Miserie makes them to submit themselues 57. The Dolphin is expelled 58. The King hath peace and is poisoned by a Monke 59. King HENRY the third LEWYS the Dolphin disturbs him in England The French attempt to inuade but are ouerthrowne at Sea 63. They are accursed absolued and doe leaue this kingdome The king restoreth the ancient Lawes 63. He warreth in Angeou and elsewhere 63. And concludeth a Truce 64. His Barons and he doe iarre but are reconciled 64. The league with France is broken 64. King Henrie hath the worse in the new warres 65 66. Hee warreth with his Barons 66. Insanum Parliamentum 66. The commission of the twelue Peeres 66. They exercise their Authoritie 67. It is confirmed wherefore the King sayleth into France 67. * 1258. He releaseth his Title and his Right in Normandie and is confirmed Duke of Guyan 68. He procureth two Bulls from the Pope The Lord chiefe Iustice is displaced 68. He publisheth the Popes Bulls against the twelue Peeres and the Londoners take an Oath to assist him 69. The Barons raise an Armie and doe write vnto the King and he answereth them 69. The Barons Armie is ioyfully receaued into London 70. The controuersie is referred to the French King who is accused to be partiall 70 71. The Barons fight with the Prince and doe ouerthrow him 71. Richard King of the Romans being wronged is angrie 71. * 1262. The bataile of Lewis in which the Barons tooke the two Kings and Prince Edward prisoners and more then twentie thousand men were slaine 73. An agreement is made and the Prince is one of the Hostages The commission giuen to the 12. Peeres is confirmed and the Hostages are enlarged 73. A discord betwixt the Earles of Leicester and Glocester 73. Occasioned the ouerthrow of the Barons in the battaile of Euersham 74. ** 1263. The Barons are executed 74. The Commission of the twelue Peeres is by Parliament dissolued
sicke 174 His speech to the Prince his son when he seised on the Crowne 174 He dieth 175 King HENRY the Fifth THis King was vnmeasurably wilde in his fathers daies and was imprisoned and disgraced for striking the Lord Chiefe Iustice on the eare 177 But being King he enriched his loose companions but banished them perpetually from his Court 177 He chose the grauest wisest and best experienced men to be of his Counsell of Estate 177 Hee reformeth the Clergie and the Lay people and erecteth Castles to curbe the Scots 178 A motion was made in Parliament to dissolue religious houses But the Clergie reuiuing the kings title to the kingdome of France and being bountifully liberall doe turne the streame into that channell 178 The King demandeth that Crowne but is scoffed by the Dolphin whom he girdeth by a replie 179 The King leuieth an Armie The French King desireth peace The King yeeldeth on certaine conditions which are denied 180 The Queene is made Regent And as the King is ready to depart his destruction is conspired But the Treacherie was reuealed and the Traitors were put to death 180 The King landeth in Normandie and taketh Harflew His Armie being but 15000. men falleth sicke and is oppressed with many wants Yet the King resolueth to march by land vnto Calice 181 * 1414. He winneth the most famous and the most memorable Battaile of Agencourt 182 The French prisoners were vnwillingly yet miserably slaine 185 He giueth God publike thankes 186 And returneth into England with his great prisoners 186. 187 The new Constable of France is ouerthrowen 187 The French doe besiege Harflew and their Nauie of 500. ships is ouerthrowen And Iohn Duke of Bedford raiseth the siege 188 Ciuill dissention among the French Nobilitie doth further the successe of K. Henries wars 189 Great summes of money are chearfully giuen to the King to maintayne his invasion 189 Nine Carricks of Genoa and Tonque and Cane are taken by the English 191 Most Townes in Normandie doe become English 192 Roan is besieged by the king 192 A proud Roanist dareth him he replies and takes the Citie 197 The French Nobles are outwardly reconciled but not in heart 198 * 1416 Normandie is wonne by King Henrie 198 He marieth the Lady Katherine sister to the French King and is made Regent of France a 1519 is proclaymed Heire apparant to that Crowne 199 200 201 202 203 204. The Kings brother the Duke of Clarence Regent of Normandie and France b 1420 is betraied and slaine in the battaile of Blangy 205 206 The Earle of Mortaigne succeedeth in his charge 207 The King warreth againe in France 207 The Dolphin raiseth his siege from Chartiers and flyeth fearefully from place to place 208 The King falleth grieuously sick exhorteth his Nobles to vnitie and concord and to bee especially carefull to retain the friendship and loue of Philip Duke of Burgoine 209 Hee commends vnto them his yong Infant and their King Directs them for their proceedings in France and then dieth King HENRY the Sixth FRance contemneth the infancie of King Henry 211 Iohn Duke of Bedford is made Regent of France and Humfrey Duke of Glocester is made Protector of the Kings person and of the Realme of England 212 The Regent winneth Townes daily 212 The Parisians are trecherous 213 * 1424 The battaile of Vernoile 215 The Earle of Salisburies valour and name is feared 216 A strange ouerthrow of the French 216 They doe bragge and runne away 217 Townes and victories are daily wonne by the English 218 219 Orleance is besieged and offered to Philip Duke of Burgoine but the Regent will not consent thereto and for that cause the said Duke reuolteth to the French King 221 The battaile of Herings 221 The siege of Orleance is abandoned 222 The Duke of Alanson ouerthroweth the English slayeth the Earle of Salisbury and taketh prisoners the Earle of Suffolke and the Lords Talbot Scales and Hungerford and many others 222 Charles causeth himselfe to bee crowned King of France and is sommoned to a battaile by the Regent hee flyeth cowardly and is hunted from place to place but all in vaine 223 Diuers Nobles of France doe revolt from King Henrie 224. The French King assaults Paris and is well beaten 224 The Parisians doe flatter but are trecherous 225 King Henrie is crowned King of France in Paris 225 England is wondred at for her puissance 225 Treason discouered 226 A Rebellion in Normandie 226 The noble Regent dieth 228 And from the time of his death the English gaine little but doe loose much both in Normandie and in France Richard Duke of Yorke is made Regent 229 Paris is reuolteth 229 Calice is besieged by the Duke of Burgoine 229 But he flyeth in the night 230 The Earle of Warwick is made Regent 231 The French King flyeth in the night 233 Ponthois is taken by the English 234 A parley for peace 234 The Articles proposed are disliked 235 A cruell Armie and a huge on the French part 235 Much is gotten daily and much is daily lost beyond the Seas 235 A truce with France for eighteene moneths 237 An vnworthy marriage concluded for the King by the Duke of Suffolke without Commission 237 Which was the Dukes ouerthrow 246 He will haue his Acts and Counsels registred in Parliament 238 The cause of the losses of France * 1466 Normandie Aquitaine c. 238 The descriptions of the King and Queene 239 The good Duke of Glocester is remoued by the Queen from the Protectorship and is murdered 240 The French wars are neglected and the Truce is broken on both parts 240 Townes are lost Roan yeeldeth to the French King 241 The English are ouerthrowne in field 242 Cane is yeelded to the French King 243 The Duke of Suffolke is accused of treason and banished 244 But is taken at Sea and beheaded 246 The policies of the Duke of York to attaine vnto the Crowne Iack Cade the Rebell flyeth and is proscribed and slaine 247 A pacification but fained betwixt the King and the Duke of Yorke 248 The Duke is accused imprisoned for treason but is enlarged 248 Guyan and Aquitaine are yeelded to King Henrie but are regained by the French 249 The warres betwixt the King and the Yorkists 249 The King is ouerthrowne and taken prisoner in the battaile of * 1454 S. Albons and in Parliament the Duke of Yorke is made Protector 250 Marchant strangers are rifled in London 251 A policie against the Yorkists but it is discouered 252 The King labours for peace but each part dissembleth 252 New Armies are raised 254 The Lords doe flie in the night and are proclaimed traitors 255 The Kings ships twice taken out of Sandwich by Iohn Dynham and the Yorkists 256 The battaile of a 1459 Northampton in which the Queen is ouerthrown and the King is taken prisoner 257 The Duke of Yorks proceedings in Parliament against King Henrie 258 The
was in great disfauour with the King But he taking little notice of the Kings dislike contrarie to the Kings pleasure vpon the suddaine surrendred to the King his Chancelorship and the great Seale The King enquired diligently for the cause why he so did But such was his obstinate follie and vnthankfulnesse that he would not reueale it vnto anie These jarres betweene the King and the Archbishop emboldened the baser and the worser sort of the Clergie to commit manie great and horrible sinnes and offences for which they receiued small punishment because though their transgressions were Murthers Manslaughters Thefts and Robberies yet they being to be tryed and adiudged by men of their owne profession were too too much winked at So that by meanes of their carelesnesse the Commonweale was much wronged The Clergies temp rall offences made subiect to be tried before the Temporall Iudge Wherefore the King summoned and assembled his High Court of Parliament In which that Law made by king Stephen which exempted the authoritie of the Temporall Iudge to meddle with anie Ecclesiasticall persons for anie crime by them committed whatsoeuer was abolished and the ancient Lawes of this Realme vsed in the times of Henrie the first and of others the kings Progenitors and which were commonly called Auitae Leges were reduced to their former validitie and force Auitae Leges But in these proceedings the king was much crossed and interrupted by the obstinate and bold frowardnesse of Thomas Becket and of some few other Bishops who vnaduisedly made themselues partakers of his Faction But after manie Conferences Disputes and Consultations touching those businesses all the Bishops Becket onely excepted ratified and subscribed those newly reuiued Lawes Becket would not giue way to those Laws But Becket would not by anie meanes assent thereunto except hee might insert this Clause Saluo ordine suo Which words would clearely haue annihilated the life and substance of those Lawes His Exception Saluo iure suo This his follie made the king to bite his lippe and to say little So that the other Bishops much fearing to what end the kings extraordinarie displeasure and discontentment would tend did priuately commune with the Archbishop and prayed him for the preuenting of future mischiefes to submit himselfe whereunto he gaue his free consent Becket is persuaded and sweareth to those Lawes and as the rest had done so did he take a solemne Oath to giue allowance to those Lawes The king forthwith altered the strangenesse of his countenance into pleasing and familiar lookes he spake kindly vnto Becket and assured him of his former loue And being wise and politike and purposing to assure the Peace of future times whilest oportunitie did serue hee caused a tripartite Instrument to be drawne betwixt himselfe and the two Archbishops testifying this Submission and this Oath Two of which parts were forthwith subscribed by the King and by the Archbishop of Yorke But Thomas Becket falling into the relapse of his former follie did not onely refuse to doe the like Becket again withstandeth those Lawes but expressed great Repentance for the former Oath which he had taken And not so contented he secretly informed the Pope thereof and of his inward sorrow for that sinne Becket is absolued by the Pope The Pope not onely absolued him of that Oath and enioyned him to some priuate Penance but hee also required him without yeelding stoutly to persist with a strong Resolution in his opinion Hereupon the kings anger towards Becket daily encreased more and more And when this newes from Rome was diuulged Beckets temporalties seized by the King He is called to an accompt for 30000 marks and refuseth to accompt his Majestie seized into his owne hands all such Temporall Lands and Promotions as hee had giuen in former times vnto Becket and required him to render him an account for thirtie thousand Marks which to his vse he had receiued when he was Chancelor of this Realme But boldly hee affirmed That the king had frankely and freely giuen it vnto him and that therefore hee would not enter into anie such account Whereupon the king to satisfie himselfe His mouables are seized made a seizure of such moueable goods as appertained to him Thus whilest the Wheele thus turned Thomas Becket without the kings Licence transported himselfe secretly vnto Rome Becket goeth to Rome and the king thereby perceiuing that Becket intended nothing more than to incense the Pope against him sent his Embassadours and Letters vnto Rome The Pope denieth the Kings request and by them he signified vnto the Pope how reasonable his owne demaunds were and how peruersely Thomas Becket had refused to obey And therefore he entreated the Pope that he might be depriued of his Place and Dignitie protesting That he would prouide for him and his in some other kind He threateneth the king But the Pope not onely denied his request but with thundering termes he threatened to send two Legats into England who should curse the King and all his Realme except on their demaund hee restored the Archbishop both to his Place and Dignitie and also to all such Lands and Mouables as by the Kings commandement had beene taken from him And in the meane time hee commended Becket to the Abbot of Pontinyack where hee was gently receiued and kindly entertained as a Monke The Kings anger against Becket But when the King perceiued into what corner the winde did blow and that the Pope had filled Becket with the blasts of pride and vaine-glorie he being more and more exasperated sent vnto the said Abbot and required him to turne Becket out of his house or otherwise he protested he would not leaue one Monke of his Order in all France The King forbiddeth accesse from the Pope into England He also published certaine Iniunctions against the Pope and all Cardinals and Legates which without his Licence should presume to enter into his kingdome He also depriued Thomas Beckets nearest and choisest friends of all such Promotions Lands and Substance as they did enioy and banished them out of the Realme Beckets friends are banished because with counsell and with money they had joyned with him in this his obstinacie against the king This round and bitter course more troubled Becket then all other precedent passages whatsoeuer And to encrease his griefe the Abbot of Pontinyacke fearing the euent of the Kings displeasure if he submitted not himselfe to his command gently perswaded Becket to leaue his house The French King vnderhand animateth the Pope Whereof when Lewis the French King heard albeit his daughter Margaret was married vnto Henrie the yong King yet he procured him better entertainment elsewhere and secretly wrote in his behalfe vnto the Pope The King sayleth into France He conferreth with Becket His offer to Becket King Henrie desiring to see an end of these troubles if by any meanes conueniently hee might vpon
league or other compact betwixt King Richard and the Turkes some danger might assaile him and his followers Hee tooke an vnkind leaue and carying away with him all such troupes as belonged to the Emperour to Leopold and to himselfe hee left the King of England and returned home This his departure discomforted not King Richard But with his owne Souldiours King Richard preuaileth and with the forces of some other Christian Princes who submitted themselues to his direction and Gouernement hee persisted in those Warres and prosecuted his attempts with such constancie and heroicall magnanimitie that he preuailed and became Victorious when the greatest dangers assaulted him most to make him feare And among many other things which boldly he attempted hee returned vnto the I le of Cyprus He winneth Cyprus again and by force hee valiantly wonne it from the Knights Templers vnto whom he had formerly sold it and then exchanged it for the Citie of Ierusalem with Guy of Lesingham the last Christian King who held and did possesse it By meanes whereof He is stiled King of Iaerusalem King Richard was stiled King of Ierusalem and so were many of his successours long after Thus while he became victorious England is badly Gouerned and daily triumphed ouer the Turkes miseries his Kingdome of England was badly Gouerned at home by the Bishop of Ely to whom hee had committed the charge thereof For hee being the Grand-child of a Ploughman and the sonne of a Cow-heard in the North Asperius nihil est humili quam surgere in altū and being aduanced to that Bishoppricke and made Lord Chancellour of England Legate to the Pope and Protector of all this Realme tyrannized as himselfe listed ouer all sortes of people Exercised on them strange and vnusuall oppressions both in the Church A begger on horse-backe will ride and also in the Common-weale and was so infinitely ambitious and so proud that he would neuer ride abroad for his pastime and for his recreation except hee were attended and waited on by a thousand horse and more and was serued by the sonnes of the greatest Nobles in this Land vnto whom he gaue in marriage with some portions diuers of his base and rusticke kinne The ambitious Bishops fall But at length he grew to bee so contemptible lothsome and vile in all the peoples eyes that fearing what would be the sequell of his vnlimited insolencie and pride He resolued to forsake this Kingdome And comming for that purpose into Douer He disguiseth himselfe and is dragged on the Sands disguised in the habit of a woman and hauing vnder his arme a piece of Country-cloth which hee offered to the sale hee was descried and discouered and by the common people was furiously and shamefully dragged and drawne vpon the Sands and was afterward sent vnto London where the Lords and greatest Nobles committed him to the Tower in which he remained vntill the kings returne He is restored and then he was restored both to his libertie and Offices But shortly after as he trauelled towards Rome he died He dieth whereat much joy was conceiued generally by the Englishmen Of these Affaires and of his euill Gouernment king Richard was informed in the Holie Land as also of the great discontentment of his brother Iohn The causes which hastened king Richards returne for that the Bishop of Ely and not himselfe was in the kings absence made Gouernor of this kingdome and how that he had seized manie of the kings Townes Forts and Castles into his hands and onely wanted the peoples fauour to make himselfe a king He likewise was informed what Sallyes Inrodes and Inuasions the French king after his returne home had made in Normandie thereby to reuenge himselfe of those pretended iniuries and wrongs which he supposed he had receiued from king Richard in the Holie Land These Tidings thus concurring and the good desire which king Richard had to preuent the ruine of his owne Estate enforced him when he possessed the greatest hopes of Conquest to conclude a peace with the Turks for three yeares King Richard saueth his life by swimming He is taken prisoner and sold to the Emperour Henry the sixt He is ransomed He reuengeth his iniuries vpon the French king But in his returne he was by the violence of a raging storme compelled after a dangerous shipwrack to saue his life by Swimming neere vnto Histria which lyeth betweene Aquileia and Venice and comming to the Territories of Leopold in Austria he was taken prisoner and by him sold to the Emperour Henrie the sixt the sonne of Frederick for threescore thousand Marks who taking of him good securitie for his Ransome assessed vnto one hundred thousand pounds did set him at libertie So that with speedie journeyes he poasted vntill be came into Normandie where he raysed a strong Armie and marched furiously into France and reuenged himselfe soundly of all such iniuries and wrongs as in his absence were done vnto him by the French king And then he reduced to his subiection all such Peeres in Normandie as by the Frenchmen in his absence had beene taken from him Thus whilest the King was busied abroad his brother Iohn Duke Iohn submitteth himselfe to the King his brother and is pardoned Earle of Lancaster repaired to him and not onely submitted himselfe to his grace and mercie but voluntarily surrendred to him all such Forts and Castles as he had seized into his hands excusing himselfe as being prouoked and enforced to disloyaltie by the extraordinarie pride and insolent behauiour of William Longchampe Bishop of Ely who vnworthily had disordered the gouernment of the whole Realme Vpon which submission and his contrition for his offence he obtained not onely the kings pardon but also his especiall grace and fauour Then did they both come into England He vseth vniust means to pay his Debts and Ransome where the king to make payment of his Ransome ransacked the Treasures of diuers Religious Houses and grieuously taxed the People and summoned his High Court of Parliament in which he caused himselfe to be againe crowned King He is crowned anew And to augment his owne Estate hee resumed into his hands all such Honors Lordships Manors Castles Offices and Priuiledges He resumeth the Lands which he sold and payes nothing for them as he had formerly sold to his owne subjects for his supplyes and enforced the Buyers to content themselues with such profits thereof as they had taken Then fourescore thousand pounds of his Ransome were payd Leopold is accused and releaseth part of the Kings Ransome but the residue was discharged by Leopold who was accursed by Pope Innocent the third for that hee had iniuriously made king Richard a prisoner in his returne from his Warres in the Holie Land Then the king raysed a new Armie and transported it into France and from that time forward he ceased not with variable successe to warre with the
prisoner to Roan He is drowned This Warre ended was taken prisoner and sent to the Castle of Roan where leaping from the walls with an intent to escape he was drowned in the Ditch And thus ended his Life his Title and those Warres But the next yeare following the French King himselfe pretending Title to the said Duchie of Normandie raysed an exceeding great power and so sodainely and with such furie The French King sodenly wâ—â—â—eth all Normandie did inuade it that wanting present meanes of resistance the whole Duchie to preuent vtter desolation and ruine yeelded and subiected it selfe to the French king And now began the Kings other Enemie The quarrell bâ—twâ—xt the King and the Pope Pope Innocent the third to play his part and to vexe him more dangerously than Philip of France had done And the occasion which he entertained to effect his purpose was this Hubert the Archbishop of Canterburie died and the Monkes of Saint Augustines in that Citie without the kings Licence or knowledge and about midnight elected Raynold a brother of their owne to succeed him and tooke of him an Oath forthwith to trauaile vnto Rome and there to procure his inuesture and to receiue his Pâ—lâ— from the Pope The king being thereof informed by manifest shewes made knowne his inward dislike of those their vnaduised doings So that vpon his motion and to appease his wrath they newly elected Iohn Gray who was then Bishop of Norwich And incontinently the king vpon his owne charge sent Letters and Embassadours vnto the Pope entreating him to ratifie his last choice But in the meane time a new Schisme or Faction did appeare For the Suffragan because hee was not made acquainted nor an actor in either of the said two Elections made suit to the Pope to displace them both Popes doe seldome or neuer grant to any Kings their reasonable requests But the Pope imitating the proud example of his Predecessors who coueted to swimme against the Streame and seldome or neuer granted anie kings request least they should in some sort be thought to be yeelding neglected the kings entreatie and confirmed him that was chosen first The king stormed because he was so slenderly regarded And diuers of those Monkes to please the king refused to receiue him that was by the Pope confirmed contesting against their owne choice because it was made in the night and not in the open day But the rest affirmed That such a choice was not meerely voide and in it selfe a Nullitie but remayned good vntill by Iudiciall proceedings and by a Sentence it were pronounced to be void At length this question and this doubt was controuerted and disputed on in Rome and thereupon the Pope making a colourable shew to content the King to please the Monkes and to end this Schisme but indeede to preferre Stephen Langton the Cardinall of Chrisogone to that Dignitie aduised the said Monkes to elect the said Stephen Stephen Langton is chosen Archbishop of Canterburie on the Popes motion and against the commandement of the King The King perceiuing well what was intended and meant thereby required the said Monkes not to proceed to the said Election nor to deale anie further in that businesse But verie vndutifully they neglected to content or to obey the King and with them the Papall Commandement tooke place and Stephen Langton a man plyant to the Popes humour was elected Archbishop of Canterburie This later choice so sharpely exasperated the king that by his Letters to the Pope he protested plainely That from thenceforth he would take a strict account of all such of his subjects whatsoeuer as for anie matters concerning Right or Iustice should be gadding vnto Rome The King forbiddeth Appeales to Rome And did alledge That he had Bishops Prelates Nobles and Magistrates of his owne who could and should according to the Lawes and Customes of his Kingdome decide and determine all Controuersies and Doubts which should arise either in the Church or in the Commonweale And that he would rather expose himselfe to a thousand deaths then basely as hee was required make himselfe and his Kingdome seruile and subject to the Popes insolent and peremptorie Commands The Pope according to his custome and fashion not onely answered prowdly The Popes prowd and peremptorie answer Foure Bishops authorized to interdict the King That the Election of the Cardinall should stand but required the King to giue him the quiet possession of his See to recall such Monks from banishment as he had exild and to restore to them their goods on which hee had seized by reason of their last choice and did authorize foure Bishops within this Land to interdict and to curse the King and his Realme if hee refused to doe as by the Pope he was enioyned The King perceiuing that those foure Bishops were much elated by reason of their new authoritie and that they thought the time to be long ere the King had replied and signified his intent and resolution seized vpon their lands and goods The King seizeth on the foure Bishops lands and goods and did proclaime That he resolued to take the like course with all such as receiued any Promotions Inuestitures or Ecclesiastical degrees from the said Cardinall or went vnto Rome vpon any occasion without his license or did appeale for any cause thither or did attempt to put in execution any commaund from the Pope within his Kingdome The Pope being aduertised hereof sent into England his two Legats Pandulphus and Durant men of prowd spirits and prone to put in practise al things as they should be required These two perswaded the King to be reconciled to Stephen Langton The Popes Legats curse the King and his ayders to the foure Bishops and to the Prior and the Monks of his Couent of S. Austins and to restore to them their Places Lands and Goods that peace and amitie by meanes of his so doing might be renewed betwixt the Pope and him The King fearing to be accursed and being desirous to preuent future inconueniences yeelded and promised to perform all whatsoeuer was required except it were to allow the said Election of the said Cardinall and protested faithfully That if another might be chosen hee then would with all speed and expedition preferre him to some other Bishoprique or better place of Dignitie within his Realme But the two Legats in steed of gratifying the Kings request pronounced the Popes curse not only against him but also against all such as gaue him attendance or things necessarie or kept him company They likewise absolued all his subiects from their oathes dutie and seruice towards him and required all Christian Princes to make warre vppon him as vpon the arch and grand enemy of the Church of God This Kingdom is giuen to the French King The Pope also pronounced and published against him his sentence of depriuation and gaue his Crown and his Kingdom to Philip the French King if by any
as if hee onely waited for a fit oportunitie to depart Yet in the meane time king Philip his father with great care and cost prepared new Forces for his aide and shipped them for this Realme But Hugh de Burgh being a man prouident Hugh de Bergh preuaileth on the sea and truly valiant and being chiefe Master of the fiue Ports hauing fitted a strong Fleete of good Shippes and furnished them to the proofe with choice Mariners and expert men of Warre encountred them brauely vpon the Sea and with such hardie blowes so fiercely did assayle them that beeing altogether vnable to resist him they submitted themselues and all their Shippes vnto his mercie The French are absolued and doe returne This noble Exploit being thus attended by Victorie forthwith drew Prince Lewis to a milde entreatie of Peace So that being absolued by Guallo and receiuing good summes of money to further his returne he surrendred all such Forts Castles and Townes as hee had taken and with his companies sayled into France leauing his English friends who had supported his Estate and part in all these Warres to the censure of the Lawes and to end their miserable dayes with sundrie executions and strange deaths The Common-weale being now suffered to breath A Parliament and hauing found some leisure to prouide fitting medicines to cure such maladies as distempered her estate required that a Parliament might be sommoned which was graunted King Edwards lawes restored and in it the ancient Lawes of King Edward were reduced and restored to their former vigor and strength And the Grand Charter in those dayes called Magna Charta comprising sundry laws Magna Charta which were both easefull and commodious to the common people was ratified and confirmed And whereas the Wardships of the heires of such of the Kings tenants as died Warships marriages Ann. 902. Ann. 1056. seized of any lands by them holden in Knights seruice was graunted to King Edgar during their minorities and their marriages were afterwards granted to King Edward the Confessor Those lawes which a long time had lien asleepe were now reuiued and awaked and were restored to their former vse In the same Parliament also a voluntarie Taxe was frankely giuen to the King A voluntarie Taxe partly to discharge such debts as former warres had occasioned and partly to leuie new forces to be conducted by Richard the kings brother for the recouering of Poyters and of Gascoyne which of late yeers most iniuriously and with too much violence had been vsurped and taken from King Henries predecessors by the French King The Parliament being ended the said Taxe An Armie transported into Gascoyne c. with great celeritie and without contradiction by any was soone leuied so that the Kings Coffers were replenished with siluer and with gold and all requisits were carefully prouided and a gallant Armie of couragious men of warre were assembled and safely transported Richard recouereth Poyters and Gascoine With which Richard the Kings brother did almost wonders subduing where he found resistance and seizing vpon Lordships Towns Forts Castles and other defenced places quietly and without blowes where no head was made against him So that within few moneths such was his valor and good fortune he recouered both those Prouinces wholly for the king and returned with much honor into England But the kings absence from those places The French King winneth Poyters Perigot c. ministred opportunity to the French king to be vnfriendly and daily to make wars roads incursions and inuasions into those Prouinces which without colour of right he endeuored to subdue So that hee refusing no aduantage which might in any sort further his desires suddenly led a new Armie into Poyters and quickly made himselfe the Lord thereof And then he marched into Pierigot and Aluerne and other places in Guian where he did the like But king Henry sent thither another Armie A new Army transported with which his brother Richard Earle of Cornwall fought many cruell and sharpe battailes and in the most of them Fortune assisted him with good successe and all things afforded him great hopes A peace is concluded that hee should recouer whatsoeuer in his absence had been lost But in the height of all these broyles a friendly peace was concluded betwixt the two Kings and Richard returned safely into England The causes of dislike betwixt the K. and his Barons These troubles being thus ended and peace gladding the hearts of all such as had been tired with those warres vnkinde iealousies began to breed much hart-burning betwixt the King and his own Barons for that as they conceiued the King reposed little confidence in their faith neglected their seruice and societie and applied himselfe and his fauours wholly vnto strangers whom neither alliance nor Countrie bound to performe any dutie towards him nor would be found trustie when the hand of his bountie and liberalitie was closed vp The King reconcileth himself to his Barons And the King perceiuing their discontent entered into the secret closet of his owne breast and tooke a strict examination of his owne dealings And finding them to bee such as iustly might displease he reformed his error remoued the causes of those dislikes and louingly reconciled himselfe to his Nobles Iohn Scot Earle of Chester dieth About this time Iohn Scot Earl of Chester died without issue male hauing foure daughters heirs From them the king resumed into his own hands that Earledom and all the Territories belonging thereunto which he augmented with large additions of yearely reuennues and many Regall Priuiledges Liberties and Honours And for a recompence and by way of exchange he gaue vnto those Ladies many Honors Lordships Castles and Mannors which exceeded their owne in true value And hauing married Prince Edward Chester and Wales annexed to the Kings eldest sonnes his sonne to Elyanor sister vnto the King of Spain he gaue vnto him the Prouince of Guyan the Lordship of all Ireland and created him Earle of Chester and Prince of Wales which two later dignities he then annexed to the eldest sonnes of the Kings of this Realme The murdering of the King is attempted And not long after a Clerk dwelling in Oxford counterfeiting a kind of madnesse attempting to murther the King for which purpose in the depth of the night he crept in at the window of the Kings chamber in which most commonly hee lodged But failing of his purpose because the King lay not then there hee was taken examined confessed his villanie and by the course of law being condemned he was put to a cruell death The French King breaks the league We haue heard before that a peace was concluded between the Kings of England and of France but the French kings were alwaies secretly or openly malicious to the Kings of this Realme because they had certaine Territories and Prouinces in France which bordered on their Countries And
his Brother King Richard and Edward the young Prince beleeuing nothing what was written and deepely disdaining that Subiects should rule and correct their Soueraigne Lord and Master and determining to reuenge those disgraces which their stomacks no longer could endure proclaymed an vtter defiance to the Barons and with their Armie met them in Sussex neere to the Towne called Lewys The battaile of Lewis where betwixt them was fought so fierce and so cruell a battaile that the father spared not the sonne nor the sonne the father All kindred and alliance was there forgotten 47. 1262. the common Souldior held himselfe to be as good a man as the greatest Lord. Honour was there set at nought and Manhood being oppressed with Multitude could make no shew Hee who was most valiant was soonest made breathlesse and the Coward found no oportunitie to runne away He who could strike deepest wound manie and kill most obtained the chiefest praise Pitie and Compassion were skorned and laughed at and all remorse was vtterly exiled from them None mediated betwixt them but their swords and their best Reconciler was death Lamentable were the sighes and the groanes the plunges and the pangs of such as bleeding breathed forth their liues and euerie man fought with such an obstinate resolution as if but one onely man at the last should be left aliue At length the two kings The two Kings and the Prince with manie others are taken prisoners Prince Edward and manie Knights and Gentlemen of choice account and of the best worth were taken prisoners and more than twentie thousand men were slaine in this Battaile And thus Furie triumphing in bloud was contented at length to hearken vnto Reason and they who could scarcely set their feete vpon the ground by reason of the multitude of dead carkasses which as thicke as stones lay before them 20000 men are slaine were now pleased to take breath and to conferre vpon conditions of Peace And in the end it was agreed That the King should by new Articles A new conclusion for Peace and by the renewing of his Oath confirme the authoritie graunted to the Twelue Peeres and all the said Ordinances and Lawes with this Caution notwithstanding That two Lords of the Spiritualtie and two Lords of the Temporaltie should take a strait examination and view of them and if in their judgements it were needfull that anie of them should be reformed full power to them was giuen to alter and to change what they thought fit And if they dissented in their opinions it was then further ordered that the Duke of Britaine as Vmpier should haue power to arbitrate and to end the doubt The two Kings are set at libertie Hâ—stages giuen and the Prince was one This being on both parts consented to and concluded the two Kings left both their eldest sonnes for hostages with the Barons who sent them to the Castle of Douer where they remained about nine moneths Then did the King with all conuenient expedition summon his High Court of Parliament In which so strongly was the continuance of the said Lawes and Ordinances made at Oxford vrged A Parliament that they were then againe ratified and confirmed and the king though much against his will tooke an Oath to maintaine them and the authoritie of the Twelue Peeres The former Lawes and Ordinances are againe confirmed vntill according to the said former referment they should be reformed if anie thing in them were found to be amisse And all such as in those Warres or otherwise had in anie sort maintained them receiued their pardon from the king And hereupon the two yong Princes were enlarged The Hostages are enlarged But not long after so great a variance touching those Ordinances grew betwixt the two Earles of Leicester and of Glocester the two Generals of the Barons Faction that nothing but mortall Warre had decided their controuersie Discord betweene the Earles of Leicester and of Glocester if the King had not interposed his authoritie and mediation to make them friends A faire oportunitie well watched and taken But the young Prince Edward taking much aduantage by reason of this jarre departed secretly from the Kings Court consorted to his companie the Earles of Glocester and Warreyne Sir Roger Mortymer and manie other renowned men for the Warre And all these raysed a new Armie in Wales The Prince rayseth an Armie ANNO 48. 1263. The Barons doe the like And the Earle of Leicester conceiuing that his surprisall and ruine was conspired to preuent his owne danger and misfortune did the like And not long after the two Armies met neere to Euersham in Worcestershire and fought together so maliciously and with such bloudie resolutions that in short time manie thousands among them were slaine For Death taking part with both spared neyther but striuing to make her gaine by their losse The battaile of Euersham insulted proudly in the Armie and bragged most when she did most harme But in the end the Barons were discomfited The Barons are ouerthrowne and Symon Earle of Leicester with his eldest sonne and Sir Hugh le Spencer and manie others of great account were slaine and the rest fled The common souldiors that preuailed despightfully mangled the dead carkasse of the Earle cutting off both hands and feete and sending them into diuers Shires to their friends as Trophies of their Victorie And others among them being more inhumane and barbarous cut off his head and his priuie members and placed them on eyther side of his nose This ouerthrow did vtterly defeat the Barons and depriued them of all their hopes and it so reuiued the melancholie King that now he began againe to be sensible of his owne strength and resolued with all speede possible to breake those chaynes with which so lately hee was so strongly bound And for the effecting thereof A Parliament hee assembled his High Court of Parliament In which no man dared to speake otherwise than as the King spake So that those former Ordinances and Lawes which were made at Oxford in the Madde Parliament The former Decrees are all made void and the authoritie of the Twelue Peers and all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoeuer which tended to the establishing or ratifying of those affaires were by the Kings expresse commaundement brought forth and were publikely damned cancelled and made void And thus King Henrie regained his former libertie and power to say and to doe in all things as he pleased The King resolueth to burne the citie of London When this Parliament was ended the King perhaps by the instigation of his brother Richard King of the Romans who was cruelly wronged by the baser sort of the inhabitants of London without anie cause by him giuen as before it is mentioned resolued vtterly to wast and to consume with fire his Citie of London because as hee alledged the Rulers and the Inhabitants thereof had alwaies despised him and
small a number forth with retired and with continuall assault so sharply oppressed the besieged for many dayes that hee scarcely gaue them leasure to take breath By meanes whereof they were almost tired and so worne out that small hope of long resistance was left vnto them except they were in due time rescued and relieued by the King To giue his Highnesse intelligence whereof it was resolued That one of them in the depth of the night must giue a desperate aduenture through the Scottish Campe. This proiect seemed so full of imminent perill and danger A braue attempt with fortunate successe that euery one of the inferiors refused the attempt So that the braue Knight himselfe considering aduisedly in what case the Castle stood and pitying the distressed estate of the comfortlesse Countesse his sister who expected nothing but villainous abuse if it were yeelded with a setled resolution vndertooke the iourney And being gallantly mounted vpon a swift courser he speedily posted through all the thousands of his enemies And in the morning hee informed Dauid by such passingers as hee did meete that very quickely hee should heare newes of him againe The Castle is brauely assaulted and defended The siege is raised The Scots knowing that it was no time to linger and yet being desirous to reuenge the great disgrace which their Armie had receiued againe and againe furiously assaulted the Castle and in them they performed many braue feates of Armes which witnessed their eager longing to haue wonne it but they were still repulsed and beaten backe with many incredible slaughters of their Souldiers The King comes to late for the Scots are gone and were compelled to raise the siege and with great speede to hasten into their owne Countrie King Edward the very day of their departure had trauelled a long and wearie iourney thinking to haue met them there But he failed of his purpose for which hee was much grieued Yet by the mediation of diuers Honourable personages A Truce a Truce was concluded on for a few Moneths But to be enlarged for two yeares if the French King without whose leaue the Scots could make no Peace would consent thereto The French King liked the motion well and gaue freedome to the Earle of Salisburie For whom the Earle of Morret was by kiâ—â— Edward set at libertie And though king Edward tooke but little pleasure in this Truce The causes why the King consented to this Truce yet he was the more easily drawne to consent thereto because at the same time he had Warres in France Gascoyne Poyters Paynton Britaine and else where All which daily consumed as much Treasure as he could get The king when hee perceiued that the Scots were gone from the Castle disarmed himselfe and with ten The King makes loue to the Countesse of Salisburie or twelue Lords and Knights entred into the Castle where the excellent beautie and modest behauiour of the sweete Countesse of Salisburie so inflamed his heart that by secret and amorous wooings he endeauoured to perswade her to ease his passions with her loue But the vertuous Lady first with milde and kind intreaties Shee cares not for it and afterwards with quicke and nipping reprehensions striued to make the king to see his owne errour But such was his desire and her denials were so peremptorie and resolute That discontentedly the King left her cashired his Armie and returned backe againe And hauing for many yeares together beene vexed The King keepes a solemne Feast and toyled in sundrie Warres hee intended to recreate himselfe his Lords his knights and chiefest Martialists with such pastimes and sportings as men of Warre tooke greatest pleasure in Wherefore hee proclaimed a solemne Feast to continue many dayes and generally inuited therunto the valiant men of his owne and of forraine Nations and Kingdomes proposing the exercise of feates of Armes Strangers repaire into England at the appointed time By meanes whereof many Noblemen and such as were of best renowme for Chiualrie repaired into England from many Countries excepting France and were with all magnificence courtesie and loue receiued and entertained by the King Martiall sportings and by all his Court But in those heroicall sportings by an euill and an vnfortunate accident Sir Iohn Lord Beamount The Lord Beamount slaine a valiant Knight of this Realme who formerly had taken the last King and Sir Hugh Spencer the yonger in a fisher before the Castle of Bristoll was slaine This Royall feast and these warlike pastimes ANNO. 18. A ParliameÌ„t The Prince of Wales is Created being thus finished a Parliament was assembled at Westminster wherein the king Created his eldest Sonne Edward Prince of Wales and vnto him was giuen by a free and generall consent Commissioners for the imployment of the Subsidie money foure fifteenes by the Laitie and three by the Clergie but with this condition that no part thereof should be conuerted vnto any other vse then only to the furtherance of the warres of France And certaine Lords and some others of principall note were then selected to whom the only care and charge of that imployment should belong ANNO. 19 The next yeare following king Edward to increase vertue and valour in his Nobles to enlarge his Amitie and Friendshippe with the States and Princes of forraine Countries deuised and established a new order of knight-hood confining the number of them to twentie and six of which himselfe and his Successors were to be Presidents and called them knights of the honourable Order of the Garter The order of the Garter deuised and established The Rites and Ceremonies of which order are euery yere solemnized with Princely magnificence in the kings Castle at Windsor to Gods glorie and the honour of all such as are dignified with that degree And thus king Edward hauing a while recreated himselfe with such Princely delights as exercised his Martialists in feates of Armes to the pleasure and good contentment of his people He now beganne againe to thinke vpon his affaires with France and to make his Forces better knowne to the Frenchmen then formerly they had beene An Armie sent into Gascoyne For which purpose he leuied a faire Armie which by his Cousin the Earle of Darby was landed and directed in Gascoine with such discretion and with such valour that hee not only acquited himselfe right nobly by way of defence against Philip the French king but daily wonne from him his Cities Townes Castles and his Forts and filled his hands so full that whilest the said Earle remained there hee laboured in vaine to catch at anie thing which belonged to king Edward Iaques Dartuell At the same time Iaques Dartuel whom fortune from a low beginning had raised to the greatest command that euer any man before him had in Flanders notwithstanding that Loys their Earle then personally did liue among them secretly purposed to disherite the said Earle and to make
with three hundred men at armes vnder the Banner of Sir Walter of Mannie brake forth out of the Castle and furiously rushed vpon the Frenchmen who attended for better newes But when they did perceiue that they were deceiued they resolued to acquit themselues like men and for an houre and more so they did But when manie of them were slaine the rest fled and were thus depriued both of their manie and of their hope In this conflict the King himselfe encountred hand to hand with the Lord Eustace of Rybamount Sir Eustace Lord Rybamont a right hardie and valiant knight and was by him twice stooped on his knees But skorning to yeeld to anie base conceit or froward Fortune hee aduanced himselfe so nobly A noble King and in such sort redoubled his courage and his strength that in the end he tooke the said Sir Eustace prisoner with his own hand the said Lord not knowing with whom he had so sharply contended But the King making him to know all released him without Ransome promised him future fauours and dismissed him with a Princely reward About the same time the French king Philip of Valoys died The French King dieth ANNO 24. Iohn is Crowned King of France The Kings Victorie at Sea Guyens is yeelded to the Callicians ANNO. 25 ANNO. 27 A Duke of Lancaster Created How Iohn of Gaunt became Duke of Lancaster A Combate appointed betweene the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Brunswicke A reconciliation The Marts for England remooued from the Flemings and his sonne was crowned King In the beginning of his Raigne hee created Sir Charles a Noble man of Spaine Earle of Angolesme because he entred into the narrow Seas on the French behalfe with a powerfull Fleet and miserably spoiled robbed and rifled the English Marchants and exposed them to much crueltie With him king Edward fought and compelled him to flie hauing lost manie of his chiefest men and two and twentie of his best ships And about the same time the Castle of Guyens was yeelded to the Kings people of Callice and in the seuen and twentieth yeare of his Raigne hee created his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke who was Earle of Darby Duke of Lancaster with whose daughter and heire the kings sonne Iohn of Gaunt afterwards married and was Duke of Lancaster in her right He also created Sir Roger Stafford Earle of Stafford The said Duke vpon some misinformation that hee should publish some disgracefull wordes of the Duke of Brunswicke was by him challenged to a single Combate before king Iohn of France whereof hee gladly accepted and at the appointed time they both being throughly fitted for that purpose entred with hautie courage into the Lists for the triall of their cause But they both of them were reconciled by the French King to the great contentment and honour of the Duke of Lancaster notwithstanding that he was an Englishman and a subject to his Enemie King Edward during the time of the aforesaid Truce had vsed all friendly meanes to reconcile the Flemmings and to draw them from the French to his owne part but finding that al his endeuours proued vaine and that no courtesie could winne them hee withdrew from them all his Marts for Marchandizing which Iaques Dartuell had procured for them Which thing in a short time became exceeding hurtfull and prejudiciall to the Flemmings And now the time of the former Truce with France being long since ended King Edward leuied a puissant Armie of his most expert and approued men of warre The Blacke Prince landeth in Gascoyne with an Armie which hee committed to the charge and Gouernment of his sonne the Noble and Valorous Prince of Wales sirnamed the Blacke Prince Who being accompanied with manie Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen of name He preuaileth The French King lâ—uieth a huge armie departed out of England and landed in Gascoyne where hee ransacked spoiled burnt and consumed Villages Townes Cities Forts and Castles in all places as hee passed by without any resistance or defence But King Iohn of France intending to â—op this Torrent and making no doubt but that the multitude of his souldiers should giue him an easie Victorie ouer so small a Companie as the Prince conducted Ten thouâ—anâ— men only 〈◊〉 English Armie which exceeded not tenne thousand men Leuied a huge Armie which hee assembled from all places subiect to his Dominion And being accompanied with Philip his yonger sonne and with the Flower of all the Chiualrie of France He marched with great strength ANNo 30 1355. The Battaile of Poyters against the Black Prince whom he found neere vnto Poyters readily prepared in the field to receiue him The French armie was diuided into foure Battailes who as their turnes or lots came fought with much valour but with little vse of their great skill For the thicke shot of the English Archers galling vnmeasurably their great Horses was the cause that quickly they brake their order and their array which suddenly bred such a totall disturbance in the whole armie The French men are disordred that themselues as waues of water doe in a turbulent and in a tempestuous Sea ouerwhelmed each others so that such as were downe were troden to death by their owne friends who could not auoid them such as would presse forward to make good proofe of their valour were repressed by such as did retire And such as did recoyle were stopped and hindred of their purpose by those who could not choose but resist their comming backe Notwithstanding the French Kings owne Battaile which was better ordered then all the rest encountring with that Battaile of the English armie in which the Prince of Wales was performed most rare and wonderfull feates of Chiualrie King Iohn is a most valiant Prince which to the vtmost of their powers they encreased being extraordinarily animated thereunto by the matchlesse valour and fortitude of their King who like a worthie Knight for his surpassing valour and courage exceeded all his Nobles for performance of that day The Braue valour and resolution of the English But the Blacke Prince and his Battaile whom no disorder troubled striuing almost beyond the abilities of men to winne honour and to saue them selues remained vndaunted spirits And as dangers pressed forth so did they with incomparable manhood driue them backe againe making the Frenchmen know by their miserable experience that they could not so much as dreame of any flight The Blacke Prince his vow nor of yeelding but were so greedie of the best honour that nothing but Death or Victorie could content them The Prince himselfe vowed that through the helpe of Almightie God he would that day performe the part of a good Knight And to say the truth such were his vnmatchable deedes of armes so hautie was his spirit so pleasing was his example and so cheerefull were his encouragements to his whole armie that euery one among them striuing to imitate his valour
and to winne his fauour redoubled his strength The French Armie is ouerthrowne and with such resolution fell vpon the Frenchmen that they were compelled to giue backe and were so violently pursued that the battaile in which their King fought was now opened and in such sort disordered that the Englishmen entred into the midst of them wounding and killing on euerie side with little or no losse or danger to themselues And at length King Iohn and his yonger Sonne are taken Prisoners by Sir Dennis Morbecke King Iohn scorning to leaue the field yeelded himself his sonne Philip prisoners vnto Sir Dennis Morbeck a Knight of Saint Omers who for a murder forsooke his Countrie and serued for wages with the Blacke Prince In this battaile there were slaine verie manie great men of the Nobilitie and Gentrie of France and aboue ten thousand others Too much desire of Honour and too much couetousnesse The French King is ill vsed were the causes that the French King being thus taken was ill vsed For by reason that more than ten Gentlemen laide seuerall claimes vnto him as to their Prisoner hee was vnciuilly drawne from one to another not without some perill to his life but telling them that he was so great a Lord that hee could make them all rich they were better pleased and brought him to the Prince Who with great reuerence bowed himselfe before the King How the Black Prince receiued and entertained the French King and his Sonne The Blacke Prince bringeth the French King and his Son Prisoners into England Sir Dennis Morbecke reuiued his heauie spirits with cheerfull and with comfortable words feasted him and Phillip his yonger Sonne attended duetifully at his Table lodged him in his owne bed Prouided for him most honourable attendance Supplied all things about him which were wanting and brought them both from thence vnto Burdeaux and from thence into England where hee was ioyfully and royally receiued and wel-commed by the King and Queene and by the Nobilitie of this Kingdome and was entertained with as great magnificence and curtesie as he could expect or wish for And vpon King Iohns owne confession the honour of his taking was by King Edward adjudged to Sir Dennis Morbeck who for his great and good seruice was much thanked and bountifully rewarded by the King In this Battaile besides such as were slaine There were taken prisoners seuenteene Earles thrice as manie Barons Prisoners and so great a number of Knights and Gentlemen of name and of note that euerie English common souldier who had fewest prisoners had two all which A bountifull Prince together with the wohle spoiles of the field the Prince frankely and freely gaue to his companies who valiantly had wonne them by their swords The English Armie are made rich So that there was not a poore man in the English armie but euery one of them had as much Gold and as much Siluer Plate and Iewels as gaue him good contentment for his paines And such was their store and such was their plentie of those thinges that rich and costly Armours and such like warlike prouisions were not taken vp nor cared for at all How the French King was disposed of The French King for a while liued at the Sauoy which by King Edward was sumptuously furnished and beautified with all things necessary for so great a guest And from thence he was remooued to the Castle of Windsor where hee feasted hunted hawked and did all things according to his owne pleasure and will for the space of two yeares the King and the Blacke Prince as often as anie leasure gaue them leaue repairing thither and gladding him with their cheerefull and most friendly companie and with the varietie of manie pleasing sports By meanes whereof true and heartie loue and affection did knit them fast together so that they concluded a friendly Truce to continue for the space of two yeares The honourable prosperitie of King Edward and of the Blacke Prince And thus were King Edward and the Noble Prince his sonne honoured and blessed by Almightie God with such triumphant successe in their warres both in Scotland and in France they then possessing for their Prisoners at one time the Kings of those two Kingdomes and Philip the French Kings younger sonne and many Dukes Earles and Barons as none other Princes in Christendome then were King Dauid of Scotland is released And Dauid the King of Scots after tenne yeares of imprisonment in England was enlarged for a ransome of one hundred thousand pounds to be paid in fiue yeares And vpon his oath neuer againe to beare armes against England and vpon his Homage and Fealtie done for that Kingdome ANNO. 32 and vpon his faithfull promise to doe his best to procure the Nobilitie of Scotland to doe the like he was enlarged and set free ANNO. 33 The Dalphin allowes not his Fathers conclusions King Iohn of France committed to the Tower Not long after King Edward and the King of France entred into a parley for a longer time of Truce But their conclusions and agreements were vtterly disliked by his eldest Sonne Charles then Regent of France and Duke of Normandie and by the whole Baronie of that Countie Whereupon King Edward with all expedition and conuenient speed made greater preparation to make Warre there then hee had done at anie time before And hauing committed the French king and his sonne Philip with honorable attendance close prisoners to the Tower of London himselfe with the Blacke Prince his sonne transported thither a puissant Armie ANNO. 34. King Edward and the Black Prince doe land a puisant Armie at Callice The Regent Dolphin sueth for Peâ—ce and landed at his Towne of Callice and from thence hee marched strongly vnto Rhemes where he besieged the Castle seuen weekes but did not winne it in the end From thence he marched towards Paris and Chartres wasting burning and killing in all places as he passed so that hee compelled the Regent and the Nobilitie of France to become earnest petitioners vnto him for peace which they obtained vpon these Articles ensuing 1. FIrst that King IOHN should pay for his ransom The Articles of the Peace fiue hundred thousand Pounds of sterling money 2. Secondly That from thencefoorth No King of France should aide or assist The Ransom any King of Scotland in any Warre or Rebellion against England And that no King of England should from thencefoorth take part with the Flemings in any expedition or Warre against France 3. Thirdly That the Kings of England should haue and for euer enioy freely without homage and in their owne right their Territories in Gascoyne and in Guyan with the Precincts Castles Forts Townes and Cities of Poyters and Perygrot The Earledomes of Bygrot Poytiau and Guyens the Citie of Lymoges Tharbes Guaire Agen Angolesme Agenoys Rauerne and Caours The Lordship of Xantes Caumesin Hammes Ouy and Mountrell with the
Seigniories of Callice Marguise Sandgate and Coloigne 4. And lastly That in regard thereof King EDWARD The Title to the Crowne of France is relinquished As well in the behalfe of himselfe as of his Successours Kings of England should vtterly renounce and leaue both the name and title to the Kingdome of France And for the performance of these Articles ANNO. 34 How the obseruation of this Peace was ratified The King and Prince returne into England Charles the Regent of France and the Prince of Wales in the presence of six Knights of either Nation receiued the holy Sacrament at the high Altar and then King Edward and his sonne returned into England and were with all complements of loue and kindnesse entertained and feasted at the Tower of London by the French King who was conueyed from thence to Callis The French King feasteth them The two princes sweare Hostages where according to agreement he remained foure moneths and then King Edward repaired to him and both of them at a high Masse solemnly swore to obserue performe and keepe the said Articles and the peace And King Iohn for the hostages of his Ransome deliuered to King Edward foure Dukes seauen Earles ten Barons many Knights and two of the worthiest Burgesses of euery great Citie in France and tooke a most friendly leaue of the King and of the Prince of Wales and departed towards Boleine King Iohn was a prisoner foure yeares he hauing remained a prisoner more then foure yeares And King Edward with his sonne returned into England bringing with them their honorable Hostages who were with all humanitie and kindnesse feasted and entertained by the King and by his Nobilitie and were permitted freely to vse all sports pastimes and exercises for pleasure and contentation as they pleased ANNO. 37 Three Kings doe visite King Edward King Iohn dieth in England The Blacke Prince liueth in Burdeaux ANNO. 40 The causes of King Edwards future losses in those Countries Peter King of Castile is deposed by Henry the Bastard King Charles the fifth taketh part with Henrie the Bastard The Blacke Prince being victorious resetleth Peter in his Kingdome About two yeares after king Edward was at one time visited for loue and kindnesse onely and for no businesse at all by three Kings that is to say by king Iohn of France Dauid the king of Scots and by the king of Cyprus and were with all munificent bountie and liberalitie feasted and honored by the King but king Iohn fell sick and dyed in the Sauoy and his body was conuayd vnto S. Dennis in France where with great pomp and princely ceremonies it was buried The next yeare following the noble Prince of â—ales and his wife being very gallantly attended and prouided went vnto Burdeaux where he liued and gouerned the kings Prouinces thereabout and elsewhere in France to the great contentment and good liking of the Nobles and commons of those Countries In the fortith yeare of king Edwards raigne an vnfortunate businesse was taken in hand by the valiant Prince of Wales which albeit it were performed with great resolution and was rewarded with deserued honor yet within few yeares by reason of a future accident it was the occasion that king Edward lost a great part of his territories in France and it was thus Peter the true and lawfull king of Castile was in the field ouerthrowne put to flight and dispossessed of his Crowne by Henry his Bastard Brother who was assisted by Charles the fifth the sonne of Iohn the deceased king of France This poore distressed king in his wants and miserie repaired to the Prince of Wales for ayd who for his restoring and vpon large and faithfull promises of liberall pay and great rewards conducted an armie into Castile And albeit that the Spanish and the French forces were in number four times more then the Princes were yet in a bloudie battaile the most of them were slaine and the rest were put to flight And king Peter was againe restored to his Crowne and setled in his kingdome by the Prince who returned againe to Burdeaux with great honor But not long after Henry the Bastard Henrie the Bastard taketh and slaieth Peter Peters two heires married to Iohn of Gant and Thomas of Woodstocke The want of pay was the Prince his ouerthrow This Taxe mard all being newly supplied with fresh forces warred with such great furie and violence vpon king Peter that he subdued him and to preuent all future claymes and troubles which he might make he caused him to be put to death But his two daughters and heires were after marryed vnto Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and to Thomas of Woodstock two of king Edwards sonnes By reason of king Peters death the Prince his souldiours being hopelesse to receiue their promised pay and large rewards and being oppressed with many wants daily petitioned the Prince to supply their need But he finding none other meanes to support their necessities nor being stored with money to relieue their pouertie imposed contrary to the customes of those Countries diuers Taxes vpon the inhabitants of Aquitaine which so highly did displease them that the Lords thereof complained of this sharp noueltie to the French king who flatly contrary to the Articles not long before concluded on for peace betwixt England and France arrogated to himselfe the Soueraignty ouer the Prince The French King breakes the League and his Dominions in France and sommoned him to appeare before him at Paris So that the peace and those agreed Articles were broken by the French king The Prince sommoned to appeare at Paris Warres proclaimed Almost all do reuolt from the Prince The mutabilitie of fortun An vnfortunate yeare and warres were againe proclaymed betweene England and France But before the Prince of Wales could enable his forces for a strong defence the inhabitants of those Countries for the most part reuolted from him and dayly yeelded their Townes Cities Forts and Castles into the hands of the French king So that king Edward who for the space of forty yeares together was most honorable and more fortunate then any other Christian Prince by gayning of incredible victories vpon the Scots and French Nation within the compasse of one yeare without blowes lost almost all his Commaund in those Prouinces which by the said agreement and articles of peace were allotted and by solemne oath assured vnto him King Charles of France forgetting what he had sworne ANNO. 43 The French Name and pleasing himselfe thus quietlie to be made the Lord of all those Countries which were assigned to king Edward conceiued strong hope not only to defeat him vtterly of all these Countries but also to vex him at home in his owne kingdome And for that purpose he furnished a strong Nauie with which he kept the Narrow Seas But king Edward to driue those forces back againe sent his sonne Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Iohn of Gant with an
to speak with the Rebels but dared not Whereupon the King purposing if hee might to preuent all future mischiefes which were threatned by this disorder and being accompanied with some of his wisest and discreetest Lords and Counsellors went by water to Grauesend But when hee perceiued their vnruly madnesse and their rage and furie and that all their numbers consisted of the basest Swads and of the Off-scumme of the People hee feared to put himselfe into their hands and returned backe againe to the Tower They resolue to burn South warke They enter into London Their kind entertainement pleaseth them The next day they all came to London But finding the Gates to be shut against them and the Bridge to bee strongly fortified they intended first to kill all the inhabitants of South-warke then to steale their goods and last of al to consume it vtterly with fire But to preuent that mischiefe a free entrance was giuen them into the Citie where the greatest men made them the best cheere and fed them with their chiefest dainties and by liberall gifts in some sort pacified their furie and their rage Then they entred into the Sauoy which then belonged to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Kings Vncle which house they rifled The Sauoy burned burnt and wickedly murdered all his Officers whom they found there The Innes of Court rifled They also robbed all the Innes of Court burnt their Law-bookes and sacrilegiously they stole in all Churches and in all Religious Houses They commit sacriledg accounting their monstrous thefts to bee no sinne They also released out of all Prisons all manner of offenders whatsoeuer Prisoners enlarged Wat Tylars crueltie to his old master Among sundrie other outrages which they then committed Their chiefest Ring-leader Wat Tylar sent for his old Master named Richard Lion a worthie and graue Citizen from whom during the time of his seruice he had receiued for a foule offence some smal correction and for a reuenge without other iudgment according to his gracelesse command All strangers are rifled his head was striken off and borne vpon a Launce before him in the streets They also robbed and spoiled all Flemmings Frenchmen Lombards and other Forrainers inhabiting in or neere about the Citie of London 60000. The inciuilitie at Saint Katherines And at length their numbers being encreased to threescore thousand they came to Saint Katherines neere to the Kings lodging where they remained that night But such were their hideous beastly and confused howlings roarings whoopings and out-cries that oftentimes the King and his Counsell feared greatly least by treacherie and by treason they had possessed themselues of the Tower in which he lay The next morning they sent againe to the King The King goeth to Mile-end-Greene to speake with the Rebels Wat Tylor entreth into the Tower He robbeth the Kings Mother He beheadeth the Archbishop of Canterburie entreating him to speake with them at Mile-end-greene But his Highnes was no sooner gone thither then Wat Tilar with fortie more of his wicked and rascall companions pressed in by violence at the Tower Gates and robbed the Chambers and the lodgings there not sparing those which did belong to the Princesse of Wales the Kings mother whose head Wat Tilar brake and in such rude and beastly sort behaued himselfe towards her that feare and griefe encreased a sicknesse in her which a long time after was dangerous to her life They also apprehended there Simon a learned and â— famous Archbishop of Canterburie and stroke off his head because vpon the first notice of Iohn Wals traiterous perswasions to the base rascals hee had committed him to a short and to an easie imprisonment The King assoone as he came to Mile-end-greene demaunded what it was that with such violence they required Manumission is required and promised They all with a mightie shout and with a horrible confused crie desired that they might be manumitted and set free and that their posterities might not be Villaines nor in bondage The King graciously replied that he would not only grant in most ample and large manner their demand and procure it to be established by a Parliament The Kings Banners and Pardon giuen to the Rebels but gaue vnto them his banners for their safe-conduct to returne into their Countries and to their owne houses and also pardoned them their rebellion and their offence The greater part of this rude multitude The greater number doe depart to their Houses who were not made acquainted with anie further mischiefe which was secretly intended by the rest returned vnto London where with all conuenient speed by instruments in writing The Kingâ—â—heerefully performed his promise and thereupon great numbers of them returned to their owne homes But Wat Tilar and about twentie thousand more of his wicked and gracelesse consorts determining if it was possible Twenty thousand would not depart Wat Tylor comes into Smithfield The King commeth to the Rebels first to ransack and then to burne the Citie of London kept manie of the Kings banners and his pardons which were vnder the great seale and came with all his remaining Rable into Smithfield When the King heard that this vnruly assembly was not vtterly dissolued to preuent in time such mischiefe as they might doe being garded but with a small strength hee presented himselfe before the Rebels and with all Princely courtesie and kindnesse behaued himselfe towards them and perswaded them to deâ—ist from all violence and from wrong assuring them that they should not only obtaine their libertie and pardons but should vpon trial find him to bee their good Lord and gracious King But the Arch-Traytour Wat Tylar refuseth the Kings fauors Wat Tilar with a frowning countenance insolent behauiour and rough speech refused to accept of the Kings fauour and proudly told him that all these Troupes and manie more thousands were readie at his beck to doe and to execute whatsoeuer he would command His proud speech to the King and to the end that his pride might want no manner of audacious boldnesse he required the Kings Esquire who bare the sword to deliuer to him his dagger But with a â—â—out answere He requireth his Sword-bearers dagger and with a man-like courage hee refused so to doe vntill he was by the King commanded to deliuer it Now when the Traytor had thus gotten the dagger he required to haue the sword also but the Esquire told him plainly that it was the Kings sword and should not bee giuen to a Knaue Whereat Wat Tilar was so extraordinarily incensed He requireth to haue the Kings sword The Esquires stout answere The vow of Wat Tylar Wat Tylar slaine by the Maior of London For this cause that Citie giues the Sword in her Armes The Rebels prepare for reuenge The Londoners sent an Armie into Smithfield The Kings Banners and Pardons are redeliuered They are torne in the Rebels view that with an
and Robert Tresilian the chiefe Iustice was hanged at Tiborne and the rest of those Iudges had beene hanged in like sort Execution if vpon the importunate and vncessant request of the Queene their liues had not beene redeemed by their banishment Banishment And thus were the threatnings of ciuil wars conuerted into some assurance of prosperitie and of peace ANNO. 12 The Scots do inuade But the next yeare following the Scots inuaded this realme and did much harme against whom great preparations were made by the King who resolued to recompence his owne damage by iust and seuere reuenge A Truce betwixt England France and Scotland for seuen yeares ANNO. 13 Iohn of Gant goeth with an Armie into Spaine But the wisdome and discretion of manie great Estates were such that a Truce was concluded to endure for three yeares betwixt England France and Scotland which shortly after was enlarged for foure yeares more So that now all matters betwixt those three Kingdomes and their Kings being blessed with tranquilitie and with peace the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster was suffered by the King to leuie a strong Armie which hee transported into Spaine where he demanded his right to the Kingdome of Castile in the behalfe of Constance his wife who was the eldest daughter of Peter the deposed and slaine king ANNO. 14 How his bran attempts succeeded there His two Daughters are married to the Kings of Spaine and of Portingall In those Warres the Duke and his Armie performed manie honourable seruices and with the assistance of the king of Portugale so preuailed that to conclude a sued for peace the king of Spaine married with Constance the Dukes eldest daughter by his said wife and gaue vnto him eight Waggons loaden with massie Gold and secured him and his wife of the yearely payment of ten thousand Markes during both their liues And then the Duke went into Portugale where he married Anne his yonger daughter to the king of that Countrie and then returned into England with great riches and much honour ANNO. 16 Lawes against the Popes vsurped Authoritie This time of peace betwixt England other nations bred some quarrelling betwixt the king and the Pope who vsurped too too much authoritie and iurisdiction within this Realme Wherefore to preuent such mischiefes as this intolerable sufferance mght beget in a Parliament vpon graue and great aduise it was enacted That the Popes pretended authoritie within this kingdom should cease and be determined and that no appeale for anie matter or cause whatsoeuer should from thenceforth bee made to the See of Rome vpon the penaltie of a premunire which did extend to perpetuall imprisonment and to the forfeiture of the Lands and goods of such as contrarie to that law presumed to offend ANNO. 17 In the seuenteenth yeare of king Richards Raigne his faire and vertuous Queene Anne died ANNO. 19 And about two yeares after the king married the Ladie Isabel daughter to the French king Charles the sixth By reason whereof a peace was concluded betwixt those two kings King Richard marrieth the French kings daughter A Peace for thirtie yeares Brest is yeelded vp The Duke of Glocester reprooues the King for it The death of the Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle is plotted A Machauillian pollicie Ambition makes euill Princes confident that their Vertues doe deserue much The King intendeth the destruction of his Barrons being gulled with an vntrue report Certaine Lords surprised A ParliameÌ„t A grosse flâ—ttering Speaker The Archbishop of Canterburie is accused of Treason How the king wronged the Archbishop to endure for thirtie yeares And king Richard being too kind but too little aduised of his owne accord and free will surrendred and gaue vp to the Duke of Brittaine the strong Towne and Castle of Brest which verie much grieued and discontented his Nobilitie especially his Vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester who told him plainly that it was not conuenient that without blowes with the said Duke of Brittaine hee should haue departed with that strong Towne and Castle which his ancestors had wonne with the expence of much bloud Whereat the king was so much displeased that in his heart hee causelessely vowed seuere reuenge and in this his hastie passion he was abused and furthered by such of his Fauourites as enuied the estate the vertues and honour of the Duke causing strangers to informe the king flateringly and malitiously that diuers of the Princes Electors intended to haue made him Emperor had not some others of them gainsaid it and alleadged that he was altogether vnfit to gouerne the dispersed Segniorieâ— and Dominions of the Empire who could not rule and command his owne subiects at home The greedie desire which king Richard had to bee magnified and made great by being dignified with the name and power of the Empire and his strong reliance vpon the vntrue report which was suggested vnto him by such as only endeuoured to whet his anger against his Lords armed him with subtletie and with a heartie desire to circumuent his Barons though it were done with the breach of his oath and with the shipwracke of his honour So that pretending much loue and fauour towards them but especially to the Duke of Glocester his Vncle and to the two Earles of Arondell and Warwicke hee caused them to be apprehended when as they imagined they had least cause to feare And hauing so done he assembled his High Court of Parliament In which his basest and his grossest flatterer the speaker of the Lower House named Sir Iohn Bush who was a man of a most proud insolent and aspiring spirit irreligiously profanely and dishonestly in a formall and in a tedious speech attributed vnto the King the highest titles of diuine honour and therefore condemned almost to Hell all such as traiterously had conspired against his Maiestie Among whom hee particularly impeached Thomas Lord Archbishop of Canterburie sitting next vnto the King who made no answere at all thereto because the King himselfe vnder pretence of more then ordinarie loue and fauour had priuatly enioyned him vnto silence and vnto future absence from that Assembly promising and protesting that nothing should be attempted or done against him by anie meanes Yet notwithstanding for want of his presence and of his answere to the said vntrue obiections he was with the Kings consent banished this Realme He is banished Warwicke and Arundell are condemned as Traytors Arundell is beheaded Salisburie is banished and dieth miserably The Duke of Glocester murdered at Callice by Thomas Mowbray Earle of Notingham A weake parliament to grant such an vnreasonable Commission And the two Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke were also condemned of High Treason and shortly after the former of those two lost his head And so had Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke if by his humble confession of thinges vntrue and vpon his great submission steeped in teares and much
sorrow he had not procured a mitigation of his punishment For hee was confined into the I le of Wight where contrarie to the Kings promise hee endured such miserie and was so grieuously oppressed with the griefe which hee sustained by reason of his great wants that he quickly died But the good Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle being vnsentenced was sent to Callice where according to the Kings directions Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham betwixt two feather-beds caused him to be smothered to death for which good seruice he was afterwards made a Duke This being done the King procured the Vpper and the Lower Houses of Parliament to make an example without precedent by granting full and absolute authoritie vnto six or eight such persons as he should nominate finally to determine all such causes and to enact them as then remained vndiscussed and not ended there This act not only made him proud but to serue his present turnes he nominated for that purpose such as to please his humour decreed manie thinges which were dishonourable to the King and hurtfull to the Common-weale The King will be called Prince of Cheshire The King also to please his Guard who for the most part were Cheshire men of ordinarie parentage and of base birth caused himselfe verie ridiculously to bee stiled Prince of Cheshire as if it had beene more honourable for him to be such a Prince then to be the King and Monarch of the whole Realme And to adde more strength and liking vnto those thinges which then were done amisse the King bestowed manie honorable dignities vpon some of his best liked Noble-men So that his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and who was at that time Earle of Darby was by him created Duk of Hartford his Cousin Edward Plantagenet being Earle of Rutland Creation of Noblemen was created Duke of Aubemarle and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham was made Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Kent was created Duke of Surrie and Sir Iohn Holland his brother being Earle of Huntington was made Duke of Exeter and the Earle of Somerset was created Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Spencer was made Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuil Earle of Westmerland the Lord William Scrope Earle of Wilshire and the Lord Percie was created Earle of Worcester and vpon all these he bestowed many great Lordships Mannors and large reuenewes which of late did belong to his murdred vncle Thomas of Woodstock sometimes Duke of Glocester and vnto the said two deceased Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke He also granted his free pardon to all offendors whatsoeuer A craftie Pardon which inabled the King to much mischiefe fifteene only excepted whom he would not nominate By which vngodly and craftie pollicie hee hedged his Nobilitie â—ound about with continuall feare and made them most seruile and most base For if anie one of them in anie high measure had offended him hee would then pronounce him to bee one of those fifteene who were excepted out of his free and generall pardon and then would put his life vpon triall for supposed and surmised Treason It happned about this time ANNO. 22 that Henrie Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and Cousin to the King The Kings Cousin desireth reformation in the King by his friend Tho. Mowbray Duke of Norfolke whom the King did fauour extraordinarily was much grieued daily to heare such slanderous reports as were too commonly noysed of the King partly vpon his too much libertie which beyond the Lawes hee challenged in the course of his Gouernment and partly by reason of his vniust and vnskilfull managing of the weightie affaires and businesses of his Kingdome And though affection by meanes of his neere consanguinitie with the King moued him heartily to wish for and to desire a present reformation of those euills yet could hee not better deuise how hee might effect that which hee so much craued than by making vse of his great familiaritie and acquaintance with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke who had an extraoâ—dinarie interest in the Kings fauour Wherevpon very priuately and in great secrecie as vnto a most kind and louing friend he imparted the causes of his griefe in that behalfe vnto the said Duke and earnestly entreated him vpon fit opportunitie and at his leasure and as from himselfe seriously to informe the King of the said reports and withall to entreate his Highnesse to extend more grace and more fauour to those Lords who for his honour and the Kingdomes good had both incurred his displeasure and also were with too much extremitie condemned of High Treason But the Duke of Norfolke who more respected his owne preferment than the kings honour and strongly presumed that hee had now gotten fit meanes to advance himselfe by his friends fall related all his sayings to the King A false and an vnfaithfull friend in the rudest and most vnciuill maner which he could deuise and added manie things to his relation which were vntrue and neuer spoken thereby aggrauating an offence which was not committed and incensing the king with high indignation to vow reuenge and punishment when the Duke of Hartfords fidelitie and loyall seruice deserued great thankes and a good reward The King is angrie The Duke of Hartford answereth for himselfe The king was so much vexed and enraged by meanes of these tidinges that nothing could giue him anie contentment in anie thing vntill his Cousin the Duke had made his answere therevnto And being sharply pressed thereunto by the king Such things as in that secret and friendly manner hee had desired might bee reformed he both confessed and iustified But the vntrue suggestions which falsly and malitiously were added he denied The Combat challenged and accepted And to cleare himselfe of them hee challenged the Duke of Norfolke to a single Combate which was by him accepted and consented vnto by the king But when the appointed day was come and the two Dukes were within the Lists readily prepared and aduanced themselues each toward the other for the encounter The King would not permit them to proceed but banished the Duke of Norfolke for euer Banishment who shortly after died at Venice and his Cousin the Duke of Hartford hee exiled for six yeares King Charles the sixt Whereupon Hee sayled into France and was honourably receiued by King Charles the sixth Father to the Queene of England King Richards wife who so effectually iustified him in his said actions and doings and so highly affected his Descent his Personage his Wisdome his Vertues and his right Noble Conditions that he would haue bestowed vpon him in marriage the Daughter of his Vncle the Duke of Berrie if his Sonne-in-law King Richard by extraordinarie sollicitations and by vnusuall meanes had not beene the hinderer thereof Iohn of Gant dieth Not long after this Dukes Banishment his
father Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Vncle to the king died the descent of which Dutchie would haue made the said Duke a potent Prince But the king refreshing his humours with new practises of secret reuenge and that hee might keepe him lowe vniustly seized vpon all the Lordships The King wrongeth Henrie the new Duke of Lancaster and Possessions belonging to that Dutchie and vpon all the moueables of his said deceased Vncle and shared and distributed them among his Sycophants and wicked Counsellours Which tyrannous and wrongful dealing so much displeased his vncle the Duke of Yorke and his cousin the Duke of Aumarle Edmund of Langley and Edward his sonne More wicked Counsellors to the King Scrope Bushe Bagâ—t Greeâ—e The King farmeth his Kingâ—â—me and sayleth into Ireland The Iourney câ—st h m â—â—s Crowne and his life ANNO 23 The Duke of Lancasâ—â—r landeth in England His companies encrease to a strong Armie He is râ—ceiued iâ—to Loâ—â—â—â— He 〈◊〉 into the Wâ—â—â— King Riâ—â—â—â— returâ—â—â—â— He 〈…〉 Three of the w â—ked Counsellors wâ—re bâ—â—eaded The Kings 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 to the Dukâ— that presently they left the Kings Court and retyred themselues to their owne houses At this time King Richard was wholly mis-led and lewdly directed in all his doings and negotiations by his principall fauourites Sir William Scrope Earle of Wilshire Sir Iohn Bushe Sir Iames Bagot and Sir Henrie Greene by whose aduice without the consent of his priuie Counsellors of Estate he leuied a strong Armie farmed to them for certaine yeares his whole Kingdome and all his Reuenues belonging thereunto and sayled into Ireland where hee behaued himselfe so valiantly that hee subdued that rebelling Nation and by his seueritie he compelled them to be willing to obey But in his absence his banished cousin Henrie of Bullingbroke Duke of Hartford and of Lancaster together with his old friend and exiled companion Thomas Archbishop of Canterburie returned into England to make clayme to his Duchie of Lancaâ—ter His first landing was in the North where such was the singular loue and the great affection of the Noblemen and of the common sort of people towards him partly in regard of his noblenesse and vertues and partly in regard of the Kings disordered courses in his gouernment that they all with extraordinarie chearefulnesse and alacritie flocked vnto him well armed and in great troupes So that within few dayes his companies were encreased to a strong Armie with which hee marched peaceably and in good order vnto London and was receiued entertained and feasted there with much honour and great joy And from thence he went into the Westerne parts of this Kingdome the people in all places where hee came being heartily gladded with much contentment with his doings But in the meane time King Richard who was returned and had quickly leuied great forces which hee conducted against the Duke perceiuing that euerie day his subjects fled from him and voluntarily offered their seruice to the Duke and being certainely informed that Sir William Scrope Earle of Wilshire Sir Iohn Bushe and Sir Henrie Greene three of his wicked Counsellors and vpon whome he most of all relyed were taken and had lost their heads despairing of anie safetie to be gained by force and violence of his owne accord hee came vnto his cousin the Duke of Lancaster confessed publikely his owne insufficiencie and weakenesse to rule and to gouerne well praysed the Dukes rare and singular vertues and his absolute worthinesse to be a King and proffered to make him an absolute Surrender of his whole Kingdome if hee would accept thereof A faint refusall But the Duke though hee much affected the wearing of a Crowne yet because hee hoped that the fauour of the Nobilitie Gentrie and of the common People would freely cast that burthen and Dignitie vpon him with greater safetie and assurance of continuance refused to accept thereof and protesting with manie pleasing speeches That he onely desired to enioy his owne Patrimonie and to reforme such things as were amisse hee caused the King with verie honourable and respectiue attendance to be guarded to the Tower of London The King is sent to the Tower and then hee assembled a Parliament in which among sundrie other things were publikely proposed these ensuing Articles concerning the euill Gouernment of the King The Duke summoneth a Parliament Articles proposed in Parliament against the King 1. INprimis That hee would not permit the said Duke of Hartford who was so much wronged for his good aduice and counsell touching the Kings Gouernment to fight the Combate against the falsely accusing Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke and yet banished him vniustly for six yeares 2. Item That albeit vnder the Great Seale of his Kingdome he had licenced the said Duke of Hartford at his departure out of England to make his Atturney to proceed for him in his causes of Law yet hee being gone the King would not permit anie man to deale for him in his absence 3. Item That verie vncharitably he prohibited all his Nobilitie and all others to be sutors vnto him for the said Duke of Hartfords returne from his vniust banishment vpon the forfeiture of their liues and goods 4. Item That after the death of Iohn of Gaunt the Kings vncle father to the said Duke and Duke of Lancaster hee had wrongfully seized into his hands all his moueables whatsoeuer and had diuided and shared them among his gracelesse and wicked Counsellors and had also by like iniustice seized all the possessions of the said Duchie of Lancaster which rightfully did belong to the said Duke of Hartford into his owne hands and kept the profits thereof to his owne vse 5. Item that colourably as a good friend to Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterburie who was falsly accused of high treason to the King as he sat next to him in the higher house of Parliament hee persuaded the said Archbishop to make no answer at all in defence of the said accusation nor repaire anie more to the same house protesting that neither the said accusation nor his silence nor his absence should be hurtfull or preiudiciall vnto him and yet banished him out of the Realme not hauing examined the said surmised treason 6. Item that whereas his Chancellour had refused in an vniust matter to grant a prohibition vnder the great Seale of England the King himselfe to peruert the due course of Iustice and of right granted the said prohibition vnder his priuie seale and straitly required that it should be executed and obeyed 7. Item that most vnnaturally and cruelly hee had procured Thomas Mowbray to smother to death betwixt two fetherbeds the Kings most noble and most renowned vncle Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester when wrongfully and without anie good cause hee was a prisoner at Callice and afterwards dignified the said murderer first with the Earldome of Nottingham then with the Office of the Marshall generall of England and last of all
made him Duke of Norfolk he being altogether vnworthie of so great honor 8. Item that the King to further his last Expedition for Ireland without law without iustice tooke from the Clergie and many Religious houses great store of monie plate iewels and rich ornaments not hauing the owners consent so to doe 9 Item that in the same iournie without the approbation of his Counsell of Estate hee carried with him into Ireland the plate and rich iewels belonging to the Crowne which might haue tended to the great inpouerishment of this Realme 10 Item that in euerie Shire he had secret Intelligencers vpon whose bare information that ane man had repined at the Kings bad gouernement the partie so accused without examination or triall was enforced to procure his pardon by the payment of a grieuous fine 11 Item that by the lewd aduise of his wicked Counsellours hee had deuised manie subtle and craftie Oathes by meanes whereof manie of his honest Subiects had beene vndone 12 Item that by the like aduise and counsell he procured Ruffians and desperate companions to accuse rich but weake men of sundrie falsly-supposed crimes and imagined offences and by meanes thereof enforced them to redeeme the combate with much monie 13 Item that he gaue large gifts vnto wicked and lewd companions who malitiously to aduance their owne Estates animated him against diuers of his Barons who only desired a good reformation of his euill gouernment and imposed diuers Taxes vpon his people to enrich them 14 Item that hee had procured such Records to bee cancelled and imbeselled as testified his extortions and his oppressions vniustly imposed vpon his people 15 Item that he had oftentimes said that the Lawes of his Kingdome were in his owne breast and that vpon this opinion hee had put to death manie of his noble men and some of his inferiour subiects without iust cause 16 Item that most of his writings and letters vnto foraigne Princes and Estates were so craftie ambiguous doubtfull and vncertaine that they could not relie confidently vpon anie thing which he had written 17 Item that in his Parliament holden in the one and twentieth yeare of his Raigne his Cheshire Guard who onely were permitted and suffered to weare weapons committed many Robberies and Murders and yet not one of them was punished or reproued for the same 18 Item that to insinuate fauour with those loose and lewd companions the King had basely and fondly dishonoured his High Estate and Soueraigntie by entitling himselfe The Prince of Cheshire 19 Item that whereas in the same Parliament sundrie great Lords intended liberally and dutifully to haue spoken of such things as were not well ordered to the end that they might haue beene reformed the King in such sort threatned them that for feare of ensuing dangers they held themselues silent and spake not at all 20 Item that hee exacted great fines from the wealthiest of his Subiects for adhearing to the Barons notwithstanding that in full Parliament he had before granted them his free pardon 21 Item that by himselfe and his owne authoritie he had displaced diuers Burgesses of the Parliament and had placed such other in their roomes as would better fit and serue his owne turne 22 Item that contrarie to his solemne Oath and instrument in writing vnder the great Seale of his Kingdome Hee had not only disallowed the Commission granted in the same Parliament to the thirteene Lords to enquire of and to reforme the great abuses and the apparant misgouernment of the Common-Weale But also had exiled beheaded and otherwise executed diuers Noble Men and others who for the Kings honour and for the safetie and welfare of the Common-Weale had procured the said Commission or had executed the said Authoritie according to the trust and confidence in them reposed 23 Item that whereas hee had caused certaine Lawes in the same Parliament to bee made for his owne gaine and to serue his owne turne hee procured the Popes Bulles to curse such as should withstand or disobey them which thing greatly tended to the derogation of his Crowne and was done expressely against his owne law made against the Authoritie of the Pope within this Realme but seuen yeares before 24 Item that hee had displaced lawfull and good Shiriffes and had elected others whom he suffered to continue and to hold the said Office two yeares together and more because their vniust oppressions augmented and encreased his gaine King Richard confesseth all the Articles The transcript of all these Articles and Obiections were by both the Houses of Parliament authentically sent vnto the king who not only confessed them to bee true and acknowledged his owne insufficiencie to rule and to gouerne better but also by a plaine He resignes his Crowne King Richard is deposed Henrie Duke of Lancaster is made King Thomas Arundell restored to the Archbishopprick of Canterburie and exact instrument in writing vnder his hand and Seale hee resigned his Crowne and kingdome to his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster which being read publikely and beeing generally ratified approoued and confirmed by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and by the Commons in the same Parliament assembled they deposed king Richard and made the said Duke king And his true and faithfull friend and his companion in Banishment Thomas Arundell Archbishoppe of Canterburie being then and there restored to his place and dignitie installed the said Henrie in the kingly Throne And the late King Richard was sent to Pomfret Castle there to bee safely kept and with Princely honour to bee maintained but verie shortly after by the new kings direction and commaundement who feared least his Estate might bee shaken so long as Richard liued hee was wickedly and villanously assaulted in his Lodging King Richard is cruelly murdered by Sir Pierce Exton and eight other armed men from one of which with a Princely courage hee wrested a browne-Bill and therewith slewe foure of his Mischieuous and Vngodly Assailants He was very valiant and with admirable resolution fought with all the rest vntill comming by his owne Chaire in which the base Cowardly Knight himselfe stood for his owne safetie hee was by him striken with a Polle-axe in the hinder part of his head Though hee were an euill King yet no religion warranted those vniust proceedings so that presently he fell downe and died And thus was hee wicredly and treacherously murdered and his bodie buried at Langley but was afterwardes remoued vnto Westminster where it now lieth THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE FOVRTH ALTHOVGH the Crowne of England ANNO. 1. 1399. in right if Richard the deposed king should die without issue was by succession to descend vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March the Son and heire of Edmund Mortimer by Philip his wife who was the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third Yet his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and
released by the King without ransome hauing slaine more than six thousand of his enemies of which thirtie and six fell by his own sword obtained a famous victorie And because the Earle Douglas in a single combate with the King himselfe performed the part of an approued and of a worthie knight the King granted him his libertie without ransome The next day following the King and all his armie with great deuotion and reuerence gaue thankes vnto Almightie GOD for their good and honourable successe Thanksgiuing vnto God The Earle of Worcester is beheaded and then he caused the Earle of Worcester to be beheaded and manie others being ring-leaders in that Rebellion to be drawne hanged and quartered and did set their heads vpon London Bridge The Prince marcheth into Wales Owen Glendor forsaken by his companions He is famished to death And the King intending forthwith to pursue and prosecute his good fortunes for the surer setling of his estate in future time sent the Prince of Wales and his whole armie into Wales But when hee came thither his chiefest enemie Owen Glendor was vtterly forsaken by his whole companies and shrowded himselfe in the Woods and being compassed round about by the Princes forces who eagerly hunted to apprehend him hee was miserably famished to death and manie of his associates being taken were put to death and then the Prince returned joyfully to the King The Earle of Northumberlands voluntarie submission Now whilest the Prince was thus busied in Wales Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland came of his owne accord and submitted himselfe to the Kings mercie protesting and swearing with manie oathes That he was neuer made acquainted nor intermedled in those Treasons And though the King conceiued not the least thought which might excuse him yet for that time hee entertained him with smooth words and with a smiling countenance and suffered him to come and to goe at his pleasure because he had in his possession the Castle of Barwike and other places of great strength A Chalenge sent by the Duke of Orleans to king Henrie When all these Troubles had found an end Lewis Duke of Orleance brother to the French King being prowd and vainglorious sent a Chalenge to King Henrie requiring him with one hundred chosen men at armes of his Kingdome in some indifferent and conuenient place to fight with him and with the like number of Frenchmen for honours sake But the King with great discretion and wisdome made him this answere King Henries discreet answere That his former actions in warlike employments could clearely acquite him from the infamous name and title of a Coward And that Kings ought not to be so carelesse of their Countries and of their people whome GOD had committed vnto their charge and gouernment as to fight for anie cause except it were for the furtherance or for the maintenance of true Religion or in defence of their Rights or to defend their Kingdomes from forraine enemies or to reuenge their wrongs and for such like important causes And also that a Soueraigne and an annointed King by the Lawes of Armes and of Honor was not bound to answere anie Chalenge in the field except it were made vpon good cause by his Equall in Dignitie and in Office And yet hee further added this That hee would at all times be verie readie to repulse and to represse anie violence or wrong which the Duke should dare rashly or vnaduisedly at anie time to attempt against him or anie of his people The Duke A rash attempt had a disgracefull end being ouer-passionate when he receiued this discreet and mild answere with all expedition besieged the Towne of Vergie in Guian and remained there for the space of three moneths and somewhat more In which time hee offered manie sharpe assaults and much violence but receiued as manie stout repulses as he could well endure And in the end hauing lost manie of his best men and chiefest friends he was compelled disgracefully to raise his siege and to returne into France The Duke of Burgoine also supposing that the instabilitie of king Henries estate at home The Duke of Burgoyne attempteth the regaining of Callice could not permit him to leaue his Kingdome and to warre abroad obtained leaue of the French King to attempt the regaining of Callice to the French For which purpose he procured a puissâ—nt Armie in which he had six thousand valiant men at armes fifteene hundred crosbowes and twelue thousand ordinarie Souldiers on foot But when the French Kings Councell were informed of the great preparations made in England by King Henrie to defeat them and had maturely considered of the difficultie yea almost of the impossibilitie of this attempt the said Duke was commanded to desist from his intended seruice He is required to desist whereat hee was much grieued and did coniecture that the proud Duke of Orleans and some others had discouraged the King in that businesse because they were iealous that by his valour hee would winne too much honour and renowne Experience teacheth vs that as the highest Trees are subiect most to bee hurted by a storme ANNO. 6. A new Rebellion secretly plotted but discouered so the greatest Estates are in greatest danger to be shaken by Enuie An euident poofe therof appeared plainly in the whole course of this Kings Raigne For no sooner was hee freed from one mischiefe but incontinently he was threatned by another And though he had now escaped the great dangers of two former Treasons and Rebellions and had beene victorious ouer the Scots and the Welch Rebels and had out-faced the French who if they had dared would haue attempted high Atchieuements at Callice and in Aquitaine and in Guian yet was he now againe in hazard to haue beene turmoiled with an other Ciuill Warre at home which secretly was plotted and contriued by Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland Richard Scrope Archbishoppe of Yorke Thomas Mowbray Earle Marshall and by the Lords Hâ—stings Faulconbridge and Bardolf and by diuers others But as in such like cases it often falleth out The King sodainely surpriseth the Traitours so this Traiterous Conspiracie was secretly reuealed to the King who came so vnexpectedly with an Armie into the North that ere anie man reported the newes of his comming hee surprized the said Lords the Earle of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf excepted and strake off their heads But the said Earle fled into France from whence hee came afterwards into Scotland The Prince warreth in Scotland prosperously where hee was promised to be aided against the King But to preuent such mischiefes as those intendements did threaten the Prince of Wales was sent into Scotland with an Armie where he burnt and spoiled without controlment at his owne will and pleasure and recouered to the Kings vse the Castles of Barwicke and of Anwicke and enforced the Scots to craue a truce which was granted vnto them for a few monethes and then
in law Charles Duke of Burgoine to prohibit his subiects and his friends from giuing to the said Earle any aide Warwicke is enuied by the Duke of Burgoine helpe or succour and with a Nauie to surprise him The Duke willingly consented to the Kings request First because the said Earle opposed himselfe against his mariage with the Ladie Margaret the Kings sister Secondly because the said Earle loued Lewys the French King whom the Duke mortally hated And lastly because the Earle was so generally beloued of the English Nation that when he was at home he clipped the wings of the Kings authoritie in his owne Kingdome When the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwicke came before Calice Clarence and Warwicke â—eateaâ—â—â—â— at Calice The Duchesse deliuered 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Mâ—nsieur de Vawcler made Câ—ptaine of Calice A peâ—â—iâ—n is giuen him hauing their wiues and many other Ladies and Gentlewomen with them in stead of friendly entertainment the Earles vnkinde Deputie Monsieur de Vawcler kept their ships off with the great Ordinance of the Castle And though the Duchesse was in ship boord deliuered of a sonne yet would hee not permit that it should be landed or Christned there neither would hee affoord any thing needfull and necessarie in that extremitie to the said distressed Ladie The King tooke so much ioy to heare of this good newes that forthwith by his Letters Patents hee granted the chiefe Captainship of that place to the said Deputie And the Duke of Burgoine so thanked him that he gaue him an yearely pension of one thousand Crownes Yet for all this Monsieur de Vawcler was so vncertaine in all his dealings towards the King that hee aduised the said Earle to direct his course to the King of France and promised to yeeeld vnto him a good account for Calice when time and opportunitie should it require This counsell gaue some hope and contentment to the Earle who intending to do as he directed lanched his ships into the sea The Earle of Warwicke taketh the Duke of Burgoines subiects at Sea The French King is gratious to the Lords where hee met with diuers of the Duke of Burgoines subiects fully loaden with great varietie of rich merchandises of all sorts all which he rifled and tooke away and landed at the Towne of Deepe and from thence by the French Kings inuitation they came to the Castle of Amboys which standeth vpon the riuer of Loyer where hee met them receiued them cheerefully feasted them with great bountie supplied their present wants and faithfully promised to aid and to assist them when time should serue with his best meanes all which hee did not in regard of any grounded loue towards them but because he knew that they were enemies to his enemies King Edward the Duke of Burgoine Queene Margaret and Prince Edward her son together with Iaspar sometimes Earle of Pembroke some others who with him had broken prison in England were fled into France vnderstanding that the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Warwick and others of their friends were friendly entertained in the French Court repaired to them New plotting against K. Edward where they entred into new conferences and communications for the restoring of K. Henry to his Crowne Kingdome and solemnly tooke their oathes neuer voluntarily to leaue each other vntill they had done their best to effect the same And the Earle of Warwicke to make his own part the stronger gaue his second daughter in mariage to Prince Edward Prince Edward maried to Warwickâ—s second daughter This mâ—riage mâ—keth Clarence a secret enemie to Warwicke whereof when the Duke of Clarence had deliberately considered and thought what might be the sequell of this businesse hee euidently foresaw that this mariage and their newly intended warres would be the vtter confusion of him and of the whole familie and house of Yorke For Kings doe alwaies looke with a iealous eie vpon all such as by any possibilitie may lay any leuell towards their Crowne This consideration not without good cause made him very distrustfull of his own fortunes And to preuent a great mischiefe which as hee thought began to threaten him and his estate his loue his heart began secretly to forsake the Earle of Warwicke and that Faction insomuch that hee gaue priuate intelligence to his brother King Edward Clarence his mâ—ssage to the King that at their landing within the Kingdome of England he would be but a faint and a weake enemie in those affaires Thus when those Lords had concluded to returne The Lâ—rds prâ—â—â—â— fâ—rth for England they were with all expedition well furnished with men munition money ships and all things fitting by the French King But being in a readinesse to passe out of the Riuer of Seyne the Burgundians met them with a strong Fleet at the mouth of that Riuer and purposed to defeat them if they might But an euening storme approching with vnwonted rage and furie The Burgundians drowned compelled the Burgundians to runne into the Sea where many of them were drowned some were driuen into Scotland and the rest being all dispersed laboured and toiled hardly to saue themselues The Earle of Warwicke who by letters some few daies before receiued from his friends was certified that his landing was hourely expected and sufficient strength prouided to backe him and his although they came destitute of all other helpes and succours determined to loose no time but making a present benefit to himselfe and his of the Burgundians mishap and hard fortune and leauing the Queene and the Prince her sonne behinde him the next morning entred into the Sea and with much speed and safetie he landed with all his companies and friends at Dartmouth in Deuonshire The Lords doe land at Dartmouth The King was too secure from whence hee gaue speedie notice of his arriuall to his dearest and nearest friends The King so much relied vpon the bold seruice intended by the Burgundians Fleet and not knowing what shipwracke and dammage it had receiued made no preparation at all either to withstand their arriuall or to encounter them after they were landed but hauked hunted and solaced himselfe according to his humour and wonted fashion in the societie and companie of young Ladies and faire maidens to whom his affections were more obliged then to the warres Warwickes Proclamation But the Earle of Warwicke marshalled his small companie in good order and by publike Proclamations which he made in King Henries name he required all men to repaire vnto his aide with money victuall armour and all things needfull for that purpose and valiantly to fight against the Duke of Yorke who as hee affirmed by meere vsurpation and bloudie tyrannie vntruly and falsly called himselfe King He hath a â—uge Armie This politicke practise within few daies increased his small companies to a huge Armie with which they marched towards London And such were the quicke
proceedings made him liberall offers and tenders of their seruice if he would resoluedly take vpon him the stile and title of the King which he then did He stileth himselfe King He hath a powerfull Armie And thus as a riuer by running farre is still augmented by the accesse of other brookes and streames which fall into it so King Edwards small forces still increased as he marched forwards vntill they were indeed a strong Armie The Earle of Warwicke hauing in his companie the Earle of Oxford many other Nobles and a puissant Armie came to the Citie of Warwicke and intending to giue battaile to King Edward directed and sent his letters and messengers with all speede to the Duke of Clarence certifying him of his purpose Clarence faileth Warwicke in his neede and praying him quickly to come forward with his forces and to ioine with him Yet for all this the Duke passed on with a lingring pace so that the Earle suspecting his fidelitie went with his Armie into the Citie of Couentrie and King Edward with all his Companies came before the Towne and dared the Earle into the field Warwicke keepeth close in Couentrie with all his Armie The King and his brother their Armies are made friends But because hee purposed to make some triall what the Duke of Clarence would doe he therefore kept close within the walles The King perceiuing that he would not fight bent his course towards his brother the Duke of Clarence who with his Armie did the like towards the King so that a great shew was made betwixt them that many blowes should be giuen But the Duke of Glocester being brother to them both became an earnest mediator to reconcile them each to other wherein he so well preuailed that being vnarmed they courteously met and publikely proclaimed that they and their Armies were good friends The three brothers hauing thus combined themselues Warwicke wil not be allured to loue by faire promises made triall whether they could by any faire meanes and liberall promises allure the Earle of Warwicke to their loue But he who with many curses and disgracefull speeches published the Dukes periurie in forsaking his Confederates His answere and friends returned them answere That he would rather die like himselfe then cease to make ciuill warre vntill hee had confounded them as his mortall Enemies The King who knew well enough that the Earle was as valiant as he himselfe was resolute feared not his power but wisely considered The causes why London receiued King Edward That the daily encreasing of his owne strength would be his best meanes to winne the victorie Wherefore he departed from Couentrey and marched towards London where for a time hee was kept out But when the Citizens had duly considered of the Rightfulnesse of his Title to the Crowne Of his skill and noble courage in feats of warre Of his discretion which enabled him of himselfe to rule wisely And of his puisant Armie which he then commanded And on the other side when they had meditated vpon the soft Nature of King Henrie his small reach shallow wit insufficiency to raign and of the continuall dangers which would still assault them if the Lancastrian faction were maintained They opened their gates ranne out in troupes to meet him Saluted him for their King and brought him triumphantly into the Citie Inconstant Multitude King Henrie againe is imprisoned where he seized againe vpon King Henrie and committed him to the Tower Thus may we see vpon what vnsure foundation they build who doe relie vpon the Peoples loue and that nothing is more variable and vnconstant then the Multitude who like vnto Weather-cocks are turned about with euery winde Warwicks last resolution The Earle of Warwick when hee perceiued that King Edward was gone from Couentrey followed after him with his Armie purposing to haue set vpon him before hee should haue recouered London But when hee perceiued that his intendments were preuented he resolued to set his whole fortunes vpon one Battaile For which purpose he marched fourth vntill he came to the towne of Barnet which by an equall distance of ten miles lyeth betwixt London and S. Albons there hee stayed rested and refreshed his Armie for a while The Kings resolution The King also being perswaded that nothing could better procure his future right and safetie then once more to trie his manhood in the field and taking King Henrie with him marched with his armie which by the Citie of London was frankely furnished with all things needfull vnto Barnet Barnet field and encamped him selfe neare to the Earle all that night and early in the morning the Earle of Warwick diuided his forces into three parts The right wing was commanded by his Brother the Marques Montacute whom by necessitie he was enforced to trust and by the Earle of Oxford The left wing was directed by himselfe and by the Duke of Exeter And his maine battaile was led by the Duke of Somerset and some others All these the Earle manfully encouraged The Earles encouragements to his Armie by telling them that they were to fight for their soueraigne and lawfull King for a good man and for their natiue Countrey against an Vsurper a Tyrant a mercilesse and an vngodly wretch whom neither respect of Conscience Iustice Obedience nor Honestie could reclaime and against such a one as if hee liued would be the confounder and the destroier of them all The King on his part made the Duke of Glocester chiefe leader of his Vant-guard himselfe and the Duke of Clarence ordered the Maine Battaile in which King Henry the Sixth was and the Rereward was conducted by the Lord Hastings Chamberlaine to the King What the King said by way of encouragement to his souldiers we may easily coniecture for as hee had a wit and a tongue which neuer did deceiue him so he wanted not matter nor arguments to maintaine his quarrell to be good The Fight after it was begunne was so desperately continued on either part for the space of fiue or six houres The victorie was vncertaine that no man could coniecture to whom the victorie would incline so that some of those horsemen who were lookers on and fought not gallopped amaine to the Citie of London and affirmed that King Edward was ouerthrowen But among them by and by some others posted with countermanding reports and assured the Citizens that the Earle of Warwicke had lost the Field And thus many men in few houres related what they wished for and in the meane time such as were most valiant soonest lost their liues and the best men lay breathlesse vpon the ground But when the Earle perceiued that fresh supplies continually oppressed and pressed vpon his wearied and tired friends and souldiers who would not yeeld because he could not then be safe The Earle of Warwicke is slaine So is the Mâ—rquesse his brother whâ—m King Edward loued The King hath the victorie hee
tearmes excused his not comming by reason of his indisposition to trauell occasioned by the infirmitie of his weake bodie The King who could skilfully cast his water perceiued that he was not sicke in bodie but in minde towards him wherefore by letters and sharpe threatnings hee peremptorily commanded and required him to come But the Duke rather desiring to haue a publike enemie then a dissembling friend boldly returned him this answere that hee reputed him to bee a monster a tyrant a murderer his enemie and an vnlawfull King and therefore that he would not come vnto him Armies are raised And knowing that his life was neere ended except he could maintaine what hee had said by strength of armes in open field hee went hastily into Wales and raised a powerfull Armie and in Deuonshire and in Cornwall Sir Edward Courtney and Peter Courtney his brother being Bishop of Exeter did the like So did Sir Richard Guilford and some other Gentlemen in Kent And Thomas Grey Marquesse Dorset who forsaking the Sanctuarie rode into Yorkshire leuied there much people Wherefore King Richard to support his owne estate and to preserue his life and to vanquish his stout and bold enemies raised another Armie These preparations being thus made King Richard marched against the Duke because he accounted him to be the head of this conspiracie and did perswade himselfe that hee should bee quited of all feare if hee could vanquish him before he ioined his forces with his friends The Duke perceiuing the Kings intention resolued brauely to confront him and to dare him face to face for which purpose he determined to lead his whole armie thorow the Riuer of Seuerne at a low foord not far from the Citie of Glocester This floud hastned the Dukes death who consented to the murder of the two young Princes But in the night before he should passe ouer such an incredible abundance of raine fell and the showres so mainly poured downe for ten daies following that not only the Riuer was made vnpassable but also the whole Countrey thereabout was surrounded with an excessiue floud insomuch that grounds villages townes and people were drowned or carried away to the great hurt and preiudice of the inhabitants who greeuously bewailed and sorrowed for their losse This enforced lingring together with the Dukes wants of victuall money and of other necessaries so discomforted the wauering and vnconstant Welshmen that when he thought himselfe sure of their helpe they then ran away and left him alone and he himselfe by perillous and hard shifting was enforced to harbour himselfe neere vnto Shrewesburie in the house of one Humfrey Banaster who was his seruant and whom from a low degree hee had raised to a faire estate authoritie and worship And the rest of the Dukes friends in other Prouinces when they heard the certaintie of the Dukes ill speeding vpon a sudden dispersed all their companies and euery one of them carefully shifted for himselfe and many of them by meanes of their diligence and good fortune entred into the Sea and arriued safely in the Duchie of Britaine among whom were Sir Edward Courtney Peter Courtney his brother Bishop of Exeter Thomas Marquesse Dorset Iohn Lord Welles Sir Iohn Bourchier Sir Edmund Wooduile the old Queenes brother Sir Robert Willoughby Sir Giles Dawbney Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Iohn Cheney his two brethren Sir William Barkley Sir William Brandon Sir Richard Edgecombe and some others The King hauing dispersed this cloud The Duke is proscribed which threatned a terrible storme proscribed the Duke of Buckingham and proposed the gift of a thousand pounds to him that should be the meane to take him whereupon his faithlesse treacherous His seruant betraieth him and vnthankfull seruant Humfrey Banaster betraied him to Iohn Mitton Sheriffe of Shropshire who with a strong Guard of armed men conueied him to Shrewesburie to the King who being examined confessed all in hope of fauour He is beheaded but forthwith and without any legall proceedings or iudgement he lost his head In the meane time whilest these things were in doing Richmond saiâ—â—th for England the Earle of Richmond who neither beard of this misfortune nor of the arriuall of his worthie friends who flying out of England came into Britaine hauing in his companie almost fiue thousand men entred into the Sea and directed his course for this Realme But in the euening after his departure out of Britaine A storme taketh him and he returneth hee was so cruelly beaten with an hideous storme which so suddenly assailed him and his that some of his ships were driuen backe to the place from whence they came others into Normandie and only one of them besides that in which himselfe was remained at the Sea The next day as the Earle came before Pole he perceiued that all the Coasts and hilles adioining were thickly sprinkled with armed men who eagerly attended his arriuall by the commandement of King Richard and diuers practises were vsed to traine him in But because he feared the worst as hee had good cause taking the benefit of a faire winde he returned and landed safely within the Duchie of Normandie Hee is releeued by the French King from whence he sent to the new and young King of France Charles the Eighth desiring that by his free leaue and licence hee might safely passe thorow that Prouince into Britaine who not only granted his request but also pitying his wants and euill fortune releeued and furnished him with much money So he hauing collected his dispersed ships sent them into Britaine and himselfe by land went thither where to his exceeding comfort and great ioy hee met with his distressed friends all which were valiant men and great Commanders in the times of warre With these Captaines hee entred into new consultations and giuing to them his solemne oath to take to his wife the Ladie Elizabeth He taketh an oath eldest daughter to King Edward the Fourth if his successe were fortunate they all became his subiects and honoured him as their King and all of them by the Duke of Britaines aide and succours endeuoured to make readie a new Fleet and such souldiers as they could get for his returne In the meane time King Richard by sundrie executions shortned the number of the Earles friends and procured him and his associates by an Act of Parliament to be attainted of High Treason He is attainted of treason and thereby hee enabled himselfe to seize vpon all their lands and moueables which hee could finde But his cruelties were so inhumane and barbarous that they were condemned in the opinions of all his people who sharply accused Sir Richard Ratcliffe Sir William Catesbie and the Viscount Louel his three minions and wicked counsellors as furtherers and abettors in those mischiefes so that among others one Collingborne was executed as a Traitor for making and dispersing of this short ryme Collingborne executed Richard gaue a Hogge for
good respects hee cheerefully consented to his request First because by all likelihood and probable coniecture this mariage would establish a perpetuall peace betwixt those two Kingdomes And secondly because if issues males and females failed of the bodies of his two sonnes then the Kingdome and the Crowne of this Realme descending to the said Ladie Margaret and to her issue would draw the Scottish King into England as vnto an estate of greater power magnificence honour and riches whereas if she were ioined to a Prince equall or exceeding her father in those respects this Kingdome would then wait vpon the greater and more worthie and so might be guided gouerned directed and commanded by a Deputie or a Substitute which would bee derogatorie from the maiestie of such a Monarchie and Common-weale These Halcyon daies Prince Arthur dieth which made King Henry fortunate and happie were suddenly exchanged into daies of heauinesse and of sorrow for Prince Arthur within fiue moneths after he was maried departed out of this troublesome and transitorie vale of miserie and was buried with great pompe and incredible lamentation both of the Nobles Gentlemen and common people in the Cathedrall Church within the Citie of Winchester by whose decease without issue his brother Henry Duke of Yorke without Creation was Prince of Wales 1502. as vnto him of right that dignitie did belong and appertaine and the next yeare after he was created Earle of Chester by his Father The King not long after by an honorable attendance of Lords Knights Ladies and men and women of especiall note and qualitie sent his eldest daughter the Ladie Margaret into Scotland to her espoused husband Iames the Fourth who receiued her vpon the limits of his owne Kingdome from the Earles of Surrey and Northumberland and was the next day maried to her in his Citie of Edenburgh 1503. to the great reioicing of the people of both those Nations Now when King Henry had thus ouercome his enemies and the Rebels and had settled himselfe in peace 1504. hee determined to plucke downe the high stomackes and stout courage of his people The King taketh aduantage of forfeitures vpon Penall Lawes supposing that their wealth and riches occasioned their rebellions and was the cause that many enormous insolencies were done and committed in the Common-weale And by that meane hee also intended to enrich himselfe And the plot whereby he intended to effect it was by taking of the aduantage of the breach of Penall Lawes Empson and Dudley And the principall charge of that polling businesse hee committed to Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley men learned in the Law but ready enough to execute the Kings commands in a worser matter if occasion did so require These two being attended by troupes of base Informers Promoters Catch-poles Cheaters Knaues and cousening Rascals Many are vndone prosecuted and persecuted many of the Kings good Subiects to their vtter ruine and ouerthrow insomuch that many people in euery Shire of this Kingdome by their oppressions waxed poore and were vtterly decaied in their estates But the Kings Coffers were filled his Bagges were stuffed and those two gracelesse and cruell Cormorants got to themselues the Deuill and all But no remedie there was to cure this maladie for the King authorized them and they so rigorously and so vnconscionably executed their tyrannie that no man could assure himselfe that hee was free and without the danger of their lash 1605. In the 21. yeare of K. Henries raigne Elizabeth Q. of Castile wife to Ferdinando K. of Aragon and Spain died without issue male of her bodie so that her Kingdom not being deuidable among sisters according to the custome of that Countrie discended to her eldest daughter the Ladie Iane The King and Queene of Castile doe come into England by a storme wife to Philip Arch-Duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine so that hee being King of Castile in her right prepared a Nauie of strong and well appointed ships and entred into the Sea purposing to take the possession of his new Kingdome But by the violence of an outragious storme himselfe with his Queene was driuen into Waymouth in Dorset shire where at his landing hee was receiued by Sir Thomas Trenchard a worthie Sir Thomas Trenchard entertaineth them at his house and a compleate Knight who instantly importuned the King to accept of the entertainment of his house vntill King Henrie were certified of his being there which courteously he did Whereof when he had louingly accepted hee was conducted thither and feasted like as hee was a King The Knight forthwith sent diuers Posters to King Henrie who being much gladded by this newes because the said King and he were vnfained and faithfull friends They are entertained by the King forthwith sent for his better direction and attendance the Earle of Arundell and some others who inuited him and his Queene and their Companie to the Kings Court which was then at his Castle of Windsor of which great courtesie he accepted with a kind hart and as he came within fiue miles of the Castle he was met by the Noble Henrie Prince of Wales who was accompanied by diuers Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen of choice reckoning aad account and within halfe a mile of his iournies end the King himselfe with the greatest part of his Nobilitie Ladies and Personages of great worth and honour being richly apparrelled and brauely mounted met him likewise where kind salutations and friendly greetings proceeded from the heart and were performed with most exquisite complements of loue that by any could be imagined From the Kings Castle of Windsor the King conducted him and his Queene to the Citie of London where nothing was omitted that anie deuise or cost could make sumptuous thereby to expresse the heartie welcome of such beloued guests And thus when with great contentment mirth and pastime the King and he had spent some dayes they renewed the League which was betwixt them and taking kind farewels each of other the said King and Queene imbarked themselues againe lanched into the Sea and safety arriued according to their owne wils But not long after King Philip and his wife died and that Kingdome discended to Charles his eldest sonne From this time forwards King Henrie waxed sickly weake 1506. and infirme and by meanes thereof the two scourgers of the Common-weale Empson and Dudley tooke larger libertie to extend their villanies then was giuen to them and did oppresse torment and vex the People of this land But when the King perceiued that his time was short 1507. hee depriued them of their authoritie remitted and pardoned all offences committed against his penall Lawes and enlarged all prisoners The King waxeth sickly His deeds of charitie which were in durance for any offence treason and murder excepted only he also paid the debts of all such as for trifling and smal summes were prisoners in any Ward and gaue certaine
summes of monie vnto some poore folkes who had beene vnconscionably deuoured robbed and spoiled He repenteth of his exactions by the penall lawes by those two gracelesse and vngodly Cormorants He also was exceeding penitent and sorrowfull for those wrongs and iniuries which with too much seueritie they had done vnto many 1508. and hee disbursed by way of loane freely and without reward diuers great summes of monie to his Merchants A notable policie By meanes whereof their gaines and his custome were mightily encreased Finally when hee had raigned twentie and three yeares and some moneths and when hee had liued fiftie and two yeeres he died The King dieth and was buried with great solemnitie and honor by Queene Elizabeth his wife in his owne Chappell at Westminster which he had with great cost and skill founded and caused to be built not long before THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE EIGHT KIng HENRIE the Eight 1509. The King marieth his brothers wife being of the Age of eighteene yeares began to Raigne the two and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God 1509. And being dispenced with by Pope Iuly the second hee maried the Ladie Katherine daughter to Ferdinando King of Aragon Aunt to Prince Charles of Castile who afterwards was Emperor when as not long before shee had beene his brother Prince Arthures wife by which match much trouble afterwards ensued as in this discourse of his gouernement it will appeare In his first beginnings he seemed tenderly to affect his peoples loue and to execute his Lawes with mercie and with compassion The King is gratious to such as wâ—re oppressed by Empâ—on and Dudley And whereas oppression in the end of his Fathers dayes had much vexed and grieued the Subiects of this Land Hee by open Proclamations made it knowne that he would not only heare the lamentable complaints of such as by the Tyrannous Rapine and greedie Couetousnesse of Empson and Dudley and of some other tormenting Promoters had beene vndone but would also redresse and recompence their wrongs By meanes whereof great throngs of People daily resorted flocked and rushed into the Kings Court Among whom many complained most who had least cause but they receiued sharpe punishment for their impudencie and boldnesse and to the rest the King gaue liberall restitution and amends And the more frankely and freely to content such as had beene iustly offended by those extremities after all legall proceedings finished hee caused the heads of those two deuouring Caterpillers to be striken off at the Tower hill Empson and Dudley put to death and the rest of that rascall rabble were disgracefully corrected by the stocks and pillories in sundrie places of this Realme 1511. 3 Thus when the King had well busied himselfe in the settlement of his Kingdome the first two yeares of his raigne hee was by his wiues father Ferdinando craueth and obtaineth aid but did nothing Ferdinando King of Aragon entreated to enter into more turbulent actions by aiding and assisting him against the Moores which willingly he did But by reason of a cessation of those iarres the Englishmen returned out of Spaine hauing beene rudely entertained and spent all The French King warreth on the Pope About the same time the French King Lewys the twelfth by reason of some priuate quarrellings betwixt himselfe and Pope Iuly the second transported an Armie into Italie and by strength and violence as a Conquerour hee possessed himselfe of the faire and rich Citie of Bologna la Grassa and insolently did much harme Whereupon King Henry in fauour to the Pope because he dispensed with his late mariage and was vnited vnto him by more then by the ordinarie bonds of friendship and of loue and because the Pope himselfe was vnable to resist King Henry mediateth a peace but he is neglected Warres betwixt King Henry and Lewys the twelfth or to maintaine his owne quarrell interposed himselfe as an indifferent mediator and as an intercessor for amitie and for peace But the French King tasting the pleasant and the profitable fruits of his successefull fortune and longing to extend his gouernment into so rich a Countrey turned the deafe eare and would not hearken to this motion Whereupon King Henrie whose bodie was young and lustie and whose high heart was replenished with true fortitude magnanimitie and valour made it knowen to the Christian world that as hee scorned to be neglected in so good a suit so he loathed to be idle and a looker on in a time of such negotiation and imploiment and therefore would attempt by his best meanes to withdraw the French Kings warres from the Popes Countries Vpon which resolution forthwith by his Ambassadors hee required the French King to giue vnto him the full and peaceable possession of his two Duchies of Guyen and of Normandie together with his ancient inheritance of Angeow and of Mayne which wrongfully was kept and deteined from his Ancestors and from him The small acquaintance which at that time the French King had with King Henry and the contempt of his youthfull yeeres made him to returne a scornefull deniall to his demand insomuch that King Henrie proclaimed warre against him and prepared daily to send a puissant Armie into Guyan Vpon which occasion and others Defender of the faith and in regard that those broiles were chiefly vndertaken to releeue the Pope King Henry was by him enstiled with this addition to his kingly Title Defender of the Faith This resolution being notified to his father in law Ferdinando King of Aragon who was craftie and cunningly intended Ferâ—inando promiseth aid to King Henry vnder the colour of much friendship to vsurpe and treacherously to winne vnto himselfe the Kingdome of Nauarre for which immoderately his ambitious heart did thirst hee made vnto King Henry a large profer of great assistance and helpe with horses tents carriages ordinance and sundrie other things needfull and expedient for those warres if hee would land his Armie within his Countrey of Biskey and march from thence into Guyan The King who dreamt not of any fraud The Kings Armie landeth in Biskey but was perswaded of good performance of more then had beene offred most thankfully accepted of this great courtesie and sent for the aforesaid purpose ten thousand men into Biskey vnder the principall command of Thomas Gray Marquesse Dorset who was their Generall in that warre But Ferdinando whose owne plot touching the surprisall of Nauarre was not fully perfected Ferdinando yeelâ—s no helpe and who intended nothing lesse then according to his promise to aid the English Armie by flattering messages to the Marquesse maintained his hopes but yet suffered both him and his without imploiment or succour to lie idle to their great dishonour and reproch In the end he prepared a strong Armie The Kingdome of Nauarre taken and conquered by the Spaniards which was conducted by the Duke D'Alva and
her vpon the bodie of the Ladie Katherine Aunt to the Emperour and who had sometimes beene his brother Prince Arthurs wife And from this doubt and from this scruple which before that time was not thought on infinite vexation and trouble did ensue as in this discourse it shall appeare For thereupon the Kings Confessor Doctor Longland Bishop of Lincolne and many other profound Diuines informed the King that almost twentie yeares hee had liued incestuously with the Queene and that now for his conscience sake he ought truly and heartily to repent for that great sinne and to leaue her bed The Cardinallis Ambassador for France The Cardinall who as hee thought had a long time laien lazily at home would now be gadding into France in an Ambassage to the French King the substance whereof was only knowen to the King and him And at his departure the King in the presence of all his Lords embraced him as his familiar friend He is made proud And at that time such was his great estate that passing thorow the Citie of London he was attended by twelue hundred horse And when he came to Calice hee was receiued with as much honour as by the Towne and Garrison could be presented vnto him And at Bulleine among many other deuices to magnifie his greatnesse hee was entertained with two ridiculous Pageants Two ridiculous Pageants 1. In the one of them there was a Nunne called the holy Church vnto whose person and chastitie three Spaniards and three Amaines attempted to offer violence but by a Cardinall she was rescued and deliuered from them all 2. And in the other there was represented a Pope lying on the ground and an Emperour sitting in an Imperiall Throne but a Cardinall plucked him from his seat raised the Pope and placed him therein The French king meeteth him From Bolleine as he came towards Amyens he was met vpon the way by the Prouost and the most substantiall Citizens on horsebacke and by them he was saluted and reuerenced as a King And when he came within halfe a mile of the Citie the King himselfe with his Nobles met him cheerefully embraced him and in a wonderfull and magnificent pompe conducted him to his lodging on the gates whereof was written in large and faire letters Cardinalis pacificus The peaceable Cardinall or The Cardinall of peace And at their departure the proud Cardinall would haue vouchsafed to haue brought the King to his Court but the King would not suffer him so to doe Thus Kings Nobles Times and Places conspired if it had beene possible to haue made him more proud whose heart was so haughtie that he supposed he could neuer be humbled and brought low Then daily almost for the space of three weekes together the French King his Counsell and the Cardinall with his Associates who were obscured by his greatnesse He concludes a peace as the Moone is by the direct opposition of the Sunne conferred seriously and in the end he concluded a peace betwixt the two Kings in the honour whereof and of the proud Cardinall the instrument in which the Articles of the said peace were contained was sealed with a seale purposely made of fine gold whereof he boastingly bragged the next Terme in the Starre-chamber affirming before the whole Assemblie that the peace which by him was concluded was such an absolute perfect and sound peace that it would continue in secula seculorum world without end But the people mutteringly repined thereat saying that England neuer long enioied any benefit by any peace which was concluded with the French whose propertie it was for their aduantage without cause to start aside from any thing which they had said and sworne to performe They also said that to enter into a fained league with the French King the Emperour and his friendship was abandoned and that old enemies were entertained and old friends were vnaduisedly by the Cardinals meanes cast off And therein they spake truly for by the Cardinals enticement and secret perswasions the King without good cause shewed himselfe an enemie to the Emperour and to the Flemings and vnto others of his people although the Emperour by all fitting and beseeming meanes had wooed him to obtaine and to keepe his loue By these iarres thus cunningly broached by the Cardinall in fauour of the Pope and of the French King the question touching the lawfulnesse or nullitie of the Kings mariage was smoothered for a while But not long after The mariage in question such as seemed to bee tender ouer the Kings conscience and prouident to establish the true succession of this Kingdome in a lawfull heire reuiued the scruple and therewithall so busied the Kings cogitations and thoughts that a religious sorrow began to seise vpon him And to auoid the continuance in that incestuous sinne vntill by a iudiciall sentence the doubts were cleared hee refrained from the Queenes bed And the Cardinall to make himselfe more great then he was procured a commission from the Pope to bee directed to him A power Legantine is granted and vnto his ancient brother Campeius that before them as supreme Iudges that question by legall processes and proceedings might bee heard debated on and censured according to the Lawes of God and the Lawes of man These two Legates hauing receiued this commission informed the Queene of their authoritie and power Wolsey is accused and shee in some passion accused Wolsey as the principall brocher of that doubt and the maintainer of that contention partly to bee reuenged thereby vpon her Nephew the Emperour because he would not make him Pope as secretly he had requested him and partly because often times in a most secret louing and gentle fashion shee had admonished and warned him of his couetousnesse and tyrannie of his extortions and oppressions and of his pride and lecherie But hee excused himselfe as if he had beene an honest man The Queene chooseth Counselors The King pretending nothing in this businesse but Truth sinceritie and iustice according to the Lawes of God and Man was well contented that the Queene should make choise of the greatest Clerkes and of the best learned men within his Kingdome to defend and to maintayne her cause Whereupon hee elected William Warham Archbishop of Canterburie And Nicholas West Bishop of Ely who were Doctors of the Lawes and Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Henrie Standish Bishop of Alssaph who were Doctors of Diuinitie and some others And they as occasions did require did for her asmuch therein as by wit and learning could be done Now for the prosecuting of this businesse the two Legates caused a stately Court to be erected at the Black-fryers in the great Hal In which for them were placed two Chaires and two great Cushions The King and Queene are summoned couered ouer with cloth of gold And at the appointed day the two Legates tooke their places but the Cardinal of Yorke as his custome was preferred his
houshold and Doctor Stephen Gardiner his new Secretarie so to gard and so to watch his House and Palace at Westminster that none of his moueables whatsoeuer might bee imbeaseled or purloined or carried away from thence And the Cardinall himselfe being confined to Asher He is confined not farre from Kingston and most of his Attendants being displaced and remoued from him a small allowance of things needfull was appointed to him for his necessarie vse whereat hee infinitely greiued Then was he required by the King He confesseth this indictment His dignities taken from him to plead to the said indictment but by his Atturnie sufficiently authorized vnder his hand and seale he confessed euery materiall point thereof Then the king conferred the Abbie of Saint Albones vpon the Prior of Norwich the Bishoprick of Durham vpon Doctor Tonstall and the Chancellorship was ratified to Sir Thomas Moore But the king of his gentlenesse and in regard of his former fauours towards the Cardinall left vnto him the Arch bishoprick of Yorke and the Bishoprick of Winchester and sent vnto him much plate housholdstuffe and many other things part of that which had bin taken from him to a great value Yet in his heart he remained vnthankfull grudging and malitious towards the king The king in former times had intermedled very litle with the gouernment of this Common-weale for hee was almost altogether ruled and directed by the Cardinall and by the Cleargie of this Land But he now began to be sensible of that errour and to cast away that yoke so that he tooke the raines into his owne hand And first of all he assembled his high Court of Parliament in which the Commons of the Lower house sharply complained of the misdemeanors of the Cleargie But especially in these six things Articles against the Cleargie FIrst because with great extremitie they exacted vnreasonable summes of monie as due fees for the Probate of mens last Wills and Testaments 2 Secondly Because they were excessiuely couetous and cruell in demanding for Mortuaries especiall of such poore people as skarsly left two kine for the maintenance of their wiues and children 3 Thirdly Because their full purses made them to become Farmors of great Granges Bartons and temporall farmes taking them in lease in euery Shire and become Husbandmen and Graziers to the preiudice and hurt of such as were trained and brought vp only to be husbandmen 4 Fourthly Because many of them kept Tanning houses for their priuate gaine and were Brokers Buyers and Jngrossers of Wooll Cloth and other marchandizes snatching vp all and enforcing tradesmen and clothiers to buy those commodities at the second or third hand and at vnreasonable prices 5 Fiftly Because such Clergie men as had the best and the greatest Spirituall liuings did with great extremitie take the vtmost of their rights And yet they liued in the Court or in the houses of Noblemen and Bishops so that they spent nothing in Hospitalitie among their Neighbours Nor did feede their flocke with the milke of Gods most holy and sacred Word 6 And last of all Because diuers ignorant men among them held and enioyed eight ten twelue yea more Benefices and Spirituall promotions to themselues seuerally and yet liued not vpon any one of them but kept great Schollars and learned men at a short commons in one of the Vniversities who were better able to doe more good then they Doctor Fisher wrongeth the lower house of Parliament The Bishops perceiuing that these matters much concerned them and the whole Clergie of this Land strongly opposed themselues against such as exhibited the same complaints In so much that Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester being more earnest then well aduised desired the Lords to remember well and to consider that when the Bohemians abused the estate and dignitie of their Clergie they then ruinated and destroyed their Kingdome and Common weale Wherefore hee instantly requested them to bee well aduised before they entertained these obiections For quoth he they are not religious nor doe proceed from Faith When the Commons had vnderstood what the Bishop of Rochester had spoken Then by Thomas Audley their speaker and by thirtie others of the house They informed the King of the said iniurie and wrong Alleaging that if the lower house of Parliament were reputed to want Faith then they were esteemed to bee Heretikes and consequently that all such Bills as they preferred or did passe should bee preferred and concluded on by Panims Pagans and Faithlesse men and so were vnlawfull and vnfit to rule and to gouerne Christians and such as truly and sincerely honored and adored God The King who was much offended They complaine to the King and grieued at the Bishops speech gaue them this gentle answere That hee would vnderstand his meaning concerning those wordes and that with all convenient expedition hee would informe them of his answere And within a day or two after the said Bishop and six others were sent for and the Bishop of Rochester was reprehended by the King But with many solemne protestations hee assured the King that he referred those wordes They proceeded not from faith to the doing deedes and actions of the Bohemians and not to the doings of the lower House which likewise was affirmed by the rest This his excuse was by the King sent to the Commons who spake liberally of the Bishop and repaied their debt with vnseeming termes A bad 〈◊〉 In so much that at a Committee in which the Bishops strongly persisted to maintayne and to iustifie the taking of their Fees for probates of Testaments to be lawfull because the same paiments had beene of a long time vsed a Gentleman of the lower House replyed to the Archbishop of Canterbury That Theeues on Shooters Hill vsed to take purses there Ergo it was lawfull This speech pleased the Commons well For they thought That they had now angred the Bishops as the Bishop of Rochester had angred them Then were the matters aforesaid comprised in the same complaint reduced into formall Bill which being long and substantially disputed on and in some points qualified were assented vnto by both the Houses and afterwards for Lawes established by the King The Booke also which contayned the Articles The articles against Wolsey which were drawne against the Cardinall was sent by the Lords to the lower House In which among diuers other things he was principally accused of these great faults 1 FIrst That by dishonest and cunning reasons hee had deceitfully induced the King to consent that hee should bee made a Legate to the Pope which authoritie did indeede and in effect frustrate and make void all the authoritie and iurisdiction of all other Bishops and Clergie men within this Kingdome and also the authoritie of the King in Ecclesiasticall things and causes 2 Item That in all his letters and other passages to forren Estates and Princes his phrase in writing was Ego Rex meus I and my King
as if the kings Maiestie had beene his inferior and at his command 3 Item That to induce the Pope to giue vnto him a power legantine he in his letters for that purpose had this phrase ecclesia Anglicana facta est in reprobum sensum The Church of England is become reprobate whereby hee vnchristianly disgraced and abominably slandred the Church of England as being faithlesse And that therefore necessity did instantly vrge and require that by a power Legantine to be granted vnto him it might be reduced to a right beliefe 4 Item That when hee was sent an Ambassador to Calice there to conferre with the Ambassadors of the Emperor and of the French king Hee carried with him without the kings leaue the great Seale of this kingdome and from thence he also caried it into Flanders to the Emperors court for his owne honor and vaine glorie 5 Item That without the kings knowledge or consent he had sent a commission sealed with the great Seale of England to Sir Gregorie de Cassado authorizing him thereby in the kings name to conclude a peace betwixt the Duke of Ferrara and the kings Maiestie 6 Item that he being filthily powdred with the french pocks by reason of his excessiue lecherie and dishonest life did oftentimes presume to talke with and to cast his vnholsome breath into the kings face 7 Item That to magnifie his owne power both at home and with forren Nations he caused a Cardinals hat to be stamped on some of the the Kings coine without his Maiesties appointment or consent 8. Item that hee would not suffer the Kings Clerke of the market to execute his office in S. Albons because the same Towne was parcell of his Abbey 9. Jtem that to obtaine his dignities and to continue the loue and fauour of the Pope and of his Cardinals towards him hee had in sixteene barrels conueied to Pope Clement the seuenth and to his Cardinals toward their redemption out of prison wherein after the sacking of Rome they were kept by the Emperour Charles the fifth and to the French king in the Popes behalfe to make warres vpon the Emperour so much gold as did amount to the summe of two hundred and fortie thousand pounds at one time and incredible summes of other money at other times to the great impouerishing of this kingdome and Common-weale and to enrich the king againe had of his owne accord sent out such Commissions into all Shires within this kingdome for the exacting of infinite summes of money as quenched the peoples loue towards the king and made them rebelliously to disturbe the peace of this kingdome in Norfolke and elsewhere These Articles and many more being comprised in the said booke Wolsey confesseth the Articles the Cardinall by a subscription written with his owne hand frankly and freely confessed and submitted himselfe to the Kings mercie About the same time the King for honourable and good seruice created Sir Thomas Bulleine who was Viscount Rochford Earle of Wilshire Noblemen created and Viscount Fitz-water was made Earle of Sussex and the Lord Hastings was created Earle of Huntingdon The King because he was informed that the Emperour and the Pope were together in Bononie sent thither as Ambassadors the said Earle of Wilshire and some others An ambassage protesting that the question touching his mariage was not begotten nor motioned by him nor by his consent but first by the President of Paris who receiued it as he affirmed from the Counsell of Spaine and since by the grauest and the best learned Diuines within his Kingdome and not vpon any dislike which he conceiued against his Queene nor for any desire to change and therefore hee earnestly intreated them The King craueth a sentence that for the clearing of his troubled conscience the same matter might one way or other receiue a speedie and a finall end by a sentence or iudgement declaratorie in the Consistorie of Rome The Emperour said little but onely answered that the iudgement of the Law should content and satisfie him in that point And the Pope said that when he came to Rome the matter should receiue an end but yet hee meant nothing lesse for hee knew right well that if he pronounced sentence against the dispensation granted by Pope Iulie his predecessor although hee knew well that it was flatly against the Law of God then the Popes future dispensations would be little or nothing at all respected or regarded And hee likewise knew that by giuing of sentence against the Queene he should againe make the Emperour his enemie who was now newly become his friend Thus this vnthankfull Pope flattered and dallied with the Kings Ambassadors making them hopefull but in vaine yet with this answer they returned to the King who fearing lest the Pope and his Cardinals would indeede by long delaies abuse and dallie with him imploied diuers Lords and the greatest Diuines within his Kingdome at his exceeding great costs and charges to trauell into all the Vniuersities in the Christian world and there to be resolued of their opinions touching the validitie or nullitie of his said mariage And when they all returned they brought with them twelue Instruments sealed with the publike Seales of so many Vniuersities and also the opinions of sundrie great and famous learned men The opinion of Vniuersities by all which it appeared that they agreed and consented in one that the Kings mariage with his brothers wife was vtterly void and contrary to the Lawes of God and man notwithstanding the dispensation of the Pope Wolsey is licensed to goe to Yorke The King at this time by the aduice of his Counsell licensed Wolsey to liue within his Diocesse of Yorke for which cause he went thither But diuers of his seruants by their friends meanes got into the Kings seruice among whom Thomas Cromwell being a wise and a discreet man was one whom the King entertained with publike demonstration of his good affections towards him and of his fauour The Cardinals Colleges Now though such of the Cardinals lands as he intended to haue bestowed vpon his two Colledges were clearely forfetted vnto the King yet his Maiestie in regard of his great loue which he bare to learning and vnto learned men bestowed the same wholly vpon his Colledge founded in Oxford called the Cardinals Colledge but then newly named the Kings Colledge but now it is called Christs Church And the other of his Colledges founded at Ipswich the King destroied as being vnprofitable and seruing to no purpose The King being secretly informed that the Cardinall had gotten a Bull from Rome to curse him 1530. except hee would restore him to all his goods lands and dignities A Bull from the Pope A proclamation and that none but hee no not the King himselfe should for any offence whatsoeuer correct or punish any Clergie man proclaimed that all prouisions appeales and instruments within the space of one yeare next before
that time procured or which at any time from thenceforth should be procured from the See of Rome whereby the authoritie royall and prerogatiue of the King might in any iot be lessened or diminished should be vtterly void and frustrate in all respects and that the procurers of them should be punished at the Kings will The proud Cardinall Wolsey writes to Rome scorning to bee humbled and trodden downe and purposing to set new broiles and disturbances in the Common-weale to molest the King wrote secret letters to the Pope and to his Cardinals to animate and to exasperate them against the King And they vnderstanding in what a disgracefull plight the Cardinall then stood encouraged him not to faint The answere nor to shew himselfe a coward and a heartlesse man by yeelding to the peruersnesse of his present fortune promising his restauration and that for his sake the King should be effectually crossed in his weightie businesse betwixt the Queene and him Hereupon the Cardinall began to take heart His pride and nothing doubting but that hee should againe bee aduanced if not by the Kings consent yet volens nolens and against his will made great preparation for his enstalment into his Archbishopricke at Yorke which hee intended to solemnize with such magnificence and pompe as the like before had neuer beene seene in that place For which purpose he erected in that Cathedrall Church a stately seat of an extraordinarie height not much vnlike to a Kings Throne He also wrote to the Nobles Knights and chiefest Gentlemen in the North many fawning flattering and kinde letters entreating and inuiting them at a prefixed day to accompanie him at his Instalment to the Citie of Yorke where he prouided for them great cheere not sparing any cost The King who was aduertised what he had written to Rome and what answer was made thereunto and perceiuing that he intended with extraordinarie pompe and state to be installed for which his doings hee had no licence from his Maiestie imagined and therein hee was not deceiued that those great preparations were made of purpose and in an out-facing fashion to confront him Wolsey is arrested Wherefore to preuent his said instalment he sent a commission vnder his great Seale of England whereby he required Henrie the sixt Earle of Northumberland to attach and to arrest the body of the said Cardinall to bring him to the Castle of Sheffield and there to deliuer him to the safe custodie and keeping of the Earle of Shrewsbury which he did Although the Cardinall prowdly checked him and told him that hee was a member of the College of Cardinals in Rome and that neither the King nor any other temporall Prince vnder heauen could or ought to intermedle with him for any cause or matter whatsoeuer Yet for all this assoone as he was gone all his plate His goods are attached goods horses and houshold stuffe were seised on to the Kings vse his Officers were discharged and his Phisitian Doctor Augustine was by Sir Walter Welsh one of the Kings chamber convayed to the Tower Assoone as the King was informed of the executing of his commission he sent Sir William Kingston the Captaine of his Gard and Constable of the Tower with certaine Yeomen of his Gard to fetch the Cardinall to that prison The sight of this Messenger more danted and appaled the Cardinall then all the rest For now he was right well assured that his head was in great danger This feare made him to fall into a sudden sicknesse so that purposely as it was coniectured to dispatch himselfe out of this life hee tooke a purgation which was more strong He dyeth then the weaknesse of his nature could controll by reason whereof he dyed two nights after Thus liued and thus died this Cardinall who was Prowd and Ambitious Wanton and Lecherous Rich and Couetous a Lyar and a Flatterer His description a Tyrant and Mercilesse Forgetfull of his beginnings Disdainefull in his prosperitie and wretched in his end Whose death made the King ioyfull his Nobles iocund and the People glad The Clergie feared the Premunire Hee being thus dead the King by his Councell was informed that all the Clergie of England were guiltie of the Premunire because in all things they had supported and maintayned the authoritie 100000 pounds The Kings Supremacie acknowledged and power Legantine of the Cardinall Wherefore to preuent a mischiefe before it fell vpon them They gaue to the King for their redemption and for their pardon the summe of one hundred thousand pounds And by a publike instrument in writing subscribed and scaled by all the Bishops and Fathers of the Church they plainly voluntarily and willingly acknowledged the King within his owne Kingdomes and Dominions to be the supreme Head of the Church as well in all matters Ecclesiasticall as in all Temporall things and cases whatsoeuer Yet not long after the King diminished their number and their strength as hereafter it shall appeare The Cardinall being thus gone Opinions shewed the King intending nothing lesse then to dance attendance in the Court at Rome caused the said instruments procured from so many Vniuersities together with the opinions of so many learned men and of his two Vniuersities of Oxford and of Cambridge publikely to be shewed in both the houses of his Parliament which being done by diuers honourable Lords both spirituall and temporall he caused them to bee shewed to the Queene and the question to bee demanded of her whether she would relinquish her appeale to the See of Rome and referre her selfe and her cause to any Nobles and Bishops within this Kingdome whose answere was that she would not whereupon the King resoluing in his conscience The King marieth Anne Bullen that his said mariage was void in Law began to bend his loue and kinde affections to a goodly faire and beautifull Ladie in his Court named Anne Bullen Her hee created a Marchionesse of Pembroke and after tooke her to his wife And some few moneths after The King is diuorced from Queene Katherine the Arch-bishop of Canterburie being accompanied with the Bishops of London Bath Lincolne and some others together with diuers Doctors Aduocates Proctors and Officers of the Ecclesiasticall Court repaired to Dunstable where the Princesse Dowager for so shee was then called lay Her the Arch-bishop peremptorily ascited personally to appeare before him in a case of matrimonie The Author returneth to the historie which is interrupted by the relation connecting together of the deeds and actions of Cardinall Wolsey and the like he did for fifteene daies together And then vpon the default and contumacie of the said Princesse the Arch-bishop pronounced the said mariage being against the Law of God to be meerely and vtterly void the Popes dispensation notwithstanding Hauing discoursed of all things memorable which were done by Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke and concluded the contention touching the mariage of King
of the Kings royall person And this conceit so pleased him that he now and then would babble and reueale it to some of his inward and familiar friends and some of them discouered it to his destruction and vtter ouerthrow Likewise this hope framed him to a more ambitious course in his cariage and made him negligent of his seruice and dutie to the King insomuch that his Maiestie by his Letters required him with all conuenient expedition priuately to repaire vnto the Court But as he was in his Barge vpon the Thames hee was by Sir Henry Marney Captaine of the Kings Guard who had with him an hundred of the Kings Yeomen subiect to his command attached and arrested of high treason and as a prisoner conueied to the Tower And being afterwards legally and according to the due forme of Law indicted by sundrie Knights and Gentlemen for that as much as in him lay he had conspired and contriued the Kings death to make himselfe his successour hee was brought to a Barre at Westminster Hall before the Duke of Norfolke high Steward of England and his chiefest Iudge And hauing holden vp his hand he was arraigned of treason vpon the said indictment and pleaded thereunto that hee was not guiltie and did referre himselfe for his triall to God and to his Peeres who were these the Duke of Suffolke the Marquesse Dorset the Earles of Oxford Deuon Darbie Shrewesburie Essex Worcester and Kent and the Lords De la Ware Fitz-Warren Willoughbie Harbert Cobham Brooke and Morley These Noble men in the presence of the Prisoner had witnesses face to face who were all prisoners for concealments of the same offence and deposition in writing which when they had done they arose from the Bench retired into a priuate roome and after a short absence returned againe to their places and the Duke of Buckingham being againe brought vnto the Barre the said Lords one by one protested with great solemnitie and protestations on their honour that they thought him to bee guiltie according to the indictment And thereupon the Lord high Steward with many teares pronounced against him that iudgement which against meaner offenders in that nature is giuen Whereupon hee was taken from the Barre and hauing an Axe borne before him with the edge thereof turned towards him because he had his iudgement to die he was conueied by water to the Temple staires and was there receiued on land by Sir Nicholas Vaux and Sir William Sands both Baronets who conducted him thorow the Citie of London to the Tower and within two or three daies after he was beheaded on a Scaffold at the Tower Hill About the same time the King himselfe wrote and published in the Latine tongue a booke against Martin Luthers Assertions The King writeth against Martin Luther Disputes and Arguments touching Indulgences and the Sacraments of the Church for which cause he was by the Pope enstiled Defensor Fidei Defender of the Faith Yet some doe affirme that he was so entituled in requitall of the aide and succour which by the gift of excessiue summes of money when he and his Cardinals were prisoners to the Emperour was extended to him and them Defensor Fidei We haue alreadie heard how that Cardinall Wolsey being sent to Calice to ratifie and to confirme the Peace which not long before was concluded there betwixt the Emperor the two Kings The French King first breaketh the peace did therein little good And wee must now know that the first breach of that peace was made by the French King who began to warre sharply on the Emperor both by Sea and Land And because he suspected that King Henrie partly for affinities sake and partly by reason of the condition of part-taking annexed to the said peace did secretly side with the Emperor against him therefore he dealt thus vnkindly with King Henrie 1 First of all contrarie to his faith and promise hee sent Iohn Duke of Albanie into Scotland to raise new warres The French King wrongeth King Henry and many mischiefs against this Realme to the end that the King might not haue any leisure to ioyne with the Emperour and to make warre vpon him 2 Secondly he detayned and kept from the King that yearely Tribute which for Normandie Aquitaine and other the Kings inheritance in those Countries was due and payable by the Kings of France 3 Thirdly contrarie to his promise and safe conduct giuen to the Marchants of England no warre betwixt the two Kings being proclaimed he seised on all their wares and marchandizes in Burdeaux and committed them to prison 4 Fourthly vpon the Seas he riffled robbed and spoiled the Marchants of England daily and vpon complaints promised liberall restitution but made none 5 Fiftly he refused to pay to Queen Mary Dowager of France her yearly pension contrarie to the agreement made betwixt king Henrie and the whole estate of France 6 And last of all neglecting his Hostages and making a wilfull breach of his promise he would not pay those summes of money which were concluded to be paid for the surrendring and yeelding vp of the Citie and Castle of Tourney into his hands King Henries course for requitall These iniuries and wrongs first of all procured the King to make generall Musters through his whole kingdome and then to apparell prouide and furnish his Nauie Royall and to commit them to the charge and gouernment of the Earle of Surrey his high Admirall the scourger of the French King for all his faults To him hee gaue ample and large commission to vexe and to annoy the French King and his Subiects both by Sea and Land He also restrained the French Embassador of his libertie not permitting him to goe abroad without his leaue He also caused the marchandizes wares goods and money of all Frenchmen within his kingdome not being Denizens to be attached to his owne vse Also hee committed their bodies to Gaoles and Prisons vsing them in the like sort as his Subiects and Marchants were misvsed in France A French Armie vanisheth King Henrie being informed that the French King hauing leuied an Armie houered vp and downe neare vnto the marches of Calice to preuent danger and to meet with him at all assaies sent many thousands of gallant and braue Souldiers to the Sea which were by the Admirall receiued into his Fleet so that vpon any occasion or neede they might quickly bee set on land But when they perceiued that Calice was not in any hazard for that the French Armie was vanished and dissolued then the Admirall because he loathed to be idle landed many of his men vpon the coast of Brittaine Morleys taken burnt and with great confidence and resolution conducted them to Morleys where a principall gate of the Citie being battered and beaten open with some great shot the braue English men boldly entred in riffled ransacked and spoiled the town and by the cōmandement of the Admirall they consumed it