Feuersham abbeie which she and hir husband had begonne from the verie foundation And bicause the moonkes line 20 of S. Augustine might not celebrate diuine seruice she called thither commonlie the moonks of Christes church to say seruice before hir Thus much for that purpose and now to other matters The lord Henrie Fitzempresse after all these businesses returned into England in the moneth of May with a great companie of men of warre both horssemen and footmen by reason whereof many reuolted from king Stephan to take part with him whereas before they sat still and would not attempt line 30 any exploit against him But now incouraged with the presence of the lord Henrie they declared themselues freends to him and enimies to the king Immediatlie after his arriuall he tooke with him the earles of Chester and Hereford Ranulfe and Roger and diuers other Noble men and knights of great fame beside those whom he had brought with him out of Normandie and went vnto Carleil where he found his coosin Dauid king of Scotland of whome he was most ioifullie receiued and vpon Whitsunday line 40 with great solemnitie being not past sixtéene yeares of age was by the same king made knight with diuerse other yoong gentlemen that were much about the same age ¶ Some write that the king of Scots receiued an oth of him before he gaue him the honor of knighthood that if he chanced to atteine vnto the possession of the realme of England he should restore to the Scots the towne of Newcastle with the countrie of Northumberland from the riuer of Twéed to the riuer line 50 of Tine But whether it were so or not I am not able to make warrantize Now king Stephan hearing that the king of Scots and his aduersarie the lord Henrie with the chéefest lords of the west parts of England lay thus in Carleil he raised an armie and came to the citie of Yorke where he remained for the most part of the moneth of August fearing least his enimies should attempt the winning of that citie But after the one part had remained a time in Carleil and the other in line 60 Yorke they departed from both those places without any further exploit for that season sauing that Eustachius king Stephans sonne hauing also latelie receiued the order of knighthood did much hurt in the countries which belonged to those Noble men that were with the lord Henrie The great raine that fell in the summer season this yeare did much hurt vnto corne standing on the ground so that a great dearth followed In the winter also after about the tenth day of December it began to fréese extreamelie and so continued till the nineteenth of Februarie wherby the riuer of Thames was so frosen that men might passe ouer it both on foot and horssebacke In the meane while Henrie Duke of Normandie after he had returned from the king of the Scots sailed backe into Normandie about the beginning of August leauing England full of all those calamities which ciuill warre is accustomed to bring with it as burning of houses killing robbing and spoiling of people so that the land was in danger of vtter destruction by reason of that pestilent discord This yeare the 23. of Februarie Galfridus Monumetensâ—s otherwise called Galfridus Arâ—hâ—rius who turned the British historie into Latine was consecrated bishop of S. Assaph by Theobald archbishop of Canturburie at Lambeth William bishop of Norwich and Walter bishop of Rochester assisting him Morouer this yeare as some writers haue recorded Geffrey earle of Aniou husband to the empresse Maud departed this life on the seuenth day of September leauing his sonne Henrie onelie heire and successor in the estates of the duchie of Normandie and countie of Aniou The bodie of the said earle was buried at Mans with a great funerall pompe his three sonnes Henrie Geffrey and William being present But king Stephan assaulting the faire citie of Worcester with a great power of men of warre tooke it and consumed it with fire but the castell he could not win This citie belonged to earle Waleran de Mellent at that season for king Stephan to his owne hinderance had giuen it vnto him Now after the men of warre had diuided the spoile amongst them they came backe and passing through the lands of their enimies got great booties which they also tooke away with them finding none to resist them in their iournie In the yeare following Theobald archbishop of Canturburie and legat to the sée apostolike held a generall synod or councell at London in the Lent season where king Stephan himselfe with his sonne Eustachius and other the péeres of the realme were present This councell was full of appeales contrarie to that had beene vsed in this land till the time that Henrie bishop of Winchester vnto his owne harme whilest he was likewise the popes legat had by vniust intrusion brought them in and now at this councell he was himselfe thrise appealed to the hearing of the popes owne consistorie After this king Stephan in the same yeare brake into the citie of Worcester and whereas he could not the last time win the castell he now endeuoured with all his force to take it But when those within made valiant resistance he raised two castels against it and leauing in the same certeine of his Nobles to continue the siege he himselfe returned home ¶ Thus as yee see the kings propertie was to attempt manie things valiantlie but he procéeded in them oftentimes verie slowlie howbeit now by the policie of the earle of Leicester those two castels which the king had raised to besiege the other castell were shortlie after destroied and so the besieged were deliuered from danger This earle of Leicester was brother to the earle of Mellent Thus the kings purposed intention and painefull trauell on that behalfe came to none effect In the meane while Henrie duke of Normandie maried Elianor duches of Guien or Aquitaine latelie diuorsed from the French king and so in right of hir he became duke of Aquitaine and earle of Poictou for she was the onelie daughter to William duke of Guien and earle of Poictou and by hir father created his sole and lawfull heire The French king was nothing pleased with this mariage in somuch that he made sore warre vpon duke Henrie ioining himselfe in league with king Stephan with his sonne Eustace and with the lord Geffrey brother to duke Henrie so that the said Henrie was constreined to defer his iournie into England and applie his power to deâ—end his countries and subiects on that side of the sea For whereas he was readie at the mouth of the riuer of Barbe to passe ouer into England not long after midsummer the French king with Eustace king Stephans sonne Robert earle of Perch Henrie erle of Champaigne and Geffrey brother to duke Henrie hauing assembled a mightie armie came and besieged the line 10
to haue the gouernement fréelie in his owne hands that he might not be counted prince by permission Herevpon the youthfull courage of the yong king being tickled began to wax of a contrarie mind to his father who suspecting indéed that which chanced to wit least his sonnes yoong yeares not able yet to discerne line 60 good and wholesome counsell from euill might easilie be infected with some sinister practise thought it not good to suffer him to be long absent from him and therefore sent for him who taking leaue of his father in law king Lewes in courteous maner returned and came to his father king Henrie into Normandie who when the feast of Christmas drew néere repaired towards Aniou where in the towne of Chinon he solemnized that feast hauing left his sonne the yong king and his wife all that while in Normandie but sending for him after the feast was ended they went both into Auvergne where being at mount Ferrat Hubert earle of Morienne came vnto them bringing with him his eldest daughter Alice whom king Henrie the father bought of him for the summe of fiue thousand markes that he might bestow hir in mariage vpon his yongest sonne Iohn with the heritage of the countie of Morienne if hir father died without other issue or at the leastwise the said Hubert chanced to haue any sonne lawfullie begotten that then he should leaue vnto them and to their heires the countie of Russellon the countie of Belle as he then had and held the same Pierre castell with the appurtenances the vallie of Noualleise also Chambrie with the appurtenances Aiz Aspermont Rochet mont Magor and Chambres with Burg all which lieng on this side the mountaines with their appurtenances the said Hubert granted to them immediatlie for euer And beyond the mountaines he couenanted to giue vnto them Turine with the appurtenances the colledge of Gauoreth with the appurtenances and all the fées which the earles of Canaues held of him togither with the fealties and seruices And also the fées fealties and seruices which belonged to him in the countie of Amund and in the vallie called Uale Dosta and in like maner the towne of Castellone All the forenamed places the said earle gaue and granted to the said Iohn sonne to the king of England for euermore with his daughter so fréelie wholie and quietlie in men and cities castels fortresses or other places of defense in medowes leassewes milnes woods plaines waters vallies and mountaines in customes and all other things as euer he or his father had held or enioied the same And furthermore the said earle would that immediatlie when it pleased the king of England his people should doo homage and fealtie to the king of Englands sonne reseruing the fealtie due to him so long as he liued Moreouer the said earle Hubert granted to the said Iohn and his wife all the right that he had in the countie of Granople and whatsoeuer might be got and euicted in the same countie It was also couenanted if the elder daughter died that then the said Iohn should marrie the yoonger daughter and enioy all the like portions and parts of inheritance as he should haue enioied with the first Finallie that these couenants grants and agréements should be performed on the part and behalfe of the said earle Hubert both he the said earle and the erle of Geneua and in maner all the great lords and barons of those countries receiued an oth and vndertooke to come and offer themselues as hostages to remaine with the king of England in case the said earle Hubert failed in performance of any of the aforesaid articles till he framed himselfe to satisfie the kings pleasure in such behalfe Furthermore Peter the reuerend archbishop of Tarenfasia and Ardune the bishop of Geneua and also William the bishop of Morienne with the abbat of S. Michell promised vpon their oth to be readie at the appointment of the king of England to put vnder the censures of the church the said earle and his lands refusing to performe the foresaid couenants and so to kéepe him and the same lands bound till he had satisfied the king of England therein William earle of Mandeuill and William earle of Arundell sware on the part of king Henrie that he should performe the articles couenants and agréements on his part as first to make paiment immediatlie vnto the said Hubert of one thousand marks and assoone as he should receiue his daughter he should pay him an other thousand markes at the least and the residue then remaining of the said sum of fiue thousand markes should be paid when the mariage was consummate It was prouided also that the said earle Hubert might marrie his yoonger daughter where he would without any great diminishing of the earledome after the first marriage consummate with the lord Iohn the king of Englands sonne And that if either the said lord Iohn or his affianced wife chanced to die before the consummation of the marriage then should the monie which the earle had receiued be repaied to the king or bestowed as the king should appoint Shortlie after that the parties were agreed vpon the couenants afore cited the marques of Montferrat line 10 one Geffrey de Plozac with his sonne Miles and other Noble men came to the king as ambassadors from the earle of Morienne and receiued an oth that they should see and procure the said earle to performe the couenants and agreements concluded betwixt the king and him When these things were thus ordered as séemed good to both parties for the establishment of the foresaid marriage the king the father and the king the sonne remoued to Limoges whither the earle of S. Giles came and was there line 20 accorded with king Henrie and his sonne Richard duke of Guien concerning the controuersie that had béene moued for the countie of Tholouze dooing his homage as well vnto the father as to the sonne for the same countie and further couenanted to serue them with an hundred knights or men of armes as we may call them for the terme of fourtie daies at all times vpon lawfull summons And if the king or his sonne duke Richard would haue his seruice longer time after the fourtie daies were expired line 30 they should paie wages both to him and his men in reasonable maner Moreouer the said earle condescended agreed to giue yearelie for Tholouze an hundred marks or else 10. horsses with 10. marks a péece Now also whilest the king soiourned at Limoges the earle of Morienne came thither to him and required to vnderstand what parcels of land he would assigne vnto his sonne Iohn Wherevpon the king resolued to allot vnto him the chappell of Chinon Lodun and Mirabell whereby he offended his line 40 eldest sonne the yoong king as after may appeare who was glad to haue occasion whome the poets faine to be bald behind and hairie before as this
ploughland three shillings In the Lent following year 1200 he went to Yorke in hope to haue met the king of Scots there but he came not and so king Iohn line 50 returned backe and sailed againe into Normandie bicause the variance still depended betweene him and the king of France Finallie vpon the Ascension day in this second yeare of his reigne they came eftsoones to a communication betwixt the townes of Uernon and Lisle Dandelie where finallie they concluded an agréement with a marriage to be had betwixt Lewes the sonne of king Philip and the ladie Blanch daughter to Alfonso king of Castile the 8 of that name néece to K. Iohn by his sister Elianor line 60 In consideration whereof king Iohn besides the summe of thirtie thousand markes in siluer as in respect of dowrie assigned to his said néece resigned his title to the citie of Eureux and also vnto all those townes which the French king had by warre taken from him the citie of Angiers onelie excepted which citie he receiued againe by couenants of the same agréement The French king restored also to king Iohn as Rafe Niger writeth the citie of Tours and all the castels and fortresses which he had taken within Touraine and moreouer receiued of king Iohn his homage for all the lands fees and tenements which at anie time his brother king Richard or his father king Henrie had holden of him the said king Lewes or any his predecessors the quit claims and marriages alwaies excepted The king of England likewise did homage vnto the French king for Britaine and againe as after you shall heare receiued homage for the same countrie and for the countie of Richmont of his nephue Arthur He also gaue the earledome of Glocester vnto the earle of Eureux as it were by way of exchange for that he resigned to the French king all right title claime that might be pretended to the countie of Eureux By this conclusion of marriage betwixt the said Lewes and Blanch the right of king Iohn went awaie which he lawfullie before pretended vnto the citie of Eureux and vnto those townes in the confines of Berrie Chateau Roux or Raoul Cressie and Isoldune and likewise vnto the countrie of Ueuxin or Ueulquessine which is a part of the territorie of Gisors the right of all which lands townes and countries was released to the king of France by K. Iohn who supposed that by his affinitie and resignation of his right to those places the peace now made would haue continued for euer And in consideration thereof he procured furthermore that the foresaid Blanch should be conueied into France to hir husband with all spéed That doone he returned into England ¶ Certes this peace was displeasant to manie but namelie to the earle of Flanders who herevpon making no accompt of king Iohns amitie concluded a peace with king Philip shortlie after and ment to make warre against the infidels in the east parts wherby we may see the discontented minds of men and of how differing humors they be so that nothing is harder than to satisfie manie with one thing be the same neuer so good ô caecis mortalia plena tenebris Pectora ô mentes caligine circumseptas But by the chronicles of Flanders it appeareth that the earle of Flanders concluded a peace with the French king in Februarie last past before that king Iohn and the French king fell to any composition But such was the malice of writers in times past which they bare towards king Iohn that whatsoeuer was doone in preiudice of him or his subiects it was still interpreted to chance through his default so as the blame still was imputed to him in so much that although manie things he did peraduenture in matters of gouernement for the which he might be hardlie excused yet to thinke that he deserued the tenth part of the blame wherewith writers charge him it might seeme a great lacke of aduised consideration in them that so should take it But now to procéed with our purpose King Iohn being now in rest from warres with forren enimies began to make warre with his subiects pursses at home emptieng them by taxes and tallages to fill his coffers which alienated the minds of a great number of them from his loue and obedience At length also when he had got togither a great masse of monie he went ouer againe into Normandie where by Helias archbishop of Burdeaux and the bishop of Poictiers and Scone he was diuorsed from his wife Isabell that was the daughter of Robert earle of Glocester bicause of the néerenesse of bloud as touching hir in the third degrée After that he married Isabell the daughter of Amerie earle of Angolesme by whome he had two sonnes Henrie and Richard and thrée daughters Isabell Elianor and Iane. Moreouer about this time Geffrey archbishop of Yorke was depriued of all his manours lands and possessions by the kings commandement directed to the shiriffe of Yorkeshire for diuerse causes for that he would not permit the same shiriffe to leuie the dutie called Charugage that was thrée shillings of euerie ploughland within his diocesse rated and appointed to be leuied to the kings vse throughout all parts of the realme Secondlie for that the same archbishop refused to go ouer with the king into Normandie to helpe to make the marriage betwixt the French kings sonne and his néece Thirdlie bicause he had excommunicated the same shiriffe and all the prouince of Yorke wherevpon the king tooke displeasure against him and not onelie spoiled him line 10 as I said of his goods but also banished him out of the court not suffering him to come in his presence for the space of twelue moneths after In this yeare also Hubert archbishop of Canturburie held a councell at Westminster against the prohibition of the lord chiefe iustice Geffrey Fitz Peter earle of Essex In the which councell or synod diuerse constitutions were made and ordeined for orders and customes to be vsed touching the seruice and administration of sacraments in the church and line 20 other articles concerning churchmen and ecclesiasticall matters About the same time king Iohn and Philip king of France met togither néere the towne of Uernon where Arthur duke of Britaine as vassall to his vncle king Iohn did his homage vnto him for the duchie of Britaine those other places which he held of him on this side and beyond the riuer of Loir and afterward still mistrusting his vncles curtesie he returned backe againe with the French king and would not commit himselfe to his said vncle line 30 who as he supposed did beare him little good will These things being thus performed king Iohn returned into England and there caused his new married wife Isabell to be crowned on the sundaie before the feast of S. Denise the eight of October At the same time he gaue commandement vnto Hugh Neuill
my selfe to giue you cause to thinke your good will not ill bestowed and striue to make my selfe worthie for such subiects And now for your petition I shall praie you for this present to content your selues with an answer without answer Your iudgement I condemne not neither doo I mistake your reasons line 20 but praie you to accept my thankefulnesse excuse my doubtfulnesse and take in good part my answer answerlesse wherein I attribute not so much to mine owne iudgement but that I thinke manie particular persons maie go before me though by my degrée I go before them Therefore if I should saie I would not doo what you request it might peraduenture be more than I thought and to saie I would doo it might perhaps bréed perill of that you labour to preserue being more than in line 30 your owne wisedoms and discretions would séeme conuenient circumstances of place and time being dulie considered Thus far the procéeding against the Scotish quéene as the same is reported by R. C. Now followeth the publication of the same which was doone with great port and statelinesse For vpon tuesdaie being the sixt daie of December the lord maior of London assisted with diuers earls and barons line 40 the aldermen in their scarlet gownes the principall officers of the citie the greatest number of gentlemen of the best accompt in and about the citie with the number of fourescore of the most graue worshipfullest citizens in cotes of veluet and chaines of gold all on horsse backe in most solemne and statelie maner by the sound of foure trumpets about ten of the clocke in the forenone made open and publike proclamation and declaration of the sentence latelie giuen by the nobilitie against line 50 the quéene of Scots vnder the great seale of England bearing date at Richmont the fourth daie of December being openlie read by master Sebright towne-clerke of London with lowd voice solemnelie proclamed by the sargent at armes of the said citie in foure seuerall places to wit at the crosse in Cheape at the end of Chancerie lane in Fleetstreet ouer against the Temple at Leaden hall corner and at saint Magnus corner néere London bridge During which time the like solemne proclamations line 60 were made with great solemnities in the countie of Middlesex namelie in the palace at Westminster without Temple barre and in Holborne by the shiriffes of London and Midlesex assisted with sundrie noblemen gentlemen of good account and the iustices of peace of the said countie to the great and woonderfull reioising of the people of all sorts as manifestlie appeared by their eger running after the portlie traine their thronging to heare the same published their ringing of bels making of bonfires and singing of psalmes in euerie stréet and lane of the citie The said proclamation followeth A true copie of the proclamation latelie published by the queenes maiestie vnder the great seale of England for the declaring of the sentence latelie giuen against the queene of Scots in forme as followeth ELisabeth by the grace of God quéene of England France and Ireland defender of the faith c. Whereas we were giuen to vnderstand very crediblie though to our great greefe that diuerse things were and of late time had beene compassed imagined and resolutelie intended tending directlie to the hurt and destruction of our roiall person and to the subuersion of the state of our realme by forren inuasions and rebellions at home as well by the quéene of Scots remaining in our realme vnder our protection as by manie diuerse other wicked persons with hir priuitie who had fréelie confessed the same and had therevpon receiued open triall iudgement and execution according to the lawes for their deserts And though in verie truth we were greatlie and deeplie gréeued in our mind to thinke or imagine that anie such vnnaturall and monstrous acts should be either deuised or willinglie assented vnto against vs by hir being a princesse borne and of our sex and bloud and one also whose life honor we had manie times before saued and preserued yet were we so directlie drawne to thinke all the same to be true by the sight and vnderstanding of such proofes as were manifestlie produced afore vs vpon matters that had as well procéeded from hir selfe as from the conspirators themselues who voluntarilie fréelie without anie coercion had confessed their conspirations both iointlie with hir and directed by hir against our person and our realme and therefore also we saw great reason to thinke the same ouer dangerous to be suffered to passe onward to take their full effect Wherefore we were by sundrie lords of our nobilitie and others our louing subiects earnestlie mooued and counselled to take vndelaied order for the inquisition and examination of all these dangerous enterprises conspiracies by sundrie waies directlie auowed to be by the said quéen of Scots against vs and our realme certeinlie intended and also to vse all present meanes with expedition to withstand or rather to preuent the same And for that we were verie vnwilling to procéed against hir considering hir birth and estate by such vsuall sort as by the common lawes of the realme we might haue lawfullie doone which was by indictment and arreignment by ordinarie iuries therefore in respect both of our owne honor and of hir person we yéelded by good aduise giuen to vs to procéed in the most honorable sort that could be deuised within our realme to the examination hereof according to a late act of parlement made the thrée and twentith daie of Nouember in the seuen and twentith yeare of our reigne Wherevpon by our commission vnder our great seale of England bearing date at our castell of Windsore in our countie of Barkeshire the sixt daie of October now last past we did for that purpose according to that statute assigne name and appoint all the lords and others of our priuie councell and so manie other earls and barons lords of parlement of the greatest degrée and most ancient of the nobilitie of this our realme as with the same lords and others of our priuie councell made vp the number of fortie and two adding also thereto a further number according to the tenor of the foresaid act of parlement of certeine of the cheefest and other principall iudges of the courts of record at Westminster amounting in the whole to the number of fortie and seuen to examine all things compassed and imagined tending to the hurt of our roiall person as well by the said quéene of Scots by the name of Marie the daughter heire of Iames the fift late king of Scots commonlie called the quéene of Scots Dowager of France as by anie other by hir priuitie and all the circumstances thereof therevpon according to the tenor of the said act of parlement to giue sentence or iudgment as vpon good proofe the matter vnto them should appeare as line 10 by the same commission more fullie appeareth And where
as he passed he shewed great crueltie against his aduersaries besieging and taking their castels and strong houses of the which some he caused to be fortified with garrisons of souldiers to his owne vse and some he raced The like feats were wrought by the other armie in the parts about London for William earle of Salisburie and Foukes de Brent with the other capteins which the king had left behind him there perceiuing that the citie would not easilie be woone by anie siege first furnished the castell of Windsore Hertford and Barkhamsted with such strong garrisons of souldiers as might watch vpon occasion giuen to assaile those that should either go into the citie or come from thence they marched foorth with the residue of the armie and passing through the counties of Essex and Hertford Middlesex Cambridge Huntington they wasted the countries and made the townes become tributaries to them As for the houses manour places parkes and other possessions of the barons they wasted spoiled and destroied them running euen hard to the citie of London and setting fire in the suburbs In this meane time whilest the king went forwards on his iournie northwards vpon the 18 of December last past the castell of Hanslap was taken by Foukes de Brent which apperteined vnto William Manduit On the same day also was the castell of Tunbridge taken by the garrison of Rochester which castell of Tunbridge belonged to the earle of Clare Moreouer the foresaid Foukes de Brent comming vnto Bedford wan both the towne and castell for they that had the castell in kéeping after 7 daies respit which they obteined at the hands of the said Foukes when rescue came not from the lord William Beauchampe their maister they deliuered it vnto the said Foukes Unto whom K. Iohn gaue not onlie that castell but also committed to his kéeping the castels of Northampton Oxford and Cambridge The king had this Foukes in great estimation and amongst other waies to aduance him he gaue to him in marriage Margaret de Riuers a ladie of high nobilitie with all the lands and possessions that to hir belonged Moreouer to William earle of Albemarle the king deliuered the custodie of the castels of Rockingham Sawey and Biham To one Ranulfe Teutonicus the castell of Barkehamsted and to Walter Godreuill seruant to Foukes de Brent he betooke the kéeping of the castell of Hertford Thus what on the one part and what on the other the barons lost in maner all their possessions from the south sea vnto the borders of Scotland the king seizing the same into his hands and committing them to the kéeping of strangers and such other as he thought more trustie and conuenient All this while the barons laie at London banketting and making merrie without attempting anie exploit praise-worthie But yet when they heard by certeine aduertisement what hauocke and destruction was made of their houses possessions abroad they could not but lament their miseries and amongst other their complaints which they vttered one to another they sore blamed the pope as a cheefe cause of all these euils for that he mainteined and defended the king against them Indeed about the same time pope Innocent who before at the instant suit of king Iohn had excommunicated the barons in generall did now excommunicate them by name and in particular as these First all the citizens of London which were authors of the mischéefe that had happened by the rebellion of the said barons Also Robert Fitz Walter Saer de Quincie earle of Winchester R. his sonne G. de Mandeuille and W. his brother the earle of Clare line 10 and G. his sonne H. earle of Hereford R. de Percie G. de Uescie I. conestable of Chester W. de Mowbraie Will. de Albenie W. his sonne P. de Breuse R. de Cressey I. his sonne Ranulfe Fitz Robert R. earle Bigot H. his sonne Robert de Uere Foulke Fitz Warren W. Mallet W. de Mountacute W. Fitz Marshall W. de Beauchampe S. de Kime R. de Montbigons and Nicholas de Stuteuille with diuerse other line 20 The armie which king Iohn had left behind him in the south parts vnder the leading of the earle of Salisburie and other laie not idle but scowring the countries abroad as partlie yee haue heard came to S. Edmundsburie and hauing intelligence there that diuerse knights ladies and gentlewomen that were there before their comming had fled out of that towne and for their more safetie were withdrawne into the I le of Elie they followed them besieged the Ile and assailed it on ech side so that although line 30 they within had fortified the passages and appointed men of warre to remaine vpon the gard of the same in places where it was thought most néedfull yet at length they entred vpon them by force Walter Bucke with his Brabanders being the first that set foot within the I le towards Herbie For by reason the waters in the fenes and ditches were hard frosen so that men might passe by the same into the said Ile they found means to enter and spoiled it froÌ„ side to side togither with the cathedrall church line 40 carieng from thence at their departure a maruellous great prey of goods and cattell The barons of the realme being thus afflicted with so manie mischéefes all at one time as both by the sharpe and cruell warres which the king made against them on the one side and by the enmitie of the pope on the other side they knew not which way to turne them nor how to séeke for releefe For by the losse of their complices taken in the castell of Rochester they saw not how it should any thing auaile line 50 them to ioine in battell with the king Therefore considering that they were in such extremitie of despaire they resolued with themselues to seeke for aid at the enimies hands and therevpon Saer earle of Winchester and Robert Fitz Walter with letters vnder their seales were sent vnto Lewes the sonne of Philip the French king offering him the crowne of England and sufficient pledges for performance of the same and other couenants to be agréed betwixt them requiring him with all speed to come vnto their line 60 succour This Lewes had married as before is said Blanch daughter to Alfonse king of Casâ—ile néere to king Iohn by his sister Elianor Now king Philip the father of this Lewes being glad to haue such an occasion to inuade the relme of England which he neuer looued promised willinglie that his sonne should come vnto the aid of the said barons with all conuenient spéed but first he receiued foure and twentie hostages which he placed at Campaine for further assurance of the couenants accorded and herewith he prepared an armie and diuerse ships to transport his sonne and his armie ouer into England In the meane time and to put the barons in câ—mfort he sent ouer a certeine number of armed
coosens and againe bicause the king of France had no iust title or right to make claime to England Further there was as then a truce betwixt England line 30 and France and before that England could be subdued much giltlesse bloud should be spilt Also the christians in the holie land were sore oppressed and looked dailie for the arriuall of the king of France and therefore he would be loth to attempt any new enterprise to hinder his iornie thither But about the feast of the Epiphanie other news came out of Prouance that troubled the king of England worse than the other before as thus That the countesse Beatrice his wiues mother had deliuered vp the countie of Prouance into the French kings hands togither line 40 with sixtéene castels which in right of the queene ought to haue remained vnto the king of England For the safe keeping wherof to his vse the said countesse Beatrice had receiued yeerelie for the terme of fiue yeares last past the summe of foure thousand marks of the king of England and yet now in the deliuering of them with the residue of the countrie vnto the French king she neuer made any mention of his right line 50 Shortlie after also Charles the French kings brother maried the ladie Beatrice yoongest daughter of earle Raimond and had with hir the same countie of Prouance and so was intituled earle thereof as in the French historie appeareth Moreouer the archbishop of Canturburie procured a grant from the pope to recouer for one yeare the first fruits of all cures that chanced to be void within the citie diocesse and prouance of Canturburie by and during the tearme of seauen yeares then next following till the summe line 60 of ten thousand marks were leuied towards the discharge of the said archbishops debts The collection of the which ten thousand marks was assigned by the popes bulles vnto the bishop of Hereford who should also leauie two thousand marks of the reuenues belonging to the church of Canturburie to be conuerted to the same vse The king at the first was sore offended herewith but shortlie after he was pacified and so the archbishop had his will After this about the beginning of the next spring Dauid prince of Wales departed this life after great pensifenesse of mind for the destruction and miserie into the which his countrie had béene brought through the present warres with the Englishmen After his deceasse the Welshmen elected to succeed in his place the sonne of Griffin whom king Henrie had reteined in seruice and honourablie vsed euen of a child but now that he heard that the Welshmen had elected him to their prince he stale away and fled into Wales ¶ On the day of the purification of our ladie a robberie was committed vpon certeine Iewes at Oxenford for the which fact fiue and fortie of the offendors were put in prison but at the suit of Robert bishop of Lincolne they were deliuered by the kings commandement bicause no man impeached them of anie breach of peace or other crime The citizens of London also about the beginning of the spring were compelled to paie a talage wherewith they found themselues sore aggreeued About the middest of Lent there was a parlement holden at London wherein diuerse statutes and ordinances were deuised as penalties for those that offended in other mens parks and warrens but the chéefest occasion of assembling this parlement was to take aduise in matters touching the greefes wherewith the church of England séemed to be oppressed by the pope and the court of Rome The pope indeed to quiet the English ambassadors and to put the king and realme in some good hope of reléefe and deliuerance out of such oppressions as were opened vnto him in the face of the whole councell did not onelie promise largelie but also caused diuerse priuileges to be made and deliuered vnto the said ambassadors verie fauorablie in the behalfe of their request But yet the same notwithstanding sith the breaking vp of the said generall councell and return to the ambassadors manie things were doone to the increasing and continuation of the former greefes so that they stood in doubt of further oppressions to follow rather than in hope of the promised redresse Herevpon they concluded eftsoones to write vnto the pope and to the cardinals both in name of the king of the bishops and prelats of the earles barons and other estates of the temporaltie and of the abbats and priors In the meane time the pope for a while somewhat relented in the point of bestowing benefices here in England for when any of his freends or kinsmen was to be preferred to any benefies within this realme he would sue to the king for his grant and good will that such a one might be admitted and not seeme of himselfe to grant it without the kings consent The earle of Sauoy in the presence of the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Hereford and others did homage to the king of England acknowledging to hold of him certeine fées as those of Suse Auislian S. Maurice de Chablais and the castell of Bard which he might well doo not preiudicing the right of the empire sith he held nothing of the same empire except Aigues and the passages This yeare the office of the earle Marshall was giuen to Roger Bigod earle of Northfolke in right of his wife the countesse that was eldest daughter vnto the great earle William Marshall ¶ Moreouer in this yeare the king holding his Easter at London honored Harold king of Man with the order of knighthood About the same time diuerse noble men of Wales submitted themselues and were receiued vnto the kings peace ¶ On saint Markes day was a great frost and snow which nipped the leaues of trees and hearbes in such extreame wise that for the more part they withered and faded awaie Furthermore bicause the pope vnderstood that diuerse rich beneficed men were of late dead in England intestate as Robert Hailes the archdeacon of Lincolne Almerike the archdeacon of Bedford and Iohn Hotospe archdeacon of Northhampton he ordeined a decrée that all such spirituall persons as died intestate their goods should remaine to the pope The execution of which decrée he commanded to the friers preachers and minors but the king would not suffer it to take place bicause he saw that it should redound to the preiudice of him and his kingdome Wherein the popes oppression and wrong offered to the dead by whose deceasse their suruiuing fréends should be benefited and his cruell couetousnes extending to the verie senseles corpse dooth manifestlie appeare so that it is verified of him by waie line 10 of comparison Carniuorax tumidis vt gaudet hyaena sepulchris Sic instat putidis ille cadaueribus Also where the pope required a talage of the clergie the king flatlie forbad it by his letters inhibitorie In this meane while William Powis
and of dutie to the preiudice of the liberties of the church The Nobles also found themselues gréeued for the exactions which they saw at hand but finallie after manie things had beene debated touching these matters line 20 the parlement was adiourned till Michaelmas next and euerie man departed to his home with no great trust of the kings good will towards them nor anie hartie thanks receiued of him for their paines as may be thought by that which writers haue recorded Two Noble men to whom the custodie and guiding of the king and quéene of Scots was committed that is to say Robert de Ros and Iohn de Bailioll were accused for misusing themselues in the trust and charge which they had taken vpon them line 30 King Henrie was the same time at Notingham The information came foorth by a physician who was sent from the queene of England vnto hir daughter the quéene of Scots to be about hir for gard of hir health but bicause the same physician whose name was Reignold of Bath perceiued the quéene of Scots to be impaired in health through anguish of mind by reason of the misdemeanor of such as had the gouernement of hir and hir husband he sticked line 40 not to blame and reprooue them in their dooings for the which he was poisoned as some thinke for the truth was he shortlie after sickened and died signifieng vpon his death-bed vnto the quéene of England what he misliked and thought amisse in those that had the dooings about hir daughter and hir husband the Scotish king The moone suffered a maruellous eclipse on the night following the day of S. Margaret in Iulie It began afore midnight and continued foure houres The king in the behalfe of his daughter the queene line 50 of Scots raised a power and drew northwards sending before him the earle of Glocester and Iohn Mansell that was his chapleine and one of his councell These two so vsed the matter that they came to Edenburgh where the king and queene of Scots then laie in the castell into the which theâ— entred and altred the order of the houshold so as stood with the contentation of the king and queene which were in such wise vsed before that time that they were not line 60 suffered to lie togither nor scarse come to talke togither Robert de Ros was summoned to appeare before the king of England to answer to such things as might be laid to his charge At the first he withdrew himselfe but afterwards he came in and submitted himselfe to the kings pleasure Diuerse of the nobles of Scotland tooke it not well that the earle of Glocester and Iohn Mansell should thus come into the castell of Edenburgh and order things in the kings house in such sort at their pleasure wherevpon they assembled a power and besieged the castell but at length perceiuing their owne error they raised their siege and departed Iohn de Bailioll being accused of the like crime that was laid to the charge of his fellow Robert de Ros for a pâ—ece of monie bought his peace and was pardoned but the lands of Robert de Ros were seized into the kings hands Finallie the king and queene of England came to an enteruiew with the king of Scots and the quéene their daughter and setting all things with them in such order as was thought conuenient they returned towards the south parts In the meane season the bishop of Hereford deuised a shift to helpe the K. with monie towards the paiments of his debts by obteining certeine autentike seales of the prelats of this land wherewith he signed certeine instruments and writings wherein was expressed that he had receiued diuerse summes of monie for dispatch of businesse perteining to them and to their churches of this and that merchant of Florence or Siena whereby they stood bound for repaiment thereof by the same instruments and writings so made by him their agent in their names This shift was deuised by the said bishop of Hereford with licence obteined therevnto of the king and also of the pope vnto whome for the same intent the said bishop was sent with sir Robert Walerane knight The pope was the sooner persuaded to grant licence for the contriuing of such manner of shift bicause the monie should go to the discharging of the kings debts into the which he was run by bearing the charges of the warres against the king of Sicill About the feast of saint Edward the parlement began againe at London in which the states treated of a subsidie to be granted to the king but they could not conclude thereof neither would Richard earle of Cornewall disburse anie monie at that season to his brother the king bicause he allowed not the maner of laieng it out for the warres against Manfred being taken in hand without his consent The same years the king by the procurement of his brother Richard earle of Cornewall had seized the liberties of the citie of London into his owne hands vnder colour that the maior had not doone his dutie in the iust punishing of bakers for breaking of the assises of their bread Herevpon where the maior and communaltie of the citie had by the kings grant the citie to farme with diuerse customes and offices at a certeine rate and stinted summe of monie now the king set officers therein at his pleasure which were accomptable to him for all the reuenues and profits that grew within the citie But whereas the malice which the earle of Cornewall bare to the citie was for that they would not exchange with him câ—rteine grounds that belonged to their communaltie they were glad to agree with him and paie vnto him six hundred marks After which agréement concluded about the nintéenth daie of Nouember they were shortlie after restored to their liberties This chanced before the kings comming ouer who at his comming to London lodged in the tower and vpon new displeasure conceiued against the citie for the escape of a prisoner being a clearke conuict out of Newgate which had killed a prior that was of aliance to the king as cousine to the queene the king sent for the maior and the shirifs to come before him to answer the matter The maior laid the fault from him to the shiriffes for so much as to them belonged the kéeping of all the prisoners within the citie and so the maior returned home againe but the shiriffes remained there as prisoners by the space of a whole moneth or more and yet they excused themselues in that the fault cheefelie rested in the bishops officers for whereas the prisoner was vnder his custodie they at his request had granted him licence to imprison the offendor within their ward of Newgate but so as his officers were charged to see him safe kept The king notwithstanding demanded of the citie thrée thousand marks for a fine Moreouer whereas he stood in great néed of monie
king and to persuade him the more easilie therevnto he promised him great aid but the king of England hauing prooued the said pope not the surest man in friendship towards him forbare to attempt anie forceable exploit against the French king trusting by some other meanes to recouer his right This yeere Humfrey Bohun earle of Hereford departed out of this life after whome succeeded his sonne Humfrey who afterwards maried the kings daughter Elizabeth countesse of Holland after that hir first husband was dead Tournies iustes barriers and other warlike exercises which yoong lords and gentlemen had appointed to exercise for their pastime in diuerse parts of the realme were forbidden by the kings proclamations sent downe to be published by the shirifs in euerie countie abroad in the realme the teste of the writ was from Westminster the sixteenth of Iulie ¶ The citizens of Burdeaux could not beare the yoke of the French bondage and therefore this yéere about Christmasse expelled them out of their citie ¶ Shortlie after the French king doubting least the king of England by the setting on of the pope should make warres against him for wrongfull deteining of Gascoine to purchase his fauor restored to him all that which he held in Gascoine and so then they of Burdeaux also submitted themselues to the king of England of their owne accord Now after that the truce with the Scots was expired which tooke end at the feast of All saints last past the king sent the lord Iohn Segraue a right valiant knight but not so circumspect in his gouernment as was necessarie with a great armie into Scotland to haue the rule of the land as lord warden of the same with him was ioined also Rafe Confreie treasurer of the armie These two capteins comming to the borders and hearing that the Scotishmen alreadie were in armes they entered into Scotland and in order of battell passed foorth to Edenburgh and hearing nothing of their enimies which kept them still in the mounteins they deuided their armie into three seuerall battels two of the which came behind the fore ward vnder the leading of the said Rafe Confreie the third that is to say the fore ward the lord Segraue led himselfe in such order that there was the distance of foure miles betwixt their lodgings This they did to be the more plentiouslie serued of vittels But the Scots vnderstanding this order of their enimies became the more hardie and therevpon hauing knowledge where the lord Segraue was lodged with his companie a good way off from the other two parts of the armie they hasted forwards in the night season and came néere vnto the place where the same lord Segraue was incamped a little before daie making themselues readie to assaile the Englishmen in their campe But the lord Segraue hauing knowlege of their comming though he was counselled by some of them that were about him either to withdraw vnto the other battels or else to send vnto them to come to his aid he would follow neither of both the waies but like a capteine more hardie than wise in this point disposed his companies which he had there in order to fight and incouraging them to plaie the men immediatlie vpon the rising of the sunne and that his enimies approched he caused the trumpets to sound to the battell and gaue therewith the ouset The fight was sore and doubtfull for a while till the Englishmen ouercome with the multitude of their enimies began to be slaine on ech side so that few escaped by flight To the number of twentie worthie knights were taken with their capteine the said lord Segraue being sore wounded but he was by chance rescued and deliuered out of the enimies hands by certeine horssemen which vnder the leading of the lord Robert Neuell a right valiant knight vpon hearing the noise of them that fled came on the spurs out of the next campe to the succour of their fellowes Rafe Confreie after this mishap as Polydor saith brought backe the residue of the armie into England not thinking it necessarie to attempt any further enterprise at that time against the enimies ouermatching him both in strength and number This incounter chanced on the first sundaie in Lent ¶ I remember the Scotish chronicles conteine much more line 10 of this enterprise greatlie to their glorie and more haplie than is true as by conferring the place where they intreat of it with this that I haue here exemplified out of our writers it may well appeare The earle Marshall hauing spent largelie whilest he stood in contention against the king who was now earnestlie called vpon to repaie such summes of monie as he had borowed of his brother Iohn Bigod who was verie rich by reason of such benefices and spirituall liuings as he had in his hands the earle bicause line 20 he had no children to whom he might leaue his lands meant to haue left them vnto his said brother but when he saw him so importunate in calling for the debts which he owght him he tooke such displeasure therewith that to obteine the kings fauour and to disappoint his brother of the inheritance he gaue vnto the king all his possessions vpon condition that the king adding thereto other lands in value woorth a thousand markes by yeare should restore them to him againe to inioy during his life the remainder line 30 after his deceasse to come vnto the king and further the king should paie and discharge him of all his debts King Edward being aduertised of the losse which his men had susteined in Scotland streightwaies called a parlement wherein by assent of the states a subsidie was granted towards the maintenance of his warres and then the same being leuied he assembled his people and shortlie after about Whitsuntide entred into Scotland to reuenge the death of his line 40 men The Scots hearing of the kings comming fled into the mounteins mosses and marish grounds not once shewing any countenance to fight any set battell with the English host so that the king in maner without resistance passed through the countrie euen vnto Cathnes which is the furthest part of all Scotland Manie of the Scots perceiuing their lacke of power to resist the English puissance came to king Edward and submitted themselues with condition that they should inioy their lands which he line 50 had giuen awaie to his lords they redéeming the same with conuenient fines which was granted But Will. Waleis with certeine other kéeping themselues in places where no armie could come to pursue them would neuer giue eare to any conditions of agreement so that neither with feare neither with offer of rewards could this Waleis be induced to follow or behold the English K. ruling the realme of Scotland King Edward returning backe came to the castell of Striueling which the Scotishmen line 60 held against him and besieged it The king himselfe
like a sharpe rasor 3 Thou hast loued vngratiousnesse more than goodnesse and to talke of lies more than righteousnesse 4 Thou hast loued to speake all words that may doo hurt ô thou false toong 5 Therefore shall God destroie thee for euer he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy dwelling and roote thee out of the land of line 20 the liuing 6 The righteous also shall see this and feare and shall laugh him to scorne 7 Lo this is the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches strengthned himselfe in his wickednesse On the same daie was Simon de Reading drawne and hanged on the same gallowes but ten foot lower than the other This Reading being marshall of the line 30 kings house had vsed the queene very vncourteouslie giuing hir manie reprochfull words which now were remembred and therefore may serue for an example how dangerous a thing it is to speake euill of the higher powers The common fame went that after this Hugh Spenser the sonne was taken he would receiue no sustenance wherefore he was the sooner put to death or else had he beene conueied to London there to haue suffered Iohn earle of Arundell was line 40 taken on S. Hughs day in the parts about Shrewesburie and the same day seuennight before the execution of the earle of Glocester Hugh Spenser the yoonger as well the said earle who had béene euer a great freend to both the Spensers as also Iohn Daniell and Thomas de Milcheldeure were put to death at Hereford by procurement of the lord Mortimer of Wigmore that hated them extreamelie by reason whereof they were not like to spéed much better for what he willed the same was doone and without him line 50 the queene in all these matters did nothing The chancellour Robert de Baldocke being committed to the custodie of Adam de Torleton bishop of Hereford remained at Hereford in safe kéeping till Candlemasse next and then the bishop being at London appointed him to be brought vp where not without the bishops consent as was thought he was taken out of his house by violence and laid in Newgate where shortlie after through inward sorow and extreame gréefe of mind he ended his life Thus the line 60 quéene and hir companie hauing compassed their businesse in so happie maner as they could wish she with hir sonne and a great companie of lords and gentlemen repaired vnto Wallingford where they kept Christmasse togither with great ioy and triumph the king in the meane while remaining as ye haue heard at Killingworth in a kind of honorable estate although he was prisoner ¶ After Christmasse the quéene with hir son and such lords as were then with them year 1327 remooued to London where at their comming thither which was before the feast of the Epiphanie they were receiued with great ioy triumph and large gifts and so brought to Westminster where the morrow after the same feast the parlement which before hand had beene summoned began in which it was concluded and fullie agréed by all the states for none durst speake to the contrarie that for diuerse articles which were put vp against the king he was not worthie longer to reigne and therefore should be deposed and withall they willed to haue his sonne Edward duke of Aquitaine to reigne in his place This ordinance was openlie pronounced in the great hall at Westminster by one of the lords on the feast day of saint Hilarie being tuesdaie to the which all the people consented The archbishop of Canturburie taking his theame Vox populi vox Dei made a sermon exhorting the people to praie to God to bestow of his grace vpon the new king And so when the sermon was ended euerie man departed to his lodging But the duke of Aquitaine when he perceiued that his mother tooke the matter heauilie in appearance for that hir husband should be thus depriued of the crowne he protested that he would neuer take it on him without his fathers consent and so therevpon it was concluded that certeine solemne messengers should go to Killingworth to mooue the king to make resignation of his crowne and title of the kingdome vnto his sonne There were sent on this message as some write thrée or as other haue two bishops two earles two abbats two or as Tho. de la More and Walsingham haue foure barons and for euerie countie citie and burrough and likewise for the cinque ports certeine knights and burgesses The bishops that were sent were these as T. de la More noteth Iohn de Stratford bishop of Winchester Adam de Torleton bishop of Hereford and Henrie bishop of Lincolne The two earles as Southwell hath were Lancaster and Warwike the two barons Rose and Courtney beside these as he saith there were two abbats two priors two iustices two friers of the order of preachers two of the Carmelits two knights for the commons on the north side of Trent and two for the other on the south side of the same riuer two citizens for London two burgesses for the cinque ports so as in all there went of this message as Southwell saith thrée and twentie or rather foure and twentie persons of one degree and other None of the frier minors went bicause they would not be the bringers of so heauie tidings sith he had euer borne them great good will The bishops of Winchester and Lincolne went before and comming to Killingworth associated with them the earle of Leicester of some called the earle of Lancaster that had the king in kéeping And hauing secret conference with the king they sought to frame his mind so as he might be contented to resigne the crowne to his sonne bearing him in hand that if he refused so to doo the people in respect of the euill will which they had conceiued against him would not faile but procéed to the election of some other that should happilie not touch him in linage And sâ—th this was the onlie meane to bring the land in quiet they willed him to consider how much he was bound in conscience to take that waie that should be so beneficiall to the whole realme The king being sore troubled to heare such displeasant newes was brought into a maruelous agonie but in the end for the quiet of the realme and doubt of further danger to himselfe he determined to follow their aâ—uise and so when the other commissioners were come and that the bishop of Hereford had declared the cause where 〈…〉 were sent the king in presence of them all notwithstanding his outward countenance discouered how much it inwardlie grieued him yet after 〈◊〉 â—as come 〈◊〉 himselfe he answered that he 〈◊〉 that he was 〈◊〉 into this miserie through his owne offensed and therefore he was contented patientlie to suffer it but yet it could not he said but gréene him that he had in such wise runne
le Beau sister to Charles the fift king of France began his reigne as king of England his father yet liuing the 25 daie of Ianuarie after the creation 5293 in the yeare of our lord 1327 year 1327 after the account of them that line 10 begin the yeare at Christmasse 867 after the comming of the Saxons 260 after the conquest the 13 yeare of the reigne of Lewes the fourth then emperour the seuenth of Charles the fift king of France the second of Andronicus Iunior emperour of the east almost ended and about the end of the 22 of Robert le Bruce king of Scotland He was crowned at Westminster on the day of the Purification of our ladie next insuing by the hands of Walter the archbishop of Canturburie line 20 And bicause he was but fourteene yeares of age so that to gouerne of himselfe he was not sufficient it was decréed that twelue of the greatest lords within the realme should haue the rule and gouernment till he came to more perfect yeares The names of which lords were as followeth The archbishop of Canturburie the archbishop of Yorke the bishops of Winchester and of Hereford Henrie earle of Lancaster Thomas Brotherton earle marshall Edmund of Woodstoke earle of Kent Iohn earle of Warren the lord Thomas Wake the lord Henrie Percie the line 30 lord Oliuer de Ingham the lord Iohn Ros. These were sworne of the kings councell and charged with the gouernement as they would make answer But this ordinance continued not long for the quéene and the lord Roger Mortimer tooke the whole rule so into their hands that both the king and his said councellors were gouerned onelie by them in all matters both high and low Neuerthelesse although they had taken the regiment vpon them yet could they not foresee the tumults and vprores that presentlie vpon line 40 the yoong kings inthronizing did insue but needs it must come to passe that is left written where children weare the crowne beare the scepter in hand Vaepueri terrae saepissimè sunt ibi guerrae He confirmed the liberties and franchises of the citie of London and granted that the maior of the same citie for the time being might sit in all places of iudgement within the liberties thereof for cheefe iustice aboue all other the kings person onelie excepted and that euerie alderman that had béene maior line 50 should be iustice of peace through all the citie of London and countie of Middlesex and euerie alderman that had not béene maior should be iustice of peace within his owne ward He granted also to the citizens that they should not be constreined to go foorth of the citie to anie warres in defense of the land and that the franchises of the citie should not be seized from thenceforth into the kings hands for anie cause but onelie for treason and rebellion shewed by the whole citie Also Southwarke was appointed to be vnder the rule of the citie and the maior of London to be bailiffe of Southwarke and to ordeine such a substitute in the same borough as pleased him In the first yeare of this kings reigne we find in records belonging to the abbeie of S. Edmundsburie in Suffolke that the inhabitants of that towne raised a sore commotion against the abbat moonks of the same abbeie and that at seuerall times as first on the wednesdaie next after the feast of the conuersion of S. Paule in the said first yeare of this kings reigne one Robert Foxton Richard Draiton and a great number of other assembling themselues togither in warlike order and araie assaulted the said abbeie brake downe the gates windowes and doores entered the house by force and assailing certeine moonks and seruants that belonged to the abbat did beat wound and euill intreat them brake open a number of chests coffers and forssets tooke out chalices of gold and siluer books vestments and other ornaments of the church beside a great quantitie of rich plate and other furniture of household apparell armour and other things beside fiue hundred pounds in readie coine also three thousand florens of gold All these things they tooke and caried awaie togither with diuerse charters writings miniments as thrée charters of Knute sometime king of England foure charters of king Hardiknute one charter of king Edward the confessor two charters of king Henrie the first other two charters of king Henrie the third which charters concerned as well the foundation of the same abbeie as the grants and confirmations of the possessions and liberties belonging thereto Also they tooke awaie certeine writings obligatorie in the which diuerse persons were bound for the paiement of great summes of monie and deliuerie of certeine wines vnto the hands of the said abbat Moreouer they tooke awaie with them ten seuerall buls concerning certeine exemptions and immunities granted to the abbats and moonks of Burie by sundrie bishops of Rome Furthermore not herewith contented they tooke Peter Clopton prior of the said abbeie and other moonks foorth of the house and leading them vnto a place called the Leaden hall there imprisoned them till the thursdaie next before the feast of the Purification of our ladie and that daie bringing them backe againe into the chapter-house deteined them still as prisoners till they had sealed a writing conteining that the abbat and conuent were bound in ten thousand pounds to be paid to Oliuer Kempe and others by them named And further they were constreined to seale a letter of release for all actions quarels debts transgressions suits and demands which the abbat might in anie wise claime or prosecute against the said Oliuer Kempe and others in the same letters named For these wrongs and other as for that they would not permit the abbats bailiffes and officers to kéepe their ordinarie courts as they were accustomed to doo as well thrée daies in the wéeke for the market to wit mondaie wednesdaie and fridaie as the Portman mote euerie tuesdaie thrée wéeks line 10 and further prohibit them from gathering such tols customes and yearelie rents as were due to the abbat for certeine tenements in the towne which were let to farme the abbat brought his action against the said Foxton Draiton and others and hauing it tried by an inquest on the fridaie next after the feast of saint Lucie the virgine in a sessions holden at Burie by Iohn Stonore Walter Friskney Robert Maberthorpe Iohn Bousser by vertue of the kings writ of oier and determiner to them directed line 20 the offendors were condemned in 40000 pounds so that the said Richard Draiton and others there present in the court were committed to prison in custodie of the shiriffe Robert Walkefare who was commanded also to apprehend the other that were not yet arrested if within his bailiwike they might be found and to haue their bodies before the said iustices at Burie aforsaid on thursdaie in Whitsunwéeke next insuing Beside this there was an other
chancellor of Burgognie Iaques de Uienne and other lords of the countrie being sent from their duke to agrée with the king for the sparing of the lands and seigniories apperteining to the duchie of Burgognie The chancellor and the other Burgognian lords found the king so agréeable to their request that a composition was made betwixt him and the countrie of Burgognie so that he should make to them an line 50 assurance for him and all his people not to ouerrun or indamage that countrie during the space of thrée yeares and he to haue in readie monie the summe of two hundred thousand florens of gold which of sterling monie amounted to the summe of fiue and thirtie thousand pounds When this agreement was ingrossed vp in writing and sealed the king dislodged and all his host taking the right waie to Paris and passing the riuer of Yonne entered into Gastinois line 60 and at length by easie iournies vpon a tuesdaie being the last of March in the wéeke before Easter he came and lodged betwéene Mont le Herie and Chartres with his people in the countrie there abouts Here the duke of Normandie made meanes for a treatie of peace which was laboured by a frier called Simon de Langres prouinciall of the friers Iacobins and the popes legat he did so much that a treatie was appointed to be holden on good fridaie in the Malederie of Longegimew where appeared for the king of England the duke of Lancaster the erls of Warwike and Northampton with sir Iohn Chandois sir Walter de Mannie and sir William Cheinie knights and for the French king thither came the earle of Eu constable of France and the marshall Bouciquant with other but their treatie came to none effect wherfore the king vpon the tuesdaie in the Easter wéeke remooued neerer vnto Paris and vpon the fridaie following being the tenth of Aprill by procurement of the abbat of Clugnie newlie come from pope Innocent the sixt the foresaid commissioners eftsoones did meet to treat of an agréement but nothing they could conclude the parties in their offers and demands were so farre at ods Upon the sundaie next following a part of the kings hoste came before the citie of Paris and imbattelled themselues in a field fast by saint Marcilles abiding there frō morning till three of the clocke in the after noone to sée if the Frenchmen would come foorth to giue battell but the French would not taste of that vessell For the duke of Normandie well considering what losse had insued within few yeares past vnto the realme of France by giuing battell to the Englishmen and taught by late triall and féeling of smart to dread imminent danger for Vulneribus didicit miles habere metum would not suffer anie of his people to issue foorth of the gates but commanded them to be readie onelie to defend the walles and gates although he had a great power of men of warre within the citie beside the huge multitude of the inhabitants The Englishmen to prouoke their enimies the sooner to saile forth burnt diuerse parts of the suburbs and rode euen to the gates of the citie When they perceiued that the Frenchmen would not come foorth about three of the clocke in the afternoone they departed out of the field and withdrew to their campe and then the king and all the English host remooued towards Chartres and was lodged at a place called Dones Thither came to him the bishop of Beauuois then chancellor of Normandie with other and so handled the matter with him that a new daie of treatie was appointed to be holden at Bretignie which is little more than a mile distant from Chartres vpon the first day of Maie next insuing In which daie and place appointed the foresaid duke of Lancaster and the said earles and other commissioners met with the said bishop and other French lords and spirituall men to him associate on the behalfe of the duke of Normandie then regent of France to renew the former communication of peace in full hope to bring it to a good conclusion bicause king Edward began to frame his imagination more to accord with his aduersaries than he had doone of late chéefelie for that the duke of Lancaster with courteous words and sage persuasions aduised him not to forsake such reasonable conditions as the Frenchmen were contented now to agrée vnto sith that by making such manner of warre as he had attempted his souldiers onelie gained and he himselfe lost but time and consumed his treasure◠and further he might warre in this sort all the daies of his life before he could atteine to his intent and loose perhaps in one daie more than he had gained in twentie yeares Such words spoken for the wealth of the king and his subiects conuerted the kings mind to fansie peace namelie by the grace of the Holie-ghost chéefe worker in this case For it chanced on a daie as he was marching not farre from Chartres there came such a storme and tempest of thunder lightening haile and raine as the like had neuer béene séene by anie of the English people This storme fell so hideous in the kings host that it seemed the world should haue ended for such vnreasonable great stones of haile fell from the skie that men and horsses were slaine therewith so that the most hardie were abashed There perished thousands thereby as some haue written Then the king remembring what reasonable offers of agréement he had refused vpon remorse of conscience as by some writers should appeare asked forgiuenesse of the damage doone by sword and fire in those parts and fullie determined to grant vnto indifferent articles of peace for reléefe of the christian inhabitants of that land and so shortlie after by the good diligence of the commissioners on both line 10 parts an vnitie and finall peace was accorded the conditions whereof were comprised in fortie and one articles the chiefe whereof in effect were these 1 First that the king of England should haue and enioy ouer and beside that which he held alreadie in Gascoigne and Guien the castell citie and countie of Poictiers and all the lands and countrie of Poicton with the fée of Touars and the lands of Belleuille the citie and castell of Xainctes and all the lands and countrie of Xaonctonge on both sides the riuer of line 20 Charent with the towne and fortresse of Rochell with their appurtenances the citie and castell of Agent and the countrie of Agenois the citie and castell of Piergort and all the land and countrie of Perigueux the citie and castell of Limoges and all the lands and countrie of Limosin the citie and castell of Cahors and the lordship of Cahorsin the castell and countrie of Tarbe the lands countrie and countie of Bigorre the countie countrie and lands of Gaure the citie and castell of Angolesme and the countie line 30 land and countrie of Angolesmois the
citie towne and castell of Rodaix and all the countie and countrie of Rouergne and if there were in the duâ—â—ie of Guien any lords as the earles of Foiz Arminacke Lisle and Perigueux the vicounts of Carmain and Limoges or other holding any lands within the foresaid bounds it was accorded that they should doo homage and other customarie seruices due for the same vnto the king of England 2 It was also agreed that Calis and Guines with line 40 the appurtenances the lands of Montreuill on the sea with the countie of Ponthieu wholie and entirelie should remaine vnto the king of England All the which countries cities townes and castels with the other lands and seigniories the same king should haue and hold to him and his heires for euer euen as they were in demaine or fee immediatlie of God and frée without recognizing any maner souereingtie to any earthlie man In consideration whereof king Edward renounced all such claimes titles and interest line 50 as he pretended vnto any part of France other than such as were comprised within the charter of couenants of this peace first agréed vpon at Bretignie aforesaid and after confirmed at Calis as appeareth by the same charter dated there the foure twentith daie of October in the yeare of our Lord 1360. 3 It was also couenanted that the French king should paie vnto the king of England thirtie hundred thousanâ— crownes in name of his ransome for assurance of which paiment performance of all the line 60 couenants afore mentioned and other agreed vpon by this peace the dukes of Orleance Aniou Berrie and Burbon with diuerse other honorable personages as earles lords and burgesses of euerie good towne some were appointed to be sent ouer hither into England to remaine as hostages 4 It was further agréed that neither the French king nor his successors should aid the Scots against the king of England or his successors nor that king Edward nor his heirs kings of England should aid the Flemings against the crowne of France 5 And as for the title or right of the duchie of Britaine which was in question betweene the earles of Blois and Mountfort it was accorded that both kings being at Calis the parties should be called before them and if the two kings could not make them fréends then should they assigne certeine indifferent persons to agree them and they to haue halfe a yeeres respit to end the matter and if within that terme those that should be so appointed to agrée them could not take vp the matter betwixt the said earles then either of them might make the best purchase for himselfe that he could by helpe of freends or otherwise but alwaies prouided that neither of the kings nor their sonnes should so aid the said earles whereby the peace accorded betwixt England and France might by any meanes be broken or infringed Also to whether of the said earles the duchie of Britaine in the end chanced to fall by sentence of iudges or otherwise the homage should be doone for the same vnto the French king All these ordinances articles and agréements with manie mo which here would be too long to rehearse were accorded and ratified by the instruments and seales of the prince of Wales on the one part and of the duke of Normandie regent of France on the other part as by their letters patents then sealed further appeared bearing date the one at Loures in Normandie the sixteenth daie of Maie in the yeare of Grace 1360 and the other at Paris the tenth day of the same moneth and in the yeare aforesaid Ouer beside this both the said princes tooke on them a solemne oth to see all the same articles and couenants of agreement throughlie kept mainteined and performed This doone king Edward imbarked himselfe with his foure sonnes and the most part of his nobles at Hunfleu the twentith daie of Maie and so sailed into England leauing hehind him the earle of Warwike to haue the gouernement of all the men of warre which he left behind him either in Gaien or in any other place on that side the sea There died in this iournie diuerse noble men of this land as the earles of March and Oxford the lord Iohn Graie then steward of England and the lord Geffrie de Saie with diuerse other The eight of Iulie next insuing the French king hauing licence to depart landed at Calis and was lodged in the castell there abiding till the king of England came thither which was not till the ninth day of October next after On the foure and twentith daie of October both the kings being in two trauerses and one chappell at Calis a masse was said before them and when they should haue kissed the pax either of them in signe of greater fréendship kissed the other there they were solemnelie sworne to mainteine the articles of the same peace and for more assurance thereof manie lords of both parts were likewise sworne to mainteine the same articles to the vttermost of their powers Whilest these kings laie thus at Calis there was great banketting and chéere made betwixt them Also the duke of Normandie came from Bullongne to Calis to visit his father and to sée the king of England in which meane time two of king Edwards sonnes were at Bullongne Finallie when these two kings had finished all matters in so good order and forme that the same could not be amended nor corrected and that the French king had deliuered his hostages to the king of England that is to saie six dukes beside earles lords and other honorable personages in all to the number of eight and thirtie on the morrow after the taking of their oths that is to saie on the fiue and twentith daie of October being sundaie the French king was freelie deliuered and the same daie before noone he departed from Calis and rode to Bullongne The king of England brought him a mile foreward on his waie and then tooke leaue of him in most louing maner The prince attended him to Bullongne where both he and the duke of Normandie with other were eftsoons sworne to hold and mainteine the foresaid peace without all fraud or colourable deceit and this doone the prince returned to Calis Thus was the French king set at libertie after he had beene prisoner here in England the space of foure yeares and as much as from the nineteenth daie of September vnto the fiue and twentith of October When the king of England had finished his businesse at Calis according to his mind he returned into England and came to London line 10 the ninth daie of Nouember ¶ Thus haue yée hard the originall begining the processe and issue of sundrie conflicts and battels and speciallie of two one of Iohn the French king vnluckilie attempted against England the other of Dauid the Scotish king as vnfortunatlie ended For both kings were subdued in fight vanquished
was come into the field armed ioined themselues with him When therefore the bishop was come into the place where the commons were incamped he perceiued that they had fortified their campe verie stronglie with ditches and such other stuffe as they could make shift with as doores windowes boords tables and behind them were all their cariages placed so that it séemed they meant not to flie Herewith the bishop being chased with the presumptuous boldnesse of such a sort of disordered persons commanded his trumpets to sound to the battell and with his speare in the rest he charged them with such violence that he went ouer the ditch and laied so about him that through his manfull dooings all his companie found means to passe the ditch likewise and so therewith followed a verie sore and terrible sight both parts dooing their best to vanquish the other But finallie the commons were ouercome and driuen to seeke their safegard by flight which was sore hindered by their cariages that stood behind them ouer the which they were forced to clime and leape so well as they might Iohn Littester and other cheefe capteins were taken aliue The bishop therefore caused the said Littester to be arreigned of high treason and condemned and so he was drawne hanged and headed according to the iudgement The bishop heard his confession and by vertue of his office absolued him and to shew some parcell of sorrowing for the mans mischance he went with him to the galowes But it séemed that pitie wrought not with the bishop to quench the zeale of iustice for he caused not Littester onelie to be executed but sought for all other that were the chéefe dooers in that rebellion causing them to be put vnto death and so by that meanes quieted the countrie ¶ To recite what was doone in euerie part of the realme in time of those hellish troubles it is not possible but this is to be considered that the rage of the commons was vniuersallie such as it might séeme they had generallie conspired togither to doo what mischeefe they could deuise As among sundrie other what wickednesse was it to compell teachers of children in grammar schooles to sweare neuer to instruct any in their art Againe could they haue a more mischeefous meaning line 10 than to burne and destroie all old and ancient monuments and to murther and dispatch out of the waie all such as were able to commit to memorie either any new or old records For it was dangerous among them to be knowne for one that was lerned and more dangerous if any men were found with a penner and inkhorne at his side for such seldome or neuer escaped from them with life But to returne to saie somewhat more concerning line 20 the end of their rebellious enterprises you must vnderstand how after that Wat Tiler was slaine at London in the presence of the king as before ye haue heard the hope and confidence of the rebels greatlie decaied and yet neuerthelesse the king and his councell being not well assured granted to the commons as ye haue heard charters of manumission and infranchisement from all bondage and so sent them awaie home to their countries and foorthwith herevpon he assembled an armie of the Londoners line 30 and of all others in the countries abroad that bare him good will appointing none to come but such as were armed and had horsses for he would haue no footmen with him Thus it came to passe that within thrée daies he had about him fourtie thousand horssemen as was estéemed so that in England had not béene heard of the like armie assembled togither at one time And herewith was the king aduertised that the Kentishmen began eftsoones to stir wherewith the king and the whole armie were so grieuouslie line 40 offended that they meant streight to haue set vpon that countrie and to haue wholie destroied that rebellious generation But thorough intercession made by the lords and gentlemen of that countrie the king pacified his mood and so resolued to procéed against them by order of law and iustice causing iudges to sit and to make inquisition of the malefactors and especiallie of such as were authors of the mischéefes And about the same time did the maior of London line 50 sit in iudgement as well vpon the offendors that were citizens as of other that were of Kent Essex Southsex Norffolke Suffolke and other counties being found within the liberties of the citie and such as were found culpable he caused them to lose their heads as Iacke Straw Iohn Kirkbie Alane Tredera and Iohn Sterling that gloried of himselfe for that he was the man that had slaine the archbishop This fellow as it is written by some authors streight waies after he had doone that wicked deed fell out of line 60 his wits and comming home into Essex where he dwelt tied a naked sword about his necke that hoong downe before on his brest and likewise a dagger naked that hanged downe behind on his backe and so went vp and downe the lanes stréets about home crieng out and protesting that with those weapons he had dispatched the archbishop and after he had remained a while at home he came to London againe for that he shuld receiue as he said the reward there of the act which he had committed and so indéed when he came thither and boldlie confessed that he was the man that had beheaded the archbishop he lost his head in steed of a recompense and diuerse other both of Essex and Kent that had laid violent hands vpon the archbishop came to the like end at London where they did the deed being bewraied by their owne confessions Here is to be remembred that the king after the citie of London was deliuered from the danger of the rebels as before ye haue heard in respect of the great manhood and assured loialtie which had appeared in the maior and other of the aldermen for some part of recompense of their faithfull assistance in that dangerous season made the said maior William Walworth knight with fiue other aldermen his brethren to wit Nicholas Bramble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundre and Robert Gaiton also Iohn Standish that as ye haue heard holpe to slaie Wat Tiler Moreouer the king granted that there should be a dagger added to the armes of the citie of London in the right quarter of the shield for an augmentation of the same armes and for a remembrance of this maior his valiant act as dooth appeare vnto this daie for till that time the citie bare onelie the crosse without the dagger Although the kings authoritie thus began to shew it selfe to the terror of rebels yet the commons of Essex eftsoones assembled themselues togither not far from Hatfield Peuerell and sent to the king to know of him if his pleasure was that they should inioy their promised liberties and further that they might be as frée as
their lords and not to come to any court except it were to the great léet twise in the yeare When the king heard such presumptuous requests he was in a great chafe dispatched the messengers awaie with a sore threatning answer saieng that bondmen they were and bondmen they should be and that in more vile manner than before to the terrible example of all other that should attempt any the like disorders and foorthwith the earle of Buckingham and the lord Thomas Percie brother to the earle of Northumberland were sent with an armie to represse those rebels whome they found fortified within woods hedges and ditches verie stronglie but with small adoo they were put to flight about fiue hundred of them slaine the residue saued themselues as well as they might by succour of the woods There were eight hundred horsses also taken which those rebels had there with them to draw and carrie their baggage Those of the rebels that escaped were not yet so tamed by that ouerthrow but that assembling themselues togither in a rowt they made towards Colchester and comming thither would haue persuaded the townesmen to haue ioined with them in a new rebellion But when they could not bring their purpose to passe they marched towards Sudburie The lord Fitz Walter and sir Iohn Harleston vnderstanding which waie they tooke followed them with a companie of armed men and suddenlie setting vpon them as they were making their proclamations slue of them so manie as it liked them and the other they saued and suffered to depart or else committed them to prison After this the king came to Hauering at the bowre and from thence to Chelmisford where he appointed sir Robert Trisilian to sit in iudgement of the offendors and rebels of that countrie wherevpon an inquest being chosen a great number were indited arreigned found giltie so that vpon some one gallowes there were nine or ten hanged togither In euerie countrie were like inquiries made and the chéefe offendors apprehended and put to death in euerie lordship through the realme where anie of them were detected by ten twelue twentie thirtie yea and in some places by fortie at once so that the whole number grew to fifteene hundred and aboue At the first when the kings iustices began to sit in Essex Kent and at London by reason of the multitude that were to be executed they onelie chopped off their heads but afterwards when that kind of death seemed too close and secret for so open offenses they proceeded according to the accustomed law of the realme by condemning them to be drawne and hanged and according thervnto they were executed In the meane time the king by the aduise of his councell directed his letters reuocatorie into euerie countie there to be proclamed in euerie citie borrow towne and place as well within the liberties as without by the which letters he reuoked made void line 10 and frustrate his former letters of infranchising the bondmen of his realme and commanded that such as had the same letters should without delaie bring them in and restore them to him and his councell to be cancelled as they would answer vpon their faith and allegiance which they owght to him and vpon paine of forfeiting all that they had The date of which letters reuocatorie was at Chelmesford the second daie of Iulie in the fift yeare of his reigne When the king had quieted the countie of Essex line 20 and punished such as were the chéefe sturrers of that wicked commotion in those parts he went to saint Albons to sée iustice doone vpon such as had demeaned themselues most presumptuouslie against the kings peace in that towne namelie against the abbat and his house who sought to defend themselues vnder a colour of fréendship that they trusted to find in some persons about the king But that trust deceiued them and procured the more displeasure against them for that they would not sue for fauour line 30 at the abbats hands in time by submitting themselues vnto his will and pleasure To be breefe the king came thither with a great number of armed men and archers and caused his iustice sir Robert Trisilian to sit in iudgement vpon the malefactors that were brought thither from Hertford gaile Thither was brought also to the king from Couentrie Iohn Ball preest whome the citizens of Couentrie had taken and now here at saint Albons they presented him to the kings presence wherevpon he line 40 was arreigned and condemned to be drawne hanged and headed for such notable treasons as he was there conuicted of He receiued iudgement vpon the saturdaie the first daie that the said sir Robert Trisilian sat in iudgement but he was not executed till the mondaie following This man had beene a preacher the space of twentie yeares and bicause his doctrine was not according to the religion then by the bishops mainteined he was first prohibited to preach in anie church or chappell and when he ceassed not for line 50 all that but set foorth his doctrine in the streets fields where he might haue audience at length he was committed to prison out of the which he prophesied that he should be deliuered with the force of twentie thousand men and euen so it came to passe in time of the rebellion of the commons When all the prisons were broken vp and the prisoners set at libertie he being therefore so deliuered followed them at Blackeheath when the greatest multitude was there got togither as some write line 60 he made a sermon taking his saieng or common prouerbe for his theame wherevpon to intreat When Adam delu'd and Eue span Who was then a gentleman and so continuing his sermon went about to prooue by the words of that prouerbe that from the beginning all men by nature were created alike and that bondage or seruitude came in by iniust oppression of naughtie men For if God would haue had anie bondmen from the beginning he would haue appointed who should be bond who free And therefore he exhorted them to consider that now the time was come appointed to them by God in which they might if they would cast off the yoke of bondage recouer libertie He counselled them therefore to remember themselues and to take good hearts vnto them that after the manner of a good husband that tilleth his ground and riddeth out thereof such euill wéeds as choke and destroie the good corne they might destroie first the great lords of the realme and after the iudges and lawiers questmoongers and all other whom they vndertooke to be against the commons for so might they procure peace and suertie to themselues in time to come if dispatching out of the waie the great men there should be an equalitie in libertie no difference in degrées of nobilitie but a like dignitie and equall authoritie in all things brought in among them When he had preached and set foorth such kind of
his men without honour or spoile returned line 30 into France After this the admerall of Britaine highlie incouraged for that the last yeere he had taken certeine English ships laden with wines acompanied with the lord du Chastell a valiant baron of Britaine and twelue hundred men of armes sailed foorth with thirtie ships from S. Malos and came before the towne of Dartmouth and would haue landed but by the puissance of the townesmen and aid of the countrie they were repelled in the which conflict the lord du line 40 Chastell and two of his brethren with foure hundred other were slaine and aboue two hundred taken prisoners and put to their ransoms amongst whom the lord of Baqueuille the marshall of Britaine was one All this summer Owen Glendouer and his adherents robbed burned and destroied the countries adioining néere to the places where he hanted and one while by sleight guilefull policie an other while by open force he tooke and slue manie Englishmen line 50 brake downe certeine castels which he wan and some he fortified and kept for his owne defense Iohn Trenor bishop of Assaph considering with himselfe how things prospered vnder the hands of this Owen fled to him and tooke his part against the king About the same time the Britaines and the Flemings tooke certeine ships of ours laden with merchandize and slue all the marriners or else hanged them Also the old countesse of Oxford mother to Robert line 60 Ueere late duke of Ireland that died at Louaine caused certeine of hir seruants and other such as she durst trust to publish and brute abroad thorough all the parts of Essex that king Richard was aliue and that he would shortlie come to light and claime his former estate honor and dignitie She procured a great number of harts to be made of siluer and gold such as king Richard was woont to giue vnto his knights esquiers fréends to weare as cognizances to the end that in bestowing them in king Richards name she might the sooner allure men to further hir lewd practises and where the fame went abroad that king Richard was in Scotland with a great power of Frenchmen and Scots readie to come to recouer his realme manie gaue the more light credit vnto this brute thus set foorth by the said countesse The persuasions also of one Serlo that in times past was one of king Richards chamber greatlie increased this errour for the same Serlo hearing in France whither he was fled that his maister king Richard was in Scotland aliue conueied himselfe thither to vnderstand the truth of that matter and finding there one indéed that greatlie resembled him in all lineaments of bodie but yet was not the man himselfe as he well perceiued vpon malice that he bare to king Henrie aduertised by letters sent vnto diuerse of king Richards freends that he was aliue indéed and shortlie would come to shew himselfe openlie to the world when he had once made his waie readie to recouer his kingdome to the confusion of his enimies and comfort of his fréends These forged inuentions caused manie to beleeue the brute raised by the countesse of Oxford for the which they came in trouble were apprehended and committed to prison The countesse hir selfe was shut vp in close prison and all hir goods were confiscat and hir secretarie drawen and hanged that had spred abroad this fained report in going vp and downe the countrie blowing into mens eares that king Richard was aliue affirming that he had spoken with him in such a place and in such a place apparelled in this raiment and that raiment with such like circumstances About the feast of saint Iohn Baptist at the kings commandement the earle of Northumberland came to Pomfret and brought with him his nephues and his nephues sonnes whereby he cleared himselfe of a great deale of suspicion manie doubting before his comming that he had giuen euill counsell to the yoong men whereby to mooue them to rebellion and to withstand the king Sir William Clifford also came with the earle and brought the foresaid Serlo with him whom he had apprehended vpon his comming to him at Berwike in hope to haue found succour at his hands in consideration whereof the king pardoned the said sir William Clifford of his disobedience shewed in keeping the castell of Berwike against him in which dooing he had committed manifest treason This Serlo being knowen to be the man that had béene the chiefe murtherer of the duke of Glocester when he was made awaie at Calis was diligentlie examined who were helpers with him in the execution thereof and after what sort they made him awaie Serlo knowing there was no waie with him but death would not vtter any other but confessed for his owne part he was worthie for that wicked déed to die ten thousand deaths and shewed such outward appearance of repentance that manie sore lamented his case and promised to hire priests to sing masses as the maner was for his soule of their owne costs and charges He was condemned to die at Pomfret and was drawen from thence through euerie good towne through which those that had the conueiance of him passed with him till they came to London where he was executed confessing euerie thing to be true concerning his wicked pretense as before is recited and further that when he perceiued how their counterfeit practise would come to light and he openlie reuealed he meant to haue returned into France but wanting monie he thought to haue béene relieued with some portion at the hand of the said sir William Clifford and this caused him to come vnto Berwike to shew him his necessitie who to make his owne peace did apprehend him and present him to the king as before ye haue heard King Henrie wanting monie in the feast of saint Faith the virgine assembled at Couentrie his high court of parlement in the which the lord Stephan Scroope of Masham and the lord Henrie Fitz Hugh obteined first to haue places of barons Moreouer it is to be noted that this was called The laie mans parlement bicause the shiriffes were appointed to haue a speciall regard that none should be chosen knights for the counties nor burgesses for the cities and townes that had any skill in the lawes of the land This was doone and when they came togither to talke of the weightie affaires of the realme speciallie line 10 how the king might be relieued with monie to beare such charges as he was knowen to be at as well in defending the realme from the Scots and Welshmen at home as from the Britains Flemings and Frenchmen abroad it was thought most expedient that the spiritualtie should be depriued of their temporall possessions to the reliefe of the kings necessitie Herevpon rose great altercation betwixt the cleargie and the laitie the knights affirming that they had oftentimes serued the king not onelie
the common enimie abroad as by that which followeth you may plainelie perceiue For whilest the French thus triumphed in Normandie thrée cruell enimies among manie as by ciuill warre and sedition insuing appeared sore vrged the vtter ruine of this reame at home One was presumption in gouernance by some that were most vnméet to rule as the queene with hir priuie counsellors and minions then the deadlie malice and pride with insatiable couetise in the states both spirituall and temporall and lastlie the generall grudge of the people for the vniuersall smart that through misgouernment euerie where they suffered who thus forweried with the peise of burthens too heauie for them line 10 anie longer to beare Heerewith perceiuing how through want of prouident wisedome in the gouernour all things went to wracke as well within the realme as without they began to make exclamation against the duke of Suffolke charging him to be the onelie cause of the deliuerie of Aniou and Maine the chéefe procuror of the duke of Glocesters death the verie occasion of the losse of Normandie the swallower vp of the line 20 kings treasure the remoouer of good and vertuous councellours from about the prince and the aduancer of vicious persons and of such as by their dooings shewed themselues apparant aduersaries to the common-wealth The quéene hereat doubting not onelie the dukes destruction but also hir owne confusion caused the parlement before begun at the Blackfriers to be adiourned to Leicester thinking there by force and rigor of law to suppresse and subdue all the malice and line 30 euill will conceiued against the duke hir At which place few of the nobilitie would appeare wherefore it was againe adiourned to Westminster where was a full appearance In the which session the commons of the nether house put vp to the king and the lords manie articles of treason misprision and euill demeanor against the duke of Suffolke the effect whereof with his answers héere insueth Articles proponed by the commons line 40 against the duke of Suffolke line 1 FIrst they alleged that he had traitorouslie excited prouoked and counselled Iohn earle of Dunois bastard of Orleance Bertram lord Presignie William Cosinet enimies to the king and fréends and ambassadours to Charles calling himselfe French king to enter into this realme and to leauie warre line 50 against the king and his people to the intent to destroie the king and his freends and to make Iohn his sonne king of this realme marieng him to Margaret sole heire to Iohn duke of Summerset pretending and declaring hir to be next heire inheritable to the crowne for lacke of issue of the kings bodie lawfullie begotten 2 Item the said duke being of the kings priuie and néere councell allured by great rewards and line 60 faire promises made by the said earle of Dunois caused the king to deliuer and set at libertie Charles duke of Orleance enimie to the king and the kings noble father which deliuerance was prohibited by expresse words in the last will of the kings most victorious father 3 Item that before the departing of the said duke of Orleance the aforenamed duke of Suffolke traitorouslie fast cleauing to Charles called the French king counselled prouoked and intised the said duke of Orleance to mooue the same king to make warre against England both in France and Normandie According to which procurement counsell the said French king hath recouered the whole realme of France and all the duchie of Normandie and taken prisoners the earle of Shrewesburie the lord Fauconbridge and manie other valiant capteins ¶ These thrée articles aforenamed he denied either for fact or thought 4 Further it was alleged that he being ambassadour for the king of England to Charles calling himselfe the French king promised to Reiner king of Sicill and to Charles d'Angiers his brother enimies to the king the release of Aniou with the deliuerance of the countie of Maine and the citie of Maunt or Mans without the knowledge of the other ambassadours with him accompanied Which promise after his returne he caused to be performed to the kings disinheritance and losse irrecouerable and to the strength of his enimies and feeblishment of the duchie of Normandie ¶ To this article he answered that his commission was to conclude and doo all things according to his discretion for the obteining of a peace bicause without deliuerie of those countries he perceiued that the truce could not be obteined he agreed to the release and deliuerance of them 5 Also they had great cause to iudge by the sequele that the said duke being in France in the kings seruice and one of the priuiest of his councell there traitorouslie declared and opened to the capteins and conductors of warre apperteining to the kings enimies the kings counsell purueiance of his armies furniture of his townes all other ordinances whereby the kings enimies instructed aforehand by his traitorous information haue gotten townes and fortresses and the king by that meanes depriued of his inheritance 6 Item the said duke declared to the earle of Dunois to the lord Presignie and William Cosâ—net ambssadours for the French king lieng in London the priuities of the kings councell both for the prouision of further warre and also for the defense of the duchie of Normandie by the disclosing whereof the Frenchmen knowing the king secrets defeated the kings appointments and they obteined their purpose 7 Item that the said duke at such time as the king sent ambassadours to the French king for the intreating of peace traitorouslie before their comming to the French court certified king Charles of their commission authoritie and instructions by reason whereof neither peace nor amitie succéeded and the kings inheritance lost and by his enimies possessed 8 Item the same duke said openlie in the Star-chamber before the lords of the councell that he had as high a place in the councell-house of the French king as he had there and was as well trusted there as here and could remooue from the French king the priuiest man of his councell if he would 9 Item when armies haue béene prepared and souldiers readie waged to passe ouer the sea to deale with the kings enimies the said duke corrupted by rewards of the French king hath restreined staid the said armies to passe anie further 10 Item the said duke being ambassadour for the king comprised not in the league as the kings alies neither the king of Aragon neither the duke of Britaine but suffered them to be comprised on the contrarie part By reason whereof the old amitie of the K. of Aragon is estranged from this realme and the duke of Britaine became enimie to the same Giles his brother the kings sure freend cast in strong prison and there like to end his daies All these obiections he vtterlie denied or faintlie auoided but none fullie excused Diuerse other crimes were laid to his charge as inriching himselfe with the kings goods and
lawes and statutes as well of the chéefe of his nobilitie as of other gentlemen being proprietaries of great possessions or abundantlie furnished with goods likewise of merchants and other inferior persons By reason whereof it was of all men iudged that he would proue he reafter a sore and a rigorous line 50 prince among his subiects But this his new inuented practise and couetous meaning by reason of forreine affaires and abridgement of his daies in this transitorie life which were within two yeares after consumed tooke some but not great effect ¶ In this yeare was great mortalitie and death by the pestilence not onelie in London but in diuerse parts of the realme which began in the latter end of September in the yeare last before passed and continued all this yeare till the beginning of Nouember line 60 which was about fourtéene moneths in the which space died innumerable of people in the said citie else-where ¶ This yeare also the maior of London being in Paules knéeling in his deuotions at saint Erkenwalds shrine Robert Bifield one of the shiriffes vnaduisedlie kneeled downe nigh vnto the maior whereof afterward the maior charged him to haue doone more than becomed him But the shiriffe answering rudelie and stubbornlie would not acknowledge to haue committed anie offense for the which he was afterward by a court of aldermen fined at fiftie pounds to be paid toward the reparations of the conduits in London which was trulie paid ¶ This yeere Thomas Ilam one of the shirifs of London newlie builded the great conduit in Cheape of his owne charges ¶ This yeare also king Edward began his Christmasse at Waking and at fiue daies end remooued to Greenewich where he kept out the other part of his Christmasse with great roialtie Ambassadours were sent to and fro betwixt the king of England and France and still the French king fed the king of England with faire words putting him in hope to match his sonne and heire the Dolphin with the ladie Elizabeth daughter to the king of England according to the conclusions of agréement had and made at Picquenie betwixt them although in verie déed he meant nothing lesse His ambassadours euer made excuses if anie thing were amisse and he vsed to send change of ambassadours so that if those which had béene here before and were returned had said or promised anie thing though they were authorised so to doo which might turne to their masters hinderance the other that came after might excuse themselues by ignorance of that matter affirming that they wanted commission once to talke or meddle with that matter or if he perceiued that anie thing was like to be concluded contrarie to his mind for a shift he would call his ambassadours home in great hast and after send an other with new instructions nothing depending on the old Thus the French king vsed to dallie with king Edward in the case of this mariage onelie to kéepe him still in amitie And certeinelie the king of England being a man of no suspicious nature thought sooner that the sunne should haue fallen from his circle than that the French king would haue dissembled or broken promise with him But there is none so soone beguiled as he that least mistrusteth nor anie so able to deceiue as he to whome most credence is giuen But as in mistrusting nothing is great lightnesse so in too much trusting is too much follie which well appeared in this matter For the French king by cloking his inward determinate purpose with great dissimulation and large promises kept him still in fréendship with the king of England till he had wrought a great part of his will against the yoong duchesse of Burgognie Which king Edward would not haue suffered if he had put anie great doubt in the French kings faire promises considering that the crowne of France was in this meane time so much increased in dominions to the great re-enforcement of that realme ¶ On the two and twentith of Februarie were fiue notable théeues put to death for robbing the church called saint Martins le grand in London and other places thrée of them were drawne to the Tower hill hanged burnt the other two were pressed to death A sore and seuere kind of execution no doubt but yet thought by iustice meritorious in the malefactors for their offenses of sacrilege Heinous enough had it beene to spoile a priuat man of his goods and by law of nations punishable with death but much more horrible that prophane persons with polluted hands should priuilie or openlie so touch holie consecrated things as to take them out of a sacred place whereto for holy vses they were dedicated applie them to the satisfieng of the corrupt concupiscences of their owne hearts the bottomlesse gulfe whereof bicause no booties nor spoiles could satisfie it stood with the high praise of iustice that they and their ceaselesse desires were seuered by deserued death wherefore it is wiselie said by the comicall poet of such gréedie guts Quam quis auidus poscit escam auariter Decipitur in transenna perÃtque auaritia In this yeare king Edward required great sums of monie to be lent him The citizens of London granted him fiue thousand marks which were seized of the fiue and twentie wards which fiue thousand marks was trulie repaid againe in the next yeare following ¶ Also this yeare on Whitsundaie K. Edward the fourth created the lord Berkleie vicount Berkeleie at Gréenewich ¶ In this yeare also an house on London bridge called the common siege or priuie fell downe into the Thames where thorough it fiue persons were drowned ¶ This yeare the king with his quéene kept a roiall Christmas at Windsor Also this yéere was one Richard Chawrie maior of London whome king Edward so greatlie line 10 fauoured that he tooke him with certeine of his brethren the aldermen commons of the citie of London into the forrest of Waltham where was ordeined for them a pleasant lodge of gréene boughs in which lodge they dined with great chéere the king would not go to dinner vntill he saw them serued Moreouer he caused the lord chamberlaine with other lords to cheere the said maior and his companie sundrie times whilest they were at dinner After dinner they went a hunting with the king and slue manie line 20 deare as well red as fallow whereof the king gaue vnto the maior and his companie good plentie and sent vnto the ladie mairesse and hir sisters the aldermens wiues two harts sir bucks and a tun of wine to make them merrie with which was eaten in the drapers hall The cause of which bountie thus shewed by the king was as most men did take for that the maior was a merchant of woonderous aduentures into manie and sundrie countries By reason whereof the king had yearelie of him notable line 30 summes of monie for his customes beside other pleasures that
saint Dominike and likewise he became a Carmelite and last of all he fell to and preached the gospell in haire and sackecloth till he vnderstood himselfe to be in the displeasure of Walden and other that could not awaie with such singularitie line 20 in him or other sounding as they tooke it to the danger of bringing the doctrine of the Romish church in misliking with the people for then he withdrew himselfe to his house againe and there remained twentie yeares leading an anchors life but yet after that time he came abroad and was aduanced to be a bishop in Ireland and went to the Roades in ambassage from whence being returned he went barefooted vp and downe in Norffolke teaching in townes and in the countrie abroad the ten commandements line 30 he liued till he came to be at the point of an hundred yeares old departed this life the fiftéenth day of Ianuarie in the yeare of our Lord 1491 and was buried at Lestolfe in Suffolke Iohn Tonneis a diuine and an Augustine frier in Norwich wrote certeine rules of grammar and other things printed by Richard Pinson Gefferie surnamed the Grammarian Iohn Alcocke bishop of Elie changed a nunrie at Cambridge into a college named Iesus college about the yeere of Christ 1496. line 40 The chiefe cause of suppressing the nunrie is noted to be for that the abbesse and other of the conuent liued dissolute liues Stephan Hawes a learned gentleman and of such reputation as he was admitted to be one of the priuie chamber to king Henrie the seuenth William Bintree so called of a towne in Norffolke where he was borne by profession a Carmelite frier in Burnham a great diuine William Gallion an Augustine frier in Lin and at length became prouinciall of his order Robert Fabian a citizen and merchant of London an historiographer he was in his time in good estimation for his wisedome and wealth in the citie so that he bare office and was shiriffe in the yeare 1493 William Celling borne beside Feuersham in Kent a monke of Canturburie Thomas Bourchier descended of the noble linage of the earles of Essex was first bishop of Elie and after remooued from thense to Canturburie succéeding Iohn Kemp in that archbishops see at length created by pope Paule the second a cardinall Philip Bromierd a Dominicke frier a diuine Iohn Miles a doctor of both the lawes ciuill and canon he studied in Oxenford in the college of Brasen nose newlie founded in the daies of this king Henrie the seuenth by William Smith bishop of Lincolne Richard Shirborne bishop of Chichester and imploied in ambassage to diuerse princes as a man most méet thereto for his singular knowledge in learning and eloquence Robert Uiduus vicar of Thakestéed in Essex and a prebendarie canon of Welles an excellent poet Peter Kenighall a Carmelit frier but borne of worshipfull linage in France hauing an Englishman to his father was student in Oxenford and became a notable preacher Iohn Morton first bishop of Elie and after archbishop of Canturburie the sixtie and fourth in number that ruled that sée he was aduanced to the dignitie of a cardinall and by king Henrie the seuenth made lord chancellor a worthie councellor and a modest he was borne of worshipfull parents in Cheshire departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 1500 Henrie Meowall chapleine to the said Morton Edmund Dudleie borne of noble parentage studied the lawes of this land and profited highlie in knowledge of the same he wrote a booke intituled Arbor rei publicae the tree of the common wealth of this man ye haue heard before in the life of this king and more God willing shall be said in the beginning of the next king as the occasion of the historie leadeth Iohn Bokingham an excellent schooleman William Blackeneie a Carmelit frier a doctor of diuinitie and a nekromancer Thus farre Henrie the seuenth sonne to Edmund earle of Richmond ⧠Henrie the eight sonne and successor to Henrie the seuenth AFter the death of the noble prince Henrie the seauenth his sonne Henrie the eight began his reigne the two and twentith daie of Aprill in the yeare of the world 5475 after line 10 the birth of our sauiour 1509 and in the eightéenth yeare of his age in the sixtéenth yeare of Maximilian then being emperour in the eleuenth yeare of Lewes the twelfe that then reigned in France and in the twentith yeare of king Iames the fourth as then ruling ouer the Scots Whose stile was proclamed by the sound of a trumpet in the citie of London the thrée and twentith daie of the said moneth with much gladnesse and reioising of the line 20 people And the same daie he departed from his manouâ— of Richmond to the Tower of London where he remained closelie and secret with his councell till the funerals of his father were finished Although this king now comming to the crowne was but yoong as before is said yet hauing béene in his first yeares trained vp in learning did for respect of his owne suertie and good gouernement of his people prudentlie by the aduise of his grandmoother the countesse of Richmond and Derbie elect choose line 30 foorth of the most wise and graue personages to be of his priuie councell namelie such as he knew to be of his fathers right déere and familiar fréends whose names were as followeth William Warham archbishop of Canturburie and chancellor of England Richard Fox bishop of Winchester Thomas Howard earle of Surrie and treasuror of England George Talbot earle of Shrewesburie and lord steward of the kings houshold Charles Summerset lord chamberleine sir Thomas Louell sir Henrie line 40 Wâ—at doctor Thomas Ruthall and sir Edward Poinings These graue and wise councellors fearing least such abundance of riches and welth as the king was now possessed of might mooue his yoong yeares vnto riotous forgetting of himselfe for vnto no king at anie time before was left greater or the like riches as well in readie coine as in iewels and other mooueables as was left to him by his father they therefore his said councellors trauelled in such prudent line 50 sort with him that they got him to be present with them when they sat in councell so to acquaint him with matters perteining to the politike gouernment of the realme that by little and little he might applie himselfe to take vpon him the rule and administration of publike affaires with the which at the first he could not well indure to be much troubled being rather inclined to follow such pleasant pastimes as his youthfull yoong yeares did more delite in and therefore could be verie well contented that other graue personages should take paines therein The same daie also that the king came to the Tower the lord Henrie Stafford brother to the duke of Buckingham was arrested and committed to the Tower and the same daie also doctor Ruthall was named bishop of Durham
towards his roiall person The king receiued their petitions line 60 which consisted in choise of councellors suppression of religious houses maintenance of the seruice of almightie God the statute of vses the release of the fifteenth and receiuing of the first fruits with such other matters as nothing apperteined to them wherevpon he made them answer in pithie sentence reprouing them of their presumptuous follie and rebellious attempt to meddle in anie such matters and weightie affaires the direction whereof onelie belonged to him and to such noble men and councellors as his pleasure should be to elect and choose to haue the ordering of the same Wherfore he aduised them to remember their rash and inconsiderate dooings and that now in anie wise they should resort home to their houses and no more to assemble contrarie to his lawes and their owne allegiances and also to cause the prouokers of this mischiefe to be deliuered to the hands of his lieutenant and further to submit themselues wholie to such punishment as he and his nobles should thinke them worthie to receiue for otherwise he would not suffer that iniurie at their hands to go vnreuenged After the Lincolnshire men had receiued the kings answer thus made to their petitions each mistrusting other who should be noted the greatest meddler suddenlie they began to shrinke and got them home to their houses without longer abode Herewith the duke of Suffolke the kings lieutenant was appointed to go with the armie to see the countrie set in quiet accompanied with the lord admerall sir Francis Brian and sir Iohn Russell that were ioined with him also in commission for the ordering of things there within the countie of Lincolne The duke entred into the citie of Lincolne the seuentéenth of October On the ninetéenth all the inhabitants of Louth according to order giuen by the duke came to Lincolne and there in the castell made their submission holding vp their hands and crieng for the kings mercie And herwith were chosen foorth Nicholas Melton capteine Cobler thirteene more which were commanded to ward and all the residue were new sworne to the king renouncing their former oth receiued in time of their rebellion and then departed home to their houses in the kings peace After this were proclamations made abrode in the countrie in euerie market towne by the heralds of armes Summerset and Winsore that the capteins and souldiers of the dukes armie should not take anie mans goods cattels or vittels except they paied or agréed with the owners of the same And further commandement was giuen that all inhabitants and dwellers within the townes and villages about should repaire to the citie of Lincolne with all maner of vittels as well for men as horsses where they should receiue paiment at reasonable prices for the same After this there was likewise proclamation made for the apprehending of all such lewd persons as had sowne anie false rumors abrode in the countrie the cheefe occasion of this rebellion bruting that the king pretended to haue the gold in the hands of his subiects brought into the tower to be touched and all their cattell vnmarked the chalices goods and ornaments of parish churches fines for christenings weddings and buriengs licences to eat white meat bread pig goose or capon with manie other slanderous false and detestable tales and lies forged of diuelish purpose to incourage the people to rebellion If therefore anie man could apprehend such as had béene the setters foorth and sowers of such seditious reports they that brought them in should be so rewarded as they should thinke their labour well bestowed Moreouer if there were anie assemblies made in anie part of the realme without the kings licence by anie vnrulie persons and would not depart to their houses vpon warning by his graces proclamations they should not looke for further mercie at the kings hand but to be prosecuted with fire and sword to the vttermost To conclude by the wise and sage direction taken in appeasing the countrie by that noble duke all things were quieted in those parties Diuerse of the principall offendors were sent vnto London He that tooke vpon him as cheefe capteine of the rout was the same that called himselfe capteine Cobler but he was indeed a moonke named doctor Makarell which afterwards with diuerse others was executed But now in the meane time whilest the duke was sent forwards into Lincolneshire within six daies after the king was trulie informed that there was a new stir begun in the north parts by the people there which had assembled themselues into an huge armie of warlike men well appointed both with capteins horsses armor and artillerie to the number of fortie thousand men which had incamped themselues in Yorkeshire These men declared by their proclamations solemnlie made that this their rising and commotion should extend no further but onelie to the maintenance and defense of the faith line 10 of Christ and deliuerance of holie church sore decaied and oppressed and also for the furtherance as well of priuate as publike matters in the realme touching the wealth o◠all the kings poore subiects They named this their seditious voiage an holie and blessed pilgrimage they had also certeine banners in the field in which was painted Christ hanging on the crosse on the one side and a chalice with a painted cake in it on the other side with diuers other banners of like hypocrisie and feigned holinesse The line 20 souldiers had also imbrodered on the sléeues of their cotes in stéed of a badge the similitude of the fiue wounds of our sauiour and in the middest thereof was written the name of our Lord. Thus had the rebels hast of sathan with false and counterfeit signes of holinesse set out themselues onelie to deceiue the simple people in that their wicked and rebellious enterprise against their liege lord and naturall prince whome by the law of nations and by Gods commandements they were bound in conscience to obeie line 30 and so farre to be from lifting vp the least finger of their hand as rather to put life and goods in hazard for his sake to testifie their allegiance The spéedie diligence and loiall dutie which was found at that present in the worthie councellour George earle of Shrewesburie is not to be forgotten who immediatlie after he vnderstood how the northerne men were thus vp in armes considering how much it imported to stop them of their passage before they should aduance too far forwards whereby line 40 they might both increase in power and put all other parts of the realme in hazard through feare or hope to incline to their wicked purposes he sent abroad with all spéed possible to raise such power of his seruants tenants and fréends as by anie means he might make and withall dispatched one of his seruants to the king both to aduertise him what he had doone and also to purchase his pardon for making
durst not to represse the rages of the people which they might haue done so therof also insued such a scab as passed their cure and such a fire as they were not able to quench For the commons hauing now their willes were set vpon a pin that the game was theirs and that they had woone the garland before they had runne the race nothing forecasting what might insue nor yet accounting what follie it is to triumph before the victorie Wherfore they assemble confederat themselues throughout the whole shire in great troops and companies and doo associat and flocke vnto them the Cornish people minding to ioine togither and foolishlie to mainteine what rashlie they had begun The king and councell then occupied in the weightie causes concerning the state of Scotland being aduertised of this towards rebellion respecting the speedie redresse thereof sent foorthwith for sir Peter Carew knight who then was in Lincolneshire and for sir Gawen Carew who was then attendant at the court and to them commandement was giuen that foorthwith and with all spéed they should hasten and depart into Deuon and there to vse by the aduise of the iustices all the best meanes and waies that they might for the appeasing of this rebellion quieting of the people and pacifieng of the countrie and to cause euerie man quietlie to returne to his home and to refer the causes of their griefs and complaints if they had anie vnto the king and councell and if they then refused so to doo they to vse such other good means and waies as might be for the suppressing of them And the councell being dailie more and more aduertised that these begun rebellions did more and more increase and doubting of the sequele thereof by reason that in other places of the realme the like tumults were begun though not for the like causes doo direct and giue an order to the lord Russell then lord priuie seale and after earle of Bedford that he also should follow and dispatch himselfe into Deuon and he had a commission to deale in such order as he might best doo for the pacifieng of the said tumults and vprores The foresaid two knights hauing receiued their commission vnder the kings hand came in post into the countrie and making their repaire to this citie doo foorthwith send for sir Péers Courtneie then shiriffe and the iustices of the peace of the countrie and vnderstanding that a great companie of the commons were assembled at Crediton which is a towne distant about seauen miles from Excester and that among them were the Sampford men who were the chiefe of them tooke councell aduise what was best to be doone and what waie méetest to be taken In the end it was concluded that the said sir Peter and sir Gawen with others should ride to Crediton there to haue conference and spéeches with the said commons and to vse all the good waies and meanes they might to pacifie appease them they then supposing and being persuaded that by good spéeches and gentle conferences they should haue béene able to haue compassed and persuaded the said commons But the people being by some secret intelligence aduertised of the comming of the gentlemen towards them and they fullie resolued not to yéeld one iote from their determinations but to mainteine their cause taken in hand doo arme and make themselues strong with such armors and furnitures as they had they intrench the high waies and make a mightie rampire at the townes end and fortifie the same as also the barns next adioining to the said rampires with men and munition hauing persed the walles of the barns with loopes and holes for their shot The foresaid gentlemen knowing nothing hereof line 10 rode on their iourneie and being come almost to the towne they were aduertised how the waies were stopped and rampired and that they could not ride into the towne Whervpon they alighted from their horsses and after a little conference had they agréed to go into the towne on foot nothing thinking lesse that they should be stopped or denied to go in on foot But when they came to the rampires they found the contrarie for they not onelie were denied to come néere the rampire but vtterlie were refused to be talked withall no offers of persuasions nor motions line 20 of conference at all could be allowed For the sun being in cancer the midsummer moone at full their minds were imbrued in such follies and their heads caried with such vanities that as the man of Athens they would heare no man speake but themselues and thought nothing well said but what came out of their owne mouths The gentlemen vpon such checks taking the matter in euill part to be so vnreuerentlie and discourteouslie intreated with one consent doo agree to line 30 make waie ouer the rampire But in the aduenture thereof they were so galled both by them which kept the rampires and speciallie by such as were within the barnes that they were faine to retire and giue place with the losse of some and the hurt of manie In which distresse a certeine seruing man named Fox and reteining to sir Hugh Pollard suddenlie set one of the barnes on fire wherevpon not onelie such as were therein but all they also which were in the rampires fled and ran awaie And then the gentlemen line 40 hauing recouered the rampire went into the towne but there they found none except a few poore and old people the residue trusting better to their héeles than to their armes were fled to a further place and then they returned againe to Excester without anie thing doone The noise of this fire and burning was in post hast and as it were in a moment carried and blazed abroad throughout the whole countrie and the common line 50 people vpon false reports and of a gnat making an elephant noised and spread it abroad that the gentlemen were altogither bent to ouer-run spoile and destroie them And in this rage as it were a swarme of wasps they cluster themselues in great troops and multitudes some in one place and some in an other fortifieng and intrenching themselues as though the enimie were readie to inuade and assaile them And among other places one was at a village belonging to the lord Russell named S. Marie Clift distant from Excester about two miles line 60 where the commons of the countrie thereabout had begun to fortifie the towne for their defense safetie The cause and pretense of their dooings herein was not onelie the burning of the barnes at Crediton aforesaid which all the commons generallie did vse for a cloke of this their rising and rebellion but this one thing also increased their disposition It happened that a certeine gentleman named Walter Raleigh dwelling not far from thense as he was vpon a side holie daie riding from his house to Excester ouertooke an old woman going to the parish church of saint Marie
notified maie sufficientlie appeare But such was the gratious and fauourable prouidence of the Lord to the preseruation not onlie of hir roiall maiestie but also the miserable and wofull state of this whole Iland and poore subiects of the same whereby the proud platforms and péeuish practises of this wretched Achitophell preuailed not but contrariwise both he and all the snares and traps of his pernicious counsell laid against an other were turned to a net to catch himselfe according to the prouerbe Malum consilium consultori pessimum After the death of this Gardiner followed the death also and dropping awaie of other hir enimies whereby by little and little hir leopardie decreased feare diminished hope of comfort began to appeare as out of a darke cloud And albeit as yet hir grace had no full assurance of perfect safetie yet more gentle interteinment dailie did grow vnto hir till at length to the moneth of Nouember and seauentéenth daie of the same three yeares after the death of Stephan Gardiner followed the death of quéene Marie as heretofore at large hath béene trulie declared Although this historie following be not directlie apperteining to the former matter yet the same maie here not vnaptlie be inserted for that it dooth discouer and shew foorth the malicious hearts of the papists towards this vertuous quéene our souereigne ladie in the time of queene Marie his sister which is reported as a truth crediblie told by sundrie honest persons of whome some are yet aliue and doo testifie the same The matter whereof is this Soone after the stirre of Wiat and the troubles that happened to this queene for that cause it fortuned one Robert Farrer a haberdasher of London dwelling neere vnto Newgate market in a certeine morning to be at the Rose tauerne from whence he was seldome absent and falling to his common drinke as he was euer accustomed and hauing in his companie thrée other companions like vnto himselfe it chanced the same time one Laurence Shiriffe grocer dwelling also not farre from thence to come into the said tauerne and finding there the said Farrer to whome of long time he had borne good will sat downe in the seat to drinke with him and Farrer hauing in his full cups and not hauing consideration who were present began to talke at large and namelie against the ladie Elisabeth and said That gill hath béene one of the chiefe dooers of this rebellion of Wiat and before all be doone she and all the heretikes hir partakers shall well vnderstand of it Some of them hope that she shall haue the crowne but she and they I trust that so hope shall hop headlesse or be fried with fagots before she come to it The aforesaid Laurence Shiriffe grocer being then seruant vnto the said ladie Elisabeth sworne vnto hir grace could no longer forbeare his old acquaintance and neighbor Farrer in speaking so vnreuerentlie of his mistresse but said to him Farrer I haue loued thée as a neighbour and haue had a good opinion of thée but hearing of thée that I now heare I defie thée and I tell thée I am hir graces sworne seruant and she is a princesse and the daughter of a noble king and it euill becommeth thée to call hir a gill and for thy so saieng I saie thou art a knaue I will complaine vpon thée Doo thy woorst said Farrer for that I said I will saie againe and so Shiriffe came from his companie Shortlie after the said Shiriffe taking an honest neighbour with him went before the commissioners to complaine the which commissioners sat then at Boner the bishop of Londons house beside Pauls and there were present Boner then being the chiefe commissioner the lord Mordant sir Iohn Baker doctor Derbishire chancellor to the bishop doctor Storie doctor Harpsfield and others The aforesaid Shiriffe comming before them declared the maner of the said Robert Farrers talke against the ladie Elisabeth Boner answered Peraduenture you tooke him woorse than he meant Yea my lord said doctor Storie if you knew the man as I doo you would saie that there is not a better catholike nor an honester man in the citie of London Well said Shiriffe my lord she is my gratious ladie and mistresse and it is not to be suffered that such a varlet as he is should call so honorable a princesse by the name of a gill and I saw yesterdaie in the court that my lord cardinall Poole méeting hir in the chamber of presence knéeled downe on his knées and kissed hir hand and I saw also that king Philip méeting hir made hir such obeisance that his knée touched the ground and then me thinketh it were too much to suffer such a varlet as this is to call hir gill and to wish them to hop headlesse that shall wish hir grace to inioie the possession of the crowne when God shall send it vnto hir as in the right of hir inheritance Yea Staie there quoth Boner When God sendeth it vnto hir let hir inioie it But trulie said he the man that spake the words that you haue line 10 reported meant nothing against the ladie Elisabeth your mistresse and no more doo we but he like an honest and zealous man feared the alteration of religion which euerie good man ought to feare and therfore said Boner good man go your waies home and report well of vs towards your mistresse and we will send for Farrer and rebuke him for his rash and vndiscréet words and we trust he will not doo the like againe And thus Shiriffe came awaie and Farrer had a flap with a fox taile Now that ye maie be fullie line 20 informed of the aforesaid Farrer whome doctor Storie praised for so good a man ye shall vnderstand that the same Farrer hauing two daughters being handsome maidens the elder of them for a summe of monie he himselfe deliuered vnto sir Richard Cholmleie to be at his commandement the other he sold to a knight called sir William Gooddolphin to be at his commandement whome he made his lackie and so carried hir with him being apparelled in mans apparell to Bullongne and the said Farrer line 30 followed the campe He also was a great and a horrible blaphemer of God and a common accuser of honest and quiet men also a common drunkard And now I referre the life of these catholiks to your iudgement to thinke of them as you please But of this matter enough and too much Now let vs returne where we left before which was at the death of queene Marie After whose deceasse succéeded hir foresaid sister ladie Elisabeth into the right of the crowne of England who after so long line 40 restreinement so great dangers escaped such blusterous stormes ouerblowne so manie iniuries digested and wrongs susteined by the mightie protection of our mercifull God to our no small comfort and commoditie hath béene exalted and erected out of thrall to
whose line 20 attempts when the lord Hunsdon lord warden of the east marches and gouernor of Berwike heard he prepared to go against him and hauing with him sir Iohn Forster lord warden of the middle marches they set forward towards the place where they thought they should find him They had with them 300 chosen soldiors of the garrison of Berwike and twelue hundred borderers and other of the garrisons there about the borders so that they were in all fiftéene hundred footmen and horssemen They marching line 30 therewith foorth approched néere to a towne and castell called Naworth which was in the kéeping of the said Leonard Dacres And vpon a moore through the middle whereof a litle riuer called Chelt hath his course the said Leonard Dacres the two and twentith of Februarie was readie with his power in order of battell ranged set in arraie after the forme of a triangle compassed and inuironed about with horssemen And now vpon the lord Hunsdons approch the said Dacres with great and stout courage line 40 gaue an hardie onset vpon the said lord Hunsdon and his companie neere vnto the foresaid riuer The fight was sharpe and cruell and the euent verie doubtfull for a while the rebels were so stiffelie bent to doo their vttermost indeuor in defense of their wicked quarrell There were amongst them manie desperat women that gaue the aduenture of their liues and fought right stoutlie Manie therfore were slaine on both sides to the number at the least of three hundred persons But such was the forward valiancie line 50 of the lord Hunsdon that his people incoraged by his example whome they might see so noblie acquit himselfe in aduenturing so farre as anie other of the whole troope behaued themselues in such manfull wise that the victorie in the end fell to him and his companie and the said Leonard Dacres was forced to flée from his séelie slaine and miserable people taking his waie into Scotland so fast as his horsse might beare him Capteine Reade and the other capteins and soldiors of Berwike bare themselues right valiantlie and shewed proofe of their skill and line 60 hardie manhood in this skirmish After the which these holds and castels were taken and deliuered vnto the said lord Hunsdon Naworth which was committed vnto the kéeping of maister Scroope Kestwood Greistocke and Rockleie which were deliuered to the kéeping of diuerse of the duke of Norffolks officers On good fridaie the seauen and twentith of March Simon Digbie of Askue Iohn Fulthorpe of Isilbecke in the countie of Yorke esquiers Robert Peneman of Stokesleie Thomas Bishop the yoonger of Poklinton in the same countie of Yorke gentlemen were drawne from the castell of Yorke to the place of execution called Knaues mire halfe a mile without the citie of Yorke and there hanged headed and quartered their foure heads were set on foure principall gates of the citie with foure of their quarters the other in diuerse places of the countrie Osclope Clesbe was with them drawne to the gallows and returned againe to the castell William earle of Penbroke baron of Cardiffe knight of the garter one of the priuie councell and lord steward of the quéenes maiesties houshold deceased the eightéenth of Aprill and was buried in saint Paules church at London ¶ This noble man liued in great credit and estimation with king Henrie the eight king Edward the sixt quéene Marie and quéene Elisabeth and was by euerie of the said princes imploied in matters of great importance and for his good and faithfull seruice greatlie honored as appéereth in an epitaph fixed vpon his toome in the cathedrall church of saint Paule in London which I thought good here to laie downe Perpetuae pietati sacrum GVlielmo Herberto Penbrochiae comiti equiti aurato praenobilis ordinis Anglici Hen. viij R. A cubiculis Edoard vi R. equitum magistro Walliae praesidi Tumultu occidentali cum Russello Grato baronibus paribus auspicijs summae rerum praeposito Mariae R. contra perduelles ac expeditione ad Augustam Veromanduorum bis totius exercitus duci bis summo in agro Caletum limitum praefecto Elisab R. officiorum seu Magno Regiae magistro Pariter Dominae Annae ex vetusta Parrorum gente oriunda Sorori Catharinae R. Henr. viij R. vi matrimonio coniunctae ac Marchionis Northamptonij Prudentiss foeminae pietatis religionis probitatis omnÃsque auitae virtutis retinentiss fidiss Comitis coniugi Henr. F. ac comes Pp. chariss sibi ac suis moerens P. Olijt aetatis Ann. 63. Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita insigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina Olijt salutis Ann. 1569. Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita insigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina Liberis relictis ex prima Henrico Pemb. Comite Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita insigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina Edoardo equite Aurato Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita insigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina Domina Anna Baroni Talbot nupta Secunda coniuge superstite Georgio Salopiae comite genita insigni praeter antiquum probitatis decus virtute foemina The earle of Sussex in reuenge of the euill demeanor of the Scots inhabiting néere to the English marches as well in receiuing and succouring diuerse of the English rebels as other naughtie practises assembled such forces as he thought expedient in the night that followed the seauen and twentith of Aprill and hauing with him the lord Hunnesdon gouernour of Berwike and lord warden of the east marches sir William Drurie marshall of the said armie and towne of Berwike came to Warke being twelue miles distant from the said towne of Berwike then the next daie being the eightéenth of the same moneth they entered into Tiuidall in Scotland where marching in warlike order they burned ouerthrew wasted and spoiled all the castels townes and villages as they passed till they came to a tower called the Mosse tower standing in a marish and belonging to the lard of Buclewgh which likewise was rased ouerthrowne and burned and so marching forward wasted the whole countrie before them vntill they came to a great towne called Crauling The same daie sir Iohn Forster warden of the middle marches with all the garrisons and forces of the same entered likewise into Tiuidall at Espesgate distant sixteene miles from Warke where in like order they burned and spoiled the countrie before them till they came to a castell in the possession of the lard of Ferniherst being parcell of hir sons lands which likewise was ouerthrowne rased and burned with all other castels piles townes and villages all alongst the said countrie till they came to Crauling ioining there with the lord lieutenants power This towne was likewise burned and spoiled Thus they passed
master Edward Hobbie master Francis Darcie master Michaell Stanhoope master William Knols master Francis Knolles master George Digbie master Thomas Uauasor master Anthonie Mildemaie master Henrie Nowell master Nicholas Gorges master Michaell Harecourt master Fulke Greuill so as the whole traine that attended vpon the said earle was to the number of an hundred gentlemen and more than three hundred seruingmen line 10 The lord of Hunsdon had of gentlemen and others togither to the number of a hundred and fiftie and the lord Howard had as manie besides manie more whereof diuerse were hir maiesties seruants The quéene determined to accompanie the monsieur to the sea side yet neuerthelesse commanded the said lords to kéepe their course and to attend vpon his highnesse to the said place with all maner of solemnities interteinments and feastings He on the other side desired and besought hir maiestie not to depart line 20 from London as well for that the iournie would be painefull vnto hir and for that he saw the weather faire and wind fauorable and therefore was loth to loose anie occasion of performing his voiage with all spéed But he could not preuaile Wherevpon hir maiestie tooke hir iournie with hir whole court the first daie of Februarie lodged that night at Rochester The next daie abiding still at Rochester hir maiestie shewed him all hir great ships which were in that place into most whereof his line 30 highnesse and the prince and lords of his traine entered not without great admiration of the French lords gentlemen who confessed that of good right the quéene of England was reported to be ladie of the seas Also he beheld how all those ships were readie furnished and well appointed And hir maiestie told him that all those vessels the furniture of them should doo him seruice when soeuer he would imploie them for the which he most humblie thanked hir maiestie and so after all the great ordinance had béene line 40 shot off they returned for that daie againe to Rochester The third day they went to Sittingborne where dining both togither the queene was serued after the English manner by the greatest ladies of hir court and the monsieur after the French manner by the gentlemen of his traine which ladies and gentlemen dined afterwards togither Then his highnesse besought hir maiestie againe to go no further declaring vnto hir that the faire weather passed awaie line 50 But notwithstanding his intreatance the quéene went on still to Canturburie At which place after one daies tarriance when she had openlie feasted all the French nobilitie either part tooke their leaue of other not without great griefe and shew of verie great amitie especiallie betwéene hir maiestie and the monsieur Which thing was perceiued also in the lords and gentlemen of both nations likewise in the ladies to all whome it was like griefe to depart after they had béene conuersant and had liued line 60 friendlie and brotherlie togither by the space of three moneths without anie change or alteration of good willes But the honor which inforced his highnesse asswaged his griefe and made him to proceed on his iournie with the said prince and lords of both nations The sixt daie of the same moneth whereas he was determined to haue taken ship he was counselled to lodge that night of Sandwich bicause the wind was somewhat changed Howbeit some of the English gentlemen namelie master Killegreie master Diar and diuerse others to eschew thronging at their imbarking went to Douer and there taking ship the same night laie a while at anchor and somwhat after midnight sailed awaie with certeine other vessels The seuenth daie in the morning about nine of the clocke his highnesse tooke the sea in three great ships of war In the greatest of them named the Discouerer sailed the monsieur himselfe with the erle of Leicester and the lord Howard the viceadmerall in the second called the Sentinell went the prince Dolphin and in the third was the countie of Louall and the lord of Hunsdon Now as his highnesse was yet at anchor there came a post from a lord of England who brought him word that the states of the low countries were reuolted and namelie the citie of Antwerpe and therefore he praied him not to depart vntill he had more certeine newes Notwithstanding this his highnesse determined to depart and so sailed awaie with fifteene ships and he had so faire weather which continued euen vntill after his eniering into Antwerpe and his feasting and solemne interteinement there that the heauen the winds the sea and the earth séemed all to fauour his voiage and to further the gladnesse which the people shewed in receiuing him with so great good will In the meane time the prince of Orange séeing the time fit departed from Middleborough where he had taried the monsieurs comming six weekes and more and came to Flushing to take order for all things that were requisit for the honorable and commodious interteinement of so great a prince At the which place vnderstanding by the letters of the said lords ambassadours and others that the monsieur was departed from London and come to Canturburie and therefore thinking it would not be long yer he arriued there he dispatched monsieur Treslon his viceadmerall of Zeland with a litle pinnesse called the Chase to go before to meet the monsieur commanding him that as soone as he had discouered his fléet he should giue him a watchword thereof by the shot of two cannons Monsieur Treslon hauing about noonetide discouered the ships that were parted from Douer and thinking that they had béene the great fléet gaue his watchword which was the cause that a certeine vessell went foorth to the sea to méet his highnesse but anon after perceiuing his errour he returned to Flushing where by and by the fléet of Douer arriued Then monsieur Treslon going foorth found the monsieur and the great fleet betwéene Newport and Dunkirke where after salutation giuen and taken on either side the monsieur standing vpon the hatches of his ship espied his owne secretarie named Nephue standing likewise vpon the hatches of the Chase to whome he sent his shipbote commanding him to come aboord to him which thing he did and there aduertised the monsieur that as concerning the reuolting of the states there was no such matter but that all things went verie well that his highnesse was waited for with great longing That daie by reason the wind was turned northeast they could go no further but were faine to cast anchor ouer against a place called Ostend where they passed that night waiting for the tide the next morning His ships were perceiued by them of Flushing where after midnight arriued the lord of S. Aldegond who assured the prince of Orange that the next morning the monsieur would arriue there with the tide Wherevpon the prince of Orange and the prince of Espinoie with a great number of
hath passed all the rest And trulie the citie had no more but six daies respit to prepare for it as I said before in somuch that they could not put to making anie worke of silke nor of gold and siluer beaten or wouen nor anie imbroderie no nor in so short time make anie meane apparell new nor anie rare costlinesse of imageries pillers triumphall arches or other pageants but were constreined to make a shift with such things as they had in a readinesse aforehand of their owne store In other interteinments there haue in deed beene séene great plentie of riches and roialties in attires of kings and quéenes princes and princesses lords and ladies citizens and their wiues but in this interteinment no such were séene howbeit there was not anie grosenesse nor ought that might not well beséeme the neatnesse and finenesse of that people although it came nothing neere the sumptuousnesse of other interteinements As touching triumphall arches chariots portraitures and such other shewes although there were manie wittie inuentions and agreeable to the time yet haue men séene of them in other places which might match these And as touching the number of their people although it was great yet it is well knowen that Paris excéedeth them in that behalfe But the onelie reason of this contentment commeth chéeflie of the great number of people in armour being not fewer than twentie thousand in so good and so faire armour and of their order and obedience and of the small noise which all that huge multitude made in somuch that if it had not béene for the thundering of the canons and the sounding of trumpets clarions halboies and other instruments there was no more noise than is among a councell of graue men That then was in mine opinion the onlie verie cause which was greatlie furthered by their beholding of the monsieur of Brabant who representing the statelinesse of old time was clothed in a large mantell with the bonnet of his dukedome vpon his head so that among that great number of people which were so well armed that thrée of the best cities in christendome could not shew so manie faire armors of their owne his highnesse resembled a pretious stone or iewell set in fine gold And bicause that they which were the beholders thereof for they could not be euerie where nor sée euerie thing will be verie glad to vnderstand of the things that so escaped them and delight their minds now with the remembrance of the things which they saw before as they delighted their eies and minds with the beholding of them that daie and strange nations to whom the fame of that so renowmed daies worke is come will take pleasure to vnderstand the same whereof they could not be beholders Therefore is this booke set foorth for the satisffing of all men and also to make it knowen to a line 10 number of men who partlie for enimitie partlie for enuie and partlie for other surmises and mistrusts will not beléeue it with what mind and affection the prince of Orange and the other lords and noblemen of Brabant the good cities and the small townes and namelie the most renowmed citie of Antwerp haue receiued their new prince and souereigne lord The ninetéenth daie of the foresaid moneth in the forenoone the monsieur the duke of Aniou departed from Lislo and sailed towards Antwerpe hauing line 20 in his companie but twentie ships for the rest had gotten to Antwerpe afore as well to put themselues in a readinesse as for other affaires And he came about eight of the clocke nigh to the new towne and passing along by the townes side left the foreland of Flanders on his right hand and the towne on his left and passed beyond all the towne and the place where the castell was By the waie he heard all the canons shot off from that part of the towne which faceth the riuer from a great number of ships which line 30 rode at anchor there and he saw all the wharfes furnished with men of warre of the citie well armed who welcommed him with their shot and were answered againe by the ships of warre that accompanied him conducted by monsieur de Treslon and the viceadmerals and diuerse capteins of Flushing And so the first foot that he did set on land in Brabant was at a village called Kiell which is at the canon wharfe at Antwerpe The states of Brabant the magistrates of the citie and diuers other states line 40 comming in like order on horssebacke to the same place with their trumpets sergeants and heralds apparelled in cotes of the armes of Lothier Brabant and Limborough alighted there and waited on foot at the wharfe to receiue his highnesse and to shew him the good will and affection of the states and people But the prease of people was so great which resorted thither to sée the prince whome they looked for to be their duke and againe there were so manie impediments in his landing that it was found better line 50 for them by the aduise of the prince of Orange to returne backe and to tarie for his highnesse vpon a theater which was prepared for him This theater was set vp towards a corner of the castell and opened towards the citie so as his highnesse being there might at one time view both the citie and the castell and behold the counterscarffes the déepe ditches full of faire water cléere to the verie bottome of the chanell inclosed on either side with hewne stone the great and faire buildings line 60 the goodlie walles beautifull to looke on and verie thicke and the broad rampires garnished with trees planted by hand that it resembled a little forest The monsieur was brought vp to this theater accompanied with the prince Dolphin the onelie sonne of the duke of Montpanuser the earle of Leceister and other English lords representing the quéene of England the princes of Orange and Espinoie the countié de Lauall the other English lords the countie de Chateauroux and a great sort of the barons lords and gentlemen besides the chiefe magistrats and maisters of the companies of the citie of Antwerpe The lords of the state of Brabant waiting vpon the theater came dutifullie downe to go and méet his highnesse which thing he perceiuing did stand still Then the prince of Orange stepped foorth to take his place among the states as one of the chiefe lords and barons of the duchie of Brabant As soone as they had saluted his highnesse and with great humblenesse kissed his hand they mounted vp the steps againe with him after whome followed the princes and lords of France and of England and when they were come vp aboue they ranged themselues on either side There was set for the monsieur a chaire couered with cloth of gold wherein he sat him downe And vpon the theater there was likewise a trauerse of cloth of gold and all the theater was
to be such a one and therfore I did misdoubt thee for I would not credit thée with my hallowed pictures M. Kirbie quoth the other to â—enie your owne dooings is maruellous impudencie did not you in your chamber deliuer me certeine silken pictures which you told me at Stukleis being there were hallowed by the pope and what indulgences were alowed them One of them which was a crucifix you gaue me the other you willed me deliuer to your freends at Rheimes and in England And bicause they were too few as in déed I thinke they were no more but fiue you gaue me two Iulies to go into the citie to buie more which I did and hauing brought them to you thrée or foure of the fairest you tooke from me promising to get them hallowed at the next benediction the other in déed you gaue me and I tooke them with me How saie you now Kirbie quoth master shiriffe would you haue credited him with such matters had you not supposed him to be one of your owne sect Master shiriffe quoth he what I haue said I know verie well And after he was gone from Rome I sent fiftéene shillings to Rheimes to be deliuered to him but he was departed thense towards England before it came Then master shiriffe said to him againe You stand vpon these points verie much which there is none that are here but will iudge to be vntrue thou hearest what he hath said vnto thée and we haue heard that thou deniedst euerie thing What saiest thou to thy treasons wherefore thou art come hither to die Wilt thou be sorie for them aske God and hir maiestie forgiuenesse for she is mercifull and we will carrie thee backe againe if we shall perceiue in thée anie such motion that thou wilt forsake thy former wickednesse and become a good and faithfull subiect At these words the people among themselues almost line 10 generallie said O excéeding mercie and fauour what a gratious princesse haue we who affoordeth such mercie vnto those that haue so ill deserued Can there be a princesse of greater pitie of more clemencie or tendernesse to be found in all the world No. Principe nil ista mitius orbis habet Then Field the preacher in the booke read his answers to him whereto he had subscribed with his owne hand Whether the pope might lawfullie depose hir maiestie or had anie authoritie to take the line 20 title of hir crowne and dignitie awaie from hir Wherto Kirbie answered This is a matter disputable in schooles and therefore I may not iudge of it I thinke this with my selfe that if anie prince fall by infidelitie into turcisme atheisme paganisme or anie such like that the pope hath authoritie to depose such a prince And being asked if hir maiestie were in anie such He said he knew his owne conscience An other preacher being by said vnto him that the prince receiued his authoritie from God and that he line 30 was to be suppressed by none but onelie by God Againe that Salomon said By me meaning by God kings reigne and princes decrée iustice By me princes rule and the nobles and all the iudges of the earth Againe S. Paule saith Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeined of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement For princes are not line 40 to be feared for good works but for euill Wilt thou then be without feare of the power doo well so shalt thou purchase praise of the same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth but if thou doo euill feare for he beareth a sword not for naught for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that dooth euill If then the pope be a soule he is to be obedient to the higher powers And being a subiect vnto God as all other princes be he must not take vpon him what belongeth to God As for the authoritie line 50 that hir maiestie hath she hath receiued it from God neither is the pope or anie earthlie prince to depriue hir thereof but onelie God Againe when Iesus was brought before Pilat Pilat said vnto him Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thée and haue power to loose thée To the which Iesus answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thée from aboue Thus maie you sée that what prince soeuer ruleth vpon earth hath his power and authoritie onelie from God and not that anie mortall man can vse line 60 the authoritie of a prince at his pleasure How saie you to this Wherto he would make no answer but séemed to demand of them if they would denie that if a prince were in paganisme atheisme or gouerned by infidelitie that such a prince might not lawfullie be deposed Which the learned preachers answered in learned sort approouing that as the power was of God so princes were not to be deposed by anie but onelie by God No quoth Kirbie againe hath it not béene disputed in schooles for these fiue hundred yeares and will you denie it O maister Crowleie maister Crowleie and there paused as if that maister Crowleie had agreed with him in such a monstruous error But maister Crowleie himselfe gaue one to vnderstand that at such time as he conferred with the said Kirbie in the tower about the same argument that his answer was vnto him If anie prince fell into anie such kind of error that prince were corrigible but of whome Not of anie earthlie prince but of that heauenlie prince who gaue him his authoritie and seeing him abuse it anie waie correcteth him in his iustice For by his attributing to the pope this authoritie he witnessed him to be antichrist in that he will depose princes at his pleasure and exalt him selfe aboue all that is called God and forgiue men their sinnes at his pleasure likewise All this was not sufficient to mollifie the obstinate mind of Kirbie but he would persist still in this diuelish imagination Maister shiriffe and the preachers séeing him wauering and not able to yéeld anie reason for his arrogant opinion laboured as much as in them laie to change it when all would not serue they desired him in hartie and humble maner to praie vnto God to aske hir maiestie forgiuenesse for the treasons wherein he had offended hir Wherevnto he answered that he had not offended in anie treason to his knowledge Wherevpon they shewed him his treasons which were adiudged by the people woorthie of greater punishment than he was at that time to suffer yet would not he acknowledge them but praied to God for hir maiestie that she might long rule in hir authoritie to confound all hir enimies and that his hart was free from anie treason to hir maiestie Then preparing himselfe
to helpe the poore with monie or vittels needfull To make malt of oates in countries where there hath béene vse thereof No waste of bread corne superfluouslie nor anie expense thereof but for féeding of people None suffered to make starch of anie graine Able poore people to be set to worke Stocks of monie for prouision of works for poore people Clothiers to continue their worke-folks line 10 Souldiors hurt and impotent people to be relieued in their dwelling places That no millers be suffered to be common buiers of corne nor to sell meale but to attend to the true grinding of the corne brought to vse measurable tole these deare seasons Conferences to be had betwixt the iustices of peace in the shires and the principall officers of cities and townes corporat for prouisions of graine for the inhabitants in cities and corporat towns Order for places exempted from the iurisdiction line 20 of the iustices of peace in the bodies of the shires Regard to staie all transportation of graine out of the realme Certificat to be made of the execution of these orders monethlie to the shiriffe and he to certifie the same to the priuie councell within euerie fortie daies To certifie what iustices be absent from the seruice that such as without iust excuse shall not attend maie be displaced and their rooms if there be need supplied The conclusion of these orders is this Ad verbum That if anie shall offend against the true meaning line 30 of these instructions or of anie part thereof or shall vse anie sinister meane to the defrauding thereof that such be seuerelie punished according to the lawes and for such obstinat persons as shall not conforme themselues the iustices shall at their plesure bind them to appeare before the quéenes maiesties priuie councell by a daie certeine there to be further delt with by seuere punishment for the better example of all others Now as Holinshed and such as with painfull care and loue to their countrie haue thought good before me to knit vp the seuerall reigne of euerie seuerall king with a generaltie of the seuerall writers in that princes daies So haue I béene importuned by manie of my friends to knit vp the said whole historie with a particular catalog of all such as haue purposelie in seuerall histories of this realme or by the waie in the histories of other countries written of England and English matter For which cause line 50 with the title of other anonymall chronicles I haue here for that purpose by order of alphabet set downe the same Wherein although I shall not set downe euerie mans name nor of what time qualitie euerie one was for he is not liuing I suppose that can doo the same yet hauing doone my good will therein and that more than perhaps some others would haue doone I praie thée to beare with the defaults and accept that which I haue doone and could doo And although perhaps I maie set downe line 60 one man twise as first by his name and then set downe the worke without his name as another seuerall thing yet is it not of purpose doone or to the end that I would make a great shew and séeme ambitious of names or knowledge but for that I haue not as yet atteined to that perfection which hereafter I hope to doo in distinguishing of the same For Rome was not built in one daie yet if one daies foundation thereof had not beene first laid it had neuer béene after builded and so to the matter A Abbo Floriacensis liued in the time of Dunstane archbishop of Canturburie to whome he dedicated his booke Abbas Wiseburgensis Nicholaus Adams liued in the daies of king Edward the sixt Alfric Abbas Alfric that gathered the liues of the saints in Saxonie which I sometimes had it maie be that these two were all one man Alfridus Beuerlacensis thesaurarius whom Leland calleth Aluredus Fibroleganus Alanus abbat of Teukesburie one of the foure that writ the Quadrilogium of Thomas Becket in the time of king Iohn Alexander Hessebiensis he writ Epitome Britannicae historiae Alexander Somersetensis Alexander Staffordiensis Aelius Spartianus Alured or Alfred king of England in the yeare of Christ nine hundred and thrée Adam Merimuth canon of Paules in the reigne of Richard the second Anianus Marcellinus Richardus Angeruil surnamed De Berie bishop of Durham died in the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée hundred fortie and fiue Antoninus Arnold of London in the time of king Henrie the eight Asserius Meneuensis Aurelius or Aluredus Riualensis Robert Auersberie B Sir Nicholas Bacon knight lord kéeper of the great seale vnto queene Elisabeth Benedictus Claudiocestrensis Balantine a Scot William Baldwin liued in the time of king Edward the sixt Stephan Batemaine died in the yere one thousand fiue hundred eightie and foure Beda an English Saxon died in the yere of Christ seuen hundred thirtie and two G. de Barrie archdeacon of S. Dauids writ the life of Remigius bishop of Lincolne Iohn Bale flourished in the time of Edward the sixt Barnardus Andreas writ a chronicle intituled Liber Barnardi Andreae Tolosati poetae laureati regij historiographi de vita atque gestis Henrici septimi in whose time he flourished Robert Boston in the time of Edward the second Rafe Baldocke bishop of London vnder Edward the second Peter Basset in the time of Henrie the fift whose life he did write Robert Bale recorder of London he died in the yere of our Lord one thousand foure hundred thrée score and one about the latter end of the reigne of Richard the second Edmund Bedenhame writer of the chronicles of Rochester Iohn Bramus and not Bromus as saith Bale a moonke of Tedford Iohn Bracklow a Benedictine moonke in the yeare one thousand two hundred fourtéene Iohannes Brompton historiae vetus quam contulit Iornal monasterio as hath Mathew Parker In vitis episcop Cantu Ferdinando Blake liued in the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred foure score and foure Bodinus Iohn Bouchet a Frenchman of Aquitaine Nicholas Brodingham or Brodringham Iohn Bosue of Burie Blondus Foroliuiensis Henrie Bradshaw borne in Chester a blacke moonke there in the time of Henrie the eight Iohn Burgh a moonke in the daies of K. Edward the third Nicholas Bungeie borne in a towne of the same name in Northfolke in the daies of king Henrie the sixt sir Iohn Bourchier knight lord Barnes translated Froissard Bullerus Roger Bond Thomas Buckhurst lord Buckhurst now liuing Stephan Birchington George Buckhanan liued in the yere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and foure score C Thomas Castleford sir William Cicill knight lord Burleigh lord treasuror of England now liuing William Caxton liued in the daies of king Edward the fourth Campbell Carion a Germane Caradocus Lancarnauensis liued in the daies of K. Stephan Iulius Caesar a Romane Iohn Capgraue borne in Kent an Augustine frier died in the fourth yere of king